I’ve been a fan of the Landmine going all the way back to the early years of Cressey Sports Performance when we started to implement it into our clients’ and athletes’ programs.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and say the Landmine is the end-all-be-all panacea of fitness and performance. I like it and use it (often). But it’s not like it’s going to cut your 40 time by 0.7 seconds, add 50 lbs to your deadlift in a week, make it so that your pecs can cut diamonds, or give you the power of invisibility.1
Having said that, there are many reasons why I dig it.
Here’s a few…
Landmine Training and Why I Think It’s the Shit (Sorry, Non-PG Title Goes Here)
1. User Friendliness
I remember having a conversation with my friend Ben Bruno a few months after he left Boston to start training people out west in LA.
I often say that people in Boston, and in the east coast in general, tend to be a bit grittier. We live in miserable weather 50% of the year, we tend to swear like sailors more often, the weather sucks balls, and too, from a training standpoint, east coast peeps tend to be a bit more “strength” oriented.
Did I mention the weather is abysmal? Just in case I wasn’t crystal clear…it’s crap.
Now, this isn’t to say that people on the west coast aren’t strong or are adverse to getting strong. Rather, it’s just to say that when you live in 75-80 degree weather year round you tend to be more concerned with sustaining a six-pack than a 2-3x bodyweight deadlift.
Ben, to his credit, after having coached at Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning for several years, wanted to take his strength oriented mindset to LA, but he soon learned that that wasn’t going to fly and that he’d need to re-frame or pivot his approach in order to succeed his new environment.
He’d ask clients to deadlift, lunge, or squat a (regular) barbell and they’d look at him as he’d just said The Godfather III was the best of the Godfathers.
The fuck outta here.
However, Ben soon realized that all he had to do was take the barbell and slide it into a Landmine apparatus and his clients would be like “weeeeeeeeeeeeeee, this is fun.”
Set up a barbell in a squat rack for someone to squat? = Nope.
Set up a barbell in a Landmine for someone to squat? = SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY.
And that’s totally fine.
If the Landmine makes something a little less intimidating and more accessible to the user and it gets him or her more excited to train, then I see no reason why we wouldn’t want to lean into that.
As my friend Kevin Mullins stated recently, “exercises are expressions of movement patterns.” In the grand scheme of things who cares how someone squats, deadlifts, lunges, rows, (or whatever). so long as they move and challenge the body to adapt and change?
2. Joint Friendliness
I’ve championed this point of view for a number of years now so I don’t feel I need to belabor it more here. In short, and to paraphrase myself..
“…a lot of people have really shitty overhead mobility.”
As such, oftentimes, overhead pressing may not be the best fit for some people (at least at present time) because they likely don’t have access to the requisite shoulder flexion in order to do so “safely” and without some significant compensations (namely, excessive lumbar extension and forward head posture).
As such, the Landmine Press is a perfect solution because it keeps trainees out of the “danger zone” yet still allows ample opportunity to train the shoulders, albeit in a more joint friendly fashion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Bmle–DUw
3. It Takes Up Minimal Space
My old training studio (before I moved to the current Core Collective) in Boston was 500 sq. feet (so just barely the size of a Jetta).
I’d have to be very judicious with the equipment I purchased so as not to take up too much space. I don’t know how everyone else feels, but for me open space was GOLD (and it still is, even with 10x more space)
The more I have of it the more activities I can do.
I bought two Landmine attachments for my Rogue squat rack because 1) I knew I’d put them to good use and 2) I knew they wouldn’t take up too much space.
Rogue Landmine Attachment = $95
Selectorized Shoulder Press Machine = waaaaay more than that (and takes up way too much space).
Now, admittedly, I understand you can still McGyver a Landmine set-up without a Landmine using the corner of a wall (which is free), but that can still get a little suspect at times
One option is the Barbell Bomb sold by Ab Mat.2 Every one of my racks at Core Collective (six in total) have one of these as part of the “pod.” This makes it so you can set up a “Landmine” anywhere in your gym – in the corner someone, in the middle of the gym floor, on the roof, wherever! This can open the gateway to pressing, rowing, squatting, and hoisting things anywhere you please.
WU-TANG!
4. John Wick Likes It
True story.
5. Versatility
The Landmine can be used to train every part of the body.
Upper Body (Meadows’ Row)
Lower Body (Offset Shouldering Squat)
Upper & Lower Together (Deep Squat 1-Arm Landmine Press)
Everything
And Whateverthefuck
Moreover, the Landmine can be utilized by newbies, gym rats, athletes, Doug from Accounting, and even wizards. It truly is one of the more versatile pieces of equipment out there.
What’s more, exercises can be performed in a litany of positions:
And, lastly, who says you HAVE to do traditional Olympic style training in order to train and improve power?
That’s That
I am not doing the Landmine justice with this simple 1100-1200 word blog post. That said, I do think I’ve been able to get the point across that it’s a very versatile piece of equipment with an even more versatile range of applications. For an extra layer of badassery, I’d HIGHLY recommend Landmine University’s page HERE. There you’ll take landmine training to the next level and possibly take on a second career fighting crime.
The 21st century has graced us with a bevy of technological advances:
High-speed internet.
Telescopes that now treat us to images of Black Holes
Nanotechnology to help improve manufacturing, healthcare, climate change, and agriculture.
Pizza crust made out of cauliflower.
The health/fitness sector has also benefitted. Trainers have the ability to work with clients from all over the world in real-time. We also have the capability to measure things like bar speed and heart rate variability via applications on our phone; all of which provide data to help us gauge our “readiness” to train on any given day.
But seriously, cauliflower is now used to make pizza crust! Even more miraculous is that it doesn’t taste like sawdust.
Technology surely is great.
However, when it comes to ascertaining one’s readiness to train I tend to lean more toward the anti-app route, and instead rely on what I call “INDICTOR SETS.”
What the Heck Is An Indicator Set?
The easiest way to explain is via some anecdotal observances.
I was walking to my gym to train the other day where the plan was to show up, warm-up, crank a little Mobb Deep over the stereo, get angry enough to want to fight a tornado, and work up to a heavy(ish) triple on my deadlift (535 lb).
On paper it looked like a done deal.
But once I started warming up, things didn’t go quite as planned:
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1 (didn’t feel horrible, but didn’t feel great)
455 x 1 (INDICATOR SET)
An indicator set basically lets me know whether or not I have “it” that day.
For instance, in the previous two weeks, 455 lbs (which is ~70% of my 1RM) literally flew up. Based on “feel” of my bar speed, and how effortless the set felt, I knew I could make a run for a high 500’s pull.
Put another way, I gave myself the green light to go for it, and I did.
Conversely, 455 felt like absolute garbage the other day.
It felt slow off the ground. And it felt even slower at lockout, which I normally never have any issues with. The indication was: “Tony, if you attempt to go any higher you’ll run the risk of shitting your spine.”
So, I did the smart thing and called it.
I re-racked the plates, turned the page, and did my accessory work: DB reverse lunges, a little pouting in the corner, and some pull-throughs.
Listen, it’s not a perfect system, nor is it anything remotely scientific. To be as transparent as possible: I am not anti-technology. But I am anti-technology to the point that many (not all) people tend to miss the forest for the trees when it comes to their readiness to workout.
If their Apple watch indicates a modicum of fatigue they’ll shut that shit down faster than you can say, well, apple.
Just because your watch says you should avoid training on any given day doesn’t necessarily mean you have to. Besides, I’m not entirely sold on the reliability of those apps anyway. I’ve had clients walk into a session feeling like a million bucks only to have their watch tell them danger, danger, DANGER, and to not even look at a barbell.
On the flip side, I’ve also had clients show up feeling like they made out with a petri dish, only to warm-up, move around a little, and then feel like Leonidas leading the Spartans to battle.
Indicator sets help you learn to FEEL whether or not you’ve got the juice on any given day. In short: It’s a form of auto-regulation that helps you to not have to rely on some algorithm.
Plus, it’ll save you a few hundred dollars…😙
At least in this scenario you’ll have some tangible, performance-based evidence to help you gauge things. Muscle fatigue is one thing and tends to be easier for many people to use as a metric.
If you’re overly sore you can feel that and tweak your programming accordingly. CNS (or nervous system) fatigue is a bit more nebulous and harder to pinpoint, or even feel for that matter.
Indicator sets help you with the latter.
To that end, I encourage you to start utilizing indicator sets as part of your warm-up on the days you know you’re going to be pushing the envelop.
Pick a weight during your warm-up that you can use to “gauge” where you’re at that particular day. This number should be heavy enough to be challenging, but one you KNOW you can perform fast and with immaculate technique.
(this will likely be around 80% of your 1 rep-max)
Trust me. The whole mindset of lift heavy or go home – while admirable – isn’t always the best approach.
For the sake of brevity, this post assumes you can perform a deadlift – trap bar, straight bar, a bag of groceries of the ground, a person, whatever – without shitting your spine.
If you can’t, go seek out a reputable fitness professional to show you how. Or, you can always check out THIS Cliff Notes version I helped author not too long ago.
Much like if someone wants to get better at writing they should, you know, write; or if they want to get better at cooking souffles they should practice cooking souffles; or if they want to master the art of not getting laid, they should attend Star Trek conventions….
…if you want to get better at deadlifitng, you should deadlift.
The more you (purposely) practice something the better you’ll get at it. I understand it’s stating the obvious, but it can’t be repeated enough.
There are many moving parts to executing a pristine deadlift, and oftentimes it bodes in our favor to include exercises, drills, and/or movements that compliment the lift or, more germane to the conversation, address a technique flaw or general weakness.
Below are a handful of quick-n-dirty suggestions that may (or may not) apply to you and help increase your deadlift badassery.
1) Deadstart Squats
This is one of my favorite deadlift accessory movements for a few reasons:
When set up to match your hip position for the deadlift it offers a ton of carryover in terms of both mechanics and musculature targeted.
The deadlift is (mostly) a concentric movement. The Deadstart Squat, too, is (mostly) a concentric movement.
For people who struggle with keeping their chest up (preventing their upper back from rounding) during the deadlift, this will be a challenge. NOTE: I’d likely revert to a FRONT squat hold for those who really struggle with back position here. Front squat position is also a better option for those who lack the requisite shoulder mobility (external rotation) to perform well. Another great option is using the Safety-squat or Yoke bar.
Great option for training power/explosiveness.
Because I said so.
As far as sets/reps there are two approaches I like, both of which gravitate more towards the low(er) end of the spectrum.
One (3-5)
Here, reps will stay in the 3-5 (25ish total reps) range using 60-75% of 1RM. A 4-week macro-cycle may look something like this:
Week 1: 5×5 @ 65% 1RM, 90s rest
Week 2: 6×4 @ 70% 1RM, 90s rest
Week 3: 8×3 @ 75% 1RM, 90s rest
Week 4: 3×5 @ 60% 1RM, 90s rest
Idea is to stay tight throughout duration of set. You should always come to a complete stop on the pins, however you shouldn’t relax
Two (Singles)
I love this option as I feel it offers the most carryover to my deadlift.
Because I’m only performing one-rep, I can place a premium on getting as tight as humanly possible and being as explosive AF. In addition I can go a little heavier in weight here (70-85% of 1RM)
A 4-week macrocycle may look something like this:
Week 1: 12×1 @ 70% 1RM, 30s rest
Week 2: 10×1 @ 75% 1RM, 30s rest
Week 3: 8×1 @ 80% 1RM, 60s rest
Week 4: 6×1 @ 85% 1RM, 60s rest
2) RKC Plank
I don’t know about you, but this is what I look like whenever someone brags to me about how (s)he can hold a two-minute plank:
You might as well be bragging to me about how you can point out the color red or, I don’t know, walk in a straight line.
Besides, you know and I know if you’re holding a plank that long it (probably) looks like garbage.
NOTE: This is not to insinuate I’m against the plank or find zero value in it.
Au contraire.
Without going too far down the rabbit hole of spinal mechanics, prone (and side) planks (and how long someone can perform them) are a legitimate assessment tool and are staples in terms of low back rehab and performance.
Teaching the RKC Plank offers a quick primer on how to 1) perform the plank right and 2) allow people a window to appreciate what it really feels like to get and maintain full-body tension.
The RKC Plank is all about building context.
More specifically it’s about appreciating full-body tension. If someone can’t understand (or feel) what this means while lying on the floor…how in the hell are they going to understand it standing up while attempting to pick up a heavy object off the floor?
Trust me, when done right, 10s will feel like torture.
3) Straight-Arm Band Pulldowns
The idea is pretty simple (and effective).
Prior to each set of deadlifts you perform a set of 5-10 repetitions of band pulldowns (holding each rep for a 3-5s count).
This serves a few functions:
It allows the trainee to prime or feel his or her’s lats firing. Setting your lats (and subsequently posteriorly tilting your scapulae) as part of your DL set-up will help with leverages and moment arms getting you closer to the barbell. Greg Nuckols does a fantastic job at explaining things more thoroughly and nerdely HERE.
Offhandedly, it also helps with anterior core engagement, which in turn aids with rib position. Less rib flare = less lumbar extension = more stable position to lift a metric shit-ton of weight.
Closing Thoughts
None of the above are revolutionary ideas or are going to win be any fitness writing Pulitzers. However, they are exercises/drills I use myself (and with my own clients/athletes) and have found they provide a lot of benefit.
Give them a try yourself and let me know your thoughts/experiences.
NOTE FROM TG: It’s Christmas. So, I’m out. But, I figured this would be an opportune time to repurpose some old content.
1) If you didn’t read this the first time I posted it all I have to say is “pfffffft, whatever.”
2) If you did, you’re cool. And, share it……;o)
Understandably, the title of this post suggests some nefarious agenda where my goal is to spend the next few minutes explaining why we’ve had it all wrong the entire time.
“You mean to tell us, Tony, there’s a chance compound movements don’t make people stronger?”
“What’s next: telling us water isn’t wet, the Earth isn’t round, you’ve been busting our balls the entire time and kipping pull-ups are, in fact, one of your favorite exercises?”
Relax. Deep breaths.
Just so people don’t think I’ve lost my marbles or are already tapping away on their keyboard drafting their hate mail before actually reading what I have to say below….the short answer to the title of this post is:
“Yes, I do feel compound (multi-joint) movements – think: deadlift, squat, bench press, rows, overhead pressing – make people into beasts, and should lay the foundation for any well-rounded strength training program.”
However, I fear many trainees (and coaches) often fall into the same trap where we’re programmed into thinking compound movements, and onlycompound movements, should be utilized 100% of the time…no exceptions.
A thousand years of no gainz and incessant internet trolling to the person caught using the leg curl machine or, the horror, performs a few sets of tricep kickbacks.
Shut Up
No, really…shut up.
Of COURSE compound movements make you strong(er). If you want to get strong, it only makes sense to perform those movements which will allow you to use the most weight and force the body into a state of adaptation to get strong.
Granted a lot of other things need to fall into place in order for “strong” to happen. Just because you place a barbell on your back and meander up and down doesn’t mean you’re the second coming of Ed Coan.
Technique, frequency of training, addressing weaknesses, technique, and technique consistent progressive overload all need to be taken into consideration.
What’s more, if strength is the goal – particularly with the big 3– compound/multi-joint movements performed in low(er) rep ranges (1-5) is kind of important.
Why?
Cliff Notes Version: Lifting maximal weight has a number of effects:
1. Maximal number of motor units are recruited.
2. Fastest MU’s are activated (high-threshold motor units).
3. The discharge frequency (rate coding) is increased.
4. Activity is synchronous – both inter and intra-muscularly.
5. Potential for future hypertrophy gains (especially when you revert back to a “hypertrophy” specific training phase).
6. While some argue whether or not the research is efficacious – it goes both ways – lifting heavy things helps to increase serum Testosterone levels.
7. Girls will want to hang out with you (<=== it’s science).
But It’s Not All PRs and Butterfly Kisses
While all the above is true, focusing solely on compound movements (and lifting maximal weight all the time) does have its pitfalls.
1). There’s an inherent likelihood of increased wear and tear on the joints over time (Yes, even with “good” technique).
2). Compound movements = produce/accumulate more fatigue (particularly neural fatigue). And if it’s not managed appropriately, one may see a decrease in strength/performance over time.
And finally, something not many people consider:
3). We’re Really Good at Compensating.
You may have noticed that I drilled the idea of “technique” earlier. It’s that important.
As a coach I find many people are unable to express their true fitness/strength level due to faulty joint positions (misalignment, such as excessive lumbar extension/APT), and, honestly, not “earning the right” to increase load.
I.e., they haven’t performed enough reps at “x” weight in order to go up.
To that end, drilling technique – and respecting each individual’s anthropometry – is always going to be of paramount importance.
Due to our ability to compensate well, the likelihood you’re leaving poundages in the tank are very high.
As well, when we start talking accessory movements, I’m always in the camp which takes the approach they should generally be used to address some form of technique flaw or weakness with the main lift in question.
For Example
If someone is struggling with their deadlifts off the floor – meaning, they’re super slow – some viable accessory movements to address this would be:
1). Limiting tap-n-go reps (bouncing off the floor).
2). Deficit pulls (2-3″ elevated) to generate more quadricep recruitment.
3). More squat variations such as Safety Squat Bar squats and front squats (again, to generate more quadricep recruitment).
4). Anderson Squat – performed from a deadstart, emulating one’s deadlift stance.
Note: Notice my hip placement above. When I was pulling conventional style (the video is four years old) this variation of Anderson squat very much mirrored my deadlift stance, which carried over well.
Back To My Point
Oh yeah, my point.
Listen, it’s okay to perform isolation work or more bodybuilding-specific exercises. A more “hybrid” approach – strength and hypertrophy – is going to bode well for most people anyways.
Case in point: my bench press sucks. There are days where I’d rather wash my face with broken glass than bench press.
One of the things my coach has been implementing into my programs of late is more isolation work to address muscular issues.
Think about it: expressing strength is (mostly) about generating force. Hoisting big weights helps in this regard. However, a bigger muscle – almost always – is going to produce more force than a smaller one.
Indeed, I’ve been hammering away at my bench press technique – even implementing accessory movements like paused bench presses and Spoto Presses to address my weaknesses.
But guess what? Lately – for the past two blocks of training – I’ve been performing a TON of dumbbell chest flyes. You know, those “wimpy” things guys use to train their chest cleavage.
Funnily enough my bench press has seen it’s best jump in a while since incorporating more isolation type work for the pecs and triceps.
Too, my DL has gone up since tossing in some leg extensions; and I have to assume the chest flyes play a role too…;o)
Read: It’s not only about compound movements. Don’t be so dogmatic.
True, they serve as the staple for any strength-based program…but try not to neglect the importance of choosing the correct accessory work – even if it’s isolation exercises – to compliment your goals.
If you make a habit of lifting heavy things it’s inevitable you’ll likely experience a few setbacks along the way.
These can range anywhere from the “no big deals” (bloody shins from deadlifting, shoulder niggle) to the dire (disc herniation, explosive diarrhea).
…or worse case, forgetting your squat shoes on squat day.
Suffice to say: Getting hurt is frustrating. Attempting to work around an injury can be even more so.
It bothers me when people default to tossing their hands in the air and surrendering themselves to a two-to-four week window of “rest” and rolling the dice. There’s a lot of good that can be done, even underneath the umbrella of injury. Instead, I’ve long championed the idea of trainees finding their Trainable Menu and focusing more on what they CAN do rather than what they can’t.
Another way to re-frame things is to find your entry point.
In fact…here’s your entry point making an entrance to your next training cycle while you’re working around an injury.
Speaking of entry points: I remember a few years ago when I sat down with Julian to watch the original Jurassic Park. He was four at the time. Now, most coherent parents would start with something a little less scary.
You know, say, Dino Dana or, I don’t know, Care Bears.
Nope, I went with the ginormous, scary T-Rex.
In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the best “entry point” for someone who, at that point, had no idea dinosaurs weren’t real. Again, maybe Toy Story or, hell, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers would have been a more germane choice?
I gotta say, though…
…Julian handled the T-Rex like a champ.
He didn’t blink once. He giggled when the guy sitting on the porto-potty met his demise.
I didn’t know whether to be proud or scared shitless.
Kid’s the next John Wick in the making.
Okay, Cute Story Tony. But WTF Are We Talking About Here?
Yeah, yeah, yeah…
Lifting heavy things.
Entry Points.
I’ve recently been making my way through Dr. Michael Mash’s excellent resource, Barbell Rehab, and giving credit where it’s due…he spends quite a bit if time throughout the course discussing the idea of entry points and how to use the concept to guide anyone’s return back to a specific lift after injury.
Let’s use the bench press as an example.
If someone has pain when he or she bench presses with a straight bar, finding their entry point is nothing more than altering the lift the minimal amount possible in order to gain the minimum desired training effect.
For the visual learners out there it may look something like this:
Adapted from Barbell Rehab
TO BE CLEAR: If pain exists in the shoulder the idea is NOT to automatically regress all the way back to a push-up.
I know some people who’d rather swallow a live grenade than do that. Instead, the goal is to be as specific as possible in order to elicit a (relatively pain-free) training effect.
If someone has pain with a straight bar FLAT bench press, however it alleviates significantly when you switch them to a decline bench press.
Sha-ZAM.
You just found their entry point.
Maybe it’s DB Floor Presses for one person, and yes, maybe it’s a push-up (albeit loaded) for another. The idea is to TRAIN. Moreover, it also could just come down to tweaking their grip slightly or adjusting some component of their technique.
Rehab doesn’t always have to result in sending someone to corrective exercise purgatory.
Likewise, using the squat as an example, sometimes the entry point is using a different bar (Duffalo or Safety-Squat Bar) if the shoulder is the issue, or maybe it’s having someone squat ABOVE parallel if it’s their knee(s) or hip(s) bothering them.
Sometimes, and hear me out, we may have to combine the two: Not a straight bar AND above parallel.
I know what some of you might be saying…”Tha fuck outta here, Tony.”
Yes, it’s true. (please play video below and hopefully get a few LOLs. Or not)
By focusing the bulk of your diet or nutrition plan on things like lean meats, vegetables, fruits, “healthy” fat, whole, minimally processed foods, going “off the grid” 10% of the time, and eating foods you enjoy – hello mint cookies-n-cream ice cream! – won’t really make that big of a difference in the grand scheme of things.
Life will go on, you’ll stay more consistent with your plan (and you’ll keep your sanity).
The Rule of 90% can also be applied to co-habitation (put the toilet seat down 90% of the time, and your spouse or significant other won’t want to stab you in the throat) strength and conditioning, albeit in a different context.
I wrote an article on T-Nation.com what seems like eons ago (2006!) titled, coincidentally enough, The Rule of 90%. Catchy, right?
In it I discuss how, if your goal is to improve maximal strength, it’s important to incorporate lifts at or above 90% of your 1-rep max.
Cliff Notes Version: lifting maximal weight (90%+) has a number of effects:
1. Maximal number of motor units are recruited.
2. Fastest MU’s are activated (high-threshold motor units).
3. The discharge frequency (rate coding) is increased.
4. Activity is synchronous.
5. Potential for future hypertrophy gains (especially when you revert back to a “hypertrophy” specific training phase).
6. While some argue whether or not the research is efficacious – it goes both ways – lifting heavy things helps to increase serum Testosterone levels.
7. Lastly, girls (or boys!) will want to hang out with you (<=== it’s science)
How It’s Applied (Watered Down Version, Like A Lot)
Lets say someone’s bench press max is 275 lbs, and the goal for a particular training session is to hit four singles at or above 90%. It may look something like this:
Bar x whatever
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
250 x 1
265 x 1 (feel good! Eff it, lets go for a PR).
280 x 1 (it was a grinder, but you got it).
From here, it’s important to note that ANY lift at 90% or above (275 lbs), counts. Doing the math, that means any lift which was heavier than 247.5 lbs.
So now we have ONE more single left. I’d opt for a clean rep with good bar speed.
260 x 1 (Nailed it! Lets go pound a protein shake).
Hitting lifts that are 90% or above one’s 1RM isn’t something I’d recommend for beginner or even most intermediate lifters. It takes a lot of experience and “time under the bar” to get to the point where handling that much weight is safe.
To that end, this approach IS NOT something I advocate for those with little training experience (lets say less than a year of consistent training).
However, that doesn’t mean we can’t still apply the principles to great affect.
Something I implement often (because I don’t go out of my way to test 1RM right off the bat) is the idea of ramping up to a 3 RM (rep max) – for that day – and then using the same approach as above, hitting a certain number of sets at or around 90%.
There’s a fair bit of autoregulation and “feel” involved, and results will vary depending on how someone feels any given day (A) like Randy Macho Man Savage after consuming 9000 mg of caffeine or B) a bag of dicks), but it gets the job done.
I’ll simply have someone work up to a challenging triple (set of 3) for that day, and then once they hit it, aim for “x” number of sets at or slightly above 90% of THAT number.
Lets stick with the bench press. Goal is to hit four sets at or above 90% of 3RM.
Bar x whatever
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3 (bar speed is still good)
245 x 3 (starting to slow up, but still passable)
265 x 3 (last rep was a bit of a grinder. We’ll use this as our marker or “top set” for the day).
Doing the math, 90% of 265 is 238.5. So, any lift above that counts (245 and 265, respectively).
As always, I’d opt for clean, fast reps from here and would encourage someone to stick in the 245-255 range for their last two sets.
And That’s, That
Hopefully that makes some sense, and, of course, this is a strategy that could be applied to all the “big lifts” (squat, deadlift, bench press, chin-up, rows). Sorry, Tricep Kickbacks are off the list.
Too, I’d be conservative with how often it’s applied. 1-2 sessions per week would suffice (maybe use it for one lower body movement, and one upper body movement), but once a week would be a nice option for most.
Week 1: ramp up to a 3RM deadlift, hit 3-5 sets at 90%+ Week 2: ramp up to a 3RM bench press, hit 3-5 sets at 90%+ Week 3: ramp up to a 3RM squat, hit 3-5 sets at 90%+ Week 4: ramp up to a 3RM deadlift (try to beat your previous number), hit 3-5 sets at 90%+
So on and so forth.
All in all, I find this is a much more “user friendly” way to implement the Rule of 90% and something that most trainees could easily implement into their training.
Full Disclosure: I am not a fantastic presser. I’m not going to sit here and attempt to regal you with stories from high-school where I used to drive a Camaro, hookup with the Prom Queen, and bench 405 for reps (you know, before that nasty football injury in the State Championship ruined everything).
Nope, this is not that kind of story. I recognize the bench press often serves as a litmus test for general level of badassery, but I’ve always considered myself an average presser (personal best of 315 lbs at a bodyweight of sexy).
Or, in Dave Tate’s words “I suck.”
Not gonna argue with Dave…;o)
I know how to coach it, and have worked with many people in my years as coach to help them improve and increase their bench press. More commonly, though, is helping people work around a nagging shoulder injury that prevents them from “attacking” the lift in the first place.
NEWSFLASH: Many people complain that the bench press bothers their shoulder.
And while the first inclination is to nix the bench press altogether and jump into corrective exercise mode and start having people blow into balloons or perform any number of thoracic mobility or scapular stability drills to get at the (possible) root of the problem, I feel we sometimes need to pump the brakes.
I mean, I agree that for many people their upper back mobility is atrocious and that it’s likely a very good use of their time to address it. And yes, some people may have gunky tissue quality or less than exemplary scapular stability or kinematics which likely is playing a significant role in their ouchie shoulder.
A thorough assessment or appointment with a manual therapist can hopefully help.
But maybe, just maybe, the reason why someone’s shoulder(s) hurt during bench pressing is because their technique makes my eyes bleed?
*shrugs*
Maybe all they need is a little more coaching. As I always say:
“Correct movement can be corrective.”
This is why, when someone’s shoulder hurts during the bench press, my first “tier” to attack is technique. The fitness industry has become too corrective at the expense of coaching our athletes/clients. Taking the 5-10 minutes to address someone’s set-up can make a huge difference in how the movement feels.
Are they driving their upper traps into the bench?
Are they getting their scapulae retracted and depressed?
Do they press the bar up and out of the j-hooks, or do they “guide” the bar out?
Do they “let the bar settle” before they lower it?
Do they “meet the bar with their chest? Or do they allow their shoulders to roll forward?
All of these can be easy-to-fix snafus that may eliminate any shoulder discomfort during the bench press.
Bench Press Set-Up
What happens if you address technique, it’s sound, and the bench press still hurts? You can still implement other pressing variations that can work in the interim while you address the root cause(s).
Decline Bench Press
Think about what’s not happening during a decline bench press as opposed to a flat or incline bench variation?
In a decline there’s less shoulder flexion involved which helps keep many trainees out of the “danger zone” of shoulder pain. So if flat bench pressing hurts you may be able to get away with a decline.
Spoto Press (Invisible Board Press)
A common flaw I see is some people have a hard time “meeting the bar with their chest” and end up having their shoulders roll forward as they lower the barbell.
Popularized by Bench Press Captain America, Eric Spoto (722 lbs, unequipped), the Spoto Press is a variation to combat this where you stop the bar a few inches above the chest, pause, and then press back up.
When In Doubt, Use Dumbbells
When you grab a barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip, you “lock” the humerus in an internally rotated position which can be problematic since it narrows the acromion space.
Using dumbbells alleviates this issue because you can nudge a little more external rotation by adopting a neutral grip. This is a major reason why I prefer DB pressing variations for overhead athletes as opposed to straight bar.
Corrective Pressing Variations That Don’t Feel Corrective
While not always the case, a common thread I see when it comes to shoulder pain is the INability of the shoulder scapulae to be able to move. In order to move big weight you need to respect tension and stability. In some cases, however, the shoulder blades are kinda “stuck” (usually downward rotation) and lack the ability to move through a full ROM.
It’s still vital to be able to access scapular movement for overall shoulder health.
When this happens I prefer to use pressing variations that allow for a little more wiggle room. As in: we allow the shoulder blades a little breathing room. Push-ups will always be my first choice here. But relax, I recognize most would rather swallow a live grenade than read more about push-ups.
For those interested you can READ this brief article.
Off-Bench DB Press
Scooting a smidge to the side of a bench will allow more scapular movement. What’s nice about this exercise is that it’s also a great core exercise (you have to fire like crazy in order to not fall off the bench) in addition to an awesome way to further engage the glutes. You can’t quite see it with the angle of this video, but I’m also situated further down on the bench so my lower half isn’t resting on it.
Bottoms-Up Press – Off Foam Roller
I snaked this one off Dr. Joel Seedman. Using a KB and holding it in the bottoms-up position is a fantastic way to ramp up rotator cuff activation…you really have to fight to stabilize and keep the joint centrated.
Moreover, by lying on the foam roller the shoulder blades are now able to move to a higher degree. And, much like the off-bench variation above, there’s also a high degree of glute engagement as well as foot and ankle engagement.
And That’s That
Don’t be so quick to bust out the band external rotations and t-spine drills. Addressing technique on the bench press can be every bit as corrective in terms of addressing shoulder pain. Likewise, don’t be so quick to omit all pressing variations. All aren’t equal and it oftentimes is a matter of choosing the right variation for the individual and nice vice versa.
I have an excellent guest post for you today. I was recently invited back onto the More Train, Less Pain Podcast hosted by my good friends Dr. Michelle Boland and Dr. Tim Richardt.
This season on their show they’re focusing on training around injury. This is one of my wheel houses (alongside deadlifts, how to look jacked even while wearing sweatpants, and Ted Lasso), as I am always preaching the benefits of finding each client’s or athlete’s TRAINABLE MENU.
My episode – #13 – dropped today (links below), but in concert with that Tim was kind enough to write a little “companion piece” that ties in nicely with the overall theme of the show.
Think back to the first time you consistently trained a squat- Linkin Park blaring, a thin haze of aerosolized pre-workout and chalk filling the air – and being able to add 5-10 pounds, like clockwork, week after week after week.
It’s the honeymoon phase of strength training- nothing hurts and there’s seemingly no impediment to riding this sweet, sweet train of linear progression to, inevitably, being able to sit down and stand up with the weight of a Honda Fit on your back.
But, like all marriages, reality eventually has to settle in.
Over the years, aches, injuries, and movement limitations accumulate and the simple strategy of adding more pounds to the bar is suddenly not so viable.
What, then, is an iron warrior to do?
I host a podcast called More Train, Less Pain (on which the venerable Tony Gentilcore has guested twice), along with another contributor to Tony’s blog- Michelle Boland- where we dive deep on strategies to keep people training hard in the gym despite injuries and mobility restrictions.
The focus of our current season is on maintaining a strength training practice in the setting of persistent pain, something of personal obsession of mine as I’ve struggled with persistent hip pain due to congenital structural hip defects for virtually my entire adult life. Over the past dozen or so episodes, we’ve talked with some of the brightest minds in the industry (Mike Boyle, Bill Hartman, some schlub we’ll call “Tony G”) about this very problem, and one theme keeps re-emerging over and over. We can’t keep progressing load forever. Infinite progression, in the weight room or any other endeavor, is a myth.
NOTE From TG: You can listen to my most recent chat with Tim HERE – titled “Easy Training, Stoplights, and Making Bigger Cups.”
In order to stay in the strength training game and continue to build muscle, power, and movement quality, we need to find ways to evolve our exercise selection and programming strategies so that we can continue to train without creating undesirable tissue damage or reducing access to comfortable range of motion.
Below are three strategies to do just that, lifted directly from this season’s podcast guests and thoroughly vetted by my own personal and professional experience.
1. Timed Sets
In the most straightforward manner of progressing lifts, we add load to the bar every week, keeping the set/rep/rest scheme the same, essentially the missionary of the strength-training world.
Not THAT missionary. Head out of the gutter
As we stated – this works…until it doesn’t. What if, instead of increasing load, we simply increase time under tension? In fact, what if we throw away the conventional “rep” dosing structure and just endeavor to dose an exercise by time, increasing the time (under tension) over the course of a 6 week training block.
In practice, that progression might look something like this.
Exercise Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Foam Roller Wall Squat 3×1′ 4×1′ 4×90″ 4×2′
In this way, we can accumulate absurdly high amounts of workload (and stimulus) with reduced axial loading. If you struggle with SI joint pain every time you get under a bar loaded with over your bodyweight, give a single set of a 2’ timed Roller Wall Squat a try.
With only a fraction of the loading required for a conventionally-dosed barbell back squat, you’ll still feel every bit as fatigued, and continue to stay engaged with the training process as you build time under tension across a program.
This strategy works particularly well for exercises where increasing weight isn’t convenient due to the nature of the position or loading- think anything with a zercher or goblet hold OR a position that requires a more involved set up.
2. EMOM Supersets
People in our industry love talking s&^t about CrossFit, but they’ve popularized several things that have impacted the general fitness landscape for the better – gymnastics skills, concurrent training, snorting lines of grass fed whey protein isolate before a set of 30 hang snatches, and EMOM sets.
In an EMOM set, you’ll keep the load of an exercise the same but perform a certain number of reps every minute on the minute (EMOM).
In my own training, I’ve found it useful to combine two exercises into an EMOM superset – meaning that every minute we’ll do a predetermined number of reps for each exercise, rest for the remainder of that minute, and repeat. In practice, a 6 week progression might look like this:
Exercise Rest Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
A1. Trap Bar DL 0′ 4×3 5×3 6×3 7×3
A2. Alt. 1-Arm DB Bench Remainder of 60″ 4×8 5×8 6×8 7×8
Trap Bar DL EMOM
1-Arm DB Bench Press EMOM
The cool thing about EMOM sets, especially for athletes making the switch from conventional, load-obsessed strength training, is that they possess an entirely novel strategy for dramatically ramping up total load in a program without increasing axial load for any one particular set.
Mathematically, we can contrast a session of EMOM deadlifts with a session of conventionally-progressed deadlifts, which would look something like this:
Over time, this may represent a more sustainable long term strategy for continuing to progress workload when absolute loading on any given repetition can no longer be increased. Additionally, plugging a few EMOM supersets into your training each week can serve as a mild conditioning stimulus for those who struggle to fit in aerobic work.
3. Feel-Based Training
The previous two strategies have emphasized unconventional strategies for increasing the overall workload of a training session, but our final strategy is a different beast altogether.
We love to think about increasing an exercise’s output via weight on the bar or overall pounds lifted throughout working sets. But what if we got “stronger” simply by executing an exercise more efficiently, potentially using a larger range of motion, while making no changes to dosing or loading throughout a cycle?
Depending on a client’s goals and injury history, somewhere between 20%-50% of exercises I program will be progressed by “feel” alone. This means they’re not allowed to do anything “more” over their 4 week cycle. Not more load, not more reps, not faster reps, not even more cowbell.
We’re deliberately freezing these variables to clear cognitive bandwidth for getting as close as possible to *flawless* execution of the drill.
In something like a FFESS, for example, I may stick to 4 sets of 8 reps per leg throughout the entire cycle, loaded with a #25 KB in a goblet hold, but endeavor to improve other aspects of performance. Can a client maintain foot contacts on both the front and rear foot? Does their pelvis stay fairly level in the frontal plane? Do they control the degree of anterior and posterior pelvic tilt at the top and bottom of the range of motion, respectively?
Can they get the back knee further down towards the ground? Are they able to push UP and BACK to take advantage of the retropropulsive, joint-opening qualities of this drill?
In some ways, this is the most boring option for “progression,” but if you can get it into your and your client’s respective heads that we can freeze dosing and simply work on movement integrity and fidelity, a myriad of other training options open.
And options, more than anything else, help folks train consistently for years to come.
If you liked the content in this article, I’d recommend checking out More Train, Less Pain; Engineering the Adaptable Athlete- S3E13 with Tony drops today.
Tim Richardt is a Colorado-based Doctor of Physical Therapy and Strength and Conditioning Coach. He works with runners, climbers, CrossFitters, and tactical/mountain athletes to better help them manage long standing injuries and reach higher levels of physical performance. He also mentors young clinicians and coaches to help them develop their own unique treatment/training model. You can find out more about him at TimRichardt.com or through his IG HERE.
Before you move on, I wanted to let you know that Dean Somerset and I have just put our flagship product, the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint, on sale this week.
You can purchase both CSHB 1.0 and CSHB 2.0 separately this week at 30% off the regular price using the coupon code EVOLVE at checkout.
Or you can purchase the bundle pack HERE which gives you the greatest value.4
“Oh, I forgot to tell you…my previous trainer said I have a winged scapula, my left hip is a bit internally rotated, and that my posture isn’t great.”
This was less than five minutes into an initial assessment with a new client and it took everything I had to prevent my eyeballs from rolling out of their sockets. The snarky side of me wanted to say something like, “Oh my god, yes, I totally see it. Did (s)he also mention how your left ear is lower than the right? That’s messed up. We need to fix that.”
But I didn’t.
Nope, all I did was sit there, nod my head, listen intently, and kept repeating to myself “don’t stab yourself with this pen, don’t stab yourself with this pen, no, Tony, NO!”
People Think They’re Broken
It never ceases to amaze me how some people will harp on the most inane things when it comes to their body and performance and then regale me with stories of how their previous coach or trainer was a “corrective exercise specialist.”
I won’t invalidate their stories or experiences, of course, but it’s hard for me to listen to sometimes.
They’ll outline their “training” for the past few months (if not years), and it’s rife with positional breathing drills (which, for the record, I’m a fan of), postural stretches, and describe a foam rolling series that rivals the length of a Ken Burns’ documentary.
I’ll follow with “So, did you actually ever follow a strength training program consistently?”
“Yeah, sure, we did a bunch of corrective exercises and, after 19 weeks, we finally worked up to a bodyweight squat. I still have to work on my big toe dorsiflexion, though. Fingers crossed I can improve that by December.”
As an industry – and I’ll call myself out on this too (particularly early in my career) – we’ve done a splendid job at helping people feel like a bunch of walking balls of fail:
Your shoulders and upper back are too rounded.
Yikes, your pelvis is anteriorly tilted.
Oh…my…god…we need to work on your scapular upward rotation.
Shit, your FABER screen tested positive. How are you able to walk?
Also, FYI: you have Chlamydia.
It doesn’t surprise me in the least why so many people walk around thinking they’re fragile snowflakes who need to correct or “fix” everything before they do any appreciable training.
It’s our fault.
Strength coaches, personal trainers, physical therapists, athletic trainers, sherpas, we’re all culpable.
We can and need to do better.
And it starts with re-acquainting ourselves with what our main role as fitness professionals actually is…
…to elicit a training effect with our clients/athletes.
Again…Getting Strong(er) is Corrective
I say this with a grain of salt because “strong” is subjective, and can mean different things to different people.
Being able to deadlift 2x bodyweight is strong.
Being able to perform 15 pull-ups is strong.
Walking from Trader Joe’s to your apartment without putting down the bags is strong.
The ability to pull off wearing white after Labor Day is strong.
Doing whatever it is Cirque du Soleil performers can do is strong.
However, since I’m a little biased “getting stronger” in this sense – and more cogent to the conversation – refers to TRAINING.
I.e., lifting heavy things.
Unfortunately, many people have been led to believe lifting weights is dangerous. It seems you can’t go more than three clicks on the internet (or investigate certain certifications available) before being told barbells, dumbbells, machines, kettlebells, squats, deadlifts, high-reps, low-reps, and/or kittens are dangerous.
Who, me? Dangerous? Noooo. I mean, I’ll slit your fucking throat in your sleep if you don’t pay me any attention, but all in all….cuddles.
And just to set the record straight, and to push back with all my will to those people (worst of all, doctors, PT’s, etc) who keep spreading the message that strength training is dangerous (particularly when addressing a current injury)…
…I give you the LAWS of Loading:
Wolff’s Law – Bones will adapt to loads under which it is placed
Davis’s Law – Soft tissue will heal according to the manner which they are mechanically stressed.
For the “you only have one back” guy…is this then not why we train?5 Squats and deadlifts, when properly loaded and progressed, will do far more good for someone’s recovery from injury than most alternatives.
I hate the “everything makes you dysfunctional or causes dysfunction” crowd.
To which I say…the fuck outta here.
My friend Bret Contreras has the perfect antithesis to this faulty mindset:
“If you think lifting weights is dangerous, try being weak. Being weak is dangerous.”
And this is why I’m a firm ambassador in encouraging people to get strong(er), or more to the point, helping them figure out their “trainable menu.”6
Rather than pointing out everything that’s wrong with someone, I’d rather use the initial assessment (and subsequent training sessions) to highlight what they can do.
Lets use the classic example of someone who has “computer guy” posture. I.e., rounded shoulders, forward head posture, an affinity for pens.
When someone walks in exhibiting this posture a lot of trainers will write down a laundry list of stretches, thoracic (mid-back) mobility drills, and other “corrective” exercises to do.
Well, first, some will go out of their way to make the person feel like Cersei Lannister during her walk of shame.
I’m not opposed to utilizing corrective modalities to address postural deficits or mobility restrictions.
But I find when these sort of things are accentuated and serve as the “meat-n-potatoes” of a training program, it often sets people up for failure; they become more fixated on perfection at the expense of progress.
And lets be honest: NO ONE gets jazzed-up at the gym to do more T-spine extension drills.
I don’t want my clients to feel like a perpetual patient.
I want them to train, because training tends to be more palatable than Scapular Wall Slides. It helps people stay on task and not bored to tears.
And on that note, wanna know an excellent drill that helps nudge people into a bit more thoracic extension?
Kipping pull-ups.
FRONT SQUATS.
As you descend closer to the ground you have to “fight” to keep from folding over. In many ways the proper execution of the exercise itself is self-coaching; or dare I say, corrective.
If you don’t maintain thoracic extension the barbell rolls off your shoulders.
I may come across as the cantankerous strength coach in saying this, but I find more value in having my clients train – in a way that emphatically demonstrates success to them (by matching the programming to their goals and ability level) – than to corrective exercise them to death.
Note From TG:This is a re-publication (with updated edits/additions) of an article I wrote a few years ago. I figured since I’m currently working with four women at the moment – three in person, and one distance based – who are pregnant, it was something I felt required a little dusting off.
Hope you enjoy it.
Okay, I know what some of you may be thinking: What does someone who has succumbed to male pattern baldness, hates The Notebook7, and pees standing up know about the female body, let alone speaking to something that’s arguably the most precious, magical, and delicate time of a woman’s life?
(insert shrug emoji here)
Close-up pregnant woman doing exercise indoors.
What to Expect (In the Gym) When Expecting
Well, first off: Not for nothing, I took health class in 9th grade, so I know where babies come from Smarty Pants. For those who don’t know, when a man and a woman love one another they place a note in a bottle and throw it into the sea.
Eventually a mermaid reads it, sends her pet seahorse to the Galapagos Islands where he then relays the message to Henry the stork.
And wah-lah…a baby arrives nine months later.
Don’t argue with me, it’s science.
Secondly, in the just over two decades I’ve been a strength coach I’ve worked with and trained a few dozen women through their pregnancies and I thought I’d share some of my own thoughts on the topic because I feel much of the information out there directed towards women is regurgitated, archaic, hogwash.
Admittedly I have a strong viewpoint and recognize that not everyone will agree with me (and that’s cool). But it’s my hope that this post at least opens up the conversation and helps encourage people to think outside the box.
For me there’s a massive dichotomy between what I do and what most (not all) of the research says we should be doing when working with someone who’s pregnant.
Obligatory Disclaimer: Every pregnancy is different; each woman needs to consider her own specific situation. And, to cover your bases, it’s best to consult with your physician. Preferably one that lifts…;0)
No one should be made to feel guilty or lazy if they need to take it easy; the health of the baby and mother are paramount.
While it always comes down to the individual, their comfort level, their ability to listen to their body, as well as their past training history, I find it somewhat disheartening that there are health professionals out there (both primary and tertiary, as well as many of us in the fitness industry), and even more articles, that suggest “training” should orbit around light walking and what mounts to folding laundry.
For me, when I’m working with someone who’s expecting, it’s about preparing them for something a helluva lot more significant than lifting pink dumbbells (or for that matter anything I’ll ever have to do as a member of the Y chromosome club).
I mean, I think it’s an accomplishment I can grow chest hair, but if you’re able to grow and push a human being out of your body, that’s next level shit.
If that’s the case, you’re also capable of lifting a barbell off the ground.
Repeatedly.
But let me be clear, and this is going to serve as the proverbial umbrella of the entire conversation:
It ALWAYS comes down to the woman’s comfort level.
Regardless of one’s experience in the gym, whether they’re a seasoned veteran or a newbie, I always instruct the women I work with to listen to their body. After a few hundred thousand years of evolution, the human body is pretty smart, resilient, and will let you know when it’s pissed off or doesn’t like something.
Now, I’m not insinuating that every expecting mother out there should go out and try to hit a deadlift PR on a weekly basis or snatch a mack truck over their head. But I’m certainly in the camp that feels we can offer a lot more than simply telling them to “go walk on the treadmill” or what mounts to playing patty cake for shits and giggles.
As an example, here’s one of my former female clients, Whitney, when I was a coach at Cressey Sports Performance performing some heavy(ish) deadlifts at roughly 32 weeks out.
And I say “heavy(ish)” because the weight in this video was no where near her best effort.
Because this is a gargantuan topic and because my head is spinning in several different directions – and because it’s something I can’t possibly cover in one simple blog post – I’m just going to shoot from the hip and blurt out some thoughts in random order.
Stuff
1. Before I begin I’d be doing a huge disservice to the discussion if I didn’t point people in the direction of Dr. Laura Latham,Julia Ladewski, and Stacey Schaedler all of whom are three very strong (and very smart) women who have written extensively on women training through their pregnancy.
Likewise, I’d be remiss not to mention Dr. Sarah Duvall’s excellent Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification – it’s not only THE best resource on the topic of training during pregnancy and postpartum, but, if I’m be honest, its THE best course I’ve ever taken.
2. Lightsaber Self-Defense Against the Dark Arts (and fit-fluencers)
3. CPR.
To quote the Dr. Duvall herself:
“You gotta lift shit to fix shit.”
If you’re a trainer, strength coach, physical therapist, or I don’t know, an Orc – it stands to reason this information applies to 50% of your current/potential client roster…
…you WILL need to know this stuff.
I’d also be remiss not to point to THIS amazing archive on the Girls Gone Strong website – everything from myths about strength training during pregnancy to pelvic floor dysfunction is covered. In addition, HERE is a FREE 5-day course by GGS dedicated to trainers who work with postpartum clients.
(On that same front, if anyone reading has any high-quality websites, blogs, or general information they’d like people to know about PLEASE link to them in the comments section below).
2. Just to give you a little insight into the type of information being regurgitated out there, one of the women I used to train had a friend who told her that when she was pregnant, her physician recommended that a great way to get more protein in her diet was to pound milk shakes.
Many women fall into the trap of “Well, I’m eating for two now,” and interpret it as a free-pass or opportunity to ramp up their caloric intake. Granted, there’s no doubt the metabolic demands of the body increases when another human being is growing inside of it, but lets not get too carried away here.
Most of the research and material I’ve read says that an increase of 400 kcals per day is more than enough to cover one’s bases, and to ensure adequate fuel for the body and the growing fetus.
Giving that a little perspective, 400 kcals mounts to roughly four (standard) tablespoons of peanut butter.
That’s it.
No need to go crazy with pizza buffets, a baker’s dozen from Krispy Kreme, or a daily liter of Coke challenge (the drink, not the drug). Don’t try to fool yourself into thinking that just because you’re pregnant, means you can go bonkers with the calories.
I am not saying it’s wrong, and I can attest to the weird food cravings that come about. For instance my wife was obsessed with tacos for a four-week span, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more than happy to hit up our local taqueria several times per week; it’s not like she had to pull my arm.
However, just take this as a little dose of “tough love” and expectation management.
“Eating for two” is a bit overplayed and overstated.
3. While the topic of nutrition is HIGHLY individual, when in doubt stress protein. But really, I don’t care what side of the fence you preside on…low carb, Paleo, Vegetarian, Vegan, or whether you only eat foods that start with the letter Q:
The important thing to remember is to provide adequate calories.
Need a little nudge? Check out THIS amazing infographic from Dr. John Berardi of Precision Nutrition.
4. KEEP THINGS SIMPLE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
But remember…
It all comes down to what THEY’RE comfortable with.
If I’m working with a current client it’s really more a matter of tempering down intensity (load) than it is reneging on any specific exercise. All of the women I am working with currently still deadlift, squat, row, press, etc. As their body changes we’ll of course modify things, but for all intents and purposes it’s business as usual.
I just make sure to check in prior to each session to see how they’re feeling and will make a judgement call on whether or not to adjust a specific session or not.
If I am working with a new client through her first pregnancy I will spend a fair amount of time on proper breathing mechanics and honing in on teaching basic stuff like Goblet Squats, TONS of core stability work (think planks, chops, lifts, Farmer carries, and Pallof Presses), teaching a proper push-up pattern, band resisted hip thrusts(<— video of my wife doing them at 24 weeks), single leg work, and the like.
You’ll notice it’s not that much different than working with a new client who isn’t pregnant, and that’s the point…
…a pregnancy doesn’t automatically mean you’re unable to go to the gym.
The last thing I want is for them to feel like a delicate flower.
Remember: Our job as their coach is to prepare them for something bigger…child birth. Assuming a thorough assessment, taking into consideration any contraindications, using appropriate progressions/regressions, and always checking in on comfort level, a barbell, used in a controlled setting, is no more dangerous than bathing in a tub of seed oils while drinking a diet soda on a yacht full of Paleo CrossFitters.
Likewise, HERE are some thoughts on postpartum considerations for those curious.
Putting things into context, Whitney G (from the deadlift video above) had been training with me for three years, and I knew she knew what she was doing – so I felt completely comfortable throwing deadlift and squat variations (and she still did chin-ups!) into her programs.
Speaking of chin-ups here’s my wife, Lisa, using (natural) progressive overload to complete a rest/pause set.
A video posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on
5. Look at Cara, another mom-to-be I worked with a few years ago who was still training and getting after it 34 weeks into her pregnancy.
Here she was deadlifting 200 lbs for eight reps:
Cara trained with me at CSP for well over two years prior to becoming pregnant, and, slight humble brag, was coached very well. We had no problems staying on task with her training when she was expecting.
Which is to say…while certain “tweaks” and modifications were made trimester to trimester, we were still able to maintain a significant training effect.
While she’s definitely an exception to the rule, despite being a first-time mom, she never experienced any morning sickness – something she attributed to not flaking on her training.
From Cara herself:
It was hard to find information specific to heavy weight lifting. Most “advice” given about exercise has to do with cardio, probably because that’s what doctors expect most women are doing. In general, there’s an attitude that if you are already fit, you can continue what you are used to. So I made my own decision to continue what I was doing, to the best of my ability, just paying attention to what felt comfortably to me personally. Taking longer breaks, adjusting weights and positions as needed.
Others might think I lift “too much” or let my heart rate get “too high” but I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all limits on what pregnant women should be doing. We’re all accustomed and able to do different things when not pregnant, and I think the same can apply during pregnancy.
6. By that same token, I don’t want to give the impression that every woman who’s pregnant has to lift heavy things. There are quite a number of other things to pay close attention to.
Shedding some light here are a few thoughts provided by Boston-based trainer Laura DeVincent, who’s Pre/Post Natal Certified through FitForBirth:
The first ten minutes of a session are spent diaphragmatic breathing, which I think is vital for keeping connected with the core. Although kind of awkward to coach, kegals are also important to prevent problems down the road. The next 30-40 minutes are spent on corrective exercise and strength training, and the last 10 minutes are spent interval training.
7. Expounding a bit further, something else to consider is stretching. Does it have a place? Many women (and fitness professionals) are under the assumption that stretching is an important factor, but I’d actually caution against it in this case.
In fact I’m actually not a huge fan of stretching in general – as most people suck at it, only stretch what they’re good at, and, what’s more, you’re not actually “stretching” anything anyways (only increasing the tolerance to stretching).
But that’s a debate for another time.
As the pregnancy progresses the body produces more of a hormone called Relaxin, which, as the name implies, makes the tendons and ligaments (soft tissue) “relax” or more “pliable” as the body gets closer and closer to the due date.
This can make activities such as running, yoga, and group classes not as much of a better or “safer” alternative as many will have you think.
Mirroring my thoughts, Laura notes:
In my experience, most women that are used to doing group ex classes feel nervous doing intense plyometric and cardio workouts, so they love the fact that they can get intense with weight training!
What most women deem “intense weight training” can be left to interpretation, but it stands to reason that contrary to popular belief, weight training can be argued to be SAFER than most other options…if for no other reason(s) than it is generally more controlled, can be more easily individualized, and focuses more on improving stability (via strengthening).
8. Taking it a step even further, and touching on the whole heart rate issue, my good friend Dean Somerset offers his insight as well:
The big cautions come from not wanting to have large blood pressure fluctuations early on in the pregnancy or having too much of an anaerobic load that would cause stress to the fetus. If the muscles are pulling all the oxygen and not enough is going to the fetus, it can cause some issues, so most cardio is best performed beneath anaerobic threshold, or in short bursts where fatigue isn’t a major factor.
Loading tends to have to be decreased over time due to changes in core stability, pelvic dilation, presence of lumbosacral ligamental laxity, and increasing pressure on the bladder and bowels. It’s cool to deadlift in the second trimester, but something to avoid in the third trimester in favour of squatting, moving from a conventional stance to more of a sumo stance as the pregnancy goes on.
I’m not going to sit here and diss on CrossFit – because there is plenty about CrossFit that I like.
All I’ll say is that if you’re someone who’s pregnant and you’re still adamant on going to CrossFit every week (and that’s completely fine), please, please, PLEASE use some common sense and recognize that it’s okay to pump the brakes a bit and not feel like you’re going to cough up a spleen when you train.
9. Shedding some more light on this topic, here are some sage words from strength coach, John Brooks:
The problem with training pregnant women is no two pregnancies are the same. With our first born my wife hit rep PRs into the early third trimester, did chins, and lots of unilateral leg work deep into the pregnancy. This latest (due in march) had some complications and bleeding early on, so she was on pelvic rest (which means you can pretty much do somewhere between jack and crap) now she’s back up to some basic body part split stuff. Totally different response to training stress in those conditions.
I’ve worked with a couple other women who didn’t have complications and for me the HR monitor was the key, Keep their HR down below threshold, keep a training effect going, and (especially if this is the second+) no movements that abduct the legs either quickly or under load (if you don’t know why ask your mother).
10. And bringing everything to a nice succinct stopping point, I want to share one of my former distance coaching client’s, Laura, (whom I trained through her second pregnancy), perspective on everything:
I was one of those lucky women Tony trained through a pregnancy. During this time, I also regularly attended kettlebell classes in preparation for my RKC certification, which I passed 7 month after delivery.
With solid programming from Tony that included a lot of heavy compound lifts and modifications where necessary (no barbell glute thrusters), I was fitter at the end of the pregnancy than I had been at the beginning, with a slew of new PRs in my pocket as well – including squats and deadlifts.
My daughter presented in a posterior position (sunny side up), but I only had to go through 20 minutes of pushing — believe me that’s rare. With doctor approval, I was back swinging kettlebells in the gym the day after I was home from the hospital, and I healed like a champ.
Now, I’m not trying to blow sunshine up my own butt, but how many women do you know who are back in the gym a mere day after returning from the hospital? [Pats self on back].
Mind you: This SHOULD NOT be considered a standard goal for everyone.
That said, there’s no way Laura could have done that – let alone even think about doing it – if she had only resorted to yoga classes and basing all of her training sessions around weights that are lighter than the purse she carries around on her shoulder.
11. Something else to think about is the fact that Laura had a very progressive MD (which is rare, but a breath of fresh air) and midwife, who, according to her, “understood that pregnancy is not an illness or handicap.”
As well, according to her, “I also took a lot of comfort from the wonderful book Exercising Through Your Pregnancy by James Clapp, which examines study after study showing the value of continuing to engage in strenuous exercise during pregnancy.
The book also provides advice for people who go into pregnancy in more of a de-conditioned state.
So there you have it
While not an exhaustive list, and certainly a topic which deserves someone taking a more proactive approach into what’s the right course of action for HER, I feel this post provides a rather unique (and dare I say: anti-status quo) approach to how women should go about exercising through their pregnancy.
I’m in no way saying that my opinion is right or should be considered the gold standard. But it deserves every bit as much consideration as all the other advice being given.
Coming full circle, isn’t it funny how people will often scoff, give double takes (or worse panic) if they see a pregnant woman lifting appreciable weight in the gym, yet fail to recognize that women have been partaking in far superior activities – walking across continents, manually plowing fields, hunting, and gathering – loooooong before barbells existed.
