CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 2/19/21

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STUFF TO CHECK OUT FIRST

1. Virtual Coaching Competency Workshop – Coming in March

Since I won’t be traveling anytime soon to present, I decided why not bring one of my workshops to YOU? I will be putting on my popular Coaching Competency Workshop this March.

I figured chances would be high many attendees would be fighting off the urge to commit seppuku staring at their computer screen for seven straight hours so made the executive decision to spread things out over three consecutive weekends:

  • 3 Hours on 3/7
  • 2 Hours on 3/14
  • 2 Hours on 3/21

The course has been approved for CEUs via the NSCA and all attendees will receive a recording in case Eastern Standard Time doesn’t bode well for your schedule. 

For more info go HERE.

2. CORE @ Home

You can now purchase CORE @ Home for whatever you want to pay.

During the first quarantine I started a platform where I’d deliver 20-40 minute workouts that could be performed in everyone’s living room using minimal equipment.

In all I filmed 36 workouts using nothing but bodyweight, bands, and kettlebells and/or dumbbells. With many people still reticent to head back to their regular gyms (not to mention the scarcity of gym equipment out there to purchase) I figured this would be a nice opportunity to help.

Whether you want to spend $1 or $99 (FYI: the latter enters you to win a 5×7 shirtless pic of me), the workouts are ready and available to start.

For more information go HERE.

3. I Care A Lot

 

I am not one to toot my own horn (that often), but I am giddy about this.

I had the opportunity to work with the lovely Rosamund Pike while she was in Boston back in 2019 filming her latest movie, I Care A lot, which was just released on Netflix today.

I love deadlifts and movies.

So, of course, when I had the chance to work with a bonafide movie star, I had her deadlift…;o)

 

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A post shared by Rosamund Pike (@mspike)

Anyway, I Care A lot has been getting rave reviews, as has her performance as the movie’s main character, Marla Grayson, which has been getting compared to Rosamund’s most iconic character, Amy Dunne, from Gone Girl.

Rosamund is the sweetest person on Earth, but she seems to excel at portraying sinister characters. In fact, Rosamund was just nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in this film.

Looking for something good to watch this weekend? Check this out!

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Blood Flow Restriction Training: Everything You Need to Know – Mike Reinold

I remember when BFR started gaining traction several years ago I had to do all I could to prevent my eyeballs from rolling out of their sockets.

Really? We’re gonna “cut off” circulation to our limbs in order to elicit just a smidgeon more of a pump?

As it happens, yes.

And, too, as it happens, there’s a bevy of other legitimate applications as well. For example (and speaking personally), I used BFR as part of my Achilles rehab.

But I’ll let Mike to do the talking. He does a better job anyway in this extensive article.

Not the King of Exercises: The Bench Press – Christian Thibaudeau

Ohhhhh, shit.

Shots have been fired.

3+ Plank Substitutes That Make Solid AF – Julia Eyre

The next time that plank holds are in your program or in your head, do me a favor. Pause for a moment and ask yourself one simple question:

“Why?”

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 10/13/17

Anyone see Blade Runner 2049 yet? I heard it’s amazing, which doesn’t surprise me considering the director, Denis Villeneuve, hasn’t made a bad movie yet (Prisoners, Sicario, Arrival).

My movie watching prowess has been slacking of late due to the little nugget, but I think Lisa and I are going to try to make plans to see it this week.

Others on the “to see” list: mother!, Battle of the Sexes, and Brad’s Status. Any other suggestions?

Lets get to this week’s list.

Copyright: epokrovsky / 123RF Stock Photo

 

CHECK THIS STUFF OUT FIRST

1) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Boston (Early Bird Rate Ending)

 

The Early Bird rate ($100 off) for the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint Workshop in Boston is ending this weekend.

This will likely be mine and Dean’s last hoorah with this workshop. We’ve been doing it for close to three years and it’s time to turn the page and drum up a new topic and curriculum.

Since it’ll likely be our last go we’re not holding back: I hear there will be disco balls, black lights, laser shows, and coffee.

Go HERE for all the deets, and hope to see you there.

2) The Last Jedi Official Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ36oNzD2zo

 

I’ll go see that, I guess.

3) I Got Memed

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work

How to Lose 10 lbs of Fat Forever – T-Nation

I was asked to contribute to this one, which also includes insights for many other heavy hitters in the industry: Paul Carter, Dr. Lonnie Lowery, Mark Dugdale, TC Luoma, Christian Thibaudeau, Amit Sapir, Chris Colucci, Dani Shugart, Akash Vaghela, and Mike T. Nelson.

Peak Shoulder Performance – Dan Pope & Dave Tilley

I’ve been diving into this material and it’s outstanding. Any coach or trainer who’s interested in dialing in their game with regards to shoulder assessment, corrective exercise, and programming strategies would gain a lot of insights from this resource.

Dan and Dave work with a plethora of overhead and CrossFit athletes, in addition to gymnasts at Champion Physical Therapy & Performance just outside Boston so they know shoulders.

It’s on sale the rest of this week ($100 off).

You only have a few more days to take advantage.

3 Popular Exercises I Am No Longer Using – Mike Reinold

Mike starts off with a bang with this article – punching a sacred cow right in the keester. I always appreciate his insights and knowledge.

Social Media Shenanigans

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Had a guy come in this past weekend for an impromptu assessment from West Palm Beach who mentioned a history of low back issues (specifically SI joint stuff). When I looked at his squat (top pic) I noticed a tendency of over-exaggerating the cue to posteriorly tilt the pelvis via excessive “glute gripping.” While I wouldn’t go so far to say this was definitively the root of his issues, it certainly wasn’t doing his SI joint any favors. Remember: the cue to posteriorly tilt is (mostly) to nudge people back to a neutral spine position who overextend. The low back can (and should) still be in APT. APT is normal. Instead, what I had him do is learn to brace his abs a bit more (and create more of a flexion moment) as he set up to squat. Doing THAT helps prevent any excessive APT from happening. Excessive being the key word here. You can notice the marked improvement in pelvic positioning in the bottom picture. From there I told him to try to maintain that position (canister) and to “pull down” into the squat. Things felt much better. We high-fived.

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CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 6/16/17

I know, I know: I’ve been slacking on the writing front the past few weeks. I do hope you’ve been enjoying the influx of informative guest posts of late. It’s important to me that this site remains a repository of good information and ass-kickery (and cute kitty pictures), even in my absence.

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of international travel and crime fighting.[footnote]Without any crime fighting.[/footnote] I promise I’ll be back on task starting Monday.

Lets get to this week’s list of stuff to check out.

Copyright: welcomia / 123RF Stock Photo

 

CHECK THIS STUFF OUT FIRST (IT’S MOSTLY ABOUT ME)

1. Strong Body-Strong Mind – Boston

I’m really excited to announce the Strong Body-Strong Mind Workshop, coming to Boston (finally!) later this summer.

 

The idea is simple: there’s a corner in the industry that’s underserved….mental skills.

There are a lot of people out there who write about “mindset” and describe themselves as mindset coaches (whatever the heck that means) who, by and large, have zero academic background in that department.

Lisa, SPOILER ALERT: she’s my wife, went to school for this shit.

I went to school to help turn people into badasses.

Lisa can speak to building competency and discussing how to build the skills to develop rapport with clients. I can speak to getting people bigger, stronger, and faster.

Strong Body-Strong Mind = see you there?

To purchase you can go HERE.

2) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Orlando

Our Vancouver shindig in April sold out, but Dean and I have recently announced a stop in Orlando, FL later this year, October 21-22nd at Spark Fitness.

I’ve never been to Orlando. There’s no way in hell I’m visiting Disney World.

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

3. Elite Fitness & Performance Summit – Chicago, IL

 

And speaking of being pumped, I am really – and I mean really – pumped for this event.

First off: Take a look at the roster of speakers (HERE).

Second: Holy shit, I am one of them.

Third: Cue trying not to destroy the back of my pants.

This is one of the premier events of the year for fitness professionals and entrepreneurs alike. And it’s taking place in an awesome city. What’s not to be excited about?[footnote]The only way I’d be more excited is if early 90’s Mariah Carey was performing.[/footnote]

The early bird special only lasts through June (and it’s an amazing price).

However, if you go HERE you’ll get an additional $100 OFF the early-price. BOM CHICKA BOM BOM.

Stuff to Read

6 Hip Mobility Drills Everyone Should Perform – Mike Reinold

The internet likes to dazzle us with advanced mobility drills that would make a Cirque du Soleil performer be like “what tha……?”

Loved this post by Mike outlining some of his favorite, simple, hip mobility drills that don’t require being a superhero.

Today’s Lifters Are Snowflakes – Charles Staley

The title alone should entice you enough to click and read.

As always, Charles nails it.

When to Work Harder, How to Work Smarter, and When to do Both – Nia Shanks

In light of a blog post a wrote last week with a similar vibe – Easy Training is Good Training – I felt this literary masterpiece by Nia was a nice compliment.

Social Media Shenanigans

**Admittedly, I was lame last week and wasn’t on social media much. I mean, I was in London for fuck’s sake.

Twitter

Instagram

Landmine Jump Squat. This is a variation I think I first saw @benbrunotraining talking about a few months ago. The “fixed” plane of the barbell makes it a bit more user friendly – especially for beginner & intermediate lifters – so as to jump and land on the same spot each time. An additional advantage is the rotary stability component of the drill. Because the barbell is on one side, the individual has to fight to stay upright more and engage the core musculature. All the same coaching cues apply here as with any other jump exercise: 1) End how you start. Notice how Dan (one of my collegiate baseball players) starts and ends with a degree of hip flexion; or “soft” knees. The idea is to ABSORB force (land quietly) and not with a thud. 2) he also sticks the landing and resets with each rep, which can then be progressed to more of a reactive exercise. I.e., limited ground contact time. Nice way to add a little jump/power development into your training.

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CategoriesAssessment coaching Corrective Exercise mobility

3 Unconventional Ways to Move Better

Counting today’s post, four out of my last five entries have had a number included in the title. That’s never happened before.

Wanna know what else I’ve never done?

  • Gotten a speeding ticket.
  • Tried calamari.
  • Deadlifted 2000 lbs.
  • Cried to the movie Notting Hill.[footnote]Which is a complete lie. I totally cried during that scene when Julia Roberts’ character was standing in front of Hugh Grant’s character and was all like “I’m just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” Fucking waterworks.[/footnote]

Nevertheless, in conjunction with Dean Somerset putting his Ruthless Mobility resource I sale TODAY (through July 4th) I wanted to share a few thoughts on the topic (mobility/movement/general badassery) that maybe some of you reading would find useful or interesting or mildly captivating.

Captivating like this picture of a kangaroo punching someone in the face:

1. Anterior Pelvic Tilt Doesn’t Always Have to be Fixed, Nor Is It Bad. Everything Will Be Okay. Seriously.

New Client: “I’m so excited to work with you. I was told by my previous trainer I had anterior pelvic tilt.”

Me: “Okay, explain.”

New Client: “Well, I went in for my assessment and he told me I had anterior pelvic tilt and that it needed to be addressed and that he’d write me a program to fix it.”

Me: “I see. How long did you do the program for? And, was it fixed?”

New Client: “I worked with him for eight months, and I don’t know if it was fixed. All I know is that we did a metric shit-ton of stretching, corrective exercise, and very little strength training.”

Me: “Well, that’s unfortunate. Excuse me while I go toss my face into a brick wall.”

Okay, the brick wall comment didn’t really happen…but everything else stated above was said verbatim as I sat down with a new client recently.

Without going into the particulars I went on to state that roughly 7 billion other people in the world “suffer” from anterior pelvic tilt, and that it’s truly reached pandemic levels of clusterfuckedness.

In short: I explained that, aside from scenarios where excessive anterior pelvic tilt may be causing pain or movement dysfunction, having it was not a disease or a scenario which always required intervention.

In fact, APT is considered anatomically neutral. I.e., Your lumbar spine has a natural lordotic curve.

To quote Bret Contreras:

“Is APT abnormal?

No, it’s not. According to a published study by Herrington 2011, 85% of males and 75% of females presented with an anterior pelvic tilt, 6% of males and 7% of females with a posterior pelvic tilt, and 9% of males and 18% of females presented as neutral. Anterior pelvic tilt is also the most common postural adaptation in athletes according to Kritz and Cronin 2008, and it seems to naturally occur with athletes that do a lot of sprinting. Therefore, it’s actually normal for healthy individuals to possess APT, and the average angle of anterior pelvic tilt ranges from 6-18° depending on the study and methods used to determine the angle, with around 12° appearing as the norm (ex:Youdas et al. 1996, Youdas et al. 2000, Christie et al. 1995, Day et al. 1984).”

As I recall, there’s no definitive test or “screen” which can correlate “x-degrees” of APT and one’s vulnerability to pain and dysfunction.

Some people have APT and walk around in considerable pain, while others have APT (even excessive APT) and have no issues what-so-ever.

However, those coaches with an acute eye for assessment and movement can often use a plethora of screens and tests to ascertain whether or not APT may be something that’s needs to be addressed.

To reiterate, APT is not always wrong (or bad)…but it can be problematic once we start allowing ill-prepared people to load the pattern and not only that…begin to add repetitions and/or speed.

Often, it’s the LACK of ability (or our proclivity to refrain from) posteriorly tilting the pelvis when bad things start to happen.[footnote]Here is where a more corrective strategy may become more prevalent. If someone is “stuck” in APT due to dominant and weak force couples then it behooves us to address them with things like foam roller, manual therapy, additional stretching/mobility work. Janda’s Lower Cross Syndrome can’t be ignored.[/footnote]

As Tony B mentions above: There’s a big difference between cueing someone to arch like crazy (and thus encouraging excessive APT, resulting in poor positioning and increased instability) and cueing someone to posteriorly tilt the pelvis to nudge them into a more neutral spinal position.

 

NOTE: As Mike Robertson notes in THIS article, there is no such thing as a bad cue. However, there does exist poor cues when they’re not applicable to the individual or are used haphazardly (because you heard someone else use it).

2. Thoracic Spine Endurance is Often Overlooked

A huge shout-out to Mike Reinold for hammering this point home in a recent Inner Circle I watched on How to Improve Thoracic Extension.

Mike noted that in order to improve t-spine extension it is important to work on mobility (Windmills, Bench T-Spine Mobilizations, Quadruped Extension-Rotations, etc), however we can’t dismiss the importance of ENDURANCE in order to maintain it.

 

Mike also noted that with regards to posture, “sitting upright is fictitious.” The amount of hours many of us spend in a flexed position far out-weigh the number or hours we’re upright. As such, keeping an upright posture is freakin exhausting.

My words, not his.

Building spinal endurance (not strength) is key here.

Don’t get me wrong: strength is (and always will be) important. A healthy dose of horizontal rowing (DB rows, seated rows, chest supported rows, Seal rows) is never a bad thing.

However, when we’re talking about our “posture muscles” – the muscles that need to be on all day in order to keep us upright – endurance is the name of the game.

3. Lack of ROM Isn’t Always Because You Need to Stretch More

The second someone is told that they lack range of motion (ROM) in any part of their body, they’re immediately shown 37 different stretches and ways to “smash” their tissue.

Many end up cranking this joint and yanking that joint till their blue in the face.

One of the more common examples I like to use here is lack of shoulder flexion (or ability to elevate the arms above one’s head).

Many people are unable to do so without some form of compensation via forward head posture, rib flair, and/or excessive lumbar extension. Picture on the left.

The fix can be any number of things: addressing lat length, fighting a zombie, poor anterior core control, poor tissue quality in the pecs/pec minor, you name it.

And none of those approaches would be wrong. Fighting zombies is awesome.

However, stretching tends to be the “go to” modality for many fitness professionals, and frankly it isn’t always the answer.

Oftentimes, taking the time to teach people to get 3D expansion of the rib cage with their breath (front, side, and into the back) and then learning to fully exhale (to get rib cage down and promote better engagement of anterior core) will help to “open up” the thorax.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tested someone’s shoulder flexion and saw an immediate 10-20 degree improvement after having them perform ten good breaths.

I call it my Gandalf moment.

Except, you know, I’m not a wizard.

Did Someone Say Gandalf?

For more insights on the topic and wizard-like shenanigans I’d recommend checking out Dean’s Ruthless Mobility.

You get FIVE hours of content (digital or DVD) from one of the smartest coaches I know on assessment, corrective exercise, and how to get people moving better.

What’s more, CEUs are available AND it’s on SALE at close to 50% off the regular price.

Go HERE and thank me later.

CategoriesInterview

Guest Appearance on the Ask Mike Reinold Show

I had the pleasure of being invited onto the Ask Mike Reinold Show recently.

Mike’s someone I respect a ton and have had the pleasure of interacting and working with for several years.

He and his staff over at Champion Physical Therapy and Performance are top-notch and I was super excited to have the opportunity to stop by and talk some shop.[footnote]And do THIS.[/footnote]

And not for nothing: I kinda dig Mike’s intro to this episode. I feel like this should happen every time I walk through a door or something.

Entering a restaurant: “The one and only Tony Gentilcore.”

Walking through the grocery store: “The one and only Tony Gentilcore.”

Coming home from work after a long day at the gym: “The one and only Tony Gentilcore.”[footnote]I chuckle to think of my wife’s response. I envision something to the effect of….(cue hard eye roll) “HAHAhahaha. Pffft, whatever. STFU and take the garbage out Tony Gentilcore.”[/footnote]

Anyways, lets show Mike some love. He puts out an amazing show week in and week out, and it’s one I feel deserves everyone’s attention.

 

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise

Tendinitis vs. Tendinosis: Yes, There’s a Difference

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the filming of Eric Cressey and  Mike Reinold’s next phase in their Functional Stability Training series, Functional Stability Training – Upper Body.

As an FYI:  the first two modalities, Functional Stability Training – Core, and Functional Stability Training – Lower Body, can be accessed HERE.

Think of the whole shebang as on par with The Dark Knight trilogy.  All stand alone pieces are equally badass in their own right, but as a whole……can be considered mindblowing.

Yesterday entailed the filming of the “hands-on” or lab portion, and Cressnold (as I like to call them) took volunteers from the audience and placed them through a few shoulder screens/assessments to demonstrate that not all shoulders are created equal.

More importantly, they took it as an opportunity to demonstrate to everyone that how “we” approach treating and addressing certain dysfunctions can drastically change from one shoulder to the next.

And, as it happened, I ended up being one of their guinea pigs, as seen below in a “behind the scenes” shot.

Basically, it went down like this:

Mike:  would anyone be willing to take their shirt off?

[dead sprint from my seat]

Me:  Can The Rock smell what’s cookin?  Does a bear shit in the woods?  Does Dolly Parton sleep on her back?  YOU WANT MY PANTS OFF TOO????

I suspect that my 20 minute shirtless cameo will be a huge selling point for Eric and Mike when they finally release this module.

Learn the secrets behind an effective shoulder screen/assessment.  

Find out how both Mike and Eric choose what treatment and corrective exercise progressions come into play based off a thorough shoulder assessment.

Watch Tony squeeze his pecs and turn a piece of coal into a diamond!

Okay, all facetiousness aside, it was a FANTASTIC event and it should come as no surprise that Mike and Eric helped make a lot of people a heckuva lot smarter.

One key point that I want to discuss today which Mike hit on briefly during one of his talks, is the notion of tendinitis and tendinosis.

Many people think the two are one in the same and that both should be lumped together (like Star Wars and Star Trek.  You know, cause both take place in space) with regards to how we go about assessing and addressing each.

This is wrong, and here’s why.

– itis = is the Greek suffix for inflammation.

– osis = is the Greek suffix which denotes actions, conditions, or states. In the context of this conversation it refers to degeneration.

Someone with acute elbow pain or discomfort for example has tendinITIS.  You can palpate the area, the person will say “ow,” tell them to apply ice, take some ibuprofen for a few days, lay low on things that exacerbate symptoms, and they should be fine within a few weeks, if not days.

Conversely, someone with a more chronic, insidious condition has tendinOSIS.  You can palpate the area, the person will probably want to punch you in the face (but it could just as easily be more acute discomfort like the example above), but in this case, despite icing, popping NSAIDS, and rest, the condition, even after six months hasn’t gotten any better.

The problem here is actual degeneration of the joint, and it’s in this scenario we need to look more outside the box.

In keeping with the elbow example, someone with tendinitis will typically – not always – respond well with dedicated manual therapy on the problem area itself alongside your standard ice/rest protocol.

If the issue doesn’t resolve and it continues for months on end (tendinosis), and as Mike pointed out, sometimes you need to look elsewhere along the kinetic chain to see what’s the TRUE culprit.

It’s something he’s routinely referred to as The Kinetic Chain Ripple Effect.

When dealing with a more chronic issue, you still need to look at the affected area (in this case the elbow), but you also need to look at other factors elsewhere.

You can treat the elbow all you want with manual therapy and corrective exercise, but if someone has atrocious T-spine mobility, is overly kyphotic, and has forward head posture, wouldn’t it make sense to address those “red flags?”

Interestingly, Mike worked with someone yesterday during his presentation who had elbow pain, and one of the first things he did was test her grip strength bilaterally.  It should come as no surprise that she was weaker on the side which hurt to squeeze.

After coaching her on her posture – getting the shoulders back and posteriorly tilted, learning to brace the abs and posteriorly tilt the pelvis, and to tuck the chin – he retested her grip and she immediately saw a 16% increase (and it was less painful!).

And all he did was place her into better alignment!

There’s no doubt that she would still need soft tissue work to address her elbow, but many of her symptoms were corrected by taking a closer look at her shoulder and head position!

All of this to say:  if you’re a personal trainer or strength coach and have a client with a nagging injury that hasn’t gotten better with traditional ice, rest, and NSAIDS, it’s a safe bet that it’s not just a simple case of tendinitis, and you’re dealing with something more chronic like a tendinosis (or, actual degeneration of a joint).

Step one would be to refer out to your network and have him or her work with a manual therapist.

Step two, and something which you can take more of the reigns on, would be to keep an eye out for other factors such as posture or any movement dysfunctions who may notice.

More often than we think an “elbow issue” isn’t just something that’s wrong with the elbow. Likewise, a “knee issue” could be something fishy going on elsewhere. We can’t assume it’s solely the knee.

I like to put all the blame on CrossFit….;o)  Just kidding.  Kinda.

What are you thoughts?  Agree?  Disagree?  Tomato? Tomahto?  I’d like to hear everyone else’s thoughts on the matter.

CategoriesUncategorized

Reviewing the Cressey Performance Fall Seminar – Part One

You know the feeling you get when you demolish an ice-cream sundae so fast that you end up with one of those annoying “brain freezes” which makes you crumble to your knees in agony and forces you to make one of those weird, contorted faces that’s about as unattractive as unattractive can get?

No?

Well, maybe a better analogy would be actor Gary Busey.

Take his face (seen to the left) which is essentially what he looks like 100% of the time, and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

Okay, now that you have an ample visual:  that was me this past weekend during the Cressey Performance Fall Seminar. Not to suggest, of course, that I was swimming in a cocktail of vodka and bat-shit crazy, which is more than likely a typical breakfast for Mr. Busey.

Oh snap!  No I didn’t! That’s a Busey burn!

But rather just to suggest that 1) my brain hurt so much from all the quality information thrown my way that I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that’s how I looked and 2) that I needed a day away from blogging in order to decompress, digest, and assimilate all the information.

All told we had roughly 150-175 people make the trek out to CP to hang out, network, and listen to several pretty smart dudes discuss everything from CrossFit to corrective exercise to coaching types to twerking.

Maybe not that last one (next year?), but needless to say there was A LOT of stuff that was covered.  In lieu of all the glowing comments and reviews that followed via Facebook and Twitter, there were a number of people who asked if we filmed the seminar.

Sadly we did not.  But I’m going to take the opportunity today to try to highlight a few points and insights from each presentation.

Today I’ll cover what Eric Cressey, Brian St. Pierre, and Mike Reinold discussed.

Cracking the CrossFit Code – Eric Cressey

Starting the morning off with a bang, Eric decided to address one of the more hotly debated topics in the fitness community: CrossFit.

Contrary to popular belief Eric (as well as myself) aren’t adamant CrossFit “hater” protagonists.

We both see a lot or redeeming qualities in it, but we’re also not dowsing ourselves in the Kool-Aid.  Nevertheless, here’s some points Eric hit on.

1. Interestingly, Eric started off his talk discussing how history is loaded with selective retention.

I’m not going to spoil the surprise (as I know Eric DID film his presentation and have to assume he’s going to offer it as product), but lets just say there’s a reference to Adolf Hitler and CrossFit.

HOLD ON:  before people get all Twitter happy and say that Eric Cressey equated CrossFit to Hitler, HE DID NOT DO THIS!!!!!

But he did make a fair point that Hitler was responsible for things like improving highway infrastructure, airplane travel, and a bunch of other things.  CrossFit, too, for as much as it’s poo-pooed on by the masses, does have a lot to offer.

2. Such as:

Insane camaraderie.
Unparalleled social experience.
Brand recognition.
Interval training preferred over aerobic training.
Variety.
Stresses compound exercises.

3.  But there are also a fair number of caveats or “bad” points to consider as well. Such as:

Low barrier to entry.
Lack of assessment (this is affiliate dependent, but it’s fair to say that many DO NOT offer a keen assessment).
One-size fits all programs.
Prioritizes technically advanced exercises (for high reps, no less).

4.  One must (and should) be able to dominate the sagittal plane if he or she is going to be succeed in a traditional CrossFit program.

5.  There’s no bones about it:  untrained individuals (of which are what CrossFit attracts) move like poop, and its imperative that appropriate progressions AND regressions are in place – especially if you’re going to use a “one-size-fits-all” format.

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

It’s always a treat when Brian makes it back to his old stomping grounds at CP.  Not many people realize this (or remember), but Brian was actually our very first employee.

But then he had to go get married, buy a house, advance his career with Precision Nutrition, have kids and stuff, and move to Maine.  What a jerk!

It’s been a pleasure to see Brian grow as a professional and he’s undoubtedly one of my “go to” guys when it comes to anything nutrition related. In his presentation he tackled the often quoted, yet often woefully misunderstood hormone insulin.

1. Insulin is ONE of MANY hormones involved in fat storage. It increases the activity of lipoprotein lipase, decreases the activity of hormone-sensitive lipase, which together leads to an increase of fat into fat cells. Insulin enhances this process, but NOT necessarily for it.

Key Concept: Insulin permits fat storage, it does not regulate it.

** For the nerds out there: The hypothalamus does.

You can gain fat with or WITHOUT elevated insulin levels.  So for all the anti-carb aficionados out there who deem them more evil than Mordor:  nah nah nah nahhhhhhhhh.

2. Hypoglycemia is incredibly rare.

3. The amount of insulin from protein rich food is positively correlated with satiety levels from that food.  So, put another way:  insulin CAN be considered a satiety hormone.

How’s this for a mindf@&k: Potatoes, which are generally regarded as one of the highest insulinogenic foods on Earth, are also reported as having one of the best satiety effects.

4. Nutrient partitioning is real phenomenon, and when used to your advantage, can help to increase recovery and adaptation to training load.

5. No news here:  (purposful) exercise creates a physiological environment where carbs are even more beneficial.

Ie:  carbs have their place.

Integrating Corrective Exercise With Performance Enhancement – Mike Reinold

Before I dive into Mike’s talk, let me just say that he’s an absolute Jedi when it comes to PowerPoint.  Some of the graphics and tricks he uses are unreal.  I’m half expecting one day for Mike to pull a rabbit out of his Macbook or go all “Prestige” on us and clone himself.

Plus, you know, he’s a brilliant therapist on the side.

1.  Mike noted that if you Google “corrective exercise”  in almost every picture there’s a physio ball or someone coaching the shit out of something completely innocuous, like this:

Apparently the message is this:  if you’re not incorporating the use of a physio ball, you’re just pretending…..;o)

2.  The term corrective exercise is a garbage term and is something that’s thrown out there in an effort for people to make themselves sound smart.  There’s no shortage of long-winded definitions out there, but Mike gave one that was about as succinct and to-the-point as they come:

“Corrective exercise are exercises designed to enhance how well you move.”

3.  Why corrective exercises sometimes may not work:

You didn’t assess well, or worked beyond your scope.
You picked the wrong correctives.
You are only addressing part of the problem.
You jumped straight to motor control/stability (you still need to get people stronger and emphasize strength).
Person is in pain.

*** If your correctives aren’t working, don’t work harder.

4. Components of Corrective Exercise:

Alignment (if you strengthen in misalignment you’ll create an imbalance, if you stretch in misalignment you’ll create instability).
Mobility
Stability
Postural Balance

5. Integrating correctives:

Pre-Training: work on alignment (PRI breathing drills), mobility, activation, motor control.

Within the Program: A2, B2, C2 (assist the “1” lifts)

As an example:

A1.  Goblet Squat 3×8
A2.  Lying Deadbugs – 3×6/side

Post-Training:  repeat foam rolling, work on breathing drills (up-regulate parasympathetic system), etc.

And that’s going to be all for today. I told you there was a ton of information covered!  Tomorrow I’ll highlight the presentations from Eric Schoenberg, Greg Robins, Chris Howard, and myself.

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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!

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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: FST is Back, Personal Training No-No’s, and Bruno’s Top Training Tips

Before we dive into this week’s stuff to read, I wanted to give a genteel reminder that we’re closing in on the final days to take advantage of the early bird special for mine and Dean Somerset’s Boston Workshop at Cressey Performance.

As it stands we’re a little over half-way to capacity (30 seats) and we’re expecting a major influx of signees as the end of June approaches.

Dean has updated the website to showcase the general itinerary for the weekend, as well as highlight that we have a special guest speaker lined up for that Friday evening for those who actually do arrive a day early.

No it’s not Optimus Prime.  And no, sorry, it’s not Macho Man Randy Savage.  But I promise it will be someone whom all of you know and will want to listen to…..;o)

Click HERE to view the updated details and to register.

Functional Stability Training for the Lower Body – Eric Cressey and Mike Reinold

And they’re back!!!

It’s hard not to get excited when these two collaborate, because when they do it’s a win-win for everyone.

It was roughly a year ago that Eric and Mike released Functional Stability Train for the Core which dived into the “umbrella topic” surrounding the interplay between the “core” and upper extremity function and performance.

Now, I know what some of you may be thinking:  the industry needs another “functional training” product like we need another Kardashian spin-off.  To that I say….fair enough!

But come on: these two aren’t your run-of-the-mill trainers here.  Combined they’ve worked with over a billion dollars worth of Major League arms, not to mention Eric’s pulled 660 lbs and Mike, well, he hasn’t pulled that much.  But regardless, these two not only talk the talk, but they walk it.

This time around they’re setting their sights on the lower body.  While covering all the topics would be impossible here, the main point to consider is that “by addressing alignment, strength, mobility, and dynamic motor control, you can maximize your rehabilitation and training programs to reach optimal performance.”

The whole series is more of “system” in the long run, and it’s a system that will undoubtedly help any trainer, strength coach, or manual therapist take his or her knowledge base to the next level.  This one definitely gets the TG thumbs up of approval.

For more information you can go HERE.

Sure Fire Ways to F*&k Up Your Personal Training Career – PJ Striet

I think the title pretty much says it all.  This is some sage advice from a good friend of mine who’s been in the industry for 18 years, twelve of which have been running his own facility.

Basically – he know’s what he’s talking about.

21 Practical Ways to Improve Your Training Today – Ben Bruno (<== not a link)

Ben’s a good friend of mine, and when he asked if I’d be willing to help spread the word on this awesome resource I didn’t even blink an eye before I said yes.

For everyone who goes to his site HERE and signs up for his newsletter, you’ll receive this FREE report which offers a gulf of insight/tips/opinions on how you can go about increasing your general level of awesomeness today.

And don’t worry:  Ben’s assured me that if you sign up for his newsletter he won’t use it to spam the shit out of you or do something lame like send “selfie” pictures of himself.  Except for on his birthdays, of course.

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Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: Core Strength, Should Trainers Assess, and Bench Press Voodoo

You know that feeling when you go on vacation and you come back and go to the gym for the first time and it’s readily apparent that you were on vacation?

Yeah, that was me yesterday after being away for over a week.

In my defense, while we were down in Florida Lisa and I did get plenty of activity in – we walked a TON around Miami and South Beach, made a few cameo appearances at a local commercial gym in her hometown (I was even recognized by a random woman training because I was wearing a Cressey Performance shirt!), and while Lisa went roller blading once or twice, I elected to head to the local park and do some bodyweight training and sprints for good measure.

But to say I did any hardcore training would be a big, fat, lie. Kind of like when someone on the internet claims he squats 500+ lbs for reps.  Ass to grass.  On one leg.

Although I did crush some pec deck chest flies at our friend’s condo gym right before heading out to South Beach, so that counts for something, right?

Nevertheless, it’s great to be back in Boston – despite the massive temperature drop, snow, traffic, complete lack of anything green, and general “Jonny Raincloud” attitude most people have around here this time of year.

Someone please explain to me why do I live in the Northeast again?

On a serious note, I am stoked to be back and I feel rested, relaxed, and ready to tackle a grizzly bear.

But I have an insane amount of work to catch up on – emails, programs, writing, as well as my presentations for next week’s appearance at my Alma Mater, SUNY Cortland.

That said, since I wrote a fairly epic post (in both content and length) on the plane back home yesterday, today I’m just going to offer some good stuff to read.

Enjoy.

Ask Dave: Why Is Core Strength So Important? – Dave Hedges

I felt this was an absolutely fantastic post by Dave on not only the significance of placing a premium on developing core strength, but what the actual FUNCTION of the core is in the first place!

Many people are under the assumption that the core only consists of those washboard abs you see on the cover of Men’s Health or Men’s Fitness every month.  While not entirely wrong, it’s not remotely close to the entire picture and is just the tip of the iceberg.

If nothing else, read this post for Dave’s genius water bottle analogy.  Awesome stuff.

Most Personal Trainers Shouldn’t Do Assessments (How to Collaborate) – Jon Goodman & Mike Reinold

This is a message that I, along with my fellow CP colleagues, are routinely hammering to the masses.  We live a unique bubble where we’re surrounded with a vast network of PTs, manual therapists, chiropractors, athletic trainers, the works.

While I like to think we’re smart dudes, we also understand (and RESPECT) the notion of scope of practice.

We do assessments at Cressey Performance, which is something I feel most (not all) trainers should be doing to some capacity. Whether it’s a the FMS, Assess and Correct, or playing musical chairs, some sort of movement screen or assessment should enter the equation when starting to work with a new client.

Doing so serves as the foundation so that you know what you need to do as a coach to address the needs/imbalances/weaknesses of your client.

The coup de gras, however, is understanding that our roles as personal trainers and strength coaches is not to DIAGNOSE anything. I don’t care how many books you read, how many DVDs you watch, or how many Holiday Inn commercials you watch (I’m not a doctor, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night), if you’re playing the role of physical therapist and you’re not a physical therapist, you’re setting a very dangerous precedent for yourself.

This is where going out of your way to establish a network of other fitness professionals that you can refer out to is crucial.

6 Stronger Bench Exercises – Todd Bumgardner

As someone who likes benching about as much as a Nicholas Sparks novel, I thought this article was bang on. I’m not built to be a good bencher, and I’ve (reluctantly) accepted that fact.  BUT, that doesn’t mean I’m forever going to cower in the corner in the fetal position and avoid benching altogether.

In this article, Todd offers some innovative and straightforward advice on how anyone can bust through their bench pressing rut.