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Appearance on the Revolutionary You! Podcast

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I Have Things to Say

My friend and colleague, Jason Leenaarts, was kind enough to invite me back onto his popular podcast recently (this time without my wife) to discuss the future of the fitness industry.

We talk about why studios like CORE should be considered different entities from box gyms and group exercise formats in light of the pandemic. We also discuss how all of my businesses: speaking engagements, travel, and online programs have been affected and how I plan to move forward.

There’s also a few insights into my recent Achilles injury and how I’m mapping my way around that.

Give it a listen here:

Or, if you’re an Apple snob you can download the episode on iTunes HERE.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Stuck at Home Not Wearing Pants: 5/22/20

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THE WEEKLY BRIEF UPDATE

Still in Florida…;o)

I’ll spare you the gloating, but needless to say it was the right move.

Oh, hey, did you notice I released my new CORE @ Home platform?

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 content).1

My hope is that it helps take the thinking out of things and keeps people more accountable to workout more consistently.

For more information go HERE.

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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Problem” ➡️ Solution. . This is a video of a MLB client of mine. He sent me this video as part of his initial assessment. . See anything awry? . First off, that pink and purple whatchamacalit in the background is adorable…😉. . Secondly, anyone who works with overhead athletes, pitchers in particular, will recognize the motion I’m referring to. . It’s subtle, but pronounced. . We’re assessing his scapular upward rotation and if you watch at the onset, those with a keen eye will notice a common theme amongst this population of athlete: . His shoulder blades move down & together at first and then kinda stay glued together as he brings his arms overhead. In short: He’s fighting his ability to upwardly rotate. . The technical term is Scapular Downward Rotation Syndrome (as popularized by renowned physical therapist, Shirley Sahrmann). . I refer to it as “the shoulder blades are making out.” . The root cause is typically overactive downward rotators – almost always the rhomboids – in addition to overactive lats (which, in a certain % of the population, have attachment points directly on the scapulae. . Nevertheless, you may have noticed above that I placed quotation marks around the word “problem.” . My client noted no current issues or symptoms with his shoulders (although he does have history of issues). . I didn’t feel the need to sound the alarm and go into heavy duty corrective exercise mode, but I also don’t want to ignore things either. . Is it a problem NOW? Maybe, maybe not. . Could it be a problem later? Maybe, maybe not. . It should be addressed at least. . I want to improve his upward rotation. As such, we’re gonna HAMMER his Serratus (protraction/reaching) in order to do so. . Swipe left to see a nifty drill I like that does just that. . 1️⃣ Tall Kneeling Band Press w/ Exhale. . The idea is to press/reach (hello Serratus and scapular movement AROUND the rib cage) while emphasizing the FULL exhale in order to promote the canister position (stacked rib cage over pelvis with a sprinkle of posterior pelvic tilt). . MONEY exercise (props to @drsarahduvall ) that feels less like correctivy, eye rolley bullshit, and more like training. . No diggidy, no doubt.

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

How We Re-Start – Jason Leenaarts

Currently, in most states, small(er) independently owned gyms are being lumped into the same category as places like Soul Cycle, larger box gyms, and even Casinos.

This…is….absurd.

Jason breaks down how smaller, more boutique studios can open safely and DO IT RIGHT.

Strength Training Has Distorted “Real World Scenarios.” Here’s What We’re Actually Supposed to be Training For – Lee Boyce

Slow clap of the week.

The Remembered Art of Play in Youth Athletes – Erica Suter

I don’t know about ya’ll, but I was the Babe Ruth of wiffle ball as a kid. I was also a World Champion in Laser Tag, hide-n-seek, Burn Ball, dodgeball, and won Kumite.

Today’s youth athletes seem more like robotic one-trick ponies, and it’s unfortunate.

Erica brings the heat in this excellent article.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 2/21/20

First things first: A new season of Clone Wars starts today. No big deal.

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

(Things I’ve appeared in, places I’m going, you know, important stuff)

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

It’s official: This marks the sixth year in a row Dean Somerset and I are presenting together. We’re so excited to be coming to Athens to kickstart 2020.

2. Coaching Competency Workshop – London, UK: Sunday, March 8, 2020

3. Strategic Strength Workshop – Detroit, MI: April 5, 2020

This will be my first ever workshop in the region!

I’m expecting ticker tape parades.

4. Strategic Strength Workshop – Washington, DC: May 17, 2020

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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If want to “correct shit” you gotta “own shit. . I work with a lot of individuals who complain of shoulder ouchies, especially as it relates to performing stuff overhead. . There are any number of factors to consider: . – Tight lats. – Poor anterior core strength. – Tight pecs. – Wearing blue. . Who knows? Lots of things can run awry. . One factor, however, that often gets glanced over is the congruency of the shoulder blades and rib cage. . I.e., Can a concave scapula play together nicely with a convex rib cage? 🤷‍♂️ One way to accomplish this is to give the Serratus Anterior muscle a little TLC. The serratus is a “reaching” muscle and helps the shoulder blade move AROUND the rib cage. . For those who have been incessantly told to keep the shoulder blades “together & back” – which, to be fair, is important to lift heavy things – it can sometimes lead to faulty mechanics where they’re cemented in place. . Anything which allows more reaching (protraction), in addition to better access to rib cage expansion (movement), can be MONEY for many people. . In this video I’m performing what’s likely the most boring exercise ever created; but it’s accomplishing a lot. . 1️⃣ As I press my hands forward I’m thinking about reaching as far out in front of me as possible (I’m not keeping the shoulder blades still). . Hello serratus. Nice to meet you. . 2️⃣ As I progress overhead I’m reaching upward towards the ceiling with my upper traps, staying careful not to cheat via my lower back. Ribs stay down. . Not coincidentally BOTH – serratus & upper traps – play an integral role in scapular upward rotation. The shoulder blades are designed to move! If overhead activities hurt it could be b/c you’ve programmed yourself to keep them in place. . 3️⃣ At the top I’m OWNING the position (very important) by adding a breath: INHALE through the nose expanding the rib cage all around. Then a FULL, accentuated, EXHALE to get the ribs down and promote a canister position (rib cage stacked over pelvis). It’s harder than it looks. . 4️⃣ Pants optional. . Shout out to @lukewtraining for the idea. . EDIT: an additional shout out to @harris_ssp for inspiration as well.

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

The Introverted Personal Trainer’s Guide to Better Networking – Jason Leenaarts

If you’re someone (like me) who prefers to hang out with your cat on a Friday night than this article will help a ton.

What Is Stability Training? – Josh Henkin (via EricCressey.com)

I’ll tell you what it isn’t: Standing on an unstable surface performing circus tricks.

What to Do When More Exercise and Stricter Dieting Don’t Work – Molly Galbraith

Bookmark this fucker.

SO good.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 12/21/18

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BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT

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

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

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

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

Check em out HERE.

2. Coaching Competency Workshop – Raleigh, NC

JUST ANNOUNCED.

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

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

EARLY BIRD rate ($50 off) is in full swing at the moment and won’t last forever.

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

The Best of the PTDC 2018 – A Bunch of Badass MOFOs

An article I wrote for the Personal Trainer Development Center earlier this year – 3 Ways to Write Better Training Programs – made their list of top articles written for their site in 2018, in tandem with many other phenomenal articles.

It’s always a great honor to be recognized for your work. It’s even cooler when it’s alongside so many other esteemed colleagues.

From Wheelchair to Wheels – Lee Boyce

This is a BALLER story.

Next time a hangnail curtails your training, stop, punch yourself in the face, and also give this a read.

Strategies For Better Food Tracking – Jason Leenaarts

If nothing else this article drives home the point that the details – even the small, seemingly inane ones – matter.

Categoriespodcast

2 New Podcast Appearances

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, on the internet will top THIS clip of Wu-Tang Clan performing a 20-minute tiny desk concert covering some of their greatest hits.

I mean, don’t get me wrong: I hope you take some time to listen to the two podcast appearances below (one of which is a joint episode I did alongside my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis). They’re both chock full of insight, wit, and humor.

But neither contain any sick beats or rhymes…

“I bomb atomically, Socrates’ philosophies and hypothesis can’t define how be droppin these mockeries…“

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Revolutionary You Podcast – Episode #157: The Best of Both Worlds

A strength coach and a psychologist get married and do a podcast together…

Jason Leenaarts invited us onto this show to discuss a number of topics ranging from how social media affects our clients, to the importance of strength training and sleep, to how Lisa and I continue to bring out the best in each other personally and influence each other professionally.

This was a fun show to do.

For the iTunes snobs out there you can download HERE (Episode #157)

Lift the Bar Podcast: Laying the Foundations For a Successful Fitness Career

Stuart Aitken is one of my all-time favorite hosts/interviewers.

1. He has a Scottish accent. So there’s that.

2. More importantly, Stuart is SO engaging and such a “natural” interviewer that it comes across a just two people having a conversation and talking shop, which I dig.

This was my second appearance on the Lift the Bar Podcast and it was a pleasure to be invited back on.

And, again, for the iTunes peeps in the crowd, you can go HERE to listen/download. (episode #146)