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Simple Squat Fix: “Owning” Your Rib Position

While squatting is considered a standard human movement pattern, and something that everyone does everyday of their lives, there are a million and one things that can go awry when you place a barbell on someone’s back.

In addition there’s no shortage of coaching cues which are tossed around, that it’s no wonder people are often overwhelmed when it comes to honing in on technique.

Get your air!

Spread the floor with your feet!

Keep your chin tucked!

Squeeze your shoulder blades together, find your shelf!

Push your knees out!

Don’t shit out your pancreas!

Sit back!

Pull down on the bar!

Get your hips through at the top!

Did you leave your stove on when you left the house?

One would think they’re solving some advanced algorithm for space travel than simply squatting up and down with a bar.

And so it goes.  The fact of the matter is:  when it comes to squatting big weight, you have to be LOCKED in with technique or else some bad things can happen.

However, even if squatting a house isn’t your goal, it still doesn’t mean you should have a nonchalant attitude when it comes to technique, because you “may” be causing irreparable harm in the long run.

One cue that we’ve been hammering at the facility as of late is the idea of “owning” rib position.

This is something that manifested itself after watching a video Bill Hartman released a little over a year ago on using a belt and how many powerlifting go about  “getting their air.”

To expound a bit more on Bill’s brilliance, after watching that video I started taking more notes on how people squatted and noticed one common pattern amongst the more serious weightlifters.  Not so much powerlifters (although they’re not off the hook), but more so those people who were past the “newbie” stage and had a bit of experience underneath their belts.

Many, to no fault of their own (it’s what they’ve read and have been coached to do) were OVER-arching and hinging more through their lower backs rather than their hips.

Arching the back isn’t bad or poor form.  But when done excessively, can lead to some nasty things like end-plate fractures, Spondylolisthesis, and a bad hair day.

Just kidding on that last one.

A perfect example of what I’m referring to is a video I received from a new distance coaching client, Sarah.

To the casual eye her squat is pretty legit.  She’s sitting back, keeping a more vertical shin angle, hitting decent depth, and using close to 1x bodyweight (for reps!). What, what!

But to the more keen observer, and to steal a line from one of my heros, Optimus Prime,  there’s a bit more than meets the eye.

And before someone has a conniption and starts spouting off about how much vertical videos suck, relax.  Deal with it.

If you pause the video at the nine second mark you’ll notice that her initial movement is to hinge through the lumbar spine rather than the hips.

Too, you’ll notice how her rib cage flares out simultaneously.

In going back and forth with her via email, Sarah has mentioned to me that her squat numbers have hit a stalemate as of late, and I have a hunch that part of the reason (if not the entire reason) is because she’s losing stability by not bracing and “owning” her rib position.

In essence, and what I pointed out to her, is that we need to work on keeping her rib cage DOWN and learning to brace more.

Taking it a step further, and something I discussed in a previous video on lunging (see below) is the idea of pretending there’s an imaginary line between her nipple line and her belly button. When she goes to un-rack the barbell she needs to ensure an abdominal brace and to make sure the line between her nipple line and belly button doesn’t get longer.

From there it’s just a matter of making some minor adjustments, getting her to groove the hip hinge through the HIPS and not her the lower back, and then it’s smooth sailing.

I find this is an issue that’s more common than people think, and it parlays into a lot of different exercises from deadlifts to lunges to overhead dwarf throwing.

And I have to imagine a few light-bulbs just turned on for a few people reading this post.

You’re welcome, and that will be $19.99.

This won’t apply to everyone, of course, but hopefully it gives some food for thought.  Enjoy the weekend!

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The Myth of Female Specific Training

A few weeks ago at the Cressey Performance Fall Seminar I presented on the topic of female specific training with a presentation titled Training Jane From Joe:  Do Women Need to Train Differently Than Men?

Stealing an awesome quote from my friend John Romaniello (and something I whole heartedly agree with):

“We all have the same parts (muscles, not genitals), and while women certainly don’t need to train differently than men, there are numerous reasons that women can – and, often, should – train differently than men.”

True: most women aren’t concerned with bro-science goals like blasting their biceps, pulverizing their pecs, or building a derriere that has it’s own zip code (although, thanks to guys like Bret Contreras, more and more women are jumping on the glute train like never before), and in that regard it’s easy to see the slight differences in training approaches that may arise.

But having said that, I still feel that 90% of the time – general goals aside – there’s no reason to differentiate between how a woman trains and how a man trains.

And while I did dissect a handful of scenarios in which I approach female specific training with a bit more vigor and attention to detail – namely ACL prevention considerations** training someone through a pregnancy – the overriding theme of my talk was how many (not all) women are programmed at an early age to think they’re these delicate flowers who can’t (and sadly, shouldn’t) lift weights.

Sadder still is how many young women are inundated with images from the mainstream media which tells them how they should look to fall into quote-on-quote “societal norms.”

Here’s a glowing example:

One week they’re told that this picture of Kim Kardashian (pregnant) is what fat is:

As a result many will resort to extreme amounts of cardiovascular exercise (you know, because that’s what women are supposed to do) and then follow a diet where a snack mounts to nothing more than a celery stick, water with a splash of lemon, and something that’s gluten-free and tastes like sawdust.

Then, maybe the following week or a few weeks later the same magazine will run a cover which looks like this:

Well, WTF!?!?!?  Which is it?

Is it any wonder why so many women – of all ages – are so confused and have body image issues?

And then there’s this doozy of a story which made me want to offer my face up as a punching bag.

A current client of mine, a woman who happens to be a personal trainer herself, was interested in possibly working with young, female athletes this past summer and reached out to the local high school in her area to see if she’d be able to hang out at the school’s gym during the times when the athletes were there.

She contacted all the coaches of the female sports teams to let them know they she was going to be around and that she was hoping to round up the troops and have the opportunity to work with their athletes.

One of the coaches, who’s the PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER to boot, wrote back with the following note”

“Not many of the girls are interested in lifting weights because there’s no “women friendly equipment” available.”

The “women friendly equipment” she was referring to was, you guessed it:  treadmills and elliptical trainers.

She might as well have added dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, and an apron for good measure.  Hell, why not take away their right to vote while you’re at it!

My client was aghast with equal parts disappointment and rage.  The weight-room was well-equipped with ten power racks and plenty of barbells and dumbbells.  Plenty of space for an entire team to come in and learn how to lift weights, and as far as high-schools are concerned, a strength coaches wet dream.

Yet, this coach, assuredly someone whom the female athletes look up to was sending them the message that “you’re girls, you belong on the treadmill.”

This is what’s so frustrating (and infuriating) at times.  Girls are being programmed to think that they’re not like the boys and that they shouldn’t lift weights. Which I find absurd.

And that, in many ways, was the main theme I was trying to convey in my talk a few weeks ago. That the OPPOSITE is what should be highlighted and encouraged and instilled into the psyche of our young females.

While I’m only one coach, and feel I do a good job at stressing things like performance based goals over scale weight and I go out of my way not to fall prey to archaic societal norms, I think the tide is starting to turn.

Groups like the Girls Gone Strong crew are leading the charge and helping to spread the word that it’s okay for girls to get a little dirty and to train along side the boys. People like Bret Contreras and Kellie Davis are writing mainstream books telling women to go LIFT SOME WEIGHTS. Organizations like CrossFit – despite some of my reservations –  are getting women excited to train, and train hard.

It’s still a long battle to forge, and we have a lot of work to do still, but I think we’re heading in the right direction.  And that’s cool in my book.

** = In a lot of ways, much like Mike Boyle, I think the whole ACL prevention talk is BS.  Yeah, yeah, we can talk about how research demonstrates that female athletes are 6-8x more likely to tear their ACL compared to their male counterparts, Q-angles, and even estrogen receptors during the menstrual cycle……but at the end of the day I don’t feel there’s such a thing as an “ACL prevention program.”  I think any well-designed program that focuses on getting athletes stronger (particularly the posterior chain), teaching them how to decelerate and land properly, as well as works on change of direction and movement quality is an ACL prevention program in its own right.

And lets just call a spade a spade:  I don’t think it’s so much an ACL issue with women as it is “they’re just weak” issue.

Now, this doesn’t apply to all women of course.  But generally speaking many women are “hand held” when it comes to programming (see above) and it just comes down to getting them stronger.  Plain and simple.

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5 Life Stressors That Are Affecting Your Training

I’m still in NYC taking in the sights and sounds.  As much as it’s the city that never sleeps and is arguably the most exciting city in the world, I think the most impressive thing that I’ve come across during this visit is a little restaurant chain called BareBurger.

In a span of 24 hours I’ve hit up this place three freaking times, and each time I swear I want to run around the place and give the entire staff a high-five.

I’m seriously thinking about writing an email to the owners and petitioning for them to open up this place in Boston.

It’s unbelievable!

But as thrilling as hearing about my palette and eating habits are, as it happens I left Crunch Fitness located on East 34th Street not too long ago, where I took their staff through a four hour in-service on assessment. As I was walking around I decided to set up shop here at one of the 893 Starbucks located in Manhattan to catch up on some emails and to post this quick guest post by Chris and Eric Martinez (AKA: The Dynamic Duo).

In case anyone is curious – and why wouldn’t you be? – the staff over on East 34h St, is fantastic.  The fitness director, Mike Spiegel, is a stand-up guy and it’s impressive to see how passionate he is about the fitness industry, how he strives to make his staff better in every way possible, and the exuberant energy he conveys.

As far as commercial gym settings go – and believe me, they’re not all nightmares – these guys do it right, and I was thoroughly flabbergasted.  How’s that for word play!?!

It says a lot about a staff when 10-15 of them take time out of their busy schedules to come listen to me ramble on about scapulohumeral rhythm, the Joint-by-Joint approach, and squat assessment; especially when they could have just as easily skipped out and used that same time to train clients and make money.

Instead they decided to come chill with me, and that’s cool as balls.

I was honored to be invited in to speak, and cheesy movie quotes and references aside, everyone seemed to enjoy it. 

Nevertheless, I hope you take the time to read today’s guest post as I feel the topic – STRESS – is something that far too many people gloss over.

“I’m tired. I feel overtrained. I have no energy. I ate like crap the other day. I had a long day at work. I feel fat. My genetics suck.”

We remember our last year of college taking 15 units per semester, doing an internship, working 32 hours a week, homework, projects, and training. MY LAWD we were extremely busy and evidently this lead to mental stress. We started to continuously say things like the above statements and the mental stress started to affect our training and that was a huge, huge DEAL-E-O.

We’re writing this because we feel too many people overlook the component of life stressors when it comes to getting optimal results.These days, everyone wants to know the magical programming design to build muscle, hidden gems to fat loss, the gold standard macronutrients ratio for their nutrition program, perfect supplementation stack, and then some.

What we tend to forget are life stressors that we all deal with on a day-to-day basis. These life stressors lead to mental stress, which have been proven in studies to lead to performance decrements in training.

You can have the quote-on-quote perfect training and nutrition program but what if your sleep is always lacking? Your cortisol levels are chronically elevated through the roof? Your blood pressure is constantly sky rocketing? Or your energy levels are sinking like a ship? The quote-on-quote perfect program will suffer because of these life stressors and so will your results.

Note from TG:  I’ve written on the topic of sleep and how lack of it can affect one’s training (not to mention hormone levels) HERE.  Additionally, THIS post dives into some simple tips one can implement almost immediately to help people not only get to sleep but also improve sleep quality.

You should read them.

Now, before we get started with our 5 life stressors that may be affecting your training and how to fix them. We don’t want you to look at this in a superficial way or a black and white answer type of thing. We’re asking you to think critically here and come up with your own opinions.

We want you to look at these life stressors more as they could become a big problem if they become chronic in your life and you don’t find a way to cope with them. Truth is we all have life stressors and some we can’t get rid of, but we sure can control them so our training doesn’t suffer. Allow us to elaborate…

Stressor #1- Occupational Stress

Corporate world, 9-5’s, commuting, being micro managed, meeting project deadlines, driving in revenue, working your ass off to get promoted, wanting to round house your boss because they’re always nagging at you…

Does all this sound stressful? While stress can have detrimental effects, evidence suggests that stress plays an essential role in developing a healthy body that is able to cope with the various demands thrown our way on a daily basis. It is very likely that you’re getting off work, going straight to the gym, and have experienced some kind of occupational stress which could affect your performance when you’re training.

The Fix- While going through your warm up phase, put on your “GET FIRED UP” playlist, think positive about your upcoming workout, and imagine how you’re going to man handle that squat.

If you shift your mindset away from work mode, you will be more immersed into your workout and thus you will have a more effective training session.

Stressor #2- Social Stress

Social stress can be as tough as occupational stress, if not tougher. The reason being, you can have the best job in the world, fanciest car, and an MTV like crib on the block, but if you don’t have a social life or aren’t socially accepted then everything else means Jack.

Everyone wants to be socially accepted whether they admit it or not. Social stress can also be family issues or changes, relationship issues, and sexuality issues. Social stress can lead to mental stress, anxiety, depression, decrease cognitive function, among other decrements. So it’s imperative that you exercise at a high performance level so these stressors won’t affect your training.

The Fix- If you’re dealing with a lot of social stress try joining a team or taking a group class such as: Boot camp, TRX, Pilates, yoga, CrossFit, etc.

The environments in these group classes are very supportive and encouraging. There’s a lot of camaraderie built and this could be a sure way to help you cope with and improve your social stress.

Stressor #3- The Mind Body Connection

A quote that really sticks with us is by Dr. Layne Norton, he said “your mentality becomes your reality.”

If you’re inherently negative and constantly think negative outcomes, then you’re most likely going to face negative results. Same thing goes for being inherently positive. (1) There are hundreds of studies showing again and again that decrements to health due to the mind body connection are real problems. (2) Mental stress is related to an increase in various potentially harmful chemicals substances such as: cortisol which degrades proteins, including white blood cells, antibodies, resulting in a decrease in immune function, and consequently, elevated rates of sickness.

This also leads to cerebration (thoughts), which is one reason why people that are stressed often have sleeping disorders and it’s because they’re up worrying all night.

The Fix- The minute you step foot into the gym, make sure to get your mind right. Do this by playing some good-up beat music (so good that you want to show off your dance moves), get a good warm up in, and get pumped up for your workout.

Who knows, you could have had a hell of a day at work, with the spouse, the kids, the babies mama or daddy. Play it safe and set the positive mood for a more productive workout. Don’t bring that energy draining negative vibe into the gym and definitely don’t be that person in the gym walking around giving everyone dirty looks…

Because YOU AREN’T THAT TOUGH. 

Stressor #4- Stress Disorders

Stress is not always a bad thing. In fact, stress is absolutely needed for growth. However, the real problems occur with abnormal and chronic stress responses.

For instance, some people might typically operate in a persistently hectic environment. (3) These environments contribute to alarming numbers of mental ailments including 16 and 32 million cases of depression and anxiety. These same people will often make excuses to avoid physical activity. This is when stress can cause serious ailments and diseases.

If you don’t utilize the nutrients and energy being supplied by your bodies during the high stress responses, several diseases can occur such as: Diabetes, obesity, immune suppression, cancer, asthma, allergies, indigestion, and cardiovascular disease.

Now of course these are extreme cased diseases, but we still want to inform you on them. Also, fat loss, performance, and hypertrophy could be hampered by high and chronic stress responses.

The Fix- If you typically operate in a persistently hectic-daily environment and are always under high stress. Consider hiring a trainer or a coach. A qualified trainer or coach can take a lot of the guess work out of your training and nutrition program and make your fitness life a lot easier.

Stressor #5- Nutritional Factors

Nutritional factors can be closely related to stress disorders and can become serious problems if you don’t monitor them correctly. If you feel lost with your nutrition program, then you could find yourself overwhelmed with information online or those non-qualified local gurus telling you to eat nothing but tilapia and broccoli because it’ll thin out your skin.

This could lead to frustration and depression and could cause the following to occur: Malnutrition, poor eating habits, eating disorders, bulimia anorexia, or just flat out quitting overall.

Again, these are extreme cases, but these are all serious matters which will lead to high mental stress and eventually performance decrements when you train.

The Fix- Hire a sports nutritionist, a reputable coach, or a trainer that has a nutrition background. These professionals will take care of the nutrition side for you and hopefully educate you as well.

You could even take a basic nutrition class or self-educate yourself with the right resources.

Wrapping All This Up

As you can see even if you have the most optimal training and nutrition programs, your bodies will say “Not so fast!” This is because stressors in life can affect how you feel with training.

Lots of studies show mental stress can cause decrements in performance and even hinder adaptation than physiological stress. Sometimes you can’t remove these mental stressors in life. But you can cope with them, psychologically to where they don’t become stressors.

Take life stressors serious as you would with your training and nutrition programs. If you totally ignore it, do you want to risk your performance and end results?

For more information on how to deal with life stressors, check this video out here.

About the Authors

 

Chris and Eric Martinez, CISSN, CPT, BA, also known as the “Dynamic Duo” operate a world class personal training and online training business “Dynamic Duo Training,” They’re also fitness and nutrition writers, fitness models, and coaches that love helping people reach their goals. Their philosophy is “No excuses, only solutions.”

Visit them at:

Dynamic Duo Training

Blogsite

Twitter

YouTube Channel  

References:

  1. Simmons, J (2006). Exercise and stress lecture. California State East Bay.
  2. Haddy, Richard I. Clover, Richard D. (2001). Biological processes in psychological stress. Families, systems & health.
  3. McCullagh, Penny. (2005) Sports and exercise psychology lecture. Cal State East Bay. Wilson, Gabriel. Wilson, Jacob. Exercise and Stress-An in-depth Analysis.  http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exercisestressindex.html
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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: I’m in NYC Edition

First things first:  I have to give a brief shout out to one John Romaniello and his new wife Mrs. Neghar (formerly Fonooni) Romaniello on their freshly minted nuptials.

I had the lovely honor of being invited to their wedding this past weekend (last night, actually) here in the Big Apple, and it was every bit as an amazing wedding, and night, as I had imagined it was going to be. The air was filled with a palpable vibe of love, laughter, and Star Wars references.

The tables were labelled not by something traditional like 1,2,3…. or maybe more appropriately (since we were in NYC) names of certain neighborhoods in and around the city.  No, no, no.

Rather, each table was named after a planet or location in the Star Wars universe.  I, along with Eric Cressey and wife Anna were part of the Felucia tribe. For those non-nerds out there, Felucia (see pic above) was a key planet in the Clone Wars, and because of its density of flora and fauna and other plant life, had strong ties to the Living Force.

But everyone knows that.

If that wasn’t cool enough, the Officiant of the wedding actually wore a Jedi Cloak during the ceremony.  A JEDI CLOAK!!!!!!! I wasn’t able to take a picture of it in the flesh, but this should give you a good idea of what it looked like:

The entire night was full of surprises (and amazing food) and at one point I was half expecting The Ultimate Warrior to come flying down the aisle and challenge the entire wedding party to an arm wrestling match.

Speaking of the wedding party (and guests), as you can imagine, the line-up (for lack of a better term) included a Who’s Who of the fitness industry. It was undoubtedly one of the “fittest” crowds ever put underneath one roof I don’t think I’ve ever seen more 500+ lb deadlifters at one wedding in my life.

Moreover, it was just great to catch up with old friends and finally meet a few others whom I’ve only conversed with via email or social media.

So now I’m here sitting in my hotel room crushing SportsCenter and writing this blog post – in a leopard bathrobe, thank you very much.

I’m going to be hanging out for the next two days visiting friends and a few family members, and I’ll also be making a few cameo appearances at Peak Performance and one of the Crunch Fitness gyms to do a couple of staff in-services.  I might also see how long I can go wearing a Red Sox hat before getting tackled on the street.  My bet is half the day.

And on that note, here’s some stuff to read….

But before I do that I just want to remind everyone that TODAY (September 30th) is the LAST DAY to take advantage of the early-bird registration for mine and Dean Somerset’s Edmonton Workshop.

We had a blast with our Boston seminar and wanted to bring it north, and are limiting it to 30 attendees. The downside is that we’re already halfway to selling out, but the good news is our early bird registration price of $399 is still on until TONIGHT at midnight (before Tuesday for those clock sticklers out there), after which the price jumps $100.

Along with the wicked weekend, we have continuing education credits for ACE, canfitpro, and the NSCA so trainers can keep up their certifications. We’ll also have some sweet give aways, door prizes, pony rides, and an intimate, hands on atmosphere that means you’ll walk away with a crazy amount of knowledge, experience, and direct access to Dean and I.

For more info, the itinerary, as well as sign-up direction go HERE.

Surviving Whole Foods – Kelly MacLean

This was an absolutely HILARIOUS write-up on the whole “Whole Foods” experience.  For anyone who routinely shops there you’ll be able to nod your head in agreement throughout.  For those who don’t, I think you’ll still get a big laugh.

The Deficit: How We Lose Fat – Leigh Peele

It’s just calories in vs. calories out, right?  It’s as simple as that, right?

Wrong!  There’s a bit more to it than that, and Leigh weighs in on a few things people may be glossing over.

9 Ideas to Improve Your Workouts – Dan John

When Dan John speaks, you should listen.  This is yet another gem from one of my favorite coaches and writers.

 

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Cutting CrossFit a Break

There’s certainly been no shortage of scathing articles directed towards CrossFit, its brand, and its oftentimes cultish followers in recent times.

I don’t know if it’s something in the water or because ObamaCare starts in less than a week, but it seems as if there’s been an influx of “CrossFit is the worst thing since Pepsi Clear” themed articles that have hit the media-stream as of late.

This is NOT one of those articles.

Yep, that’s right:  My name is Tony Gentilcore, and I’m growing tired of the incessant CrossFit bashing.

Now to be fair: I’ve written my share of “choice words” towards CrossFit in the past.  And to be perfectly frank, there’s still many things about it that I don’t agree with nor advocate.  Then again, I think Veganism is kinda weird and there are some people out there who think Justin Bieber makes good music – so who am I to judge?

We could make an argument that Veganism has it’s own list of benefits, and well, Beiber does have a few top ten hits so there’s that.

Moreover, there are plenty of things I used to quote-on-quote “hate” that I changed my mind on later in life. Hell, I used to hate Ben Affleck and Brussels sprouts, now I love em both!

Seemingly, however, there’s a growing “line” being drawn in the sand when it comes to CrossFit between those who love it and those who hate it.

It’s almost as if we’re in the midst of a modern day West Side Story where the Sharks and Jets still hate one another, albeit instead of knife fights and dance-offs, in this version the weapons of choice are kipping pull-ups and arguing over whether or not potatoes can be considered Paleo.

Those who love it espouse it as the end-all-be-all of fitness and point to it’s growing (viral?) popularity.  I don’t know about other cities, but here in Boston I can’t walk more than four blocks without walking past a new CrossFit affiliate.

Those who hate it blame CrossFit for everything from global warming to the copious amounts of injuries amongst its members.

To that last point a friend of mine  – who’s an avid CrossFitter herself – linked to an article that’s been making its rounds across the social media spectrum titled CrossFit’s Dirty Little Secret.

To summarize:  it’s basically an article taking a look into how CrossFit “nurtures” a culture of exercising to excess, to the point where the condition rhabdomyolysis – where myoglobin is leached into the bloodstream from muscle cells literally exploding,

which in turn puts many bodily systems (kidneys) at risk of shutting down – is a real concern for some members.

I don’t know the numbers offhand:  but there have been several documented cases of rhabdo in the CrossFit community.

They even have a mascot for it ————————–>

I’d argue not the best choice, but I’m not the head of the marketing department.

My friend asked for my opinion on the article, and here’s what I said (with some other stuff added because I actually had some time to sit down and think about what I wanted to write).

I think it (the article) is a bit sensationalistic – and just a way to take a hot topic, use it to toss some numbers out there, raise some alarms, and to garner some significant web traffic.

It absolutely succeeded in this regard.

This isn’t to say that I don’t agree with some components of the article. We had a client who switched to CrossFit a few years back, and she was someone who’d I have complete confidence in being able to do the WODs with no issues at all.

Except that she was in really good shape and had a killer mentality, and did NOT know when to stop. She was one of those people who would push herself, and unfortunately she ended up in the hospital for a week with a severe case of Rhabdo.

It IS a REAL concern, and something that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

This, among other things is what I don’t like about CrossFit. I don’t like that there’s a low barrier to entry.  All someone has to do is take some weekend course to become “CrossFit Certified,” then pay the franchise fee, and BAM, they’re in.

Baking a homemade apple pie is harder!

It uses a one-size-fits-all programming model which I think is asinine considering you have people from all walks of life walking into CrossFit gyms on a daily basis.  To say that Mrs. Smith who’s never lifted a weight in her life (let alone knows the difference between a squat and deadlift), is 25 lbs overweight, has two herniated discs, and just so happens to be a type 1 diabetic should be doing the same workout as Greg, who’s a 25 year old former college athlete and has been lifting weights for the better part of a decade, is downright absurd.  But it happens.  A lot.

Compounding this last point, and while it varies from affiliate to affiliate, there’s a definite lack of assessment which takes place, as well as a lack of a proper progression and regression system.

As an aside: Last weekend at the CP Seminar I was talking with a fellow strength coach and he mentioned that his wife walked into a CrossFit affiliate, and without any assessment, she was put through a workout that included overhead squats and high-rep cleans and snatches on day one.

I don’t know about everyone else reading – but I’d trust a coach who advocates high-rep OLY lifts about as much as I’d trust a barber with a mullet.

But now I sound like a cynical SOB and am just regurgitating what everyone else says.

To save face there’s also a lot that I like about CrossFit.

There’s no question that it builds an unparalleled sense of camaraderie.  People are EXCITED to train and workout!  How can I hate on that?

In an era where we celebrate gluttony to the point where competitive eating is broadcast on ESPN, it’s hard for me to dismiss anything which gets people fired up to get off their ass and move  – regardless of how much it makes me scratch my head.

CrossFit also emphasizes compound movements (awesome – assuming they’re coached well), and they don’t waste time advocating traditional “aerobic training,” which as many may recall from a few weeks ago, is a topic which caused a shit-storm on my blog when I suggested that there are other ways to elevate your heart-rate other than climbing onto a treadmill.

Offhandedly, I do feel that CrossFit isn’t the right choice for a lot of people who don’t otherwise move well.  There are people who take on a bit more than they can chew, who end up hurt, and worse, end up causing serious harm to their body.

And much of that is on the shoulders of the affiliates who don’t take the time to properly assess their clients and who don’t otherwise implement appropriate exercises progressions and regressions.

I really have a hard time believing people can’t agree on that point.

The affiliates who give a shit, actually assess their clients, and take the time to coach the lifts properly are the ones that generally do very well and are the ones which I applaud.  Unfortunately, it’s the “bad apples” that give CrossFit as a whole its bad reputation.

I “get” the tone of the article, and understand that it’s just trying to raise awareness of an actual issue, but it most certainly doesn’t apply to all affiliates or should serve as the umbrella of the CrossFit mentality.

Many affiliates do what they do very well and they should be applauded for their efforts.

Another article, or rather picture, which has set the interwebs ablaze is that of 35-year old Lea-Ann Ellison who, two-weeks before her due date, was photographed, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT’S HOLY…………..lifting weights.

This is a case where I wish people would just STFU and mind their own business.

To her credit, Ms. Ellison, prior to her pregnancy (which for some reason many people deem a disease that should leave every woman incapable of doing anything past putting dishes away or walking up a flight of stairs), had been participating in CrossFit for two and a half years.

It’s not like she decided two months into her pregnancy that she’d head down to her local affiliate and start tossing barbells over her head and dragging cars across the parking lot.

She had a solid foundation of fitness underneath her belt, and even though she was consistently training throughout her pregnancy, she admitted that the weights she was using were far LOWER than what she’d normally use, and that her workouts were far less CrossFitish in nature.

She listened to her body and knew when to back off when needed (which is advice I’ve given to every female client I’ve trained through their pregnancy as well).

You can read more HERE, if you’d like.

Here’s a woman who had the audacity to take a more proactive approach to her pregnancy and not subside to societal norms, and people are going to go out of their way to judge her for it?

The human body is a lot smarter than we give it credit for.  If putting a barbell on our back and squatting it (or doing anything which requires physical exertion) was so detrimental to the existence of the human race, we would have died out a loooooooooong time ago.

I’m unsure about what actually caused all the hooplah in the first place: whether it was the fact that she was performing CrossFit workouts so close to her due date, or that it was a provocative photograph that was taken?  I guess that’s up for interpretation.

But at the end of the day people are exercising.  And that’s cool.

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Reviewing the Cressey Performance Fall Seminar – Part Two

Yesterday in PART ONE I reviewed a little less than half the line-up at last weekend’s Cressey Performance Fall Seminar

Today, in part two I’ll highlight the rest.

The Role of Physical Therapy in a Strength and Conditioning Facility – Eric Schoenberg

Eric is the founder, President, and all around badass of Momentum Physical Therapy located in Milford, Mass. We send pretty much all of our more delicate or serious cases to Eric, and he does a fantastic job of getting people better but not treating them as if they’re trapped in some bubble where they can’t train or get after it in some way.

We’re really lucky to have Eric in our back pocket and it’s only a matter of time before his name starts getting thrown out there more and more.

1. The fields of physical therapy and strength and conditioning are moving at a thousand different directions, but what would happen if we combined our strengths, where there was clear communication and NO egos?

We’d see and bare witness to:

– More thorough evaluations and re-evaluations.

– Improved programming, progressions.

– Better movement quality.

– Less dysfunction/pain/injury.

– Improved performance/results.

– Happier customers!

2. Don’t just refer out, refer to someone who have a relationship with – understanding the language and communication used by a facility or practice you refer out to is imperative.

3. You don’t have to be an expert on everything. Just try to be good at something.

4. When you combine forces (Strength and Conditioning and PT) a few cool things happens:

– Able to offer a premium service to your customer.

– Optimal outcomes (people get better quicker,and stay consistent).

– Better retention.

– Improved credibility.

5. The role of both the PT and strength coach has evolved.

PT: expert in human movement; evaluates and integrates multiple disciplines and body systems (no longer is someone ONLY a Graston guy or ONLY an ART guy or ONLY a DNS guy); bridges the gap between PT and S&C; many are now CSCS certified and understands exercise principles and progressions; understands scope of practice.

S&C Coach: has created a “niche” (trains baseball players, fat loss expert, combine prep, prepares for the Zombie apocalypse); often wears multiple hats (business owner, coach, writer, speaker); currently carries the torch for growth and development of new ideas; understands scope of practice.

Getting to Know Your Athlete – Chris Howard

I thought this was a fantastic presentation and a topic which I feel is an often glossed over as irrelevant when it’s anything but.

1.  There are three learning styles as popularized by Neil Fleming: Visual (29%), Auditory (34%), and Kinesthetic (37%), and people will generally gravitate towards a preference (as shown with the percentages).  That said, it’s often efficacious to dabble in ALL THREE to be most effective.

2. It’s important to show (visual) then explain (auditory) the name of an exercise to a client. If he or she still struggles, then it may be pertinent to place them in the proper position(s) with your hands (kinesthetic).

Note from TG:  This is something I talk about in more detail in Play-Doh Coaching.

3. Chris also spoke to the differences between introverts and extroverts – both from a client standpoint and coaches standpoint – which I always find fascinating.  As an unabashed introvert myself it was refreshing to hear Chris speak to this topic in more depth.

Introverts:

– Tend to recharge by spending time alone.

– Lose energy from being around people for long periods.

– THINK before they ACT.

– Use a lot of eye contact when listening (but exhibit the opposite when speaking).

– Prefers one-on-one conversation.

– Enjoys reading, writing, and watching Jason Bourne movies (<— I added that one).

– Prefers quiet, non-stimulating environments.

– NOT the same as shy.

Extroverts:

– Gain energy from other people.

– Recharge by being social.

– Drained by isolation.

– ACT before THINKING

– Show lots of expression

4.  Coaching the introvert – be patient; ask relevant questions; let them observe first.  Some challenges that arise when coaching the introvert is that they often do no ask a lot of questions,and that they don’t demand attention so it’s important to check in with them.

Coaching the extrovert – you may need to help them “get to the point;” reign them in.  Their strengths are that they’re outwardly enthusiastic and they bring a lot of energy to the gym.  The obvious challenge is that they’re typically not great at listening to instruction and feedback.

5. The introverted coach – strength is in listening; often calm and quiet.  Challenges may include coming off as “unapproachable,” and he or she may not give as much feedback or encouragement.

The extroverted coach – strengths include lots of energy and very encouraging to clients.  Challenges of weaknesses include they get easily distracted, not great listeners, and they may want to jump too quickly to the next thing/client.

Excellence in Group Training – Greg Robins

Greg has really jumped into the scene the past year where he writes a weekly guest post on Eric Cressey’s as well as making cameo appearances in various websites and magazines in the fitness realm.  In addition he recently launched is own brand spankin new website TheStrengthHouse.com which you should absolutely go out of your way to check out.

On top of being one of our full-time coaches, Greg also runs our bootcamps during the week and he had a few sage words and advice on how to operate a sound group training environment.

1. What’s important?

Movement Quality and Technique: get people to move better, feel better, and know how to and trust themselves in performing exercises correctly.

Work Capacity: help people develop a base level of “fitness” so that we can throw progressively more challenging training means on them.

Strength or Resistance Training: get people stronger, and to understand the importance and benefits of strength training.

2. Variables to consider with group training: time, equipment availability, demographic, setting, number of people, # of coaches.

3. The right REGRESSION is a great PROGRESSION

Note for TG:  well, well, well – it just so happens I also wrote on this topic as well.  Click ME.

4. Group Training Programming Schemes:

Intervals (strictly assigned work to rest ratios) – STRENGTHS: easy to organize, forces movement, very adaptable. WEAKNESSES: does not allow for effective coaching, limits “strength” component.

Density (more work in less time, group of exercises in assigned time) – STRENGTHS: easy to organize, allows for effective coaching, blends strength & conditioning.  WEAKNESSES: allows for “slacking” if not monitored.

Classic (prescribed sets and reps) – STRENGTHS: maximizes strength component, allows for extensive coaching.  WEAKNESSES: can be difficult to monitor in large groups, higher risk if not not managed well.

Training Jane From Joe:  Do Women Need to Train Differently Then Men? – Tony Gentilcore

1.  Short answer: um, NO!

** While there’s really no inherent reason why women need to train differently then men, there’s are circumstances where women can (and probably should) train differently (pregnancy, differing goals, etc).

2.  If anything, stressing PERFORMANCE based goals – performing an unassisted chin-up, for example – should take precedence over what the scale says.  Get women to “buy” into strength and performance and it’s not only liberating but empowering as well.

3.  Yes, I dropped an EPIC f-bomb during my presentation.  And yes, it was totally directed towards Tracy Anderson, thank you very much.

Best quote during my Anderson rant:  “I’m half expecting her to come out one day and say something equally as asinine such as bathing in unicorn tears will help decrease cellulite.”

4. You can’t build perkier, rounder, or sexier anything without building muscle. And anytime someone says they want to get “toned,” what they’re really saying is “I want to be less fat.”

5. Comparatively speaking, unlike a few years ago, I’ve changed my stance on yoga and recognize there’s plenty of benefits and redeeming qualities.  Having said that, I still get mildly (okay, a lot) irritated about how it’s marketed as this all encompassing panacea of health.  Without hesitation, I 100% feel that strength training trumps yoga in every department as far as what most (not all) women are looking to do with their bodies.

6.  I hate the term “girl push-up.”  Instead I prefer to always place a priority on showing women SUCCESS in the gym and I don’t feel as if telling them that there’s such a thing as “girl push-up” is doing them in any favors.

7.  I do feel there’s an archaic mindset when it comes to training women through a pregnancy. I know it’s a bit crass:  but if a woman is capable of growing a human being inside her body, she’s capable of still working out.

Still, each pregnancy is different and it’s ALWAYS a smart approach to place her comfort level first.

For a MUCH more detailed look into my thought process on this topic, I highly suggest reading What to Expect When You’re Expecting (In the Gym).

And that’s that.  See you next year!

 

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Reviewing the Cressey Performance Fall Seminar – Part One

You know the feeling you get when you demolish an ice-cream sundae so fast that you end up with one of those annoying “brain freezes” which makes you crumble to your knees in agony and forces you to make one of those weird, contorted faces that’s about as unattractive as unattractive can get?

No?

Well, maybe a better analogy would be actor Gary Busey.

Take his face (seen to the left) which is essentially what he looks like 100% of the time, and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

Okay, now that you have an ample visual:  that was me this past weekend during the Cressey Performance Fall Seminar. Not to suggest, of course, that I was swimming in a cocktail of vodka and bat-shit crazy, which is more than likely a typical breakfast for Mr. Busey.

Oh snap!  No I didn’t! That’s a Busey burn!

But rather just to suggest that 1) my brain hurt so much from all the quality information thrown my way that I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that’s how I looked and 2) that I needed a day away from blogging in order to decompress, digest, and assimilate all the information.

All told we had roughly 150-175 people make the trek out to CP to hang out, network, and listen to several pretty smart dudes discuss everything from CrossFit to corrective exercise to coaching types to twerking.

Maybe not that last one (next year?), but needless to say there was A LOT of stuff that was covered.  In lieu of all the glowing comments and reviews that followed via Facebook and Twitter, there were a number of people who asked if we filmed the seminar.

Sadly we did not.  But I’m going to take the opportunity today to try to highlight a few points and insights from each presentation.

Today I’ll cover what Eric Cressey, Brian St. Pierre, and Mike Reinold discussed.

Cracking the CrossFit Code – Eric Cressey

Starting the morning off with a bang, Eric decided to address one of the more hotly debated topics in the fitness community: CrossFit.

Contrary to popular belief Eric (as well as myself) aren’t adamant CrossFit “hater” protagonists.

We both see a lot or redeeming qualities in it, but we’re also not dowsing ourselves in the Kool-Aid.  Nevertheless, here’s some points Eric hit on.

1. Interestingly, Eric started off his talk discussing how history is loaded with selective retention.

I’m not going to spoil the surprise (as I know Eric DID film his presentation and have to assume he’s going to offer it as product), but lets just say there’s a reference to Adolf Hitler and CrossFit.

HOLD ON:  before people get all Twitter happy and say that Eric Cressey equated CrossFit to Hitler, HE DID NOT DO THIS!!!!!

But he did make a fair point that Hitler was responsible for things like improving highway infrastructure, airplane travel, and a bunch of other things.  CrossFit, too, for as much as it’s poo-pooed on by the masses, does have a lot to offer.

2. Such as:

Insane camaraderie.
Unparalleled social experience.
Brand recognition.
Interval training preferred over aerobic training.
Variety.
Stresses compound exercises.

3.  But there are also a fair number of caveats or “bad” points to consider as well. Such as:

Low barrier to entry.
Lack of assessment (this is affiliate dependent, but it’s fair to say that many DO NOT offer a keen assessment).
One-size fits all programs.
Prioritizes technically advanced exercises (for high reps, no less).

4.  One must (and should) be able to dominate the sagittal plane if he or she is going to be succeed in a traditional CrossFit program.

5.  There’s no bones about it:  untrained individuals (of which are what CrossFit attracts) move like poop, and its imperative that appropriate progressions AND regressions are in place – especially if you’re going to use a “one-size-fits-all” format.

Insulin: The Hormone, The Myth, The Legend – Brian St. Pierre

It’s always a treat when Brian makes it back to his old stomping grounds at CP.  Not many people realize this (or remember), but Brian was actually our very first employee.

But then he had to go get married, buy a house, advance his career with Precision Nutrition, have kids and stuff, and move to Maine.  What a jerk!

It’s been a pleasure to see Brian grow as a professional and he’s undoubtedly one of my “go to” guys when it comes to anything nutrition related. In his presentation he tackled the often quoted, yet often woefully misunderstood hormone insulin.

1. Insulin is ONE of MANY hormones involved in fat storage. It increases the activity of lipoprotein lipase, decreases the activity of hormone-sensitive lipase, which together leads to an increase of fat into fat cells. Insulin enhances this process, but NOT necessarily for it.

Key Concept: Insulin permits fat storage, it does not regulate it.

** For the nerds out there: The hypothalamus does.

You can gain fat with or WITHOUT elevated insulin levels.  So for all the anti-carb aficionados out there who deem them more evil than Mordor:  nah nah nah nahhhhhhhhh.

2. Hypoglycemia is incredibly rare.

3. The amount of insulin from protein rich food is positively correlated with satiety levels from that food.  So, put another way:  insulin CAN be considered a satiety hormone.

How’s this for a mindf@&k: Potatoes, which are generally regarded as one of the highest insulinogenic foods on Earth, are also reported as having one of the best satiety effects.

4. Nutrient partitioning is real phenomenon, and when used to your advantage, can help to increase recovery and adaptation to training load.

5. No news here:  (purposful) exercise creates a physiological environment where carbs are even more beneficial.

Ie:  carbs have their place.

Integrating Corrective Exercise With Performance Enhancement – Mike Reinold

Before I dive into Mike’s talk, let me just say that he’s an absolute Jedi when it comes to PowerPoint.  Some of the graphics and tricks he uses are unreal.  I’m half expecting one day for Mike to pull a rabbit out of his Macbook or go all “Prestige” on us and clone himself.

Plus, you know, he’s a brilliant therapist on the side.

1.  Mike noted that if you Google “corrective exercise”  in almost every picture there’s a physio ball or someone coaching the shit out of something completely innocuous, like this:

Apparently the message is this:  if you’re not incorporating the use of a physio ball, you’re just pretending…..;o)

2.  The term corrective exercise is a garbage term and is something that’s thrown out there in an effort for people to make themselves sound smart.  There’s no shortage of long-winded definitions out there, but Mike gave one that was about as succinct and to-the-point as they come:

“Corrective exercise are exercises designed to enhance how well you move.”

3.  Why corrective exercises sometimes may not work:

You didn’t assess well, or worked beyond your scope.
You picked the wrong correctives.
You are only addressing part of the problem.
You jumped straight to motor control/stability (you still need to get people stronger and emphasize strength).
Person is in pain.

*** If your correctives aren’t working, don’t work harder.

4. Components of Corrective Exercise:

Alignment (if you strengthen in misalignment you’ll create an imbalance, if you stretch in misalignment you’ll create instability).
Mobility
Stability
Postural Balance

5. Integrating correctives:

Pre-Training: work on alignment (PRI breathing drills), mobility, activation, motor control.

Within the Program: A2, B2, C2 (assist the “1” lifts)

As an example:

A1.  Goblet Squat 3×8
A2.  Lying Deadbugs – 3×6/side

Post-Training:  repeat foam rolling, work on breathing drills (up-regulate parasympathetic system), etc.

And that’s going to be all for today. I told you there was a ton of information covered!  Tomorrow I’ll highlight the presentations from Eric Schoenberg, Greg Robins, Chris Howard, and myself.

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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 9/20/13

I know I’m going to come across sounding like a broken record here, but I’m going to repeat myself nonetheless.

There’s only a little over a week left to take advantage of the early bird special for mine and Dean Somerset’s weekend workshop up in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) on October 19-20th.

The Boston version held a few weeks ago was a huge success, and we’re looking for more of the same this go around. Don’t believe me, just ask some of the people who attended:

“Dean and Tony are not only two of the brightest guys in the field, and they’re also two of the most entertaining.  Newer trainers will get brought up to speed on progressive training strategies and take away hands-on coaching techniques.  More experienced coaches will benefit from Tony and Dean’s refined understanding of more complicated concepts.  The only part that was weird was at the end when they made everyone do a group hug for 10 minutes, but after they explained it was really a “mind meld,” we all understood.  Don’t miss this seminar!”

– Mark Fisher, co-owner of Mark Fisher Fitness, NYC

“These guys are legit.”

– Han Solo, Capt. Millenium Falcoln, Tony Gentilcore BFF

You can click on the link provided below for more of the nitty-gritty details (and to register), but suffice it to say:  CEUs will be offered, you’re going to learn a ton, and it will undoubtedly be a fantastic opportunity to network.

—> Edmonton Workshop <—-

And with that, here’s some cool stuff to check out. For those heading to Boston this weekend for the CP Seminar, safe travels and see you in a few!

6 Ways You Might Be Over-Coaching Your Clients – Chet Morjaria

This is something I struggled with when I first started as a trainer, and it’s something that we address here at the facility with each incoming intern class.

As a coach I think it’s crucial to place a premium on technique and making sure people are performing exercises correctly, but at the same time it’s really easy to fall into the trap of over-coaching, sometimes to the detriment of the athlete or client.

I felt this article hit the nail on the head, and HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who trains people for a living.

Are Bulgarian Split Squats Superior to Regular Squats? – Ben Bruno

It’s funny how Ben is pegged as the “single leg guy” when the fact is he (and his athletes) regularly squat AND deadlift some heavy ass weight.

I take the same approach as Ben and feel that single leg work is important, but so too is getting people stronger with the bilateral lifts.

In this article Ben offers some case studies which hopefully better prove his point:  they they BOTH have their place.

Back to the Basics: Why You Must Do Push-Ups – Lee Boyce

It’s no secret that I love me some push-ups.  Well, ice-cream is probably on top of that list (with old school Transformers cartoons a close second), but somewhere in the mix is push-ups.

I think they’re a fantastic assessment tool, as well as one of the best bang-for-your-training-buck exercises out there.  Sure, many guys will poo-poo on the push-up deeming them “too wimpy,” but it’s eerily universal just how many of the same guys can’t do them correctly, let alone for a set of ten without wanting to pour battery acid into my eyes.

In this article, my boy Lee gives his case for why push-ups deserve to get some more love.

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Are Speed and Agility Drills Necessary to Get Faster?

“I need my kid to be faster!”

It’s a statement that I hear on an almost daily basis at the facility from numerous parents whenever I ask what their (and their kid’s) goals are moving forward.

My business partner, Eric Cressey, wrote a fantastic blog post last year titled “Make My Kid Faster” so I won’t belabor many of the same points here because he already did most of the work.  And, speaking truthfully, there really isn’t much more I can add to what he already said.

That said, I recently wrote an article for Stack Magazine which tackles the same question – albeit in the context of a young baseball player asking how he can go about lowering his 60 time.

I wanted to make sure that my answer addressed the fact that GETTING STRONGER is a sure-fire way to get faster.  For me, many of the “speed drills” that are popular in today’s youth athletics are nothing but smoke and mirrors designed to look cool and to give the illusion that something is happening.

It all comes down to how well (and efficient) one is at developing force.  If an athlete is weak, it’s going to be hard to develop any force regardless of how many ladder drills are done.

Force production is all about how much of it one is able to generate into the ground.  Sure, there are a multitude of exercises we can implement that will help and will undoubtedly get the ball rolling in the right direction, but if an athlete is weak from the start (has no horsepower), there’s really no reason to get cute programming.

What good is it going to do to tell little Jonny to work on his foot speed if, once he’s out on the playing field, he can’t even change direction without crumbling to the ground like a Jenga game gone awry?

How is a ladder drill going to help someone throw a ball harder? Or run faster?

Now, I’m not throwing all these types of drills under the bus – there is a time and place for them, of course.  But when we’re talking about young athletes and even upwards on up to the high school and collegiate ranks (and yes, even the pros), learning how to squat or how to perform a push-up properly takes more precedence in my eyes than running against a parachute.

But I digress.

In the article linked to below I give some further insight on my thought process on the matter, but I also throw a bone and offer some “speed” drills that I find efficacious for baseball players on improving their 60 time.

And, as always, whenever I link to an article I’ve written on another site, I’d really appreciate if you’d “Like” the article (on the actual site) and share it on your social media if you so choose. Anything that helps spread the word would be great, and if I ever meet you in person you’re totally getting a hug.  Thanks!

—> Tony, Make Me Faster! <—-

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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: You’re Not That Busy, Plank Fails, and Offset Loading

I’m sitting outside here on my patio as I type this blog post, and I HAD to share this picture my cat, Dagny, keeping me company. Her and I tend to spend a lot of time out here on my days “off” as I sit outside catching up on miscellaneous stuff like emails, deadlines for articles, and general procrastination.

Read:  checking Facebook and Twitter.

<——— But is that not one of the cutest things in like ever?

If you would have told me five years ago that I’d not only be a cat owner, but that I’d be posting pictures of her up on my website like some crazy cat woman, I would have laughed.

But here I am……posting pics of my cat.  On the internet.

This better not turn into some gateway event where before I know it I’m collecting stamps and knitting sweaters on the side.

To help save face, once I’m done putting this post up I’m going to grab a few of my kettlebells, put them in my car, and drive a little ways up from my apartment to a park that’s up the street. From there the game plan is to perform an impromptu outdoors workout, which is something I’ve never done before.

Somewhere out there a tear just rolled down Nia Shanks’ cheek.  She’s a HUGE fan of performing outdoor workouts and just having fun with your training.

On the docket for me today are some hill sprints, various KB drills (swings, snatches, single leg work), and some push-ups and pull-ups in the park.

Sadly, Boston is shrouded in cloud cover today, and it’s kinda chilly, so there won’t be any “sun’s out guns out” party today. Maybe next time though.

Since that will be keeping me occupied for the remainder of the morning, here’s some stuff to check out on your end.  Enjoy!

Leading off, as some of you may recall, in last month’s issue of Women’s Health Magazine I wrote an article titled the Yes, You Can! Chin-Up Challenge.

I was elated to see this video posted up on the WH.com website which showcased some of the staffers doing the 6-week plan. This absolutely made my day, and I was especially happy to hear some of the women seeing the “silver lining” in it all.

Even though some of them didn’t accomplish their goal of hitting their very first chin-up, they DID see noticeable changes in their bodies, which was half the point of me writing the plan in the first place.

I’m so sick of women wasting their time in the gym performing lame “arm workouts” with pink dumbbells and taking this “woe is me” attitude when it comes to lifting real weights.

My argument is this:  even if you can’t perform a chin-up, the effort and hard work it’ll take to get to that point will lead to “toned” arms and a sexy backside – sans the tricep kickbacks and foo-foo band bicep curls.

Please Stop Complaining About How Busy You Are – Meredith Fineman

This one hits the nail on the head.  Look: I’m busy, you’re busy, we’re all busy.

But are we really?

People brag about how busy there like it’s a badge of honor.  While it can be commendable in some aspects, I’d posit that for many of us, taking a little more effort to organize our lives and taking some time to “smell the roses” would do us all some good.

As an entrepreneur (<— I still have to look up how to spell that word correctly), and someone who’s involved with helping to run a facility AND run an online business, I too can commiserate on how hectic my schedule can be.

But I don’t brag about it, because frankly, who gives a shit?

And to take it a step further, I don’t want to be busy. I don’t want to be one of those douchers who can’t put his smart phone down, and who walks down the street nose to phone rather than actually taking part in normal human interaction.

And on a more personal note, I don’t want to be 50% of that couple who spends more time playing Angry Birds and/or checking text messages than enjoying each other’s company

Moreover, while sometimes it’s inevitable that I bring work home with me (especially since a fair percentage of my work involves the use of my laptop), I really try in my heart of hearts to set aside a chunk of time throughout the week that I can spend doing things I enjoying doing:  going to the movies, having “date night” with my girlfriend, and yes, sometimes hanging out with my cat.

Shut up – don’t judge me!

As such, sure, I might not be making as much money or be as “successful” as I’d like to be………but I also like having a life outside of work, and not being married to my phone or email.

It’s part of the schtick, of course – especially it today’s technology crazed age.  But I think there’s a lot to be said about setting boundries and knowing when to turn things off and just be in the moment.

People are so wired nowadays, and so in a rush that it amazes me when someone honks their car horn like an a-hole the nanosecond a traffic light turns green.  Is it any wonder why people die of heart attacks at age 40?

Nonetheless, that’s my random rant for the week.  I’ll shut up now.

3 Unintended Mistakes of the Plank That Can Destroy (Not Build) Your Core – John Izzo

If I had a quarter for every time someone says to me that they crush planks as part of their core training, and then proceed to absolutely butcher their technique I’d be a rich man.

Planks are a staple in most training programs, but it’s rare when I actually come across someone who does them correctly (or uses them for their intended purpose for that matter).

Here, John breaks down some common mistakes and offers some great insight on the dos and don’ts of planking (not to be confused with Twerking) prowess.

Real Core Training: Offset Loading – Kyle Arsenault

Pigging back on the above, I’ve long championed the notion that offset (or asymmetrical) loading is the epitome of core training.

Whether we’re talking about lower or upper extremity work, holding or performing an exercise in an offset manner challenges the core like nothing else, and is a far step above what most people inevitably end up doing in their training.

In this informative article, Kyle offers some exercise and programming strategies to implement the offset paradigm, which essentially entails using a higher load on one side of the body.

Good stuff!