Categoriescoaching

Coach’s Roundtable: Two Things They Should Know

If you work with high-school athletes this is for you.

Friend and colleague, Mike Anderson, who’s a strength coach in Ohio, reached out and asked if I’d be open to sharing a roundtable discussion of several coaches discussing the rigamarole of working with this population.

I always enjoy other coaches riffing and pontificating on this subject and I think there are many perils of wisdom below.

Enjoy!

Copyright: tonobalaguer / 123RF Stock Photo

Two Things They Should Know

One of the most important populations for strength and conditioning / fitness right now is the high school aged athlete.

Training has become so common amongst this age group that if you even think that you might want to compete at the next level then you need to be in a gym. I myself train a metric shit-ton of high school athletes and it’d be an understatement to say that this population has some unique traits and attributes.

As a strength coach, it’s sometimes easy to forget that not everybody knows the same things you do. I occasionally take some information for granted and am surprised when the kids or their parents don’t know it.

Some recent interactions I had with athletes spurned the writing of this post and I thought it would be really interesting to get some points of view from friends of mine in the industry around the country regarding the two things that they, as coaches, wished that both high school athletes and their parents would really understand about training.

Jarrod Dyke – Owner / Coach, First XV Performance, Brookline MA.

1. Every athlete that walks into a weight room or training facility needs to remember this: you are there to help you get better at your sport, not to set the world record in powerlifting or weight lifting (unless those are your sports). Check your ego at the door.

If your squat doesn’t jump 100 pounds in 3 weeks, it’s not the end of the world.

Put in the work and the weight will go up! You will get stronger and be much stronger on the pitch, field, court, ice, track etc. Just because you tick the room temperature up from 29 degrees to 30 and the ice isn’t melted yet doesn’t mean you aren’t making progress, be patient!

2. In season training is a big must if you want to last throughout the season.

It is very possible to maintain your strength or even gain strength, depending on the circumstance, throughout your sport season.

Not training at all is probably the worst thing you can do; your practices and game aren’t enough to maintain the strength you just put all the work into building up. Then when the off-season comes you are not starting all the way back at square one, but rather you’re still better than you were at the start of the last off-season.

Hilary Lederer – Strength Coach, Force of Nature Strength & Conditiong, Toronto, Canada.

1. The first thing I’d want parents and athletes to understand about strength training is that it doesn’t need to be (and almost always shouldn’t be) something that completely exhausts the athlete. A ton of productive work can be accomplished while still feeling pretty fresh after.

2. The second thing is how valuable a solid coach and program can be for every athlete. You can be talented and successful without, but those athletes tend to be less common and rarely last long.

Injury prevention, weak points, confidence, etc. will all be positively affected in the short and long term, plus you are setting the athlete up for lifelong good habits relating to health and fitness.

 

Mitch Gill – Head Athletic Trainer at Dacula High School, Private S&C in Dacula, Georgia

1. “Sports specific” training is just practice; it is not the weight room. Strength and conditioning is about building the qualities such as strength and speed to increase the robustness of the athlete’s skills. The goal in the weight room is to create a better all-around athlete who is able to express that athleticism on the field.

2. Athletic development is a long term process; or as I like to call it, “slow cooking the athlete.”

We live in a microwave society that wants to see results right away.

They want their squat to go up 80 lbs in a month or their 40 time to drop half a second in that same time. For long term success, let nature and time in training take its course.

No one cares if the kid is the best 14 year old in their county at their sport if he/she has already peaked or is always hurt.

 

Brandon Strausser – Performance Coach, Spire Performance, Geneva Ohio.

1. The idea of “Sport Specific training” is a hoax – Athletes and parents need to understand that our jobs as strength and conditioning coaches is to make better athletes (through strength, speed, and power gains along with injury reduction protocols).

The training program that the athletes receive will be very similar to one another (in regards to the movements and speed development). The only thing different will be how they apply their training program into their sport (ex: A swimmer and a baseball player will both squat to develop stronger and more powerful legs.

For the swimmer it’s to have a better start and turns off the walls. For the baseball player, it’s to have a stronger swing and faster sprint to the bases). Leave the specificity to the actually sport coaches who know and understand the sport like the back of their hands.

2. Be patient with your training – Understand that good things take some time to develop.

You actually have to work your tail off to get results.

Some people adapt quicker than others and see improvements much sooner than their counter parts. But that’s the beauty of us being human; we’re all different and react to stimulus and stress differently. This might sound like another point but it goes right along with being patient and that is staying consistent with your training and who you are training with.

Be organized with your training and have a set schedule of when you’re doing it (certain circumstances I understand will pop up but try to stay as close as you can to your schedule).  The number of training sessions per week will alter how fast or slow your results will be.

You see that your vertical hasn’t improved in two weeks.  Well maybe it’s because you’ve only had a total of four training sessions in those two weeks.

Lastly, jumping from coach to coach will break up and stunt your progress because each coach has a different approach to their training.  Your body will not be able to adapt if you are constantly changing the training stimulus with a new program from a new coach each month or even week. The moral of this spiel is that good things will come to those who wait!

Greg Robins – Co-Owner / Coach, The Strength House, Worcester MA.

1. I need you to understand what it is you want to gain from training with us.

Can some of this be coached? Yes, probably.

However, if you don’t have a clear picture of what you hope to gain from training you will not achieve much of anything in the end. While I can explain what training can do for you, it is not the same as YOU knowing what you want to gain from training.

As parents, you need to understand that from the same level as I do as the coach. You telling your kids what they should get from training is not the same as them expressing what they want to get from training. It has to come from within them…what is it that they want to achieve?

2. I need you to understand WHY achieving that is important to you.

I mean really break it down on every damn level. Why, why, why, why, why?

Why do you want to get stronger? To play on varsity. Why do you want to play varsity…oh snap…now that’s where the ball is usually dropped. Guess what? You’re 16. Your child is 16. Why do you want to play varsity?

Don’t give me the lip service of you want to be the best you can be unless that is really true. Maybe you want to elevate your social status. Maybe you want to be like someone you look up to. Maybe you think it will help you get a date with that girl on the softball team you like. Why you want it is the most important thing you need to understand about training.

WHY ARE YOU HERE?

You are going to be pulled in 6 directions at that age…you will continually have other things you could do. If you understand WHY you are training, and have therefore decided that that “why” is the most important thing to you then you will get it done. Whether or not you’re training with me, whether you’re on the best program or worst program. The kids that know their why and who are supported by parents that know their WHY will succeed.

Mike Anderson – Owner / Coach, Anderson Strength & Fitness, Cleveland Ohio.

1. The real impetus behind this discussion, for me, was that I really want athletes and their parents to understand that getting ready for a particular season takes more than two weeks.

I recently had two different kids reach out to me ready to “get jacked” and “crush shit before season” only to realize that one of them had three weeks to go and the other one was actually in the middle of try-outs.

There is very little I can legitimately do for you in that time frame. If you really want to explore how much you can develop athletically then it needs to be a year round part of your life.

2. The other thing that I’d really want to impress upon both athletes and their parents is that you will directly get back what you put into your training.

If you consistently show up to Saturday morning training after a seven hour Fortnite binge ending with three hours of sleep and no breakfast, then you’re going to have a really shitty training session.

If we are fueling our young athletes with Pop Tarts and Captain Crunch then we should be expecting their development to be reflective of that. Sophomores in high school are rarely in charge of their own nutrition, and thus parents really need to be aware of providing the right things for their kids to make good choices with.

I hope that this was ultimately helpful in some way, and if you found it to be so then please share it so that other athletes and/or their parents can benefit! If you’re in the same area as any of the coaches on this panel please don’t hesitate to find them on social media and get your young athlete in the gym and working!

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 8/18/17

It’s been quite the week, huh? While I’d like to sit here and espouse a plethora of nuanced commentary on the unfortunate, and, quite frankly, sickening events of this past week here in the U.S., I feel all I can really add to the conversation is this admittedly un-nuanced soundbite:

“Fucking Nazis suck.[footnote]I’m on the same side as the Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is not one to mince words “I have a message to the neo-Nazis, the white nationalists, and the neo-Confederates. Let me be as blunt as possible: your heroes are losers.” <—-Ooooooooooh, snap. Get it? Literally, they’re losers. They lost. Hahaha. Nice one Arnold. Something else he said that resonated with me, and seems about as commonsense of an answer as anything I’ve read or seen the past week, had to do with those at the rally who were like “I was just at the march. Don’t call me a Nazi. I have nothing to do with Nazis at all.” Arnold’s response: “Let me help you: Don’t hang around people who carry Nazi flags, give Nazi salutes, or shout Nazi slogans. Go home. Or better yet, tell them they are wrong to celebrate an ideology that murdered millions of people. And then go home.”[/footnote]

That’s all I have to say about that.

Lets get to this week’s stuff to read.

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

CHECK THIS STUFF OUT FIRST

1) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Orlando

There’s only less than three weeks left to take advantage of the Early Bird rate for Dean Somerset and I’s workshop in Orlando, at Spark Fitness, the weekend of October 21st.

I’ve never been to Orlando. I bet it’s going to be beautiful in October. Yet, there’s no way in hell I’m visiting Disney World.[footnote]Mariah Carey could step into a time machine, come back as early 90’s Mariah Carey, sing all her hits “Emotions,” “Dreamlover,” “Vision of Love,” “Hero,” “Tony Will You Make Out With Me?” and I still wouldn’t step foot in that place. Okay, maybe for ten minutes.[/footnote]

You can go HERE for more details and to sign up.

HEADS UP: We’ve also added Boston into the mix later this year. Not Burlington Boston or Beverly Boston, two cities that are lovely, albeit not (that) close to Boston.

No, this is IN Boston. In the heart of the city Boston, at AMP Fitness.

Early bird rate is in effect now and if you’re super eager to sign-up you can go HERE.

2) Elite Fitness & Performance Summit – Chicago

 

I’ll be in Chicago this September alongside some other phenomenal speakers for the Elite Fitness & Performance Summit. The cast includes:

  • Nick Tumminello
  • Mark Fisher (if I have to follow him on stage I’m going to be pissed)
  • Josh Henkin
  • Nick Berry
  • Molly Galbraith
  • Krista Scott-Dixon
  • Ryan Ketchum

And many, many more.  It’s one of the most action-packed fitness events of the year, so be sure to reserve your seat ASAP. You can go HERE to do so.

3) Appearance on The Strength House Podcast

It was great to catch up with old friends Greg Robins and Tony Bonvechio. I think I am officially the smallest & weakest guest they have ever had…;o)

 

Stuff to Read

The Tension Weightlifting Technique: How To Make Every Exercise More Effective – Justin Park

This is a really thorough review on one of the most under-appreciated aspects of training: tension.

Strength and Conditioning Programs: When Precision Tops Effort – John O’Neil

A common practice is giving near maximal effort on every….single….exercise. I love when people want to work that hard, but that mentality can also be as detrimental as it can be helpful.

Here’s John with a nice, rational piece explaining why “precision” and doing exercises correctly is vital for short and long-term success.

What Workout Program Works Best? – Erica Suter

I think I like Erica’s writing because much of the time it mirrors my tone and I can appreciate a good “bang my head against a wall” joke and references to dragons.

But, too, I think she makes a lot of sense and I respect the advice she gives.

People tend to over-think things and are always after what’s “best” or “optimal”

Newsflash: it all works.

Social Media Shenanigans

Twitter

Instagram

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 10/23/15

Some big things happening in the next 48 hours.

For starters I’ll officially be open for business and taking on new clients at my new spot in Boston. I’ve spent the past few weeks getting my ducks in a row purchasing equipment and getting some semblance of “systems” set in place to help organize things.

But mostly it’s been all about taking this:

Special delivery from @roguefitness. Now the question is how long will it take me to put everything together?

A photo posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

To  this:

 

Time to get to work. Wish me luck. A photo posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

And turning it into this:

 

BOOM.

 

A photo posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

It’s like my very own Transformer!

I’ll be updating the website soon to better highlight what services I’ll be offering in Boston, but for now if you’re reading this and wondering to yourself, “huh, I wonder what it would be like to have Tony train me[footnote]On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being “holy shit balls I’d rather swallow a live grenade” and 10 being “pretty much the highlight of my life,” I’d like to think it’s a 7 and up.[/footnote]” you can shoot me an email at: gentilcore.tony@gmail.com (or use the Contact function on the homepage).

UPDATE: actually, you can go HERE for more information.

Also, I’ll be making a cameo appearance at Legacy Strength in Floral Park, NY on Sunday (10/25) to do a 1-day workshop on shoulder shenanigans for a group of personal trainers and coaches. It’ll actually be my first time driving to NYC (and not taking public transportation), so FML.

I am, however, really looking forward to Sunday.

And lastly, speaking of speaking engagements, I’d like to run something past all of you.

Lisa, my wife, is an accomplished psychologist (with a doctorate in Sports Psychology) and she and I have been toying with the idea of offering a 1-day workshop tentatively titled “Kick It Up a Notch.”

[NOTE (slight brag fest): she actually jumped in when I was down in Australia this past March and spoke to the group of trainers/coaches on mindset and how to better communicate with clients. They ate it up. She’s also speaking alongside Artemis Scantalides in a few weeks at the I Am Not Afraid To Lift (Boston) Workshop. There are a handful of spots still available. Hint, hint].

Helping athletes/clients on the physical component is one thing – most trainers and coaches are well prepared for that. However, it’s a whole different ball of wax when mindset and the mental component is thrown into the mix.

What the two of us have been thinking is combining a workshop where I speak to how to progress our clients in the weight room (discussing exercise progressions/regressions, performance on key lifts) and Lisa speaks to how to help our clients with mindset, inner dialogue, and the mental component.

Do you feel there would be ANY interest in something like this?

I do. But I’d like to see if I’m right or if it’s just wishful thinking on my part.

Without further ado, lets get to this week’s list.

Head & Shin Position In the Deadlift – Tim Henriques

Tim’s an excellent coach and wrote one of the best books on powerlifting I’ve ever read titled, coincidentally enough, All About Powerlifting.

This was a fantastic article breaking down two often debated cues on the deadlift concerning ideal chin and shin position. Really, really good stuff.

The only way this article could have been more good is if it won an arm wrestling match vs. Zeus.

5 Critical Coaching Cues, Confused – Greg Robins

Keeping with the “lifting heavy stuff” theme, in this article Greg discusses five common coaching cues with the Big 3 that are often misunderstood or confused.

I particularly liked #1.

Why Strength Training Is Crucial For Me – Lindsay Somerset

Somerset? That name sounds familiar.

Lindsay is Dean’s wife, and an accomplished endurance athlete. In this very important post she describes why strength training has been a crucial component to her success as a competitive athlete.

Some Bonus Stuff

1. I’m really excited about the upcoming release of Strength Expert Secrets.featuring the likes of Dan John, Tim Henriques, Matt Kroc, Jordan Syatt, Dean Somerset, Josh Bryant, Bud Jefferies, and me.

As part of the pre-launch you can sign up to receive 8 FREE preview videos of the product. All you need to do is provide your name and email address HERE.

To serve as a teaser, here’s my video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsT_9x18_C4

 

I really hate watching/hearing myself speak.

2. For anyone looking to improve their writing skills, I picked up a really good book yesterday: Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide To Creating Ridiculously Good Content.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 8/14/15

Lets jump right to this week’s list.

So You Lose All That Weight. Now What? – via Brandon LaVack

We all know of someone who has worked their tail off to lose a bunch of weight only to have it return (and then some) after the fact.

This was more or less a “best of” playlist from several fitness professionals on their perspective regarding the topic.

The Guide to Getting Old Man Strength – Kyle Farnsworth

I remember always watching Kyle Farnsworth pitch back in the day, and outside of throwing gas I used to always think to myself “dude is yoked!”

And was someone I wouldn’t want to pick a fight with:

 

I felt this was pretty cool article on Kyle’s lifelong pursuit of fitness and how it allowed him to not only have a long and successful MLB career, but to pursue other athletic endeavors as well.

Peer Leadership: 8 Thoughts On How To Make the Most Out of An Opportunity, Others, & Yourself – Greg Robins

CSP coach Greg Robins gave an amazing in-service a few days ago on this topic, and the article linked to above sums it up thoroughly. A relevant read for anyone regardless of career.

CategoriesMiscellaneous Miscellany

Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday Musings: January 2015

Welcome to the first Miscellaneous Miscellany Post of 2015! Fresh off an impressive Pats win last night no less!

So, what’s everyone’s prediction for the Super Bowl? I honestly have a hard time convincing myself to pick one team over the other. I tend to ride on the same fence as my favorite sports talk guy, Colin Cowherd, in that both teams have a star quarterback (Pats = Tom Brady, Seahawks = Russell Wilson), both have a solid offensive line (particularly left tackle), and both have an A+ head coach (Bellichick and Carroll, respectively).

It’s just really, really hard to pick one.

Okay you’re right. It’s not that hard: Pats 54-3.

1. So yesterday Lisa and I were walking around town doing a little of this and a little bit of that[footnote]Read: she was shopping and I was following her around carrying bags.[/footnote] when something unexpected happened.

Most of you will recall my trip to London last September, when I travelled across the pond for one of mine and Dean Somerset’s workshops. While the main reason for going was to spend two days at The Third Space in Soho speaking to 25-30 trainers and coaches, I also had ample time to play tourist and had the opportunity to walk around the city and take in the sights and sounds.

It was spectacular. I fell in love with London – everything from the people, the Underground[footnote]which, compared to the T here in Boston is like comparing a rocket ship to a tricycle[/footnote], the food, the culture, and just how chill everyone is over there was enchanting.

One of the subtler highlights of my trip over there was experiencing Caffe Nero.

A popular, family owned, European (Italian) coffee shop, Caffe Nero has something like 600+ locations throughout Europe; and they’re everywhere in London.

There was one directly across the street from the venue where Dean and I were presenting (as well as near where our hotel was located in Euston Square), and after having one of their chai tea lattes I was hooked.

The quality just seemed better compared to similar establishments[footnote]Hint: rhymes with cartrucks.[/footnote], and this doesn’t speak to the overall vibe and ambiance inside…..hard to describe, but “boner inducing” is about the best I can do.

Anyways, Lisa and I were walking around Downtown Crossing in Boston yesterday when low and behold we passed a freakin Caffe Nero!!!

Picture inside of Downtown Crossing location.

Little did I know that this location was the FIRST location in the entire US!! And the manager/owner mentioned to us that a handful more are slated to open around the city in 2015.

I had been bragging to Lisa about this place since my London trip, so I was excited to see what she thought.

She ordered her standard espresso and LOVED it. “This is coffee!” were her exact words.

I have to assume with several locations coming to Boston, that Caffe Nero has plans to open in other large cities in the near future. So keep your eyes peeled. You won’t be disappointed.

2. Updated Premium Workout Group!

For the past year or so I’ve been running a group called the Tony Gentilcore Premium Workout Group.

It’s an online training program hosted by WeightTraining.com where I write monthly “canned” (non-individualized) programming for anyone to follow for a bargain price. Yes, I’m a guy who feels that IN-PERSON coaching is the way to go. But given not everyone has access to quality coaching in the first place, this group is a nice alternative.

In 2014 I focused on providing a variety of training blocks: strength block, fat-loss block, and a hybrid hypertrophy block (which are all still available if you choose to do them), but with 2015 kicking into high-gear I decided to revamp my approach.

Not everyone wants to focus on strength or fat-loss or muscle growth, and I certainly can’t cater to everyone and make everyone happy.

Still I know how to write effective, efficient, quality programming that will help (most) people get stronger, move better, address nagging injuries, and make people of the opposite sex (or same sex!) want to hang out with you. Rather than write specific blocks of training, in 2015 I’m just keeping things simple.

Don’t confuse simple with not effective

Simple is what most people need BTW.

The first month of programming for 2015 went live yesterday, aptly titled Tony Gentilcore Premium Workout Group – January 2015.

If you find yourself in a training rut or in limbo as far as succumbing to analysis by paralysis when writing your own programs, this group may be a perfect fit.

Give it a look HERE.

3. For those people who are looking for something more dialed in, specifically to the tune of improving your squat, bench press, and deadlift, my good friend Jordan Syatt released his Raw Strength for Powerlifting manual today.

If you’re a competitive powerlifter or someone who’s toying with the idea of entering a meet down the road, this manual will undoubtedly help.

Jordan, on top of being one of the most genuine fitness professionals I have ever met, is one strong mofo….to the tune of a (close to) 4x bodyweight deadlift! So, in a word, he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to getting people strong.

Full Disclosure: I am not receiving any affiliate kick-backs by recommending this manual. I just think it’s a solid resource that can (and will) help a lot of people.

For more info go HERE.

4. In addition to the Caffe Nero experience, Lisa and I also went to the movies yesterday to check out American Sniper.

 

In lieu of “douchehole of the moment” Michael Moore’s commentary on the movie yesterday, where he basically referred to Chris Kyle as a “coward” (I don’t mind that he didn’t like the movie – to each his own – I just felt it was a bad take done in poor taste on Moore’s part to use the term coward), I couldn’t have disagreed more.

I’m not calling a Kyle a saint by any stretch (I know he had a few libel suits in the past held against him, and I also know some elements of his book have been called to question), but I find it hard to call any person who risks his 0r her’s own life to defend our country a coward. Furthermore, I’d have to assume it’s the last adjective the hundreds (if not thousands) of soldiers Kyle helped protect and save would use to describe his actions (regardless of how Hollywoodized the movie made them seem).

I loved this movie. I wouldn’t rank it right on par with The Hurt Locker or Zero Dark Thirty as far as best (recent) war movies made, but it’s not too far off.

American Sniper isn’t just a war movie. If anything it’s more about the psychological and after effects that war has on soldiers. To his credit – and my fiance would know more about this than myself since she’s a psychologist – Bradley Cooper (who portrays Kyle in the movie) did an amazing job showing how one almost has to “shut down” and remain closed off in order to perform their job – to the detriment of their relationships with loved ones.

Pacing, acting, cinematography, dialogue, directing, everything was superb.  I give it a solid B.

5. I made it a personal goal of mine to step up my continuing education game in 2015. I was able to attend a few workshops and seminars last year, but not as many as I would have liked.

I’ve already got a sick line-up slated for the early part of this year:

To start, Greg Robins is putting on his Optimizing the “Big 3” Seminar again this March at Cressey Sports Performance.

I attended last year (and helped out with coaching), and I plan on attending again this year. Greg is a FANTASTIC coach who has a lot of knowledge with regards to coaching and getting results. If you’re looking to spend an afternoon going into more depth on squats, bench pressing, and deadlifts….this will be well worth it.

For more info go HERE.

Second (and obviously not in chronological order) I’ll be heading to Burlington, MA the weekend of February 20th for both the FMS I and II certifications.

Brett Jones will be coaching/teaching that weekend and I can’t wait to watch him in action!

You can go HERE to check out other FMS venues/clinics.

And last, also in February, Chad Wesley Smith of Juggernaut Training, will be in Boston on Sunday the 8th to head his Powerlifting Clinic.

It’s a one-day seminar where he’ll discuss anything and everything related to technique on the big 3, programming, warm-ups, and even some insight on nutrition. Plus, he’s stronger than everyone else there so he’ll make all of us feel bad about ourselves….;o)

Go HERE for more info.

Like I said, I’ll be attending all three. Who’s coming with me!?!?!

And Not to Be Understated or Forgotten

We shouldn’t forget the great Martin Luther King Jr and everything he stood for. Probably even more so given the current commentary and state of affairs throughout the country.

Lets hope his leadership and message from back in the day permeates to today (and then some).

CategoriesMotivational Program Design Strength Training

How to Get Stronger

There are two types of people in the world: those who love Chipotle and those who hate it those who overanalyze E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G and those who don’t.

Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk

Take the philosophical question “what’s the meaning of life?” for example. Not to insinuate that this is a question that doesn’t deserve to be overanalyzed – admittedly it’s loaded and a question that’s pretty freakin deep – but it’s surprising how much of a dichotomy there is from person to person as to how it’s analyzed and thus answered.

Of course, the more introspective of us will dive into the existential components and gravitate towards a discourse of philosophy, religion, theology, science, the universe, as well as sub-components pertaining to one’s happiness (what makes someone “happy?”), spirituality (which may or may not include a God), social ties, morality, value, purpose, and a host of other equally important factors. Like kitten kisses and a Lord of the Rings marathon on TNT.

For the more critical and analytical in the crowd the meaning of life parallels that of Socrates where one should live a life of virtue and that which agrees with nature.

For someone else the meaning of life may revolve around the notion of “oneness” and developing a well-rounded relationship with oneself and with one’s surroundings (family, friends, environment, community, etc).

For the less analytical and for those people who tend to go with the flow, the meaning of life may be to make babies, have a lot of money, or, I don’t know, 2 for 1 pizza night at Papa Johns.

The point is: some people are deep thinkers (for better or worse), and some aren’t (for better or worse).

I’m not sure if the introduction above served as an appropriate segue (if you’re still reading I guess it did. I win!!!!), but when it comes to the topic of getting stronger I do feel many people fall into the trap of overanalyzing and making things more complicated than they need to be.

There are a million and one articles and blog post out there delving into the nuts and bolts of what it takes to get stronger – and 90% of them say the same thing.  What do they say?

Lift heavy shit, a lot.  Repeat.

Note:  yes, there’s a typo.  But who cares!  This is hilarious.

The fact of the matter is this:  if you want to get stronger it’s standard procedure to focus on “the big 3” – squat, bench press, deadlift – and to make those lifts THE HEART of your training approach and philosophy.

These movements generally allow you to use the most weight and there’s a reason why they’re the staples of most – if not all – successful training programs geared towards making people into animals:

5/3/1 – Jim Wendler

The Cube Method – Brandon Lilly

Building the Big 3 – Greg Robins & Eric Cressey

2×4 – Bret Contreras

The Texas Method – Justin Lascek

All of the above programs (or to put it more accurately, SYSTEMS) stress barbell training and progressive overload. No fluff and no fillers.

The knock against them is that they’re boring. To which I respond, “suck it up buttercup. Boring is what works.”

There’s something to be said about building a relationship with the barbell and spending time underneath it, pushing it, pulling it, and hoisting it over your head.

I’d argue that if more people just performed TWO barbell movements per training session and worked on perfecting their technique, and poured their heart and soul into those two movements that day, they’d see tremendous results.

It’s not a sexy approach, but it works.

So to recap:  the universal prerequisites to getting stronger are to focus on compound, multi-joint movements (preferably the big 3) and to try to lift move more weight in those lifts on a weekly, monthly, yearly basis.

We’re all on the same page, right?  Mmmmkay.  Moving on.

95.65% of me would like to end this post now. I’m definitely in the latter camp from above and prefer not to over-think things.

Which reminds me of a funny story.  Forgive me for going off-topic for a second.

One day I was spotting a buddy of mine on the bench press.  He was gearing up to travel abroad to play some professional football (American football) and was training pretty hard. He had something like 335 lbs on the bench press – give or take 10 lbs – and missed the lift.

He racked the weight, turned around and looked at me, and asked “dude, was my bar path off? Did my elbows flare out? Leg drive?  What?” He wanted a complicated answer.  All I said was “nah, it was just too heavy.”

Hahahahahahahahaha.

Trust me it was funny.  You had to be there.

We probably could have made an argument for all the things he brought up, but the simple answer was that, like it or not, gravity won.

And it’s on that note I wanted to offer a bit more insight other than the cliched “just lift something heavy” mantra that’s regurgitated time and time again on the internet.

1. Aim for Small Gains

Every Thanksgiving I go home and inevitably I’ll pile on more food than I can handle onto my plate. It’s the epitome of having my eyes be larger than my stomach.

In that same vein, far too often I notice people making overly ambitious training goals.

Don’t get me wrong it’s great to have goals, and I wish more people would take the time to write them down. Doing so gives people purpose in their training!  However, saying that you’d like to squat 600 lbs by the end of the year when you can barely perform a squat now without looking like a newborn baby giraffe is a bit of a stretch.

It’s like some guy saying “I WANT TO MAKE OUT WITH SCARLET JOHANNSON,” when all he’s ever done is practice on his pillow.

Calm down big guy and lets be a bit more realistic.

Squatting 600 lbs is cool and all, but why not just make a goal of perfecting your technique first? Then we can graduate to loftier things like a 2x bodyweight squat and then some!

Think about it this way: If you break a max by 5 pounds a month, that’s 60 pounds a year. If you keep doing that, you’re going to make some fantastic progress.

As the godfather of badassery and getting strong, Louie Simmons, states: “Stay focused, stay strong, stay patient. You’ll get there.”

2. Restoration and Recovery Matter

It sounds borderline counterintuitive – but you DO NOT make gains in the weight room. Lifting weights breaks down muscle tissue – that’s the point! – and serves as the stimulus for the body to repair itself and come back stronger.

If you’re not getting ample sleep, hitting up the foam roller here the there and working on maintaining adequate tissue quality, and/or taking precautions to RECOVER from your training (like including scheduled deload weeks)….then it’s all for not.

As the saying goes, fatigue will mask your true fitness.. You can’t consistently beat your body to a pulp and expect to make continued, long-term gains/progress.

Try this:  take an off day.  And by “off day,” I don’t mean perform a strongman circuit or head to the track and perform a bunch of 400m tempo runs.  I mean exactly what it implies.

Relax. Chill out.  Stay at home, fire up Netflix, and watch some 24 re-runs.

If you’re one of those people who shits a stability ball if you’re not in the gym on any given day, maybe try an ACTIVE RECOVERY day – this THIS one – where the objective is to move around a little, get the blood pumping, and to break a small sweat.

You don’t need to be running on all cylinders 100% of the time to make progress.

3.  Make Your Foundation Wider In Order to Gain Higher Peaks

This is a profound point that fellow Cressey Sports Performance coach, Greg Robins, hit on yesterday during his “Optimizing the Big 3” workshop.

The idea is this:  in order to hit higher peaks in strength, you HAVE to develop a wider base.

For beginner and intermediate trainees it makes little sense to spend time performing lifts in the 90% + range (of one’s one-rep max) and testing PRs when their PR isn’t that impressive in the first place.

Think of things in terms of a triangle:

To the right is someone who hasn’t spent a lot of time accumulating VOLUME in their training. Their base is fairly narrow, and hence their peak (I.e., strength) isn’t anything to brag about.

Conversely, to the left, is someone who’s spent a lot of time under the bar and has amassed more volume and frequency in their training.  As a result, their base is wider and peak is much higher.

Put another way:  how you get strong is by moving what you could originally do for 3 reps and perform it for 5.

What was originally your 92.5% 3RM is now 87.5%.

You can only do this by accumulating volume and by putting in the work. It’s not just going to happen.

4.  The Best Supplement?

What would a post on strength be without some sort of commentary on supplements!?

I had a high-school athlete walk up to me the other day asking me what I felt was the best supplement to take to get strong and to add on weight.

All I said was……….

CALORIES.

Calories is the best supplement.

He looked at me all perplexed. He was expecting me to go on some diatribe on creatine or protein powder or some Mass Gainer Hypertrophic Matrix 2000 Unicorn Antler Advanced Formula.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:  supplements are progress ENHANCERS not progress STARTERS.

If your current diet and training plan isn’t getting the job done, then the “x-factor” isn’t what supplements you’re not taking.

Your training is suspect or you’re not ingesting enough calories. Most likely it’s both!

See!  It doesn’t have to be so complicated.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 7/18/14

I know, I know. Some of you may have logged on today and thrown your hands up in the air (and maybe tossed in an expletive or two) expecting to read part II of Confessions of an Introverted Strength Coach.

Believe me: I had every intention of doing so, but given how popular it was (thanks everyone for the kind words), and the limited amount of time I had today to put in some quality writing* I decided I’d put it off until Monday. I promise.

Until then, per usual, here’s some stuff to read while you count down the minutes until your weekend starts.

Specialization Success Guide – Greg Robins & Eric Cressey

If you’re someone looking to take one of the “Big 3” lifts (squat, bench press, deadlift) – or even if it’s all three, or you just want to get strong – to the next level….look no further.

Admittedly, it’s less an “in depth” manual (while there are videos going over coaching cues, it’s not something that breaks down each lift), as it is more of a “how to” guide to the programming side of things.

As I noted earlier this week, I’ve seen first-hand how this program has worked for several of our own athletes and clients at CP and it’s been pretty cool to see them all set PRs on a consistent basis.

The introductory price only last a few more days, so take advantage of it while you can.

Is Your Body Made for Running? – Lou Schuler

As is par for the course, Lou writes an excellent, informative, fair piece on an always controversial topic.

Shoulders Are the New Cleavage – Revisted – Artemis Scantalides

I linked to this post earlier in the week in my Girl Power: My “Go To” Sources for Female Training, but I linked to a lot of things in that particular post and I wanted to single this one out.

I have a ton of respect for Artemis, not only for her coaching abilities and expertise, but also because she’s more than willing to discuss “touchy” or “taboo” topics openly and with a candor that not many people possess.

Here she tackles body image, and more specifically her decision not to get breast implants.

*  This is assuming, of course, that all of my writing is “quality” and that my prose is seamless, Pulitzer worthy, and either does one of two things: 1) increases your T-levels by 487% or 2) causes instantaneous conception.**

** For the record, any writer who’s that much of a pompous jerk and feels his or her’s writing is “quality,” probably only has like three people reading their stuff. As author Steven Pressfield notes in his book, The War of Art, no writer ever thinks they’re a good writer. Passable?  Maybe.  But good?  Fat chance.

CategoriesExercise Technique Product Review

What’s Your Problem?

Don’t worry I’m not trying to be confrontational or anything.

The title of today’s post is actually the same title as a chapter in the book I just finished, Think Like a Freak by Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner (AKA:  the same guys who wrote Freakonomics and Superfreakonomics, both of which are fantastic as well.)

The premise of the book is this:  to teach us how to think a bit more productively, more creatively, more rationally – to think, that is, like a Freak.

It’s an informative, unconventional, and entertaining look into our psyche which helps to direct us into a more “forward” way of thinking by guiding us (the reader) through a series of steps to think more like a Freak.  Without giving away too much, some of the steps include:

– Putting away your moral compass.

– Learn to say “I don’t know.” (<— this is huge).

– Learn to persuade people who don’t want to be persuaded.

– In addition to learning the upside of quitting.

As I alluded to above, one of the chapters is titled “What’s Your Problem?,” and in it they discuss, of all things, hot dog eating!

Again, without giving away too much, they go into the story of Takeru Kobayashi (Kobi), and how, back in 2001, he came out of complete obscurity and demolished the record for the Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest.

At the time the record was 25 1/8 HDB (hot dog & bun) in twelve minutes.

Kobayashi obliterated the record by scarfing down 50! That’s more than four hot dogs and buns per minute for twelve straight minutes.

As the authors noted, to put this number into perspective:

“The 100-meter sprint record is as of this writing held by Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter at 9.58 seconds.

Even in such a brief race, Bolt often beats his rivals by a few strides; he is widely considered te best sprinter in history.  Before Bolt, the record was 9.74 seconds.

So his improvement was 1.6 percent.

If he had treated that record like Kobayashi treated his, Usain Bolt would have run the 100 meters in about 4.87 seconds, for an average speed of roughly 46 MPH.”

So, how did Kobayashi do it?  He asked the right question(s)!  He redefined the problem he was trying to solve!

Rather than take the same approach as his competitors and ask the question How do I eat more hot dogs?, he asked a different question: How do I make hot dogs easier to eat?

Literally he changed the game.  He came up with his own “technique” where, instead of eating the hot dog IN the bun, he was the first to take the hot dog out of the bun, break them in half, which made them easier to eat (he could fit more in his mouth), and then dip the buns in water afterwards and wolf them down.

Brilliant!

All of this serves as an appropriate, albeit unexpected, segue into how this mindset can be applied to your health and fitness goals.

There are thousands if not millions of people out there embarking on specific goals related to their health or fitness. Some people are interested in fat loss or losing a few inches here or there, while others are interested in deadlifting a bulldozer.

Much like the examples given above, more often than not, the reason why most people end up failing or not making the progress they had hoped for is because they’re approaching the “problem” in the wrong fashion or asking the wrong questions.

I’m a strength guy, so lets use that as an example.

Raise your hand if you’ve been stuck – for months, maybe even years – at a certain number with one of the “big 3” lifts (squat, bench press, deadlift)?

No matter how many books you read, YouTube videos you watch, or Unicorns you pet, you can never seem to get over that hump.

The problem is that you’re stuck and seemingly never making progress. What questions are you asking?  If you’re like most it goes something like this:

– Why can’t I bench press more weight?  When you should be asking, “Is my technique on point?  Maybe I’m making it harder for myself because I’m not arching my back enough?”

– Why can’t I deadlift more weight? When you should be asking, “Maybe the deadlift variation I’ve been using all along isn’t suited for my body-type?”

– Why can’t I squat more weight? When you should be asking, “Maybe my hand position sucks?  Or, maybe I should follow something other than a 5×5 for a stretch?”

There’s a lot to think about and consider, and it’s easy to be overwhelmed and paralyzed by analysis.

Let me ask you this. What do you do when your roof has a hole in it?  You call the roofer. What do you do when it’s time do to your taxes?  You call your accountant.  If there’s something weird, and it don’t look good**, who ya gonna call?  Ghostbusters!!!

Why is it, then, when it comes to health and fitness (especially with regards to specific strength goals), do many people think “they know” and are willing to go about it alone?

The hardest person to train is yourself

This can’t be overstated.

Which is why, if getting stronger or improving your technique on the squat, bench press, and deadlift are a goal of yours, I can’t recommend  The Specialization Success Guide enough.

It’s a collaborative effort between my Cressey Sports Performance colleagues Greg Robins and Eric Cressey designed with the sole intention of answering questions and getting people hella strong.

In it, you’ll find specialization programs for the “Big 3” (squat, bench press, and deadlift) – you get to pick your poison – in addition to detailed videos on coaching cues for each, as well as an extensive video library showcasing all the exercises in the program.

I know this program works because I’ve seen it in action with numerous clients at the facility, and the results people have gotten have been amazing.

So how about nipping this “problem” of yours in the bud, stop asking the wrong questions, and let someone do the thinking for you?  The introductory offer is only going to last for a few days, so it’s best to take advantage of it while you can. Click below for more details.

—-> Building the Big 3 <—-

 ** And no, I’m not referring to that bowl of hummus you left in the back of your fridge for six months! Come on dude, that’s just gross.
CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 4/4/14

Going to keep this one quick today. I’m actually driving back to my stomping grounds today – central NY – to take part in what should be an awesome event at my alma mater this weekend:  State University of New York at Cortland.

Myself, Lou Schuler, Dr. Mike Roussell, John Gaglione, and Dr. Cassandra Forsythe are all speaking at the SUNY Cortland Strength Symposium tomorrow and I’m excited for two reasons.

1.  This is a HUGE deal for Cortland.  Last year I was honored to be invited back to campus to hang out and to speak to the student body, and it turned out to be a well received event. But that was just little ol’ me, and I’m not even that cool.

This year, though……Cortland upped the ante and the caliber of speakers they’re bringing in is sick.  Hell, if I weren’t speaking myself I’d want to sit in on the action.

2.  Heading back to Cortland also allows me to make the trek home (Groton, NY) and spend some time with my family which I rarely ever get to do. They’ll be hugs and laughter and a lot of catching up.  But more importantly:

MA…..MEATLOAF!  I WANT IT!!!!!

Before I head out I wanted to make sure I left you with this week’s stuff you read while you’re pretending to work.  You didn’t think I’d leave you hanging did you?  Come on….give me some credit!

Bench Press More in 4 Weeks – Greg Robins

Well, well, well…..look who made their first appearance on T-Nation this morning!?!?! Why it’s fellow CP coach, Greg Robins!

Greg is a phenomenal coach.  I should know, I see him in action every day.

As much as you’d like to think so, you don’t need some long-lost Russian text or smelling salts to bench press more.

If that’s what you’re doing, you’re making it more complicated than it has to be.

This was a fantastic article if for nothing else for the practical advice.

Why Rep Ranges Are a Sham – Mike Samuels

I thought this was a cool way of thinking outside the box, and something I’ve toyed with in the past myself.

Of Note: the next time a woman mentions how she’s “scared” to perform low-rep strength training for fear of growing an Adam’s Apple, show her this article and how she can manipulate reps (more specifically, time) so that won’t happen. It’s not going to happen either way, but this article will at least provide some science to back it up.

Your Taste Doesn’t Matter – Jason Lengstorf

Not a fitness themed blog by any means (it’s about coffee), but still relevant in many ways.

I can think back to how many times I’ve rolled my eyes whenever someone tells me that they’re preferred mode of exercise is jogging, yoga, Zumba, or pretend light-saber battles.

Actually, that last one is pretty baller.

Anyways, if someone wasn’t making a concerted effort to lift some appreciable weight on a consistent basis, I’d always try to convince him or her why not doing so was the worst thing since, well, anything by Taylor Swift.

The fact of the matter is:  sometimes, just like people’s coffee preferences, many could care less about their squat total or how much they bench press. Rather than chastise them for their lack of coffee and/or workout taste/etiquette…..why not just embrace that they like what they like?  It’s not the end of world.

CategoriesUncategorized

Register Now for the 2nd Annual Cressey Performance Fall Seminar

Awwww yeah.  Mark your calanders because I’m happy to announce that on Sunday, September 22, Cressey Performance will be hosting our second annual fall seminar.

Despite Hurricane Sandy laying into the East coast and throwing a monkey wrench into things last year, it was still an extremely popular event, and we’re expecting a big crowd yet again this year.

[Fingers crossed zombies don’t attack or something].

We’ve got the entire CP staff lined up to speak – alongside some special guests – and much like last year, we want to make this an affordable event for everyone and create a great forum for industry professionals and fitness enthusiasts alike to interact, exchange ideas, and learn.

Here are the presentation topics:

Cracking the Crossfit Code – Presented by Eric Cressey

Let’s face it: Crossfit is here to stay.  With that in mind, it’s time for someone to take an unbiased look at how we can make coaches and fitness enthusiasts successful within the scope of this training system.  In this presentation, Eric will look past the emotions people have with respect to this approach, and discuss rationale ways to accentuate the positives while offering solutions for the shortcomings. In short, the goal is to bring people together, not drive two sides further apart.

Training Joe vs. Jane:  Do Women Need to Train Differently Than Men? – Presented by Tony Gentilcore

Should women avoid lifting appreciable weight?  What are the most effective strategies for training women through pregnancy? Is there such a thing as an ACL-Prevention Program?

In this presentation, Tony will discuss many of the common misconceptions and “myths” relating to training female athletes and general population clients. He’ll provide extensive responses and feedback to some of the most frequently asked questions he’s encountered relating to the art of strength training for women.

Note from Tony:

Dear Tracy Anderson,

I highly encourage you to attend this talk.  I’ll even comp you a seat, because I’m cool like that.

Respectfully yours/Pink dumbbells suck,

Tony

Insulin: The Hormone, The Myth, The Legend – Presented by Brian St. Pierre

Carbs spike insulin and insulin causes fat gain. So, cut the carbs and you’ll end up lean and healthy. End of story. Or is it?

While the Paleo and low carb camps loudly proclaim that carbs and insulin are the enemy, the latest science suggests otherwise. In fact, we’re starting to learn that high insulin is an effect of being overweight, not a cause. In this session, Brian will explore the real relationship between carbs and insulin, discussing some of the common myths about insulin, and sharing some practical eating strategies you can put into action immediately.

Integrating Corrective Exercise for Performance Enhancement – Presented by Mike Reinold

Often times, muscle imbalances, alignment issues, and movement impairments can lead to injury and decreased performance.  However, corrective exercises are often unsuccessful for various reasons.  By focusing on several key principles, you can maximize your ability to apply corrective exercises to optimize movement and enhance performance.

Getting To Know Your Athlete: Understanding Learning Styles to Be a More Effective Coach – Presented by Chris Howard

In this presentation, I will discuss the different learning styles and how knowledge of this information is helpful in becoming a more effective coach.  I will also delve into the differences between introverted and extroverted clients and how it is necessary to coach and assess them differently.

Excellence In Group Training – Presented by Greg Robins

Group training, small group training, and bootcamps are here to stay. Let me help you understand how I manage the variables associated with group training to optimize a less than ideal scenario. The information presented will be sure to help everyone from the strength and conditioning specialist to commercial fitness professional alike.

The Role of Physical Therapy in a Strength and Conditioning Facility – Presented by Eric Schoenberg

Physical Therapy earns little respect in strength and conditioning circles due to the inability of traditional PTs to properly progress a patient from injury to high-level activity.  This lack of versatility has contributed to an increased role of the strength and conditioning professional in the care of the injured athlete.  But, is there a role for Physical Therapy in the training world?  Physical therapist Eric Schoenberg will share his thoughts on why partnering with the right physical therapist can add great value to your business and improve results for your clients.

Location:

Cressey Performance,
577 Main St.
Suite 310
Hudson, MA 01749

Cost:

Regular – $129.99 regular early bird (by September 8), $149.99 thereafter
Student (must present current student ID at door) – $99.99 early bird (by September 8), $129.99 thereafter

Date/Time:

Sunday, September 22, 2013
Registration 8:30AM
Seminar 9AM-5:30PM

Continuing Education:

NSCA CEU pending (seven contact hours)

Click Here to Sign-up (Regular)

or

Click Here to Sign-up (Students)

We’re really excited about this event, and would love to have you join us! However, space is limited and each seminar we’ve hosted in the past has sold out quickly, so don’t delay on signing up!

If you have additional questions, please direct them to cresseyperformance@gmail.com. Looking forward to seeing you there!