CategoriesMotivational

How Toxic Hostility Is Killing Us: Yes, This is Relevant To You. So Read It

I had the pleasure of attending the Boston Sports Medicine Performance Group (BSMPG) annual conference this past weekend at Northeastern University.

First off: props to Art Horne for pulling off – yet again – another spectacular job organizing and hosting the event. You, sir, deserve this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAryFIuRxmQ

 

Second off: this is easily one of the more “high-level” events of the year on the fitness calendar, and I can’t speak highly enough to the caliber and quality of not only the speakers, but the attendees as well.

Ever have that feeling you’re the dumbest person in the room? Well that was me this past Friday with guys like Bill Hartman, Charlie Weingroff, Pat Davidson, Eric Oetter, Dr. James Anderson, and the pencil sharpener located at the front of the room all under one roof.

If you’ve never heard of the event, now you have…and I’d highly encourage you to try to make the trip to Boston next Spring.

If you have heard of the event, and you’ve never made the trip, to you I say……..

Get it done next year.

You won’t be disappointed.

Okay, so, lets talk about stress.

Why?

Well, for starters it’s something that affects all of us in some form or another. And secondly, one of the keynote speakers this past weekend was the one and only Dr. Robert Sapolsky, author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers.

He’s one of the world’s foremost experts on stress (he wrote a book about it, duh.), and someone who’s done more research on the topic than pretty much everyone, ever.

And he has an epic beard.

Which means we should listen to him.

The good doc spoke for around 90 minutes, but it felt like it was ten. It was all fascinating.

He discussed stress and how we as humans (more specifically those of us who have been around for the last 100 or so years) have changed how we react to (both physiologically and psychologically) and cope with stress.

You see, we don’t worry so much about infectious diseases in the “modern world” today. Diseases like dysentery, leprosy, and to a much smaller degree, influenza (flu)1 used to be much more of a problem back in the day.

Omitting the looney tune anti-vaxxers in the crowd, we’ve also made diseases such as polio, measles, and smallpox all but a passing memory.

 

Today, however, while they still exist and certainly shouldn’t be taken lightly, it’s not infectious diseases that are the leading cause(s) of death. Rather, as Dr. Sapolsky noted, it’s diseases which take their time to slowly deteriorate our bodies over the course of decades.

Heart disease, diabetes, marriage, etc…..

“Why is it when we feel someone doesn’t love us, or we feel sad or angry, we reach for the M&Ms?

If we could figure this out, we’d cure half the cases of diabetes.”

– Dr. Sapolsky

Lets begin by defining what stress is and what a stressor is.

Stress: adaptation your body mobilizes to re-establish homeostasis in the system. I’m paraphrasing here but, “hormones are released and [stuff] happens.”

Stressors: anything in the outside world that affects homeostatic balance.

For a zebra this can be being chased by a lion. For humans this can refer to tax season or your S.O. wanting to sit down and “talk about feelings.”

To expound a bit further Dr. Sapolsky states:

“For a cognitively complex species (like humans and other primates), stressor is also the ANTICIPATION that a a real physical challenge is about to happen. If there really is not the threat of a physical stressor coming, then you are setting yourself up for increased risk of stress-related disease.

Is stress always bad? No – if a stressor isn’t too extreme, is only transient, and occurs in what overall feels like a benevolent environment, it’s great, we love it – that’s what play and stimulation are.”

To simplify things into Dr. Sapolsky’s “umbrella theme”:

As humans we can turn on the same stress response as a zebra getting chased by a lion, but we tend to do so from a purely psychological standpoint, and we have a hard time shutting it off.

Increase your blood pressure for 30 seconds to avoid being eaten by a lion = save your life. (And, dude, you just outran a lion. That’s baller.)

Increase your blood pressure for an extended amount of time (for whatever reason) = heart disease.

In other words: we’re being chased by the stress of a 30-year mortgage or rush hour traffic or being forced to watch Downton Abbey. It’s all the same.

And it’s killing us. Literally.

Some Other Factoids on the Stress Response

1. We often see a suppression of digestion with elevated stress levels. Short term example = dry mouth before public speaking. Also, “fat loss” isn’t quite as much of a priority when a black bear is starring you down and licking its chops.

All non-vital systems are shut down.

Interesting to note, and something that’s often misinterpreted is that stress does NOT create ulcers.

Bacteria – specifically Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) – are the main culprit. But it’s our inability for our stomach to repair itself (due to stress) which is the key.

2. Chronic stress leads to myopathy (muscle loss), lethargy, and inefficient use of energy.

Interesting Fact: having a Type A Personality (characterized by impatience, hostility, low self-esteem, among others) places someone at a higher risk of developing heart disease than smoking.

Dr. Sapolsky referred to a concept he titled TOXIC HOSTILITY which I thought was spot on and a brilliant way of explaining things.

Here in Boston I see it every day. A gleaming example was yesterday while Lisa and I were walking across the parking lot from our car to the entrance of Whole Foods.

Out of nowhere this guy started blaring on his car horn because someone had the audacity to back out of their spot and hold him up for maybe five seconds.

I mean, really?

Apparently he was that important and in that much of a rush that he had to do something about it. Which was be an asshole.

I remember when I was in London last Fall I noticed virtually no one honked their horn.

Sure it happened, on occasion…but when I brought it up to some of the attendees at the workshop I was doing they noted honking the horn was kind of frowned upon over there.

Londoners just didn’t let trivial shit affect them.

This is in stark contrast to people I know or clients I’ve had who would straight up want to punch a baby seal in the face if they didn’t perform one rep correctly during their set of squats.

Long story short: is it any wonder we have some people who drop dead of a heart attack at 45?

3. We all know exercise is “good” stress, right?

But an insane amount of exercise doesn’t lead to an insane amount of benefits.

4. Long-term, chronic stress can lead to a decrease in libido as well as act as a precursor to erectile dysfunction.

How can we tell if it’s an “organic” issue or a psychological issue?

Easy. Attach this thingamajig/sensor to the penis which, once someone hits REM sleep, will send a signal via GPS to a satellite (<- may or may not be true) and let you know if you get an erection.

In all seriousness, this is true. Once he hits REM sleep the male will elicit an erection. BOM CHICKA BOM BOM.

If he’s able to do so we know it’s NOT an organic issue, but a psychological one.

5. Stress DOES NOT lead to an increase in cancer.

Dr. Sapolsky noted that there are any number of quacks (< – his words, not mine) making a fortune on their stress reducing (“cancer reducing”) treatments.

He gives everyone permission to scissor-kick anyone in the groin if they claim stress causes cancer.

Stress Management & Coping With Stress

So how can we manage stress?

It’s all about REFRAMING OUR STRESS EXPERIENCE.

Each individual is going to find (or at least should try to find) his or her’s most ideal way of coping with stress.

Dr. Sapolsky referenced a famous study done with rats where one rat was giving a shock every so often. Not surprisingly said rat developed an ulcer.

Another rat was given the same shock, but this time there was a second rat placed inside the cage. The rat given the shock could go and take out its frustration on the second rat. There was a MUCH reduced incidence of developing an ulcer.

A third rat was given the same shock, but was given a piece of wood to gnaw on (given a hobby).

A fourth rat was given the same shock, but was given a lever to press which would greatly reduce the frequency of said shock (given a sense of control).

A fifth rat was given the same shock, but had several other “rat friends” around to groom it and to act as a social support.

In all scenarios the rate of developing an ulcer was VASTLY reduced.

Why?

The rats were given an outlet of some sort, or social support. All of which led to less psychological stress.

Relaying this information to homo sapiens, stress management does work….but there are several caveats.

1. You can’t reserve it for the weekend only. You have to make a concerted effort to implement whatever strategies you pick on a daily timeline.

2. You have to choose something you actually enjoy doing.

Meditation, lifting weights, yoga, running, gardening, reading scripture to orphaned kittens, ALL work as a mode of stress management.

But if it’s an activity you don’t gain any pleasure from, it won’t work.

3. NEVER listen to anyone who states they have scientific research to back their claims or that their brand of stress management is scientifically proven to be better.

It’s BS, and makes Dr. Sapolsky very angry. Not Hulk angry, but close.

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design

Want to Get Better And Feel More Comfortable Squatting? Do This.

Squats. You either love them, or hate them.

If you’re reading this site, you’re probably a member of the former camp.

You love them.

But even if you love squats, I think it’s safe to assume that we all secretly love to hate them.

Squats aren’t easy.

They take a lot of practice, patience, and attention to detail to perform correctly. And even when all of that is taken into consideration – and you’ve anointed yourself the Ambassador of Squatting Badassery – there are still days when you step into a squat rack and it feels like riding a bike for the first time.

The sucktitude is always right around the corner.

I’ve written my fair share of articles on squat technique.

HERE’s one discussing the set-up which, more often that not, is going to be the determining factor on the success of a set.

99.94% of the time, anytime you see a technique flaw or breakdown during a set it can be attributed to a lackluster set-up.

Pigging back on the set-up conversation, HERE’s one where I discuss Active Foot vs. Passive Foot and how getting & maintaining TENSION is a huge factor in squatting success.

Annnnnd, running with the whole “setting up” theme (are you catching onto the gist that the set-up is kind of a big deal yet?) here’s a video where I discuss how cueing more of posterior pelvic tilt can help with squatting (and deadlifting) performance.

 

And that’s just glossing over the tip of the iceberg. Entire books and weekend seminars have been dedicated to the squat. The technique differences between all the different variations (back squat vs. front squat vs. powerlifting squat vs. ATG squats vs. high-bar squat vs. low-bar squats…..ALL vs. Godzilla), programming considerations, periodization schemes, corrective strategies….you name it, there are any number of resources out there that covers all of it.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Bret Contreras has written a 10,000 word blog post on hand position during the squat alone.

If anyone can do it, he can……;o)

There is one “thing,” however, I feel is often overlooked with regards to helping people get better at squatting and feeling more comfortable while doing it.

And yes, I realize that using the word “comfortable” in the same sentence as “squatting” is a bit of an oxymoron. Kind of like “deafening silence” or “random order” or “non-douchey Justin Bieber.”

Work with me for a second.

What’s that one “thing”?

Paused Squats

As in, actually pausing at the bottom of your squat. Not fake pausing. But actually STOPPING at the bottom.

[And maintaining good spinal position]

In Brospeak: pausing in the hole.

It’s by no means an Earth shattering suggestion, and I highly doubt it’s going to win me any “Strength Coach of the Year” Awards…but it is something I find not many people (coaches and trainers included) utilize enough.

Let me ask you this.

1. Where do most people “fail” or dump the weight when squatting?

2. What portion of the squat are most people weakest and feel less comfortable?

The bottom.

Here’s a quick video I shot yesterday of one of our female clients, Emma, who’s training for her 3rd powerlifting meet, performing her paused squats:

A Few Things To Note:

1. Most cogent to the conversation, you’ll note she comes to a complete stop. Kind of a crucial component for paused squats.

2. Generally speaking, a 1-3s pause is the goal. If we want to be super meanie-heads, we can up that to 5s holds.

3. Most important: she MAINTAINS TENSION in the bottom. Far too often I see people just kind of “hang out” in the bottom position and don’t actively use their musculature to do the work. Instead they use their passive restraints – ligaments, tendons, etc – and aren’t really doing much work to begin with.

Not coincidentally these are often the same people who complain of back pain.

It’s important to learn to stay tight throughout the entire set, even in the bottom.

4. Emma was only doing 2-3 reps per set in this case, with a relatively short pause (1-2s) so her breath didn’t play too much of a role here.

However, it’s not uncommon to have people perform paused reps for a longer duration and work on owning the position while maintaining their breath.

This is something Greg Nuckols has discussed in the past:

 

5. It’s also important to note that paused squats don’t always have to be performed in the lowest position. I’ve played around with having people pause at a certain point on their descent AND/OR on the ascent (out of the hole).

Practicing pauses in the hole is where I feel most people, most of the time should focus their time.

All of this to say: paused squats are an awesome way to not only help people get better at squatting (learning to get and maintain tension, increasing time under tension, even working on breathing) but also to feel more comfortable in the positions where they feel most vulnerable.

Don’t dismiss them.

Yes, you’ll need to use lower loads (I rarely ever go above 80-85% of 1RM with them, and most often stay in the 60-75% range for 3-6 sets of 4-6 reps)….but it’s the notion that paused squats will help you address a weakness in your technique that makes them so valuable in the first place.

Have fun.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 5/13/15

I’m in Providence, RI as I type this.

More specifically I’m in Providence, it’s nighttime, it’s kinda-sorta late (for me anyways,(9PM2 ), and I’m hanging out in the lobby area of the hotel I’m staying in writing this post to go live tomorrow.

If you’re reading this now: hello.

Why am I in Providence you ask?

Well, I was invited to come speak at the NEHRSA (New England Health Racquet Sportsclub Association) Annual Spring Conference. I’m speaking about the shoulder tomorrow morning (er, I mean today), and how it does “stuff.”

I’ll discuss assessment, both static and dynamic, and discuss some of the key things we look for when we work with an overhead athlete at Cressey Sports Performance. I’ll then breakdown some common “big rock” things we typically need to address: lack of shoulder flexion, lack of elbow extension, propensity for joint laxity, difficulty with scapular upward rotation, and a host of other things.

I’ll showcase some corrective strategies we use, and then offer some insight on the strength training side of the fence.

And then I’ll perform an interpretive dance, ALA Napoleon Dynamite:

 

Don’t think I won’t do it!

And now I give you this week’s list of stuff to read…..

Does Periodization of a Program Help Improve Strength? – Mike Reinold

I felt this was an excellent perspective given by Mike. When working with beginner (and even many intermediate) lifters, and those not remotely interested in deadlifting a bulldozer, advanced periodization programs and techniques probably aren’t as necessary as we’ve been lead to believe.

5 Must Follow Rules to Dominate Your Fat Loss – John Romaniello

There aren’t many people I trust more on the topic of fat loss than my boy John Romaniello. The man practices what he preaches, and he’s a walking, living, adonis….24/7/365.

I hate him.

He’s releasing a series of FREE videos this week as a precursor to the release of his latest project, OMEGA Body Blueprint.

This is video #2, and it breaks down five of the biggest rules to follow if you’re interested in maximum fat loss.

Full Disclosure: it’s nothing groundbreaking, but all of them are things pretty much everyone overlooks.

Like, all the time.

All you have to do is provide your email (don’t worry, you won’t be spammed to death), and you’ll get instant access to the video and PDF.

Sex, Lies, and Fifty Shades – Leslie Bennetts

Subtitle: Millions have read the books. Millions more will see the movie. And everything you think you know about it – and women – is wrong.

I receive Entertainment Weekly in the mail every week. I remember reading this article in the magazine back in February, right as 50 Shades of Grey was hitting theaters on Valentines Day.

I remember really enjoying it. The article that is, not the movie.

Yes, I saw the movie. Considering all the depressing art-house films and kung-fu movies I’ve made Lisa watch in the six years we’ve been together, I owed her one.

It wasn’t as vomit in my mouth’ish as I thought it was going to be (great soundtrack, Dakota Johnson was good, the dude playing the billionaire Red Room guy, not so much), but it wasn’t anything I’d encourage someone to pay to go see.

Anyways, I came across the article online and thought I’d share it here because, why not?

CategoriesMotivational

What I Learned From Avengers: Age of Ultron

Like most people on the planet I spent my $15 to go see Avengers: Age of Ultron recently.

Lisa and I had to hold off on seeing it right away because I was traveling last week, and there was NO way she was going to allow me to see it without her.

Even if I tried she’d be able to tell. Thor has Mjolnir, Quicksilver has super speed, Scarlet Witch has the ability to manipulate people’s thoughts, Tony Stark has a brilliant mind (and an Ironman suit), and Lisa has the ability to call BS if I’m lying to her.

It’s uncanny.

So alas, I had to give up a few “nerd points” and wait until the second weekend Avengers: Age of Ultron was out in theaters to go see it.

It….was…..awesome.

My good friend, John Romaniello, wrote a post earlier in the week about his lessons learned while watching The Avengers (you can check it out HERE).

On an aside: John is releasing his next product soon – the OMEGA Body Blue Print – and he has a killer video to share today titled How to Stay Fit (and Burn Fat) On the Road.

It’s the perfect answer for people who travel a lot and often allow their diet (and training) slide in between flights and hotel stops.

It’s FREE and definitely worth the watch. Check it out HERE.

Roman knows fat-loss (and sultry stares)

(NOTE: You will need to provide an email address, but I promise John won’t spam you or share your email. Because he’s not a dick.)

Back to The Avengers.

Did I mention it was awesome?

It was awesome.

I know it’s woefully unoriginal, but I’m stealing Roman’s idea and plan on sharing my own lessons learned from watching the movie.

Here you go.

1. A Team Trumps Any One Person

None of the (original) Avengers – Captain America, Ironman, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye – particularly like one another.

Put them in a room together where they’re not fighting a common enemy trying to destroy Earth and they’re bound to argue, squabble, fight, and otherwise act like whiny teenagers.

And while each one separately has their own set of unique skills and strengths which allow them to kick ass, it’s only when they combine and join forces – as a team – that they’re able to conquer immense circumstances and odds.

This parallels what we try to accomplish at Cressey Sports Performance.

Every coach on staff has their own set of strengths they bring to the table. And while I’d be lying if I sat her and said that Eric (Cressey) isn’t the ring leader and “the face of the franchise,” it’s equally false for me to sit here and state we haven’t worked – as a team – to make the brand successful with or without the namesake being around.

A few weekends ago Pete Dupuis, the Vice-President and business director of CSP, travelled with me to Kansas City to speak at The Fitness Summit.

The topic of his presentation? How Tony Took Over the Radio and Played NOTHING But Tiesto CSP Massachusetts Was Able to “Survive” and Flourish With Eric Gone.

Not the exact title, but close.

When Eric decided to open up another facility in Jupiter, FL, it was a very real concern that our numbers would drop up here in Massachusetts. Both from a foot-traffic standpoint and monetary standpoint.

As it happened: we had our most successful 6-month stretch ever……with Eric being gone.

Our foot-traffic stayed pretty much the same, and we not only saw continued double digit growth in business, but we were also able to hire TWO additional coaches (Miguel Aragoncillo and Tony Bonvechio, respectively).

I chalk it up to the entire staff working as a team to improve the athlete-client experience.

Each coach was able to “step-up” and come out of their shell (so-to-speak) and shine. What’s more, communication was placed at a premium, and we all made a concerted effort to bring up any issues or concerns we had. Everything from programming modifications and assessment protocols to scheduling and helping one another with evaluations.

It wasn’t about relying on ONE person to call the shots and be the leader. It was about all of us learning to become more of a team and playing to one another’s strength to make the customer experience better.

2.  Captain America Has Pecs That Could Cut Diamonds

As we were walking home from the movie yesterday, all I heard Lisa say was how Captain America’s (Chris Evans’) pecs were so juicy.

“They’re my new favorite pecs.”

[Cue evil stare from me]

“After yours, of course, honey.”

Okay, I’ll admit it: those are some pretty damn juicy. I mean, look at em!

While I can’t speak to the exact workout regimen Chris followed to get those pecs, I can speak to one of my new favorite ways to blast your pecs.

Something I’ve been hammering lately – thanks to my own coach, Greg Robins – is something called Oxidative Bench Pressing.

It goes like this:

1. Start with a weight in the 95-135 lb range (trust me, start LIGHT).

2. Using a 2-2-2 tempo (lowering bar in 2s, pausing at the chest for 2s, then pressing back up in 2s), press for 30 seconds.

3. Rest for 30s.

4. Repeat same process for a TOTAL of 3-4 rounds.

5. REST FIVE MINUTES

6. Repeat the whole shebang again.

Add 10s each for four weeks, so by the time you reach week #4 you’ll be pressing for 60 total seconds.

You’re welcome.

3.  People Will Find a Way to Complain About Anything

You’re never going to make everyone happy.

I read somewhere on the interwebz that some people were upset with Natasha Romanoff’/Black Widow’s backstory, and more specifically, were upset that the director, Joss Whedon, decided to add a bit of a romantic chemistry between Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) and Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo)……

…..and that this plot detail somehow spoke to a larger issue of how women are portrayed in movies.

Concerning the Back Story: was it lame? Maybe. Personally, I didn’t think so.

Concerning the Whole “How Women Are Portrayed in Movies Argument: I can see how this has some merit, but not here.

For a quick precursor, I offer you the Bechdel Test.

Introduced by comedian Alison Bechdel, it’s a quick test that calls attention to gender inequality in movies. Basically, a movie “passes” if it meets the following criteria:

  1. The movie has to have at least two women in it,
  2. who talk to each other,
  3. about something besides a man.

I guess, technically, Avengers: Age of Ultron “fails” the test.  But lets provide a bit of context.

You could make the argument that Joss Whedon has done MORE for female equality in movies than any other director in Hollywood. All we have to do is look at his past projects, ALL of which involve STRONG female character, often in a leading role.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (tv)

Dollhouse (tv)

Firefly (tv), which was then made into the movie Serenity.

As well as The Avengers and now Avengers: Age of Ultron.

So, shut-up internet.

I’ve also read that some people were turned off by Black Widow’s lack of badassery in this latest movie, and that this was another gleaming example of Hollywood placating into societal norms.

Bull to the shit.

First off, I challenge anyone to write, much less DIRECT a movie of this magnitude – which included upwards of FIFTEEN main (“superhero”) characters – and not be forced to tone down a few components of the story line.

That’s fifteen actors and actresses vying for significant screen time. Good luck with that.

Second, with regards to anyone commenting on Black Widow’s lack of badassery, did you not see Captain America: The Winter Soldier?

She was busting people’s faces all over the place. For two freakin straight hours.

Lastly, and I understand this is a bit of a stretch in terms of an argument, but Scarlett Johansson was pregnant during much of the filming of this movie.

The internet shit a kettlebell a few years ago when a mother had the audacity to continue to attend CrossFit classes and lift weights during her pregnancy.

The backlash she received from ignorant naysayers was sickening. All of it despite the fact she had years of experience, nothing she was doing was new (to her), and she reduced her frequency and loads as the pregnancy progressed.

For more of my thoughts on women training through pregnancy, check out THIS post.

Imagine the outcry if people found out Scarlett was performing scissor kicks to various people’s faces – while pregnant – during filming.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I don’t even want to think about it.

Needless to say, I’m sure this played into why, to some degree, Black Widow’s storyline was watered down a bit.

Relax, people.

4. Be You. Own You

Much of what makes the Avengers so interesting to watch is that each character has his or her’s own flaws.

None of them are perfect.

Just like none of us are perfect.

In the movie, while it doesn’t jive with the source material from the comics, Ultron is “created” by Tony Stark as a way to protect Earth, to serve as a “shield” from non-Earthly danger.

Unfortunately, Ultron comes to the conclusion that humans themselves are Earth’s greatest enemy, and seeks to destroy them/us.

Oops.

Without giving away too much, there’s a point in the movie where Stark tries to “right his wrong,” and seemingly goes about making the same mistake(s) that started the whole mess in the first place.

“I’m a mad scientist,” he blurts out to Dr. Bruce Banner, who’s incredulously looking on in disbelief.

Stark owns who he is. He’s unabashedly being himself.

I encourage you to do the same.

BE YOU!

Just don’t pretend to be someone you’re not.

I’ve never been a big drinker. I can count on one-hand the total number of times I drank alcohol in college; and I’d be hard pressed to surpass two-hands to point to the number of times I’ve held a drink in my hand throughout my entire life.

It’s never been a vanity thing or a health thing.

I just can’t stand the taste of alcohol. Remember those bitter-beer face commercials from back in the day?

That was me, no matter what type of alcohol touched my lips.

Sure, I got my balls busted by my teammates, and it took a while for them to understand I wasn’t ever really going to “break.” It was hard always being the one guy at the party that wasn’t drinking.

But I stuck to my guns, stayed true to myself, and it wasn’t long before it was just a common theme that “Tony didn’t drink.”

It’s an dramatic example, but whatever the case may be as it relates to YOU….don’t shy away from it.

Be you.

Always.

5. It’s Possible to Have an Erection For an Extended Amount of Time Without Having to Call a Doctor.

We’ve all seen those silly male erectile dysfunction commercials on television.

At the end of each one, when they start to list all the side-effects, one of them always tends to stand out. Always call your doctor for erections that last for an extended period of time.

I think it’s something like 2-4 hours.

Well, I’m here to tell you I had a (nerd) erection for a long-ass time yesterday and I was just fine. From the moment the first preview started – Fantastic Four to Star Wars to Batman vs. Superman to Jurassic World –  until the end of the mid-credit “final scene” featuring Thanos, I had a massive boner.

Can you blame a nerd?

Did I mention this movie was awesome?

CategoriesMotivational

Fitness Professionals: Find Your Why

While I wouldn’t place myself in the echelon of “voracious reader,” I do read a lot. Fiction, non-fiction, autobiographies, Entertainment Weekly, it’s all fair game.

Like many of my colleagues, I make a special point to read books on personal development and business. For some of my favs check out my list HERE.

One book that’s rocking my world at the moment is Start With Why by Simon Sinek.

At the center of the book is what’s referred to as The Golden Circle. I know it sounds nefarious – or at the very least a long-lost Narnia sequel – but I assure you it’s harmless.

It goes like this (and for the more visual learners in the crowd you can peep the chart above):

Many people and/or businesses and organizations know what they do and they know how they do it.

Rarely, though, do they know WHY.

WHY do they do what they do?

One “go to” example often used in the book is Apple. There are any number of companies that make computers, laptops, Mp3 players, and what not. Some of which are technologically better than Apple.

So what makes Apple so special?

Why are they able to maintain such a stronghold, be the most profitable, and retain such a loyal following despite only penetrating 6-7% of the market?

What do they do differently and where are others missing the mark?

And since I’m on a roll right now and ending every sentence with an open-ended question, is this not the funniest video ever?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VuMdLm0ccU

 

To quote the book, here’s a marketing message from Apple, if they were like everyone else:

“We make great computers. They’re beautifully designed, simple to use and user-friendly. Wanna buy one?”

Here’s the same message written in a way that Apple actually communicates. This time emphasizing the WHY:

“Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use and user-friendly.

And we happen to make great computers. Wanna buy one?”

What’s My Point?

I see this same phenomenon in the fitness industry (and frankly, you can insert any industry or occupation here), and the same message mirrors why many fitness professionals fail.

While I generally avoid using gross generalizations, I’d garner a guess that most personal trainers and coaches know what they do.

“I get people jacked, shredded, bigger, faster, stronger, or increase their level of sexification, yo!”

To that same point, many know how to do it.

[Lets assume we live in a perfect bubble and every trainer takes their clients through a thorough assessment and designs a well thought out, organized, efficient, and non-bat-shit-crazy program based off the findings of said assessment.

1. HAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAA.

2. But seriously, lets assume it.]

But WHY do you do what you do?

“To help people achieve their goals,” most might say.

Okay, noble answer.

But that doesn’t really say anything, differentiate you from the masses, or speak to the fact 99.99% of fitness professionals aren’t in it to not help people achieve their goals.

In short: lame answer, and it’s what everyone else says.

Much like Apple, we don’t need to over-think things and come up with some Tolstoy’esq sized Mission Statement.

Lets run with the canned response “I want to help people achieve their goals.”

It it were me, I’d saying something along the lines of:

“There are any number of trainers and coaches out there you could hire. And like most of them, I too want to help you achieve your goals – whether it’s to get a little stronger, improve performance in your respective sport, shed some extra body fat, or help with a nagging injury.

I choose to do so with integrity and honesty, in addition to using equal parts evidence-based research and anecdotal “real-world” experience.”

I want to help you achieve your goals, but I also want to help you not have to rely on me long-term. I want to teach you, educate you, coach you. It’s my goal to make you your own best ally, asset, and advocate.”

I encourage you to find your WHY.

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Rotational Deadlift

Anyone who’s ever dealt with Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction or pain knows how much of a soul suck it can be.

It’s something that’s very common, but altogether mysterious because it’s such a tricky joint to begin with.

This isn’t going to be a post on SI joint dysfunction. There’s really nothing I can say or add to the conversation that hasn’t already been stated.

HERE’s an excellent post by my boy Dean Somerset which breaks down the anatomy and some programming considerations.

And for the more clinically minded, HERE’s a post by Mike Reinold on the assessment side of things.

Suffice it to say, when it comes to SI joint shenanigans there’s no one universal approach or train of thought as to the best way to rehab it or resolve it.

It’s kind of like driving through Boston. No one really knows what the heck is going on.

Last weekend at The Fitness Summit I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Erika Mundinger speak on the topic, and really liked what she had to say.

One “delicious Bon Bon” (< – to steal a quote from Mark Fisher) of information I gleaned from her talk was the idea of including more rotational movements as part of SIJ dysfunction rehab/treatment.

Specifically she talked about the Posterior Sling and how, for many suffering from SIJ dysfunction, it’s often neglected. Or, rather, it’s addressed from the wrong vantage point.

For most, sagittal plane movements are going to be money. Most will be able to handle sagittal loading via bilateral squats and deadlifts fairly well. This will generally always be the starting point.

Where that starting point actually is…depends. Some people will be on one end of the spectrum and need to learn how to perform a basic hip hinge and hammer floor based core stability (deadbugs, quadruped drills, etc).

Others will be able to be more aggressive and perform more traditional DL and squat exercises.

 

HOWEVER, as Dr. Mundinger noted, it’s these very sagittal plane (flexion/extension) dominant exercise that may be jacking up people’s SI joints further.

Sometimes people gain too much rigidity in the sagittal plane and it causes it’s own set of issues.

Hypermobility and laxity is a common “correlation” with SIJ dysfunction, and it makes sense to build more stability in that area with said movements. But Dr. Mundinger’s commentary about including more transverse plane (rotational) movements made a lot of sense to me.

Which serves as a perfect opportunity to introduce the next Exercise You Should Be Doing.

Rotational Deadlift

 

It’s no secret I love me some deadlifts. There’s no one exercise that gets me pumped up or gratifies me more than the deadlift.

In every sense: it’s you vs. the bar.

It helps build bulletproof athletes and makes men out of boys (women out of girls?).

Either way, it’s a staple movement and one I feel is about as versatile as they come, whether you’re an athlete or regular Joe/Jane, someone interested in powerlifting or just looking to move well and feel better……..

…..the deadlift can accomplish a lot.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Rotational Deadlifts WILL NOT get you yoked.

Sorry meatheads.

[Cue hilarious video I found on the internet now……NSFW]

 

For those still reading….lets continue.

I do feel it’s a variation that many people can incorporate into their training repertoire injured or not, but one that obviously has increased merit with those suffering from SIJ pain.

What Does It Do: As alluded to above it gets you out of the sagittal plane, and as Dr. Mundinger suggested (much to the GASPS of her colleagues), it relieves some of the stress off of the SI joint and challenges it in the transverse plane.

Of course this is going to be a case-by-case scenario, and it’s important that someone OWNS sagittal plane before introducing rotational movements.

But it makes sense – at least to me – that constantly hammering the same pattern(s) over and over and over again could be detrimental. Adding in (some) rotation can be exactly what the doctor ordered.

Pun intended.

Dr. Erika Mundinger

Key Coaching Cues: for some, you’ll have to tame your inner meat-head. This IS NOT going to be an exercise where max-effort is the goal.

Start with a KB on one side and sit (rotate) INTO the hip. Grab the handle as if you were trying to melt it in your hands (this will force the shoulder to pack itself through a process called irradiation) and then “deadlift” the bell up to waist height.

For some people I may even have them “hover” the bell above the floor a couple of inches for a few seconds to help them maintain tension and to keep proper spinal position.

You’ll then reverse the action and rotate into the opposite hip, coming to a complete stop on the other side.

(Again, sometimes, I’ll have people hover for a few seconds above the floor).

And that’s pretty much it.

There are ways to progress this movement. You can perform with TWO kettlebells or you can even perform it as a 1-legged variation.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

UPDATE: scratch that, you can go beast mode on rotational deadlifts. You win this time David Dellanave.

CategoriesRehab/Prehab

6 Reasons Why You’re Always Hurt

Everyone has that one crazy uncle in their family. The one who burps in public, says inappropriate things at the most inopportune times, and who’s social filter is otherwise…always a little off.

By that same token many of us – the fitness minded ones, the gym rats – tend to have that one friend who’s always hurt

Whether it’s a bum knee, an old shoulder injury, or nagging lower back pain that never seems to go away, they’re never 100% and can’t seem to get out of their own way.

In my latest article on T-Nation I discuss a handful of not-so-common reasons why some people are always hurt.

I had a lot of fun writing this one.

Check it out HERE.

CategoriesUncategorized

I Was Nominated For Something. You Should Vote For Me.

I don’t normally do this but……

…..Holy s*** I was nominated for something!

It wasn’t for an Oscar.

It wasn’t for a Tony Award, as ironical as that would be.

It wasn’t for a Grammy.3

And it definitely wasn’t for anything like “best looking deadlift” or “best last name for a strength coach” or “most likely to kick Batman’s ass” or “owner of cutest cat on Earth.”

It was, however, something unexpected and something I think is pretty cool.

My website/blog was nominated for the 2015 Fitness Blog Awards (in the category of Bodybuilding and Strength) by the website Muscle & Strength.

The last time I was nominated for anything was back when I was a junior in high school for Prom Court.

I didn’t win.

It’s a long story, I don’t want to get into it.

Those fuckers.

Nevertheless, while I can’t sit here and say what, exactly, I’d “win” for winning – other than bragging rights (?) – as the cliche goes, it’s an honor just to be nominated.

As noted on the site:

“The awards are designed to recognize and promote fitness bloggers who create great fitness content that helps others reach their personal health & fitness goals.”

That’s pretty awesome in my book.

[According to the representative who contacted me from the site, in order to be placed onto the ballot you had to be nominated, and those sites which garnered the most nominations were then placed on the final tally.]

So here we are, and thank you to everyone who nominated my site.

What Now?

1. I kind of feel like one of those contestants on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. I want to win (or at least get into the top four) just to say I made it that far. Except, you know, with less back-stabbing, cattiness, hot tub make-out scenes, and final rose ceremonies.

2. If you have a few spare moments (and you agree with the nomination)4 you can cast your vote HERE. You just need to scroll down a bit and place a checkmark in the appropriate box.

[Cue Jedi mind-trick here]

“You will vote for TonyGentilcore.com”

Voting started yesterday and will continue until May 15th.

You can vote everyday.

3. What’s more, the more often you vote, the more likely you are to win one of ten $50 gift card prizes.

And a hug from me.

–> GO VOTE <–

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: The Fitness Summit Edition

Another week of “stuff to read,” another edition inspired by an eventful weekend of fitness industry shenanigans.

This time around: The Fitness Summit

Pictured (L to R): Pete Dupuis, Dr. Susan Kleiner, Bret Contreras, Dr. Erika Mundinger, Tony Gentilcore, Jeannine Trimboli, David Dellanave, Dean Somerset, Lou Schuler, Dr. Mike T. Nelson, Alan Aragon, Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, Sol Orwell, Nick Tumminello

I had the honor of being a first-time invitee last year (I even wrote about my experience HERE), and was thrilled I was invited back for the 2015 edition.

Lets take the insanely good speaker line-up out of the equation5 and note that, as a testament to the event itself, many of the attendees would constitute as an all-star line-up in of itself.

People like Greg Nuckols, Jen Sinkler, Andy Morgan, Eric Bach, Alicia Fetters, Bryan Krahn, Armi Legge, Mark Fisher, and many, many more made the trip to Kansas City to learn, mingle, eat what’s probably some of the best BBQ on Earth, and swear like sailors for two days.

If anything The Fitness Summit is a social event as much as it’s a learning event (and believe me there was a TON of learning). The uniqueness and appeal is the accessibility of the speakers to the attendees (which included 150+). It’s not as if the speakers speak and then jet off to their hotel rooms or sequester themselves at the “cool table” with all the other speakers.

Quite literally the entire weekend is designed and meant to be an informal party and networking extravaganza.

And based off how many people were wearing sunglasses on day two, plenty of people let loose….;o)

Ahem, cough, cough Alan Aragon cough, cough.

Kidding aside: I’ve never seen one human being bro-knuckle more than Alan Aragon. The man is a machine.

All of this to say: THANK YOU to everyone involved for (always) making it such an amazing weekend. Special kudos go to the Bromberg brosefs – Nick and David (in addition to their parents) – for organizing the event. THANK YOU to the speakers whom I’m always learning from and for considering me a colleague.

THANK YOU to everyone who introduced themselves and for taking the time to say such nice things to me. It means so much knowing that people enjoy and respect my work and appreciate the efforts I take provide a bit more integrity – however small – to this industry.

And THANK YOU to Southwest airlines for two seamless, turbulence-free flights.

This week I wanted to highlight some articles from some first-time presenters at The Fitness Summit this year. Some (or all) of them may be familiar to you – if so, my bad – but nonetheless, it’s my hope to direct you towards a few new resources that you might not otherwise have the chance to check out.

Power Eating – Dr. Susan Kleiner

It was a real fan-boy moment treat to have the opportunity to listen to Dr. Kleiner speak this past weekend because her seminal book, Power Eating (now in its 4th Edition), was one of the very first nutrition books I ever read when I started out in this industry.

At a time when carbohydrates are being tossed into the same category as ISIS, sub-prime mortgage loans, and Nicholas Sparks movies (< – rightfully so), it’s awesome to listen to a voice of reason like Dr. Kleiner – especially as it relates to ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE!!!!

Low-carb, and worse ketogenic diets, are horrible if athletic performance is the driving force, and this book is one of the “go to” resources I use to help drive that point home.

Sex Sells (You Out) – Jeannine Trimboli

Anna Sidorova 2014 Curling Champion, AKA “hot Winter Olympic Babe”

I really enjoyed Jeannine’s presentation this past weekend as she spoke to a topic that I often discuss here on this site with regards to the mainstream media and the unrealistic, sexualized messages it relays to women interested in fitness.

This article serves as a perfect overview of Jeannine’s message.

Ask Ann: Why Is My Shoulder Blade Grinding, Popping, and Achy – Dr. Ann Wendel

Full disclosure: Dr. Ann Wendel did not speak at The Fitness Summit (although I’m a big fan and she’s fully qualified to do), but for the life of me I couldn’t find an article written by Dr. Erika Mundinger (who DID speak).

She presented a superb presentation on SI joint dysfunction and maybe I can entice her to write a guest post on my site down the road (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

This article was the last one she linked to on her Twitter account (HERE), so that’s the best I can do.

It’s an article written by a doctor, shared by a doctor. And since I have a doctorate in being awesome, I approve of this article as well.

Categoriespersonal training

How to Choose a Good Group Class

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of Cressey Sports Performance’s group fitness coordinator, George Kalantzis.

Enjoy!

The fitness industry is changing. Terms like boot camp, body pump, zumba, and much more are watering down the quality of group training.

Case in Point: Bootcamp Pilates

From an upper management point of view, it makes sense to clone a generic name, throw it out there and offer a low cost offer to bring in as many as bodies as possible through the door to generate revenue.

But, just because a class may be jam packed with bodies, does not necessarily mean it may be the best fit for you.

This article will give you the ins and outs of a great group class and hopefully lead you into choosing a right class that best fits your personal needs.

1. Check References

With all the technology in the world, anyone can post an online testimonial or review. Cressey Sports Performance Strength Camp officially launched three years ago and started with only two clients.

Over the past three years, we have grown to five classes, three times a week, and a steady base of 35-40 clientele.

At first, that may not seem like much, but we have created a family and culture that keeps our clients coming back for more, with a steady flow of at least 1-2 new members signing up from referrals alone each month.

Before you decide to sign up for a group class, talk to current members and get a feel for the class to see if it is a right fit for you.

2. Beware of the Sweat Effect

Walk into any health club or commercial gym and you will be sure to see massive amounts of people packed into a small space.

Sure, larger groups look like a lot of fun, but you need to make sure, after taking a look and running through the class a few times, that you are not getting a list of randomized circuits and trainers who don’t care about proper form, exercise selection, flow of workout, and progression/regression of clients.Take a look at this example:

Have you ever walked into a class where the trainer was yelling random exercises and having you move all over the room, while you found yourself repeating the same things throughout the class with no exercise modifications?

If so, you have experienced the “ sweat effect”. It’s these types of classes that cause overuse injuries to clients and give group training a bad reputation.

Next time you decide to join a group class, look at the way the class is structured and see if the trainer modifies any exercises according to your individual needs.

Don’t be a sucker for the sweat effect.

3. Check the Coach to Client Ratio

While there is nothing wrong with large group training, when you are in search of a group class to learn new movement patterns and/or are relatively new to exercise, a large group setting may not be the right fit for you.

At CSP, we like to keep our client to coach ratio of 6:1, meaning that we will cap out our classes at 12 clients and provide 2 coaches.

While this is not the end-all-be-all standard list of ratios in reference to group sizes, these numbers are relatively close to the norm in the industry.

Small Group Training : 2-6 people / 1 coach

Large Group Training : 7-15 people / 2 coaches

Bootcamp/Very Large groups : 16+ / 3 coaches

Keep in mind when selecting the size of your class, as the more people there are in a group, the harder it will be to get a personalized workout.

4. Look at the Training Philosophy

Many people start out their journey in fitness and find themselves doing programs that do not match up with their goals. In fact, it’s not uncommon for people to stay doing the same routines only to end up feeling worse or injured because they have not been educated on the importance of proper recovery and exercise selection.

Here are a few things to look for in a good group class:

– Look at the warm-up, does the group foam roll and do some mobility/stability drills or do they just jump right into the workout?

– Look for a program that helps you build a base before progressing to the next level.

– Are the classes always high intensity, or do they throw in some strength work in there?

– Do the coaches take the time to coach you? To demonstrate and show you proper technique?

– Do the classes incorporate upper and lower body movements in addition to single leg work and appropriate core work?

– Is there any sense of a “ramp system” where exercises and drills are catered or modified to fit the needs of the individual?

There are certainly many more factors to consider, but I have found the points made above are an excellent starting point.

Also, just to toss it out there: if you’re a fitness professional looking to start a group exercise/bootcamp class and would like to get a leg up on the competition and learn many of the SYSTEMS we used at CSP to implement our camps, I’d highly recommend Bootcamp In a Box by Mike Robertson, Molly Galbraith, and Jim Laird.

In Conclusion

Group classes are the current trend in the fitness industry. They are incredibly affordable and lots of classes provide a great atmosphere to train in.

Before you decide to join a new class, do some homework and find a program that best fits your needs rather than a random class that will make you sweat.

About the Author

George began his time at Cressey Sports Performance as an intern in the fall of 2013, and returned in 2014 as CSP’s Group Fitness Coordinator, overseeing all Strength Camp coaching and programming responsibilities.

George is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and was awarded an honorary discharge after eight years of service. He possesses an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and is currently attending massage school to become a licensed massage therapist.

Outside of CSP, George maintains a fitness-related blog that can be found at www.sgtkfitness.com.

He and his wife Shawna reside in Manchester, NH, with their fur-baby Lola the dog.