Categoriesbusiness

2 More Ways to Stand Out With Integrity in an Industry That Has Little

Last week my friend and colleague, Jill Coleman, wrote a wonderful piece titled “8 Ways to Stand Out With Integrity  in an Industry That Has Little.”

You can check it out HERE.

I thought it was the bees knees…and 1) I’m sorry for using the phrase “bees knees,” and 2) I shared it here on this blog (on my weekly Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work series) in addition to tossing it up on my social media outlets.

HINT: it…was…that…good.

Copyright: turgaygundogdu / 123RF Stock Photo

So I Figured I’d Jump In

There isn’t much to add to Jill’s post; she hit on a lot of “big rock” themes I feel behooves any professional, regardless of occupation – to follow.1

To that end, I wanted to add a few salient points into the mix and to expound a bit on some of MY thoughts hovering around the same topic.

You know, just a few tidbits, tiddlywinks, and tickles(?) <— I couldn’t think of another good t-word to finish the alliteration.

1. Practice What You Preach

I’m a coach.

I like helping people get strong(er), feeling better, and/or conjuring their inner meathead. To steal an analogy from my good friend Dean Somerset: I like to think of myself as a fitness Sherpa.

Except in this case, instead of guiding people up Mt. Everest, I guide them through their Goblet Squats or get-ups; or my Gangstarr play list (alliteration!)

My job is to be their support system and direct them from Point A to Point B in the safest, most time efficient path possible.

The key here, of course, is the coaching part.

I actually coach.

Meaning, I work with people in real-life. It boggles my mind that there are some “fitness professionals” out there, a minority to be fair, who sell themselves as these industry messiahs who have worked with 1000’s of people and are “world renowned” despite being 21.

Now, I’m not saying someone can’t be a successful coach or even well-known in this industry at 21.

However, you know it, I know it, your best friend’s second cousin’s dog trainer’s Little League coach knows it…

…you’re full of shit.

Or, even worse, there are some fitness professionals out there – regardless of age – who market themselves as “experts” and write a good game – are featured on popular sites or sell a bunch of E-books – but train zero people.

Ben Bruno and I like to play a game whenever we come across an insane workout or program online. You can always tell those programs written by real, well-seasoned coaches (who work with real people) and those written by wannabes:

Real Coach

A1. Trap Bar Deadlift 3×5
A2. (Loaded) Push-Up 3×8,8,MAX

B1. Front Squat 5×3 @ 75-80%
B2. Chin-Up 5×5

C1. Chest Supported Row 3×12,10,8
C2. BearSaw 3×8-10

Coach Who’s Never Trained Anyone…Ever

A1. Deadlift 10×10
A2. Handstand Walks over Broken Glass 10x400m

B1. Bench Press 10×10
B2. Punch a lumberjack in the beard 10xMAX reps

C1. Back Squat 10×10
C2. Barbell Bicep Curl w/ Weight Releasers, 5/5/5 Tempo – Blindfolded 10×5

Listen, all I am saying is this:

Don’t be a clown. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not. It’s not worth it and (most) people are going to be able to see right through the nonsense anyway, which is not going to help your career in the long run.

Moreover, and this is just my own personal aside: I have rarely programmed an exercise (or protocol) that I haven’t performed myself.

  • 20-rep squats?…yup.
  • 21 straight days of deadlifting?…stupid, but yes.
  • THIS?

 

Well, the video proves it…;o)

I can think of no better way to hammer home this point than with a story I heard Martin Rooney say years ago centered around the Monk, the Mom and the Toddler (paraphrased):

A mother was incensed she could not get her toddler to stop eating sugar. As a final hail mary she decided to seek the advice of the wise Monk.

Mother: “Oh wise Monk, can you tell me how I to get my toddler to stop eating sugar?”

Monk: “Come back in two weeks and I will tell you.”

Mother: “FML, (like I said, paraphrased) that doesn’t help me, but okay. See you in two weeks.”

(Fast forward two weeks)

Mother: “Alright Monk, it’s been two weeks. How do I get my toddler to stop eating sugar?”

Monk (looks directly at the toddler): “Stop eating sugar.”

Mother (incredulous): Wait, what? That’s what I have been doing all along! This makes no sense. Some wise Monk you are!”

Monk: “I had to stop eating sugar before I could tell someone else to do the same.”

That’s integrity.

via GIPHY

2. Don’t Buy Followers

Recently I watched Bret Contreras’s presentation via the NSCA Personal Trainer’s Virtual Conference on how to grow your Instagram following.

Bret’s someone who has over 800k+ followers so he knows a thing or two about what to do and what not to do.

To Do:

  • Prioritize actionable content
  • Treat it like a job (I.e., good content takes more than 10 minutes to produce. Bret spends, on average, 3-4 hours PER DAY creating content and interacting with his followers)
  • Good content is a combination of training yourself, training other people, and READING
  • A good microphone, lighting, and knowing your angles matters.
  • Be authentic

Not to Do

  • Buy followers

I see it all the time.

Someone has 100,000 followers yet two comments on each post.

Don’t buy followers.

Just. Don’t.

3. I’m Done, Just Realized The Irishman is Now Available to Watch on Netflix

Peace.

CategoriesCorrective Exercise

Stop Corrective Exercising People to Death

There’s a prevailing thought in the fitness industry – particularly amongst personal trainers and coaches – that everyone we come across is somehow broken or dysfunctional, and that in order to make things “right” we have to resort to an onslaught of endless corrective exercise protocols before a barbell is even looked at.

You know:

  • Band thingamajiggies.
  • Endless mobility drills and stretching.
  • Other stuff that makes me want to throw my face into an ax.

STOP IT!

Copyright: bialasiewicz / 123RF Stock Photo

Stop Corrective Exercising People to Death

Now, before I proceed let me be clear.

I am not downplaying the importance of “corrective exercise,” nor am I attempting to debunk the notion that it’s never useful or shouldn’t be prioritized. Sometimes more attention to detail with regards to one’s ability to access thoracic extension or, I don’t know, hip internal rotation, in order to accomplish a specific movement is warranted.

Sometimes people need “correcting.” (<— said in a creepy Mr. Grady voice from The Shining).

 

Whenever I start working with someone and they make note of how “x” exercise hurts “such and such,” rather than go down the corrective exercise rabbit hole and point out 27 different things that make them a walking, talking, breathing dumpster fire of dysfunction…

…I’ll do this novel thing, instead, where I ask him or her to perform the exercise and show me how they set-up and execute the movement.

Often, the culprit as to why something hurts or doesn’t feel quite right is the lowest hanging fruit like their setup and/or technique.

Let’s use the back squat as an example.

It’s not uncommon for many trainees to note how squats – barbell back squats in particular – tend to make their lower back feel like hot death.

Some fitness professionals like to keep things fashionable and will begin with an explanation that’s a bit more nefarious, if not altogether esoteric:

“Your lower back hurts when you squat because you lack big toe dorsiflexion, your left 4th rib is slightly rotated, and your chakras are all out of whack. See? Simple.”

via GIPHY

It doesn’t have to be so complex.

First off: If this is how you talk to clients, you’re a tool.

Secondly: No one wants to listen to a laundry list of all the things that are wrong with them, and in doing so, does nothing but cement the idea that they’re broken and beyond repair.

Third: You’re a personal trainer not a physical therapist, act like one.

Fourth: Watch this video.

 

Those with a keener eye should be able to notice the difference between the two.

❌ TOP VIDEO

I initiate the descent by “falling” into my lower back.

In other words, rather than using the joints I want to perform the squat – ankles, knees, and hips – I recruit my lower back and use my spine for support as I descend towards the hole. Additionally, because I’m excessively arching my back (excessive anterior pelvic tilt) I’m increasing bone on bone contact as I go into deep(er) hip flexion, thus creating a more likely impingement scenario.

As a result, if you watch closely, I exhibit a bit of “butt wink” in the bottom because I’m running out of room in my hip.

As such my lower back HAS to come into play (even more) in order to go lower. To that end my back is basically saying “bye Felecia.”

via GIPHY

✅ BOTTOM VIDEO

By contrast, in the bottom video, I create more tension in my abs (creating a flexion moment) so as not to fall into (more) anterior pelvic tilt on the descent, and I think about squatting DOWN rather than BACK.

I’m still in APT, but using posterior pelvic tilt to nudge myself closer to “neutral.”

In Short: I’m improve my STARTING POSITION, which in turn keeps me more stable, the squat cleans up nicely (I’m able to squat deeper because I have more room in my hips), and the butt wink is all but gone.

More to the point…my lower back no longer hurt.

No need for a laundry list of correctives, stretches, mobility drills, or an exorcism.

All that was needed was to address my starting point (set up) and to have a better appreciation of the importance of TENSION.

To quote Denzel from Training Day: “King Kong ain’t got shit on me!”

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 11/22/19

Copyright: perhapzzz / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…I’M LIKE, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT

1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Athens, Greece: Saturday, Feb 29th & Sunday, March 1st, 2020

This will be the first leg of mine and Dean Somerset’s European extravaganza in early 2020. The second leg will take place in…

2. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Maidenhead, U.K: March 7th & 8th, 2020

There’s an Early Bird rate for both of these events, so keep that in mind before you decide to hold off. Dean and I are really excited for this and hope to see you there!

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

Twitter

Instagram

STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

How to Deal With a Negative Personal Training Client – Dr. Lisa Lewis

100% of personal trainers/coaches can commiserate on this…

…THAT client that just drives us bonkers with their negativity.

Before you resort to throwing your face into an ax read this article from my wife first.

8 Ways to Stand Out With Integrity in an Industry That Has Little – Jill Coleman

This was an excellent article by Jill.

Slow clap of the month award goes to her, hands down.

The 100-Day Reclaim – Nia Shanks

My friend Nia Shanks sent me a copy of her latest book, The 100 Day Reclaim. Let’s be honest: health/fitness can be a drag and a grind.

It’s not easy.

Oftentimes we want to give up.

This book will punch you in the lip undoubtedly provide some sage words to help keep you on task.

CategoriesNutrition

6 Nutrition Tips to Follow When You Don’t Want to Count Calories

There are many things I’d rather do than spend my days meticulously counting calories. I understand its importance given certain individual’s goals. Whether it’s to shed “x” pounds of fat or maybe for health related reasons, counting calories is often a necessity for some people.

That said, speaking personally, and in no specific order, I’d rather…

  • Talk about me feelings
  • Get a face tattoo
  • Attend another parent’s kid’s clarinet recital

…than count calories.

My feelings and preferences don’t matter much in this scenario, however.  Today’s guest post by Toronto based coach and nutritional practitioner, Marc Capistrano, helps to shed some light and offer a few bonafide nuggets of practical advice for those who are kinda in the same boat as myself, but would rather refrain from the face tattoo.

Enjoy!

Copyright: dolgachov / 123RF Stock Photo

6 Nutrition Tips to Follow When You Don’t Want to Count Calories

If you’ve ever been around a group of people talking about nutrition, then you’ve probably found yourself caught in the middle of a debate between the macros crowd (people who count macros and calories) and the “every other diet in the world” crowd.

Here’s what a typical argument in the gym locker room probably sounds like:

Bro #1: “Bro, in order to get ripped, you need to go keto, cut carbs, then at night go vegan.”

Bro#2: “Bro, it doesn’t matter what you eat, as long as you’re in a caloric deficit.”

Bro #1: Bro.

From a macros standpoint, the idea is that whether you’re following a keto, low carb, paleo or dim sum diet, you’re basically manipulating macros that either put you in a caloric deficit or surplus.

This is the foundation of weight loss and weight gain.

There’s definitely more to this statement (including food quality, digestion, and hormonal profile), but for the purposes of this post, let’s just stick with the basics and agree that counting macros is the most sustainable (depending on who you talk to) and precise way of gaining or losing weight.

However, what if you find weighing your food time consuming and you’re simply looking for a set of habits that keep caloric intake modest without having to carry your food scale with you everywhere you go.

 

The thing is, there are a lot of us that don’t want to spend our time counting calories and weighing our food.

With that being said, here are a couple of rules to implement that can naturally keep your caloric intake modest and consistent.

1. Prioritize Protein and Vegetables

The good thing about protein and vegetables is that it’s hard to overeat on these foods.

For the majority of us, we can all agree that it’s harder to overeat on a steak and some veggies than it is with a bowl of pasta or pizza. Not only does protein and veggies offer more volume of food without a crazy amount of calories, but they also provide the body with amino acids and fiber (both essential to the body).

A general guideline is to eat about a palms size of protein at each plate along with 1-2 fists worth of veggies at each meal.

2. Lift Heavy Things

This is especially important to implement on days where you know you’re going to eat something heavy/calorically dense.

Movements like squats and deadlifts promote insulin sensitivity (this makes our body more efficient at utilizing carbohydrates when we eat them).

Regular exercise creates “more space” calorically.

Think about it like paying your credit card off before making another big purchase. If you’re really dedicated, try implementing your own routine before heavier meals.

Maybe 100 Kettlebell Swings before the buffet?

 

3. Let Your Activity Level Dictate Your Carbohydrate Intake

This rule is simple.

If you’re not as active on one day, then there’s no need for as many carbs.

I always think of carbs as an expensive fuel. When we need to run the body like a Ferrari (think high performance), then put the expensive fuel in. Otherwise running primarily on veggies, fat, and protein is as efficient as running the body like a hybrid car.

Disclaimer: There are a lot of benefits to increasing carbohydrate intake (especially from a recovery standpoint), so don’t think carbs are inherently bad, we just don’t need as many as people think (especially when activity levels don’t warrant it)

4. Make Alcohol and Refined Sugar a Luxury

I’m not suggesting you cut these foods out, but instead, make it worth it when you do consume these things.

That means instead of wasting your carbs on low-quality sugar during the week, opt to save your carbs for a time where you’re at a restaurant that’s known for their sourdough bread or pasta.

Another example is alcohol.

Instead of having a beer at home by yourself while watching 90-Day Fiancé and arguing with the TV, save it for a time when you’re out with friends and make alcohol an experiential thing.

The reason for this is that these things are easy to over-consume. Placing limitations on these things make it easier to keep intake moderate.

5. Drink More Water

This nutrition tip is an overused one, but it’s an important one.

Weight loss in relation to drinking more water works on a couple of levels.

Hydrating with water promotes more satiety; it’s essential to overall body metabolism function and it also supports your performance in the gym. A general rule thumb when buying an expensive double vacuum sealed water bottle is to buy three because you’re bound to lose the first two in one month (speaking from personal experience).

6. Sleep as Hard as You Train

Our metabolism determines how effective our body is at taking in and expending calories.

Someone needs to write a version FOR adults

Sleep is the process that up-regulates body metabolism along with many other hormonal processes. Sleep helps maintain fat-free body mass and can make fat loss difficult to achieve despite being in a caloric deficit.

Before You Troll Me…

Before the hate starts in the comments section, let’s make something clear.

These principles are not bulletproof.

Despite following all these rules, you can still screw things up as far as caloric intake goes. These rules simply provide some structure that provides you with a buffer from the effects of overeating. If you have specific body composition goals or are eating for performance, then I highly suggest you quantify your food by hitting specific macro and caloric goals.

Even if this isn’t something you want to do long term, there is still some benefit in having a rough idea of what food looks like calorically at each meal.

About the Author

Marc Capistrano is a Certified Nutritionist, fitness enthusiast, and content creator. He currently works out of downtown Toronto and maintains the Live It Holistic Nutrition blog. His work has been featured on CBC Life and Stack Magazine. As a University of Toronto graduate, he completed his BA and went on to achieve his Certified Nutritional Practitioner (CNP) designation in 2016. Marc is also a self-proclaimed buffet connoisseur and listener of Drake.

Website: www.liveitholistic.com

YouTube: HERE

Instagram: HERE

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 11/15/19

Copyright: perhapzzz / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…I’M LIKE, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT

1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Athens, Greece: Saturday, Feb 29th & Sunday, March 1st, 2020

This will be the first leg of mine and Dean Somerset’s European extravaganza in early 2020. The second leg will take place in…

2. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Maidenhead, U.K: March 7th & 8th, 2020

There’s an Early Bird rate for both of these events, so keep that in mind before you decide to hold off. Dean and I are really excited for this and hope to see you there!

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

Twitter

Instagram

 

View this post on Instagram

 

We’re often infatuated with bravado. . Take dips for example. We’re told that we HAVE to go as deep as possible in order to reap the best benefits; similar to squats. . Deeper the better. THIS.IS.SPARTA. . I’ve long championed that “deep” squats are 100% safe and an effective approach. However, access to depth is contingent on a few factors…with anatomy being a big one. . Some people picked the right parents for deep squatting. . Now, let’s discuss dips. I’ll never say never, but I’d suspect most trainees are better off reducing their ROM in order to keep the shoulders from feeling like they’ve been put through a meat grinder. . Unlike the hips, the glenohumeral joint is much more shallow and there’s less “heft” providing support and stability. The shoulder is a bit more vulnerable. . The deeper one goes with their dips, the higher the risk of the shoulders dumping forward (scapular anterior tilt) which can then have ramifications on the humeral head sliding more aggressively forward. . Ouch. . For my money (and if training long term is the goal)…a little less ROM on dips is the smarter play for most people.

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

The Ultimate Calorie, Portion, & Macro Calculator – Brian St. Pierre

I was given a sneak peak of Precision Nutrition’s latest resource – their Ultimate Calculator – and it’s going to save a lot of people a lot of guess work (and time).

There’s nothing out there like it and it’s very intuitive to use. It bases calculations off the basic stuff like height and weight, but also takes into account goal weight, training goals, and eating/lifestyle preferences…and then offers a “menu” that can be followed using the palm of your hand as a guide.

You don’t have to be Dr. Manhattan or a master of long division to figure it out.

Bookmark it!

#Instagram Engagement Is Dead. Here’s the Six Things You Must Focus On – Jonathan Goodman

Adapt or “fitness influencer” status will be revoked.

Psych Skills for Fitness Pros – Bros Do Science & Dr. Lisa Lewis

Dr. Lisa Lewis has been working on her upcoming project, Psych Skills for Fit Pros – a 12 hour course on motivational interviewing, how to build and maintain motivation with clients, as well as a plethora of other topics – for the past year and this interview with Rocco Venizelos of Bros Do Science provides an amuse bouche of what to expect.

Industry….

…be ready.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 11/8/19

Copyright: perhapzzz / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…I’M LIKE, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT

1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Athens, Greece: Saturday, Feb 29th & Sunday, March 1st, 2020

This will be the first leg of mine and Dean Somerset’s European extravaganza in early 2020. The second leg will take place in…

2. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Maidenhead, U.K: March 7th & 8th, 2020

There’s an Early Bird rate for both of these events, so keep that in mind before you decide to hold off. Dean and I are really excited for this and hope to see you there!

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

Twitter

Instagram

 

View this post on Instagram

 

My brain doesn’t work like most of my colleagues. . @meghancallaway @dr.joelseedman_ahp @benbrunotraining @matthewibrahim_ @dsomerset1 @coachleeboyce Etc… . Are all examples of coaches who always seem to come up with innovative exercises and ideas. . Me? . (Crickets chirping). . However, check out this snazzy band set up I used for my close grip bench presses yesterday? . Granted, I do have the option of looping bands around pegs at the bottom of the rack, but: . 1. I was too lazy to do that yesterday. 2. Many people don’t have that luxury, so I figured I’d showcase how to do it another way. . Simply loop the bands around a pair of safety arms OR pins. . Here I’m using a pair of 1/4” mini bands, and the setup worked splendidly.

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Debunking ‘The Game Changers’ Netflix Documentary –  Andy Morgan

Rule of Thumb: Stop getting the bulk of your nutritional information from Netflix documentaries….;o)

The Small Muscles That Will Make You Lift Bigger Weights – Shane McLean

A nice reminder not to neglect the stuff  (muscles) that you’re probably neglecting.

Inside Mark’s Head: Musings on Time Management, Critical Thinking, Effective Learning, and More  – Mark Fisher

I have smart friends.

CategoriesConditioning Program Design

Conditioning That Won’t Make You Hate Life *That Much*

Lets get right to the point.

Conditioning – how much to do?, how “hard” should it be?, what modalities are best? – can be a conundrum for many.

As with any question the appropriate answer is “it depends.”2

That said, the questions above are no different but are predicated on a number of things: one’s goal(s), injury history, current ability/fitness level, and whether or not they’re Bo Jackson.

Okay, that’s the epitome of “it depends.”

Even still, there’s no way a simple blog post can appropriately articulate the expansiveness of this topic and all the components at play.

However, I will say this:

  1. Conditioning as a means to AID RECOVERY is crucial.
  2. Conditioning is not more effective the harder you make it. I.e., it shouldn’t make you shit your spleen. If it does, you may want to head to the nearest hospital.

Conditioning That Won’t Make You Hate Life (That Much)

At the expense of making things a bit too over-simplistic, in my opinion, conditioning is more about helping to increase one’s work capacity (or ability to do more work in a given time).

Watering it down further and directing my train of thought to most of you reading: low(ish) intensity conditioning can help in the weight room and improve recovery and performance.

But if you prefer a more smarty-pants explanation, I like Alex Viada‘s say on the matter:

“If the goal is to improve work capacity (ability to do more work in a given time) it’s crucial to employ modalities that aid and promote general recovery which also create positive adaptations in durability, energy stores, cardiac output and cardiac perfusion, and other general components of overall endurance that essentially provide the foundation for an athlete to train and compete for longer while recovering better.”

The key, though, is not to be an asshat and turn something that’s supposed to, you know, help you recover…and turn it into loaded Prowler sprints paired with 400m handstand walks over broken glass for AMRAP.

Again, I can’t say this enough…

…AIDING RECOVERY IS THE GOAL.

Here are a handful of my favorite go to protocols.

1. You Haven’t Been An Athlete For 20+ Years So Lets Stop Pretending You Are One Movement Circuit

Sprinting, more often than not, will not be my first choice for most trainees.

It’s too aggressive and most people just aren’t prepared for it. Repeatedly stabbing themselves in the neck with a cactus would likely be more beneficial.

I keed, I keed.

At some point I may venture into opening things up and introducing some sprint work into the mix.  But in the meantime, for most people, a more down to Earth approach to movement training/conditioning would be to implement more basic calisthenics like skipping, side shuffling, and the like into the mix.

  • 20 yd Forward Skip
  • Walk/jog 20 yd
  • 20 yd Reverse Skip
  • Walk/jog 20 yd
  • 20 yd Lateral Skipping/direction
  • Walk/jog 20 yd
  • 20 yd Side Shuffle/direction
  • Walk/jog 20 yd
  • 20 yd Carioca/direction
  • Walk/jog 20 yd
  • Rest 1-2 Minutes
  • Repeat for 3-5 Total Rounds

2. Tempo “Sprints”

My expectation isn’t that everyone has to look like Tom Cruise sprinting from an alien in order to perform sprints:

 

However, there should be a “base” level of competence involved which is where coaching comes into fruition. That said, sprinting doesn’t always have to be an-all-out-holy-fucking-shit-that-skyscraper-is-going-to-collapse-on-my- head-if-I-don’t-high-tail-it-out-of-here endeavor.

Strength coach Mike Boyle has always championed “tempo runs/sprints” as a conditioning method for his athletes AND regular Joe’s and I agree wholeheartedly.

I think they’re fantastic.

Basically all you do is perform sprints at 60-75% effort with walking recovery.

A basic template would look like this:

  • Tempo Sprint 50 yd
  • 50 yd walk back
  • Repeat for “x” number of rounds

A good rule to follow is no more than a 10% increase in volume (distance or time) each week.

3. Add a Prowler

There are a thousand and one different ways to implement conditioning with Prowler Sled.

One that I like is this:

  • 20 yd (loaded) Prowler Sprint (or whatever is best suited for the person: loaded, un-loaded, sprint, walk, pants on, pants off, you’re the coach, figure it out)
  • 40 yd Jog
  • 80 yd Walk (recover)
  • Repeat 8-10 Rounds

4. Something I Stole From Chad Wesley Smith

Strength coach Chad Wesley Smith defines tempo as the following:

“Tempo activity is done at 60-75% of max intensity and while the duration will vary based upon the nature of the activity you’re performing and your requisite fitness levels, 15-45 seconds of work is a good guideline. These work intervals are interspersed with low intensity calisthenics like push-ups, ring rows, abs, or can just be rest periods.”

One of Chad’s favorite protocols (and one I stole from him) is as follows using a stationary bike:

  • 1st Rep: 30 seconds of riding (~110 rpm) followed by 10 push-ups, rest until heart rate returns to bottom aerobic development zone OR you can speak normally.
  • 2nd Rep: 3o seconds of riding (~110 rpm) followed by abs, rest until heart rate returns to bottom aerobic development zone OR you can speak normally.
  • 3rd Rep: 30 seconds of riding (~110 rpm) followed by 10 push-ups, rest until heart rate returns to bottom aerobic development zone OR you can speak normally.
  • 4th Rep: 3o seconds of riding (~110 rpm) followed by abs, rest until heart rate returns to bottom aerobic development zone OR you can speak normally.
  • 5th Rep: 30 seconds of riding (~110 rpm) followed by 10 push-ups, rest until heart rate returns to bottom aerobic development zone OR you can speak normally.
  • 6th Rep: 3o seconds of riding (~110 rpm) followed by abs, rest until heart rate returns to bottom aerobic development zone OR you can speak normally.

Rest 3-5 Minutes and begin Set 2.

Two sets of SIX is a good starting point and over a number of weeks build up to TWO sets of TEN and maintain there.

5. Juarez Push-Up Inverted Circuit

This is a doozy I stole from another strength coach, Josh Bryant, of Jailhouse Strong (which should give away where the name of this circuit came from).

  • Perform 10 Push-Ups
  • Get up, walk/jog 20 yds
  • Perform 1 Push-Up
  • Get up, walk/jog back 20 yds
  • Perform 9 Push-Ups
  • Get up, walk/jog 20 yds
  • Perform 2 Push-Ups
  • Get up, walk/jog back 20 yds
  • So on and so forth

Perform any of these conditioning workouts on “off” days between your regularly scheduled workouts and I am willing to bet you’re going to see some drastic improvements in your ability to recover and work harder in the gym.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 11/1/19

Copyright: perhapzzz / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…I’M LIKE, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT

1. Coaching Competency Workshop – New York, NY: Sunday, November 3, 2019

2. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Athens, Greece: Saturday, Feb 29th & Sunday, March 1st, 2020

This will be the first leg of mine and Dean Somerset’s European extravaganza in early 2020. The second leg will take place in…

3. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Maidenhead, U.K: March 7th & 8th, 2020

There’s an Early Bird rate for both of these events, so keep that in mind before you decide to hold off. Dean and I are really excited for this and hope to see you there!

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

There’s Too Much Juice, But Not Enough Squeeze – Steven Hicks

Fantastic article by Steven that I hope you take the time to read.

In short: we’re spoiled (and we’ve grown lazy) when it comes to our health. Also, there’s a sick Hollywood Video reference which made me chuckle.

Little Known TG Fact: I worked at Hollywood Video in college. As you can imagine, I was very popular with the ladies.

Squat, Bench Press  & Deadlift Tips: October 2019 – Tony Bonvechio

If it were me I’d title it Bench Press, Deadlift, & Squat tips, but whatever…;o)

As always…Tony provides some nifty tips and insights to help you suck less.

The Game Changers: A Scientific Review w/ Full Citations – Meredith Root

Like every other health/fitness pro out there I too am getting pelted with inquires on the latest Netflix #feuxfooddocuporn, Game Changers.

Rather than throw my face into an ax I can now point people towards this amazing review.

Thanks Meredith

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design

4 Non Pull-Up Exercises to Help Build Your Pull-Up

All this week my good friend (and pull-up GodMistress), Meghan Callaway, has placed her renowned Ultimate Pull-Up Program on sale at 40% off the regular price.

It only makes sense that I use a few posts this week to highlight some of my thoughts and programming suggestions on the topic.

I mean, you’re not here for Macadamia Nut Cookie recipes, or, I don’t know, best uses of tape.3

As such, I figured I’d take today to highlight a few of my “go to” non-pull-up exercises that help build the pull-up.

Lets get to it.

Copyright: fotogigi85 / 123RF Stock Photo

NOTE: Before anyone chimes in with the inevitable snide comment that the picture above is a silhouette of chin-up and not a pull-up, I get it.

You’re a hero.

A Quick Aside

I work with many clients – both male and female – who are very interested in performing their first strict, bodyweight pull-up.

And, to no big surprise, they’ve likely been told, via various articles and coaches, to hammer the same two exercises  time and time and time again:

  • Eccentric Only Pull-Ups
  • Band Assisted Pull-Ups

Kind of like their own version of Groundhog Day hell.

Except without all the LOLs.

Suggesting those two exercise is not altogether bad advice.

I mean, in the name of specificity I implement them all the time too.

However, it’s a bit shortsighted and derails one key component of pull-up training I feel many trainees (and coaches) tend to overlook:

NO PANTS FREQUENCY

If you want to conquer your first pull-up…

  • You need to train it more often.4

AND

  • To that end, you need to provide a more diverse training menu (so you can train it more often).

Whenever I work with someone who’s main goal is to perform their first pull-up I try to implement an exercise or drill  EVERY session that nudges him or her towards that goal.

Like the Hollow Position “Pull-Up” I discussed the other day HERE.

So, yeah, this means I do include exercises like Band Assisted or Eccentric Only Pull-Ups. It also means I utilize various hanging leg raise exercises (knees bent 90 degrees, straight-leg,  etc), bent-arm hang holds (chin above bar and hold for time), tons and tons of rows, and/or various pulldown exercises.

But here’s a few more for you to consider.

1. Bear Stance Fallout

 

I got this one from Virginia based strength coach Vernon Griffith. I don’t think he posted it as a drill to help build the pull-up, but I’ve been using it as such because it HAMMERS the core (which is often a weak link for many trainees) in addition to teaching more of a “pulling” action back to the starting position (which carries over to the pull-up).

To be fair, I would always start out with plain ol’ push-ups and making sure people get proficient at them first. I have yet to see someone improve on their push-up technique (and ability to do more) and not see an improvement in pretty much everything else – squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, arm wresting a great white shark, you name it.

That said, if you’re looking to up the ante a bit give this drill a go.

2. Bottoms-Up Carry w/ Band

 

This may make zero sense to some, but hear me out.

“Connectivity” of the pelvis to the ribcage is huge. The pull-up is more of a FULL-BODY exercise than people give it credit for, and if someone is flailing all over the place while attempting it it makes sense why they may be having a hard time progressing.

This drill helps to build some context of the CONNECTION I am after while also building a set of sturdy shoulders.

3. Rack Pull-Up

 

View this post on Instagram

 

The Rack Pull-Up. . This is a variation I picked up from @liftrunbang and it’s grown to be one of my favorites. . It’s sorta a “hybrid” between an Inverted Row and a Pull-Up, which, not coincidentally, makes it one of my go to exercises when working with someone who’s goal it is to perform their first pull-up. . It’s not quite a pull-up, but it’s close. Sorta like Spam. It’s not quite meat but it’s close. . Anyway…this is also a fantastic accessory pulling/upper back exercise. What makes it really worthwhile is how we can accentuate the lat stretch in the bottom due to the increased ROM. . I like to aim for 6-15 reps per set with these. Pants optional. . Oh, also, props to @ampathletic who’s been allowing me to drop in everyday while in London (and for playing siiiiick EDM).

A post shared by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

4. Leg Assisted Pull-Up

 

I don’t have anything profound of sciency to add to this drill other than I like it for nothing else than it just gives people a nice confidence boost. I also like it because there’s a degree of specificity tethered to it (I.e., it’s a vertical pull, but still not quite actual pull-up territory).

Or, maybe it is.

Whatever.

And That’s That

For me, the main goal of getting someone to perform their first pull-up is to attack it more frequently and provide them more exposure to an array of exercises that will help them get there.

I hope these make sense and you can use them yourself!

And remember: You can pick up your copy of The Ultimate Pull-Up Program at 40% off all this week – HERE.

CategoriesNutrition

Why You Can’t Out Train a Poor Diet: A Simple Explanation

Intro From TG: Anyone who’s read Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why will understand the significance and power behind the word “WHY.”

Before you can get at the crux of the HOW of any situation or goal (I.e., how can Tony better remember to not leave dirty dishes in the sink every night?) you need to have a firm grasp of the WHY (because he wants a happy marriage, and so that his wife doesn’t murder him in his sleep).

We’ve all heard the phrase…

…”You can’t out-train a poor diet.”

But why?

Why can’t we?

Today’s guest post from Boston-based personal trainer, Patrick Jennings, should help shed some context.

Copyright: zahar2000 / 123RF Stock Photo

Why You Can’t Out-Train a Poor Diet

There are many sayings out there that hold merit within the health and wellness industry, one of which is the aforementioned ‘You cannot out train a bad diet’ and despite its popularity it’s often lacking the substance needed to drive home its importance.

When we exercise we place the body/ muscle under acute mechanical stress.

For example a squat (with adequate load and reps) will break down the muscle tissue with the overall goal of the muscle then adapting to the stress and being rebuilt better able to deal with the aforementioned stress (you get bigger, faster, stronger etc.)

In order for the muscle to adapt and grow it is a NECESSITY for it to have the adequate materials to build from.

You cannot expect someone to build a brick wall if all you provide is a handful of feathers, the same way you cannot expect a muscle to grow if you do not provide the necessary nutrients.

This is the exact reason why you can’t out train a bad diet.

I always tell my clients we are building a body you love not destroying one that you hate.

And with that in mind, we need to determine what does the thing I love need?

Day to day living coupled with an intelligent exercise program will require a diet that facilitates the energy requirements dictated by the body.

But what is a good or bad diet?

It can certainly be difficult to separate the truth from fiction and avoid information overload and paralysis by analysis. I have been told to avoid sugar, only eat fats, avoid fats, aspartame will make me grow horns and dairy will make me sexually attracted to cows!………

Note From TG: uhhhhhhhhh

What I believe is that a good diet adheres to the following fundamental principles:

  1. Balanced Kcal consumption appropriate to goals and individual.
  2. Inclusion of all macronutrients (albeit at varying percentages and preferences).
  3. Inclusion of all micronutrients.
  4. Consistency. 

(*The only exception to these rules are anomalies, rare conditions or allergies)

One dictates body composition/ weight adhering to the scientific principles of Energy balance, two and three form the foundation of ‘vitality/ energy’ whereas four determines level of success and longevity.

When I sit down to discuss ‘diets’ with clients I am not necessarily referring to protocols, approaches or even the type of food you eat, but more so the current total composition of everything consumed and how this fits into the four foundations mentioned above.

My goal as a coach is to improve the health and wellness of each client with weight loss, improved physical adaptations and psychological adaptations being a positive byproduct.

It must be understood that, yes, you can work out and not have your nutrition dialed in and see results, the same way you could travel 10 miles walking in a straight line for 3.5 hours or do indirect loops and circles and eventually get there in 10.

A bad diet just slows down progress and in some cases counteracts the hard work you may be doing in the gym where as an intelligent, manageable and appropriate diet can streamline the journey to desired results.

What will ultimately determine success is having a true understanding of how badly you want to get to your ‘destination’ or desired state and how you willing you are to focus for an extended period of time to get there?

About the Author

Patrick is the head coach at Boston Based CLIENTEL3 personal training studio. Patrick takes pride in his ability to talk to anyone about anything and takes this diverse approach into fitness coupling the fundemental principles of improving health with clients individual needs and preferences.
For more information find Patrick on Instagram @performancehealthandhappiness
Or email [email protected]“