CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work Uncategorized

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: Tons of FREE Content Edition

Oh, hello. You may have noticed that Dean Somerset and I have been all over the internet this week promoting our new resource Complete Shoulder and Hip Blueprint. Collectively we’ve written about 717 guest posts and appeared on 32 different podcasts.

hipshoulder-landscape

Okay, maybe not quite those high of numbers. But it sure feels like it. We may have even hit the threshold where we’ve hit annoying political ad territory and people would rather jump into a shark’s mouth than read another article, Tweet, or Facebook post on shoulders and hips.

By now I’m sure there’s a fair portion of the population that’s “had it up to here” with Dean and I.

Sorry1

If it’s any consolation…all this week we have both been pumping out tons of FREE content in addition to all the free content other fitness pros have been churning out to help get the word out.

So, shut up….;o)

Below is everything I could find. Enjoy. No purchase required.2

Stuff Written by Dean or Tony

I didn’t include THIS article I wrote for my site yesterday yelling at the internet for telling everyone that deadlifts are dangerous. Except, you know, I just did include it.

3 Bro-Style Exercises That Are Actually Good For Shoulders

Dean discusses bicep curls in this one. BICEP CURLS. For shoulder health.

It doesn’t get any more bro-style than that.

The Best Drills for Healthy Shoulders and a Big Bench – StrengthTheory’s Site

Dean and I break down some (hopefully) new-to-you drills and exercises you can implement today to keep your shoulders from flipping you the middle finger long-term.

Hip Variations and Why My Squat Isn’t Your Squat – Mike Reinold’s Site

This post will satiate any appetite for anatomy geekery, and will explain why it’s unfortunate that some coaches out there STILL think everyone needs to squat THEIR way.

3 Biggest Mistakes Trainers Make With Assessments – John Rusin’s Site

The title pretty much sums it up. Are YOU making these mistakes?

5 Common Hip Training Mistakes – Eric Cressey’s Site

All I can say here is that Dean is super smart.

Training the Overhead Athlete (and Meathead) – Mike Robertson’s Site

While there are differences to appreciate when it comes to training the overhead athlete vs. the meathead. There are more similarities than you think.

Stuff Written By Some of Dean and Tony’s Fitness Industry BFFs

Shoulder Strategies and Hip Helpers: Part I – Eric Cressey

Eric highlights 1) his affinity for alliterations (the title) and 2) some of his take-home points that resonated with him from watching the Complete Shoulder and Hip Blueprint.

Are Your Shoulders Ready to Overhead Press? – Tony Bonvechio

Tony B shares some his insights on overhead pressing, how to assess it, how to “fix” it, and some more user-friendly options you can pepper in to keep your shoulders healthy.

6 Essential Shoulder Insights – Nancy Newell

Cressey Sports Performance coach Nancy Newell sharing HER take-aways from watching you know what.

She picked some good ones.

The BEST Educational Resources for Trainers and Owners – Mark Fisher

^^^ That guy (the one on the dragon) knows what’s up.

Podcast Appearances

If you’d rather listen than read our shit, check these out.

Vigor Ground Fitness & Performance Podcast – Luka Hocevar

Is it weird I’m wearing my own t-shirt? Dean and I recorded this video earlier this year when we were both in Seattle at Luka’s place.

Physical Preparation Podcast – Mike Robertson

Dean makes a cameo on Mike’s podcast and Canada will never be the same.

LEO Training Podcast – Joe DeLeo

Dean made his rounds this week on podcasts, talking more shop with Joe and crushing it.

Sale is Winding Down

Complete Shoulder and Hip Blueprint is currently on sale at $60 off the regular price. But that only lasts until this Saturday (11/5) at midnight.

dean-tony-cshb

Come on. What are you waiting for? You get 11+ hours of amazing content that I know will make you better at your craft, along with CEUs, and it has the backing of a many of the top coaches and trainers around. Sooooooooooooo.

Go HERE.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 10/28/16

Forgive the visual, but I’m doing everything I can not to destroy the back of my pants right now. T-Minus 3 days until the launch of the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint. (<- that’s the actual site).

Check it out. DO IT.

hipshoulder-landscape

I’m excited, of course. I mean, hello: First fitness product.3

This is a resource I feel is going to help any fitness pro who works with anyone with shoulders and hips (Read: everyone) better hone their skills with assessment and program design. Having the opportunity to help others on a more of a mass scale is pretty cool. I’m also excited because I’m expecting to win an Academy Award.

If not for Best Presentation on Scapular Upward Rotation definitely for Best Biceps in a Smedium T-Shirt.

I’m nervous, too.

I think anytime you put yourself out there, whether it’s writing your first blog or producing your first fitness resource, there’s an inherent feeling of “WTF did I just do?” that washes over you and you want nothing more than to curl up in the corner of a room in the fetal position.

I mean, what if no one likes it? What happens if the site crashes? Or, what if, oh shit, what if there’s some sort of glitch in the videos where we have some sort of situation like what happens in The Ring?

 

Goddamit…..Deeeeaaaaaaaannnnn!!?!?

Needless to say, next week is going to be huge. I can’t wait.

Some Stuff to Check Out Before You Read Stuff

1) I’m heading into Week #4 of John Rusin’s Functional Hypertrophy Training program. Faaaaaaaaaaaack that guy.

It’s definitely been a change of pace for me with the high(er) rep approach, but that’s a good thing. It’s been years since I’ve performed a high-volume based program, and what’s more John designed it to be joint friendly, and it’s been exactly that.

I hate him, but I love him.

If you’d like to jump in on the action go HERE and then use the code TG10 to save a little money off your purchase. Lets get jacked (and commiserate) together…;o)

2) The Strong Women Lift Each Other Up video series by Girls Gone Strong will disappear after this Sunday, October 30th.

20+ hours of presentations and hands-on demonstrations from the entire GGS Advisory Board, along with Dr. Susan Kleiner, Dr. Krista-Scott Dixon, Ingrid Marcum, Elsbeth Vaino, Marni Sumbal, and Jennifer Vogelgesang-Blake.

It’s made by women, for women.

The information is all female-specific and covers everything from carbohydrate intake to menopause to pelvic floor dysfunction to body embracement and personal power. And there’s a fair bit of discussion on lifting heavy things too…;o)

You can go HERE for more details.

Like I said, it won’t be available after this weekend…..sooooooo……..

3) My wife and I bought a crib last weekend. Shit’s getting real.

Fitness Professional vs. Fitness Celebrity: Who to Follow – Erica Sutter

I’ll give you hint: it’s not the celebrities…..;O)

Awesome rant from Erica.

Also, side note: I should totally write an ebook about how to deadlift cats. (<– click the link and read the article and this will make sense).

Mobility Myths: Scapular Winging – Dr. Quinn Henoch

I know I swear a lot on this site, and I apologize. But when I say an article/video is fucking good, it’s fucking good.

This….is….fucking….good.

Simple Analogies to Use When Coaching the Deadlift to Beginners – Nancy Newell

Analogies are a coach’s best friend. Cressey Sports Performance coach, Nancy Newell, shares some of her favorites when working with beginners on the deadlift.

SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

I see many of my colleagues doing this and figured I’d jump in on the action. You know, cause I’m important.

Twitter

Instagram

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 10/21/16

Sorry for the lack of content this week. I take pride in the fact I’m able to toss up 4-5 blog posts per week, but I was only able to swindle two (three counting today). I suck.

But the sucktitude this week was with good reason (which you’ll read about below). Lets get right to business.

Copyright: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/profile_maglara'>maglara / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
Copyright: maglara / 123RF Stock Photo

 

Some Stuff to Check Out Before You Read Stuff

1) Last weekend Dean Somerset and I were in Minneapolis, MN teaching our Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint at The Movement Minneapolis. We had a group of 50 trainers from all across the upper-middle USA attend. Here’s me performing what Martin (one of MM’s coaches) referred to as the “Here comes the tickle monster” technique.4

movement-minn-workshop

On such trips Dean and I share a hotel room to help save on costs (and because I’m scared of the dark). We took full advantage of being under the same roof so that we could hash out some details and so that we could announce this….

Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint Will Be Available to Purchase Starting November 1st.

[Cue the Duck Boats now].

Dean and I filmed the event when we were in Norway this past spring and we’re really proud of the end result. We’ve been sending out review copies to some of our fitness industry besties and have gotten some amazing feedback. To say we’re looking forward to unleashing this to the rest of the world would be an understatement. This is something I feel will help a lot of fitness pros who deal with shoulders and hips on a daily basis.

So, basically, everyone….;o)

 

November 1st. This shit is happening.

2) CORE (my studio in Boston) will be hosting the I Am Not Afraid to Lift (Mindset Edition) workshop featuring Artemis Scantalides and my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis.

Date: Sunday, November 6, 8AM-5PM.

If you’re interested in learning more about kettlebell and bodyweight training, proper technique, programming, as well as how to develop sound mindset strategies to enhance performance, this workshop will be a great use of your time.

This workshop is appropriate for women who lift of all levels, from women who have never lifted weights before, to beginners to advanced lifters. Men have attended too…;O)

There are only four spots left. For more information you can click HERE (<– click events tab).

MASS – Dr. Pat Davidson

mass-image

There’s a reason why this training program has developed a cult following from both men and women…because it works!

It’s a simple (albeit brutal) program, is not for the faint of heart, and as Pat has stated himself time and time and time again….

“Everybody sees crazy results.”

You read the manual and the likelihood you’ll want to run through a brick wall increases ten-fold.

It’s only on sale for a few more days (ends this weekend), so take advantage while you can HERE.

Crunches Are Bad For You. And This Is Exactly Why – Ashleigh Kast

Drive 495 coach, Ashleigh Kast, makes a nice case for why crunches probably shouldn’t be your first choice when it comes to building a mid-section that looks like the picture above.

She discusses things like the Joint-by-Joint theory, the Four Knots, and keeps it real with quotes like this:

“A real good front squat with a well braced midsection is an honest 6-minute ab miracle.”

My Back Hurts When I Deadlift – Brandon Hall

This is a very common theme and the common response is to blame deadlifts, when more often than not the appropriate “fix” is a little more attention to detail with regards to set up and/or choosing the appropriate variation based off one’s injury history and current ability level.

Great article featuring some insights from myself and CSP coach Tony Bonvechio.

SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

I see many of my colleagues doing this and figured I’d jump in on the action. You know, cause I’m important.

Twitter

Instagram

After watching other coaches like @benbrunotraining, @bretcontreras1, and @showmestrength perform this landline press variation, I decided they couldn’t have all the fun. What does adding the band do? 1. I feel it helps engage anterior core more, which will help prevent any excessive overarching from the lumbar spine. 2. It helps “slow down” the bar at the top of the movement, which can make it a little more joint friendly for those with cranky shoulders. 3. You’re forced to control the eccentric (lowering) portion to a higher degree in an effort to resist the pull of the band. And 4. It’s just badass. I was supposed to perform Scrape the Rack Presses following John Rusin’s Functional Hypertrophy Training program, but my rack wasn’t high enough. Did these as a quick substitute at the end of my “Push Day”, and loved them. Check the program out at drjohnrusin.com/FHT-program and use the code TG10 to save a little money.

A video posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 10/14/16

I’m heading to Minneapolis, MN today where Dean Somerset and I will be putting on our Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint workshop this weekend.

Copyright: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/profile_aneese'>aneese / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
Copyright: aneese / 123RF Stock Photo

 

It’s our last LIVE event before he and I release the digital product onto the world in the very, very near future.

Are you excited?

 

Anyways, I’ve packed my Billy Heywood t-shirt (<— please tell me someone gets that reference) and since I land somewhat early I plan on taking in some of the sights and sounds of the city. Anyone have any suggestions?

Some Stuff to Check Out Before You Read Stuff

1) CORE will be hosting the I Am Not Afraid to Lift (Mindset Edition)workshop featuring Artemis Scantalides and my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis.

Date: Sunday, November 6, 8AM-5PM.

If you’re interested in learning more about kettlebell and bodyweight training, proper technique, programming, as well as how to develop sound mindset strategies to enhance performance, this workshop will be a great use of your time.

This workshop is appropriate for women who lift of all levels, from women who have never lifted weights before, to beginners to advanced lifters. Men have attended too…;O)

There are only four spots left. For more information you can click HERE (<– click events tab).

2) Week #2 of John Rusin’s Functional Hypertrophy Training program has continued to kick my ass. It’s been a long time since I’ve done an extended high(er) volume training program, but I seem to be adapting nicely.

All of my lifts went up from last week, and I’m looking gunny as shit. So it’s working. As I noted last week my plan is to do this program for a minimum of twelve weeks and to discuss my experiences with it along the way via social media.

If you’d like to jump in on the action go HERE and then use the code TG10 to save a little money off your purchase. Lets get jacked (and commiserate) together…;o)

And now lets get to the stuff to read.

Why the Active Straight Leg Raise? – The Strength Faction

When I took both the FMS Level I & II courses last year one of the things that really stuck out to me was 1) how absurdly protective some fitness pros were about their movement quality. Giving someone a “2” on their overhead squat was equivalent to tar and feathering them based off some of their reactions. Some would debate the number as if getting a “not 3” made them less of a quality human being. It was funny.

And 2) how MONEY the ASLR screen is.

That shit cleans up everything. The squat, the hip hinge, your pigsty of a room. Everything.

My boys over at the Strength Faction – Todd Bumgardner and Chris Merritt – provide some insight on why the ASLR is so integral to good movement.

How to Fix Low Back Stiffness/Rounding in the Deep Squat – AcuMobility

I’m really liking all the content the crew over at Acumobility – Brad Cox and Julian Cardoos – are putting out lately.

This was a very cool video to watch in real time as Brad helps fix a wonky deep squat with a high-level CrossFit athlete.

Dear Fitness Industry – Michael Keeler

This….was……amazing.

Do we really serve the needs of clients? Do we really listen to them?

SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

I see many of my colleagues doing this and figured I’d jump in on the action. You know, cause I’m important.

Twitter

Instagram

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 10/7/16

The Sox lost last night, so eff it….lets just get into this week’s list of stuff to read.

Copyright: maglara / 123RF Stock Photo
Copyright: maglara / 123RF Stock Photo

Some Stuff to Check Out Before You Read Stuff

1. Last Call: Dean Somerset and I will be in Minneapolis, MN (at Movement Minneapolis) next weekend (Oct 15-16th) for our final Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint workshop in 2016. It’s going to be an awesome, especially since Dean promised to lip sync You Outta Know by Alanis Morissette while discussing hip anteversion. Because, you know, he’s Canadian she’s Canadian, it makes sense.5

Go HERE for more information and to sign-up.

2. CORE (<– that’s my studio in Boston) will be hosting the I Am Not Afraid to Lift (Mindset Edition) workshop featuring Artemis Scantalides and my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis.

Date: Sunday, November 6, 8AM-5PM.

i-am-not-afraid-to-lift

If you’re interested in learning more about kettlebell and bodyweight training, proper technique, programming, as well as how to develop sound mindset strategies to enhance performance, this workshop will be a great use of your time.

This workshop is appropriate for women who lift of all levels, from women who have never lifted weights before, to beginners to advanced lifters. Men have attended too…;O)

Early bird rate ends THIS SUNDAY (10/9) and there are only five spots left. For more information you can click HERE (<– click events tab).

3. For a little change of pace I started Dr. John Rusin’s Functional Hypertrophy Training program this week.

  • OMG I have been so sore all week (but in a good way). Definitely more volume than I’m used to, which is a good thing. It’s been a looooong time since I’ve done something like this. I’m looking forward to the process.
  • I’m learning a lot doing it. I can tell John put a lot of thought into the structure of the program and everything – from exercise selection to exercise order – makes sense and has a purpose.
  • Fuck him for making me so sore.

My plan is to do this program for a minimum of 12 weeks and to detail some of my experiences along the way via social media. If you’d like to jump in on the action go HERE and then use the code TG10 to save a little money off your purchase. Lets get jacked (and commiserate) together…;o)

And now lets get to the stuff to read.

6 Ways to Reduce Shoulder Pain During Squats – Tony Bonvechio

It’s common for many lifters to experience shoulder pain or discomfort when squatting, especially with heavier loads and/or frequency.

In this article CSP coach Tony B breaks down some strategies you can implement or consider to prevent that from happening in the first place.

What Women Should Eat to Build Muscle – Dr. Cassandra Forsythe

Cass hits everything in this article – how much protein to eat, whether or not nutrient timing matters, and attempting to finally putt an end to carbohydrate phobia. And those are just the tip of the iceberg.

Excellent article here.

Certified Weightlifting Performance Coach – Wil Fleming

 

TODAY (Friday, October 7th) is the last day this certification will be open. Wil is one of the best OLY coaches out there and this resource is, hands-down, one of the most thorough (and accessible) of its kind I have come across in a while.

If you’re a coach/personal trainer and looking to take your skill-set to the upper echelons of excellence you can’t go wrong here. And, it’s at a very affordable price.

Don’t miss out, go HERE, and clean up those cleans.

Social Media Highlights

I see many of my colleagues doing this and figured I’d jump in on the action. You know, cause I’m important.

Twitter

Instagram

The 1-Legged RDL is a great exercise, but lends itself to some common errors. Top video showcases a poor looking example. Very little hinging coming from the hips and almost looks as if I’m just lowering the DBs with my arms. Notice, too, how I lose spinal position and bend at my waist. BOTTOM video showcases a proper RDL. Some cues I like: 1) backside stays long. Meaning from head to heel I should stay in a straight line. Here I also like to cue “move your heel away from your head as far as possible.” Another cue that works (mostly for geeks) is “pretend your Han Solo in Episode IV in that scene when him and Luke are in the trash compactor and you need to push the walls away with your head and heel.” 2) The big toe of the moving leg should stay pointed towards the floor the entire time and towards midline of the body. This will help prevent the hips from rotating too much. And 3) the idea is to get the hips to do the work via a hinge pattern. Many people get in the habit of actively using their arms to lower the DBs towards the floor. Instead I like to cue people “soft knee, and the only way the DBs are moving is by you moving BACK into the hip.” The idea is not to lower DBs all the way to the floor. Some people may be able to do so and keep good spine position, but that’s about as rare as a Vegan Centaur. Move via the hip and use your “usable ROM” keeping good form, and over time that may improve. And yes, that’s Madonna playing in the background. So what. #singlelegtraining #rdl #personaltraining #coachingcues #doingshitright

A video posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 9/30/16

I have a few editors who are, to their credit, patiently waiting for me to submit some articles. It’s 7:30 AM as I type this and I already cracked open a Spike. Time to get to work.

But first this week’s list to stuff to read….

Copyright: maglara / 123RF Stock Photo
Copyright: maglara / 123RF Stock Photo

 

As a quick reminder: Dean Somerset and I will be in Minneapolis, MN the weekend of October 15th to host our Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint. This will be our last one of these for the foreseeable future. Well, or until Backstreet Boys do another reunion tour.

You can get more details HERE.

As (another) quick reminder: Wil Fleming’s Certified Weightlifting Performance Coach is now available, but only through next week. If you’re like me and find that the OLY lifts are a coaching gap, this is a perfect resource to help narrow it. It’s really, really well done and it does a superb job at making something so complex, simple. It’s a testament to Wil’s phenomenal coaching style.

Check it out HERE.

Why Dieting Sucks – Brad Dieter

I’ve only just “discovered” Dr. Dieter’s work, but I believe I am borderline stalking him now. I’ve been creeping on his website, I now follow him on Twitter, and, surprise Doc, that’s me peering through your window…..;o)

This was an awesome “rant” he wrote I had to share. Like this gem:

“Most people would be far better off spending more time being well fed, and using that food to maximize training that improves their strength, power, balance, endurance, and conditioning and then using short, smart, dieting cycles to focus on fat loss. In fact, the more often you spend in a “normally fed” state the more effective short, intense, periods of dieting or cutting are. “Dieting” should be used in more of a controlled, pointed, manner to elicit a specific effect over a shorter time window.”

Personal Trainers: What The Hell Are You Doing? – Charles Staley

95-99% of personal training clients = Overweight. Under-muscled. Injury-prone. Metabolic disease risk. Low energy, low self-esteem.

What most of them need = more muscle.

“Muscle is what sets a cascade of positive adaptations into motion — faster metabolism, ability to eat more without consequence, more strength, improved endurance, better balance, increased bone density, less predisposition towards obesity and heart disease. Better energy, better sleep, higher sense of self-worth.”

What most of them get = not that.

Nice one coach!

Kettlebell Swings: You’re Doing Them Wrong – Kelli & Abby Keyes

Tons of practical info from Kelli and Abby on this one, and one of the best articles on the swing I’ve read in a while breaking down many common mistakes.

Social Media Highlights

I see many of my colleagues doing this and figured I’d jump in on the action. You know, cause I’m important.

Twitter

Instagram

1-arm DB row. At the top, how to perform it in way that makes my eyes bleed. Too much humeral extension (elbow going way past midline of body) is not necessary. More ROM, in this instance, does not equate to better. In fact, it can lead to anterior humeral glide syndrome and a pissed off bicep tendon and shoulder. The bottom video: how I like to coach this exercise. I definitely prefer to cue people to think “shoulder blade moves around the ribcage.” I.e., I don’t like trainees to keep their scapulae retracted the entire time (this can lead to a whole host of other issues, namely excessive downward rotation). It’s meant to move. Another cue I like: “bring elbow to hip.” The DB row is more of an arc motion than straight up and down. Also a pause at the top is never a bad idea. 90’s hip hop also helps.

A video posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

Categoriespodcast Stuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 9/23/16

It’s a HUGE fitness industry weekend this weekend in Boston. For starters the Cressey Sports Performance Fall seminar is going down, which is always an industry gold standard. In addition, lead unicorns Mark Fisher and Michael Keeler, of Mark Fisher Fitness, will be at AMP Fitness to put on their Inside the Unicorn 2-day workshop.

I basically ended up flipping a coin as to which one I was going to attend this weekend. The unicorns won.6

Needless to say many a fitness pro are making their way to Boston this weekend, and I suspect the likelihood of a dead-animal flesh shortage to be pretty high.

Also, and forgive me for the lame transition here, before I jumped into this week’s list of stuff to read I wanted to remind everyone that Dean Somerset and I will be in Minneapolis, MN the weekend of October 15th putting on our Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint workshop.

 

We’ll be at Movement Minneapolis and you can find out more details HERE. Hope to see you there.

NYC – Brian Patrick Murphy

Brian Patrick Murphy (or BPM) is a rare human being. Never have I met someone who is so genuine and full of zest than he. He’d hug everyone’s heart if he could.

It’s really hard – like, really hard – in our current political and social chaos (for lack of a better term) to remember that we’re all “in this” together, and that there is much more good and decency in this world than vitriol and hate.

This was a nice reminder of that. Thank you BPM.

UGH I Am So Fat – Kelly Coffey

I love how this woman thinks (and writes). Thanks for writing this Kelly.

Align Therapy Podcast – Aaron Alexander

I had the pleasure of being invited onto the Align Therapy Podcast with Aaron Alexander recently. If you’re bored at work today or maybe need something to drown out a certain orange skinned Presidential candidate, give THIS a listen….;o)

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 9/16/16

I have two words for you: Bachelor weekend.

My wife is away this weekend with my mother-in-law as the latter is being inducted into her alma mater’s Athletic Hall of Fame.7 This 100% means I’ll be catching up on some movie watching and chilling with my cat on the couch for the next two days. You know, because I live life dangerously.

What are your plans this weekend? More exciting than mine I hope.

Lets jump into this week’s list of stuff to read.

39081393 - many old books in a book shop or library

Copyright: gregorylee / 123RF Stock Photo

Eccentric Isometrics: The Ultimate Way to Strength Train (Part I) – Joel Seedman

There is no other coach I have been obsessed with of late more so than Joel Seedman. Quite frankly, he’s someone who is consistently putting out phenomenal information and has a take on many topics I’ve never heard before.

I respect that.

In this article he breaks down eccentric/isometric training, which is named many other things – pause reps, iso holds, yielding isometrics, eccentric quasi isometrics, extreme isometrics, yo mama is fat, it’s all the same. He LOVES eccentric training and after reading this article I can see why. LOTS of good stuff to pick up and apply.

5 Ways You’re Screwing Up Your Squat – Paul Carter

This article made me sexually excited. It was that good.

Top 5 Advanced Abdominal Rollout Variations – Kelvin King (via NickTumminello.com)

Have fun trying these.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 9/9/16

Copyright: donatas1205 / 123RF Stock Photo

A few things to hit up before we dive into this week’s list:

1) Somercore/Gentilset Last Hurrah of 2016

A quick reminder that Dean Somerset and I will be hosting our last LIVE event of 2016 together next month in Minneapolis, MN (the weekend of October 15th).

The stellar folks at Movement Minneapolis were kind enough to offer their four walls to host our Complete Shoulder & Hip Workshop. You can check out all the details along with sign-up information HERE.

The early bird rate (save yourself $100) is currently in place and will end this week. 

Also, speaking of the workshop, Dean and I filmed it last Spring over in Norway and are planning on releasing it as an 11+ hour digital product titled the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint in the next coming weeks. Catchy title, right?1

 

2) COREssentials

I’m going to be starting a new 6-week “beginner course” at CORE starting Monday, October 3rd called COREssentials.8

The idea is to champion FOUR things:

1. Building Autonomy
2. Building Accountability
3. Building Competency
4. Building Community
5. BONUS: Building Biceps, Glutes, (or whatever)

Okay, that’s five things…but hopefully you get the idea. The program is going to focus on beginner and intermediate level lifters who may either be lost in their training – just kind of haphazardly piecing together workouts with no rhyme or reason – or maybe intimidated altogether, and the goal is to build all of the above and focus and purpose with training.

core-01

The Deets

START DATE: Monday, October 3rd, 2016.

1. Groups will meet 2x per week at CORE (250 Cypress St, Brookline, MA) in predetermined AM and PM time slots.

2. Sessions will be 60-75 minutes in length where the coaches (myself, along with Jarrod Dyke, CSCS) will stress the basics – teaching participants various bodyweight, kettlebell, and (sometimes) barbell based movements designed to set the stage for continued success and growth (you know, that autonomy thing mentioned above).

3. There will also be a nutrition/mindset component as well. Shannon Wheel, a Boston-based Registered Dietitian, will be holding several sessions throughout the course of 6-weeks covering nutrition as well as helping participants develop behavioral-based habits to compliment the training.

Too, my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, a behavioral and exercise psychologist, will be offering a mindset component designed to augment the process. She’ll tackle what goes on in our heads, and how to best curtail the roadblocks and negative self-talk that often hampers progress.

4. Weekly “homework/reading” assignments will be part of the process, along with email correspondence from the coaches to help keep participants on task.

5. There will also be a lot of EDM and 90’s hip-hop played (if I’m coaching anyways), and the likelihood of spontaneous dance or rap battles breaking out will be very high.

If you’d like more information for you or someone who may know in Boston who may be a good candidate for this program please use the “Contact” function HERE.

And now lets get to this week’s list of stuff to read:

These Legs Were Made For Lifting – Artemis Scantalides

Loved this post by Artemis. She gets very personal, and tells her story of what strength means to her and how she’s had several paradigm shifts at different stages of her life.

I feel like her picture needs to be next to the word “badass” in Wikipedia.

The Sticking Point in the Bench Press, the Squat, and the Deadlift: Similarities and Differences, and Their Significance for Research and Practice – Justin Kompf & Ognjen Arandjelovic

If the length of the title didn’t give it away, this is a doozy. I suggest grabbing a cup (or two) of coffee and get comfortable. This will rock your world.

3 Laws to Master Coaching Youth Athletes – Nancy Newell

Excellent advice from Nancy on this one. Sometimes it’s the simple things like remembering someone’s name that can go a long way.

Categoriespodcast Stuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 9/2/16

Note from TG: be sure to scroll all the way down for some bonus material.

Wow – it’s September already. It’s Labor Day weekend here in the States, which means summer is more or less over, and so is any chance of me getting a sick tan this year. Noooo.

There’s no sense whining about it. It is what it is. Lets jump right into this week’s list of stuff to read.

34178802 - books on a dark background

Copyright: donatas1205 / 123RF Stock Photo

A quick reminder that Dean Somerset and I will be hosting our last LIVE event together of 2016 next month (weekend of October 15th) in Minneapolis, MN.

The stellar folks at Movement Minneapolis were kind enough to offer their four walls to host our Complete Shoulder & Hip Workshop. You can check out all the details along with sign-up information HERE.

Also, speaking of the workshop, Dean and I filmed it last Spring over in Norway and are planning on releasing it as an 11+ hour digital product titled the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint in the next coming weeks. Catchy title, right?9

 

We’d still highly recommend attending a live event if you ever get the chance to do so; each one is always a little different and nuanced. However, the likelihood Dean and I will ever travel to North Platte, Nebraska or, I don’t know, the country of Moldova is slim. No offense North Platteians, I’m sure it’s a lovely place to visit.

Filming the event and making it into a digital product is going to get our information into more hands, which is kind of the point: we want to help more fitness professionals do a better job at assessment and writing effective programs, as well as helping non-fitness professionals better understand anatomy and exercise technique.

Get ready people: it’s coming.

Muscle Confusion Is Mostly a Myth – Brad Stulberg

I love, love, LOVE that this kind of information is starting to “bleed” into the mainstream media. I also love that names like Brett Bartholomew and Vern Gambetta – two highly respected strength coaches used in this story – are the go to sources.

Next time someone tells you how they need to “mix things up in the gym to keep the body guessing”…

  • Roll your eyes
  • Tell them the reason why nothing never works for them is because 1) they’re probably not working nearly as hard enough as they think they’re working and 2) adherence (and allowing enough time for something to stick) is going to trump any “muscle confusion” protocol.
  • Show them this article.

The Online Training Bullshit Detector – Eric Bach

Sure, you can train clients online. But should you?

That’s the question Eric Bach poses in this nifty article. Yes, I just used the word nifty.

Surviving the Dr. Oz Diet (and other fad advice) – Dr. John Berardi

I really liked this article by Dr. Berardi, and not for the reasons you might suspect. It DOES NOT shit on Dr. Oz (which, frankly, is easy to do).

Rather, it’s about learning how to better coach your clients, and how to best set them up for success and weed through the crowded fad diet bonanza.

BONUS

My good friend Mike Robertson invited me onto his phenomenal Physical Preparation Podcast earlier this week. Mike’s a big deal and one of the coaches I look up to most. His podcast is also one of the most informative ones out there and I never miss listening to it myself.

I was honored to be invited on, especially considering the caliber of coaches who have appeared prior to myself. I mean, who the eff am I?

We had a blast catching up and discussing everything from assessment, a typical training session, CORE, and of course, my cat.

LISTEN HERE.