CategoriesFemale Training Program Design Strength Training

You Need to Lift Shit to Fix Shit: Some Postpartum Considerations

I know, I know…

I’m a dude.

What could I possibly have to say when it comes to the delicate intricacies of postpartum anything?

Well, as it happens, I’ve worked with many women during and after their pregnancies throughout the years, and have had pretty good success with mansplaining the inner workings of a uterus helping them understand that, whether they’ve given birth seven months ago or seven years ago, strength training can help with myriad of postpartum issues.[footnote]Plus, I ruptured my Achilles last summer so I KNOW WHAT PAIN IS. It’s pretty much the same thing as giving birth, right?[/footnote]

*cue the trumpets*

Copyright: nightunter

You Need to Lift Shit to Fix Shit

Just so we’re on the same page…

…when I say “lift shit” this DOES NOT insinuate anything close to maximal effort.

For starters: I’m not an asshole.

Secondly: All strength training is not powerlifting. It’s still feasible to have someone lift appreciable loads – even postpartum – and not assume I’m attempting to turn them into Stefi Cohen.

But more to the point: I’m not an asshole.

I understand, to the best of my Y chromosome having abilities, the intricacies and delicateness that coincide with the months postpartum.

It’s not a time to rush back into things and to race oneself back to pre-pregnancy gym numbers.

The first few months are all about rebuilding the base (specifically to address the pelvic floor and diaphragm, to get the “core” connected again, and to progress from there).

After that, a person’s capabilities and foundation matter more than whatever time frame it takes to get them deadlifting appreciable weight again.

As far as the BIG no-no’s to avoid immediately postpartum:

  • Plyometrics – burpees (please, stop), jumping, stairs, and running.
  • Anything coming close to max-effort loading.
  • Front abdominal exercises (planks, sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts, or anything that makes the abdominals bulge anteriorly or uses the core to support a lot of bodyweight).
  • FWIW: Any sort of Fight Club is out of the question during this time as well.

It’s Not Just About Kegels

Kegel exercises are amazing, but as Dr. Sarah Duvall notes in her spectacular Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist 2.0 course they’re often OVER used.

Or, more often that not…the ONLY thing used.

For many women their postpartum approach = kegels (and that’s it).

Alternatively, a more germane (and, not coincidentally, successful) approach to postpartum training is:

  • Kegels
  • Teaching a GOOD breath – focusing on the canister position.
  • Cementing all of the above with “strength.”

Kegels are a fantastic (and proven) tool to use to help with pelvic floor dysfunction. Teaching them the right way (and when appropriate) helps to connect and educate the pelvic floor. As it stands, women who did dedicated pelvic floor training = 17% less likely to report incontinence.

However, when OVER used kegels can lead to an overactive pelvic floor. Compound that with the all too common scenario of very little attention being made toward the efficacy of positional breathing drills – I.e., emphasizing the canister position (pelvis stacked underneath the ribcage; or reduced rib flare)  – and you have a recipe for disaster.

Photo Credit: Inspired Physiotherapy

Left Image = Canister Position (diaphragm stacked on top of pelvic floor)

Right Image = not that.

Positional breathing begins with teaching a GOOD inhale. This entails 3D (360 degree) expansion of the ribcage. With a good inhale the diaphragm contracts down and it able to “let go” and relax. Moreover, as Sarah notes in her course, every (good) inhale can push down on the pelvic floor which is okay.

Bearing down is one thing. This is not ideal.

However, with a proper inhale, the idea is to push the “ground floor of the house to the basement.” In other words: the inhale EXPANDS pelvic floor. Then, a full, accentuated exhale brings everything back to the ground floor.

For the visual learners out there this may help (graph taken from Sarah’s course):

Again to reiterate:

“Inhale = pushes down onto pelvic floor (get it to the basement)….exhale = RELAXES.”

Taking the time to really build context and to hammer home the importance of the canister position will be a home run for many (if not most) postpartum women.

A simple example would be something like a deadbug, performed with a full 360 degree inhale followed by a drawn out, full exhale (without aggressive bearing down of the abdominals):

 

Tony, Did You Forget About Lifting Things?

Puh.

Not at all.

Strength training is the part where we “cement” all of the above into place. It’s crucial to build pelvic floor awareness (kegels) as well as function (positional breathing drills). If someone is unable to do this right, I am NOT going to load them.

However, assuming the work has been done I see no reason not to.

First we start with TIMING of the breath with the bodyweight squat. Inhale on the way down (pelvic floor expands and relaxes).

Exhale on the way down (pelvic floor comes back up and contracts).

 

Once that is mastered, then we can begin to THIS IS SPARTA. BACK SQUAT MAX EFFORT, BABY.

Just kidding.

I just use common sense and progress accordingly with something like Goblet Squats and always remain cognizant that I DO NOT want any aggressive bearing down of the abdominals and to keep IAP in check. The pelvic floor is just like any other muscle and needs progressive overload too.

Being postpartum is not a disease and I find it increasingly frustrating that many women are programmed into thinking that the only approach is with kegels and kegels only.

It’s a far more multi-faceted approach that requires attention to detail and dare I say…

…lifting shit.

Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist 2.0

In recent years whenever I am asked by other health/fitness professionals what course I’d recommend they look into my immediate answer is Dr. Sarah Duvall’s PCES course.

It’s without hesitation the most valuable continuing education resource I’ve come across in recent memory, and it’s also had the most impact on my own coaching.

Every pregnancy is different.

Every woman who is postpartum is different.

There are a LOT of women out there and you WILL undoubtedly need to know this information and know how to apply it.

As it happens, Sarah just opened up access to the entire PCES 2.0 course:

  • 34 hours of content loaded with a tsunami of lectures, videos, and case studies.
  • CEUs available
  • Save $250 off the regular price through May 21st. Access to the course shuts down on 5/25.
  • FYI: Payment plans available.

This course will teach and show you the appropriate assessments/screens to use as well as the corrective strategies to implement to address everything from pelvic floor dysfunction to incontinence to rectus diastasis. In addition, and this is what I dig the most about Sarah’s approach, is that strength training can and should be a part of the process.

Remember: You only have till midnight on 5/21 to SAVE $250 and access to the course ends on 5/25.

👉  CLICK HERE 👈

CategoriesFemale Training personal training

A Thoughtful and Reflective Discussion On Postpartum Training

My son, Julian, was born January 31, 2017.

Four days later my wife, Lisa, accompanied me to the gym.

The workout wasn’t anything crazy. There were no burpees, no deadlifts, no squats; hell I don’t even think there was a barbell involved.

If anything, the field trip served as more of a rendezvous back to normalcy for us.

Our world had just been knocked the fuck upside down during the previous 96 hours, and, after the shellacking we had been taking, a lifetime in Azkaban would have seemed a better alternative.

So yeah, heading to the gym, even for 20 minutes, was exactly what we (she) needed.

It was an oasis for us.

Copyright: realstock / 123RF Stock Photo

That Time the Internet Got All Judgy On Us

Lisa’s first postpartum workout, if you want to call it a workout, wasn’t anything to write home about. I think I had her do some deadbugs, side planks, a few Pallof Presses, bodyweight step-ups, and, yeah, okay, there was a barbell involved…

…she did some light bicep curls.

To her credit Lisa trained all throughout her pregnancy.

While no where near the same intensity she was accustomed to, she deadlifted, swung kettlebells, performed hip thrusts, and even used natural progressive overload (her growing tummy) to crank out her chin-ups.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore)

At the same time, she remained cognizant it was imperative she listen to her body. If at any point something felt off or “wonky” she stopped and we made the appropriate adjustments.

I wholeheartedly believe that it was her dedication and diligence to strength train throughout her pregnancy which resulted in a smooth and seamless birth.[footnote]Says the guy who didn’t pass a cantaloupe through his vagina.[/footnote]

NOTE: For a more detailed article expounding my approach and thought processes on the topic of women and strength training through pregnancy go HERE.

Fast forward several weeks and I posted this video on my Instagram page of Lisa hitting a bench press personal record:

During her maternity leave we took advantage of having more time to workout together, and I was proud of her for staying proactive during this time.

She listened to her doctor, she listened to her body, and she was able to regain (some) of her pre-baby strength levels rather quickly (in no small part because she stayed consistent with it during her pregnancy).

I say “some” because we made it a point of not pushing the envelope with other movements such as deadlifts and squats.

Nevertheless, there was a woman who chimed in with her own concerned, if not bordering on scathing remarks and comments on the matter.

“It takes a lot longer than 2-3 weeks to retrain the postnatal core! And wouldn’t she still be bleeding at this stage? That’s an open wound that needs time to heal/ and she needs lots of rest to repair her DRA and PFM tissues, especially if there’s additional birth trauma. I would get her to see a women’s health physio or pelvic PT first, if you care about her recovery. What postnatal courses have you done?”

Oh-no-she-didn’t.

It was all I could not to go into an all-out Beyonce “Lemonade’esque” rage.

“I DON’T CARE ABOUT HER RECOVERY?” – grabs baseball bat.

“WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS?!” – smashes windshield.

via GIPHY

But I didn’t do that.

In the woman’s defense what she (probably) read and saw was some meathead bragging about his wife hitting a heavy bench press a few weeks postpartum.

How could she have known that in the weeks leading up to that Lisa had also been performing a plethora of diaphragmatic/positional breathing drills, deadbugs, birddogs, carries, hip stability drills, and many other exercises that don’t equate to near the engagement on social media as a bench press?

#mostboringexerciseever

#actuallymaybethisismoreboring…zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

I kindly reiterated that Lisa was cleared by her doctor, that she had been taking things slow up until that point, had been using appropriate progressions, and that she had a pretty smart strength coach (and the world’s #23rd ranked tickle fighter) in her corner writing her programs.

The same woman also stated:

“There’s nothing badass about being a victim to the social pressure to get your body back, it’s stupid really.”

Given no one ever came close to mentioning anything about social pressure or being a victim, at the time, I didn’t have much of a response. She was likely projecting based of experiences in her past, and I chose to ignore it.[footnote]Which isn’t to say I disagreed. I think there’s a lot of validity to her statement.[/footnote]

I mean, my wife’s been lifting weights since she was 13 years old, it’s part of her DNA. What’s more, we were engaged in an activity we enjoyed doing together (working out), and she really loves benching, why should I have to defend that?

However, upon further reflection I could see where this woman was/is coming from.

Don’t get me wrong: I still feel there was an exorbitant and egregious amount of “assuming” on this woman’s end.

Like, who in the flying fucks of fucks was she to assume we didn’t take all the precautions in the world? But, deep breaths Tony, I could see how my initial post may have been triggering and come across as a bit too braggadocious.

Moreover, I can see how the message could have been misconstrued.

As oxymoronic as it sounds (and this is likely why this particular woman called me out), women that exercise through their pregnancy are often at MORE risk for postpartum issues. Many feel pressure to head to the gym as soon as possible after giving birth because they actually feel “okay.”

To be clear: This was not the case with my wife. It had everything to do with not wanting to throw an ax into her face from cabin fever.

However, this mentality can often lead to dire circumstances because their body is still healing. Just because someone may want to perform kipping pull-ups paired with sandbag carries through a grenade field for AMRAP doesn’t mean you should.

You CAN still exercise postpartum, but it’s important, nay, crucial, to respect the notion that your body still needs time to “catch up.”

I guess maybe I should have said that from the get go when I originally posted that video of Lisa bench pressing.

That said, it was something the woman said in her initial comment to me that really struck a chord:

“What postnatal courses have you done?

Shit.

None.

Now, I’m not an idiot.

I understand, to the best of my Y chromosome having abilities, the intricacies that coincide with helping a woman train through her pregnancy, as well as how delicate matters are in the months postpartum.

The first few months are all about rebuilding the base (specifically to address the pelvic floor and diaphragm, to get the “core” connected, working, and to progress from there).

After that, a person’s capabilities and foundation matter more than whatever time frame it takes to get them deadlifting appreciable weight again.

As far as the BIG no-no’s to avoid immediately postpartum:

  • Plyometrics – burpees (please, stop), jumping, stairs, and running.
  • Anything coming close to max-effort loading.
  • Front abdominal exercises (planks, sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts, or anything that makes the abdominals bulge anteriorly or uses the core to support a lot of bodyweight).
  • FWIW: Any sort of Fight Club is out of the question during this time as well.

I’m also aware that the postpartum “phase” doesn’t just refer to weeks or even months. Women can present with postpartum issues years after the fact, and it’s imperative to respect that and know how to assess and program accordingly.

But, to go back to the woman’s comment (what postnatal course have you taken?) that was a massive mea culpa.

I had taken none.

She got me there.

At that point I felt it was my responsibility to remedy the situation.

And that’s what I did (and am still doing).

Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist 2.0

In recent years whenever I am asked by other health/fitness professionals what course I’d recommend they look into my immediate answer is Dr. Sarah Duvall’s PCES course.

It’s without hesitation the most valuable continuing education resource I’ve come across in the past four years, and it’s also had the most impact on my own coaching.

Every pregnancy is different.

Every woman who is postpartum is different.

There are a LOT of women out there and you WILL undoubtedly need to know this information and know how to apply it.

As it happens, Sarah just revamped the entire course: PCES 2.0

  • 34 hours of content loaded with a tsunami of lectures, videos, and case studies.
  • CEUs available
  • Save $150 off the regular price through Wednesday (2/24). Access to the course CLOSES on March 5th.
  • FYI: Payment plans available.

This course will teach and show you the appropriate assessments/screens to use as well as the corrective strategies to implement to address everything from pelvic floor dysfunction to incontinence to rectus diastasis. In addition, and this is what I dig the most about Sarah’s approach, is that strength training can and should be a part of the process.

Remember: You only have till midnight on 2/24 to SAVE $150 and access to the course shuts down on 3/5.

👉 Click HERE 👈

CategoriesCorrective Exercise Female Training

4 Things to Consider When Working With Postpartum Women

I’ve always prided myself in my ability to recognize (and then attempt to address) my knowledge gaps.[footnote]Other things I’m proud of: My biceps, having the most amazing wife in history, the fact my 4-year old will randomly yell “WU-TANG” at random moments, and my cheese eating ability.[/footnote]

  • Understanding functional anatomy? ✅
  • Peeling back the onion on the importance of breathing mechanics? ✅
  • Having a better understanding of how to appropriately program plyometrics? ✅
  • Long division? ❌

One of the best things I did for my career, however, was to better educate myself on the topic of training clients’ through pregnancy in addition to having a better understanding of the intricacies working with postpartum women.

Anyone who works with women – which is pretty much every coach, ever – should consider investing in this area. I can only speak for myself, but studying this topic in more depth has given me much more confidence as a coach.

I’m also speaking for myself when I say one of THE best courses I have ever taken – not just on the topic, but ever – is Dr. Sarah Duvall’s Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist course.

She’s just revamped the entire course and starting today (through tomorrow, 2/24) you can purchase Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist 2.0 for $150 OFF the regular price.

  • 34 hours of content (legit, everything is covered: The only thing not covered is showing a live birth).
  • CEUs available (the total # will depend on your certifying body).
  • Payment plans are available too.

I cannot express enough how valuable this course has been in helping me not only become a better coach, but also gaining the confidence/trust of my female clients. I have little reservations in saying that investing in this course will pay for itself tenfold.

Below is a repost of an article I wrote last year sharing some of the things I’ve learned taking the course. But for those who prefer to skip the foreplay, you can go HERE to purchase. REMEMBER: The discounted price only lasts through Wednesday (2/24).

Outside of that, you should totally read my article (pretty sure it’s Pulitzer worthy).

Copyright: sangriana / 123RF Stock Photo

4 Things to Consider When Working With Postpartum Women

1. Once a Woman is Postpartum, She’s ALWAYS Postpartum

This is a powerful quote and something Sarah stresses over and over again in her course. Whether you’re working with a woman who is very recently postpartum or she gave birth three years ago, you still need to do your due diligence as a coach.

Just because some time has passed doesn’t mean she’s out of the weeds yet. Some women exhibit significant Diastasis Recti years after giving birth and shrug it off as “meh, that’s just the way things are.”

Likewise, some women view incidents such as incontinence (urine leaks) as equally “normal” and shrug worthy years after the fact.

NEWSFLASH: they’re not.

In light of that, it’s important to ask questions and to peel back the onion on a woman’s (reproductive) health history to glean as much information as possible.

Now, I get it: I’m a dude.

There’s a high degree of professionalism at play here.

“So, where you from?”

“Born and raised in Boston.”

“Awesome, do you have any major injuries I need to be aware of?”

“Nope, none I can think of.”

“How many kids do you have? Did you have a natural birth or c-section? Oh, and do you pee when you squat?”

To help stave off any awkwardness, I’ll send all prospective clients a questionnaire to fill out a head of time with pertinent questions related to this part of their health history.

If they’ve never given birth then they can skip and move on to the “Favorite Movie of All-Time” section (which is TOTALLY a thing by the way.  I find it’s a great conversation stimulator and helps break the ice). And if they do have kids I ask them to fill out that section which has a handful of follow-up questions.

They can then go into as much detail as they feel comfortable with with 1019% less awkwardness.

2. Breathing –> Core –> Posture –> Everything Else –> More Kitty Cuddles

That’s the order of things you’ll almost always want to prioritize when working with postpartum women. I’ve had a crush on the importance of positional breathing drills ever since my days at Cressey Sports Performance.

We found there was a lot of efficacy towards their use with getting athletes into a better position prior to training; specifically nudging toward a canister position (Zone of Apposition, I.e., the act of bringing things together or in proximity) as opposed to a scissor position.

Canister Position = diaphragm and pelvic floor stacked on top of each other.

Scissor Position = the opposite of that.

The latter tends to be a much more UN-stable position and can (not always) result in a fusillade of things we’d rather not see happen:

  • Poor breathing mechanics.
  • Lower back pain.
  • Shoulder pain.
  • Many of the things I’ve already noted above: DA, pelvic floor issues, etc.
  • Global warming
  • Another Transformer movie.

Honing in on breath can help “glue” or connect things more efficiently. Making sure someone is getting 3D expansion of their rib cage (and not just breathing UP into their chest) can be a game changer and helps to set the stage for everything else that follows.

If you don’t own breath, you’re not going to own “position” during exercise.

Something as simple as the Deadbug exercise – done correctly, with emphasis on the breath – is a great example.

 

It’s important to note that everyone is different and every birth is different. I can’t stress enough the importance of encouraging a woman to wait until she’s ready before implementing any mode of exercise. However, it’s important to note that it only takes 14 days of bedrest to notice atrophy of the Multifidi and surrounding spine musculature.

Encouraging small walks in conjunction with very basic breathing drills can help offset this.

 

Reiterate – from the rooftops – that a woman’s core is GOING TO BE WEAK FOR A LONG-TIME and that it is okay, normal, and 100% human for this to happen.

It still behooves them to set in motion – when they’re ready – these mini interventions that will pay HUGE dividends down the road.

3. It Takes Time

Women who train during their pregnancy are often the most vulnerable. They want to revert back to their “normal” training schedule often times before they’re close to being ready.

The pelvic floor (and other places of trauma) need time to catch up.

A good rule to keep handy:

“9 months to grow, 9 months to recover.”

This is not to imply that a woman can’t start lifting weights or exercising more vigorously prior to nine months, however it’s just to toss in a bit of expectation management.

The kipping pull-ups and heavy squats can wait.

FIRST FOUR MONTHS = rebuilding solid base (get the pelvic floor and core working with a ton of breathing drills).

But even this approach can be tempered to that of the client and her capabilities.

As an example I have a current client who gave birth less than a month ago who has just started to come back to the gym to train. She had been working with me for two years prior and knows her way around the weight room.

Here’s an example of her first week of training back:

A1. Deadbug 3×5/side
A2. Goblet Split Squat: 3×6/leg

B1. Standing Band Row: 3×10
B2. Breathing Side Plank: 3×3/side

C1. Pallof Press: 2×10/side
C2. Suitcase Carry: 2×25 yds/side

D1. Box Jumps – AMAP x 2x30seconds
D2. Just kidding. The fuck outta here.

Again, everyone is different.

The umbrella theme to remember, though, is to TAKE THINGS SLOW!

4. What To Avoid in the Early Stages

On that front, here are some thing you’ll likely want to skip altogether in the early stages of working with postpartum women:

Plyos – burpees, jumping jacks, stairs, stop it.

Running – just an accentuated plyometric.

Front Abdominal Exercises – planks, sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts (or anything that makes the abs bulge in front or uses the core to support a lot of the body weight).

Ninja Fights – Probably best to avoid ninjas at all costs, actually.

And That’s That

There’s obviously a lot more to consider, but that’s a pretty good start. For much, MUCH more on this topic check out the Certified Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist 2.0 course HERE.

Your face is going to melt so hard you’ll learn so much.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 9/20/19

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

 

BUT FIRST…CHECK OUT WHERE I’M GOING

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!

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Is a Diastasis Recti Normal? – Dr. Sarah Duvall

If you’re a fitness professional you WILL see this and it’s important to recognize it and to have a handful of strategies in your back pocket to address it.

How to Build a Successful Career and Rewarding Career in Fitness – Nate Green

There’s no “easy” path or formula, but Nate provides an excellent blueprint in this article.

What If You Stopped Worrying About Employees Maintaining Personal Brands? – Pete Dupuis

Whenever I hear stories of gyms stifling their employees’ ability to develop personal brands I can’t help but shake my head.

It’s dumb.

Like, dumber than opening a protein shaker bottle you left in your car in 95 degree heat for a week.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 6/14/19

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BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT

1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint Workshop – 2019 Locations & Dates

Sydney, Australia: July 13-14th at Clean Shred.

Melbourne, Australia: July 19-21st and Melbourne Strength & Conditioning. (<—  Includes bonus “Psych Skills for Fitness Pros” pre-workshop with Dr. Lisa Lewis).

This workshop will piggyback on the material Dean Somerset and I covered in the original Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint.

With this iteration, though, we’ll be going a bit deeper into the coaching and programming side of things:

  • How to program around common injuries.
  • How to “connect” the appropriate exercises to the client/athlete.
  • How to really add value with your assessment process.
  • How to squat and deadlift like a boss.

Find out more details HERE.

2. Strong Body-Strong Mind Workshop – Chicago, IL

This will be the only time Dr. Lisa Lewis and I will be presenting this workshop together in 2019. In previous years we’ve presented it in Boston, London, Toronto, Bonn (Germany),  and Austin, TX.

This 1-day workshop is targeted towards fitness professionals and digs a little deeper into what really “bogs” them down and stresses them out….

…their clients!

Click THIS link for more details on topics covered as well as date/cost/location.

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The original story of this quote below… Posted @withrepost • @testosteronenation T-Nation.com coach Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) dropped that T-shirt worthy line into one of his articles so we asked him how he came up with it. Here’s what he said: . “I try to be an understanding, empathetic coach with my clients and athletes. I write programs catered to THEIR goals and THEIR injury history, and I try my best to “match” the exercises I prescribe to THEIR ability level. That said, sometimes I need to play the cantankerous, tough love strength coach card. I started with a new client a few months ago and noticed a trend within the first couple of sessions: He had a knack for saying “this is hard” on every…single…exercise. . Deadlifts: “This is hard.” . Squats: “This is hard.” . Lateral Raises: “This is hard.” . At first I played it off as no big deal and something that comes with the territory. After subsequent sessions, however, I didn’t have enough eye rolls to give and I broke: . ‘Dude, lifting weights isn’t supposed to tickle.’ . It just flew out of my mouth. It wasn’t mean and it wasn’t disrespectful. It was just something that needed to be said. It was perfect.” — @tonygentilcore . #tnation #bodybuilding #strengthtraining #strengthandconditioning #lifting #workout #gym #fitfam #liftingweights #fitness #muscle

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (Self Study) – Dr. Sarah Duvall

This is one of the best courses I have ever taken and has provided me an abyss of information (and confidence) when it comes to working with women.

It’s made me a better coach.

If you’re a fitness professional I can almost guarantee you you’ll agree with my sentiment.

Sarah has placed the course on SALE this weekend (Friday, 6-14 – Monday 6/17) at $150 OFF the regular price.

1. Go HERE.

2. At checkout use the code PARTY150 to claim your discount.

3. No diggidy, no doubt.

4 Lat Building Exercises You’ve Never Tried – Sivan Fagan

Trust me, I doubt you’ve tried any of these before.

Sorta Deep Thoughts on Training, Diet and Character – Bryan Krahn

Are you like me and don’t have enough eye rolls to give whenever someone waxes poetic on something like the Paleo diet and how the reason why they do it is because cavemen were ripped?

Really?

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 1/18/19

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT

1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – 2019 Locations & Dates

Philadelphia, PA: April 27-28th

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: May 25-26th

Sydney, Australia: July 13-14th

Singapore, Republic of Singapore: July 20-21st

This workshop will piggyback on the material Dean Somerset and I covered in the original Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint.

With this iteration, though, we’ll be going a bit deeper into the coaching and programming side of things:

  • How to program around common injuries.
  • How to “connect” the appropriate exercises to the client/athlete.
  • How to squat and deadlift like a boss.

Find out more details HERE.

2. Coaching Competency Workshop – Raleigh, NC

I’ll be making my first appearance – ever (<— how’s that possible?) – in the wonderful state of North Carolina this coming March to put on my popular Coaching Competency Workshop.

Full details (date, location, itinerary, how to register) can be found HERE.

EARLY BIRD rate is currently in effect ($50 off regular price) and ends soon.

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (Self Study) – Dr. Sarah Duvall

If you train women, you owe it to yourself to consider taking this course.

What I LOVE about Sarah’s approach is that not only does she provide a thorough deep dive into the realm of postpartum training and considerations, but she ADVOCATES strength training as an integral component.

In her words:

“You need to lift shit, to fix shit.”

I’ve recently been re-acquainting myself with the material and it’s really helped to open my eyes to knowledge gaps  in this area in addition to appreciating just how much ATTENTION TO DETAIL is required when working with this population.

My wife is two-years postpartum and has been dealing with right sided hip pain for a while now, and it just so happens I watched the section on glute clenching and femoroacetabular movement this morning and it punched me in the mouth.

I had several light bulb moments.

Sarah currently has this course on SALE for $150 off the regular price, but it ends this coming Monday (1/21).

Go HERE, you won’t be sorry.

Cleaning Up Thoracic Rotation – Dean Somerset

Dean’s not one of my best friends for nothing.

Sometimes I hate him so much he’s so smart.

The Missing Lower Body Exercises For Strength – Nick Tumminello

It’s not just about squats and deadlifts, yo.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 6/30/18

What the what?

A Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work? On a Saturday?

I know what you’re thinking:

“This is the best Saturday……….EVER!”

Or, that’s probably not what you’re thinking.

Either way, pretty cool right?

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT

 1. Strong Body-Strong Mind – Boston, MA

We had such a great response when Lisa and I hosted a SBSM Workshop in Boston last year that we decided to do it again this summer.

I’ll be speaking to assessment, coaching up common strength exercises (squats, deadlifts), and how to better “match” your programs to your client’s abilities and goals.

Lisa will be discussing how to better manage client expectations, motivation, and how to adopt better mindset strategies for success.

The umbrella theme of this workshop is to enhance the SOFT skills of coaching, how to garner a connection, and build rapport with your athletes/clients.

  • Spots are limited
  • Early Bird rates apply for both students ($99) and professionals ($129)
  • CEUs will be available (NSCA)

For more details (including itinerary and registration) go HERE.

2. Even More Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint– Dates/Locations Announced

Dean Somerset and I are currently in the throes of drumming up new content for our staple workshop series.

We’ve presented this workshop all over the world – London, Vancouver, Oslo, Prague, Boston, LA, Hoth – and even turned it into a popular digital product HERE so everyone can enjoy it.

We’ve already nailed down dates in Slovenia, Houston, and LA this fall (2018) and are also in talks to bring it to Detroit, Philadelphia, Edmonton, Australia, and Singapore in 2019.

If you’re someone who’d like to host this event/participate in a tickle fight please reach out to either Dean or myself.

Go HERE to register in the announced cities.

STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Glutes, Core, and Pelvic Floor Workout System – Sarah Duvall, Kellie Davis, and Meghan Callaway

If you’re a human, trust me, you likely could use some improvement in one – if not all three – of these areas.

Sarah, Kellie, and Meghan have curated a lovely resource that women, men, fitness professionals, and non-fitness professionals alike can benefit from.

You only have until Monday (7/2) to take advantage of the sale price.

Learn How to Fail – DeShawn Fairbairn

Learning how to fail well – in both life, but more germane to this article, the weight-room – is one of the best traits you can possess.

This article is MONEY.

What’s the Deal with Eggs and Cholesterol? – Physiqonomics

 

Well, shit, an article written entirely as an infographic.

Brilliant.[footnote]Fuck you, Aadam. I hate you for not being you. Excuse me while I go wallow in my creative writing ineptitude.[/footnote]

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I’ve long championed the notion pretty much anyone can train around pretty much any injury. My client, Ben, a local high school basketball player here in Boston, is a testament to that. He had knee surgery two weeks ago, is in a knee brace, and using crutches to get around. But he’s still getting after it coming to CORE to train. In the top video I took inspiration from @benbrunotraining and had Ben do some Hollow Position Landmine Presses. Man, these are hard. In the bottom video we’re doing 1-Legged RDLs w/ Wall Assist (on the non-injured leg only). Being injured isn’t a death sentence, and it certainly isn’t an excuse to not train. Make your “trainable menu” (make a list of what you CAN do), and get to work.

A post shared by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

CategoriesCorrective Exercise Program Design

Are You Engaging the Right Muscles When You Squat?

I’m in Europe for the next two weeks traveling.[footnote]Nah, nah, nah, nah, naaaaaaaah.[/footnote]

Fear not. I’ve still managed to queue up some stellar content for you in my absence.

Today Dr. Sarah Duvall is pinch-writing for me talking about a topic that’s relevant to anyone who likes to lift heavy things: Squats (and how to make them feel better).

Her new resource, which she developed alongside fellow coaching superstars Kellie Hart and Meghan Callaway – Glutes, Core, and Pelvic Floor Workout System – is on sale starting today (6/28) and runs through 7/2.

It’s stellar and I think you should check it out.

Copyright: viacheslavmaksimov / 123RF Stock Photo

Are You Engaging the Right Muscles When You Squat?

Several months ago Tony and I met at Caffe Nero to talk shop.

After a combined 30 + years of working with people, we have both come to the conclusion that strength is your friend!

It’s your friend for rehab, for life and for aging.

In other words,

“You need to lift shit to fix shit.”

It can get a little tricky, because I’ve often found for patients with tightness or pain that we have to first make sure the right muscle is doing the work before overloading.

A great example of this is doing squats but primarily loading quads and low back instead of balancing the lift with glutes and abdominals. Or doing deadlifts but primarily feeling them in your back, never your glutes or hamstrings.

So you’re lifting and trying to get stronger, but in reality if you’re experiencing the above you’re overworking a subset of muscles instead of the intended target.

That’s why you should always know what muscles you want to work and where you should feel it.

Educated lifting!

Let’s take a second to break down the ever-elusive squat a little further. There are so many varieties from goblet to back to front squats and everything in between.

You’ll want to pick a variety that feels best for you, but I’d like to share a couple tricks for squatting in a way that targets your glutes and abs. This will be especially helpful if you primarily feel squats in your quads and low back.

Let’s work from the ground up at 4 key areas of the body.

#1. Keep Your Toes Firmly on the Ground

Somewhere along the way the cue to lift the toes got popular.

This is an easy way to shift your weight back to help get the squat more into your hips instead of your knees.

When we make cues too easy they often miss the mark. It’s true that you want to sit back into your hips, but the body follows patterns and when you pick up your toes you set off a flexion chain in your body that can increase hip flexor activation and decrease abdominals.

Give it a try now.

Pick up your toes for a squat and focus on how much you feel your abdominals. Now, give me a nice short foot (big toe down, arch engaged, weight spread evenly between the ball and heel) and see if this grounded foot turns your abs on more.

Those hardwired neuro patterns are hard to break, and having great foot placement sets the tone for the rest of the body.

 

So how do you sit back instead of coming forward onto your knees? Try practicing your squat by sitting back to a box or chair.

This will help train the pattern without picking up your toes.

#2. Sit Into Your Glutes

You want to feel your glutes lengthening for your squat.

It’s not a deadlift, your knees will bend, but it shouldn’t be all knees.

Two signs you’re not lengthening and sitting into your glutes:

  • You have to fold in half to sit back. (Now, if you have really long femurs or a narrow stance, you’ll need to lean forward a bit more. But if you widen your stance and you still find yourself bending over at the waist, it might be a good idea to check your rockbacks.)
  • You start with a neutral spine but then overarch your back to sit into the squat. Overarching the back and lengthening the hamstrings is a great way to look like you’re sitting back into your glutes when in reality you’re just going into a big anterior pelvic tilt. If this is the case, your low back will often feel tight after your squat.

To fix the folding in half, try holding on to something when you squat, like suspension straps. Then you can practice sitting back and down into those glutes.

 

#3.  Neglecting to Keep a Neutral Spine

How we initiate a motion sets the tone for that exercise.

So if you arch your back to start, then your brain gets the signal, “this is a back exercise.” If you lengthen your glutes to start, then your brain gets the signal, “this is a glute exercise.”

Sitting the tone is important!

It’s much easier to do something right from the start than it is to play catch up. Wait, are we talking about life or squats?

See if you can spot the difference between initiating for the glutes lengthening vs the low back overarch?

 

#4. Head Alignment

Let’s do a test.

Look up at the ceiling and squat.

Did you feel how you wanted to overarch your back?

Now, put your chin to your chest and squat.

See how you wanted to tuck your bottom?

Our body follows our head. You’ll never see a gymnast look the opposite way for a flip.

Playing around with head positioning and where the eyes are looking can dramatically change a squat. If someone is having lots of trouble keeping their abs engaged, I might have them look down just a pinch more. If they are really having trouble sitting into their glutes, I might have them look up a pinch.

The real takeaway from this is to know where you should feel an exercise and make sure that is what’s working. When you’re doing squats, you should feel both your glutes and quads working, as well as your abs and low back. A balanced squat works everything, and working everything means you’ll be able to do more and get stronger without getting hurt because the effort is shared.

Want to learn more about where you should be feeling an exercise and which muscles should be working?

You’re in luck!

Glutes, Core, and Pelvic Floor Workout System

Three expert coaches in the fitness and rehab industry came together to build an incredible 12 week workout program to help you reach your fitness goals.

Everyone – women AND men, powerlifters AND CrossFitters, Batman AND Care Bears – can spend more time developing their glute, core and pelvic floor strength and integrity.

Sarah, Kellie, and Megan are phenomenal coaches and have put in a ton of work to make this a resource that can equally help (and be applied) fitness professionals and general population alike.

Fitness Professionals: to be able to assess and write effective corrective and training programs to address things like pelvic floor dysfunction, rectus diastasis (which effects males too), incontinence, and many other “intricate” issues that aren’t easy to train around (much less talk about).

General Population: to show you the basics needed to feel great and to set yourself up for as much success as possible if or when you choose to attack the iron.

Batman (in case you’re reading this): to fight crime in a more efficient and timely manner.

This program is thorough AF and the beauty is that it requires minimal equipment and can be done at home or in a gym.

I’ve performed a few of the workouts & movements myself and lets just say its highlighted a few glaring weaknesses on my end. What’s more, I’m learning a lot. This WILL make me a better coach.

The price is heavily discounted – $200 OFF – for two days only (6/28 and 6/29).

  • It increases $100 on June 30th – July 1st.
  • And then increases to full price on Monday, July 2nd.

You don’t have much time to take advantage, so I encourage you to do NOW.

—> Hurry! Click Me <—-

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work Uncategorized

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 1/19/18

Man am I in a funk. This has never happened before, but I’m struggling to come up with content to write.

I can’t say for sure, but it “may” have something to do with a soon-to-be one-year old that’s growing more and more mobile by the day.[footnote]Who am I kidding? It has EVERYTHING to do with that…haha.[/footnote].

In any case I apologize for my lack of writing prowess. Rest assured I’ll be making a comeback sooner or later.

Onto this week’s list….

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…

1) Mark Fisher Fitness Presents: Motivate & Movement LAB

I’ve had the honor of presenting at two previous iterations of the Motivate & Movement LAB (the brainchild of MFF’s Harold Gibbons) and it’s unequivocally one of the most unique events in the fitness industry.

Think: TED Talk, but with deadlifts and lots of f-bombs.

Anyways, the next LAB is this coming February, and will feature myself, Dan John, Pete Dupuis, my wife (Dr. Lisa Lewis), and several of the MFF coaching staff including Brian Patrick Murphy and Amanda Wheeler.

2) Appearance on the All About Fitness Podcast

Host Pete McCall does a superb job with this podcast and keeps things light and entertaining.

In this episode I discuss my journey towards my 600 lb deadlift.

You can go HERE (Episode 85) or HERE (Episode 85) via iTunes.

3) Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist

I’ll go a head and say it: I feel this is one of the single most important courses I have ever taken.

If you train women it behooves you to understand the intricacies surrounding this topic: pelvic floor dysfunction, prolapse, incontinence, etc.

Dr. Sarah Duvall covers everything from assessment/screening to corrective exercise (tons of attention to proper breathing mechanics) to training considerations immediately postpartum (1-4 weeks) onward to a year plus.

What’s more, what I truly dig about Sarah’s approach is that she advocates women to eventually “lift shit to fix shit” (my words, not hers). Sooooo, there’s that.

FYI: Use the coupon code TONYG at checkout for an additional $50 off your purchase.[footnote]Sha-ZAM.[/footnote]

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work

10 Nuggets, Tips and Tricks on Energy System Training – Mike Robertson

Per the usual Mike takes a rather complicated topic and dumbs it down for us peons. I REALLY liked his breakdown on the differences in adaptations between aerobic training and anaerobic, and how it’s the former (aerobic) that will likely help with better progress in the weight-room.

Does It Matter If You Can Deep Squat? – Travis Pollen

The deep squat screen can tell you a lot about a person. It can tell you his or her’s ability to achieve adequate ankle dorsiflexion, as well as much hip mobility, thoracic extension, and shoulder flexion they have.

About the only thing is doesn’t tell you is their favorite installment in the Fast & Furious franchise.

But what does the deep squat really tell us? Travis sheds some light.

Everything You Need to Know About Recovering – Dr. Mike Israetel

Very comprehensive article that covers a litany of popular recovery strategies:

– Those that work well

– Those about which science is uncertain

– Those that don’t seem to work as planned or much at all.

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CategoriesFemale Training

One Year Postpartum: Are There Any Special Training Considerations?

The short answer is a resounding yes.

A lot of articles and information directed towards postpartum women cover the initial weeks and months after giving birth. That’s awesome. But what about one year after? Five years?

As Dr. Sarah Duvall, creator of Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist, mentions below in today’s guest post: once postpartum, always postpartum.

PCES is an outstanding course, and one I’m currently going through now. It’s only being offered for another week, with a special offer for TG.com readers below.

Enjoy!

Copyright: vadymvdrobot / 123RF Stock Photo

Are there any special considerations for training a woman that is over a year postpartum?

For this question we need to ask ourselves, “does the postpartum period end at an arbitrary time?”

In some cases, yes.

Time does have a positive impact and in other cases, no. So, let’s take a look at when time matters and when it doesn’t.

In the early stages postpartum women are still dealing with excessive ligament laxity that was needed to help get the baby out. Most women notice a decrease in the laxity by 4-6 months postpartum but for those that continue to breastfeed, the laxity can continue well over a year.

This matters because laxity creates instability and increases vulnerability to injury, especially in the pelvic floor.

So, being further along postpartum is a real win for not having to worry about the extra ligament laxity.

Most of the stories I hear from patients about post-delivery prolapse development happen in this one-year window. There is still a chance of women getting prolapse outside this time frame, but thankfully, the chances go down with the recovery time.

Why does this matter?

Women should take it slow getting back into impact exercise that could place an unnecessary strain on the pelvic floor while it’s still healing. (This goes for C-Section ladies as well!)

Incontinence or leaking during exercise is another one of those pesky issues that a significant number of women complain about and we often associate with having a baby. A survey taken among women that experience leaking showed that women with no leaking three months after delivery had a 30% chance of experiencing leaking twelve years later.

This is a significant number!

Now we’re talking about a woman who decides to get in shape and head to the gym and all of a sudden she is experiencing this pelvic floor issue she never had before.

Why does this happen?

I think it’s a breakdown of the system. An accumulative effect, if you will.

When proper steps aren’t taken postpartum to ensure complete pelvic floor recovery, our system can form compensations. Sometimes these compensations can take years to show up. Much like many preventable chronic injuries throughout the body.

The same thing can happen with the core. If 100% of women that go into delivery have a diastasis, then checking for it should be a routine part of any initial visit. Pregnancy pushes women into poor movement patterns.

The large amount of weight in the front causes a posterior weight shift and lengthened abdominals.

Because of this weight shift, women will often end up with tight paraspinals and a hinge point at the T12-L1 junction. This can cause back pain and tightness as well as perpetuating a poor breathing system that prevents complete core recovery.

Along with this weight shift, the baby itself pushes up on the diaphragm continuing to shut down deep breathing. Proper breathing is the foundation for core and pelvic floor recovery.

These postural compensations can stay with women for the rest of their lives unless someone gives them the right corrective exercises to break these patterns. Checking for a diastasis and asking key questions about pelvic floor health should be high on the priority list for a woman at any stage postpartum.

Check out this video for a couple key posture tips that help promote diastasis healing.

 

Bottom line, once a woman is postpartum she is always postpartum.

Being pregnant increases her risk of pelvic floor issues, diastasis and postural changes.

These risks are not limited to the first year or even the first five years postpartum. These are issues that affect many women for the rest of their lives. The good thing is that with a little knowledge we can do something about it. These women can have hope for healing at any stage in life.

Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (Special Offer For TG Readers Only)

I’m not going to beat around the bush, if you’re a fitness professional you should considering taking this course.

It will undoubtedly make you a better coach and better prepare you for the delicate nature of working with women postpartum (which, as Sarah noted, never really ends).

I’ve trained several women through their pregnancies and have obviously trained hundreds after the fact.  I thought I knew what I was doing, and I’ve done okay.

I guess.

This course has helped me immensely and has really shed a spotlight on some coaching/information gaps on my end. I can’t recommend it enough.

Sarah only offers it a handful of times per year and she’s been kind enough to extend it for another week so my readers can take advantage. What’s more, if you use the coupon code TONYG at checkout you’ll get an additional $50 off your order.[footnote]And one free tickle fight if or when we meet in person.[/footnote]

—> Click Here to Save <—

About the Author 

A wife, mom and adventure sports athlete, Sarah is a women’s fitness specialist that takes functional training to a whole new level. In her unique approach to treating patients, she believes in teaching. Fully understanding every aspect of the body is a necessity to complete healing. She integrates functional movement with cutting-edge exercises to bring you results-driven programs for postpartum recovery, with an emphasis on the pelvic floor and abdominals. When she is not hanging off the side of a mountain, Sarah enjoys writing and presenting at http://www.CoreExerciseSolutions.com and figuring out how her patients can continue to pursue their dreams and lead a strong, adventurous life. 

References

Viktrup L, Rortveit G. Risk of stress urinary incontinence twelve years after the first pregnancy and delivery. Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Aug;108(2):248-54.