CategoriesFemale Training Strength Training

What To Expect In the Gym When You’re Expecting

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 Notebook1, 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.

Close-up photo of woman folding laundry on sofa

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.

To rank them:

1. Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist

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.

“I…drink…your…milkshake.”

via GIPHY

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

Anyways, back to milkshakes.

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.

peanuts 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.

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.

Pregnant woman in yoga class

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.

They (and their babies) turned out just fine.

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise Exercise Technique Rehab/Prehab Strength Training

Everything and Nothing Causes Low Back Pain

The topic of low back pain (LBP) – how to assess it, diagnose it, and how to treat it – can be a controversial one. I italicized the word “can” because I don’t feel it’s all that controversial.

Cauliflower as an option for pizza crust or Zach being chosen as the bachelor on the current season of The Bachelor (when it’s 100% clear that a ham sandwich has more charisma) = controversial.

Simple stuff to consider to help with one’s LBP = not so much.

Copyright: olegdudko / 123RF Stock Photo
Copyright: olegdudko / 123RF Stock Photo

Everything and Nothing Causes Low Back Pain

The topic of low back pain and how to address it is controversial because there’s no one clear approach or answer to solve it.

(And if the last 3+ years of this pandemic dumpster fire has taught us anything it’s that we looooooove to argue over what’s best and what works).

SPOILER ALERT: Everything and nothing causes LBP.

Have ten different doctors or physical therapists work with the same patient and it’s likely you’ll get ten different opinions as to what the root cause is and what tactics need to be implemented to resolve it.

One person says it’s due to delayed firing of the Transverse Abdominus (TA), while someone else states it’s due to someone’s less than great posture or tight hamstrings.

For the record, all are weak excuses at best.

The culprit can rarely be attributed to any ONE thing.

But it’s amazing how often “tight hamstrings” is the fall guy.

  • Low back pain? Tight hamstrings.
  • Knee hurts? Tight hamstrings.
  • Have Type II Diabetes? Tight hamstrings.
  • Brown patches on your front lawn? Hamstrings.

It’s uncanny.

I mean, I could just as easily sit here and say in worse case scenarios LBP results from drinking too much coffee. I have zero evidence to back that up, but whatever.

top view of ground coffee in portafilter on coffee beans background

…neither do most of the other “culprits” people tend to use as scapegoats.

So, why not coffee?

Or Care Bears for that matter, those sadistic fucks.

What works for one person, may exacerbate symptoms for someone else. And as my good friend, Dr. John Rusin notes:

“Fact of the matter is: there is NO one right way. it’s a big mistake to lump all LBP into the same category and even a bigger mistake to assume all of it presents the same or should be treated the same.”

There’s no way for me to write a thorough blog post on such a loaded topic; especially one that will make everyone happy.

It’s impossible.

I have better odds at surviving a cage match with an Uruk-hai.

Part of me feels like the proper response to the question “what causes low back pain and what’s the best way to address it?” is this:

via GIPHY

But that would be woefully uncouth of me.2

Most people reading aren’t clinicians or physical therapists. There’s very little (if any) diagnosing going on in the hands of a personal trainer or strength coach. And, truth be told, if you are a personal trainer or strength coach and you are diagnosing, YOU……NEED…….TO…….STOP.

Just stop.

It’s imperative to defer to your network of more qualified (and vetted) fitness/health professionals whom you trust to do that.

However, it’s important to also consider we (as in personal trainers and strength coaches) are often the “first line of entry” into the medical model. We’re the first to recognize faulty movement patterns, weakness, imbalances, and bear the brunt of questioning from our clients and athletes when they come to us with low back pain.

There’s quite a bit we can do to help people.

What follows is a brief look into my mind and what has worked for me in the past with regards to LBP; a Cliff Notes “big rock” brain dump if you will.

Sorry if I offended anyone who likes Care Bears.

1) Rest Is Lame

Pretty blonde relaxing on the couch at home in the living room

My #1 pet peeve (and many agree with me) is that “rest” is the worst piece of advice ever.

“Go stick your finger in that electrical socket over there” would be better.

This isn’t to say there aren’t extenuating circumstances where taking a chill pill is absolutely the right choice; sometimes we do need to back off and allow the body a window of time to heal or reduce pain/swelling/symptoms.

That said, I think it’s lame when a medical professional tells someone to “rest,” or worse, informs them that they’ll need to learn to “live with low back pain.”

It’s a defeatist attitude and will spell game over for many people. Before you know it they’re living on a foam roller and thinking about a “neutral spine” while washing their hands.

(NOTE: I am not anti-teaching neutral spine to people. It’s a lovely starting point for most people, but at some stage people need to learn to move in (and out) of precarious positions…because that’s life).

A common theme reverberated in the S&C community is to say “strength is corrective.” I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. In fact, why the hell has this not been made into a t-shirt yet?

However, I think a slightly better moniker may be to say:

“Movement is corrective.“

We can use movement (and yes, strength) to help people get out of pain. Rest has its time and place, but I find stagnation to be more of a problem.

The body is meant to move and is wonderfully adaptive. And that’s the thing: adaptation and forcing the body to react to (appropriate levels of) change and stress is paramount to long-term success with LBP.

Sitting on a couch watching Divorce Court in the middle of the day isn’t going to help.

2) Move, But Move Well

I was watching Optimizing Movement with Mike Reinold recently and he noted there are three key elements to movement and why someone may not do it well:

  • Structural Issues
  • Coaching/Technique
  • Programming

It’s important to understand that, in this case, everyone is a unique snowflake.

Structure: Anatomically speaking there is huge variance amongst the population. Hip structure, for example, can have a large effect on someone’s ability to squat to a certain depth or get into certain positions. Likewise, who’s to say the hips are always the culprit? Even upper extremity considerations – like one’s ability to bring their arms overhead (lack of shoulder flexion) – can have dire consequences on back health.

The body likes to use the path of least resistance (also the most efficient) to accomplish any task. However in this case, “most efficient” doesn’t mean best. As Reinold notes:

“Efficient in this case refers to energy, not movement.”

Lack of shoulder flexion will often lead to compensation via more extension through the lumbar spine. It’s efficient movement, but it’s not better movement.

Coaching/Technique: I’m a firm believer that everyone should deadlift (it’s a hip hinge, learning to dissociate hip movement from lumbar movement, doesn’t mean we have to load it), but I don’t feel everyone should do it from the floor or with a straight bar.

Cater the exercise to the lifter, not the lifter to the exercise.

More on this below.

Programming: If someone lacks hip flexion why have them conventional deadlift? If someone lacks shoulder flexion why have them perform overhead pressing or kipping pull-ups? Some of the onus is on YOU, dear fitness professional.

via GIPHY

Hell, even something as simple as how you coach a plain ol’ vanilla Prone Bridge/Plank can shed some light here.

What’s the point if the end result looks like this?

Contemporary Woman Doing Plank Exercise

Which brings us to another golden rule.

3) Finding Spinal Neutral (Pain Free ROM) is Kinda Important

In light of a past gem by Dean Somerset on what the term “spinal neutral” even means, I realize this comes with a bit of grain of salt.

I just want to find a pain-free ROM and to help people with low back pain to own that ROM.

It’s the McGill Method 101.

Find what actions hurt or exacerbate symptoms, and stop doing it.

I know I just blew your mind right there.

For example:

1. Client says “x” hurts, and then places their body into some pretzel like contortionist position that would make a Cirque du Soliel performer give them a high-five.

Me: “Um, stop doing that.”

2. But that could also mean addressing how they walk or how they sit in a chair. Someone with flexion-based back pain, will like to be in flexion, a lot.

Maybe taking them through a slump test will offer some pertinent info.

Have them start in a “good” position:

slump-test-start

Then, have them purposely “slump” into excessive flexion:

slump-test-end

Someone who is flexion intolerant – despite preferring to be in that position – will often say this causes pain.

Ding, ding, ding.

So, the “fix” is to coach them up and try to keep them out of excessive spinal flexion. Cueing them how to sit in their chair and to get up (wider base of support, brace abs, chest up), building spinal endurance (and strength) via planks, and having them hang out in more extension may be the right path to take.

 

3. On the opposite side of the spectrum is extension, which is often a problem in more athletic populations and in those occupations requiring more standing (ahem: personal trainers/coaches).

Here you might put them into extension and see what happens.

low-back-extension

Much like people who are flexion intolerant “liking” flexion, those in excessive extension will like to live in extension.

This will likely hurt.

Finding their spinal neutral is key too.

Hammering spinal endurance/strength via planks (done well) still hits the nail on the head, as does nudging them towards exercises that emphasize posterior pelvic tilt (much of time cuing people NOT to excessively arch during their set up on squats and deadlifts), and even drills that promote spinal flexion…albeit unloaded.

 

 

Spinal flexion doesn’t always have to be avoided. In fact, it’s sometimes needed.

Either way, meticulous attention to detail on finding spinal neutral – or pain from ROM – is huge. Once that is addressed, and symptoms has subsided, we can then encourage them to marinate in more amplitude of movement, taking them OUT of spine neutral (cause, it’s gonna happen in everyday life) and use the weight-room to help strengthen those new ROMs.

But I digress.

4) Don’t Treat People Like a Patient

I know this will rub some people the wrong way, but I still use the deadlift for the bulk of people I work with you have LBP.

Nothing sounds so absurd to me than when I hear someone say how the deadlift is ruining everyone’s spines.

To recap:

Deadlift = hip hinge.

Hip Hinge = learning to dissociate hip movement from lumbar movement.

Mic drop.

Resiliency is key in my book. And not many movements make the body more resilient than the deadlift or any properly progressed hip hinge exercise catered to the individual’s goals, injury history, and ability level:

 

Assuming I have coached someone up enough to understand spinal neutral and they’re able to maintain it, why not poke the bear and challenge them?

A deadlift doesn’t always mean using a straight bar and pulling heavy from the floor until someone shit’s their spleen.

I can use a kettlebell and band to groove the movement:

 

I can also use a trap bar, which is a more user-friendly way of deadlifting as it allows those with mobility restrictions to get into a better position compared to a straight bar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-sA3PG1kGY

 

Too, I have found great success with various other exercises:

  • Farmer and Suitcase carries
  • Shovel Holds

 

  •  “Offset” loaded exercises like 1-arm DB presses or 1-arm rows, lunges or RDLs (where you hold ONE DB to the side and perform the exercise). It’s a great way to increase the challenge to the core musculature.
  • Or even outside-the-box exercises like Slideboard Miyagi’s

 

So long as we’re staying out of precarious positions or those positions which feed into the issue(s) at hand, we’re good.

Find a training effect with your clients/athletes.

Help them find their TRAINABLE MENU.

And That’s That

People have low back pain for a variety of reasons: They’re too tight, too loose, too weak, have poor kinesthetic awareness, or they’re left handed.

The umbrella theme to remember is that there is never ONE root cause or ONE definitive approach to address it across the board. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some “big rock” things to consider that will vastly improve your’s and their chances of success.

I hope this helped.

And, again, sorry about the Care Bear comment.

CategoriesExercise Technique Strength Training

Should You Use Straps When Deadlifting?

Copyright: maridav

Lifting Straps. Yes, No, Maybe So?

Starring at the barbell on the floor I couldn’t help but think to myself, “holy shit that’s a lot of weight.” Also, “I hope I don’t shit my spleen.”

The year: 2004. The place: Albany, NY, at some random Golds Gym.

I was visiting my sister and her family after a recent breakup with my then girlfriend and I decided to do what most guys would do when stuck in a vortex of rage, anger, sadness, and endless Julia Roberts movie marathons…

…I went to the gym to take my mind off of things.

This trip to the gym, however, would be different. I decided it was going to be the day.

No, not actually do some cardio.

I was going to deadlift 500 lbs for the first time.

via GIPHY

I know this will surprise a lot of people when I say this, but I didn’t perform my first (real) deadlift until 2002 when I was 25 and still wet behind the ears with regards to my fitness career.

Mind you I had been lifting weights since I was 13, so it’s not like up until that point I had never seen a barbell.

It didn’t take long for me to become enamored with the deadlift. I loved that I was actually good at it, and I really loved how it made my body look and feel. It wasn’t long before I made it my mission to pull 500 lbs. It took me a little over a year to get there.3

Funnily enough, how I went about doing it was all sorts of contrarian compared to how I would approach the same task today.

Well, not 100% contrarian….but, you know, different.

1. I didn’t perform any traditional 90% work (working up to heavy singles). Instead I stayed in the 3-5 rep range, sometimes adding in some high(er) rep work for the hell of it. Whoever says you can’t improve your 1RM by working with sub-maximal weights is wrong.

As I like to remind my own clients today:

“you need to build a wider base with sub-maximal loads in order to reach higher peaks (in maximal strength).”

2. I didn’t use any special periodization scheme named after a Russian. I used good ol’ fashioned linear progression.

3. I didn’t rotate my movements every 2-3 weeks or follow some magical formula that had me incorporate the Mayan calendar. Nor did I perform some sort of dance to the deadlift gods every time there was a Lunar eclipse.

I performed the conventional deadlift almost exclusively.

Year round.

4. And maybe most blasphemous of all, I sometimes used wrist straps!!!

I know, I know…I didn’t want to be the one to break the news to you, but it’s true.

I believe straps should be used (sparingly) by pretty much everyone. For stark beginners it allows for more volume to be completed because grip becomes a limiting factor. For deadlifting terminators (I.e., really strong lifters) it also allows for more volume because grip becomes a limiting factor.

But this serves as a nice segue to a few question I receive almost without fail whenever I present:

Will using a mixed (under/over) grip when deadlifting cause any imbalances or is it dangerous?
 

Do you think straps should not be used during deadlifts?

First things first: Lets address the pink elephant in the room. I don’t feel utilizing a mixed grip is bad, and I do not think it’s dangerous.

close-up athlete and barbell 270 kg exercise deadlift

This isn’t to say there aren’t some inherent risks involved.

But then again, every exercise has some degree of risk. I know a handful of people who have torn their biceps tendon – while deadlifting using a mixed grip. The supinated (underhand) side is almost always the culprit.

A LOT of people deadlift with a mixed grip, and A LOT of people never tear their bicep tendon. Much the same that a lot of people drive their cars and never get into an accident.

Watch any deadlift competition or powerlifitng meet and 99% of the lifters are pulling with a mixed grip. And the ones who aren’t are freaks of nature. They can probably also smell colors.

Pulling with a mixed grip allow someone to lift more weight as it prevents the bar from rolling in the hands. Sure we can also have a discussion on the efficacy of utilizing a hook grip, which is also an option.

I’m too wimpy and have never used the hook grip. If you use it I concede you’re tougher and much better than me.

Here’s My General Approach:

1. ALL warm-up/build-up sets are performed with a pronated (overhand grip).

2. ALL working sets are performed with a pronated grip until it becomes the limiting factor.

3. Once that occurs, I’ll then revert to a mixed grip….alternating back and forth with every subsequent set.

4. When performing max effort work, I’ll always choose my dominant grip, but I feel alternating grips with all other sets helps to “offset” any potential imbalances or injuries from happening.

Now, As Far As Straps

Despite what many may think, I don’t think it’s wrong or that you’re an awful human being or you’re breaking some kind of un-spoken Broscience rule if you use straps when you deadlift.

As I noted above, both ends of the deadlifting spectrum – beginners to Thanos – use straps. I think everyone can benefit from using them when it’s appropriate.

When I started deadlifting I occasionally used them because it allowed me to use heavier loads which 1) was awesome and 2) that’s pretty much it.

Straps allowed me to incorporate more progressive overload. My deadlift numbers increased. And I got yolked. Come at me Bro!

But I also understood that using straps was a crutch, and that if I really wanted to earn respect as a trainer and coach I had to, at some point, work my way up to a strapless pull. No one brags about their 1RM deadlift with straps in strength and conditioning circles. That’s amateur hour stuff for internet warriors to bicker over.

If you’re a competitive lifter, you can’t use straps in competition (outside of CrossFit, and maybe certain StrongMan events?)…so it makes sense to limit your use of straps in training.

If you’re not a competitive lifter, well then, who cares!?!

It’s just a matter of personal choice.

Note:  If I am working with someone who’s had a previous bicep tendon or forearm injury, has elbow pain, or for some reason has a hard time supinating one or both arms, I’ll advocate that they use straps 100% of the time.

Offhandedly, straps do tend to slow people down which could be argued as a hinderance to performance. One mistake I see some trainees make with their setup is that they’ll bend over, grab the bar, and take way too long before they start their actual pull.

The logic is this: If you spend too much time at the bottom you’ll miss out on the stretch shortening cycle. As I like to coach it: Grip, dip, rip!

Digital Strategic Strength Workshop Coming Soon

For more insights on deadlifting, coaching, programming, assessment, and general badassery keep your eyes peeled for my upcoming continuing education resource which should be available this coming January!

 

Categoriessport training Strength Training

Why College Athletes Should Not Include Olympic Lifting In Their Programs

It’s not lost on me that the title of this particular blog post may ruffle a few feathers out there. There are many coaches and facilities in the world who implement the OLY lifts with their athletes and find great success with this approach.

Conversely, there are also many coaches and facilities in the world who d0 not use the OLY lifts4 and as a result have been blacklisted from S&C Twitter get resounding results as well.

What follows is one coach’s (Syracuse, NY based strength & conditioning coach Ricky Kompf) opinion with a solid rationale for why he falls into the latter category above.

I hope you give it a read.

Copyright: arseniipalivoda

Why College Athletes Shouldn’t Use Olympic Lifts

First off I want to start this article off by saying Olympic lifts can be a great way to develop power.

(step away from the pitchforks, please)

This is in no way shape or form is a diatribe trying to bash Olympic lifts as a group of exercises. They are a tool and just like any tool in the weight room, they have their time and place.

And that time and place should not be in the college weight room as a main means of training power in their respective sport.

via GIPHY

I see it every year, athletes who we have been working with for years in high school finally gain some respectable competency in the weight-room and reach the point where they can play their sport at the next level.

Their collegiate strength coach sends them their summer training program and there it is:

  • Hang cleans
  • Snatches
  • Power cleans
  • 6 AM lifts

A little piece of me dies inside and I have to fight the urge not to go how and yell at my cats.

How can you except an athlete who you have never trained with or seen workout in person to execute the Olympic lifts correctly and effectively without your watchful eye?  It then becomes our job to teach these lifts to the athletes which I’m happy to do, but it undoubtably takes away from the training due to the time and energy restraints it puts on our training.

To make things worse, when these athlete head off to college, train with these exercises as their key performance indicators and main source of power training, 9 times out of 10 they come back to our gym the next year weaker and many times slower.

Weak man tries to lift heavy dumbbell, wants to be strong and fit, does exercises regularly, dressed

I cannot fully contribute these exercises to the outcome, this is simply an observation I’ve noticed for years.

Here’s why I believe these lifts should not be apart of a college athlete’s training program and are actually causing a decrease in performance.

1. Competing Demands

The Olympic lifts are highly technical.

College athletes are arguably at the peak for their sport’s performance (or at least very close to it). That means the demand of skill in their sport takes up a large portion of their training…

…and rightfully so.

They are trying to reach mastery in their craft.

They are not Olympic weight lifters. They are team sport athletes and should be treated as such.

Learning and training with the Olympic lifts takes a high level of skill, skill that is learned through years and years of training and working at it. By spending the time required to be proficient at these exercises you will be taking away from the motor learning time and energy that could be used in their sport.

Basketball players holding basketball in court

You can only master so much at one time from a motor learning perspective and choosing a highly technical form of exercise during collegiate years will only take away from this mastery.

2. They Won’t Be Good Enough For It To Be Effective

The Olympic lifts do a great job of enhancing powerful triple extension, but you don’t reach peak power until you reach about 80% of you max in an Olympic lift.

For the bulk of collegiate aged athletes who have little experience training with the OLY lifts, they likely won’t truly reach this level for a number of years because of how long it takes to master the skill.

(ideally, one would have started at the age of twelve with a PVC stick and ample time…not at 18 with USC at home next week).

I’d rather utilize an exercise like the Trap Bar Jump, which has a much lower learning curve yet yields comparable peak power production in a matter of minutes (not years).

This way I can develop strength, power and speed with as little amount of time as possible. As a result, the athlete can spend more energy on their sport while still experiencing the benefits of a strength & conditioning program.

 

An argument can be made that you could, over the course of the four years, systematically teach a college athlete how to perfect the Olympic lifts in order to reap their benefit.

However, in my experience most (not all) collegiate strength coaches incorporate these lifts using max loads and testing them as a key performance indicator right away.

This is not ideal if you ask me.

Some strength coaches do a great job and implement the OLY lifts responsibly, but I’d still argue that teaching these lifts over the course of four years is a drain on athletes’ time, energy and resources.

I’d Recommend the Following Exercises Instead:

Trap Bar Jumps

 

Trap Bar High Pulls

 

Trap Bar Speed Pulls

 

Sumo Speed Pulls

 

Band Resisted Speed Pulls

 

Dynamic Effort Box Squats

 

3. Power Is Plane Specific

Team sport is rarely played in the same plane of motion as the Olympic lifts.

When developing power that transfers over to your sport it’s better to do it in the same or similar planes of movement and joint angles that you’ll see in your sport to have the most transfer.

Using sprints, jumps and throws are great ways to bridge the gap and usually are better options than the Olympic lifts.

Here’s some exercises that can train speed and power with great transfer to sport:

10 Yard Sprints

 

Max Velocity Sprints

 

Partner Chase Drills

 

Rotational Med Ball Toss

 

Skater Variations

 

Broad Jump Variations

 

Overhead Med Ball Throws

 

Box Jumps

 

4. Other Variations & Methods

Other variations and methods that have a great effect on power training and can be taught quickly include the use of accommodating resistance with bands and chains as well as contrast training.

Accommodating resistance allows you to accelerate through a full range of motion because the resistance increases as you get into joint angles that can handle greater loads. This allows you to train power at all joint angles in a lift.

In addition to that the use of bands provides a unique training stimulus in which the eccentric portion of the lift is accelerated forcing a great amount deceleration training as well as a high-level reversal strength by using the stretch shortening cycle.

There’re a couple examples of this is the exercises listed above.

Contrast training is a method to peak speed and power production in which you use a heavy compound movement like a squat or deadlift and go right into an explosive expression of speed and power like a sprint, jump or throw.

Note from TG: I posted about contrast sets recently HERE.

The heavy lift provides an activation of higher threshold motor units that will transfer into a more explosive athletic movement.

Here’s some examples of contrast training.

Pre-Season Football Contrast Set

 

Back Squat —-> Box Jump

 

Banded Bulgarian Split Squat —-> Half Kneeling Sprint

 

About the Author

Ricky Kompf is the owner of Kompf Training Systems located in Syracuse New York.  His facility provides semi-private training for predominantly high-school and college level athletes with individualized programming.
You can find Ricky on Instagram HERE.
CategoriesProgram Design Rehab/Prehab Strength Training

Knee Pain When Squatting? A Simple, Practical Guide to Resolving It

To mirror yesterday’s conversation on training around pain, today’s post delves a little deeper into a specific area that many lifters tend to have issues with:

  • Not enough bicep curl variations in their program
  • Forgetting to remove their shaker bottle from their gym bag for week 
  • Knees.

The knees are a vulnerable joint and there are myriad of reasons why they can become achy, sore, cranky, or any other similar adjective you want to put here.

Sydney, Australia based physical therapist and trainer, Dane Ford, was kind enough to write this straight-forward article on some of the root causes of knee pain and ways to address them on your own.

Enjoy!

Copyright: ocusfocus

Knee Pain When Squatting?

Squatting is an essential part of most people’s fitness routine, and it can be extremely frustrating when you experience sore hips or knees when you squat.  

 Today I’m going to share four killer exercise variations that will help take some pressure off your knee joints!

No matter what level your fitness is at – whether strength training or just getting healthy again after injury – these tips should work their magic in no time flat.

Let’s get started.

The Goods

Box squat.

The first variation for those who experience knee pain when squatting is the box squat.  A box squat will strengthen your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. It’s also a great way to improve your squatting technique.

 

You’ll need a box squat or a bench around knee height to do a box squat.

  1. Start by placing the box behind you.
  2. Then, position your feet shoulder-width apart and push your hips back.
  3. Next, bend your knees and lower yourself until your bottom touches the box.  Pause for a second, then stand back up.

Step-Ups

Step-ups are another great variation for people who have knee pain when squatting.  This exercise works your quads, hamstrings, and glutes and is a great way to build lower body strength.

 

  1. To do a step up, start by placing your right foot on a box or bench.
  2. Then, push off with your right foot and raise your body up until your leg is straight.
  3. Pause for a second, then lower yourself back down.
  4. Focus on keeping the hips level.
  5. Start with a smaller step, and increase the step height as your body allows.

Hip Thrusts

 

Hip thrusts are a great exercise for people who want to build stronger glutes. This exercise can also help relieve knee pain when squatting by taking the pressure off your knees. 

  1. To do a hip thrust, start by sitting on the ground with your back against a box or bench.
  2. Place your feet flat on the ground and raise your hips until your thighs and torso are in line with each other.
  3. Pause for a second, then lower your hips to the starting position.
  4. Progress this exercise by adding weight at your hips, like a barbell or plate.

Banded Crab Walks

Banded crab walks are an excellent exercise for people who want to build stronger glutes and legs. This exercise can also help improve your squatting technique by making it easier to push your knees out over your toes. This is a golden exercise for dealing with knee pain when squatting.

 

  1. To do a banded crab walk, start by placing a resistance band around your feet.  (You could place it around your knees or ankles, but the further down your legs, the harder the exercise will be).
  2. Then, step one leg out to the side as far as the band will allow. 
  3. Keep the hips level, and the shoulders stacked over the hips.
  4. Next, step in with the other leg. 
  5. Repeat.

Causes of Knee Pain

When addressing knee pain during squats, it’s important to understand some of  the common causes.  This way, you can be sure that you’re taking the right approach to fix the underlying issue.  Here are three common factors which can contribute to knee pain when squatting:

Improper Form

Whilst there is no such thing as textbook technique, using ‘adequate’ form allows you to engage the right muscles when you lift and minimize injury risk. If you don’t utilize adequate form when you squat, the load in certain areas like your knee joints will be increased, instead of having the load evenly distributed through your entire body. 

Your ideal squat stance will be determined by the bony alignment of your joints and other anatomical factors.   

Overuse

Our body’s tissues all have a maximum tolerable capacity. This means that we need to be able to go hard enough in the gym to stimulate adaptation and promote strength, whilst not overloading ourselves to the point of tissue injury. 

Giving your body time to recover with rest or a de-load week every now and then is a great start, to allow proper cell regeneration, repair and adaptation to occur.  

 Adding variety into our movements is another great option to avoid overuse. Beyond the exercises we’ve covered above, mixing back squats with front squats, goblet squats, or other squatting variations will help to strengthen the squatting movement whilst providing a slightly different stimulus to our tissues, and reducing the overload injury risk.

Bad Shoes

If you’re wearing shoes that don’t provide adequate stability when you squat, then this can put unnecessary strain on your knees. 

1 April Fool's Day Concept

Be sure to wear shoes that provide you with a solid foundation from which to lift. 

Health Conditions Related to Knee Pain

So now that we understand some of the mechanisms that can contribute to knee pain during squats, how do we know which structure in the knee is causing pain?

Knee pain can present as a number of different conditions depending on the injured structure.  This can include:

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

PFPS or patellofemoral pain syndrome is a condition that affects the knee joint. It’s characterized by pain in the front of the knee and around the patella or kneecap, and is common in those who love to squat. 

 If you have PFPS, you might experience pain when climbing stairs, squatting, or sitting for long periods.

IT-Band Syndrome

ITBS is a condition that affects the iliotibial band, which is a long strip of connective tissue that runs down the outside of the thigh from the hip to the knee, and normally presents as pain on the outside part of the knee.  But squatters need not worry too much about this – ITBS is much more common in runners rather than lifters.

Patellar Tendinopathy

Tendonitis is the inflammation of a tendon, which can occur in any tendon in the body. However, Patella tendonitis presents as pain just below the knee cap.  If you perform a lot of explosive movements like box jumps, or fast tempo squats, you should be aware of patella tendinopathy.  

Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation in the joints. The two most common types that can cause knee pain are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

  • Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that causes the cartilage in the joints to break down. This can cause pain in your knees, as well as other joints in your body.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack the joints. It may cause swelling and pain around the knee, leading to pain, stiffness, and inflammation.

Load management is key in managing arthritis. This is because we want to keep the muscles around the joint nice and strong, without irritating the joint too much.

How to Prevent Knee Pain When Squatting

Aside from performing some of the killer squat variations listed above, you can do a few other things to prevent knee pain while squatting.

Young woman does barbell squats in modern gym

Warm Up Properly

A good warm-up will help to increase your heart rate, loosen up your muscles, and make your body’s tissues more elastic. I recommend doing a light jog or bike ride for 5-10 minutes, followed by some dynamic stretching.

Use the Correct Weight

Another important consideration to prevent knee pain while squatting is to use the right weight.  If you go too heavy too soon, it will put extra stress on your knees and could lead to pain. Utilize progressive overload by starting with a light weight and gradually increase the amount of weight you’re using as your body gets stronger.

Blood Flow Restriction Training

Another great way to improve strength whilst using light weight is by incorporating Blood Flow Restriction Training into your routine.  This involves using a BFR band to reduce venous blood return from your muscles, making them work harder. 

This means that you can use lighter loads to achieve the same result from your workout. BFR training can be a great addition if you are struggling with knee pain from squatting or trying to train with an injury.

Use a Smaller Range of Motion

Squatting through a smaller range of motion by reducing squat depth will reduce the load going through the knee joint, and is a great way to modify the exercise if you are struggling with pain.

Listen to Your Body

If you still experience knee pain while squatting, stop the exercise and rest for a few days. If the pain persists, consult a doctor or physical therapist.

Wrap Up

If you’re experiencing knee pain when squatting, try one of the variations I suggested and see how they work for you. Remember to always start light and gradually increase the weight as your body gets stronger. 

And, most importantly, have fun with it!  Squatting can be a great way to improve your fitness level and get in shape, but only if you do it correctly and safely. Give these variations a try and let us know how they work for you.

About the Author

This article was written by Dane Ford, the founder of Lift Physiotherapy and Performance in Sydney, Australia. Lift Physio aims to help you overcome injury, optimize your health, and unlock your full movement potential.

Caucasian male weightlifter bench-pressing in fitness centerCategoriesProgram Design Strength Training

How to Spot a Dumbbell Press: I Can’t Believe I Have to Say This

Anyone who has been reading my blog for any length of time knows that I don’t take myself too seriously, and that much of what makes my blog so popular is that I’m able to combine great fitness and health information with a pinch (or two) of an entertainment value.

I mean, where else can you learn about program design, exercise technique, corrective exercise, femoral acetabular impingement, and gluconeogenesis5, all while being peppered with Lord of the Rings references, self deprecating humor, and cute cat pics?

Cute cat face

Anyhoo, today’s post is going to be a shining example of finding that balance between educating people (hopefully) and me being a facetious asshat.

It’s going to be short and sweet, though.

Okay, ready?

If you’re like me, whenever you train at a commercial gym you try not to vomit all over yourself from all the asinine things you see.  Now, don’t get me wrong:  there’s PLENTY of trainers and facilities out there who do a fantastic job and are great at what they do.

And, more to the point, I don’t want to come across as combining everyone into one massive bowl of fail.

Avocado in a bowl

I.e., NOT a bowl of fail. Rather a bowl of deliciousness

But I think we can all agree that those examples are few and far between, and that for the most part, a small piece of our soul dies every time we walk through the doors of a commercial gym and Celine Dion is blaring over the stereo system and/or some asshole is performing their WOD taking up half the gym equipment.

Then again, who the hell am I to judge, right?  Sure I can roll my eyes at the two dudes who have a combined weight of one hamster performing their 47th set of bicep curls. And yes, it’s hard not get a bit eye rolley at the woman over there performing her 317th glute exercise of the day.

But you know what:  THEY’RE ALL EXERCISING

And that’s pretty freakin awesome.

At the end of the day, it’s far better than the alternative which is sitting on their butts watching America’s Got Talent.

Even still, I’ll give most everyone a free pass because most people don’t know any better.  Most people could care less that their elbows are flaring out on their push-up, or that leg extensions place a lot more shearing force on the knees (and that doing them shirtless is borderline weird).

Whatever the case may be, they’ll read something online or watch something on tv that’s interesting to them, and then they’ll try it out at the gym.  That’s usually how it goes – and everyone has to start somewhere.  They’re exercising and that’s all that matters anyways.

One of my biggest pet peeves, though, is when I watch a trainer do something dumb.  That’s when my blood starts to boil.

Presumably these are people who are supposed to know what they’re doing, and it dumbfounds me at some of the stuff I see going down at some commercial gyms.

Take for example something I witnessed not too long ago as I watched a trainer spot his client through something as simple as a set of dumbbell bench presses.

Caucasian male weightlifter bench-pressing in fitness center

Everything was fine and dandy until the client started to struggle and the trainer grabbed her elbows to help her out.

I thought maybe this was a one-time, fluke thing.  But then I saw him do it again, and at this point I was just waiting for something bad to happen.

Luckily it didn’t.

I got home later that day and posted a casual status along the lines of “watched an inept trainer spot his client during DB presses by grabbing the elbows instead of the wrists.”

To me it’s common sense, and I didn’t think much of it and thought it would get some funny responses.

And it did.

But to my surprise I actually received two private message from personal trainers asking me why spotting through the elbows was wrong.

So, to review:

The Right Way to Spot Someone

If someone starts to struggle, you just guide their wrists to offer help.  And try to refrain from being that guy who yells “all you, all you, all you.”

And the “Holy- S***-My-Client-Is-About-To-Crush-Their-Skull-And-Get-Face-Planted-By-That-Dumbbell” Way

Obviously this is said in a slightly tongue in cheek kind of way, but at the same time I feel this is something that should be obvious and that most trainers, coaches, and general fitness enthusiasts should understand.

Don’t spot DB presses through the elbows.

It’s not smart.

Categoriescoaching Motivational psychology Strength Training

The Fitness Zeitgeist

CategoriesStrength Training

You Just Wait Till You’re My Age

Cue raspy & ornery Clint Eastwood voice…

“You just wait till you’re my age. You won’t be training like that.”

[email protected]

Pffft Whatever

I was 25 at the time, and had just started working at my first “gig” in the fitness industry as a “Health & Wellness Specialist” at a corporate fitness center just outside Syracuse, NY.

The company I worked for, which at the time was a branch of Johnson & Johnson, was contracted by other companies to come in and “run” or otherwise operate their gyms on premise. Employees either before work, during their lunch hour, or after work would come in to not stab their boss in the face run on the treadmill, lift some weights, or let off a little steam…and it was my job to show them the ropes.

It was a win-win. Employees had access to state-of-the-art facilities (at $9 per month, a steal), and the company had reduced health care costs.

I wasn’t training professional athletes or Victoria Secret models or anything like that, but like I said…it was my first gig as a fitness professional, and I found the work rewarding. It was easy, I was getting paid to chill in a gym, and I enjoyed the people I was surrounded by.

via GIPHY

People are funny though.

As I recall, it was later in the afternoon, and because my supervisor encouraged us to workout/train on site, I’d usually get my workouts in at that time when several other guys would come in to train.

Many of them I knew well.

Like any gym there were many regulars and I was able to build a rapport with them. We’d lift, we bust each other’s balls, I’d play my EDM, life was grand.

I was younger than the bulk of them by a decade (if not more), and I remember one day after a heavy(ish) set of deadlifts one of the Clint Eastwood types (who didn’t train with us and spent the majority of his time on the elliptical) looked at me and repeated the quote above:

“You just wait till you’re my age. You won’t be training like that.”

I laughed and shrugged it off. I was in no way confrontational. What would have been the point?? He was watching a rerun of Murder, She Wrote.

It would have been too easy.

Plus, you know, I wasn’t interested in getting fired.

I’m not gonna lie…there was a part of me that was downright irritated. “Tha fuck outta here,” I said to myself. I loved training. I loved lifting heavy things. I was 25. I was bulletproof. I was going to do this till I was 90 years old. What the hell did this guy know?

I’m now 45.

And while I still feel the guy who blurted out that nonsense was and still is a tool, I’d be remiss not to acknowledge that he was kinda-sorta, in the teeniest-tiniest of ways…right.

Come Again Now, Tony?

Now, this is in no way to insinuate that I feel being over 4o is over-the-hill. Sure I have a few aches and pains here and there, but who doesn’t?

I look pretty good too.

Granted, male pattern baldness entered the picture a long time ago, but I still can hold fort with many guys younger than myself.

But I’d be lying if I said I haven’t had to alter my training the older I’ve gotten.

I can chalk 1/3 of that up to maturity.

Another 1/3 to life…(running a business, spending time with family, kitty cuddles).

I still love training, and I still love lifting heavy things, but it doesn’t have the same panache or gravity as it had when I was 25.

Back then it’s all I did. I lifted weights, weighed my food, hung out at bookstores, and watched Alias like a boss. As you can imagine I was a major hit with the ladies.

Now that I’m older, my priorities have changed.

I still train 4-5 times per week, but my life doesn’t revolve around it. I don’t hyperventilate into a brown paper bag if I happen to miss a training session (for the record: I don’t miss many).

And,  Alias reruns are still a thing.

The last 1/3 of the equation, and I say this reluctantly, can be attributed to physiology. Yes, as we get older, our body’s will inevitably remind us that we’re not 25 anymore.

However, rather than succumb to the adage “that’s just how it is, deal with it,” I’d like to offer some insight on how guys my age can (and probably should) tweak their training to help set themselves up for long-term success.

1. Train Like a Powerlifter & Bodybuilder

I’m a strength coach and meathead through and through, so of course I’m a little biased when it comes to the “Big 3.”

If you want to get bigger and stronger it behooves mostly everyone to cast a spotlight on the squat, bench press, and deadlift. This is not to say other exercises don’t enter the discussion, but those three tend to be the big players when it comes to building an impressive physique that performs well.

An easy equation I like to use for old(er) guys is:

“Train the “big 3” like a powerlifter, then satiate your inner bodybuilder.”

What I mean by this – and this is just a suggestion, nothing set in stone – is that every training session should start with one of the “big 3” and you’d work up to a few heavy sets of three or sets of five.8

Once you do that: you’d drop the weight (10-20%) and perform 1-2 sets of AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible). Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 is a great example of this protocol.

Another option I like is using the EDM (Estimated Daily Max) protocol. The advantage of this approach is that it takes into account daily/weekly fluctuations in one’s readiness to train.

In other words: Some days you feel like the Rock and want to get after it hard in the gym. Other days you feel like you’ve been hit by a rock and just don’t have the juice.

Using EDM sets just means you work up to a “daily max” (usually 3-5 reps) FOR THAT DAY. It’s not a true max effort.

It’ll look something like this:

Back Squat

A. EDM of 5: Take as many sets as you need in order to hit a challenging set of 5 (where you have 1-rep left in the tank).

Once you hit that number, stay there, and then perform an additional 2-4 sets of THREE reps. This will allow you to get some more volume in with an appreciable weight, but you should still be able to perform them reasonably fast and with impeccable technique.

After that, all your accessory/assistance work will be high(er) rep in nature. For me accessory work should have a purpose.

Namely it helps address a weakness or technique flaw in one of the “big 3.” So for example, if you tend to be slow off the chest with your bench press a great accessory movement would be the Spoto Press.

High-reps reduces the loading, which results in less wear and tear on the joints. And you still get the pump.

In reality, though, the benefit is that training in both fashions provides more of an undulated approach where sets/reps/loading is constantly altered.

In essence: you get the best of both worlds.

2. Hire a Coach.

This was a game changer for me personally. Part of the reason why I hired my own coach was because I was sick of doing my own thinking. I write hundreds (if not thousands) or programs each year, and by the time it’s time to write my own program…I’d rather swallow a live grenade.

My brain is mush and I don’t want to deal with it.

Having my own coach takes the guess work out. I tell them my goals and they write me monthly programming to help me get there.

It’s fantastic. Coaches need coaches too.

3. Live a Little

Remember that part above where I mentioned how I used to weigh all my food? Looking back, it sucked.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I understand there’s a time and place for it. I’ll often recommend it to people just so they have a better appreciation for just how much food they’re actually eating.

Too, I understand that competitive aesthetic athletes or fitness models may need to be a little more meticulous with keeping tabs of what they put into their body.

Where I believe it becomes a problem is when this action starts to have an effect on people’s relationship with food and/or has a negative effect on their day-to-day routines.

I like to follow the lead of my good friend, Bryan Krahn, who, outside of the times when he’s purposely trying to get shredded (at 40+), doesn’t sweat the technique when he has a few slices of pizza and beers one night or heads out for some extra dessert.

He trains like a beast, so who cares if he wants to have some homemade apple crumb!?

The key is that he’s back on task the following day. A one-day “excursion” is exactly that…one day.

It’s like what Dan John has to say on the topic:

Recently, a woman told me her friends can’t make a mistake.

What? Well, what she told me was this: Since they were attacking fat loss with aerobic work and strict dieting, they didn’t have any wiggle room. The woman, who holds herself nearly year-round at a very impressive 19% bodyfat, told me she enjoys desserts, cocktails, BBQs and fine food. But, and this is a big but, she can also do 10 pullups. She is very strong in the weightroom. In other words, her glass is so big, she can afford to cheat a little here and there.

That made no sense to me. Then I watched her train and thought about some other women I work with. When she presses an impressive kettlebell overhead (half her bodyweight with one hand!), her entire system has to gather up resources, and then adapt and recover from the effort. When little Edna at my gym thinks the five-pound dumbbell is heavy, she isn’t going to tax her body very hard.

Edna can’t eat cake.

4. Caloric Intake Should Match Activity Level

I’ve been at this long enough to know what I need to do – nutritionally speaking – to lose some fat or gain some weight if I choose to do so. I know what foods I need to eat and which ones I tend to “handle” well.

via GIPHY

I like to call this instinctive eating.

On days I train – especially on lower body days – I tend to push my calories a little higher.

On days I don’t train, I don’t push the envelope as much.

One Caveat: We tend to forget that even I days we don’t train our body still needs calories to promote recovery. I feel many make things way too complicated than they have to be by following some sort of periodized Lunar Intermittent Fasting protocol on non-training days and Carb-Back Loading on training days, and then, every other month, Paleo.

Stop making things so complicated. It’s a fucking apple. Eat it.

Admittedly, this “rule” could be applied to anyone at any age. But I find that as we get older and we’re a little less active and little less spontaneous, and “things” tend to slow down, it provides a ton of merit.

5. Hey, Guess What? You’re Not a Spartan Warrior (or a Navy SEAL)

Stop purchasing and following programs that cater to this bullshit.

via GIPHY

6. Loss of Athleticism and Competitiveness.

Unfortunately, when we hit a certain age things like slow-pitch softball and bowling become our only form of athletic activity.

It’s better than nothing, but come on.

If you don’t use it, you lose it (I’ll refrain from the obvious penis joke here).

Build some more athleticism into your training. You don’t need to go hard-core CrossFit, but why not include some more medicine ball training? Or maybe box jumps?

Some find a respite by competing in powerlifting or bodybuilding or both.

And if that’s not your bag – it’s not mine – I’d encourage you to seek out a gym where others will push you to train hard.

Even if it’s once per week it can make all the difference in the world.

7. Do Your Cardio

Yes, it can help in the weight room.

Don’t believe me: read THIS.

Categoriespersonal training Strength Training

Strength Training For the Real World

Just to be clear: This blog post has nothing to do with the reality series, The Real World…😉

Speaking of which, I crushed that show in its early days. I watched every season up until Paris (season 13); after that it kinda lost its luster for me. Watching people make out in hot tubs wasn’t my idea of must-watch-tv.

(Excuse me while I go catch up on The Bachelorette).9.

Nope, today’s guest post, written by NY-based personal trainer Elaine Studdert (who wrote THIS post on sustainable fitness on this site a few months ago), pertains to strength training as it relates to “real world” activities like yard work, rough-housing with your kids, hauling suitcases, and fighting off a pack of ninjas.

We’re enamored if not programmed to think that the more advanced an exercise or program the better it must be. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Enjoy!

Copyright: daizuoxin

Real World Strength Training

I’m a proud hockey mom to three boys. As my boys grow older their hockey equipment grows with them. Back when they were just little Mites, I’d carry their bags – which were heavy but manageable.

Fast forward to the Pee Wees and Bantam divisions, those same hockey bags have gotten exponentially bigger in size and weight. Even though they carry their own gear now every once in a while they need a hand. This is one of the many reasons I need to maintain the ability to pick up heavy stuff.

And this is true for everyone, whether it’s a hockey bag or a trash bag. In all of our lives, there will be situations that require heavy lifting.

This is real world training.

Training that doesn’t take place in a gym.

This is the type of training we need more than that weekend boot camp class.

Carrying suitcases, hauling groceries, walking up a flight of stairs, picking up your kids/grandkids, running after your dog, moving furniture, picking laundry up off the floor, etc.

The list goes on and on.

These everyday activities may not seem like a workout. In fact, we usually take for granted our ability to manage these tasks, until it becomes a challenge. That’s why it’s so important to put the work in every day. Being consistent over time will keep you in form to be capable of these everyday activities.

In the healthcare industry these movements are called ADL’s (activities of daily living).

Basic self-care activities that people do on a daily basis. We learn these basic skills as young children. As we play, run, jump and navigate the playground our body is figuring it all out and getting stronger. It’s important to find your adult playground to maintain this functional movement.  Maintaining the ability to perform ADL’s as we get older should be top priority.

So even if we’re not training for a sporting event, we should technically be in training every day for life.

How Do We Get Fit for Life?

Real life requires us to:

Squat – ex. getting up and down from a chair

Hinge – ex. pick something up off the floor

Push – ex. Push a shopping cart

Pull – ex. opening a car door

Carry – ex. holding a suitcase or grocery bags

Training these movements with external resistance or load is essential for maintaining muscle mass. And as we age, we want to hold on to our muscle as long as we can.

This doesn’t mean we have to be become bodybuilders or Olympic lifters. For most of us, this just means picking up some weight and performing these movement patterns 2-3 times per week. Strength training with movements that mimic real life will prepare you for all the activities you do on a daily basis.

It’s really as simple as that.

Where do we start?

The overwhelming amount of fitness information and resources we have access to can be confusing and complicated, especially for someone who is new to exercise.

  • What is the right plan?
  • Who do I follow on Instagram?
  • What app do I download?
  • Which device do I need to monitor my activity?

Breaking it down to the simplest components will make it less intimidating. Don’t overthink it. The quality of the exercises is way more important than quantity. Just start with the fundamentals and take it from there. Put one foot in front of the other and the rest will happen.

Here’s a Sample @Home Workout

A1. Squat: Goblet Squat w/ Lowering

A2. Hinge: Band Pull-Through

A3. Push – Gripless FacePull to Press

A4. Pull – Band Row Rotational Row w/ Weight Shift

A5. Carry – Goblet Carry

 

Carrying some weight, making small gains day in and day out, pushing yourself hard but not killing yourself. It all adds up and keeps us in shape to do the things in life we enjoy.

About the Author

Elaine Studdert is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer based in Westchester, NY. She trains clients virtually and in-person at HealthyFit in Mamaroneck. Elaine specializes in functional movement and kettlebell training. She loves to work with clients who are looking to improve their quality of life through movement. See her most recent article on virtual fitness training at Larchmont Loop.

Follow Elaine on social media: Instagram: @elainestuddert

CategoriesExercise Technique Strength Training

The Bar Every Gym Should Have: Safety Squat Bar

When Dean Somerset & I created the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint and the (Even More) Complete Shoulder and Hip Blueprint (both currently on sale for the next 72 hours at 40% off their regular price…wink wink, nudge nudge) our goal was to provide a resource for people to better connect the dots between assessment and performance

Too, it was to champion the idea that strength is corrective. It’s rarely necessary to send someone off to corrective exercise purgatory when their shoulder or hip is acting up. While it’s inevitable a swath of time & effort may have to be dedicated to proper breathing mechanics or improving scapular upward rotation, what I have found that often “sticks” the most and provides a greater “buy in” to rehabbing an injury…

…is to make rehab look and feel more like training.

Much of the time the “fix” is a matter tempering one’s training volume (most people are simply doing too much of something) or adjusting a specific exercise – stance, ROM, tempo – in an effort to better mirror one’s injury history and (current) ability level. <— FYI: Dean & I cover this extensively in CSHB 1.0 and 2.0.

If a part of the body hurts when someone performs an exercise it doesn’t automatically mean we have to cancel the exercise altogether.

Cancelling Nazis (and Birthday clowns)  = good.

Cancelling Squats = whoa, whoa, whoa…pump the brakes a bit.

The Bar Every Gym Should Have

This post is not meant to wax poetic on the back squat.

If you want to do it, cool.

If you don’t, that’s cool too.

No one outside of a competitive powerlifter (and maybe He-Man) HAS to perform a traditional barbell back squat. I think they’re a great option if your goal is to be brutally strong & athletic and you want to build an impressive physique.

They’re a tool in the toolbox.

I will say, however, the back squat (when performed with a straight bar) does tend to eat up a lot of lifters’ shoulders. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that straight bar back squats are more of a shoulder destroyer than the bench press any day.

Yeah, that’s right…I said it.

via GIPHY

I know the barbell back squat provides a degree of  prestige and “street cred,” and I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a time in my career as a personal trainer & strength coach where I’d ride and die with the statement that everyone, regardless of goal, sport played, or highest Scrabble score should have back squats in their program.

Alas, with age (and experience) comes wisdom.10

That said, I’ve always prided myself in taking a middle-of-the-road approach to most things in the health/fitness industry. I know some coaches who are adamantly PRO back squat and others who are just as adamantly against.

Which brings me to the point of today’s post.

The Safety Squat Bar (also referred to as SSB or Yoke bar), while still technically a back squat, has grown into one of my preferred ways to program (back) squatting into most people’s programs. I also take the stance that it’s a bar that EVERY gym should add to their equipment arsenal.

Why Your Gym Needs an SSB Bar

1. Shoulder Friendly

Back squatting with a straight bar requires a fair bit of shoulder mobility. Many lifters lack the requisite shoulder abduction & external rotation to be able to comfortably rest the barbell on their upper traps (high-bar position) or rear delts (low-bar position).

As alluded to above, part of the appeal for me is that SSB bar coincides very well with my mantra “strength is corrective.’

There’s an element of literal synergy here; the SSB bar still allows someone to lift heavy things. However, the obvious advantage of the bar is its design, and the fact that the handles are located in FRONT of the lifter.

There’s zero shoulder mobility required. To that end, if I am working with someone who’s shoulders don’t handle the straight bar well, I can have them use the SSB bar and continue to TRAIN without irritating the joint.

2. More Upright Torso

There will ALWAYS be a degree of forward lean when squatting. This is not to suggest a more forward leaning position when squatting is inherently wrong or deleterious.

However, back squatting lends itself to more of a forward lean compared to a front squat. As a result, and as a general rule, the more of a forward lean there is, the more “shear” loading will take place on the spine.

Photo Credit: www.PowerliftingTechnique.com

The high(er) bar position with the SSB bar allows for the torso to be more upright (similar to a front squat) and as such a bit more back friendly as well.

Personally speaking, I know when my deadlift volume is high I’ll revert to SSB squats for the bulk of my squatting during that particular phase of training because my lower back will take less of a beating and thank me in the long run.

3. Increased ROM & Upper Back Strength

Pigging back on the above point, because the high(er) bar placement of the SSB bar allows for a more upright torso it’ll also equate to a more robust range of motion for most trainees as well.

In addition, the high(er) bar placement will force the upper back to work overtime because that area needs to work harder to prevent the bar from “rolling” the shoulders over.

So, in effect…we can make the case that the safety squat bar recruits the upper body more (compared to traditional squats).

4. Reneges Upper Body Injuries

The SSB bar does a splendid job at opening up one’s TRAINABLE MENU in lieu of an upper body injury. Lets say you just had surgery on your shoulder and you’re in an arm sling for several weeks. Or, I don’t know, you got in a tickle fight with an Uruk-hai and ended up busting up your wrist.

Both situations make back squatting problematic if not altogether impossible.

Not with an SSB bar, though.

LOL.

You can still train your lower body.

Nice try.

5. Hatfields!

Last but not least, the SSB bar allows you to CRUSH “supported” single-leg training like Hatfield Split Squats.

 

I’m certain I’m neglecting to think of other cogent benefits, but that’s what I have at the moment. Feel free to forward this post to your local gym’s owner/manager so that you can start incorporating this SSB bar soon!