I’ve got a busy and exciting weekend coming up. First off I’m gonna head to the gym shortly after pressing “publish” on this post, go deadlift my face off, and follow-suit with my weekly visit to my favorite pizza place here in Boston – Upper Crust.
Later on I’ll head to the airport to pick my boy Dean Somerset. We’re both teaching the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint to a sold out crowd at AMP Fitness this weekend. It’ll be bitter-sweet because after 20+ times teaching it across the world (LA, Seattle, London, Prague, Oslo, Minneapolis, Vancouver), it’s likely our last “planned” presentation of the course.
We’ll be sad to turn the page, but we’re excited to drum up a new curriculum.1
Of, if you prefer the Cliff Notes version: if you’re a 35+ (man or woman) and looking to follow a 4-month program that’s designed to get you strong, maybe get you a better bicep peak, not kill you, and take into account you’re not 25 anymore (and written be two competent coaches) it may be right up your alley.
2) BarBend.com Interview: Training Over 40 and Deadlifts
I was asked by the peeps over at BarBend.com to talk about training over 40 (catching a theme here?) and you know anytime I start talking about lifting things the conversation will gravitate towards deadlifts.
But we also talked about women and chin-up training too.
Admittedly it’s a liiiiiiiitle bit negative for my tastes in some parts, but as a gym owner myself I was shaking my head in agreement a lot as I was reading this.
Full Disclosure: The title of today’s post implies I’m going to be discussing strength training. Jokes on you….I’m actually going to share my top 10 Instagram pics of my cat.
KIDDING…the topic du jour is strength training.
I’m just not going too deep down the rabbit hole.
For that and if you really want to get into the nitty-gritty particulars of strength training and the mechanisms at play go check out Vladmir Zatsiorsky’s Science and Practice of Strength Training.
There you can learn everything as it relates to the scientific facts, including but not limited to motor unit recruitment, rate coding, delated transmutation, and a multitude of other words and phrases that’ll undoubtedly get people strong and make you sound smart.
Admittedly, what follows isn’t all that scientific. However it is rooted in 15+ years of coaching experience working alongside thousands of athletes/clients. I believe these “tenets” work.
Besides, I have big biceps so I obviously know what I’m talking about.
When it comes to the topic of strength training the internet likes to argue about optimal sets, reps, loading, periodization, low vs. high bar position, exercises to use, in what order, and anything and everything that may fall between the lines.
Pantless preacher curls for the win?
And, to be honest, many people can make a case for why they do this (compound lifts only) and why do that (one AMRAP set per muscle group with machines) and it’s likely they’re seeing results and increases in strength.
Who am I to judge?
That being said here are some additional, dare I say what should be commonsense thoughts for your consideration.
1) Make It a Priority
You’re busy, I’m busy, everyone’s busy.
Those people who get stronger are those who show up.
Nothing so succinctly gets this point across than a quote I came across from Greg Robins:
“Every time someone asks me about a client, or friend, etc. who has made a lot of progress…”How did they get that strong?”…..”What did they do to get there?”…Consistency, is always the first thing out of my mouth. They were consistent.“
I find far too many trainees become paralyzed by too much analysis; too much pontificating and too little action.
Shut up, show up.
Do that, consistently…worry less about the particulars, and good things are bound to happen.
2) Boring Is What Works
I Tweeted this the other day and it seemed to resonate with people:
The training programs that tend to work best are often relentlessly monotonous. People rarely need as much “variety” as they think.
I’m a bit biased and old-school and feel the best strength programs have their base in compound, barbell exercises.
Or the “Big 3” in bro-speak.
Squat
Bench Press
Deadlift
We could also toss in barbell rows, chin-ups/pull-ups, RDLs, GoodMornings, overhead presses, etc.
However, prioritize the Big 3 and focus on doing more work over time with those and you won’t be weak.4
People rarely need variety, they need to not have a 185 lb deadlift.
3) Technique/Positions Matter
I recently hit my first 600 lb deadlift. A month away from my 41st birthday, thank you very much.
I had someone ask me what is the difference between someone trying to improve from 500-600 lbs compared to 400-500 (or even 200-300 lbs)?
Easy…technique.
When someone is strong enough to pull 3x+ bodyweight it’s a safe bet their technique is on point.
When someone reaches the echelon of 700, 800, 900+ lbs…their technique has to be meticulous and razor sharp. By that point, however, more often that not, technique is pretty much on auto-pilot.
It’s like second nature and just happens.
I think why some people have a hard time, especially intermediate lifters who do have experience (and are kinda-sorta strong, but are trapped in “I’ve had the same PR for three years and I can’t seem to get over the hump purgatory”), is that they’re in poor positions.
More specifically they’re in poor positions and are unable to express their true strength.
A lot of people can “muscle” up a 300 lb, maybe even a 400 lb deadlift. They may shit out every single one of their vertebrae, but hey…they lock it out.
500 lbs? Meh, rarely.
600+ lbs? Hells to the no.
I’m a huge fan of using sub-maximal work (65-85% of 1-rep max) and keeping people accountable with their technique. Building volume with sub-maximal work ensures good positions (I.e., canister/pillar position, stacked joints) and also ensures technique will be solid.
The more “good” reps I can nudge out of people, the more likely is is they’ll start blasting through PR plateaus soon enough.
4) Utilize EDM Sets
Pigging back on the point above, another tactic I like to use is the concept of EDM (Estimated Daily Max) sets.
This takes into account how someone feels on any given day.
Some days weights fly up.
Other days, not so much.
Nothing is worse than showing up at the gym, having an epic workout planned, only to feel like a bag of dicks and everything feels heavy.
Well, explosive diarrhea sucks. But feeling like a bag of dicks is not to far behind.
As much of a fan as I am of percentage based training, something I’ve been utilizing more and more (especially with my older lifters) are EDM sets.5
Here’s an example:
Lets use the bench press.
I’ll have someone ramp up to his or her’s 3 EDM (3-rep Estimated Daily Max).
This won’t be a true rep-max remember, but a weight that’s challenging that day for 3-reps.
Ramp up sets are as follows:
95×8
135×5
185×3
205×3
225×3
250×3 <— 3 RM for the day.
I’ll then have them take the same weight (250 lbs) for some additional singles (3-5×1) to get a little more volume in.
Alternatively you can have someone work up to a 5-EDM and follow that with 2-3 additional sets of triples.
In both scenarios you ensure all reps are fast and that technique will be spotless. What’s more, you’re less likely to run someone into the ground and they’re more likely to recover and bounce back faster.
They still get some heavy(ish) work done, but with quality staying paramount.
5) Go To Bed
Go the fuck to bed, people.
You’ll only get as strong as how well you allow yourself to recover.
For the past year myself and Bryan Krahn (you know, the meathead writer guy with the bulldogs and the second best hair in the fitness industry6 have been meshing together ideas to curate what we believe to be the “ultimate” training program to finally service what we consider to be the most neglected demographic out there:
Basically guys like us.
Men (and women) over 40…who are experienced lifters, yet are now a bit beat up. (The days of chasing PR’s are now taken with a big grain of salt and a fat dose of ibuprofen).
NOTE: I know full well we’ll be getting a bunch of men and women writing something to the effect of “Hey Tony & Bryan, I’m 38 can I still participate?” To which I say, “Hell no. See you in two years punk.”
Just kidding. Of course you can!
Really, our goal is to target men/women who are 35+ years old. It’s just there was no witty acronym that coincided with the number 35.
YOU are a man (or woman) who still cares about getting or being strong, however you also have other goals:
You wanna have good symmetry (big arms, pecs, maybe a badonkadonk), bring up lagging body parts, and/or otherwise look good naked.
You wanna move well and not roll out of bed feeling like a broken down tin man.
You wanna gain back or maintain some semblance of athleticism. Not Bo Jackson Tecmo Bowl levels of athleticism, but it would be nice to be able to sprint 30 yards without pulling a hamstring.
More importantly, you want training to be both productive and fun.
But above all, you’re really busy…not just with work, but with family (or maybe you’re not busy, in which case I hate you), and you want to see the fruits of your labor.
FYI: Both Bryan and I are newly minted dads as of 2017, so we know how easy it is for training to take a back seat when “life” gets in the way.
However, we didn’t let life (or age) prevent us from still making progress and gains in the gym.
Here’s me hitting my first 600 lb deadlift a few weeks ago a month away from turning 41:
Many training schedules nowadays aren’t realistic and are hard to stay committed to due to time requirements. We recognize that for many Strong MOFo’s training needs to be efficient….45 minutes to an hour, max.
Get in, get out, get jacked.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, Bryan and I think we have a solution, and we’re ready to transition to the next stage and elicit some help.
And that’s where you come in.
Beta Testing Strong MOFo
We would never send a client a training program unless we first used it ourselves to work out the kinks.
Similarly, we’d never even consider putting together a product of this nature out for sale unless we had dozens of real-life beta testers following it to the letter and offering their feedback (and especially their criticisms):
What did they like? Dislike?
What phases worked best for them?
Which felt too long? Too short?
Which days made them feel invigorated, excited to train, or otherwise prefer to jump into a live volcano?
All of this feedback is gold and can help turn a decent program/product into a high-selling industry changer.
One that will help people get stronger, move better, feel less shitty, and more confident.
Which is why we’re making this baller offer:
We’re looking for highly committed, experienced lifters to follow our Strong MOFo program for four months.
The Deets
The program will be hosted by Tony’s CORE Online app, which in an online service he provides via his website. This offers a few benefits:
This will allow you to follow the program on your phone (but relax, you’ll also have the option to print it out too, you geezer).
You’ll have immediate access to video tutorials and explanations of all exercises.
You’ll also have access to a community forum to converse with other beta testers as well as to ask questions to Bryan and Tony.
Selfishly, it’s more convenient for us to go this route rather than deal with a plethora of Excel spreadsheets and emails. This way, there’s a “home-base” for everything.
Cost: We’re offering this beta program at a price of $249. This will cover four months of programming (and is less than what Bryan and I charge for one month of distance coaching).
Start Date: The start date is Monday, December 18th. We’re announcing this now for a few reasons:
This will allow for enough time to wrap up any current program you’re plugging through.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we know that entire week is usually a wash for most people.
You have ample time to get acquainted with the software/system.
Because we said so.
End Date = four months later.
Requirements
You have to be a minimum of 35 years old.
You have to have experience lifting weights. If you’re unable to deadlift, then, um, this may not be the program for you.
You have to have access to a well-equipped commercial or home gym. The last thing we want to be doing is tweaking someone’s program who only has access to dumbbells up to 40 lbs, a treadmill, and a rubber ducky.
You have to be relatively injury-free. Aches and pains are one thing. A frozen shoulder or six-months post back surgery is another
We’re so excited for this and can’t wait to have you on board.
I’m excited to be presenting alongside some other prominent coaches at this year’s Mid-Atlantic NSCA Conference in Philadelphia, PA this coming December.
Building a successful online training business can be daunting. There’s a lot of noise out there and it can be hard to separate yourself from the masses.
My good friend, Jon Goodman, has produced the most complete and thorough resource on the topic. If you’re looking for help on the what’s and why’s and how’s on the particulars of building a online business, one with integrity and that will help give you some financial freedom, look no further.
This course is only offered twice per year and the early bird opt in (which saves you $200) ends tonight. What’s more, since they’re always adding and updating information, next year the course will be $500 more expensive. So this is your last chance to save a boat load of cash.
When I made the decision to leave Cressey Sports Performance a few years ago it scared the shit out of me. I used that fear to help motivate me not to fail.
It worked. I think.
In this article Jill does a much better job of articulating how to handle tough situations.
I’m excited to be presenting alongside some other prominent coaches at this year’s Mid-Atlantic NSCA Conference in Philadelphia, PA this coming December.
Hope to see you there.
2) Strength House Podcast – The One Where They Dissect My 600 lb Deadlift
I’ve had a lot of people ask me about my 600 lb deadlift that I hit a few weeks ago: How did I prepare? What did my programming look like? Did I destroy the back of my pants? You know, all the important stuff.
My coach, Greg Robins, and his partner in crime, Tony Bonvechio, go into great detail on my technique and programming in their latest episode of The Strength House.
There are few things I’m steadfast on:
1. No one has to back squat.
2. Bacon is delicious.
3. Attack of the Clones is the worst of the Star Wars movies. It just is.
Oh, and there’s one more thing: I think any trainer who is serious about pursuing online training should FIRST spend 2+ years training people in person.
There are so many variables and nuances one learns from coaching people in person that it’s pretty much impossible to appreciate them if you end up bull-charging into online coaching out of the gate.
That being said, in this day and age, online coaching is kinda-sorta a thing. Actually, it’s more than that. For many it’s a viable and extraordinary way to add an additional revenue stream to compliment your income, or in some cases to make into your livelihood.
My good friend, Jon Goodman, author of the world’s only textbook on online training, has a free 4-day course on building a successful online business. I checked it out and it’s awesome, but free registration ends on October 29. Grab it while you can, and you’ll learn…
* Lesson 1: How to properly offer support to online clientele (and why most online trainers do this really, REALLY badly).
* Lesson 2: How online trainers should approach assessments (and the key mindset shift you MUST make).
* Lesson 3: How to sell online training over the phone in 11 steps (without being SLEAZY).
* BONUS: You’ll also get a free copy of Jon’s ebook, “The 16 Lasting Laws of Online Training”
The LAST day to download this FREE 4-day course is October 29th. Don’t miss out.
This is one of the best resources I’ve ever come across on the topic of how to make pull-ups/chin-ups your bitch.
Meghan is a fantastic coach and I know of zero people who are more passionate about the topic than her.
She looooooooves pull-ups. And, honestly, there aren’t many people who can do what she can do. It’s pretty impressive.
If you’re looking to conquer your first pull-up (and then some), look no further. Last day to save $50 off the regular price is today (hint, hint, nudge, nudge).
For the past three years Dean Somerset and I have had the opportunity to practice karate travel together all over North America (and Europe) presenting our Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint to the masses.
Here we are at Movement Minneapolis
All told we’ve had over 500 people – ranging from personal trainers, strength coaches, yoga/pilates instructors, physical therapists, chiropractors, people who like to lift heavy things, and Chuck Norris7 – attend the course, in addition to having over 100o people purchase the online video series.
This November, though, in Boston, MA, will likely be our LAST workshop.
Well, not the last last workshop.
It’s not like he and I had a falling out or something and hate each other’s guts. That could never happen.
Rest assured we have plans to do future workshops together, just not this workshop.
Why Should You Come Hang Out With Us In Boston?
1. I’m serious, I’m 99.7% sure this will be the last liveComplete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint event in the foreseeable future.
Now, granted, Brett Favre retired and un-retired 33 different times and even Crystal Pepsi has managed to make several comebacks, so I’ll never say never.
But unless Disney decides to put Dean and I in some magical vault alongside a pair of glass slippers and several Dwarfs, and re-release us every 40 years, this will be our last CS&H workshop.
2. I’d venture a guess there aren’t many workshops that can give you the same experience as us. We geek out over some geeky shit, but we also make things very digestible and fun:
Every workshop is different and we’re pretty flexible in terms of catering the two-days to what our audience wants to watch and listen to.
3. Learn to connect the dots, if any, between assessment, corrective exercise, and effective strength training strategies for common shoulder and hip ailments and dysfunctions.
100% of your clients have shoulders and hips, I think.
I can almost guarantee you’re going to learn something that you’ll be able to apply right away to help your clients/athletes get better.9
4. It’s an amazing opportunity to network and meet other like-minded individuals.
5. CEU deadlines are coming up at the end of the year and I’m willing to bet you’re someone who’s waited till the last minute. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
This sucker provides 1.4 CEUs (via the NSCA).
6. The weekend of this workshop is an extended Holiday weekend, so most personal training clients will be peacing out anyways.
Why not come visit a cool city, do some sightseeing, and make a weekend out of it?
The Early Bird rate is currently in effect – $100 off the regular price – and seats are limited. Click the link below for full details on the itinerary, location, payment options, and which is Dean’s favorite Spice Girl.
Sorry I was absent from writing some content this week. It’s a busy two-week window on my end with travel to Chicago this weekend (for the Elite Training & Performance Summit) and next weekend to Toronto to visit friends.
I’ve got a few blog ideas percolating in my brain at the moment, so I should have some fresh content to melt your faces next week. I hope.
The Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint is finally coming to Boston. Not “fake” Boston, either, on the outskirts of the North or South shore, and we end up calling it a Boston workshop.
No, this sumbitch is going to be IN Boston, at AMP Fitness located near Government Center in the heart of the city.
This shindig goes down the weekend of November 11th and the early bird rate is currently in effect. Hope to see you there. And by “there” I mean HERE.
All I have to say is that it was a breath of fresh air to read an article on the hip thrust that didn’t devolve into a shit-show of platitudes, N=1 summaries, and ad hominem attacks.
Understanding The Shoulder Pain Epidemic in CrossFit Athletes Parts I & II – Dave Tilley
Now if it were me writing this article series all I’d say is:
This weekend is your last chance to get in on the initial launch of Peak Perform University.
It’s a continuing education resource geared towards fitness professionals curated personally by Joe Dowdell, who owned and operated one of the most successful gyms in NYC history, PEAK Performance.
In it you’ll have access to material produced by some of the biggest names in the industry: Pat Davidson, Bill Hartman, Dean Somerset, Perry Nickelston, Joel Jamieson, and yours truly.
You can think of it as an abyss of content: there’s already a hefty database to choose from, and there will be additional, CEU accredited material added month by month.
If you’re a fitness professional looking for an easy and convenient – no travel! – way to expose yourself to some of the top coaches in the industry this is a splendid way to do so.
The best part: you can choose however many courses you’d like to view, there’s no requirement to the number you have to purchase, and you can take however much time you want to view them.
Social Media Shenanigans
Twitter
Lets be real: you’re not “overtrained” and you haven’t reached your “genetic peak.” It’s likely just don’t work hard enough.
As you’re reading this I’m likely 35,000 feet in the air making my way back from Florida to Boston. What’s also likely is Lisa and I trying not to destroy the back of our pants juggling a 6-month old lap to lap in an effort to keep him at bay and not terrorize the rest of the passengers.
Knowing today was going to be a wash in terms of productivity I planned a head and prepped this week’s list of stuff to read a day early.
There’s only less than three weeks left to take advantage of the Early Bird rate for Dean Somerset and I’s workshop in Orlando, at Spark Fitness, the weekend of October 21st.
I’ve never been to Orlando. I bet it’s going to be beautiful in October. Yet, there’s no way in hell I’m visiting Disney World.10
HEADS UP: We’ve also added Boston into the mix later this year. Not Burlington Boston or Beverly Boston, two cities that are lovely, albeit not (that) close to Boston.
No, this is IN Boston. In the heart of the city Boston, at AMP Fitness.
Early bird rate is in effect now and if you’re super eager to sign-up you can go HERE.
I trust the people over at Precision Nutrition implicitly. If there’s ever a topic on nutrition I’m curious about or if a client has questions I almost always defer to them.
Today’s nutrition climate is sooooooo confusing and dichotomous. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? It’s sometimes hard to ascertain if something is BS or legit.
Well, PN (or, more specifically, the legend himself, John Berardi) just released this awesome, FREE, multi-day mini-course covering nutrition “hot topics” like whether grains are good/bad for you, the good and bad detoxes, whether you should be worried about GMOs, the facts about post-workout nutrition, nutrient timing, calorie counting, and, like, do unicorn tears really increase protein synthesis by 119%?
There was a giant leap last night. Lisa had to go away to NYC yesterday, which meant last night was the first night in Julian’s life mommy wasn’t under the same roof.
We had a blast. We ran around the apartment with scissors, visited the asbestos factory, took shots of Nyquil. It was awesome.
Note to Lisa: Julian is still alive.
He’a actually taking his morning nap, which means I have a finite amount of time to get this post done. Lets get to it.
This weekend is the last weekend to take advantage of the Early-Bird price for the Strong Body-Strong Mind Workshop. After Sunday (7/23) the price jumps up $50.
The idea is simple: there’s a corner in the industry that’s underserved….mental skills.
There are a lot of people out there who write about “mindset” and describe themselves as mindset coaches (whatever the heck that means) who, by and large, have zero academic background in that department.
SPOILER ALERT: Lisa’s a Jedi Doctor of Psychology and went to school for that shit.
I went to school to help turn people into badasses.
So, why not combine the two?
Lisa speaks to building competency and discussing how to build the skills to develop rapport with clients. I can speak to getting people bigger, stronger, and faster.
Our Vancouver shindig in April sold out, but Dean and I have recently announced a stop in Orlando, FL later this year, October 21-22nd at Spark Fitness.
I’ve never been to Orlando. There’s no way in hell I’m visiting Disney World.
HEADS UP: We’ve also added Boston into the mix later this year. Not Burlington, MA Boston or Beverly Boston. Like IN Boston… in the heart of the city Boston at AMPFitness.
If you’re super excited and want to sign-up early you can go HERE.
3. Bros Do Science Interview
When Dean and I were in London last month Rocco Venizelos of Bros Do Science stopped by Third Space in Canary Wharf to talk shop with the two of us.
My flagship resource, Complete Shoulder and Hip Blueprint is on sale, like right now, for the first time ever, at 50% off the original price.
Why?
1. My (business) partner-in-crime14, Dean Somerset, is Canadian and we figured it would be a nice way to celebrate our respective country’s Independence Day.
Unity is swell.
2. My 5-month old, Julian, goes through a ton of diapers. That shit’s expensive.15
3. Why not?
It’s gotten amazing reviews and feedback from trainers/coaches from around the world, and I’m not at all biased when I say it’s pretty much the greatest fitness resource ever produced in the history of ever.
Don’t worry: I’ll be writing some actual new content in the upcoming days to coincide with the sale. Content that will educate and make you a better coach.16
In the interim I wanted to rehash some older(ish) posts that touch on some of the topics Dean and I cover in the course. Even if you don’t want to buy anything – did I mention it’s HALF OFF? – the info is fantastic, and you’ll be smarter. And more attractive.
Shoulder impingement is a garbage term. A lazy term. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know the difference between the two, the mechanisms involved, and how to train around each issue.
Taking the approach that everyone should squat or deadlift (or whatever) the same way, with the same stance and setup, like we’re all molded to fit into the same textbook algorithm of perfection is unfortunate.
