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Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: 3/19/12

I know, I was pretty lame last week and was only able get a post up three times.  And now I’m starting things off with yet another Miscellaneous post.  What gives Gentilcore????  Well, for starters, I don’t like that tone of yours.

Secondly, since we’re entering our “slow” time of year with the baseball season right around the corner, I’ve been taking the opportunity to get some extra writing done.  As such, you can expect to see some articles on T-nation and Livestrong.com soon.  Thirdly, and this is just me being honest, writing these type of posts where I just shoot from the hip and see what sticks is definitely one of my more preferred ways to write.

I mean, writing an 800-100o word post on the supraspinatus is way less cool (not to mention more time consuming) than having what I like to call “diarrhea of the brain” where I can just casually write on several topics that openly come to mind.  Maybe not the best analogy in the world, but I’m sure you get the idea.

And on that note, since I can’t really think of any appropriate segue to use, lets get to it.

1.  I’m actually making some rounds in the print world this month.  In this month’s issue of Men’s Health (pg. 60), I’m featured as the creator of the 15-Minute Workout: Switch Up for Strength, which emphasizes the idea of offset (or 1-arm) loading.

On the other side of the genetic pool, in Women’s Health Magazine, I make my very first cameo appearance in their version of the 15-Minute Workout on page 55.

Click ME (<—–evidence that I’m not kidding).

Hopefully this will be the foot in the door I needed to get more content in WH, as I feel I have a lot to offer in terms of empowering women to lift heavy things.

Note:  thanks to Ann for the heads up on this (the link take you to a pic she took on her Twitter page).

2. It’s almost the end of March, which means we’re approaching the 1/4 mark of 2012 , which means that many have already forgotten about their New Years Resolutions.

Not me.  Here are some updates.

The Paleo Experiment:  both Lisa and I have been toying around with the Paleo lifestyle since the beginning of January, and for all intents and purposes, we’re both holding strong.  Admittedly, we like to go out on the weekends and explore new restaurants and eateries in and around Boston, but outside of that, we’re golden.

Every Sunday morning (after laundry) we hit off Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s and stock our fridge and cupboards with lots of greens (baby spinach, broccoli brussel sprouts, etc), fruits, meat, nuts, seeds, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and even Larabars.  I am completely addicted to Larabars.

All in all, we both definitely feel less groggy and bloated due to eliminating the majority of grains (and hence, gluten) from our diet.

Further, having followed this diet for a prolonged period of time, it’s always interesting to (inadvertently) find out what foods tend to be problematic.  For instance, being a huge fan of Dr. Jonny Bowden and pretty much taking his word as bond when it comes to choosing what are the best foods to eat, we used to CRUSH beans (black, garbanzo, etc) as they’re all an excellent source of fiber as well as many other nutrients.

The thing is, with the Paleo Diet, beans are generally poo-pooed on, and as such, we eliminated them from our diet…….

Unbeknownst to me, and this is something that only came to fruition following the diet, I DO NOT handle beans well. Not that this is any surprise to most – beans cause gas: shocker – but for me, I really had no idea that this was the case until I started omitting them from my daily diet.

Of course, it’s only through the process of elimination where you can find these things out. On an aside, I also found out that peanut butter is a “problem food” for me, which basically was the saddest day of my life.

Having said all that, though, I’m still often amazed at how dogmatic some of the Paleo bullies can be.  For some potatoes are fine.  While for others, eating a potato is akin to idolizing Hitler.

At the expense of overgeneralizing things:  seemingly, a lot of Paleo followers (certainly not all) will take ANY opportunity to vilify carbohydrates.

Which is why I really liked  THIS article from one of my favorite bloggers, Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, touching on the notion that there are a lot of Paleo heroes out there who tend to go a little ape shit for no reason at all.  More appropriately, when it comes to relaying sound nutrition advice, the mainstream media – to no surprise to us – is really, really, really, really, douchy.

Speaking Engagements:  I have to say:  I’m pretty much making this resolution my beeeotch. As I mentioned last week, I’ll be speaking in Edmonton this June with the rest of crew from Muscle Imbalances Revealed – Upper Body (see more below). In addition, I may (or may not…..it’s still in the early stages) have another opportunity to speak up in Canada – this time in Toronto – later this summer.

On top of that, I may have some cool news with regards to super secret, 007, Cressey Performance seminar that we’re trying to put together for the Spring. Like the Toronto seminar, it’s still in the early stages, but suffice it to say, I’m setting myself to take over the world in 2012.

Hydration:  I’m happy to report that I’m still rocking Operation Hydration.

To reiterate, here’s my formula for how much water to drink per day.  Take your body weight and divide that by half, and THAT’S how many ounces of water you should take in per day…..MINIMUM!

Granted, at first, I was peeing like a race horse every 15 minutes, but my body has finally adjusted to increased water intake.

More importantly, though, I feel great.  I have more energy throughout the day, my skin just looks better, and more interestingly, my knees are less sucky.

Wouldn’t you know it:  ample hydration levels have a VERY positive effect on fascia.

3.  With regards to the Spinal Health & Core Training Seminar I’ll be presenting at this summer, one of the major themes I’ll be covering in my talk is the concept of taking more of a bottoms-up approach to core training as opposed to a top to bottom approach.

A term popularized by Mike Robertson, using more of a bottoms-up approach just means you’re taking into consideration the role the rectus abdominus plays in functional anatomy.  What does the RA do?

  • Trunk Flexion
  • Posterior Tilt of Pelvis
  • DEPRESSES RIB Cage

The latter point is important because depressing the rib cage (bringing the sternum closer to the pelvis) is exactly what you DON’T want to happen – especially considering the bevy of research out there demonstrating that repeated trunk flexion (crunches, sit-ups) – and yes, I understand the argument that crunches increase fluid flow and nutrition to the posterior disc, I read Bret Contreras’ article, too – is the exact mechanism for disc herniations.

Improving the force couples on the pelvis (especially with regards to posterior tilt) is still important, but there are certainly better ways to do so than crunches (which is more of a top to bottom approach).

A bottoms-up approach, conversely, takes into consideration the external obliques and how they’re often neglected like a red-headed stepchild.

In this case, by placing more focus on the external obliques – which do not have a direct pull on the sternum, and thus, do not depress the rib cage – and by utilizing exercises like reverse crunches and various chops/lifts, we can encourage posterior tilt without all the detrimental “disc herniation” business.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, of course – I’m going to be talking about deadlifts and squats, too – but hopefully this sparks a little interest.

4.  Speaking of Bret Contreras:  he wrote an excellent series on happiness that you can read HERE.

I especially loved the video he included showcasing his new digs in Phoenix. One part in particular that I liked was how Bret had a GHR stored in his bedroom.  Once I saw that I immediately started nodding my head as if that was the best idea in the history of the world………but Lisa put the kabosh on that really quick.

Nonetheless, Bret’s post really resonated with me and I think you’ll all enjoy it as well.

5.  Last week I posted a video of a presentation given by Susan Cain, author of Quiet:  The Power of Introverts.

To say that it struck a chord with a vast majority of fellow introverts out there would be an understatement. I was really overwhelmed with how many people contacted me via my email, as well as my Facebook and Twitter pages expressing how thankful they were that I shared the presentation.

A few days later, I actually went out and bought the book (link above), and it’s been an absolutely eye opening experience.  I can’t recommend it enough.  Honestly, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I read it several times, and I’m really hoping that Ms. Cain makes an appearance in Boston soon.

6.  And finally, as a cat-owner myself, I couldn’t help by LOL at this commercial.  Easily one of the funniest one’s I’ve seen in a while:

 

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Exercises You Should Be Doing: Half Kneeling Band Overhead Shrug

Sometimes as coaches and trainers we need to take a step back and really think about why we do things. Why do we prescribe “x” exercise? What purpose does it serve?  How will it help any given client become bigger, faster, stronger, or more sexifed?  Not only that, why for “x” number of sets and reps?  Why does it matter if it’s done as the first movement of the day rather than the third?  Is there a specific tempo involved?  What type of rest periods are we talking about? Are there any other intricate things to consider like foot stance, hand placement or grip variation?

I mean, these are all important questions, and the list could easily go on and on.

Shirt optional, right?

More to the point, as a coach or trainer, you should be able to explain, definitively, the rationale as to why you programmed what you programmed. What purpose does it serve?

In a like manner, you should also be objective about your programming and not be afraid to admit when you’re wrong or that you possibly overlooked something.

Unfortunately, we all like to think we’re perfect and infallible, but we’re not.  We all like to think we’re open minded and adaptable, but really, many of us our set in our ways.

ESPECIALLY, as coaches.

Take for example today’s exercise you should be doing.  If you happened to have a few ounces of plutonium on hand (and a Flux Capacitor), and decided for shits and giggles to go back in time two years to ask me whether or not I’d include any direct upper trap work into my programs, you’d more than likely find me laughing in your face.

Given most people are walking around with FUBAR’d shoulders as it is, and that recent research has shown that upper trapezius dominance plays a significant role in subacromial impingement, it makes sense.  It’s dumb.

The last thing you want to do with a muscle that’s already jacked up or overactive is to target it even more. This is almost always the case when you’re dealing with someone who spends the majority of their time sitting in front of a computer all day and then heads to the gym, grabs a barbell, and shrugs their face off.

In this instance, they’ll undoubtedly play into the dysfunction (upper cross syndrome, among others), and probably have a pissed off shoulder to boot.

Buuuuuuuut…………..

There are cases where some direct upper trap work is warranted.

See what I just did there?  I blew your mind.

With regards to shoulder function we all know that of “stuff” goes down in that area.

The shoulder complex can partake in:  flexion/extension, internal/external rotation, abduction/adduction, horizontal abduction/adduction, elevation/depression, and of course, (scapular) upward/downward rotation.

The latter (upward/downward rotation) is what will be highlighted here.

Sadly, due to any number of factors – namely, the ungodly number of hours people spend sitting playing Angry Birds, poor programming choices, flawed technique, etc – we don’t move very well as a society. Further still, we just get in our own way and end up hurting ourselves.

Using an easy example:  I remember watching Eric assess an older client once who came to the facility with a litany of shoulder issue.  To put it bluntly, the guy couldn’t even extend his arms straight over his head.  Yet, the very first question right out of the gate was, “so, when do you think I’ll be able to add snatches and shrugs into my program?”

See what I mean?  We get in our own way.

However, given we train a fair share of baseball players at Cressey Performance, and it’s kind of a big deal that they have the ability to throw a baseball (which entails going over the head) without compromising the shoulder, doing some upper trap work may indeed be a crucial component to overall shoulder performance and health.

Up until recently, we’ve done little (if any) upper trap work.  Again, as noted above, it’s readily apparent that the upper traps are overly dominant in most individuals (compared to the lower traps and serratus anterior), and haphazardly throwing in exercises like shrugs may only make the issue worse.

That said, we can’t neglect the fact that the upper traps DO play a role in scapular upward rotation, and that optimizing their function is worth some of our time.

Here’s what we noticed, which has been a paradigm shift for us – especially as it relates to our baseball guys (and even some of our general population clients):  we are constantly (like, all the time) telling athletes and clients to retract and depress their scapulae.  Normally this isn’t a bad thing, as it targets the lower traps more and will help offset upper trap dominance.  But sometimes, it can be to the detriment of the shoulder.

Take the following exercises and how we typically like to cue them:

Seated rows:  pull the shoulder blades together and down.

Chin-Ups:  keep the shoulder blades in your back pocket (depressed).

Deadlifts:  shoulder blades “locked” and set (and subsequently the upper traps are on stretch)

Farmer Carries:  don’t shrug, set the shoulders (again, upper traps are on stretch).

Those are just a few examples, but hopefully you get the idea. And just so we’re clear:  I am in no way saying that these are bad cues to use.  Just that, sometimes, we need to be objective.   Anyhoo……..

Soon you may notice a downwardly rotated scapula due to a lengthened upper trapezius.  In this scenario, the excessive length makes the upper trap weak and a less than effective upward rotator of the scapula.  And, I don’t think I need to reiterate that less than optimal upward rotation is a going to be a massive monkey wrench when it comes to shoulder health and performance.

Take me for example.  Other than that being the coolest t-shirt ever, what else do you notice about the picture to the right?

See those sloped shoulders? Definitely not ideal, and sets the shoulder girdle a little too low for optimal function.  Now, thankfully, my baseball career is long over, and I don’t suffer from any long-term shoulder issues.  But needless to say, some dedicated upper trap work would be in high order for someone like me.

Likewise, this is exactly the type of shoulder symmetry (or, more appropriately, asymmetry) we’re more cognizant of at the facility when dealing with overhead athletes.

The key, though, is to step away from the stupid and not hightail it for the barbell shrugs.  As both Mike Robertson and Bill Hartman have noted on numerous occasions:

A shrug with the arms at the sides will certainly activate the upper trapezius, however it also strongly recruits the levator scapulae and the rhomboids, the downward scapular rotators. This feeds the imbalance causing the downward scapular rotation dominance.

The key, then, is to perform a movement where the scapulae is already in an upwardly rotated position which places a larger activation of the upper traps, which in turn will help offset the pull of the downward rotators (rhomboids and levator).

Half Kneeling Band Overhead Shrugs

This was a video I took while I was down in Florida last week at the commercial gym I was training at (so you may see some exercises you SHOULDN’T be doing in the background).  In it, you’ll see how I use a regular ol’ exercise band and place it underneath my knee.

From there, with my arm fully extended, I shrug and hold for a 1-2 second count.  I reset my scapulae and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.  Ideally, I’d shoot for anywhere from 8-12 reps per side.

Key Coaching Cues: Squeeze the glute of the kneeling leg to gain more of an active stretch in the hip flexors.  Wrist should be neutral.  And, you may need to play around with the band tension.  I was pretty limited with what I had available at the time, but suffice it to say, you may need to finagle a bit with how much of the band you place underneath your knee.

Additionally, this isn’t the type of exercise where I’m looking to overload the traps, so don’t be too concerned with using a monster band or anything like that.  Rather, it’s more of an activation and it’s imperative that you focus on the QUALITY of reps (feeling the actual muscle do its job).

Try it out today, and let me know what you think!

 

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Spinal Health & Core Training Seminar

I have some pretty cool news to share today, and I’m not even going to sugar coat it.  Instead, I’m just going to cut right to the chase and say it:

I’m going to Canada, baby!!!!!!!

More specifically, I’m heading out to Edmonton to participate in what should be a pretty kick-ass weekend of learning, networking, and immersing myself in Canadian culture.  Which is to say, watching hockey and listening to Jagged Little Pill……on repeat. Get it? Canadians love hockey and Alanis Morissette. LOL!!!  Okay, I’ll shut up.

In all seriousness I’m heading to Canada to participate in the Spinal Health & Core Training seminar, which is just the abbreviated title. The actual title is a bit too Tolkein’esq to use as the lead for a blog post.

Here it is in all it’s glory:

Spinal Health and Core Training:  An Interdisciplinary Approach for Health, Fitness, Rehabilitation, and Performance.

Now THAT’S a title. The only thing that’s missing is a huge neon light and a dancing Ewok (or two).

Much like I was with Muscle Imbalances Revealed – Upper Body, I’m honored to be included in such a cast of other top-notch fitness professionals as Rick Kaselj, Dr. Jeff Cubos, and my brotha from another motha, Dean Somerset.

I like lists, so here’s the general breakdown of pertinent info:

1. As the title suggests, the seminar will cover anything and everything as it relates to spinal health and performance. Furthermore, it will include assessment, programming strategies, exercise technique, and will contain a heavy hands-on emphasis.

2.  I really need to update me head shot.

3.  The date will be Saturday, June 2nd and Sunday, June 3rd at the World Health Centre Club in Edmonton, AB, Canada.

4.  Registration starts TODAY (3/13) and costs $295.  We’re limiting this to roughly 30 spots, as we’d really like to make this as intimate (non-creepy) an event as possible.

Everyone who signs up BEFORE Friday (3/16) can save $100 off the regular price by using the coupon code ‘Edmonton.’

All you need to do is go HERE.

Like I said, this should be a really cool event, and a great opportunity for any fitness professional interested in taking their skill set to the next level.

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Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: Bar Speed, Introverts, Charlie Weingroff Seminar

1. One of the funniest conversations I ever had in the gym happened like two years ago when one of our football guys – who’s since become a great friend and is now in law school – was prepping for an “open” NFL Combine.

Having had a successful collegiate career and even spending some time playing professionally overseas in Europe, he decided to give it one last “horrah,” and try to hook up with a team through a handful of open tryouts.

One day while testing his 1RM in the bench, he missed at like 325 lbs. After racking the weight, he stood up, looked at me, and started asking what went wrong:  did he jump up in weight too fast?  Did he lose his arch? Maybe he didn’t allow enough time to supercompensate? Was it because it was Thursday?

I shrugged, looked at him point blank, and said:  “dude, it was too heavy.”

Simple.

There was a split second of crickets chirping – maybe even a slight fear that he’d end up punching me in the mouth for saying something so candidly – but then we both just started laughing out loud.  Even elite athletes tend to over analyze things.

Regular Joe’s aren’t any different. Almost always, the answer isn’t quite as complicated as you think it is.

I say all of this because there’s one aspect of training that I feel many trainees fail to grasp: BAR SPEED.

Whenever I watch a trainee struggling with hitting their reps on any given exercise, or worse, miss a lift (which, admittedly, is something I try to avoid as much as possible), almost always, it’s due to lack of bar speed – or just being fast in general.

Put another way:  it’s a lack of telling themselves to be explosive.

A great example is when I start working with a new female client and I have her perform a standard push-up.  More often than not, it’s really sllllloooooooowwww. For some reason – whether it’s because someone told them to do so, or they read it somewhere – they feel they need to “grind” out reps in order to work the muscle harder and to feel the burn.

As a result, technique falters, and many will struggle to hit five solid reps. Possibly worse, some will think they’re doomed to do nothing but “girl push-ups” (knees on the floor) till they’re blue in the face

I think that’s a bunch of BS.

Conversely, once I tell them “stop flaring their elbows out FOR THE LOVE OF GOD,” to focus on being a little more explosive, and to push themselves away from the floor as quickly as possible, many are surprised to see they can bang out numerous reps like it’s their J.O.B.

One simple cue, and we automatically increased the level of awesomeness.

Likewise, the same can be said when I coach some of our high school athletes through squats.  Once we have proper technique nailed, I try to instill in them to be FAST.  Even if the weight is heavy and it feels like there’s a Volkswagon on their back, so long as the INTENT to be fast is there, that’s all I care about.

So, bringing this little conversation full-circle, when in doubt, if you find that you’re missing reps:

  • It could very well be that the weight is too heavy.  Take some off.  Just a thought…….
  • More likely, though, it’s probably just a matter of following this simple equation:

Put weight on the bar+ lift it with some purpose = good things will happen.

BE FAST!!!!!

2.  I’m a self-described introvert at heart.  Contrary to popular belief, being introverted doesn’t mean you’re shy, or anti-social, or the Unabomber.  Rather, what it means is that, at times, you gain much of your “energy” from doing things on your own.

I THRIVE off of this.

While my job predicts that I’m “on” much of the time, which is great, I LOVE my job; by the end of the week you’re more apt to find me staying at home with a container of Ben & Jerry’s watching Notting Hill in the local coffee shop or bookstore catching up on some reading than at the local bar.

I crave some down time where I can just sit back, chill, and not have to listen to Rage Against the Machine blaring in my ears.

Having said that, below is an excellent TED talk by Susan Cain titled The Power of Introverts.  If you’re an introvert (and even if you’re not) it’s 20 minutes I feel is well spent.

3.  Charlie Weingroff is coming to my old stomping grounds!!!!!

My first job in New England was back in 2005 where I worked in Ridgefield, CT as a trainer at the Ridgefield Fitness Club.

Without getting too sappy, I look back at my time there with fond memories because 1) it got me the hell out of central NY, and 2) I was able to grow as a professional and understand what it was like to work in an environment with like-minded individuals.

As it happens, they’re going to be hosting a one-day seminar with the one and only Charlie Weingroff, which should be a great opportunity for those in the CT and New York City area (it’s only like a 45-60 minute train ride) to go and get their learn on.

Here’s the dealo:

Date:  April 6, Friday, 12-8 PM

Cost:  $255 early bird by 3/17, $295 regular.

Description:  In this seminar, Charlie will discuss the evidence-based approach to motor control skills acquisition as it relates to corrective exercise. Charlie will also discuss the most contemporary approach to corrective exercise within the context of the Functional Movement System. This class will focus on corrections for the non-painful client or patient.

Contact Info:  Ridgefield Fitness Club, Ridgefield, CT:  203-431-7796

I’m hoping to attend myself, and if I do, you can bet that I’ll get my revenge for the Kenny G incident.  Yes, I’m talking to you Mike Subach.  Oh yes, I’m talking to you. (sorry everyone, inside joke.)

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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 3/9/12

I’m back baby! We flew back into Boston last night, and while vacation seemingly breezed by in the blink of an eye (don’t they all!), I can honestly say that I feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to tackle the day.

Coincidentally, I’m going to be tackling an inbox full of emails, not to mention will be spending the majority of my day writing programs, and catching up on life – laundry, grocery shopping, you know the drill.

On that note, since a huge part of vacation for me is having the opportunity to do nothing but eat M&Ms lie horizontal and catch up on a lot of reading, here are some highlights from this past week:

The Education of Millionaires: It’s Not What You Think and It’s Not Too Late – Michael Ellsberg

Knowing I was going to be spending a significant amount of time at the beach/poolside, I grabbed a few books from my “Tony, quit being a jackass and read this” pile off of my bookshelf and threw them into my backpack. This one was at the top.

Recommended by my buddy Nate Green, this book discusses the notion that there’s a huge divide between an education and academic excellence and how each correlates to financial success.

Unfortunately our society has placed a premium on the latter under the assumption that, by spending the better part of 16 of the most productive years of our lives focusing solely on achieving high grades – which is commendable and certainly not without merit – and often going into insurmountable debt to do so, we’re somehow guaranteed a career afterwards that will set us up for life.

Not necessarily the case (as the Occupy Wall Street movement clearly demonstrates).

Granted I’m only about a quarter of the way through the book as I type this, but it’s been eye opening to say the least.

More than anything, this book shows that success is not necessarily about studying hard and attaining excellent grades so that you can place letters next to your name.  Rather, it’s about what you won’t learn in college that will dictate how successful you are professionally.

Now, I’d never poo-poo on my higher education experience as I feel that those years served a vital role in helping me develop into the person I am today.  But I’d be lying if I said much of what’s helped me succeed in the fitness industry are things that I have learned INSIDE of academia.  On the contrary, it’s been things on the outside that have been of most benefit. Things like developing networks, learning how to market your services, investing in yourself, and building a brand, to name a few.

Anatomy Without a Scalpel – Lon Kilgore

If you’re like me, and have the tendency to lie down in the fetal position whenever you attempt to read a chapter in “heavier” books like Anatomy Trains or Movement Impairment Syndromes, than this book is right up your alley.

The section on shoes and whether or not there’s any efficacy for their use – and how they affect performance – is worth the price of admission alone.

I read that section on the flight back home yesterday and couldn’t help but wonder whether it was the 40 MPH wind gusts or my nodding my head in agreement so much that was causing all the turbulence.

The bigger picture, though, is that it’s an easily digested read (coming in at just a shade over 300 pages) that provides solid information which won’t cause a headache from beating you down with a barrage of big words.

The Scientific Look at the Dangers of High Heels – Gretchen Reynolds

Sure they look good.  Real good. What guy doesn’t love watching an attractive female walk down the street in a pair of sexy high heels?

But I’ve been riding this train for years, and have been an ardent advocate on exposing the numerous “pitfalls” that high heels can have on the body.

Tellingly, it comes down to a simple question:  would you rather look good, or live the rest of your life with chronic hip, knee, and back pain?

Of course, there’s a middle ground.  Women aren’t going to give up their Christian Louboutin’s anytime soon.  That’s like asking dudes to give up meat, or worse, football.  Instead of taking a black or white approach (either wear them or don’t wear them), it could be as simple as maybe wearing heels once or twice a week, rather than everyday.

REMINDER

Today is your last chance to take advantage of the $1 trial offer for Elite Training Mentorship.  This is your opportunity – on a monthly basis – to look over the shoulders of some of the brightest minds in strength and conditioning.

Some of the highlights include:

  • Videos from staff trainings
  • Program design strategies.
  • Exclusive case studies detailing unique training circumstances
  • Video tutorials on exercise technique and assessment
  • Business advice

And the list goes on and on. The cool part is that the information provided changes month-by-month, and you’ll always have an inside track of what’s currently going on inside the heads of Eric, Mike, BJ, and Dave. So, in a way, the information is always going to be on point and the most up-to-date in terms of the methodologies and techniques currently used by all of the coaches.

Again, today is the last day to save big by going here…

Elite Training Mentorship

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Things That Bug Me About the Fitness Industry

It’s the last day of vacation, and I’ll be heading back to Boston soon. All I have to say is this:  1) It’s amazing how fast time flies, because I feel like I just got here; and 2) ohhhhhh boy, do I ever have some commercial gym stories to share.

Nevertheless, I’m going to be soaking up as many rays as I can between now and departure time, so today I have another guest post from Pete McCall. 

Pete’s actually an old colleague of mine and was actually the Continuing Education Coordinator at the first club I worked at in Boston close to six years ago. He and I crossed email paths not too long, and after catching up, Pete expressed interest in writing a little sumthin sumthin for the site while I was away.

Enjoy!

Tony and I met a few moons ago when we were both employed by the same New England-based health club company.  Recently I ran across his blog and have enjoyed his pontifications on all things Matt Damon and his occasional tidbit or two on training.

When Tony asked if I could help fill in while he was enjoying sunny Florida, my first response was that’s why I moved from MA to San Diego, because it’s sunny all of the time and every day off is like a vacation. My second was response was “hell yeah” because I’ll have the opportunity to do a little rant-blogging.

Let me be perfectly clear, I’ve been a personal trainer for a number of years; most of them CSCS-certified.  I currently work for a certification organization, I previously taught another organization’s certification, and I fully plan on opening my own conditioning studio within the next two years.

I love what I do because the general public needs professional fitness advice for the most effective way to use exercise for results from better health to a larger contract and signing bonus.  The fitness industry fills a vital role in providing exercise information and helping change people’s lives; however like a piece of food that gets stuck in your teeth and you can’t quite get it out there are a few things that bug me about this industry, so here goes:

1.  Why the flip are we so obsessed with six-pack abs?  I’ve never seen any evidence that the rectus abdominus (or any other muscle) sees itself in a mirror and thinks: “hey baby, you look gooood.”

Muscles do one of two things: they produce force or reduce force. That’s it.  A muscle simply has to convert from the lengthening phase to the shortening phase in the fastest time possible to produce the greatest amount of force.  The amount of time and energy the industry spends on training this one muscle should be redirected to better uses.

Want a strong core? Deadlift. Romanian deadlift. 2-handed cable press-outs. Barbell bent-over rows. Medicine ball chops and lifts. Those basic exercises will produce a rock-solid mid-section; everything else related to six-pack abs is controlled by the proper nutrition, rest and genetics.

2.  Why do manufacturers spend so much time and energy trying to reinvent the same equipment?  Have you ever been to a big trade show like IHRSA or Club Industry?  All of the equipment companies spend tons of time and effort every year to basically put lipstick on a pig and try to upsell health club and studio operators on newer equipment because it is now internet-ready.  WTF?

Training time is the one time when people should be completely disconnected from any sort of device other than an Ipod cranking out old Guns and Roses.  Want to increase strength? Lift something heavy.  Want to increase muscle size? Lift something heavy repeatedly.  Want to lose weight?  Lift something heavy a number of different ways with minimal rest periods.

We don’t need ellipticals that connect to the internet or machines that allow people to sit comfortably while they “exercise.”  Club operators would be better off spending their money on education for staff to teach members how to train for results rather than buying the newest version of a treadmill with a larger TV screen.

3.  Why do so many personal trainers let clients dictate the course of their programs?  Did you ever go to a doctor and say: “this is how I want you to treat my…?”  Did you ever go to an attorney and say: “this is the way we should handle the case?”

No.  Why not?

Because they are professionals who know what they’re doing and we pay them for their professional advice and knowledge.  I’ve heard comments from many trainers like: “my clients don’t like to do that,” or “my clients only like to use machines,” or “my client says that she doesn’t want to sweat.”

Fire. Those. Clients.

We are the professionals; people come to us for advice.  We should have the knowledge, skill, ability and confidence to provide the results clients want.  Insanity is defined as doing the same thing repeatedly yet expecting different results. Clients come to us because they want one thing: results.

Coach your clients on what is needed to achieve results. You’re the professional, they are the client – keep it that way.  If you do a needs-assessment on a client and recommend a specific course of action and the client doesn’t want to follow it then you are not responsible for his or her lack of results. Your time is better spent working with clients who will listen to you because they respect your knowledge and your interest in helping them move towards their goals.

Working in fitness is probably one of the best gigs out there.  Where else can you get paid to tell people what to do?  While I love this industry these are just a few things I’ve noticed over the years that, like that piece of salmon from dinner last night that got stuck in my teeth, are a little annoying.

The thing about the salmon is that I can get a piece of dental floss and the problem is solved. The problems with the fitness industry are a little more systemic and require some action from those of us on the front lines of the business to address by changing the way we do things so we can help move this industry forward.

Hopefully Tony enjoys his trip to the sun and fun of FL.  As he gets settled back in to the last month of New England winter I’ll try not to remind him that with it being sunny and in the 70s every day here in San Diego I actually lose track of what season or month it is.  Stay classy.

Pete McCall Bio:

As an Exercise Physiologist with the American Council on Exercise (ACE), Pete creates and delivers fitness education programs to uphold ACE’s mission of enriching quality of life through safe and effective exercise and physical activity.  He is one of the creators of the new ACE Integrated Fitness Training (IFT®) model of exercise program design.  Outside of his work responsibilities Pete serves on the content review committee for ptonthenet.com a fitness education website and coach’s youth (U16) rugby for the San Diego Mustangs.

 

 

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Try Elite Training Mentorship for $1

As I noted last week, a few friends of mine (and colleagues I HIGHLY respect), Eric Cressey, Mike Robertson, BJ Gaddour, and Dave Schmidtz, have all been working tirelessly for the past year or so on a project that I feel will help the entire industry step up its game.

And, based off what I’ve seen the past two days down here in Florida training at a commercial gym (and observing the personal trainers), this couldn’t have come soon enough.

Read: I’ve had to try really hard to resist the urge to go jump on a live grenade, the trainers have been THAT bad.  But I digress.

The project is called the Elite Training Mentorship, and it’s going to be a game changer.

Eric, Mike, Dave and BJ are not only among the best coaches in  the industry, but each of them have their own unique areas of expertise and this is your chance to be mentored by each of them.

Eric is obviously the “go to” guy when it comes to shoulders, baseball specific training, and being able to out-nerd anyone when it comes to anatomy.

Mike knows a thing or two when it comes to knees. And he’s without question one of the brightest guys I know dealing with assessment and program design.

You’d be hard pressed to find anyone more knowledgeable on fat loss and metabolic training than BJ.

And, if band work is your cup of tea, Dave is your man.

Combined, the four of them are like some kind of Voltron. Except in this case, instead of joining together to form a super robot that defends the galaxy from evil….they just make personal trainers and coaches more informed and less douchy.

In all, Elite Training Mentorship is really the next best thing to actually flying to their facilities and being mentored by them face to face – but you get to do it much more conveniently, watching staff training and coaching sessions from the comfort of your own home.

What’s more, from today until Friday (3/9) they’re letting everyone give the program a test drive for the first month for just $1! Pretty sweet if you ask me.

To learn more about this incredible resource, go here:

Elite Training Mentorship

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Recovery Strategies for Better Performance

Today, because I’m currently on a blogcation (in Florida) and most likely lying poolside in a state of food coma rocking the world’s greatest farmer’s tan, we have a guest post from Geoff Pritchard.  Geoff is a personal trainer and massage therapist located in Maryland I had the pleasure of meeting a few months ago when he stopped by Cressey Performance to check us out.

He’s a very bright guy and obviously has a passion for what he does, so I hope you enjoy his contribution!

 

As readers of Tony’s blog, I know that you’re familiar with the best exercises and programs to use when you get to the gym. You may internally debate about whether today’s routine should include goblet squats or Pallof press squats (Tony’s invention?!), but you’re anxious to get there and put in your best effort. But, once you leave the gym sweaty and exhausted, what effort do you put into your recovery and regeneration strategy?

Regener-WHAT?

There have always been ways to handle your post-battle aches and pains. The ancient gladiators of Greece and Rome soaked in salt baths and received “rubbing” (massage) as forms of healing. The warriors and women may not have looked as glamorous as on STARZ Spartacus, but the concept of intense fighting/strength training followed by recovery is not new.

Fortunately, your strategy doesn’t need anything expensive or time consuming to be effective. It really comes down to a few key things:

  • Review the foundational things you should do to achieve better performance
  • Evaluate the research and methods of other fitness and bodywork professionals, and
  • Incorporate simple changes into your schedule

Build a Solid Foundation

I have spent the last seven years engaged in personal training and massage therapy and recently operated my own massage business in Boston. As a certified bodyworker, I am constantly listening to complaints of muscular pain… followed by crickets chirping when I ask about what the client does to rest and refuel each day. Too often I end up being the 1-hour of downtime per week that the person gives himself or herself to heal. Without the therapeutic massage I provide, the client has nothing to report that they intentionally do to balance the scales. Missing from their response are ways to actively take a break and recharge. The two easiest things to conquer are:

1 – Eating Well (Enough) – For the majority of people, the goal is to maintain a balanced diet and avoid the nasty ingredients (high fructose corn syrup, excessive sugar, etc) and increase protein, water and vegetable consumption. If you haven’t tackled your diet, make some immediate changes to get your food and caloric intake under control. Remember, food = fuel. You can even refer to the inside of Tony’s fridge for some assistance.

2 – Get 8-Hours of Sleep – We can argue the amount of sleep necessary for each person to “function” during the day. But, the level of your performance – physical and mental – is directly proportional to the amount of sleep you get at night. I’m certain I could give Tiger a run for his money on the golf course if we kept him without sleeping the night before!

Determine Your Recovery Path

Advice from Fitness Professional Nick Grantham

One of the best models for improved performance comes from the research of Nick Grantham of England. I first heard Nick speak on the Strength Coach Podcast in April of 2011 (episode 78). He and his team have spent a lot of time formulating a Recovery and Regeneration pyramid to help us achieve better results. The Level 1 and 2 strategies are where most of us should concentrate our work.

The Level 1 ideas we just covered, but the Level 2 strategies should also be analyzed. Their pyramid shows that ongoing monitoring is essential for performance. Therefore, they have their athletes report back to them about their sleep, nutrition, and daily habits away from the field. What trends do you see in performance as it relates to everyday habits? Monitor yourself and see the impact that proper recovery and regeneration can have in practice or competition.

If you’re a member at StrengthCoach.com, you can reference the remainder of Nick’s research in a 22-page PDF. Log in and search ‘Grantham’.

Advice from Bodywork Professional Sue Hitzmann

If you want something more specific, you should consider progressing your self-myofascial techniques by following the work of Sue Hitzmann. I recently had the opportunity to attend her M.E.L.T. method workshop and appreciated how she took a tedious activity (foam rolling) and re-invented it as a routine with more specificity. And, after class, I asked her how it relates to the general weight lifting audience. Here’s her response:

“As for weight lifting, MELT isn’t myofascial release. I know I use a roller and balls but the technique is what’s compelling. It’s a very specific treatment and the ball sizes and the roller density is specific to the treatment. For weight lifting, MELT offers a reduction in stress injuries and improves grip, muscle timing and sustainability through their high movement demands.”

If you live in New York City, you can have direct access to Sue herself, but otherwise you can search her website for one of the over 300 therapists she has trained in the M.E.L.T. Method.

However, if you really can’t decide on the recovery option that’s best for you, find some bolsters and/or blankets and use this yoga pose – appropriately called Restorative Bridge.

Follow the directions for proper setup here. If this doesn’t put you immediately into a state of relaxation and meditation, nothing will!

Schedule Your Daily, Weekly, and Yearly R&R

I’ve had the privilege of sharing this information because Tony is on vacation. My theory is that he’s actually doing a photo shoot on South Beach for the website…complete with sun hat, Speedo, and SPF-90.

Note from TG:  ^^^^ Busted! The man speaks truth!

I know however that Tony is an uber-trainer and realizes the importance of spending time outside the gym and recharging, so he can achieve his training goals and personal goals for 2012. Find what ideas work for you and schedule it into your routine.

For me, every moment I can spend enjoying time with my wife and 2-year-old son is awesome. I enjoy the gym –always have and always will – but the recovery and regeneration is for my family. If I get injured, then I lose the quality time I love spending with them.

So…

Go hydrate… Get some sleep… And give your recovery strategy more attention!

Author Bio

Geoff Pritchard is an NSCA certified personal trainer and a licensed massage therapist. He has seven years of training experience at gyms, health clubs, and corporate wellness centers. His passion to help people build their lives around healthy habits led him to create Move Free Massage and Fitness in 2008. He recently moved with his family to Baltimore, MD and is excited about the dynamic fitness community in the Timonium and Towson areas. If you want to contact him, please connect with Geoff on Facebook.

 

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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 3/2/12

It’s big day today.  Actually, scratch that.  Today is epic.  I know that word gets tossed around a lot on the internet, but if there’s ever a day that deserves to be labeled as such, today is it.

My lovely girlfriend, Lisa, is defending her dissertation today, and as of roughly 1 PM, barring any catastrophe like an asteroid slamming into Boston, I’ll officially be a trophy boyfriend she’ll officially receive her PhD.

It’s been an arduous and often aggravating roller coaster ride for her, but she’s worked her butt off, refrained from punching any holes in the walls (even though she wanted to), and well, I just couldn’t be more proud of her.

To celebrate we’re heading down to Florida, starting tomorrow, to spend a week doing nothing but chilling on the beach and taking around 103 naps. Of course, we’ll squeeze a few workouts in there, too.  But really, the objective is to relax, read, take a break from the grind, and to load up on some vitamin D.

So, with that, next week I’ll be MIA and taking a well deserved blogcation.  BUT, I’ll still have some content to put up while I’m away, cause I’m cool like that.

On that note, I’m out!

Strength and Conditioning Research – Bret Contreras & Chris Beardsley

I know it seems like an oxymoron given my profession but I HATE reading research.  I hate it even more than I hate the BOSU ball, or worse, Tracy Anderson. In fact, if given the choice between reading a research paper or jumping into a shark’s mouth, I’d pick the shark’s mouth any day of the week.

You can imagine the total number of fist pumps I did when my buddy Bret mentioned that he was going to be releasing a monthly, 50-page, publication reviewing the latest in research on strength and conditioning, biomechanics, physical therapy, physiology, and numerous other things that are equally as geektastic.

50 freaking pages!!!  Every month!!!  And, he does all the work for you!!!

The kicker?

He’s letting everyone try it out for $1 for the first month.  After that, the monthly price increases to $10, which is still a steal in my book.

Do really need me to convince you any further why this is probably a wise investment on your end?

Lift Big Eat Big:  Worst Celebrity Diets – Brandon Morrison

For those of you who like my writing style, you’ll definitely appreciate this post.  Here, Brandon goes to town on some of the more, shall we say……asinine, diets that celebrities have been known to follow and tout.  Cue face palm here.

Enamored with Exercises – Patrick Ward

This was a spot-on post by Patrick that I feel hits the nail on the head in every way. People tend to have ADD when it comes to exercise.  More specifically, though, many have ADD when it comes to choosing what exercises to perform.

In terms of program design, people will tack on more and more exercises, yet never OMIT anything!

As Patrick notes, usually, LESS IS MORE.

EQI Bootcamp – BJ Gaddour

As I mentioned yesterday, Eric Cressey, Mike Robertson, BJ Gaddour, and Dave Schmidtz will be releasing their Elite Training Mentorship next week, and as a way to give people more of an idea of what’s in store, they’re releasing some amazing FREE content leading up to the release.

Today, BJ is up and he’s sharing an outstanding video on how he goes about structuring effective bootcamp style workouts. To the chagrin of some, bootcamp training isn’t JUST about making people tired – any joker with a whistle and a clipboard can do that. Contrarily, it’s also about taking the time to coach your clients and to learn how to design effective programs that won’t cause them to shit a spleen.

Okay, I’m done.  See you in a week!

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Is Eric Cressey an Assessment Jedi?

In a word:  yes. Yes, he is. But more on that in a second.

This industry is constantly changing – almost on a weekly basis. One week it’s boot camps that are all the rage. The next? Dude, you’re gonna kill it if you incorporate more semi-private or group training into the mix.

Even still, there are plenty of trainers and coaches out there who are doing very well following more of a private, one-on-one approach.

In the end, it doesn’t necessarily matter which avenue you choose to go down – private training, group training, Victoria Secret model boot camps (which would be awesome) – when you don’t take the time get really (really, really, really) good and what you do.

The people who tend to be the most successful are the ones who take pride in what they do and go out of their way to master their craft. They’re the ones who are constantly learning, trying new things, changing their train of thought, and most important of all…..

…….are TEACHING it to others.

A few of my friends, Eric Cressey, Mike Robertson, BJ Gaddour and Dave Schmitz have collaborated on a pretty baller project that I think is going to help a lot of upcoming (and even seasoned) fitness professionals out there.

It’s called the Elite Training Mentorship, and as of yesterday, they’re giving people an inside look at what it’s all about with some amazing FREE content.

Yep, that’s F to the REE.  As in, you don’t pay a dime.

To kick things off, and to give you an idea of what kind of amazing content is to come, Eric Cressey has shared a staff in-service video on lower body assessment that, for lack of a better term, is pretty freaking good.

Watch Eric Cressey In-Service Video!

And I’m not just saying all of this because Eric’s my good friend (and business partner). He’s one of the industry’s best at what he does and this staff training could easily be a stand alone product due to the depth and quality of information he provides – but you can get it at no cost here:

Seriously. Just Watch It.

The cool part? This is just the tip of the iceberg.  Every month these guys will be releasing similar, in the trenches content that is normally only reserved for their own staff.  If you’re looking to separate yourself from the masses and become a better coach or trainer, you’d be insane not to take advantage of this incredible offer.