Sorry I’ve been a bit absent this week. Between fighting off this bitch of a cold, prepping for a presentation on posture and low back pain I’m doing at Bose Headquarters this afternoon, and tying up loose ends before heading off on vacation this weekend, my hands have been a bit full.
There’s all of that and a funny story about Lisa almost attacking me with a pillow in the middle of the night thinking I was someone breaking into our apartment. But I’ll save that for a Miscellaneous Monday post down the road.
Nevertheless, today I have an awesome guest post by Nate Palmer on muscle confusion. For those who enjoy my writing style, this one will be right on par. Enjoy!
Muscle Confus….. whaaaa????
If you’re reading this right now, I’m making some broad assumptions about you:
You have above average knowledge of muscular and athletic training.
You’re a 7.5 or better on the general attractiveness scale.
You know and respect the work of people like McGill, Polquin, Bieber, and Cressey.
You are passionate about squatting, building muscle, moving well, and quoting Bane as much as possible.
If you fall into any of those categories, I believe it’s safe to assume that you’ve also heard the phrase “muscle confusion” thrown around like a hipster at a Ramstein concert. It’s all over the news, in radio ads, general fitness articles, and p90x.
Generally the definition of muscle confusion is that by continuing to mix up the exercises/sets/reps/tempo etc. one can ‘trick’ the muscles into growing or burning more fat based on the idea the muscles will adapt to the same stimulus over and over again.
The benefit here is that it is possible to continue to coax new growth out of your muscles without them ever catching on to the fact that you are not, in fact, Mariusz Pudjianowski. Another benefit is that the same routine can be used by a variety of types of trainees with good results.
This is actually science, and since science should not be ignored, I wanted to help clear up the mystical BS surrounding the theory of muscle confusion, and help you create your own muscle confusion workout. At the end, I will give you an example of a workout that I have used for many years with great results, both in my own training, and for many of my clients.
Here is a proven 10 step system that will help you go from Hayden Christiansen status to being a training Yoda in just minutes.
List your goals out on a piece of paper. Be as specific as you can. (i.e. don’t just put “I want to be ripped” put that you want to be bodyweight of 185 at bodyfat percentage of 8%. Don’t put “get stronger” but say you want to squat 315 x 10)
Underneath each goal, write 2-5 exercises that will contribute to your success in that activity.
Now take 12 sticky notes and write down other activities that you enjoy doing, whether that’s sewing, rock climbing, or watching Jumanji on repeat.
Put the sticky notes on your fridge for motivation
While you’re at your fridge, grab something to eat. You don’t want to be hungry while dealing with the advanced principles of muscle confusion.
Grab a calendar for the month. Write down your 7 favorite numbers on it.
Tear all the papers into small pieces and put them into your protein shaker bottle. Shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds to maximize triceps involvement.
Go to the gym with said protein shaker, and begin removing pieces of paper. If legible, tear into smaller pieces and repeat step 7. If you’re becoming confused, that means your muscles are becoming adequately prepped for the workout. While pulling out scraps of paper, you should be haphazardly guessing what they say and doing the exercises with the sets and reps in the way they come out of the shaker.
Your workout should end when the sum of all your sets and reps = 37, or when the minute hand of the clock hits a really cool number.
Make sure to end every session with a naked bosu ball kettlebell snatch on the stair master. Your muscles won’t have any idea what the F just happened!
******BONUS *******
Muscle Confusion Nutrition; the do’s and don’ts.
DO:
Mix 3 parts margarita, with 1 part jack3d and 1 part goji berry extract for the perfect pre-workout beverage. For optimal results, use as a suppository.
Consume as much rotisserie chicken as possible during the workout to involve the digestive system, and to confuse the abs from the inside out.
DON’T:
Have a traditional post workout meal, but instead eat the third thing you see on the way home from the gym. Take a different route every time, or close your eyes while driving to ensure proper confusion.
Listen to the experts. Every body is different, and needs different stimuli to continue growing. Optimize your gains the right way! The confusing way.
DISCLAMER:
Please don’t do this. Any of it really. Except the naked bosu ball snatches. You should do those.
If you’re interested in the actual scientific principle of muscle confusion, look no further than progressive overload, which very simply states that in order to make progress, you must challenge your muscles in ways they haven’t been challenged before. This can take the form of something as simple as adding another rep, or another 5lbs to the bar.
If you are the guy who constantly goes to the gym and does the same 3×10 with 135 every Monday on bench press, you’re not going to make any progress because you haven’t given your muscles any reason to change from the size they are, because they are fully capable of doing your workout.
Constantly changing the stimulus by doing more work per session is the way to create and maintain lasting gains. You don’t need to be jumping from program to program week after week. This will never allow your central nervous system (CNS) to adapt to the movements (which is a good thing that will help you lift more), and you’ll never get any bigger or stronger.
Want to get big and strong? Pick 2-3 big exercises and get really, REALLY strong at them. Add 5lbs per week to start, then add 2.5lbs per week, and if necessary, add 1 lb per week. Do that for a full year. That way, at the end of this year, you will have put somewhere between 50 and 150lbs on your squat. Instead of what you did last year, which was jump around too much and end up with a strained shoulder and a 180lbs squat.
If you want to get brutally strong, stay lean and get legs the size of tree trunks, institute a 20 rep squat protocol. Start lower than you think you should, and add between 1 and 10lbs per week, making lower jumps as you increase weight. At the end of a year, you can easily go from doing 135×20 to doing 250×20.
The most confusing thing you can do for your muscles is squat 300lbs 20 times. Do that, and ditch your fitness DVD’s.
You’re welcome. That will be 49.99.
Author’s Bio
Nate Palmer is a NASM certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist. He specializes in weight loss, rehabilitation and stretching, and athletic training. He also loves the smell of vanilla candles, and looking at pictures of puppies online, but he would never admit it.
He’s currently employed at PRO Sports Club in the greater Seattle Area, and for more information check out his website HERE.
I know I’m a bit of an anomaly in saying this, especially considering I make my living as a strength coach and fitness writer, and you know, I’m a dude, but here it goes: I really, really dislike bench pressing.
Not that I think it’s a bad or dangerous exercises or anything. On the contrary I’d rank the bench press right up there as one of the top exercises one can perform to build overall strength and muscle mass – especially in the upper body. It’s not considered one of the “big three” (squat, deadlift, bench press) in powerlifting circles for nothing.
And least we forget: chicks dig a big bench press. Right, ladies?
Outside of overhead athletes or someone with a significant history of shoulder injuries, where it would contraindicated, the bench press is pretty much a staple exercise in any well-rounded fitness routine.
But back to me for a second. Because, you know, it’s all about me….;o)
I dislike the bench press because, well, I suck at it!
In fact if I had to make a list of things I dislike in this world, I’d place the bench press in the same breath as Jar Jar Binks, Rocky V, poodles, belly button lint, and Tracy Anderson.
Yeah, I hate it that much.
I still do it, of course. But I’ve come to the foregone conclusion that, because of my abnormally long arms, I’ll most likely never be a great bencher.
I just picked the wrong parents in that regard.
Nevertheless, my best bench (so far) is 315 lbs, and I’m cool with that. If it goes up, it goes up. If it doesn’t, it’s not the end of the world.
So yeah, there you go: I have a personal disdain for the bench press, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love to coach it and help others improve their performance.
I’ve written in the past some common tips that I feel will help improve one’s bench press prowess, so I’m not going to get into the ins and outs of proper foot position, elbow positon, leg drive, bar path, grip, the efficacy of a back arch, or any number of other things that have been discussed ad naseam on the interwebz.
Instead I want to touch on something that hardly ever gets talked about, and something I feel can help improve one’s bench performance almost instantly.
And that is:
Getting a Proper Hand-Off
At Cressey Performance our athletes and clients don’t ask for a “spot.” Rather they as for a hand-off. Ask any top-notch or world class bencher what one of the main keys are, and he (or she) will say……TIGHTNESS.
You have to get tight. Especially in the upper back. Without getting into the extreme details, I like to coach guys to place their feet on the bench (relax, it’s only for a few seconds), grab the bar, lift their hips up, and drive their upper back into the bench. Simultaneously, I’ll tell them to consciously think to themselves, “together and DOWN” with the shoulder blades.
For the anatomy geeks out there – basically what I’m looking for is that the shoulder blades are adducted and posteriorly tilted.
Really it’s all fancy schmancy talk to try to get them more compact and tight so that they’re more stable and able to transfer force more efficiently through the body.
Which begs the question: Why go through all that trouble to get tight, compact, and ready to hoist a barbell off your chest, only to NOT get a proper hand-off, and lose all of it when you un-rack the bar?
Think about what happens when you un-rack a bar on your own. You essentially have to press/protract the shoulders just to get the bar off the j-hooks. As a result, the scapulae abduct and (most likely) anteriorly tilt as well, and stability is compromised.
Seems a bit counterproductive in my eyes, and serves as the impetus behind today’s video.
Bench Press Technique: The Hand-Off
A few points to consider that I didn’t cover in the video:
1. The “spotter” or hander-offer guy isn’t lifting the bar off the j-hooks, but rather “guiding” the bar to the starting position.
2. Moreover, the lifter shouldn’t think of it as pressing the bar up and into the starting postion, but instead “pulling” into position. Kind of like a bastardized straight-arm pressdown (albeit on your back).
3. Getting down the cadence of 1….2….breath….lift off is the key here. It’s going to take some practice, which is why I highly advocate finding a training partner you trust.
3. If at any point the guy providing the hand off starts chirping, “all you, all you, all you” when he’s clearly got his hands on the bar, immediately rack the bar and scissor kick him in the face.
It’s a component that I feel many people glaze over, and something that deserves a little more love. Unfortunately, many approach squatting – especially the set-up – with a nonchalant attitude, and subsequently either 1) performance suffers or worse 2) someone gets injured.
What really surprised me was just how much attention the video garnered. It certainly wasn’t for my good looks. I mean I’m pretty, but not that pretty.
What it told me was that it’s a topic that people are interested in and want to learn more about.
Or maybe part of the popularity was that it gave people an opportunity to debate. I couldn’t believe how many people made a stink over something as nondescript as my preference to coach people to grab the bar with their thumbs (rather than set up with the thumbs over the bar).
Some made the case that it places more stress on the wrists.
Okay. So what? Correct me if I’m wrong here, but genrally speaking, squats suck. Like, a lot. We’re not picking daises and running underneath a rainbow here. There’s going to be some level of discomfort going on.
And NEWSLASH: squats are going to place a stress on the body, wrists included.
If for some reason your wrists hurt while grabbing the bar, fine, do it your way. I really could care less, and understand there is some degree of personal preference here.
The main point to hammer and what I felt was lost in translation was the notion that one PULLS DOWN on the bar to increase stability and tightness.
And it’s the latter point – the whole concept of “tightness” – which is the crux of today’s post.
What do we mean by “staying tight” when squatting? And why is it beneficial?
In this short video I cover:
1. Why getting your air, twice (which is something both Mike Robertson and Jim Smith have discussed in the past) is crucial.
AND
2. Why, when box squatting, I’m not a fan of allowing people to rock/relax on the box itself.
While I didn’t mention it in the video, I liken it to a melting candle. Which is to say: losing tightness at the bottom is not going to do your back any favors.
In the realm of fitness – and particularly strength and conditioning – there’s no shortage of programs to follow.
Moreover, when you factor in all the varying set/rep protocols, rest intervals, tempos, and any other permutations, algorithms, or NASA level geekdom that can come into play when designing a program or general template…..it’s easy to see that the possibilities are endless.
And that’s what I dig so much about this field.
I’ll be the first to admit I have my own biases on what I feel are the most useful, safe, and time efficient protocols to implement for any given goal or task.
Hint: none include the Shake Weight.
At the end of the day there’s really no one BEST way to train someone. Everything works!
At least for a little while anyways.
Having said that, today I want to discuss – albeit briefly – one of my favorite protocols that I feel leads to amazing results when implemented correctly (and with the right person).
Rest/Pause Training
What Is It: Opinions may vary, but here’s the nuts and bolts. Unlike a standard powerlifting routine where one performs low reps (1-3 reps) for several sets with long rest periods in between (typically 3-5 minutes), rest-pause training requires you to take as little as 10-15 second breaks between each set.
Why Use Rest/Pause Training: That’s a great question.
It’s essentially a fantastic way to increase both training density and training efficiency with the compound movements (think: squat, deadlift, bench, chin-ups) using heavier loads by utilizing shorter rest periods between each rep. There’s no dilly dallying around, and it’s no wonder that many people who choose to follow this type of training for a training block (or two) get really strong and pack on a decent amount of muscle in no time flat.
Sounds cool, right?
Who Should Use It (and How): Another great question. And as with anything…..it depends.
I see two trains of thought here:
1. The more accepted (and popular) form of rest/pause training is geared towards those who have more of a hypertrophy or muscle gaining agenda. You know: guys (or girls) who want backs the size of Kansas, pecs that can deflect a tank, and/or tree trunks for legs.
The most widely used variation of rest/pause requires you to perform a set to “failure,” rest about 25-30 seconds, perform another set to failure, rest about 25-30 seconds, and perform a final set to failure.
More often than not it will go something like this: perform set, rest 15-20s, eek out 2 more reps, rest 15-20s, eek out another 1-2.
I placed “failure” in quotations because there’s a bit of a caveat. When I say failure in this context I don’t mean “OMG OMG OMG OMG someone help and get this bar off my neck failure.”
Rather, what I really mean is TECHNICAL failure.
That is: end your set when technique starts to falter and you can no longer perform any reps without the risk of destroying the back of your pants, dismemberment, or putting your life in danger.
2. You can also view rest/pause training as a hybrid form of cluster training, where you perform 1-3 reps with a specific weight with an emphasis on strength and performance.
I’ve been toying around with this variation for a few months now with my deadlift training, and have seen marked improvements – especially with my speed off the floor (which I have always been miserable at).
I’ll take 70-80% of my 1RM and perform 5-10 singles (sometimes more) with 10-20 seconds rest in between each rep.
If I’m feeling super masochistic, I’ll set a timer for 15-20 minutes and try to get as many “singles” as possible within that time frame – taking the appropriate rest intervals of course.
This…..makes……you……hate……life.
But as I noted above it’s a superb way to increase training density, and with regards to the timed variation, has a pretty significant conditioning component as well.
Moreover, there’s a built in progression in that you can try to beat your rep-record from the previous week.
Taking it step further is a variation I “stole” from strength coach Mike Mahler (which I’m sure he stole from someone else, who probably stole it from Jesus), called modified rest/pause training:
To quote Mike himself:
What you do initially to prepare yourself for modified rest-pause training is to take your three rep max and do ten singles with that weight. Instead of taking only 10-15 seconds between each set, take one-minute breaks between each set.
For most people, this won’t be too difficult and that, of course, is the point. I want you to build a pattern of success with a few relatively easy training sessions to prepare you for the brutal rest pause training sessions to follow. Once you can complete all ten singles with one minute breaks, decrease the breaks to 45 seconds between each set. Keep the weight the same.
Once you can complete all ten sets at 45 seconds, go down to 30 seconds. Once you can do that, go to 15 seconds (even though you’re only resting 15 seconds, you’ll still rack the weight in-between).
Once you’ve completed ten sets with 15 second breaks, increase the weight by 10 pounds and go back to one minute breaks between sets. Work your way down the rest pause ladder again until you’re back to 15-second breaks. At that point, increase the weight again by another 10 pounds.
And I Lied, There’s Actually Three Trains of Thought
3. While considered a more advanced protocol to follow – and definitely not for the faint of heart – I’ve also incorporated rest/pause training with some beginners I train to help with their technique.
A lot of personal trainers and coaches make the mistake that beginners should use nothing but high(er) rep training to slowly introduce them to loading and to better prepare the joints/tendons/ligaments to the rigors of training.
While I don’t necessarily disagree with that notion – how many times have you seen a beginner dominate his or her technique when performing a set of 10+ rep squats?
Yeah, that’s what I thought. You’re more likely to see another Fast and Furious movie being made. I mean, what are they up to now, five? There’s no way they can keep this thing going.
Oh wait…….
I’m not gonna lie: that does look pretty sick.
But back to my point – hammering technique is the name of the game when it comes to beginners, and I’ve found that, sometimes, rest/pause training fits the bill nicely here.
You just don’t need to be too aggressive with the loading!!!!!!!
If someone is struggling with technique, instead of having someone perform five continuous reps (which can get ugly really quickly), I’ll have them break down the “set” into five separate singles with 10-20 seconds rest in between.
Now I can have them focus on perfect technique with each rep, but without having fatigue become a determining factor.
And There You Go
Like I said, there are dozens (if not more) of other variations of rest/pause training out there, but hopefully this helped to clarify as to whether or not it would be a good fit for YOU.
This isn’t something that can (or should) be used long-term, but it’s definitely a great way to spice up your training and take your physique and performance to the next level.
I know some reading are going to scoff at the title of this post and immediately go off on some diatribe about how pull-throughs are so 2002 and about why we’re even having this conversation in the first place when we can just mosey on over to the corner of the gym, grab a kettlebell, and swing away to our hearts content.
Everyone knows that kettlebells are far superior in every way – whether we’re referring to hip hinge patterning, posterior chain strength, explosiveness, overall conditioning, or some of its lesser known uses like how awesome it is as a door stopper, fish line sinker, or paper weight.
I agree that kettlebells are fantastic tool in the exercise toolbox, very versatile, and something that I implement into my programs quite often. However, as with anything else, there’s a time and place for them.
In my opinion pull-throughs are one of the more underrated exercises out there, which is unfortunate because it offers a lot of advantages in its own right.
A look at from a few vantage points:
1. It’s very user friendly. Granted, with proper coaching, a KB swing can be easily taught within 5-10 minutes. The key point to consider, though, is “proper coaching.” I don’t know about you, but Iv’e been in my fair share of commercial gyms and I can count on one hand the total number of times I’ve seen someone perform a proper KB swing – and this includes those who are actually under the supervision of a trainer!
Needless to say, there’s a lot more to a KB swing than just casually picking one up and hoisting it around like it’s some kind of toy light saber.
I find that pull-throughs are a much more “convenient” way to introduce the hip hinge pattern to people – especially those with limited training experience under their belt.
What’s more, not everyone has access to kettlebells, and pretty much everyone has access to a cable system. So there.
2. Furthermore, and going along with the whole versatility angle, pull-throughs are a staple amongst powerlifters (it’s a fantastic accessory exercise for the hamstrings and glutes), as well as beginners who are just learning their way around the weightroom.
3. Likewise, there’s very little spinal loading (assuming form is up to snuff) so it’s a fantastic option for those people working around back pain as it forces people to learn to dissociate the hips from the lumbar spine. If anything it helps to slow people down, which is an important factor when trying to learn a new pattern.
All that said, despite the seemingly innocuous nature of the exercise people tend to butcher its execution. In the video below I discuss some common mistakes as well as a few coaching cues I often use to help clean up technique. Hope it helps!
Okay, I know what some of you may be thinking: What does someone who burps out loud, hates The Notebook1, and pees standing up know about the female body, let alone guiding and training someone through what’s arguably the most precious, magical, and delicate time of their life?
Well, first off: Not for nothing, I took health class in 9th grade, so I know were babies come from Mr. 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, more to the point (and a bit less tongue-in-cheek), in the ten years that I’ve been a strength coach I’ve worked with and trained a number of women through their pregnancies, and since two of my female clients are currently less than three weeks away from “go time” I thought I’d share some of my own thoughts on the topic (as well as those from people who reached out through this blog).
Admittedly I have a strong viewpoint on this topic 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.
Obligatory disclaimer: every pregnancy is different; each woman needs to consider her own specific situation.
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 definitely comes down to the individual, their comfort level, listening 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 realm), and even more articles, that suggest that “training” should revolve 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.
I mean, I think it’s an accomplishment when I can shave my head without missing a spot.
In my eyes, if they’re able to grow and push a human being out of their body, they’re capable of lifting a barbell off the ground.
Sometimes even over their head. 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 one’s comfort level.
Regardless of one’s experience in the gym, whether they’re a seasoned veteren or a newbie, I always tell them to listen to their body. After a few hundred thousand years of evolution, the human body is pretty smart 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 deadlift PRs 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 CP client Whitney G performing some heavy(ish) deadlifts at roughly 32 weeks out.
And I say “heavy(ish)” because the weight in this video is no where near her best effort, but is still a heckuva lot more impressive than what many non-pregnant women throw around.
To that end, because this is a gargantuan topic, and because my head is spinning at several different directions, and it’s something that I couldn’t possibly cover in one simple blog post, I’m just going to shoot from the hip and list things out in random order. I like lists, so whatever.
1. Before I begin I’d be doing a huge disservice to the discussion at hand if I didn’t point people in the direction of Cassandra Forsytheand Julia Ladewski, both of whom are two very strong (and very smart) females who have written extensively on women training through their pregnancy.
Just do a search on both their sites (linked to above) and you should have no issues finding quality information.
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.
Julia Ladewski
2. Just to give you a little insight into the type of information being regurgitated out there: one of the females that I’m training right now has 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 that, “well, you’re eating for two!” 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 a quarter-pounder with cheese, a baker’s dozen from Krispy Kreme, and a liter of Coke. Don’t try to disenfranchise yourself into thinking that just because you’re preggers, means you can go bonkers with the calories.
Just a little dose of “tough love” there to get things started.
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 (I can’t of more than five off the top of my head). The important thing to remember is to provide adequate calories, and try to keep them to as many whole, nutrient dense, un-processed foods as possible.
4. Take your fish oil. If you’re already taking fish oil, take more of it – but be sure it’s a HIGH-quality fish oil. If you choose not to participate in strenuous exercise just to be safe and to keep your mind at ease, that’s perfectly fine. But it doesn’t make much sense (in my eyes) to do that, only to nonchalantly buy some generic fish oil brand that’s sky high in mercury levels and other toxins.
The nutrients you take in are the same one’s your baby are taking in, so if you’re going to go out of your way to supplement with fish oil – and you should – you might as well do yourself a favor a buy a high-quality brand that has a potency of 50% or higher.
5. If I’m going to be honest, I’d have serious reservations working with someone who has limited experience in the gym or is new to me. Having a sense of rapport is crucial in this context, as both parties involved have to have quite a bit of trust in one another.
But that isn’t to say I’d turn my back on someone whom I’m not familiar with. I just wouldn’t go crazy with the programming and would keep things as simplistic as possible. In keeping with the above mantra: it all comes down to what THEY’RE comfortable with, but that doesn’t mean we can’t introduce new exercises and drills that are going to have many more far-reaching benefits down the road.
In this scenario, I’d maybe stick to more basic exercises like Goblet squats, TONS of core stability work (think Pallof Presses), teaching a proper push-up pattern, single leg work, and the like.
It’s not like I’m going to throw them to the wolves and have them performing heavy singles and triples.
Putting things into context, Whitney G (from the video above) has been training with me for three years, and I KNOW she knows what she’s doing – so I feel completely comfortable throwing deadlift and squat variations (and she can still do pull-ups!) into her programs.
Someone with limited experience or that I don’t know very well: not so much, and I’m going to be much, much more conservative.
6. Likewise, the same can be said for Cara L, another mom-to-be who’s still training and getting after it 34 weeks into her pregnancy. Here she is deadlifting 200 lbs for eight reps:
Cara’s been training at CP for well over two years now, and she’s been coached very well. As such, we had no problems staying on task with her training. Which is to say: while certain “tweaks” and modifications were made trimester to trimester, we were still able to maintain a significant training effect.
And 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.
7. 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 some thoughts via my blog provided by Laura DeVincent, who’s Pre/Post Natal Certified through FitForBirth:
The first 10 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.
8. 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, and 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) more “pliable” as the body gets closer and closer to the due date.
Mirroring our 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.
9. Taking it a step even further, and touching on the whole heart rate issue, my good friend Dean Somerset offered 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 dis on CrossFit – because there is plenty about CrossFit that I like. And yes, plenty that makes me throw up a little in my mouth.
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 tone it down a bit and not feel like you’re going to cough up a spleen when you train.
10. 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 threashold, 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).
11. And bringing everything to a nice succinct stopping point, I want to share one of my former distance coaching client’s, Laura M (whom I trained through her second pregnancy), perspective on things:
I was one of those lucky women you 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 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 returining from the hospital?
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.
12. 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.
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 deconditioned state.
So there you have it: while not an exhaustive list, and certainly a topic which deserves one 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 I am saying it’s something that needs to be discussed.
But coming full circle, isn’t it funny how people will often scoff or give double takes and question a pregnant woman who’s lifting appreciable weight in the gym, yet not think twice about those who crush a bag of Doritos as a snack?
While there are definitely cases where women have to use their own discretion and recognize what’s best for them (and their child), I’m not one to fall into the overly recognized notion that women (and by extension, pregnant women) are these delicate flowers who need to limit themselves to drying the dishes as a form of exercise.
Weight training and strenuous activity have been around a lot longer than Doritos the last time I checked. And plenty of women have came out just fine.
For those familiar, Muscle Imbalances Revealed has slowly engrained itself as one of the more sought after, consistent, and continuously revered fitness product series out there.
Seemingly, every year (give or take a few months) the man and mastermind behind the scenes, Rick Kaselj, is releasing a new version to the masses.
If I had to equate it to anything, it’s basically like the Fast and Furious franchise where we can expect a new(er) and more badass upgrade of some sorts every so often. Except in this case there’s no tricked up cars, high-speed chases, hot chicks (bummer), or cheesy Vin Diesel dialogue (even more of a bummer).
High-octane gear head talk aside, some of you may recall a little trip I took to Canada last summer where I went alllllllllllll the way up to Edmonton to “party” with my Muscle Imbalances Revealed Upper Body alumni Rick Kaselj, Dean Somerset, and Dr. Jeff Cubos.
And by “party” what I really mean is the four of us decided to combine our collective minds, go all Professor X on the world, and set up an epic 2-day seminar all dedicated to a multi-disciplinary approach to core training and keeping spines bullet proof.
We video’d the entire thing in all of our high-definition glory (I even shaved!) and have finally made it available for everyone.
Outside of being completely freaked out by the fact that it was still daylight at ten o’clock at night, it was an awesome two days where everyone involved – the presenters as well as the 15+ attendees – had the rare opportunity of learning from four high-quality, uber smart, and unwittingly handsome professionals with varying backgrounds and expertise.
Rick has extensive experience working with and dealing with a wide array of injured clientele, and is a straight up Jedi when it comes to assessment and understanding how to program around injury.
Dean, too, has a plethora of knowledge with regards to rehab, assessment, and working with the general public. He also broke a deadlifting PR that weekend with me just standing in his presence. True story.
Dr. Jeff is a chiropractor and manual therapist with tons of experience working with elite athletes. His knowledge base with regards to corrective exercise, posture, and the newly minted “it topic” in the industry, breathing patterns, is second to none.
And then, you know, there’s me.
Because I don’t want to leave anyone hanging, I felt it only fair to give a sneak peak into each person’s presentation so that everyone on the fence would have a general idea of the material and topics covered:
Me Discussing Assessment
Dean Discussing Assessment as Well
Dr. Jeff Discussing the Importance of Self Mobilizations Drills
Note: This is a clip from the actual finalized product! HD baby!!!!
Rick Discussing Parameters Writing Programs Around Pain
And there you have it! That should give everyone a sense of what to expect. And remember, there’s roughly TWELVE hours worth of this stuff – including more “hands-on” lecture, some talk on breathing patterns and how that effects core function as well as posture, exercise technique, programming, and there may even be some shadow puppets thrown in the mix for good measure.
Okay, I’m kidding on that last one. Needless to say there was no stone left un-turned, and I really feel this is something that can (and will) help a lot of trainers and coaches out there stay on top of their game.
And the general public shouldn’t feel left out in the cold either. This is a very “user friendly” product for all the general fitness enthusiasts who may be reading as well.
I’ll finish by saying that I’m often asked what I feel differentiates the “good” trainers and coaches from the bad ones, and what – if anything – I feel separates the masses.
While I could sit here and come up with some arbitrary rationale as to why bald trainers and coaches are far superior compared to those who are more “follicly” endowed (you know, cause I’m kinda bald), the real truth is that those who tend to be more successful and have a long shelf-life are those who don’t view continuing education as burden, or more to the point……as a “cost.”
I’ve always used the mantra that even if I only learn ONE thing from any DVD or book, and it leads to me picking up ONE client, it essentially paid for itself.
It was a goal of ours to make this product as easily “accessible” as possible (while still being profitable enough to satiate my impending beef jerky addiction). To that end, Spinal Health and Core Training is on sale NOW (2/12) through this Friday (2/15) for $97 (. Which is a steal given the amount of information provided, and the fact that you’ll see videos of me from when I had hair. I mean come on: That’s worth the price alone.
After this week the price climbs to it’s regular price of $197. So get it while the gettin is good….;o)
We work with a lot of overhead athletes at Cressey Performance – in particular baseball players – and it’s no coincidence that we deal with, address, work around, and (hopefully) fix a lot of shoulder issues ranging from the acute like AC joint issues and external/internal impingement to the more “oh shit factor” scenarios like shoulder separations and post surgery situations.
And using the word “acute” in this instance isn’t to downplay things like impingement (as anyone who’s had to deal with a chronic case will think otherwise), but rather it’s just to put things into perspective that some shoulder pathologies take a little more attention to detail and TLC compared to others.
As an example I can’t tell you how many times someone’s walked into the facility complaining of consistent shoulder pain preparing for the worst, only to demonstrate to them that their push-up technique is god-awful.
I didn’t need to resort to bells, whistles, and smoke machines or take a page out of Professor Dumbledore’s Magic Book of Bedazzling Hexes and Awesome Shoulder Remedies (on sale now through Amazon!) to show them how to perform a push-up correctly and to not piss their shoulder off further.
Unfortunately, it’s not always so cut and dry. For many people out there – average Joe’s and meat heads in particular – living their day to day life with shoulder pain or discomfort is sometimes second nature. Analogous to riding a bike, putting your left sock on before the right, or reaching for that second cup of coffee. Or fifth, don’t worry I won’t judge.
What’s more, some view it as a proverbial right of passage or badge of honor, as if living with daily pain comes with the territory for those who spend their free time lifting heavy things.
While true, there is some semblance of “risk” involved, and many will undoubtedly have a few bumps and bruises along the way (we’re lifting weights here not doing origami), just “dealing” with pain and sucking it up isn’t an option in my book.
That said, not many things can derail one’s progress in the gym like a banged up shoulder. Okay, a Zombie apocalypse or a raging case of explosive diarrhea rank fairly high on the list for sure. But a nagging shoulder injury bites the big one, too.
Below, while not an exhaustive list, are some of the more common “reasons” why your shoulder may be hating you.
1. No, Seriously, Your Technique Is Horrible
I won’t beat a dead horse here, but it stands to reason that half the reason your shoulder hurts all the time is because your exercise technique is less than exemplary.
I know, I know: you’ve been lifting weights since stone washed jeans were considered a cool fashion trend, and there’s no conceivable way you’re doing something incorrectly.
Well, I’m here to tell you otherwise!
Taking the time to actually learn how to perform a push-up correctly or how to bench press correctly– or at the very least tweak things to make them more “shoulder friendly” – will go long ways in keeping your shoulders healthy.
It’s akin to lightly tapping your thumb with a hammer. While seemingly not a big deal at first, before long, it’s excruciating.
Constantly performing your exercises with shitty technique day after day, week after week, and month after month will eventually lead to some bad things happening. Namely a shoulder ouchie.
And this goes for rowing variations, too. You’d be surprised as to how many people butcher these on a day to day basis.
A perfect example would be something as innocuous as a face pull.
* Video courtesy of the one and only Mike Robertson
I was training at a commercial gym not too long ago and watched a gentleman perform this exercise with the exact opposite form Mike demonstrates above.
For starters, he held the rope with a pronated (overhand grip) which locks you into more internal rotation and thus compromises the acromion space.
Secondly, he’d allow his scapulae to go into posterior tilt with each rep, and worse he’d substitute scapular retraction with an excessive forward head posture.
While I’m sure he had good intentions for including the exercise in his program, the execution was less than to be desired and was probably causing more harm than good.
And this goes for just about every rowing variation out there. You’d be surprised as to how many people butcher technique and aren’t even close to performing them correctly.
Take the time do things right, and your shoulder will thank you.
2. Your Program Kinda Sucks
More to the point: it’s the structure of the program thats sucks. It’s common in the strength and conditioning community to talk about programming imbalances, especially as it pertains to the upper body.
Dissecting most training programs, it’s not uncommon to see significant favoritism or preponderance towards pushing exercises compared to pulling. It’s no secret: guys like to bench press. And as such, many develop muscular imbalances (overactive/stiff pecs and weak/inhibited upper back musculature) which results in a less than happy shoulder.
To counteract this, many fitness professionals will advocate more pulling motions compared to pushing – oftentimes to the tube of a 2:1 or even 3:1 ratio.
In other words: for every pushing exercise prescribed, they’ll “counteract” it with two to three pulling exercises.
This is sound advice, and definitely a step in the right direction for many trainees. But we’re omitting another less obvious (yet equally as important) component, and it’s something Eric highlighted last year and that we’ve been addressing at Cressey Performance for a while now.
And that is:
While anterior/posterior imbalances are important to address, not many people give any credence to superior/inferior imbalances.
Translated into English, we also have to be cognizant of the interplay between upward and downward rotation. More and more (especially with our baseball guys, but even in the general population as well) we’re seeing guys walk in with overly depressed shoulders. For visual reference, cue picture to the right.
Most baller t-shirt, ever ================>
This can spell trouble for those whose livelihood revolve around the ability to get their arms over their head (baseball players) as the downward rotators of the scapulae (levator, rhomboids, and especially the lats) are kicking into overdrive and really messing with the congruency and synergy between the scapulae, humeral head, glenoid fossa, and acromion process.
And this doesn’t just pertain to overhead athletes either. We’re seeing this quite a bit in the general population as well, as we as fitness professionals have been shoving down their throat “shoulder blades together and down, shoulder blades together and down” for years now.
In this case, some dedicated upper trap work would be advisable so as to encourage more scapular UPWARD rotation. And no, relax, I’m NOT referring to barbell shrugs.
These wouldn’t be useful because there’s no “real” scapular upward rotation involved, and you’re doing nothing but encouraging more depression anyways.
Instead drills like Forearm Wall Slides with Shrug;
And Back to Wall Shoulder Flexion will work wonders.
Too, it may come down to toning down things like heavy deadlifts, farmer carries, and anything that entails holding onto heavy dumbbells (since all will pull the shoulder girdle down promote significant shoulder depression) in favor of more overhead/waiter carries, Goblet variations (squats, reverse lunges, etc), and barbell related work.
Just some food for thought anyways.
And that’s it for today. Be sure to check back tomorrow for some more insight and conversation on why your shoulder is jacked up and not jacked.
SPOILER ALERT: your shoulder may not be the issue in the first place!
*Smoke bomb, smoke bomb. Exit stage left*
Also, as an a side (and giving credit where it’s due): Title inspiration came from THIS article I read a while back on Elitefts.com.
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Pallof presses – and all their variations. While I’ve definitely curbed my views with regards to core training and the whole anti-everything mantra most of the fitness industry adopted in recent years (lets be honest: it’s perfectly okay for the spine to go into flexion every now and then. Loaded flexion is one thing, but lets try not to shit an EMG every time someone has the audacity to bend their spine. Life……will…..go…….on), I’d still be remiss not to note that the bulk of my core training, and that of my clients, revolves around stability and preventing “unwanted” motion.
Maybe a year or two ago my good buddy, Nick Tumminello, described a cool Pallof variation called the Vertical Pallof Press, which I thought was a simple – albeit brilliant – twist into the genre.
Fast forward to two weeks ago, another buddy of mine, Philadelphia based strength coach, Andrew Zomberg, asked my thoughts on half-kneeling or even tall-kneeling Vertical Pallof Press variations.
In a nutshell he was curious as to whether or not I’ve tried them or if I saw any efficacy in including them into my programming.
Of course!
Half Kneeling Vertical Pallof Press
What I like most about this variation are a few things:
1. It trains anti-extension.
2. With the half kneeling version, you can “encourage” a bit more posterior pelvic tilt by squeezing the crap out of the kneeling side glute. And when I say “squeezing the crap out of the kneeling side glute,” what I really mean is “squeeze that badboy as if you’re trying to crack walnut.”
3. Additionally, we get an awesome active “stretch” in the kneeling side hip flexor. I put the word stretch in quotations there because for those people who feel as if they have chronically tight hip flexors (despite going out of their way to stretch them to death with little or no improvement), it’s more likely the fact that the hip flexors are pulling “double duty” for an unstable spine. Hence, they feel tight because they’re firing 24/7 to prevent the spine from wrecking itself before it checks itself (Ice Cube fans will enjoy that reference).
In a sense, we could make a solid argument that the reason why many people feel as if they have “tight” hip flexors is NOT because they’re short/stiff, but rather their core is weak and unstable.
If you’re too lazy to read it: just know that working on core stability could help resolve those “tight” hip flexors of yours.
Outside of those key points, I’d note that the other things to consider would be on the technique side of things:
– Keep your chin tucked (make a double chin).
– As you extend your arms above your head, try to prevent your rib cage from flaring out.
– For those who need to work on improving scapular upward rotation (especially overhead athletes), once your elbows hit shoulder height, you could lightly shrug at the top of the movement.
– Try not to make this a tricep exercise. Those who tend to feel it more in that area are pressing the cable too far outward and focusing on elbow extension. Instead, you need to literally press straight up, preventing the cable from pulling you backward.
For an additional challenge, you can try a one-arm variation
Half Kneeling 1-Arm Vertical Pallof Press
All the same benefits apply here: it trains anti-extension, but because you’re using one arm at a time there’s also a significant anti-rotation component as well.
Too, it’s great for glute activation, encouraging more posterior pelvic tilt, and serves as an active hip flexor “stretch” (seriously, read Dean’s post).
About the only thing it doesn’t do is multiplication tables and buy you dinner.
And there you have it. Try it out today, and let me know what you think!
In my latest T-Nation article I tackle the often controversial topic of squatting. Why it’s controversial I really have no idea. Squatting is a basic human movement pattern that I feel provides a gulf of benefits – everything from improved performance on the playing field to helping to offset many of the postural imbalances that we get from sitting on our rumps all day long.
The rub is that most people have the movement quality if C3PO on a good day. LOL – see what I just did there? You see, C3PO is a robot and he doesn’t move well and……
…..okay, never mind.
Essentially, when loaded squats start to enter the picture and we start to debate safety, well, that’s just a different conversation altogether.
Moreover, squat depth is a rarely discussed topic. Well, I take that back. People are always arguing over squat depth. On one end of the spectrum you have those who feel if you’re not squatting ass to calves (ass to grass in BroSpeak), you should just go home and watch The Notebook.
At the other end, you have those who have no idea what proper (or even “safe”) squat depth is. Here, I’m referring to all the world renowned squatters on the internet who “claim” to squat 500 lbs. For reps.
With a two inch range of motion.
All kidding aside, all squats aren’t created equal. Likewise, squat depth is going to be a highly individual component depending on one’s training experience, pertinent injury history, so on and so forth.
In this article I discuss why I looooooove squats, but more importantly how to “screen” appropriate squat depth.
Also, just a reminder that the GINORMOUS sale – 60% off – on the Muscle Imbalances Revealed series ends TONIGHT (12/28) at midnight. I don’t want to brag or anything (since I am affiliated with the product), but I feel this is a must have resource for any trainers or coaches looking to take their skill set to the next level. You’d be learning from some of the best in business: Bill Hartman, Mike Robertson, Rick Kaselj, Dean Somerset, Dr. Jeff Cubos and many more!
More and more (especially with our baseball guys, but even in the general population as well) we’re seeing guys walk in with overly depressed shoulders. For visual reference, cue picture to the right.
