CategoriesStrength Training

5 Tips to Improve Your Deadlift

It’s no secret that I like to deadlift. Outside of sleep, going to a Sunday matinee, omeletes, Chipotle, and nunchucks, it’s probably my most favoritest thing in the world.

There’s certainly no shortage of quality articles out there breaking down the deadlift and offering suggestions on how to increase your overall sense of badassery.

Likewise, there’s rarely (if ever) anything new to say – as it’s already been said in some fashion elsewhere in magazines, in books, in DVDs, and various blog posts.

Nevertheless, here are five quick and easy-to-implement tips that will definitely help improve your pulling prowess.

1.  Save Your Hardest Workout for Early in the Week, But Not Too Early

It stands to reason that if you have a weak link or are trying to “bring up” one particular lift, you should reserve the hardest training session of the week for Monday when you’re the most fresh and and presumably, the most recovered.

Seemingly most people spend their weekends chillaxing watching sports, eating good food, having a few beers, taking power naps, throwing the frisbee around, playing with the dogs, or maybe, if your’re lucky, spending a few hours at the beach soaking up some vitamin D.

Come Monday you’re recharged and ready to tackle the upcoming week. It makes sense, then, to head to the gym on Monday and absolutely throw yourself to the wolves and make yourself hate life to the point where you can barely walk by the end and you can’t feel the left side of your face.

Mmmmmm, maybe not the best idea.

Raise your hand if Mondays are typically your best day at work? Hahahahaha, yeah that’s what I thought.

Nada.

We’ve all heard the lame statement “looks like (s0 and so) has the case of the Mondays,” and for good reason. Mondays suck! For a reference point, watch the movie Office Space (and thank me later).

 

After two days (or three, for the lucky few who get the extended weekend) of laying low and living the lazy life, effectively placing your body in an extended “hover” mode, you can’t expect it to rebound efficiently and go right into breaking PRs on Monday.

For some it will work, and they can bounce back and feel like a superhero. For many,  however, it won’t be nearly as “superheroish,” and it won’t be a pretty site.

I’m a rare example and use Mondays as my main deadlift day, but that’s because I work at a gym and I’m able to use Saturday (and sometimes Sunday) as an actual training day, mostly as a GPP or movement based day, but training nonetheless. Most people don’t have this luxury and opt to forego the weights for pina coladas instead.  And more power to them!

What I propose is to hold off, and save your main deadlift session for Tuesday or better yet, Wednesday.

Instead go to the gym on Monday and train, but don’t necessarily go balls to the wall. Most of you are going to go and blast your pecs anyways – Monday IS National Bench Press Day – so go right a head and do it.  Or, just think of it as a “medium” intensity day

By the time Tuesday or Wednesday rolls around, your nervous system will be a little more “primed” and less lethargic and I’m willing to bet you’ll find your DL numbers improve.

2. Get More Lifts Above 90%

I’m a bit reticent to openly state that more people should add more lifts at or above 90% (as a percentage of their one rep max) into their repertoire because, well, you need to know what the heck you’re doing!

To that end, I have two prerequisites:

1.  You MUST have technical proficiency in the lift. If my eyes will perpetually start bleeding from watching you lift a weight that’s only 50% of your 1RM, then I certainly don’t want to know what will happen if you go any heavier.

<—– Like this

2. You should already be able to lift at least 2x (I may even lower this to 1.5x) your bodyweight before utilizing 90% lifts. As an example, this would mean that a 175 lb person should be clearing a 350 lb pull. Not too shabby, but certainly not earth shattering.

I understand this is a a blanket statement, and there are plenty of people who incorporate heavier loads into the mix that aren’t that strong (and do so safely), but this is just for my own edification and peace of mind.

Rather than re-invent the wheel, I’m going to cut/paste a portion of an article I wrote for T-Nation a few years ago titled Limiting Factors:

When a more “advanced” trainee approaches me and mentions that he’s stuck on a certain weight with a particular lift, I can almost guarantee his limiting factor is that he hasn’t been incorporating more lifts above 90%.

(Side Note: For beginner trainees, I’d be more inclined to check their food intake and/or overall programming. Most just need to eat more and shy away from the bodybuilding/body-part split routines.)

To recap, lifts above 90%…

1. Increase total muscle fiber recruitment.

2. Increase recruitment of higher threshold motor units (which have a greater propensity for growth).

3. Increase rate coding (rate at which motor units fire).

4. Increase synchronization between muscles (improved inter and intra-muscular coordination).

5. Make girls want to hang out with you.

Maybe even girls who actually deadlift will want to hang out with you, too:

All of the above help to improve one’s neural efficiency. Getting stronger is all about making the central nervous system (CNS) more efficient at allowing the brain and spinal cord to better communicate with motor units/muscle fibers to get the job done. In short, improved neural efficiency allows you to lift more weight, which last time I checked, is a pretty cool thing.

For the advanced lifter, each session is an opportunity to maybe hit a new PR (personal record), but really it’s just about lifting heavy things off the ground.

Using the DL as an example, lets assume one’s original PR is 400 pounds, the goal for this training session is to get FIVE lifts at 90% and above:

135×5
225×3
275×1
315×1
365×1
405×1 (PR!!!  But it was a grinder and you’re pretty sure you blacked out for like three seconds and saw pink unicorns as you locked it out)

At this point the trainee has already gotten two lifts above 90% (365, 405), which would mean he needs to get three more lifts in to get to the goal of five. The objective now is to stay at or slightly above 90% (usually in the 90-92% range) and focus on bar speed and actually not miss any lifts.

360×1,1,1

From there, the trainee will continue on with his accessory work depending on his needs and goals.

3.  Oh Yeah, Hammer Your Accessory Work

For me I like to use what I call “marker” exercises, which are those exercises I know have a a huge carry over to the deadlift, and also allow me to gauge progress.  In short, I know that if I improve on a particular marker exercise, chances are my DL is going to improve as well.

One such example are goodmornings.

 

Everyone is different, and I’m not saying you should go start playing around with goodmornings today. But it stands to reason that if you want to improve your deadlift, you need to hammer your posterior chain and place a premium on those exercises which strengthen the glutes and hamstrings.

Another exercise to consider would be something like Deadstart/Andeson Squats.

 

What I love about these is that they emulate the exact hip/torso positioning I use when I setup to deadlift.  I’m woefully slow off the floor when I pull (and I have weak quads), so this is an exercise I try to incorporate a lot when I’m trying to ramp up my deadlift numbers.

Again, that’s just me.  What works for me may not work for you, but if I had to make a short list of exercises that people should focus on in terms of accessory work:

– RDLs
– Goodmornings
– Partial ROM squats
– Pull-Throughs
– GHR
– KB Swings
– Barbell Hip Thrusters
– Leg Press**

4. Focus on the 70-80% (But More Around 70%).

Admittedly this is something that I’ve pretty much ignored up until recently, and it wasn’t until diving into the phenomenal book Easy Strength by Dan John and Pavel (as well as taking the advice of other coaches like Bret Contreras and Todd Bumgardner) that I began to see the error of my ways.

This sorta flies in the face of what I was saying above with regards to utilizing lifts above 90%, but I really feel that this is a woefully under-utilized method of improving one’s deadlift.

I understand that many strength coaches are adamantly opposed to anything that isn’t either “speed” work (40-60%) or max effort work (90%+), and that anything in the middle is a complete waste of time.

But I feel there’s something to be said about honing technique, solidifying one’s exercise proficiency (and being able to repeat it), and seeing how that parlays into bigger pulling numbers.

In looking at my training past, whenever I’d make a run for 600 lbs, I’d inevitably approach the 550ish mark, attempt to get my 90% lifts in week in and week out, for weeks on end, and eventually my spine would be like “that’s it Gentilcore.  I’m done!”

My back would end up feeling like shredded up salami, my CNS would be fried, and I’d have to take a hiatus from pulling heavy.

I think once you start approaching 2.75-3x bodyweight pulls, the body can only take so much on a repeated basis.  Lately, I’ve been focusing more on getting fast, QUALITY reps at a lower percentage and I feel amazing.

I’m still doing my speed work on separate days, but instead of hitting multiple lifts at 90% or above, I’ve been taking it down a notch and performing repeated lifts at 70% (with limited rest) and then hitting a “sorta” max every other week.

So, for example:

6×2 @ 315 lbs (with 20-30s rest between sets)

Then I’ll work up to a 500+ pull.  Last week I ended up working up to 520 lbs, and felt great.

You’re always going to have ebbs and flows with training, but I really feel that this approach is going keep me fresh longer and not beat me to a pulp.

5.  Use Straps

No, seriously, I’m not kidding….use them!

Listen, most commercial gyms have really crappy bars with no knurling and you’re relegated to wearing a Scarlet letter if you have the audacity to bring chalk onto the gym floor.

It’s almost impossible to lift any appreciable weight when the bar keeps slipping out of your hands.

Back in the day I totally used wrist straps to help bring up my deadlift.  Granted, I tried to sneak in chalk whenever I could (even going so far as to make sure I wiped down the bars when I was done), but I didn’t think any less of myself.

Grip strength is going to be a limiting factor for a lot of peeps, and I posit that so long as you go out of your way to NOT be the dork who uses straps for everything from seated lat pulldowns to bicep curls, your grip strength will automatically improve given you’re using various dumbbells and barbells in your training.

I won’t judge you for using straps.  If it allows you to use more weight and overload the exercise, great!  That’s the point.  If you use gloves on the other hand………

Got any tips of your own to share?  I’d love to hear them below

 

** Come on.  You didn’t think I was serious did you?

CategoriesMotivational Strength Training

Shut Up and Lift

I had the pleasure of doing an interview for Jon-Erik Kawamoto’s site last week, and without tooting my own horn, I have to say it’s arguably one of my best ones, like, ever.

To read it in its entirety, you can go HERE.

But since I know a lot of people never click on the links (jerks), I wanted to post one of the questions – and my answer – here because I think it’s a message that a lot of people need to hear.

JK: From stalking you on Facebook and your blog, I know there is nothing more important in your life than deadlifting and bacon (and your new cat). There are a kagillion articles on deadlifting out there. In your expert opinion, what’s the best method/program to deadlift two ton Tessie?

TG: That is true, I do love bacon. And, it’s funny: if you would have told me five years ago that I’d eventually own a cat, I probably would have 1) laughed in your face, and 2) make some kind of joke that I was more likely to listen to John Mayer while eating tofu in my Prius on my way to a yoga class.

But it’s true, my name is Tony Gentilcore, and I own a cat (Dagny).

Who’s the most beautifulest pretty Princess on the planet???? You are, that’s who.

So bringing this to a more manly discussion, lets talk about deadlifts! What’s the best method/program to pull over two ton Tessie?

1. For starters, I really wish people would just get off the freakin internet, go to the gym, and actually lift some heavy shit. There are countless “internet warriors” out there that all they do is talk and talk and talk, and speculate, and argue, and brag about how many posts they have on any given forum, and any number of other things equally as dumb, and yet forget one key component: you need to actually lift some damn weight!

Stop talking, get your ass to the gym, place some weight on the bar, get angry, and then lift it……sometimes repeatedly.

2. Speaking more colloquially, it really comes down to one simple concept:

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD

Here’s a personal reference. I didn’t start deadlifting until 2004. I shit you not, you can probably find posts on T-Nation where I’m asking people “what are these deadlifts you speak of?”

Like a lot of people I started out lifting weight at a young age and followed more of a body part per day split. Chest day, back day, blah blah blah. Trust me, a little piece of my soul dies just thinking about it. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I cringe looking back at how I trained as a high school and even collegiate athlete. If I ever had the chance to take a time machine back to 1994, I’d totally go back and Sparta kick myself in the face.

While I laugh and make fun of it, you know what? I always, and I mean ALWAYS had it in my mind to consistently try to lift heavier loads – whether it was adding a rep here and there, or incrementally increasing the load. That just made sense, ya know? I didn’t need anyone to tell me otherwise.

Anyways, so I started reading a few things here and there and slowly but surely started to understand that, for lack of a better term, I was training like a moron. I started incorporating deadlifts into my weekly training. I nixed the leg press, and started learning to squat to depth (a very humbling experience I might add).

One day I decided to test my 1RM deadlift. Mind you, I had NEVER tested my 1RM before. On day one I hit a 420 lb lift. Not too shabby. The kicker? I didn’t even train for it. All I did was focus on progressive overload. I wasn’t on internet forums arguing about foot placement or set/rep schemes or whether or not Han shot before Greedo (token Star Wars reference there). I was in the gym. Training.

Shut up, and train. It’s that simple. If more people did that…….they’d see marked improvements in their lifts.

I know that that wasn’t the “x’s and o’s” answer you were looking for, but I just feel that we’re living in an age where people are so inundated with information, that they’ve become paralyzed. It’s literally gotten to the point where people over-think things so much – should I do 5×5 or 4×4; So and so said I should wait 47 seconds between sets in order to elicit optimal growth hormone elevation; For max strength, this article said to use a 212 tempo, but my best friend’s brother’s second cousin’s Little League coach said to use a 311 tempo – that they forget one crucial thing.

Fucking lift!!!!!!

To read the rest of the interview (it’s pretty awesome) go HERE.

CategoriesMiscellaneous Miscellany Strength Training

Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: 8/6/12

1.  I firmly believe that one of the best ways to bring up any lift is repeated exposures to that lift.  One major mistake I see a lot of trainees make – particularly intermediate and advanced lifters (beginners can do ANYTHING and get stronger, and we all hate you for it) – is assuming that training a lift or movement once a week, even if they’re going at it hard, is enough.

For example, I train a fair number of females and one major goal that many of them aspire for is that Brad Pitt stars in the movie adaptation of 50 Shades of Grey to be able to perform a strict, un-assisted chin-up.

For those who missed it the first time around, you can check out my three -part article Chin-Up Progressions For Women- The One Rep Hump: Part I, Part II, and Part III.

One general theme I hit on throughout is repeated exposures.  Namely, if you want to get better at chin-ups, you need to do chin-ups. And a lot of them.  Why anyone would think that performing “x” number of reps on ONE day is going to get them anywhere is beyond me.

That said, if I were to do little role reversal and point the spotlight on all the guys reading, I think it’s fair to assume that many want a big bench press.  Thing is, many go to the gym on Monday (National Bench Press Day), perform their three sets of ten, and that’s it.  Yeah yeah, they’ll throw in some incline presses, decline presses, and some pec flies for good measure, but the point I’m trying to make is that it’s that ONE day, and that’s generally it.

Having read Easy Strength recently – and loving EVERY page – both Dan John and Pavel hit on this notion of LADDERS, and how they can be used to help bring up one’s bench.

To give the Cliff Notes version:

  • You’re going to bench three, maybe even four times per week.  Heresy, I know.
  • Each “session” you’ll perform three bench press ladders of 1,2, and 3 repetitions, using a weight that you know you can handle for 6-8 reps.

– Perform 1 rep, rest 15-30s, perform 2 reps, rest 15-30s, perform 3 reps.  THAT’S one ladder.

  • From there you rest 3-5 minutes and repeat the awesome two more times.

To give you an idea of what ONE week looks like:

Session 1:  THREE ladders: 1,2,3 reps
Session 2: TWO ladders: 1st ladder (1,2,3), 2nd ladder (1,2)
Session 3: TWO ladders: 1,2,3 reps

  • You want to stick with the SAME weight throughout until you hit every rep of EVERY ladder.

Meaning if you start with 200 lbs, you’ll stick with that weight until you hit every rep during any given session.  If you do, you can increase the weight 5-10 lbs on the next session and repeat the same process, only increasing the weight when you hit every rep.  Did I mention you need to hit every rep?  You need to hit EVERY rep!

  • I just had one of my distance coaching clients do this for a month and he had amazing results.  At the beginning he was using 240 lbs for his ladder sets. Four weeks later, he was hitting ladders using 280 lbs!

We just tested his 1RM, and he hit a solid 315 lbs – a 15 lb PR.

Now, you tell me that repeated exposures don’t work!

Granted, this isn’t something you’ll want to utilize indefinitely, as it’s pretty CNS intensive.  But for a dedicated 4-5 week block, it’s a sure fire way to take your bench press to new levels!

2. Since I’m the one who opened up the can of worms and exposed the world to my recent back issues, I’ve been getting a lot of emails from readers asking how things have been coming along.

Swell, actually!

For the last few weeks I had been ramping up the intensity of my deadlifts performing a lot of pulls with chains as accommodating resistance (lighter at the bottom, heavier at the top).  About a month ago I hit a 555 lb pull (405 lbs of bar weight with 150 lbs of chains at the top). It felt good, not great…..and Dean Somerset (who was writing my programming) just about blew a gasket when he saw that I did that.

In hindsight it was dumb, and I really lucked out that I didn’t reverse all the progress I had made up until that point.

Fast forward a few weeks – and roughly 12,686 deadbugs – Dean gave me the green light to start pulling heavy again.

I was on that like a CrossFitter on a gluten free PopTart!

Not wanting to be too aggressive, last week, I decided I’d do me speed work and then, depending on how I felt, I’d work up to a sorta-kinda heavy single.

I felt goooooooooood.  And when I was done with my speed work, I told Greg (Robins) that under no circumstances was he to allow me to go any heavier than 500 lbs. If I attempted to go any higher, he’d have my permission to Sparta kick me in the groin.

Here’s what 500 looked like (wearing a Dragon tee courtesy of one Jon-Erik Kawamoto)

Not too shabby. Today, I’m going to shoot for 520 ish.

600 lbs by the end of the year.  Fingers crossed.

3.  I came across this quote the other day and I really have no recollection of where I saw it or who said it, but I thought it was awesome and whoever said it deserves a meatloaf sandwich:

The reality is if you are lifting a weight ten times, numbers nine and ten should be difficult. If you can lift a weight 20 times but choose to do only ten, you are wasting your time. Period.

4. This past weekend I went to the theater to see the remake of Total Recall:

Here’s my one-sentence review:  it should have been called Total Regurgitate In My Mouth.  HA, see what I just did there?  I took the title of the movie and then re-worded it so that you’d get the impression that it sucked, and, well, you get the idea.

5.  Lastly, I wanted to give you all a heads up on a really cool site I’ve been using for the past week called RebelMouse.com.

In short, it’s a site that takes all of your social media – Facebook and Twitter – and conjoins everything under one umbrella into your very own social front page.  It’s pretty freakin sweet.  Check out my page HERE.

It’s currently in Beta, and there’s a waiting list to join, but it might be something worth checking out.

 

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing Strength Training

Exercises You Should Be Doing: 1-Arm Dumbbell Press.

More appropriately this post should be titled:  Exercises You Should Be Doing:  1-Arm ANYTHING.

It’s a bit of a conundrum if you ask me, but why is it whenever you come across articles that discuss unilateral (one-limbed) training, more often than not it ONLY discusses the lower body?

I’ve been a culprit of it in the past:

Perfecting the 1-Legged RDL

DB Reverse Lunge to 1-Legged RDL

Don’t get me wrong, I think 1-legged training is crucial, otherwise why would I go out of my way to write about it all the time?  It’s an important component of any well-rounded strength training program, and something that, thankfully, in no small part to the likes of coaches like Mike Boyle, Ben Bruno, and Mike Robertson, a lot more trainees are starting to implement into their weekly repertoire.

Rarer, however, is the person who includes unilateral upper body training into the mix. At least that’s been my experience.

Using a completely unrelated analogy:  It’s kinda like Ben Affleck vs. Matt Damon.

Ben, while respected in the movie industry and a lot of people know who he is, has always lived in the shadow of his best friend, Matt, who, as we all know is freakin Jason Bourne.

In much the same way, unilateral upper body training has always taken a back seat while the lower body has taken all the admiration and accolades.

Well, no longer my friend.

1-Arm Flat DB Bench Press

What Does It Do: This is just one example, of course; there are a million and one variations to choose from – 1-arm push presses, 1-arm DB rows, etc. But while it’s stating the obvious, the 1-arm DB bench press is an awesome way to train overall upper body strength, whether you’re looking to build steel plated pecs or triceps the size of Kansas.

In addition, utilizing more unilateral upper body exercises such as this is a great way to weed out any imbalances that may exist between the right or left side.

A little less ubiquitous is the notion that 1-armed (offset) exercises are a fantastic way to hammer the core as well, as you really have to fire the contralateral side so as not to fall off the bench.

Key Coaching Cues: Well for starters, I’m going to call myself out and say that I really wussed out on the weight selection in that demonstration.  Really Tony? 40 lbs?

That notwithstanding, I like to coach a slight arch in the lower back and to use more of a semi-pronated/neutral grip whenever someone performs supine pressing exercises as it’s a little more shoulder friendly to do so.

Moreover, one of the key things to be aware of here is to try your best to keep the butt/pelvis flat on the bench the entire time.  As I alluded to above, as you lower and press the weight on one side the offset loading is really going challenge your “core” to fire and to keep the body steady on the bench throughout the duration of the set.

Foot positioning is based off of personal preference.  I like to tell people to dig their toes – or heels, whatever is more comfortable – into the floor and to make sure they’re placed more underneath the body rather than splayed out.

I’d say anywhere from 2-4 sets for 6-8 repetitions is par for the course.

CategoriesStrength Training

Cressey Performance In-Service: Get-Up/Swing Tutorial

Around two weeks ago I wrote a post titled There’s a Time and Place For Everything. Kettlebells Included, where I essentially explained that everything in the realm of strength and conditioning is a tool, and should be viewed as such.

I don’t care if we’re referring to kettlebells, TRX, sandbags, strongman, chains, bands, or whatever the hell THIS contraption is supposed to be….you could make an argument that there’s a time and place for everything, and that they’re a tool in the toolbox, and need to be used at the right time, with the right person, for the right job.

When I wrote the piece, I wasn’t entirely sure how people were going to react to it. On one hand, I felt I was making a compelling argument and that a statue would be erected in my honor for making so much sense. Conversely, I knew I was “kinda, sorta” throwing one group of individuals to the lions and was fully prepared for the avalanche of hate mail and push back I was going to receive.

Worse case I figured some kettlebell bully was going to show up at the facility, tell me I was some big stupid head, and give me a massive atomic wedgie.

It never happened.  Thank god.

I seems I was able to relay my message successfully and with no major incidents.  Yay me!

Nevertheless, in light of what I wrote I felt compelled to expound on a few things in a recent staff in-service we filmed  to demonstrate to the world that we actually do incorportate kettlebells in our every day programming.  TRUTH!!!!!

A few things to note before we begin:

1.  There are only a handful of things I consider myself to be an expert in:

– Omelete making.

– Watching Star Wars.

– Being awesome.

While I feel I’m fairly competent, get-ups and swings aren’t what I would consider my strong suits.

Speaking frankly, I hate doing get-ups. I do them, obviously. I just hate them with a passion.  There’s no tip toeing around it: they rank pretty high on the Things That Generally Suck Or Really Irritate Me List , juuuuuust above passing a kidney stone and juuuuuust below Justin Beiber.

Having said that, there’s no denying their efficacy towards building total body strength and bringing to the forefront any mobility and/or stability “leaks” in the kinetic chain.

It’s like what I always say:  the exercises that we hate the most are generally the ones that elicit the greatest benefit.

Anyways, admittedly I’m NOT an HKC or an RKC (I do hope to attain an HKC soon) and I’m fully aware that there might be some nitpicky things that I’m doing wrong in the video, as well as a handful of things I missed noting.

I’m all for an open discussion on how I can improve my coaching, and if there’s any glaring mishaps or discrepancies, I’d encourage any experts to chime in.  Please!

If, however, you’re going to bust my chops because I didn’t dorsiflex my left pinky toe enough, then all I have to say is: “come on……..really?”

All in all, I feel this is a pretty decent representation of how to go about coaching both the get-up and swing effectively (and safely) – especially with beginner and intermediate trainees.  Keep it simple.

2.  This was a very, very impromptu presentation.  I was literally sitting in my office when Chris Howard walks in and says, “Tony, you’re up.  Staff in-service in five minutes.”

Crickets chirping……….

I had no idea I was supposed to do the staff in-service, so I put my shirt on, pounded a protein shake, and I was off.

My apologies if it seems little “disorganized.”

3.  I’m REALLY sorry about the length. I realize no one wants to sit there and watch a 30 minute video on anything (unless it’s about Katy Perry’s boobs), and I had every intention of dividing this into two separate tutorials, but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out iMovie.

I sat in front of my computer for at least 45 minutes last night trying to figure out how to import a file, and I just couldn’t do it.  You might as well have asked me to figure out how to solve global warming.

Anyways, just to give you a heads up:  I begin everything with how to coach someone through a “naked” half get up to a “naked” full get-up.  Then, at around the 17:00 minute mark I switch gears and discuss the swing.

Okay, enough with the formalities.  Here you go.  Let me know what you think!

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing Strength Training

Exercises You Should Be Doing: 1-Arm Landmine Row

Things have been cranking the past few days, and it’s been hard for me to keep up with the blog.  I posted one up late on Monday, skimped yesterday, and am posting a short one today. I’m slacking, I know.

If it’s any consolation I’m really sorry everyone, but I promise I’ll make it up to you soon.

(Bambi Eyes)

I actually do have a lot on my plate right now:

1.  Within the next week or so, strength coach Dan Trink and I will be exposing to the world a project we’ve been working on in collaboration with Greatist.com.  It’s thiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to being complete – everyone’s busy putting the finishing touches into place – and we’re pretty certain it’s going to help out a lot of people, if not win us a Nobel Prize.

Stay tuned.  News to come shortly.

2. I’m cranking away on my next T-Nation article, which discusses some of more common exercises that trainees tend to butcher.

3.  And yesterday I actually spent the afternoon hanging out with JC Deen, lifting heavy(ish) things and eating some dead animals. We met up in the city, headed over to Boston University to get a quick lift in and then spent the afternoon talking about training, marketing, writing, and even read some poetry to orphans.

Okay, we didn’t really do that……..but we did spend a fair amount of time shooting the shit and talking about the industry.

All I have to say about JC is that he’s a great dude, and my man has a very, very bright future a head of him.  You might even say I officially have a little man-crush.

I know some of you reading may already be familiar with his work, but if not, I’d highly encourage you to check out his website HERE.

So anyways, enough with the small talk.  Lets get to today’s Exercise You Should Be Doing

1-Arm Landmine Row

Who Did I Steal If From:  I know Ben Bruno has been posting a lot of new exercises as of late with the landmine, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s already highlighted this one. However, in my defense I looked at the date from when I actually filmed this video and it was November 23, 2008 (hence the winter skully on my head).  HA – take that Bruno!

What Does It Do:  Actually, a lot. As with any row variation we’re hitting the upper back, lats, and biceps pretty hard, so this should be a popular “go to” exercise for all the meat heads out there reading – especially for those who train in a gym who’s dumbbell selection is limited.

You could foreseeably load this sucker up pretty heavy.

A little less known is that this exercise is an absolute beast when it comes to anti-rotation (or, rotary) training.  Because it’s done in a two-point stance – only two points of contact – there’s a strong demand on the torso to resist rotation, which I feel makes this exercise pretty key.

Key Coaching Cues:  Maintaining a “neutral” spinal position throughout is paramount.  If we’re going to keep ourselves honest, if one were to place a long PVC stick down the backside, there should be three points of contact – back of the head, between the shoulder blades, as well as the sacrum.

This is just a point of reference, of course, I don’t expect you to really place a PVC pipe on your back while performing this exercise. But it might not be a bad idea for those struggling with proper positioning.

Moreover, it’s important to refrain from using too much “body english” on these.  While it’s inevitable there’s going to be “some” movement in the torso, the key objective here is to not look as if you’re having an epileptic seizure and stay as still as possible while performing the movement.

To that end:  you’ll want to push your hips back, keep your knees “soft” (don’t lock them), brace your abs, and focus on pulling “through the elbow.”  Ideally, I like to tell trainees to pull their elbow towards their hip……..and to NOT go past that point.

Another thing to consider is the size of the plates used.  It’s actually less cumbersome to use the smaller 10 lb plates and just load the bar up with as many of those as you need.

Using the larger plates – while they look waaaaaaaay cooler – will just get in the way of everything.

I like to perform these for sets of 6-10/side.  Try them out today and let me know what you think.

NOTE:  For those who don’t have access to a landmine apparatus (the thingamajig on the floor that the bar goes into), you can just as easily place barbell in the corner between two walls and do the exact same thing.  You might have to place a towel around the bar so that it doesn’t mark up the wall, but that shouldn’t be too much of a hassel.

CategoriesProduct Review Strength Training

Tony and Roman Talk Superheros and Fat Loss

A few days ago I promised everyone an interview with my good friend John Romaniello, who just released his new product, Superhero Fat Loss.

As is the case every time he and I get together, shenanigans and tomfoolery are had, but you’re also going to learn a thing or two as well.

What IS SuperHero Fat Loss?

Read more below…….

TONY: First things first: I know it’s no coincidence that you’re releasing SuperHero Fat Loss the same week as what’s arguably going to be one of the most colossal (and nerd-tastic) superhero movies ever – The Dark Knight Rises. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being you’d rather eat a bowl of tofu while watching The Notebook, and 10 being you’re going to pee yourself), how excited are you to go see it?

ROMAN: You are as wise as you are strong, Tony. There’s certainly no coinydink—the timing is intentional.

Regarding Dark Knight Rises…before I can answer your question, I have to address your scale. I really liked The Notebook. A lot. So, let’s not put that at 1 on the scale. Let’s use something like Twilight. Which I’d still watch. Just not while eating Tofu.

That said, I am more pumped about this movie than I’ve been for anything in a long time. The storyline they are basing this one on—Knightfall—is on of my favorites of all time. Nolan will do a great job with it.

And, just to show you what a true geek I am: I have tickets for the midnight showing on Friday, and then an afternoon showing on Sunday. Saturday, I will sit around and process the awesomeness of the first showing.

TONY:  And here I thought I was a true fanboy for buying my advance ticket for the Sunday matinee!

Last year you released The Superhero Workout, which earned you a lot of praise for its uniqueness and overall appeal to the masses.

Just to throw it out there, the entire Cressey Performance staff did all four phases and LOVED it.

Sequels are generally notorious for not living up to their predecessors (Ahem: Matrix Reloaded). Some, however, actually trump the original (X2 comes to mind here).

Having already perused the workouts beforehand, I can attest that Superhero Fat Loss  is going to rock people’s world and will be considered a bona fide blockbuster. Outside of the obvious – fat loss – can you delve into some of the differences between this program and it’s predecessor?

ROMAN: Great question! I’ve been getting this one a lot. Firstly, I’m not sure I consider it a sequel. It’s more a prequel, in the sense that, since most people tend to want to lose fat before they gain muscle, SHFL is probably the program I’d recommend doing first.

TONY:  Ahh, I get it. So this is more like X-Men Firstclass (which didn’t suck)!  Touche, sir.  Touche.

ROMAN: Exactly! SHFL and SHW are completely different programs. As they serve very different goals, they require a fundamentally different approach.

If I had to break it down, SHFL is 90% fat loss and 10% muscle gain, whereas SHW is only about 25% fat loss and 75% muscle gain (with a full dedicated mass program).

Now, they DO approach programming in a similar way: periodization via a phasic set up starting with strength, moving to strength and ending with a hybrid program. However, because of the different intention of the program, everything from the exercise selection to the structure of the workouts is different.

TONY:  Awesome. I had a few people ask me how SHFL was different from SHW, and this answers it.

Nutrition. The X-factor to fat loss or not?  Can you provide maybe 3-5 “Roman Approved” tips that people can implement today that will serve as a nice adjunct to this program?

ROMAN: Nutrition isn’t the “X” factor – it’s the ABC Factor! If you don’t have nutrition covered, you’re pretty much screwed, at least when comes to fat loss.

As for tips…it’s hard to break down nutritional theories into sound bytes, but, I’ll do my best.

1. The first would be to try everything. Try paleo, try fasting, try carb cycling. See what works for you. Try everything—then decide if it’s necessary. Decide if the benefit is worth the sacrifice, and vice versa.

2. The second would be to just man up and measure your food. Just do it for 2-3 weeks. Do it until you develop an understanding of how much you need to eat. I know some coaches get all huggy and tell you they have a way where you don’t need to count calories. Bullshit. If you really want to get lean, you have to do some math.

Note from TONY:  for those who still don’t think measuring food is worth the effort, watch this video made by Leigh Peele a few years ago.  This should shut some people up.

3. Thirdly, pretend I said something wise. Seriously. Pretend I said something inspiring and mind-blowing and profound. Instead, chances are I would just tell you to take more fish oil. Or drink more water. Or something you’ve heard a thousand times before…but that’s dumb. Because you know all that.

But I want you to think I’m awesome. So, come up with something ground-breaking, something that will change your life and get you the results you want. Then pretend I said it. If you know that you said it, it’s worthless, since we rarely take our own advice. Instead, pretend I dropped this pearl of wisdom, and it’ll work out for both of us—you’ll get results, and I’ll get some credit.

TONY: One concept I’ve always tried to instill with my clients – especially those whose focus is fat loss – is that the main objective of exercising should not be to solely “burn calories” and train until you can’t feel the left side of your face.

But rather, the objective is to MAINTAIN as much muscle mass as possible.

To that end, I’ve always been a fan of low(er) rep training to provide the stimulus the body needs to preserve as much lean body mass as possible.

I know you agree – since you incorporate low-rep, strength based training into the SHFL Program – but can you explain to my readers why this is such a crucial component that many tend to neglect?

ROMAN: Interesting question. I think most people just don’t get how important it is. They don’t realize that if you don’t spend time trying to stay strong, than you’re going to spend even more time later on trying to get re-strong. Er…get strong again.

Put another way, they don’t realize that you’ll have to play catch-up, and spend time re-gaining what you’d lost.

I’m talking about this in terms of strength, but obviously this applies to maintaining muscle, as was the original question.

Use it or lose, it, right?

I have no idea why people avoid this – no matter what your goal is, there’s no downside to being strong.

TONY:  Right on! Thanks a ton Roman. Always a pleasure.

For those still reading, here’s the BEST part. When you pick up Super Hero Fat Loss this week, as part of the launch celebration, you’ll grab it for 50% off!

Today (Friday, June 20th) is the last day to take advantage of this offer. After that, if you’re going to fight crime – and look gooooooooood doing it – you’re going to pay full price.

—–> Superhero Fat Loss <—–

 

CategoriesRehab/Prehab Strength Training

Is There Such a Thing As “Knee Friendly” Squats?

Not long ago I filmed a vlog about the difference between box squats and squats TO a box.  While to the casual fitness enthusiast there may be no differentiation between the two variations (a squat’s a squat, right?), these are probably the same people who feel PCs are the same thing as Macs.

That’s just crazy talk.

Crazy I tell you!!!!!

I’m not going to beat a dead horse and go into the details here (you can just click on the link above to found out the difference between the two), but I will say that my fellow partner in all things awesome, Nia Shanks, wrote a similar blog (with video) HERE which expounds on the benefits of squats TO a box.

Anyhoo, a day or two after her post went live, she received a question from one of her readers:

“Any suggestions for squat variations for people with hip flexor issues? (Tendonitis)?”

Her response (what she actually wrote):

“Good question. I’m going to pass this on to one of my friends that could provide a better answer. I’ll post his response here.”

Her response (with what I would have added if I were her):

“Good question. I’m going to pass this on to one of my friends that could provide a better answer. I’ll post his response here.

Not that this matters, but he’s incredibly intelligent, good looking, and possibly more manly than a lumberjack.”

All kidding aside (although I’m not really kidding), Nia reached out to me and asked if I had any feedback. Below is what I wrote back to her last nightl, which I decided to make into a blog post because, well, I can.

NOTE:  I was watching the RedSox game as I was typing it, so please forgive the ADD nature of the post.

Goddamit Youkils, you have to swing at that pitch!!!!!

1. Know the difference between tendonitis and tendonosis.

The former is generally accompanied with slight joint inflammation and typically goes away after a few days of rest, ice, and NSAIDS.

The latter, though, refers to more of a chronic condition where the joint itself has seen some (or maybe significant) degeneration.  Basically, it’s something that doesn’t go away after a few days.

That being said, when someone complains of tendonitis, and it’s been an on-going issue, it’s probably really tendonosis.

…..and some of the following may help take some of the burden off the joint itself.

 

2. Take a grenade approach with soft tissue work.

Foam roll EVERY…….SINGLE…….DAY.  Not once a week, not only on the days that you train, but every day!

It stands to reason that if one’s knees are bothering them all the time, they have less than optimal tissue quality and it’s something that needs to be addressed.  Foam rolling is one of the best ways to do so.

Healthy tissue shouldn’t hurt when you palpate it, and if it does, that’s a tall tale sign that something’s up.

Hammering areas such as the hip flexors themselves (Rectus femoris, and TFL), as well as the adductors, ITB, and glutes will undoubtedly help and often alleviate much of the symptoms.

I also like to be a bit more “specific” and target both the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis with a tennis or lacrosse ball.  Both are major trigger points for knee pain, and are an often overlooked area most people ignore – along with the glute medius for that matter.

People will ignore the areas that often cause the most discomfort, but those are the areas that SHOULD be targeted.

Better yet, seek out a reputable manual therapist who will get hers or his hands on you.  Nothing bothers me more than PTs who do nothing but band exercises, electrical stim and then ultra sound.

Sure they all have a time and place, but finding a therapist who provides Graston, ART, or whatever will be a definite advantage.

 3.  Preach to yourself vertical shin angle.

“Stacked’ joints are happy joints (as Mike Robertson would say).  More often than not, it’s not squatting that bothers people’s knees, but rather, what they’re doing that bothers their knees.

I can’t take credit for the vertical shin angle cue – that goes to Charlie Weingroff – but it’s something that works wonders for people with knee pain.

Many trainees make the mistake of breaking with their knees when squatting and end up with significant forward translation of the tibia.  This induces a lot more shear loading on the joint, which as you can imagine, is going to piss it off.

Instead, I like to cue the following: Make sure to SIT BACK and PUSH THE KNEES OUT.

This does two things:  maintains a more upright torso and ensures there’s proper task distribution.

The initial decent should be with the hips sitting back.  Doing so will not only place more emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings (hips!), but also ensure more of a vertical shin angle, which is going to be MUCH more knee friendly.

I guess, in a way, this is just a long-winded way of saying that the reason most people’s knees hurt when they squat is because of technique that makes my eyes bleed.

4.  Hammer hip stability.

The knees are at the mercy of the hips (and ankles).  Most trainees have piss poor hip stability and are unable to control the femur properly, which is something that Mike Robertson touches on his is Bulletproof Knees Manual.

Taking a step back and implementing some simple drills like side lying clams, x-band walks, etc would bode well.

Yes, they’re girly and seemingly worthless, but you’d be surprised at how hard side lying clams are when done correctly. We use them quite a bit in our programming at Cressey Performance, and it’s always interesting when a dude who can squat 400+ lbs has a hard time performing clams.

Taking it a step further, I’d also make a concerted effort to include more single leg work into the mix as that will automatically force one to work on their hip stability.  When in single leg stance, we’re forced to utilize what’s known as the lateral sub-system to keep the pelvis steady.

For those unaware what the lateral sub-system entails:  it’s the glute medius and adductor complex on standing leg, along with the quadratus lumborom on the opposite leg.

One point to consider, however, is the type of single leg work you’re doing.  For those with knee issues, variations like forward lunges or walking lunges are going to be problematic due to the deceleration factor.

Ie: You have to decelerate your bodyweight in order to perform the movement.

Reverse lunges will  inherently be more “knee friendly” due to the more “accelerative” nature of the movement.

Along those same lines, don’t be a hero and be too aggressive with loading when it comes to single leg work. Most trainees use waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much weight, and as a result, end up using less than exemplary technique (which defeats the purpose in the first place).

5. Booty, Booty, Booty, Booty Rockin Everywhere

As a corollary to the above, placing a premium on more glute work isn’t a bad idea either. The glutes have a VERY strong influence with regards to control of the femur.

Think of what happens when the glutes aren’t doing their job.

– You see more of an anterior pelvic tilt.

– APT results in more internal rotation of the femur.

– IR of the femur also results in in internal rotation of the tibia (and pronation of the feet).

– Your knee hates you.

Once we got those puppies firing and doing their job, we see the opposite happen:

– We see more posterior pelvic tilt of the pelvis.

– In addition, because they control the femur, we see more external rotation of the femur

– Which, of course, leads to more external rotation of the tibia (and more supination of the feet).

– Now girls will want to hang out with you.

To that end, whether you keep it simple and perform more supine or 1-legged glute bridges, or start upping the ante and perform things like deadlifts, pull-throughs, glute ham raises, KB swings, sled pushes, or grizzly wrestling………

…..the name of the game is GLUTES!!!!!!

6. We can’t neglect the core either.

More specifically, we can’t neglect the anterior core.

Even more specifically, we can’t neglect the external obliques.

Much like the above, lack of core strength and stability (especially as it relates to the obliques) will cause someone to go into more of an anterior pelvic tilt.

Utilizing movements like various chops and lifts would be of great benefit.

As would some dedicated rectus abdominus work – GASP!!!!!!!!!

7.  And what the hell, when all else fails, just deadlift

Deadlifts = less hip and knee flexion, which are going to be far more knee friendly than squats. What’s more, if you really wanted to get some more quad work into the mix, you could always revert to trap bar deadlifts which are more of a quad dominant hip dominant variation anyways.

But at the end of the day, I feel that squats TO a box will definitely be a step in the right direction as far as helping those with knee pain.  For starters, the box will allow one to squat in a pain free ROM – whatever the height may be. But even more importantly, it will help re-groove the proper squat pattern which most people suck at anyways.

Then, at some point, one can work on getting to full depth (which can be argued are more knee friendly as well).  But lets not get too off track here, because that can be another blog post in of itself.

Now, this doesn’t mean that all the other stuff discussed above is any less important. Far from it.

But I do feel that when it comes to technique, most fail miserably.  Watch both the videos that both myself and Nia provide above, and you should be golden.

Hope that sheds some light on a pretty extensive topic.

CategoriesStrength Training

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Band Lateral Lunge with OH Driver

I wish I were more like Ben Bruno. Sure the guy is a freak of nature when it comes to feats of strength, but even more admirable is the uncanny ability he has when it comes to thinking of cool and innovative exercises that I’ve never seen before. It’s like the guy has a perpetual light bulb above his head 24/7.

Just check out his Youtube page (HERE) if you don’t know what I’m talking about.

It’s almost like he lives in his very own evil strength and conditioning lair doing nothing but 1-legged squats and stroking his evil strength coach beard while he conjures up exercises that will make people hate life.

Okay, that’s unfair to Ben.  He’s actually a much more well rounded person than that, and  probably one of the most decent hunan beings I’ve ever met.

But dammit, two can place this game. I’ve been coming up with a few of my own diabolical exercises, too.  Albeit instead of a lair, I work out of  an evil strength coach volcano. That’s surrounded by sharks with freakin laser beams on their heads.

PEW PEW PEW

Take that Ben!

All tomfoolery aside (and yes, I just used the word tomfoolery in a sentence), one of the exercises we’ve been using a lot lately at Cressey Performance is something I kind of haphazardly came up with when discussing both the Pallof Press Band Squat and Split Squat HERE.

Band Lateral Lunge with Overhead Driver

What Does It Do:  This is one of those exercises that provides a lot bang for our training buck.

1. There’s a definite Pallof press “vibe” going on, so it’s safe to say that we have a strong rotary stability component in the mix.

2. Simultaneously there’s also a decent anti-extension component coming into play as the arms reach overhead.

Which is to say, with both elements combined, it’s an awesome “core” exercise that plays very well into what the core’s actual role is:  stability and subsequent transference of force between the lower and upper body.

3.  Too, there’s a fantastic lunge pattern involved that helps increase adductor length (something most people woefully lack), which in turn helps improve hip mobility in the frontal plane (but I guess you could argue the transverse plane as well when you factor in the pull of the band).

4.  I could probably come up with a few more benefits, but those are the ones that pop out at the moment.  It’s still up in the air whether or not doing this exercise increases the chances that girls will want to hang out with you.

Key Coaching Cues:  It’s important to note that those with limited shoulder flexion (whether it’s due to stiff lats or an overly kyphotic upper back) may not be the best suited for this exercise as they’ll inevitably compensate by going into excessive lumbar extension.

Another thing to consider is the lunge pattern itself.  Many trainees will make the mistake of lunging with more of a “quad dominant” pattern (knees translating forward over the toes) rather than sitting back into the hip and keeping more of a vertical shin angle.

This isn’t to say that it’s wrong (or bad) that the knees go over the toes; it’s just not ideal in my book. Especially when we’re trying to place more of an emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings anyways.

Lastly, it’s important to not allow the rib cage to flair out at any point – especially during the overhead portion.  Try to think about “locking” your rib cage down throughout the duration of the set.

And that’s about it. I usually shoot for 6-8 reps per side for a total of 2-3 sets.  Try it out today and let me know what you think.

 

CategoriesStrength Training Uncategorized

Supreme Strength

I’m posting this a little later than usual, I know. But for those who aren’t in the loop, I’ve been traveling all day and have officially touched down in Canada, baby!  Lisa and I have been on the go since 4 AM this morning trekking from Boston to Edmonton, and after taking a few moments to manually unclench my butt cheeks – Note to any new readers out there: I absolutely HATE flying – we’re all checked into the hotel and waiting to meet up with my boy Dean Somerset to get our swole on at his facility.

Later on we’ll be getting together with the rest of the Muscle Imbalances Revealed crew – Rick Kaselj and Dr. Jeff Cubos – for dinner and, depending on how crazy things get, dessert too.  It’s vacation, right!?!!

Tomorrow will be game time, and I’m really looking forward to giving my presentation:  Core and Spine Training – From Assessment to Badass (ß best title, ever).   Likewise, I’m also looking forward to listening to all the other presentations, and am fully prepared to get my mind blown into a million pieces.

Speaking of mind blownage, today I have something really cool for all of you. Two coaches I truly admire – Todd Bumgardner and John Gaglione- have recently released their new training manual, Supreme Strength, to the masses and I thought I’d take the opportunity to introduce everyone to it because, well, I’m cool like that.

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy sent my way not too long ago, and to say I was thoroughly impressed would be an understatement.  I’ve long been an advocate of telling people that if you want to look like an athlete, you need to train like one.  Supreme Strength fits that bill and then some.  Those familiar with programs like Eric Cressey’s Show and Go will LOVE Supreme Strength because it has many of the same components – getting people strong (and lean, if that’s your bag), addressing postural deficits, movement quality issues, and just providing people will an all-encompassing program – but with a flavor that only Todd and John can provide.

You see, both have an uncanny ability to think outside the box and provide a unique training experience that, not only gets results, but actually TEACHES people along the way.

I asked Todd if he’d be willing to sit down and answer a few questions to give everyone a little more insight.  Enjoy!

TG: Hey Todd, thanks for taking time out of your day to answer a few questions. You know the drill, this is the part where you’re supposed to tell me all about yourself. Care to give my readers a Cliff Notes version of who you are, what you’re about, and why I should never, ever, pick a fight with you?

Todd: You deserve the thanks, my friend! I appreciate the opportunity.

Wow, though, what should people know about me? Well, I’m a 6’0” balding ginger, an innovative high-fiver and I have a rib tattoo. I’m also a strength coach based in Central Pennsylvania, a co-founder of Beyond Strength Performance and avid lifter. I train clients at a small, invitation only powerlifting gym in Bellefonte, PA. I can also listen to John Mayer and Lamb of God during the same car ride and I’m completely comfortable with it.

Note from TG:  Well played sir.  Well played.  I can relate because I spend the better part of my days listening to Metallica, Linkin Park, and Rage Against the Machine, but as soon as I get into my car I’ll tone it down with a little Norah Jones action.

* hands in man card *

I started working as a strength coach while I was still in college. I was 21 and green behind the ears. My first gig was with the women’s lacrosse team and they owned me for about three months. Thirty chatty females vs. one unsure gym hermit is a recipe for domination. But I learned some valuable lessons and got hooked on coaching. By the time we were done working together they won a league championship. It was a pretty cool thing to be a part of.

Since then I’ve earned my Master’s in Exercise Science, helped a lot of people get stronger, benched 405 and started dating one of the best female rugby players in the country (oh, shit shout out to Annie Z!).

From a coaching standpoint, though, my main emphases are strength and clean movement. Oh, and proper celebration. If you crush a big weight you have to have celebration go-to’s. I like the jumping top-gun high five.

TG: You and John Gaglione (the other co-creator of Supreme Strength) are well known for thinking outside the box and are constantly coming up with new and innovative exercises and ways to train. Do you two have some sort of secret underground laboratory where you all stroke your evil strength coach beards? What gives?

Todd: Beards, Tony. Beards are the answer. We really just focus on creating beard equity and it seems to carry us along.

Seriously, though. It’s cool to be known for something—especially since I didn’t realize it!

John is just a great coach. The dude can teach anyone to do anything. I’ve seen him turn a mangled squat into a work of art. It’s very impressive. Necessity has given him a great set of innovative tools.

We’ve each also had the opportunity to work under awesome coaches. John and Zach Even-Esh are tight, and James “Smitty” Smith has really taken me under his wing. They are two of the most innovative coaches in the game—it’s tough not to catch their paradigm breaking bug.

I also just think about training all of the time. It rarely leaves my brain, so I think of cool ways to apply basic concepts. So I write stuff down in my journal and try it out when I get to the gym. If it works I’ll apply it where I can.

TG:  What persuaded both you and John to develop Supreme Strength, and how is it different from any other program out there someone can purchase off the internet?

Todd: It all started with a conversation.

I was helping out Smitty and Joe DeFranco at their first AMPED/POWER seminar, John was there—he and I got to talking.

We found out that we do things pretty much the same way—teach movement, preach strength and then practice what we preach. Right after that we fist pumped and decided we needed to create something awesome, something with depth, and something based on what we’ve seen work for a lot of folks.

Most of all we wanted to create a resource, and I think that’s what sets Supreme Strength apart from other internet programs. Rather than just jotting down some sets and reps and sending a chap on his way, we worked hard to create something bigger. We created a strength system. We explain the why and demonstrate the how. You’re also given the means to modify when necessary. It’s more than a program. It’s a great reference.

TG:  First things first:  I also want to give a shout out to Smitty.  The man is, well, the MAN.  Absolutely amazing coach and one of the most humble (and giving) human beings that exist.  He ranks right up there on my man-crush list with Jason Bourne and The Rock.

Back on task: One thing I noticed while looking over the program is the emphasis on the basics.  I absolutely love that approach.  Can you explain to everyone reading why they’re not that special and why they should listen to you?

Todd: It’s simple, man. We know WE aren’t that special.

I know, that may not sound compelling. But, if you think about it for a minute, it makes sense.

I heard a great quote once. It goes something like ‘a person that doesn’t make mistakes is unlikely to make anything.’ That’s definitely true for the strength and conditioning world.

I’ve been lifting for fourteen years and I still manage to mess something up every day—I’ve never gone through a session and done everything perfectly. I’ve gotten really good at a few things, but I haven’t perfected anything. I’m still busting my ass to achieve basic perfection. I think that’s where people miss the point and they jump ship too soon.

The basics will always work—strive to be great at them. It’s a point that I repeat constantly to myself. I think people miss this fact because they want something sexy. It’s not a bad thing, just a little misguided.

Mainly, I think people hold a misguided view of the basics. A lot of guys and gals think that basic movements can only be applied one way, when, in truth, there are thousands of ways to use basic movements and train to be great at them.

It’s like dance moves. Everyone wants to hit sick hip-hop moves before they get down the basic shuffle steps and they end up doing the Carlton dance. You can live with the shuffle steps for years. It’s how I keep my white boy dance prowess.

TG:  NAILED IT!  Well stated, and couldn’t agree more.

For the hell of it:  what are your top five programming faux pas mistakes that people make while training for strength?

Todd: Ah, the mistakes question. This is like an interview rite of passage. I’m psyched to answer this one! Not necessarily because I like to be negative, but I feel like this is my jump into the club. Here goes!

1.  Dismissing Autoregulation: No one can predict what they are going to feel like three weeks in advance, it’s silly to assume so. Programming so strictly that switching things up for a day implores waves of guilt is counterproductive.

I’ve heard great coaches say that the best programs are those that are sustainable. If an athlete or coach can’t autoregulate, their program is as sustainable as a Kardashian marriage. At the very least use the RPE scale.

2. Not Prioritizing Movement: I see a lot of programs that prescribe lifts but don’t prioritize movement. You want someone to deadlift? Great, but how will they get into the best starting position? How will they train a clean pattern?

I understand that strength is built with big weights, but it’s solidified with clean movement. Every good strength program should start with a movement preparation phase to groove, or re-groove, patterns and prepare for heavy loading.

3. Not Prescribing Active Rest: I know if I’m not told what to do sometimes, I’ll stare at the wall and think about chicken wings. By knowing my own shortcomings, I make sure that I keep my clients moving between sets by using mobility fillers. I learned a lot about fillers from you and Mr. Cressey.

Back to the rest period—I think it’s the most misused variable in training—I don’t see the point in just moving aimlessly about between sets. This is a great time to work on weaknesses, improve movement and prepare to boost performance during subsequent sets.

4. Forgetting Relative Strength:  Unless a person happens to be a super-heavy weight powerlifter or strongman, relative strength is important. Squatting 500 pounds is great and all, but if it you have to put 40 pounds on to do it your performance is going to suffer.

That’s why body weight training is so important. Exercises like pull-ups are a great relative strength barometer. If the big lifts go up, but pull-up performance declines, there’s a good chance a gent is running slower and jumping lower. Even for the 9-to-5er, maintaining athleticism and body composition while gaining strength is important for longevity.

5. Not Teaching Tightness: Ok, so I know this is more of a coaching point than a programming point, but I think it’s too often missed on. Tightness and tension are so important for strength, but so few coaches are harping on it.

Before anyone picks up a bar, they need to be taught what tension feels like. They need to know how to set their grip aggressively, how to use air to create pressure and they need to know how to brace. Unless a trainee is constantly working to master tightness, they aren’t training as safely as they should be and they are missing out big strength gains.

TG:  Thanks Todd!  Awesome interview, and I hope it gives everyone reading a little kick in the pants to check out the manual.  I really do feel it’s top notch and will help a lot of people.  For more information, where can people learn more about you and your products.

Todd:  Thanks TG, always a pleasure to talk some shop.  The best way to reach me is to check out my website HERE, and, of course, check out……….

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