The Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint is finally coming to Boston. Not “fake” Boston, either, on the outskirts of the North or South shore, and we end up calling it a Boston workshop.
No, this sumbitch is going to be IN Boston, at AMP Fitness located near Government Center in the heart of the city.
This shindig goes down the weekend of November 11th and the early bird rate is currently in effect. Hope to see you there. And by “there” I meanHERE.
This article was my pick for “article that gave me the biggest nerd boner of the week.”
I’ve long championed the notion that far too many people stretch their hip flexors thinking they’re tight, when the exact opposite is true. As a matter of blunt fact: most people would be better off swallow a Matchbox car whole than stretch their hip flexors.
Dr. Sarah Duvall takes things to the next level in this article, especially as it relates to women and postpartum issues – via pelvic floor/diaphragm – that may arise or never be dealt with, even years after the fact.
1o Keys to a Big Bench Press: Parts I and II – Tony Bonvechio
Tony is one of the best bench pressers I know. It actually pisses me off how good he is at bench pressing.
You know what, never mind, I fucking hate his guts because he’s so good at it.
In all seriousness there aren’t many coaches I’d trust more to turn someone into a bench pressing Wolverine than Tony. Read this two-part article above and then go check out his new manual, Bench Press Like a Beast, which is available now at a very, very, very affordable price.
Last year Lisa and I had the privilege of presenting together in Austin, TX and London, UK, and we’re elated to be heading to Toronto in about a month to pick up where we left off.
In a nutshell I speak to a little assessment talk, program design, and breaking down technique on a few common lifts such as the squat, deadlift, get-up, and BOSU ball lunges (<— kidding), and Lisa speaks to more of the mindset side of the equation and how we can help build better rapport and “buy in” with our clients/athletes. Not only that: but also how to encourage more competency and autonomy with your clients as well (both of which help you make more money).
For more information and to sign up, please 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.
I have such a hard time absorbing information and retaining it. Mostly because there’s so much of it out there! I thoroughly enjoyed this post from Mike and took a lot from it.
“Out of all the things you could do to improve your health, performance, and body composition, worrying about too much protein is WAY down on the list. In fact, if you’re going to worry about protein at all, it might make more sense to worry about not getting enough.”
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Hate to break it to you: but you can’t have a lack of mobility issue without a poor stability issue somewhere else.
Lisa and I are right smack dab in the middle of moving this week. All with a 7-week old in tow. It’s not been fun. In fact, I’d garner a guess that a colonoscopy would be more fun that what we’re going through right now.
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.
2. SUNY Cortland Health & Wellness Conference – Cortland, NY, April 8th.
I’ll be at my alma mater the weekend of April 8th speaking at what I believe is the 4th or 5th annual SUNY Cortland Conference. Other guest speakers include my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, Mark Fisher, Brian St. Pierre, and Dr. David Just.
3. Complete Preparation for the High School Athlete – April 1-2nd, New Jersey
Two coaches I respect a ton and had the luxury of working with for a few years when I was at Cressey Sports Performance, Greg Robins & Tony Bonvechio, will be hosting this all-inclusive event at the Annex Sports Performance Center in Chatham, NJ next weekend.
They’ll give a detailed look into how they train and prepare high-school athletes (ages 13-18) covering everything from assessment and building a winning culture to program design and myths and fallacies regarding how to really train for speed and acceleration.
Guess what this manual doesn’t cover? The incessant use of speed ladders and foot drills. If you want to get your athletes fast, they have work on getting stronger. And, yes, some attention to detail on sprinting mechanics and joint angles need to enter the mix too.
Travis has put together and really detailed manual and something I feel is one of the best resources out there on the topic.
This is a message I have to remind my clients about all the time: Progress IS progress. Some excellent real world examples given by Stacey in this article.
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Man, I wish more trainer’s definition of “corrective exercise” was just coaching the shit out of their clients.
Julian has officially been home for a week, and Lisa and I have officially turned into zombies. I’m not complaining, though. I recognize lack of sleep is what every (new) parent must endure and understand it’s a right of passage.
Doesn’t make it any less sucky mind you. I feel like I got hit over the head with a bag of dicks.
Enough about dicks, lets get to this week’s list shall we?
Half the reason most peoples skip their warm-up prior to training is because most take way too long Here’s the “perfect” warm-up done in just five moves….HERE.
2. Early bird registration for the Online Trainer Academy is now open.
I started doing online training back in 2005 before it was a thing. I had no idea what the hell I was doing back then. All I had was an Excel spreadsheet template to write programs on and a flip phone. One of my most vivid memories is when my then ex-girlfriend thought it was weird that I had all these pictures of half-naked people on my computer.
Pffffft, whatever.
Nevertheless, today, online training is a big deal. If you’re someone who’s thinking about it, but having a hard time developing the systems to make it a viable way to make money this is definitely something you should considering investing in.
You can take advantage of the early-bird registration and receive $200 off the regular price. Check it out HERE.
3. 2 Workshops Coming Up
Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Vancouver, April 1-2nd.
Dean Somerset and I will be in Vancouver that weekend to talk shoulders and hips and to start a tickle fight.
For more information and to sign up you can go HERE.
SUNY Cortland Health & Wellness Conference – Cortland, NY, April 8th
I’ll be at my alma mater the weekend of April 8th speaking at what I believe is the 4th or 5th annual SUNY Cortland Conference. Other guest speakers include my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, Mark Fisher, Brian St. Pierre, and Dr. David Just.
Unstable surface training, more often that not, comes across as gimmicky. Sure, there’s a time and place for it, especially for those coming off injury, but most people use it as a way to garner Instagram views.
However, this was an awesome article. And, Meghan is a beast.
Mike’s 11 DVD set on anything and everything covering his approach to assessment, program design, and helping people increase their general levels of badassery is currently on sale at $100 off the regular price.
This is easily one of the best resources out there, bar none.
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Deadlift Tip: it’s called a DEADlift (not a bounce lift). Come to a complete stop on the floor…;o)
Teaching a beginner how to squat well can be challenging. There’s no denying there are a lot of moving parts that can derail our best efforts to do so.
My intention of this quick-n-dirty post isn’t to break down the squat in its entirety. For that I’d encourage you to check out Greg Nuckols’ How to Squat: The Definitive Guide.
It’s basically the War and Peace of squat biomechanics and technique. Except, you know, not written by a Russian.
Instead, my goal today is to hammer home a few candid points when working with beginners on their squatting technique.
1. “Beginners” in this sense could mean a 13 year old who’s never touched a weight or a 57 year old who’s had a few decade hiatus. And everything in between. Male, female, athletes, non-athletes, centaurs, you name it.
2. The squat is a basic human movement pattern. Unfortunately, in today’s world, we don’t move as much as we used to, and subsequently many struggle with the movement. Oftentimes one’s only source of physical activity is if or when they get their butts to the gym.
And even if they do that, there’s no guarantee they exercise in a range of motion below a certain degree of hip flexion.
There’s truth to the common phrase “if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
This isn’t to insinuate that everyone has to squat to a certain level or that you’ll lose some street cred if you happen to not squat ass-to-grass. As I’ve repeatedly stated on this blog everyone is different (leverages, anthropometry) and it’s silly, nay, fucking moronic to think everyone has to squat deep.
So whenever I work with a beginner or someone coming off a significant injury it’s on me – the coach – to take the time to groove a solid squat pattern.
This rarely (if ever) involves placing a barbell on someone’s back on Day #1.
Why?
Because I said so….;o)
Many people lack the requisite t-spine (extension) and shoulder mobility (abduction/external rotation) to hold a barbell in that position without it feeling weird of wonky.
Many lack the kinesthetic awareness to sit back (and down) in a fashion that emulates a squat.
There’s no Golden Rule that we have to load people right away.
I’m more concerned with teaching proper position.
It’s that last point – teaching proper position – that’s a game changer in my eyes. You see, many people tend to “sit” in a state of perpetual (excessive) extension where their pelvis tilts forward, otherwise known as anterior pelvic tilt (APT)
To be clear: APT is not bad or wrong or needs to be fixed. It’s normal. However, when it’s excessive it not only places more strain on the spine (particularly the facet joints), but it also leads to poor alignment where the diaphragm and pelvic floor point in different directions.
Within PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) circles (<— total nerd fest) this is called the “Scissor Position.” What we’d like to strive for is what’s known as the “Canister Position,” where the diaphragm and pelvic floor are aligned or stacked on top of another.
Another way to think of it, is something I stole from Dr. Evan Osar.
“Think of your pelvis as one ring and your rib cage as a bunch of more rings. What you want is to stack those rings on top of one another.”
Mike Robertson is also a fan of this approach and even goes a step further and notes the importance of reaching, and how that can have a positive effect on one’s overall positioning. When we “reach” we nudge ourselves into a little more posterior pelvic tilt (back to “neutral”) and we then achieve proper diaphragm/pelvic floor alignment. Bada bing, bada boom.
If all of that comes across as me speaking Elvish, watch this video.
Plate Loaded Front Squat
The plate loaded front squat is now my “go to” squat progression when working with beginners. It’s something I’ve used for years for a few reasons:
1. The plate serves a counterbalance as one squats down towards the floor helping them to learn proper torso positioning and balance. It’s makes things infinitely easier with regards to sitting back & down into a squat.
2. Pressing the plate out front also helps to better engage the anterior core musculature. This is so crucial. I can’t tell you how many times people have come in for an assessment telling me stories of trainer upon trainer telling them how “tight” they are because they couldn’t squat past parallel. Prior to coming to me they had spent years, years stretching and working on any number of hip mobility drills.
Thing is: they weren’t tight. People rarely are. Or, at least it’s rarely ever that cut and dry (tight vs. not tight). In reality most are weak and unstable. For many, their nervous system is putting on the brakes because it perceives a lack stability. By having trainees press the plate out front it automatically forces the core to fire – thus providing more stability. And miraculously they’re able to squat deeper.
And I come across as the next Professor Dumbledore.
Moreover, it was Mike Robertson who pointed out to me the added benefit of the plate loaded front squat. The “reach” results in better diaphragm and pelvic floor alignment.
It teaches people context, and to own the “canister” position (preventing the ribs from flaring out). That way, when they progress to barbell variations, they’ll have a better understanding of what we’re after and what will (in all likelihood) allow them to perform at a higher level for longer periods of time reducing the risk of injury.
Want More Mike Robertson Nuggets of Programming Badassery?
I owe much of my programming savvy to Mike Robertson. It’s little nuggets of wisdom (as demonstrated above) that helps to separate him from the masses. I’ve always enjoyed his approach and way of explaining things. There aren’t many coaches who have the innate ability to take complex topics and “dumb them down” for the masses (like myself).
His excellent resource, Physical Preparation 101 is currently on sale at $100 off the regular price from now through this Friday (2/10).
It’s basically his entire philosophy on program design. 12 DVDs of Mike Robertson knowledge bombs. I have zero doubts the money you invest in this will pay for itself tenfold in client retention.
Note from TG: be sure to scroll all the way down for some bonus material.
Wow – it’s September already. It’s Labor Day weekend here in the States, which means summer is more or less over, and so is any chance of me getting a sick tan this year. Noooo.
There’s no sense whining about it. It is what it is. Lets jump right into this week’s list of stuff to read.
A quick reminder that Dean Somerset and I will be hosting our last LIVE event together of 2016 next month (weekend of October 15th) in Minneapolis, MN.
The stellar folks at Movement Minneapolis were kind enough to offer their four walls to host our Complete Shoulder & Hip Workshop. You can check out all the details along with sign-up information HERE.
Also, speaking of the workshop, Dean and I filmed it last Spring over in Norway and are planning on releasing it as an 11+ hour digital product titled the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint in the next coming weeks. Catchy title, right?1
We’d still highly recommend attending a live event if you ever get the chance to do so; each one is always a little different and nuanced. However, the likelihood Dean and I will ever travel to North Platte, Nebraska or, I don’t know, the country of Moldova is slim. No offense North Platteians, I’m sure it’s a lovely place to visit.
Filming the event and making it into a digital product is going to get our information into more hands, which is kind of the point: we want to help more fitness professionals do a better job at assessment and writing effective programs, as well as helping non-fitness professionals better understand anatomy and exercise technique.
I love, love, LOVE that this kind of information is starting to “bleed” into the mainstream media. I also love that names like Brett Bartholomew and Vern Gambetta – two highly respected strength coaches used in this story – are the go to sources.
Next time someone tells you how they need to “mix things up in the gym to keep the body guessing”…
Roll your eyes
Tell them the reason why nothing never works for them is because 1) they’re probably not working nearly as hard enough as they think they’re working and 2) adherence (and allowing enough time for something to stick) is going to trump any “muscle confusion” protocol.
I really liked this article by Dr. Berardi, and not for the reasons you might suspect. It DOES NOT shit on Dr. Oz (which, frankly, is easy to do).
Rather, it’s about learning how to better coach your clients, and how to best set them up for success and weed through the crowded fad diet bonanza.
BONUS
My good friend Mike Robertson invited me onto his phenomenal Physical Preparation Podcastearlier this week. Mike’s a big deal and one of the coaches I look up to most. His podcast is also one of the most informative ones out there and I never miss listening to it myself.
I was honored to be invited on, especially considering the caliber of coaches who have appeared prior to myself. I mean, who the eff am I?
We had a blast catching up and discussing everything from assessment, a typical training session, CORE, and of course, my cat.
Today’s the last day to save $100 off this 10 DVD set.
Mike and Joe are two of the most respected coaches in strength and conditioning, and there’s a reason why there is a 3rd edition of this seminar.
Lets put it like this: The Godfather III? Horrible. The Matrix Revolutions? Uhg. EAD 3.0? Baller.
If you’re a S&C coach, personal trainer, physical therapist, athletic trainer, or just someone who likes to toss heavy things around this is a must have resource.
I have high doubts the coach in question who’s commentary sparked this article written by Bret did so with ill intent or had some sort of nefarious “game plan” to bamboozle people.
I 100% believe he gets results for his athletes, and does so in a safe manner.
HOWEVER – when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Thanks for writing this Bret.
Max is a freak of nature. He’s the guy who can deadlift 500 for reps, follow that with a few back flips and splits, and then follow that with tapping out a gorilla.
He possesses quite the eclectic training background, and isn’t afraid to use a variety of tools and methods. In this post he explains why he continues to gravitate towards the KB.
Remember that show diary on MTV? You know, the one that aired back in the early to mid-2000s?
The documentary style show centered mostly on musicians and celebrities and followed them through their daily lives.
Each episode started with said celebrity looking into the camera and saying…..
“You think you know, but you have no idea.”
And then for the next 60 minutes we got a true taste of the celebrity lifestyle, given an opportunity to witness their trials and tribulations with the paparazzi, hectic travel schedules, demands on their time, and what it’s like to demand a bowl full of green only M&Ms in their dressing room (and actually get it), not to mention the inside scoop on what it’s really like to be able to bang anyone you want.
Sometimes I feel like strength coaches should have their own version of the show diary, because when it comes to training athletes I feel like many people out there “think they know….
“…..but they have no idea.”
Oh snap, see what I just did there?
While I don’t think it’s rocket science, I’d be lying if I said there isn’t a lot of attention to detail when it comes to training athletes – or any person for that matter – and getting them ready for a competitive season. Everyone is different, with different backgrounds, ability level, injury history, strengths, weaknesses, goals, anthropometry, as well as considerations with regards to the unique demands of each sport and position(s) played.
By contrast, there are numerous parallels in training despite athletic endeavors or whether or not someone is an athlete to begin with.
We can take the Dan John mantra of:
Push, pull, hinge, squat, lunge, carry
Do those things, do them well, and do them often….and you’ll be better off than most. It’s complicated in its simplicity.
Much like Dan I prefer to train everyone I work with as if they’re an athlete. There’s something magical that happens when I can get Joe from accounting or Dolores from HR to deadlift 2x bodyweight or to start tossing around some medicine balls. Even better if it’s done while listening to Wu-Tang Clan.
They wake up!
They’re less of a health/fitness zombie, haphazardly meandering and “bumping” into exercises. Once they start to train with intent and purpose – and move – it’s game time.
That said, lets be honest: when it does come to training athletes there are many other factors to consider; many more than an article like this can cover. However, I do want to discuss a few philosophical “stamps” that some coaches deem indelible or permanent when it comes to training athletes, when in fact they’re anything but.
1) Strong At All Costs
There’s a part of me that cringes to admit this, but it needs to be said: strength isn’t always the answer.
Don’t get me wrong, I still believe strength is the foundation for every other athletic quality we’d want to improve.
If you want to run faster (<— yes, this matters for endurance athletes too), jump higher, throw things harder or further, or make other people destroy the back of their pants, it’s never a bad thing to be stronger.
When working with athletes, though, there’s a spectrum. If you’re working with a college freshman who’s never followed a structured program and is trying to improve their performance to get more playing time, you can bet I’ll take a more aggressive approach with his or her’s training and place a premium on strength.
When working with a professional athlete – who’s already performing at a high level, and is worth millions of dollars – is it really going to make that much of a difference taking their deadlift from 450 lbs to 500 lbs?
Moreover, we’ve all seen those snazzy YouTube and Instagram videos of people jumping onto 60″ boxes:
It may get you some additional followers and IG “street cred”…but man, the risk-reward is pretty steep if you ask me. I’m not willing to risk my career (and that of my athletes) for some stupid gym trick.
Besides, if I wanted to I’d up the ante and have them do it while juggling three chainsaws. BOOM! Viral video.
To that end, I like Mike Robertson’s quote which sums my thoughts up the best:
“I think athletes need to be using the weight room as a tool to improve efficiency and athleticism, not simply push as much weight as possible – MR”
2) You Don’t Have to OLY Lift
Some coaches live and die by the OLY lifts, and I can’t blame them…..they work. But as with anything, they’re a tool and a means to an end. They’re not the end-all-be-all-panacea-of-athletic-and-world-domination.
I don’t feel any coach should receive demerit points – or be kicked out of Gryffindor – because he or she chooses not to implement them into their programming.
Lets be real: If you know you have an athlete for a few years, and have the time to hone technique and progress them accordingly, the OLY lifts are a good fit. It’s another thing, too, if you’re competent.
I for one am never guaranteed four years with an athlete, nor am I remotely close to feeling competent enough to teaching the OLY lifts. And that’s okay….
I can still have them perform other things that’ll get the job done:
This is probably the part where some people roll their eyes or maybe scroll past, but hear me out.
I think it’s silly when I see coaches on Facebook argue over bilateral vs. unilateral movements and try to win everyone over as to which is best.
They’re both fantastic and warrant attention.
Where I find the most value in single leg training:
Serves as a nice way to reduce axial loading on the spine when necessary.
It can be argued all sports are performed – in one way or another – on one leg, so from a specificity standpoint it makes sense to include it.
Helps to address any woeful imbalance or weakness between one leg and the other.
Places a premium on hip stability and core/pelvic control.
All that said, I do find many people are too aggressive with their single leg training. It’s one thing to push the limits with your more traditional strength exercises like squats and deadlifts, but when I see athletes upping the ante on their single leg work to the point where knees start caving in and backs start rounding that’s when I lose it.
I’m all about quality movement with any exercise, but more so with single leg training. I’d rather err on the side of conservative and make sure the athlete is owning the movement and not letting their ego get in the way.
Like that one time I posted this video and Ben Bruno shot back a text showing me a video of Kate Upton using more weight than me. Thanks Ben! Jerk….;o)
Unfortunately, some coaches are so set in their ways that they’ll never cross the picket lines. They’re either team bilateral or team unilateral.
How about some middle ground with B-Stance variations?
4) Recognize Positions Matter
I’m not referring to Quarterback or Right Fielder here. But rather, joint positions and how that can play into performance in the weight room and on the field.
If you work with athletes you work with extension.
As I noted in THIS post, anterior pelvic tilt is normal. However, when it’s excessive it can have a few ramifications, particularly as it relates to this discussion.
Without going into too much of the particulars, people “stuck” in extension will exhibit a significant rib flair and what’s called a poor Zone of Apposition.
Basically the pelvis is pointing one way and the diaphragm is pointing another way, resulting in a poor position; an unstable position.
Anyone familiar with the Postural Restoration Institute and many of their principles/methods will note the massive role they’ve played in getting the industry to recognize the importance of breathing.
Not the breathing that’s involved with oxygen exchange – evolution has made sure we’re all rock stars on that front.
Instead, PRI emphasis the importance of the reach and EXHALE; or positional breathing.
It’s that exhale (with reach) that helps put us into a more advantageous position to not only encourage or “nudge” better engagement of the diaphragm, but also better alignment….which can lead to better stability and better ability to “display” strength.
NOTE: this is why I’m not a huge fan of telling someone to arch hard on their squats.
When joints aren’t stacked or in ideal positions, it can lead to compensation patterns and energy leaks which can compromise performance.
5) You Need to Control Slow Before You Can Control Fast
It’s simple.
You gotta “control slow” before you can “control fast.” Use slow(er) tempos to allow people the opportunity to own joint positions.
It’s a beautiful, sunny day here in Boston so this one is going to be quick.
1. Here’s a Picture of My Cat.
This was taken ten minutes ago, which demonstrates three things:
I’m 100% certain I was a crazy cat woman in a past life. Who’s the beautiful, beautiful Princess?
It is, in fact, a sunny day today.
My cat is like WTF!?!
2. Listen to My Latest Podcast Appearance
I made another appearance on the DeLeo Training Podcast recently. It’s always an honor to be invited onto any show, let alone for a second time in a matter of a few months.
This time around Joe and I discuss the importance of coaches having their own coach, the advantages of percentage based training, and why strength is the foundation for pretty much everything.
Except for being able to slay on a guitar. You don’t need a big deadlift to be able to do that.
3. Jump Training 101
In anticipation of the release of their Elite Athletic Development 3.0 resource next week, Mike Robertson and Joe Kenn are sharing some killer FREE content this week.
During the seminar itself they filmed strength coaches Bobby Smith and Adam Feit (<– a featured guest poster on this site) discuss their approach to jump training.
You can watch PART I of their presentation on Vertical Jump Training by going HERE. All you need to do is enter your name and email and you’re all set.
Trust me: Bobby and Adam cover a ton of material that is sure to help you and/or your athletes leap over boxes, cars, volacanos, but probably just boxes.
Don’t worry, Mike and Ken won’t spam you. Because, you know, they’re not a-holes.
REMINDER: Strong Body-Strong Mind Workshop – Austin, TX (Saturday, June 18th)
Hey fitness pros/fitness enthusiasts in the AUSTIN, TX area. I’ll be down there next weekend (Saturday, June 18th) – along with my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis – for our inaugural Strong Body-Strong Mind Workshop.
Topics covered include:
1. The Art of Coaching & Behavior Change – not only learn the ins and outs of coaching your clients on the gym floor, but also learn some cool Jedi mind-tricks on mindset and avoiding negative self-talk to boot.
2. The difference between external and internal cueing (and why one is better than the other).
3. Introversion vs. Extroversion – and as it relates to be an effective coach.
4. Breaking down squat and deadlift technique.
5. Why squatting ass-to-grass isn’t for everyone.
6. Why our cat is the cutest cat ever.
And much, much more. CEUs via the NSCA are available.
For more information (location, payment, etc) you can go HERE.
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