CategoriesNutrition Supplements

The Nutrition and Supplement Police

There are shady characters in every industry, but it’s seemingly within the nutrition and supplement industry where the shadiest of shady characters reside.

Copyright: peogeo

The Nutrition & Supplement “Police”

How else to explain an industry where (celebrity) doctors cut their ties to integrity and shill the miraculous fat loss properties of Raspberry ketones?

Or where some of the product descriptions on the backside of a bottle or package resemble that of a science-fiction movie?

Like this one for example:

“The World’s strongest vaso-anabolic psychoactive experience. Our secret cellular volumizing formula is patented to nanomolecularize your vascular expanders.”

For those scratching their heads, in supplement speak, I’m pretty sure “nanomolecularize” means you’ll cause an earthquake when you flex your pecs.

Or you suddenly gain the ability to fly.

I don’t know, something will happen.

Whatever the case may be, now, more than ever, with all the varying pills, powders, and diets being “sold” to us as the next great thing, we need someone we can trust to cut through the BS and help filter through the phony facade.

We need someone to serve as the “shadiness police.”

My friends at Examine.com have just launched their new and vastly updated Examine.2.0. They’ve built an amazing resource; one that’s hands-down THE most extensive, thorough, and UN-BIASED tool at our disposal as fitness/health professionals (or people who are generally more curious and proactive with their health information).

They stick to their lane – cute kitty pictures analyzing research information – and that’s it.

  • No fluff
  • No opinions
  • No up-sells
  • No BS

If one of my clients or athletes walks in and asks about Keto, creatine, vitamin D, caffeine, or whether or not Deer Antler Root dipped in Unicorn tears harvested from a remote mountain range in Minas Tirith is worth trying…I can usually provide a competent, well-informed answer.

However, if I ever get stumped – which definitely happens – I can gather all the information I’d ever need from Examine 2.0.

And I know it’ll be the most recent, relevant, and scientifically peer-reviewed information out there.

What’s more, they include monthly updates and they also provide CEUs for American RDs, NASM, as well as the NSCA.

Starting today (through 8/25) you can take advantage of their re-launch sale:

  • Monthly Membership – usually $29/month will be $19/month
  • Yearly Membership – usually $199/year will be $144/year

Check it out HERE.

Old books in bookshelfCategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 3/18/22

Old books in bookshelf

STUFF TO CHECK OUT FIRST

1. Strategic Strength Workshop – BOSTON & LONDON

NOTE: In case you don’t have any plans this weekend and you happen to be in Boston (and get really excited about the particulars of femoral acetabular impingement) there are spots still available last minute.

This Spring Luke Worthington and I will be putting on our popular Strategic Strength Workshop in both Boston, MA and London, UK.

A hometown switcharoo extravaganza if you will.

The purpose of this workshop is to give attendees a more thorough look into our assessment process and how we connect the dots between that and setting our clients/athletes up for as much success as possible.

I.e., turning them into deadlifting Terminators.

There’s plenty of talk surrounding the traditional x’s and o’s of program design, but we also take some time to dive deep into the soft(er) skills of coaching:

  • How to improve motivation
  • How to build better rapport
  • Learning to meet your clients where THEY are.

You can click the respective links below for more information and to register:

Boston (March 19th-20th) – HERE.

London (April 23rd-24th) – HERE.

2. Coaching Competency Workshop: Leeds, UK – May, 1 2022

On top of my cameo in London this Spring I am also putting on a BONUS 1-day workshop further north, in Leeds. I’m pumped for this one. I’ve never visited northern England and am very much looking forward to this.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll attend my first soccer football match.

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

5 Common Misconceptions About GPP (General Physical Preparedness) – Missy Mitchell-McBeth

Man training in the gym with a push sled

The more stuff I read from Missy, the more I need to go to the emergency room for shaking my head so aggressively in agreement.

Examine.com Anniversary Sale – Really Smart People

Examine.com is the only resource I refer people to when it comes to supplement information and the like. It’s truly the only unbiased  resource out there.

Their 11-year anniversary sale is currently happening where you can get 30% off all of their most popular products. If you’re a fitness professional you can’t go wrong.

6 Bodybuilding Lies Crippling Your Progress – Stuart McRobert

Cropped of black bodybuilder exercising with barbell

Honestly, this article contains sound training advice even if you’re not a “bodybuilder” by its truest defintion.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work Uncategorized

Stuff to Read While You’re Stuck at Home Not Wearing Pants: 7/10/20

Copyright: neirfy / 123RF Stock Photo

THE WEEKLY BRIEF UPDATE

I got nuthin.

I mean, I had to cancel my teeth cleaning appointment today.

That’s exciting.

Oh, hey, have you checked out my new CORE @ Home platform yet?

It’s designed so that I can deliver workouts you can perform at home – pants optional – using minimal equipment.

You have two options:

1. Subscribe for FREE and receive one workout per week.

2. Subscribe for $29.00 and receive three workouts per week (in addition to special bonus content).

My hope is that it helps take the thinking out of things and keeps people more accountable to workout more consistently despite not having access to their normal gym.

For more information go HERE.

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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30 Days of Spine Hygiene * . Day 1️⃣ Bubblegum Farts. . Or . Finding (and maintaining) “neutral” spine while moving your extremities… . …which, let’s be real, is NO WHERE near as baller of a description as bubblegum farts. . I don’t know who originally named this drill, but whomever it is I officially nominate him/her to name every exercise from here on out. . Instead of something lame like Quadruped Extension-Rotation, I bet our secret wordsmith exercise namer would name it something cool like Fart Breath Rotations or Henry Cavill. . Anyway, this is a very sneaky (hard) drill and it does a superb job at locking in the abdominal brace which then aids in maintaining spinal stability while we add in movement. . Eventually it behooves us to marinate in a more diverse movement environment (rotation, etc)… . …but out of the gate, especially when working with someone with a history of back pain, I’ve found that honing in on STABILITY in that area (while also addressing mobility in requisite areas: hips, t-spine) is a fantastic approach for most. . Don’t forget to emphasize the exhale as you lift your hand off the ground, while also maintaining pressure INTO the ball. . I’m telling you it’s a sneaky bastard of an exercise. . * When in doubt read anything and everything via @backfitpro . Not only the world’s foremost mustache haver, but also not too shabby when it comes to spine biomechanics and research. . I’d HIGHLY recommend his Back Mechanic book.

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE AT HOME NOT WEARING PANTS

Examine Personalized – Examine.com

This may seem surprising, but I hate reading research. It’s important of course, and I try my best to stay on top of current trends and to balance the teeter-totter between being evidence-based and respecting the power of anecdotal experience.

But yeah, I’m more likely to sit down and read Elvish poetry before reading a full-length research study.

This is why I am SO pumped to share with you Examine.com’s Personalized.

To be as succinct as possible: they scour the internet for pertinent research you’re interested in, they summarize it, it gets copy edited so that you don’t need a degree from Harvard to read it, and then it’s peer reviewed for accuracy.

They make it SUPER easy and it saves a TON of time.

Today is your last chance to take advantage of their initial LAUNCH pricing:

  • Monthly: $9/mo
  • Yearly: $75 (normally $90)
  • Lifetime: $299 (normally $399)

Click HERE to get more information.

Complimentary Circuits: Effective Programming Made Simple – Kevin Mullins

As is the case always, Kevin provides a bevy of useful info in this article.

READ IT!

How to Overcome the 8 Biggest Diet Problems – Krista Scott-Dixon

Dieting or “locking in” sound nutritional habits always tends to be the elephant in the room for most people. For some it’s eating when bored, for others it’s a sweet tooth.

And for others it’s simply all just too confusing.

Krista helps to drown out the noise.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 9/27/19

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!

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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The slide behind me says “Will these two people squat and DL the same?” . And then my sick Word Art skills take over. . To ignore anatomy and assume everyone is going to squat and deadlift the same way is absurd. . It would be like me saying paper beats scissors, or, I don’t know, that I could be Jason Bourne in a street brawl. . If I had a chainsaw maybe. . We’re all different and what works for one person in terms of set-up and execution may be a dumpster fire for someone else. . This is why it’s imperative to assess and to lean into a more trial-and-error approach when it comes to better “matching” squat and DL variations to that of the injury history, goals, ability level, and ANATOMY of the individual. . This week @dsomerset1 and I have released our latest product, Even More Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint to the masses (and at a hefty discount). . It contains 11+ hours of NEW content in addition to: . ✅ Offering 1.2 Continuing Education Credits. ✅ 30 day money back guarantee. ✅ Immediate digital access. . What’s more you can purchase BOTH versions at a significant discount as well. . Or not. . I DIDN’T WANT YOU TO BUY IT ANYWAY. . (slams door). . Nevertheless, I’m really proud of this resource and think it’ll help many fitness pros hone their craft (and make more 💰💰). . Even More CSHB is on sale THIS WEEK only. . Click link in my bio for more information and to purchase.

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Coaching the “Yes, But” People – It’s Impossible – Marilia Coutinho

They’re the worst.

The Top 19 Nutrition Myths of 2019 – Michael Hull (Examine.com)

Why won’t you die?

(Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – You Know Who

 

There’s only a few more days (till Sunday, Sept 29th at midnight) to take advantage of the sale price for mine and Dean Somerset’s latest resource.

  • 11+ hours of new content
  • Continuing education credits
  • Immediate digital access
  • Pictures of my cat

What’s there not to love?

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 3/23/18

Oh, hello.

It’s Friday.

You know the drill.

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…(STUFF TO CHECK OUT AND OTHER TIDBITS CURATED TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COACH OR HUMAN)

1. Coaching Competency: DC – Early Bird Rate Ending

The Early Bird rate for my Coaching Competency workshop in the DC area ends THIS weekend (3/25).

For $99 you get to hang out with me for seven hours and talk about assessment, program design, deadlifts, and LOLCat memes. Price increases to $129 after this weekend.

Go HERE for full details.

2. Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coaching Certification

Registration for this highly competitive certification opens on April 4th. However, I’ve got some good, nay, fucking amazing news.

I’ve negotiated some awesome perks for you:

  • Early access to enroll on April 3rd (24 hrs before they open to the public), increasing your chances of getting in.

  • A huge discount (up to 33% off the regular price).

This is without question one of the best certifications any fitness professional can possess, offering incredible value and helps to separate you from the masses.

Go HERE for more info.

3. Even More Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Coming Soon

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 – 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, 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.

4. Cobra Kai – This Looks Fucking Awesome

 

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I watched The Karate Kid when I was, well, a kid.1

I am PUMPED for this. I am 65% aroused.

Shout out to my boy, Chad Landers, who helped prep star (and 1980’s Movie Douchebag 1st Team All-Star) William Zabka, for this role.

STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Set Point Theory: Does Your Body Defend Against Fat Loss? – Brad Dieter

Brad’s one of the rare nutrition peeps I listen to.2

He doesn’t seem to have an “agenda” other than to go out his way to use science to back up his rationale for everything.

I dig that.

I think you’ll dig this article.

Can Food Have Negative Calories? – Examine.com

Examine.com = dick puncher of nutritional fallacies and pipe dreams.

My Favorite 3-Part Turkish Get-Up 1 Minute Video Tutorial – Artemis Scantalides

Artemis is responsible for MY get-up and how I coach it to my athletes/clients. She’s the shit. You need to listen to her.

Social Media Shenanigans

Twitter

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Here’s a fantastic push-up variation I got from @smittydiesel that’s super challenging: Renegade Push-up. One of the advantages of push-ups and why I like them so much is their versatility and how seamlessly they can be progressed and regressed. Here I take away a base of support (an arm) and try to hold a 3-point position without allowing my torso or hips to rotate. This is a killer core challenge, and to be honest I’m gonna throw myself under the bus a little bit and say I should have tried to hold the elbow tap a liiiiitle bit longer. I kinda rush things in an effort to get to a more stable position. This is an exercise where slowing things down is paramount its effectiveness. Any sort of mild elevation will work here: and aerobics stepper, setting up the bar in a Smith Machine to the lowest setting, or anything similar. Also, totally cool to alternate which hand comes up; feel free to experiment.

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CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 3/2/18

It’s Friday.

You know how we do.

Copyright: gregorylee / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…(SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, STUFF I’VE WRITTEN, & OTHER TIDBITS CURATED TO SHOWCASE HOW IMPORTANT I AM)

1) Coaching Competency – Sterling, VA

Excited to head back to the DC area and present at Beyond Strength Performance NOVA in Sterling, VA.

Assessment, program design, exercise technique, how to make killer LOLCat memes. It’ll all be covered.

More details in the link above.

2) The Fitness Summit

I’m excited to be heading back to KC this year for The Fitness Summit. It’s always been one of my favorite fitness events of the year.

This year is a first, however.

Dean Somerset and I have been invited to do a Pre-Conference to get the festivities started that weekend.

We’ll be taking deep dive into squat and deadlift technique: discussing ankle, foot, hip and upper extremity considerations in conjunction with regressions/progressions, programming, and breaking down technique flaws.

It’ll be a four-hour glimpse into how we coach.

There’s currently a FLASH sale of $10 off for the Pre-Conference ($90), and then you get to listen to the likes of Bret Contreras, Alan Aragon, Mark Fisher, Susan Kleiner, Greg Nuckols, and many others for the next two days after that.

And there’s some sick BBQ.

You won’t want to miss it.

3) Spurling Spring Seminar

I’m excited to announce that both myself and my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, will be presenting at the inaugural Spurling Spring Seminar at Spurling Fitness in Kennebunk, ME in a few months.

If you live in New England and you’re a fitness professional you won’t want to miss it. Early bird special is currently in effect.

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work

Sleep: Start Taking It Seriously – Jarrod Dyke

Here’s my thought: Almost always, the reason why most people fail to see consistent progress in the gym is because their sleep habits are piss poor.

It’s not because you’re not taking enough creatine laced with Raspberry Ketones dipped in Unicorn tears. Nor is it because you’re not adding chains to your squats.

The reason why you’re “stuck” is because you need to go to freaking bed.

Low Fat vs. Low Carb? Major Study Concludes: It Doesn’t Matter For Weight Loss – Examine.com

Sha-ZAM.

Low-carb zealots may want to sit down wipe their tears with a bread stick.

Strapped For Time? Your Body Is a Barbell – Todd Bumgardner

The picture of Ron Burgandy will make sense. Promise.

I have a lot of clients who travel for work and don’t always have access to a barbell. This article will now be shared with all of them

Excellent stuff from Todd.

Social Media Shenanigans

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CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 10/30/15

I kid you not, as I type these words I am sitting in my apartment waiting for the delivery guys from Sleepy’s to drop off the new mattress Lisa and I bought the other night.

Not that any of you reading are in any way interested in mine and Lisa’s sleep quality1, but she’s had the same mattress for about a decade (and we’ve been together for six years), so it was time to upgrade.

We walked to the local Sleepy’s down the street from our apartment and spent a good two hours test driving a few mattresses2 and narrowed it down to the one that’s supposed to be arriving between 8-12PM today (or when hell freezes over, whichever comes first).

We’re totally going to be asleep at like 6 tonight. Can’t wait!

A few things before I get to this week’s list of stuff to read:

Last weekend marked my official “start date” for my new solo venture.3 I’m sub-leasing space from Run Strong Studio in Brookline, MA (Boston) and training people out of there. Here’s a little flavor for what it looks like:

A little flavor for what the new studio space looks like. Meeting clients for first time this AM. Hope they like 90s hip hop.

A video posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

Rebecca – the woman who owns the studio – has been awesome. She’s a doctor who trains people on the side (mostly runners) in a rehab setting. When we met for the first time in person I saw she had a copy of Gray Cook’s Movement on her desk and she also dropped a few Mike Boyle and PRI references. I knew right away she was eating at the cool kids table.

Since our first meeting to now she’s allowed me to “vomit” strength and conditioning and bring in a bunch of equipment into her space. The result is what you see above.

It’s nothing fancy pants, but it’s perfect for what I’m looking to do: coach people, write awesome programs, and make them into badasses.

The first week has gone well and I’ve already had several people perform their initial assessment and are primed to get after it. If you’re in Boston and want to check things out for yourself you can go HERE.

ALSO

As a reminder: Dean Somerset and I will be in Los Angeles (Anaheim) at CrossFit 714 for our Complete Shoulder and Hip Workshop the weekend of November 14th.

 

That’s in two weeks, yo. For more information you can go HERE.

[Cue obligatory “this is why Tony & Dean are the awesome” testimonial here]

“Being cynical of the workshop frenzy in our industry has made me extremely picky with how I spend my time and money with my educational efforts. Tony and Dean presented our group with simple and concise information that will be easy to implement into my business’ daily operations.

The assessments and corrective strategies that I learned this weekend will be very useful in any size setting which translates to me being able to spend more time growing my business while delivering an effective product. If you value your time and the quality of your work, this is a must-attend event.”

5 Pitfalls (and Fixes!) for the Barbell Back Squat – Jennifer Blake (via JenSinkler.com)

We like to get overly technical when it comes to the big lifts, often to the detriment of looking past other commonly made mistakes.

This was an excellent watch from Jennifer and I recommend you watch it too.

Scientists Just Found That Red Meat Causes Cancer…Or Did They? – Kamal Patel (Examine.com)

It’s articles like this as to why I consider Examine.com one of my GO TO resources for un-biased nutrition and supplementation information.

They rock.

Last week (another) major story broke reminding everyone that red-meat is going to kill us all. It happens every year, it’s nothing new, really, it’s not, and the mainstream media latches onto it and apocalizes (<– Yep, I just made up a word) it.

RUN EVERYONE. BACON IS GOING TO KILL YOU. AHHHHH……….

Deep breaths, relax, and read this.

We Waited 7 Years to Open a 2nd Location…Here’s Why – Pete Dupuis

Cressey Sports Performance business director, Pete Dupuis, explains why we waited seven years before pulling the trigger and opening a second location.

CategoriesNutrition Product Review

Tuning Out the Noise When It Comes to Research

Note from TG:  I know some people are put off when they read something only to get to the end and find out they’re being “sold” something. I just wanted to be straight forward from the get go that what follows is an endorsement for Examine.com’s Research Digest.

I love what they do and what they stand for, and feel this is something that will help a lot of people tune out the noise and chaos propagated by the mainstream media. 

I hate reading research. There I said it.

I know it seems sacrilegious for someone who makes a living doing fitness writing to say that, but it’s true. I hate it.

If I had to choose between sitting down to read an entire research study or swallowing live bees I’d seriously contemplate the latter.

This isn’t to say I don’t feel research isn’t important or that I never do it. Before people start grabbing their pitchforks and storm the castle, to be clear: I do feel it’s very important and I do read it.

Sometimes.

Photo Credit: Astronomy Blog

It’s just that whenever I attempt to read a research study I get through two paragraphs before I start falling asleep. And if by some miracle I do make it through to the end, I rarely ever remember anything because I either 1) blacked out or 2) started making paper airplanes out of the study itself.

When I do read research, however, particularly research reviews, I always appreciate when it comes from sources that I recognize and trust.

Shit gets convoluted real quick once the mainstream media gets their dirty paws on a study. Anything that they can sensationalize and distort in order to separate themselves from the masses and to garner viewership is all they’re after.

Remember the whole egg yolk consumption is worse than cigarettes debacle?

Anyways, as much as I disdain reading research I do like to stay a head of the curve. And to that end, any chance I have to allow someone else do the “dissecting of research” for me, the better.

Introducing Examine.com’s Research Digest

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of the guys (and girls) over at Examine.com. They’re my GO TO source for unbiased information on supplementation. I can’t begin to tell you how many athletes and clients I’ve referred to them.

They single-handedly solved that niche.

Now they’re goal is to make research more accessible.

And it isn’t just ONE person doing the grunt work.

Here’s what separates ERD from everyone else:

– They have a panel of nerds researchers doing researchy things.

– Before anything is put to print, all their references and claims are double-checked by a group of editors hand picked for their experience and expertise in their respective fields.

– THEN there’s another round of edits and “checks and balances” done by outside industry and academic leaders to ensure a more fair and balanced representation of the information.

In addition:

1. It’s written in laymen’s terms and in a way which won’t require a Klingon-English translation.

2. It provides unparalleled professional development on a monthly basis.

3. If you don’t have the time to read ERD, you can listen to it instead. It’s also available in MP3 format.

4. And, it’s stunning to look at. The production value is top-notch. I.e., there’s pictures!!!

I was lucky enough to land an advance copy of Issue #1, and it’s sooooooo good I can’t even stand it. Here’s the table of contents.

Of Note: one of my favs, obesity doctor, Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, wrote this month’s editorial The Shady Underbelly of Evidence Based Medicine. And each subsequent issue will highlight other industry big wigs moving forward.

All in all it’s an excellent way to stay on top of the research, stay up-to-date with the research, and not feel intimidated by the research. All for about a $1 per day. It’s a monthly subscription.

HOWEVER, you can save 20% off the monthly price starting TODAY (Nov. 6th) through the rest of the week by going HERE.

Check it out. Doooooooo it.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 2/7/14

Before we get the ball rolling on the good reads for the week, I wanted to briefly share an email exchange I had with a colleague who happens to a diesel mom to boot.

Q: I wondered what your thoughts are on all of these youth plyo and conditioning classes popping up all over? I’m at my daughter’s dance class and they offer them here. My gut sat in my throat as I watched a 10 year old perform DB overhead presses LA Fitness style with his arms wobbling all over. I swear he was either going to dislocate his shoulder or knock himself out.

Anyway, this is the first time I’ve watched this. I always balked at the Gym Dad who put their sons through shitty workouts, but these are coaches apparently trained to teach these things. These coaches work with kids in off season and in season to condition them for sports. They sponsor most of the games too.

A: Yeah, the whole idea suspect to say the least. I don’t agree with them at all  <—- and I’m being really good in restraining myself here.

Whenever I have a parent ask me about agility/plyo/conditioning training or how I’m going to make their kid faster I just use my trusted Indy 500 analogy, which is this:

If I were to take a Honda Civic and give it a sweet paint job, new wheels, a spoiler, and make it look fast……would you expect it to win the Indy 500?

Um, no. Unless you increase the actual horse power of the engine you’ll have a better shot at punching a Yeti in the face while on riding a Unicorn.

[Okay, I don’t usually use the Yeti and Unicorn reference, but it worked well here.]

Getting stronger is like increasing the horse power. You get stronger (and focus on movement quality), you’re able to generate more force into the ground, and you’re then able to run faster, throw harder, jump higher, and increase your general level of awesome.

Strength is the basis for everything. It’s really, really, REALLY hard to have agility, power, endurance, speed-endurance, or any other “quality” you can think of (invisibility?) without first having a base of strength to “pool” everything from.

All these “speed camps” and youth conditioning classes, in my opinion, are nothing more than a ploy to give the illusion that *something* is being done and to make the parents go “oooooo” and “ahhhhhh.”

And of course, to make money.  I can’t fault the latter point (I guess).  But, come on….does a twelve year old really need to be doing foot work drills?

And what the heck does a “youth conditioning class” even mean?

Tell your kid to go outside a play some pick-up basketball. Play some kick-ball. Climb a tree.  Anything!

Anything outdoors will be a helluva lot more beneficial than some speed camp that makes kids perform those silly cone drills or ladder drills that most aren’t remotely prepared enough to be doing anyways

Plus, you’ll save yourself $99.

Just my two cents.  Which, coincidentally is a lot cheaper.

Do any of you have any thoughts on the matter???  Sound of in the comments section.

My Experience at the Assessing Movement Conference – Kasey Esser

Recently both Gray Cook and Dr. Stuart McGill sat down to discuss their “differences” in opinion on movement, assessment, and whether or not the second season of House of Cards is going to live up to season one.

This was like the fitness industry’s equivalent of Gandalf and Yoda squaring off.

Kasey was kind enough to send me his review on the weekend, and I thought it was fantastic.  Plus it served as a nice appetizer for when the DVD is available – I can’t freakin wait!

3 Overrated Supplements – Examine.com (via Adam Bornstein)

I really liked this post over on Adam’s site which took to task a handful of supplements that tend to get a lot of press for how beneficial they are, when they’re anything but.

The next time someone asks you your opinion on raspberry ketones (something Dr. Oz made popular) you can refer them to this post.

The Secret to Ab Training – Mike Robertson

Many of Mike’s thoughts on this subject mirror many of the same thoughts we use at Cressey Performance.  As always, Mike drops some knowledge bombs and helps to elucidate on how important EXHALING his to core performance and training.

I know it sounds weird, but it’s definitely worth the read.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

CategoriesSupplements

Caffeine 101

Today’s guest post comes to you courtesy of Examine.com’s own Sol Orwell. In case you’ve been living in a cave for the past year, Sol and the team at Examine.com have easily become the go to source for anything and everything related to supplements and supplementation.

Whenever I need a quick reference to anything supplement related – whether it’s information on the efficacy of BCAAs, who should be taking vitamin D, or asking the one question that’s on everyone’s mind:  will overdosing on creatine give me a third nipple? – I can easily hop on their site and get unbiased, scientifically researched answers.

There’s absolutely no agenda outside of giving people solid information.

What’s more, their resource, Supplement Goals Reference Guide, is undoubtedly the most comprehensive book on supplements ever put together, amounting to over 900 pages, 25,000 studies (including 2000 human studies).

And, just as an FYI:  it’s on sale from NOW until Friday (Nov. 8th) at midnight.

With that said, I asked Sol if he’d be willing to write up a quick Cliff Notes version on caffeine and this is what he came up with.

Enjoy!

What is caffeine?

Caffeine is an alkaloid compound that belongs to the structural class of purine compounds. It is found naturally in a variety of plants. Most famously, it is a component of cacao beans, which have found their way into the food supply of most nations. Caffeine can also be found in the camellia sinensis plant, the source of green tea. Usually, caffeine is associated with coffee.

What does caffeine do in the body?

Caffeine is a stimulant and a sleep suppressant. This stimulation comes with an elevated mood state and an increase in physical power output. Its antisleep properties negate side-effects of sedation, improving focus, power and attention, but only if the imbiber is already tired.

How does it work?

Caffeine is a rare kind of supplement, because almost all of its biological effects are linked to a single mechanism: the adenosine receptor antagonism. ‘Antagonism’ refers to caffeine’s ability to block the adenosine receptor. Caffeine also amplifies dopamine signaling, which is responsible for the stimulatory and power increase effects.

Though the adenosine blocking effects persist for as long as caffeine is taken, the effects on dopamine signaling are short lived and eventually stop altogether.

How do I use caffeine optimally?

Caffeine is a performance enhancer. It causes stimulation through its dopamine amplification and anti-sleep properties. It is easy to become desensitized to the dopamine signaling stimulation, which is what leads many people to down several pots of coffee a day.

Note from TG:  and, for some, leads to an unhealthy affiliation with energy drinks.  Throwing myself under the bus I drink one Spike (300mg caffeine) per day regardless of my training plans. Two if there happens to be a Star Wars convention nearby and I have to pull an all-nighter and watch both trilogies or if I know my girlfriend is going to want to try to talk about our “feelings.”

On one hand I understand that all I’m really doing is drinking a bunch of chemicals (at least with coffee and tea there’s the antioxidant benefits) and that my ‘tolerance’ has definitely increased as the years have gone by. I almost feel like I’m at a point where I need to directly inject Spike into my left ventricle in order to feel anything.

But on the other, like everyone else who prefers to rationalize their actions, it’s my one vice.  Some people smoke, others watch way too much internet porn, and some prefer Pepsi over Coke.  Hey, I’m not here to judge.

I don’t drink, I don’t do drugs, I lift heavy things, I eat a crap ton of veggies everyday, and I call my mom once a week.  I’m allowed one energy drink per day dammit. I said ……..DAMMIT!!!!!

To benefit from caffeine’s anti-sleep properties, take caffeine in a dose that works for you, usually in the 70-200mg range, whenever you want to stave off tiredness.

To benefit from caffeine’s stimulatory and power output properties, dosing needs to be more specific. Stimulation from caffeine is known to possess ‘insurmountable insensitivity’, meaning that not only do the effects of caffeine dull after a while, but just increasing the dose cannot overcome tolerance. Once tolerance is achieved, the only way to become desensitized is abstinence from caffeine.

If you do not already consume caffeine, take a large dose 30 to 45 minutes before a workout. Most studies use a dosing protocol of 4-6mg of caffeine per kilogram of bodyweight. This means a 150 pound person should take between 270-410mg. Anyone weighing more than 150 pounds can dose between 400-600mg of caffeine.

Obese people should not calculate dosages based on bodyweight. Instead, determine what bodyweight you would be at with a normal amount of fat mass and calculate off of that, or stick with 500mg to prevent a potential overdose.

Begin dosing caffeine once a week. Pick a workout that needs the most help, like a killer deadlift session. If you feel yourself starting to become desensitized, lengthen the duration between doses to 9 days.

If you’re already a coffee addict, you will only benefit from caffeine’s power increasing properties if you break your habit. Stop caffeine consumption for as long as it takes to start being stimulated by it. This can take up to a month. Then, follow the dosing protocols above.

What should I expect if I use caffeine properly?

Used properly, caffeine will provide the same kind of stimulation your first cup of coffee blessed you with, every time. This stimulation can be used as an indicator for power output. The less stimulated you feel, the less caffeine is helping you in the weight room.

Like other stimulants, caffeine will increase heart rate and blood pressure. Normally, desensitization to caffeine numbs these effects, but if you are dosing to preserve sensitivity, these effects will also persist.

When used properly, caffeine can provide up to a 10-15% increase in power output.

Who shouldn’t take caffeine?

Anyone with a known hyper-responsiveness to stimulants should not supplement caffeine, particularly not in the infrequent way discussed above. Caffeine should not be used by anyone with known cardiac conditions. If caffeine impairs your function or has ever caused noticeable cardiac arrhythmia, do not use it.

As noted above, the Supplement Goals Reference Guide is on sale NOW through Friday (Nov. 8th) until midnight. It’s a resource that will continue to have a lifetime of updates, and in addition to that, Examine.com just expanded their team to include a medical doctor, two PhDs, as well as a PharmD, so you can expect world domination to follow.

Yeah, that sounds about right.