CategoriesProgram Design Strength Training

The Most Neglected Function of the Core In Training for Sports

Note From TG: Today I have a treat for everyone: a guest post from world renowned strength and conditioning coach, writer, and educator, Nick Tumminello.

Nick’s someone whom I have a lot of respect for, and someone who I feel is at the upper echelon of coaches who “get it.” He recently released an excellent resource, Core Training Facts & Fallacies and Top Techniques that I feel would be an excellent addition to any fitness professional’s library (or for anyone who likes to geek out to anatomy talk and debunking a lot of misconceptions in the industry). 

Enjoy!

Gajda and Dominquez first used the term the “core” in their 1985 book Total Body Training to describe all of the muscles which compromises the center of the body. So, contrary to popular misconception, the core is not just your abs and lower back; the core is all of your torso muscles (shoulders, chest, glutes, abs, mid-back, lats, etc.) minus your extremities (arms and legs). (1)

Now that we’ve got that established, we can’t talk about using core training exercise applications that will likely transfer into improved core performance until we first establish what the trunk (i.e., core) muscles do in athletics (and in general function).

In addition to its respiratory function, the core musculature does two things:

1. The core functions to transfer force by limiting movement.

This is the one we hear about a lot: The function of the trunk musculature is to remain stiff in order to transfer force between the hips and the shoulders.

As an example, during a barbell push-press, both the legs are able to work with both the arms simultaneously to drive the weight up by transferring force through the trunk via the torso musculature remaining stiff and creating a stable platform, which allows the extremities to more effectively express force.

As another example, during sprinting, the torso musculature stiffens and limits the amount of torso rotation in order to effectively allow the hips to transfer force up and across the trunk (i.e., diagonally) to the opposing shoulder, and to allow the shoulder to transfer force down and across to the opposing hip.

In short, along with running and sprinting, many of our free weight and cable-based strength training exercise applications – from squats and deadlifts to pressing and pulling movements – involve torso stiffness where your core muscles are primarily functioning to transfer force between the extremities.

This reason is why we use a variety of anti-rotation, anti-extension and anti-lateral flexion exercise applications: to potentially improve the ability of the core muscles to remain stiff and more effectively transfer force during a variety of movements.

2. The core functions to produce force by creating movement <–This is the most neglected aspect of core function in sports performance training.

What we just covered above can easily give us the false impression that our core musculature only has one kind of a passive role in performance: where the torso only functions as a stable platform that channels force between the hips to the shoulders vertically, horizontally and/or diagonally.

Hence the current emphasis the training and conditioning field has with “anti-movement” core training exercise applications.

However, the torso musculature doesn’t just transfer force, it also helps to produce force.

This reality is perfectly summarized by the researchers in a 2012 study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, which stated:

“Core strength does have a significant effect on an athlete’s ability to create and transfer forces to the extremities” (2).

And, it’s this aspect of core muscle function that’s often ignored and neglected by strength coaches, fitness professional and athletes, which is why I’m highlighting here in this post.

Put simply, just by looking at athletes in action one cannot deny the obvious active, movement role in power production (i.e., force summation) the trunk has in sporting actions like throwing, golfing, batting, punching, etc.

As you can see in the images above, in the loading phase (before the exploding phase) of a baseball pitch, a soccer throw, swinging a golf club, and throwing a punch, there’s movement of the trunk, which creates eccentrically lengthening (in various planes of motion), so the torso musculature can actively contribute, along with the legs and arms, to produce power.

Power is the Summation of Your Levers

It’s often said that power comes from the summation of force. But it’s your levers (i.e., your joints, which are controlled by muscles and connective tissues) that produce the force. So, producing power is really about summating your levers in a coordinated and synchronized fashion to produce maximal force.

Keep in mind that your spine is one big series of levers – each segment is a small lever. With these realities in mind, you can appreciate the trunk’s contribution to power production in sporting actions like throwing a ball and swinging a golf club or tennis racquet.

You can also appreciate the active contribution the torso has in power production by trying this simple experiment:

First, perform an overhead soccer medicine ball throw (use a medicine ball that’s approx. 4-6lbs) in the normal fashion (as it’s performed in athletics) where you extend at your spine and hips a bit (I didn’t say go to end range) in order to allow your (anterior) torso musculature to eccentrically load. ]

Then, compare that to an anti-extension soccer style throw where you don’t allow your spine to move at all. You already know which of the two throws will be more powerful. Not to mention, which throw will feel more natural and athletic.

Check out this video to see this topic being discussed in real time:

It’s important to note that what we’re really talking about here is heavily related to the “Serape Effect,” which Logan and McKinney discussed in their 1970 book Anatomic Kinesiology (3).

So, although identifying the fact the torso doesn’t just transfer force and reduce force by limiting movement, but also helps to produce force by contributing to many foundational movements to athletics, is nothing new it’s one of the most ignored, and therefore neglected aspects of core training.

Improving Core Performance

Now that you understand both aspects of core function in athletics: to transfer force and to produce force, you know that you need to train both in order to maximize your strength and performance.

You can learn the exact exercises we use in our core training system to maximizing performance and improve core function in the Core Training: Facts, Fallacies & Top Techniques 3-part video series.

These videos give you a virtual front row seat to a closed-door workshop uncovering the myths and misconceptions around core training and teach you the Full Spectrum Core Training System.

Learn More Here

References:

  1. Dominguez, R, and Gadja, R. Total Body Training. New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons; 7-12, 1982.
  1. J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Feb;26(2):373-80. Effect of core strength on the measure of power in the extremities. Shinkle J, Nesser TW, Demchak TJ, McMannus DM.
  1. Logan, G., and W. McKinney. The serape effect. In: Anatomic Kinesiology (3rd ed.). A. Lock- hart, ed. Dubuque, IA: Brown, 1970. pp. 287–302.
CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 1/16/14

Before we begin I just wanted to share a funny exchange I had on Twitter yesterday. Some people crack me up.

So I posted a link to my blog post from yesterday – Exercises You Should Be Doing: Split Stance Trap RDL.

Literally all the Tweet said was “Exercises You Should Be Doing” followed by the link.

A few minutes later someone Tweets back with the comment, “Why?  It’s a little over the top.”

To which I responded, “Uh, read the post and find out.”

And then they came back with, “ok.”

I just find it comical that someone would pass judgement on something without actually taking the time to read what the post was about in the first place.  It’s akin to all the belly aching in Congress over the budget.  They finally come to a compromise after three years and a government shut-down.  It’s not perfect, but they decided to put their big-boy and big-girl pants on, stop acting like children, and come to a compromise.

Then I watch some interview with some ass-clown Congressman go on a tirade on how, “Well, I haven’t read the actual document, but based off of the reporting I’ve heard, it’s going to ruin America!”

W……..T……..F!?!?!??!

Like I said, people crack me up.

7 Ways to to Dominate the Pull-Up – Nick Tumminello

I’d argue that the pull-up is the best predictor of overall relative strength.  I think I remember Joe DeFranco mentioning how he’s seen a correlation in some of his athletes and how well they’ll do in their 40-yd dash time.

Nevertheless, pull-ups are kind of a big deal and in this article Nick does a fantastic job offering some new ways to approach training them.

Expectation  Management – Collin McHugh

Even for those who don’t make a living throwing a baseball 90+ MPH, this was a fantastic read on what it really takes to grind it through professional baseball season.

More importantly it serves as a needed wake-up call to many “entitled” young athletes who feel that just because they signed a professional contract that the world owes it to them to make it to the Big Leagues.

Slow clap to Collin for writing this article.  Awesome, awesome stuff.

And lastly I wanted to share two videos with you between Kevin Kuzia and David Dellanave. The two of them had a heart-to-heart “chat” a few weeks ago about entrepreneurship which sparked the two of them to post up a few “riff” videos discussing their thoughts on the matter.

Giving a brief background: Kevin tends to play the “conservative” card, plays things safe, and doesn’t feel he takes too many risks when it comes to stepping outside is comfort zone; something I can relate with 100%.

On the flip side, David, is a risk taker and always has been.

I just found the discussion fascinating and I think both videos are worth a look.

The Entrepreneurship Dichotomy – Kevin Kuzia

And here is David’s fantastic advice (and beard).

Talkin’ Bout Entrepreneurship

CategoriesMiscellaneous Miscellany

Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: The Way Way Back, Deadlift Update, and Core Training

1. Like many of you I’ve seen all the prerequisite blockbuster movies this summer – Iron Man 3 (awesome), Man of Steel (good, not great), Before Midnight* , and World War Z (eh).  

And while it’s pretty much breaking man-code for not wanting to see Fast and Furious 6 – somewhere out there Kevin Larrabee just punched a wall – I do want to take a few moments to point all of you in the direction of a lesser known movie that Lisa and I saw yesterday which may very well trump all of the above:

The Way Way Back

I tend to gravitate towards the more artsy-fartsy, independent, Focus/Miramax/Sony Pictures Classics films.  You know: The type of movies that actors and actresses do for the “street cred” and Oscar talk buzz more so than the paycheck.

I first heard about The Way Way Back when I was reading up on the reviews from the Sundance Film Festival (yes, I’m that much of a nerd), and as soon as I realized it was made by the same people who were responsible for Little Miss Sunshine and Juno, I knew I was going to be intrigued.

In a nutshell it’s about a kid – Duncan – who’s forced to go on a summer vacation to a beach town in the Hamptons with his mom and new doucher of a boyfriend (played, surprisingly, by Steve Carrell).

The rest of the storyline is fairly predictable:  Duncan is an introvert, doesn’t make friends well, he hates the new boyfriend, there’s a crazy alcoholic neighbor thrown into the mix. a cute girl, so on and so forth.

No zombies.  No explosions. And no gratuitous nude scenes.  Basically, it’s the anti-man movie.

This isn’t to suggest that the movie was a bust – it wasn’t at all. Instead, it’s just to say that if you watched Little Miss Sunshine and/or Juno, you know there are going to be some oddball characters involved.

A perfect example would be the always underrated Sam Rockwell who plays a guy who runs a local water park, has his fair share of witty one-liners, befriends Duncan, and helps him come out of his shell.

I really, really enjoyed this film.  It’s in limited release now, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be gaining momentum as the weeks pass.  If you get the chance, definitely check it out!

2.  Nick Tumminello sent me a copy of his new product Core Training: Facts, Fallacies & Top Techniques and I finally had the opportunity to give it a look, of all places, as I was sitting in the laundry mat yesterday morning.

Hey, if I’m going to sit there for an hour hating life I might as well get smarter right?

Nick never disappoints, and while I’m going to give full disclosure and say I haven’t yet watched the entire thing, I will tell you that from what I have seen……….it’s awesome!

I’m always amazed by Nick’s no BS attitude and I respect that he’s so willing to go against the grain on many things.

In any case, I was a little late in the game to say anything and as it happens, the sale he was running was supposed to end last night (Sunday, June 7th) at midnight.  HOWEVER, Nick informed me that he’s willing to extend the pre-sale another day for all of my readers.  Woot woot!

Go HERE, and thank me later.

3.  I also want to give a shout out to my good friends Dr. Jonathan Fass and Bret Contreras.  As of two weeks ago I’ve been getting up earlier and going for some early morning strolls around my neighborhood. And with that I’ve also been crushing the Strength of Evidence Podcast which is hosted by both Jon and Bret.

I’ll be the first in line to say that I absolutely abhor reading research.  You might as well hand me War and Peace translated into Elvish, because I’d rather read that than anything remotely attached to “clinical findings” or “p-ratios” or “statistical errors.”

It’s all Greek to me.

Which is why I really appreciate the depth and thoroughness that these guys include in each episode. They dig DEEP into a lot of hotly debated topics – CrossFit, should everyone squat deep?, the efficacy of neck packing, sprinting mechanics, to name a few – and they do so with just the right mix of geek and meathead.

So if you’re looking for a new fitness podcast to check out, look no further.  You’re welcome.

4.  I was asked recently how my quest for a 600 lb deadlift is coming along.  More to the point: I was asked what my training has been consisting of lately – other than deadlifting mack trucks and arm wrestling tanks (<—just a slight exaggeration).

Well, truth be told, I’ve been including a lot more jump training into my weekly repertoire.

I’ve made no qualms at the fact that I’m slower than molasses off the floor when I pull, and much of that I attribute to my loss of athleticism throughout the years.

Now don’t get me wrong:  I can still sprint without looking like the Tin Man.  But at 36, as awesome as it may be, it’s not like I’m going out of my way to play pick-up games of  Laser Tag or beach volleyball in my jeans Top Gun style.

Sorry ladies.

Needless to say I finally hit a tipping point and decided to nip things in the bud and work on getting more explosive.  To that end, I’ve been including more things like deadstart box jumps prior to my squat and DL days.

Video courtesy of strength coach John Gaglione.

In addition Lisa and I have been reacquainting ourselves with stadium sprints at Harvard on Sunday mornings.  Nothing too crazy or CrossFitish, but enough to make us realize how much they kick our ass.

And it seems to be working. I randomly walked up to a barbell loaded up with 500 lbs the other day in the middle of the afternoon and, without warming up, pulled it for an easy triple (with more in the tank).

I’ve also been toying around with more of a pseudo Sumo stance deadlift and love it.

I’m not sure when I’ll actually give 600 a go, but suffice is to say things are finally moving along at a nice pace.  Stay tuned…….

* = LOL, just kidding. I didn’t go see this one.  Nope.  Not me. That would mean I would have had to have seen Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, too.  That would just be ridiculous.

I mean what’s next? Runaway Bride? Chocolat?

OMG – Chocolat!!!!!!!

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing Strength Training

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Half Kneeling Vertical Pallof Press

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Pallof presses – and all their variations. While I’ve definitely curbed my views with regards to core training and the whole anti-everything mantra most of the fitness industry adopted in recent years (lets be honest:  it’s perfectly okay for the spine to go into flexion every now and then. Loaded flexion is one thing, but lets try not to shit an EMG every time someone has the audacity to bend their spine.  Life……will…..go…….on), I’d still be remiss not to note that the bulk of my core training, and that of my clients, revolves around stability and preventing “unwanted” motion.

Maybe a year or two ago my good buddy, Nick Tumminello, described a cool Pallof variation called the Vertical Pallof Press, which I thought was a simple – albeit brilliant – twist into the genre.

Fast forward to two weeks ago, another buddy of mine, Philadelphia based strength coach, Andrew Zomberg, asked my thoughts on half-kneeling or even tall-kneeling Vertical Pallof Press variations.

In a nutshell he was curious as to whether or not I’ve tried them or if I saw any efficacy in including them into my programming.

Of course!

Half Kneeling Vertical Pallof Press

What I like most about this variation are a few things:

1.  It trains anti-extension.

2.  With the half kneeling version, you can “encourage” a bit more posterior pelvic tilt by squeezing the crap out of the kneeling side glute.  And when I say “squeezing the crap out of the kneeling side glute,” what I really mean is “squeeze that badboy as if you’re trying to crack walnut.”

3.  Additionally, we get an awesome active “stretch” in the kneeling side hip flexor.  I put the word stretch in quotations there because for those people who feel as if they have chronically tight hip flexors (despite going out of their way to stretch them to death with little or no improvement), it’s more likely the fact that the hip flexors are pulling “double duty” for an unstable spine.  Hence, they feel tight because they’re firing 24/7 to prevent the spine from wrecking itself before it checks itself (Ice Cube fans will enjoy that reference).

In a sense, we could make a solid argument that the reason why many people feel as if they have “tight” hip flexors is NOT because they’re short/stiff, but rather their core is weak and unstable.

If I just blew your mind or if that piques your interest at all, I’d HIGHLY encourage you to check out Dean Somerset’s post on Reasons Why You Should Stop Stretching Your Hip Flexors.

If you’re too lazy to read it:  just know that working on core stability could help resolve those “tight” hip flexors of yours.

Outside of those key points, I’d note that the other things to consider would be on the technique side of things:

– Keep your chin tucked (make a double chin).

– As you extend your arms above your head, try to prevent your rib cage from flaring out.

– For those who need to work on improving scapular upward rotation (especially overhead athletes), once your elbows hit shoulder height, you could  lightly shrug at the top of the movement.

– Try not to make this a tricep exercise.  Those who tend to feel it more in that area are pressing the cable too far outward and focusing on elbow extension.  Instead, you need to literally press straight up, preventing the cable from pulling you backward.

For an additional challenge, you can try a one-arm variation

Half Kneeling 1-Arm Vertical Pallof Press

All the same benefits apply here:  it trains anti-extension, but because you’re using one arm at a time there’s also a significant anti-rotation component as well.

Too, it’s great for glute activation, encouraging more posterior pelvic tilt, and serves as an active hip flexor “stretch” (seriously, read Dean’s post).

About the only thing it doesn’t do is multiplication tables and buy you dinner.

And there you have it.  Try it out today, and let me know what you think!

 

CategoriesUncategorized

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: Squat Like a Baby?, Letter to Women, and CP Seminar Review

I don’t think I’ve ever said this before, but this week’s list of stuff to read is arguably the best one ever!  I don’t know if it’s because of pure coincidence, the planets aligned just right, the Red Sox signed Mike Napoli, or if it’s simply because people churned out some awesome content this week.

Whatever the case may be, it’s awesome.

First on the list is an EPIC post by my buddy, Nick Tumminello, on what it really means when someone says “everyone should be able to squat like a baby.”

Saying something like that just sounds asinine, and doesn’t make any sense, right?  Sorta like saying, “everyone should be able to fart cinnamon.”

Comparing the anatomy of an adult to that of an infant is just dumb. But in typical Nick fashion he’s a bit more articulate than myself, and explains why this is a faulty belief to carry in your back pocket whether you’re a coach or general fitness enthusiast.

Squat Like a Baby: 7 Reasons This is a Ridiculous Myth – Nick Tumminello

I couldn’t agree more, and while I’ve used the whole “squat like a baby” analogy in the past (more so as a counterpoint to the whole “squatting deep is dangerous” argument), Nick does a bang-up job in debunking this common myth.

As an aside:  I’m currently working on my next T-Nation article which digs into this topic as well, titled Does Everyone Need to Squat (Deep)?

SPOILER ALERT:  No.

Letter to a Client or Why I Don’t Believe in Barre Classes – Emily Giza Socolinsky

If nothing else this post serves as an AMAZING message to women on why they should ditch the pink dumbbells and incorporate more strength training into their repertoire.

From Emily herself:

I believe, as many other women who strength train believe and who are in my field, that women need more than what a barre class offers. Women do not need special classes like barre because they are women and they should “train this way because this is how a woman should train.

Doing tiny little pulses until your thighs burn does nothing but make your thighs burn. So what? As my husband said, “My butt would burn too if you made me squeeze it 100 times. But it won’t help me develop a strong butt.”  You will not build a strong body unless you stress the body ie. lift weights that are more than 5 pounds. No one is telling you that you need to lift 200 lbs (although this is damn impressive and shows true strength and domination.) But 5lbs? Come on.”

And really, that’s just a taste. Emily pours her heart out in this post, and it behooves all of you to take five minutes to read it.  Especially YOU, ladies!!!!!

1st Annual Cressey Performance Fall Seminar Review, Part 1 – Guys From Show-Me-Strength

Given I’m an epic ball of fail for never writing up my own summary on the seminar from a few weeks ago (It was awesome – how’s that????), I breathed a sigh of relief when both Matt Kramer and Chad Rodgers (both of whom train at CP) posted this up on their site yesterday detailing some of the highlights.

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing Rehab/Prehab

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Slideboard Push-Up vs. Band

It’s no secret that I love push-ups and that I feel they’re an important component of any well-rounded fitness program. They offer a bevy of benefits ranging from improved upper body strength (pecs for days!), improved scapular kinematics, and core activation.

As such, in relation to the last point, push-ups serve as an excellent assessment tool to gauge a person’s ability – from an anterior/posterior perspective – to control the entire lumbo-pelvic-hip area.

If someone can’t maintain a neutral spinal position doing something as standard as an (un-loaded) push-up, do you think it’s going to be a good idea to place a heavy barbell on their back?

They’re also really smart, love to go for walks on the beach, can cook like no one’s business. And OMG, I can’t tell you how funny they are. Just the other day we were watching an old episode of Friends – you know, that one where Joey’s lounge chair breaks and Chandler tries to replace it? – and push-ups was like “and that’s why you never bring two rams in heat to a tap dancing recital.”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Eh, I guess you had to be there. Trust me, it was HIL-arious.

Anyways, basically all I’m trying to say is that everyone needs more push-ups in their lives. I know they’re often deemed “wimpy” or a waste of time, but I truly feel they’re one of the rare exercises that provide a lot bang for our training buck, and can easily be “tweaked” to the lifter depending on his or hers needs or goals.

Which brings us to today’s Exercise You Should Be Doing

Slideboard Push-Up vs. Band

Who Did I Steal it From:  I originally heard about this variation from my buddy, Nick Tumminello, in an article he wrote for T-Nation a few years ago – HERE.

What Does It Do:  Well, we get all the prerequisite advantages – upper body strength, core activation, shoulder health, and we get a ton of leeway in that we can make them as easy (0r challenging) as we want depending on the person we’re working with.

The main advantage of THIS variation, however, and as Nick noted in the article linked above:

Slide board band push-ups increase muscle tension around the shoulder joint by forcing the posterior shoulder muscles to contract by resisting the band pulling the hands together. Many people who can’t perform a normal push-up due to shoulder pain can successfully perform this variation pain free.

Key Coaching Cues:  In terms of basic technique, all the same “ingredients” still apply.

  • Keep chin tucked – don’t poke it towards the ground.
  • Abs should stay tight or braced (sometimes I’ll gently tap the stomach to help the trainee engage their core).
  • Squeeze the glutes (provides more posterior pelvic tilt and keeps people out of lumbar hyperextension).
  • Hands/elbows should be directly underneath the shoulders.
  • Likewise, hands should be around shoulder width apart.
  • Knees should be locked and legs in a straight line.
  • The entire backside should make a straight line.
  • Elbows should not flare out during the set (it places far more stress on the shoulders), nor should they be glued to your sides (which causes too much “crowding” and will cause people to go into excessive scapular anterior tilt). Instead, the upper arms should make a 45-degree angle to the body.
  • Chest touches floor (or in this case, the slideboard) on every rep.

Another key point I want to note is how to “finish” each rep.  Try to push yourself away from the floor as much as possible at the top of each repetition (scapular protraction).  By doing so, you’re allowing the scapulae to function through a full ROM (adduction AND abduction), and you’re inviting the serratus anterior into the mix as well. Never a bad idea.

You’ll note in the video I do a fairly decent job of doing it correctly.  You’ll also note the lame music in

the background.

Specific to this variation, though, is you’ll need to grab a mini-band (or something equivalent) and wrap that around your wrists.  Place your hands on top of the “footsies” that come with the slideboard and as you perform your push-up, you’ll need to place tension in the band by pulling it apart and then preventing it from forcing your hands together.

This will help activate the posterior shoulder.

NOTE:  for those who don’t have access to a slideboard you could easily use a pair of ValSlides or even those cheapo furniture gliders you can purchase at your local Home Depot.  Either way, the objective is to perform these on a slippery surface.

Try them out today and let me know what you think!

 

CategoriesUncategorized

Reviewing the PTDC Hybrid Training Seminar: What I Learned (And Stuff)

WHEW…what a weekend! The first annual Personal Trainer Development Center Hybrid Training Seminar was a ginormous success, and a huge kudos goes out to Jon Goodman for pulling it off with flying colors.

I had every intention of writing a review yesterday (Monday), but to be honest my brain was complete mush trying to digest all the information I acquired.  And, there was just a teeny tiny bit of sensory overload having to be “on” all weekend – but it was all WELL worth it, and all I needed was a good 24-hours to allow my brain to chillax.

All told I believe 50+ fitness professionals made their way to Toronto to listen to a bunch of fitness dudes – Jon, myself, Nick Tumminello, Mark Young, Geoff Girvitz, and Dan Trink, respectively – talk about, well, fitness.

Between Saturday and Sunday, there were 13+ hours of “learnin” going on, where an entire bevy of topics were covered ranging from assessment, core training, and marketing with social media, to fat loss training, group training, motivation, and realizing how much of a brick shit house Dan Trink is.

Seriously, I’m generally used to being the gratuitous jacked bald guy in the room, but I think Dan took the Mr. Clean award of the weekend.  Jerk!

All kidding aside, based off the initial feedback given by all the attendees who were there, I’d say this past weekend was the combined equivalent of going to Disney World, winning the lottery, and that immense feeling of relief you get when you’re finally able to pee after holding it in for so long (<— don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about).

Yeah, it was THAT good.

So, rather than write a Tolkien’esq long dissertation on my experiences and everything I learned this past weekend, I decided I’d just approach this as I would one of my “Miscellaneous Mondays” posts.  Which is to say:  random as shit.

1. Although I’ve been flying a lot more frequently within the past year or two due speaking engagements (as well as traveling for pleasure), I still have to say:  I enjoy flying about as much as I enjoy taking a drop kick to the nut sack.  Even more so when find out upon arrival to the airport that the flying death trap I’ll be riding is powered by propellers.

PROPELLERS!!!!!!

Regardless, big props goes out to Porter Airlines for a seamless flight to and from Toronto. Well done ladies and gents.  Well done.

2. Nick Tumminello and I shared the spotlight on Saturday and both held a “pre conference” where we discussed both assessment and core training.  The night prior, Nick and I decided that I should start the whole shindig off and speak first since I was covering the assessment component.

Sitting in the hotel room the morning of, I thought it would be cool to have my own entry music – like Dave Tate.  I remember going to listen to him speak back in 2006 in Syracuse, NY and how he had this awesome video montage playing with AC/DC blaring over the loud speakers as he paced back and forth in front of the crowd with a death stare.

For those who have never seen Dave speak:  he’s kind of an intense dude.

I figured I could do the same, and enter the room while something awesome like Biggie’s “Big Poppa” was warming up the crowd.

Then, after thinking about for seven seconds, I realized I’m not Dave Tate and that it would be dumb.

3. All I have to say about Nick Tumminello – other than being a class act, and one of the more knowledgable fitness professionals out there (my man is wicked smaht) – is that he’s an absolute Jedi when it comes to public speaking.  His enthusiasm and passion for what he does is unparalleled, and I can only hope to be 1/8 the public speaker he is in the future.

Also, if you ever get a chance to listen to him speak about the psoas (yes, the psoas), it will blow…… your…… mind.

4.  During his Hybrid Fat Loss presentation, Nick gave a brilliant definition of what “hybrid training” actually is, courtesy of JC Santana:

“Function vs. Strength, Pilates vs. Bodybuilding, Yoga vs. who knows what. These comparisons are not ever accurate; they are like asking what do you think is best to eat for optimal nutrition; apples or broccoli? Of course, “both” is the right answer. Eating only one or the other, although each is nutritious, leaves one without the nutrition of the other. Bringing this simple example to the world of physical training drives home a very important point. Every training method has its benefits (i.e. nutrition), and combining the most effective training methods (i.e. combining the apple and broccoli) will provide better training than exclusively using any one training method. Now, this may sound logical and sensible to us, but the battles and claims rage on between different training camps.”

In short:  EVERYTHING works.  EVERYTHING is a tool.  The key, then, is to figure out which tool is right for a certain job. No one tool is right for EVERY job.  Yes, I’m talking to you Mr. Kettlebell guru.

4.  According to Nick (and I kinda agree with this): the main difference between a “fat loss” program and a “strength based” program is…….

…….NUTRITION

I love Nick’s explanation he gave.

“What do you do for fat loss?”

Nick:  exercise

“Well, what about if you want to get stronger?”

Nick: exercise

Sure there will be some subtle variabilities in terms of rest time, set/rep schemes, etc, but the main “crux” of the matter – when it comes to FAT LOSS – is nutrition.

5.  Jon Goodman had a million and one brilliant things about mastering social media and using it to your advantage as a fitness professional.  The Cliff Notes version:

  • Don’t be a spammer.  Ie:  don’t cold invite people into your Bootcamp group.  It’s shady, and is an easy way for someone to want to punch you in the throat.
  • Don’t “tag” people in your posts with their permission.
  • In order to be relevant you need:  likes, clicks, shares, and profile views.  ALL will help you.  Not one or the other.
  • As far as monetization is concerned:  one “friend” = $2. I did not know that.
  • Understand that your message will be shared by the already converted.  Cater to them.  If you’re a blogger, write your posts with this in mind.  Don’t write for YOU (although, it’s okay to do so), but write for them!  People want to read what THEY want to read, not what YOU want to read.
  • This picture pretty much sums it all up:

6. Mark Young started off his presentation with an interesting question to all of us”

“How many in this room are in the best shape of their lives?”

For the record:  NO ONE lifted their hand.  Not even Dan Trink that jacked bastard….;o)

Knowing that no on raised their hand, Mark then asked another question:

“How many feel it’s due to a lack of education?”

Listen, we all know that pounding down an entire bag of Doritos before beg or what mounts to taking a bath in a bowl of M&Ms isn’t the best choice for our health.

Why do we do it, when we KNOW better?

To answer that query, Mark made a reference to the excellent book Switch: How to Change When Change Is Hard.

In in it the authors – Chip and Dan Heath – tell the story of the Elephant, Driver, and the Path.

Think of the elephant as your “emotional” brain (I want it and I WANT IT NOW!!!!!!), the driver as your rational brain (no, it’s probably not a good idea to dominate that cheese lover’s pizza right now), and the path, is well, the path.

All freaking day your rational brain (driver) is trying to steer the elephant (emotional) down a certain path.

Think of it this way.  Many of you reading right now are probably trying to shed a few pounds of fat, and in an effort to do so, you brought a kick-ass salad to work with you today.  Hell, you even omitted the croutons.

You’re making an effort to eat healthier, and that should be commended.  Good for you.

Thing is, how many billboards or signs did you pass today telling you to buy the latest snack food?  Moreover, how many times has one of your colleagues brought in a baked good (Oreo mudpie!!!!!!) to share because it’s someone’s b-day or because it’s Wednesday?

And, throwing more salt on the wound, by the time you’re on your way home (after a 13 hour day no less), you’ve been fighting off the elephant for so long, that the idea of going home to grill a chicken breast sounds about as enticing as sandpaper.

You can’t fight will power forever, and the elephant inevitably wins.  You violently turn your steering wheel to the right and  switch lanes – Jason Bourne style – into the Burger King drive-thru.

Sound vaguely familiar?

They key, then, to fixing these horrendous default patters (hitting the fast food joint instead of cooking a homemade meal) is to give your clients another default pattern that will help them become successful.

As an example.  Maybe instead of crushing Bacon Double Whoppers, you could encourage them to go to a “healthier” fast good alternative.  Say, Chipolte Mexican Grill!

At least there they can order a meat salad with a heaping scoop of guacamole, which is a far cry from the heart attack they’re ordering elsewhere.  Annnnnd one!

7.  Another point which I felt Mark nailed on the head was that in order to change behaviors, we can’t inundate our clients with a laundry list of tasks to do.

Rather than telling people that they need to spend half their Sunday going grocery shopping and prepping food, and that they can ONLY eat carbs on even days (and only after training), and that they should use coconut oil when cooking everything, and oh yeah, don’t forget your fish oil, enteric coated!………

…..why not just focus on ONE behavior and see how confident they feel in achieving that goal?

Ask them on a scale of 1-10, how confident he or she feels about heading to the gym twice per week.  If they say anything less than an eight, then it’s too much and you need to re-assess.

Much like how we incrementally increase the weights on a barbell when we try to get someone to a 400 lb deadlift so that we don’t overwhelm them, we also need to incrementally increase “goals” when trying to help someone change a behavior.

8.  Joke of the weekend:

Q: How do you know someone is Paleo?

A:  They’ll tell you.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

9.  Geoff Girvitz, owner of Bang Fitness in Toronto had a profoundly simple, yet profoundly profound statement:

“Get people pain free and moving well.”

When fat loss is the goal, there’s absolutely no need to throw advanced training techniques at people.  Instead of high rep snatches – which I’d argue is borderline criminal anyways – why not implement less ambiguous exercises like Prowler pushes?

10.  As far as periodization in the group training realm is concerned, according to Jeff, that’s a shit show (my words, not his.  Although, I’m sure he’d agree).  When dealing with a population that is already stressed to the bones there is a delicate balance between increasing work capacity and making people feel like they’re going cough up their liver, and overloading the central nervous system.

It’s important to recognize that sometimes you just need to tone it down a bit

11.  To that end, Geoff made everyone in the audience swear an oath that:

Not Every Single Session Must Crush the Bodies and Spirits of My Clients

12.  Lee Boyce and I arm wrestled for the last piece of sushi on Saturday night during the social gathering:

13.  Did I mention Dan Trink was kind of a large human being?  He’s a large human being.  And, quite frankly, one of the most generous and humble human beings I’ve ever met.  Anyone who lives in NYC would be crazy not to seek this guy out to make them a walking wrecking ball.  And, he’s also a programming warlock.  The main knows hows to write brutal (and efficient) fat loss programming.

I’ll just end with saying a HUGE thank you to everyone who attended and who went out of their way to introduce themselves to me.  It was truly an honor to be including in such an amazing event, and I hope to do it again next year (ahem, Jon).

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Mark Your Calander: PTDC Hybrid Training Seminar!!

June is looking to be an epic month.  For starters, as mentioned a few weeks ago, I’m going to be heading to Edmonton, Canada on the weekend of June 2nd to join the rest of the Muscle Imbalances Revealed – Upper Body crew for the Spinal Health and Core Training Seminar.

We’re looking to keep this to more of an “intimate” setting – I’m bringing the wine and Best of Sade cd – in an effort to give all the attendees first-hand access to all the coaches speaking…so spots are VERY limited. Even still, we’re going to be offering a gulf of information with regards to anything and everything dealing with core training and spinal health: a topic that pretty much appeals to any fitness professional out there.

For more information, click HERE (<— that tickles!). And, just to throw it out there, May 1st is the last deadline to save yourself $100 off the initial registration fee.

Secondly, Prometheus – Ridley Scott’s return to the genre he essentially revolutionized (Alien, Blade Runner, etc) – opens on June 8th.

Seriously, I just peed myself a little bit watching that again.

Finally, and something that only came to fruition within the last few days, I’m proud to announce:

The PTDC Hybrid Training Seminar, June 16-17th!!!

I’ll be making another trip up to Canada, this time to Toronto, to participate in what’s shaping up to be a really cool weekend.

Both Nick Tumminello and I will be hosting a PRE-SEMINAR event on June 16th titled The Ultimate Coressessment.

When Jon Goodman approached us to see if we’d be interested, both Nick and I came to the (no-brainer) conclusion that there are essentially two topics that are like catnip for trainers and coaches: core and assessment.

Hence, this day-long workshop will cover assessment (both upper and lower extremity), as well as many of the core training concepts and exercises we use with our own athletes and clients.

The following day, however, is the main event:  The Hybrid Training Seminar.

Featuring FIVE presenters (one-hour talk each, followed by a roundtable discussion):  Jon Goodman, Nick Tumminello, Mark Young, Dan Trink, Geoff Girvitz, and some schmuck named Gentilcore.

This should prove to be one of the more anticipated “fitness” events in Canada all year, so don’t miss out.

For more information pertaining to topics and registration costs, go HERE.

 

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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 1/13/12

It’s been a busy week in both my professional and personal life.  We’re seemingly bursting at the seams at the facility getting everyone ready for the upcoming baseball season.  Many of the college guys who are home on their breaks will be heading back to school starting next week though, so it should slow down a bit and allow us an opportunity to come up for air.

Likewise, in a few short weeks, many of our pro-baseball guys will be making their way south (or west) for Spring Training.  It’s hard to believe that it’s only like four weeks away, but there’s still plenty of intense work and sweat to be had.

What’s more, many of our high school and general population clients are working equally as hard.  Yesterday alone we had a few people set some deadlifting PRs – Congrats to Lisa V!

On a more personal level, I have some pretty cool things in the works:

1.  In about a week or two, you should see some changes to the website.  Now, I’m not going to go all Facebook on you and add some lame scrolling ticker that everyone hates  – RELAX!! Rather, I’m just making some aesthetic changes to site while upgrading some of the social media, in addition to………..DRUM ROLL PLEASE…………….

…….implementing a newsletter!

EC, Smitty, Kevin Neeld, and pretty much everyone else I know has been busting my chops for eons for not having a newsletter in place, and I’ve finally decided to put my big-boy pants on and run with it.

2.  It seems that my resolution to do more speaking engagements has caught fire.  Currently, I have 3-4 events tentatively lined up, and more in the works.  Sweet!  I’ll keep you posted.  Or, better yet, once it’s available, you can sign up for my newsletter (hint hint).

3.  I’m going on vacation!!!!!!  Lisa and I booked a flight for Florida in March, and it can’t come soon enough – I’m about as white as a Coldplay concert right now.

There are some other things going on as well:  I started a creative non-fiction writing class earlier this week (Note to my editors: I can’t promise less grammatical errors), I pulled 500×4 last night AFTER eight hours of coaching, my cat is sitting on my lap as I type this post (such a cute kittie!!!), and I brushed my teeth like ten minutes ago.  So there you go. You’re caught up.

On that note, here’s this week’s stuff to read:

 Are You Making This Critical Corrective Exercise Mistake – Nick Tumminello

Coaches need to coach, and NOT get too caught up in this whole concept of “corrective exercise.” Too often, trainers and coaches get cute with their assessments and programming and fail to do the ONE thing that’s most important:  cue and coach their clients!

I thought this was a fantastic video blog by Nick, and is something we try to instill on our interns at Cressey Performance on a routine basis.

Assessments are mandatory, no doubt.  Corrective exercise – when indicated – IS important, obviously.  But more importantly, having the ability to demonstrate, cue, and coach a client through any given exercise is kind of a big deal, and is a characteristic that’s often overlooked.

Keep it simple people……COACH!

The Recovery Day Workout – PJ Striet

You can’t be a rock star everyday.  Sorry, it’s just the truth.  This is never more evident than in the weight room. For a vast majority of trainees out there, many are under the impression that “more is better,” and that even if they feel like they’ve gotten run over by a mack truck of fail, they should still train through it.

This is dumb.

I’ve touched on this topic before in the past, but here, my good buddy PJ elaborates a little further and provides some killer circuits to boot. Check it out!

Why Do You Train Your Clients – Lee Boyce

WOW.  Just wow.  Amazing article by Lee which asks the question:  do you educate your clients or just collect their money?

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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 5/10/2011

Rubber Hitting the Road:  When “Talking” About Opening Your Own Facility Is Not Enough – John Izzo

This was a fantastic article by John Izzo which hits the nail on the head on so many fronts, I don’t even know where to begin.  Not a week goes by where either Eric or myself don’t recieve an email (or phone call) from someone asking business advice.

Full Disclosure:  while Eric is a machine and a brilliant coach and business partner; and while he’s the Cressey behind Cressey Performance; and it’s his name/brand that people undoubtedly recognize; it’s our business guy, Pete Dupuis, who’s the mastermind behind much of our success as a business.  He’s the one who’s taking phone calls from parents (trust me, at times, not fun) and coaches, scheduling clients, tracking sessions, keeping track of expenses, paying the bills, ordering equipment, negotiating with the landlord, and most important of all, writing my paychecks!

I say this because while John hits on many. many valuable points in his article, one point that I feel is crucial – especially if you’re considering entrepreneurship in this industry – is hiring a business guy.  It will make all the difference in the world, and will allow you to focus on what your strengths are.  Which, for most, is assessing, writing programs, having big biceps, and coaching.

5 Most Overrated Exercises – Nick Tumminello

Did I or did I not tell you that livestrong.com was stepping up their game and getting more quality trainers/coaches  to write for their site?  Here, my buddy Nick Tumminello, gives the low-down on a handful of popular exercises that aren’t quite as badass as they may first appear.

Why Kids Need Recess And Exercise – Denene Millner

The fact that this is even debatable blows my mind.  Back when I was in elementary school, some of my fondest memories are thinking back to recess – playing kickball, burnball, and triple-dog daring my best friend, Joe, to try to kiss (on the lips!) Susie behind the swings.

Needless to say, the highlight of the day was heading outside for those 30-40 minutes and doing whatever it is we felt like doing – whether it was throwing rocks at squirrels or using our lunch trays to slide down the hill in the middle of winter.

Today, however, kida are lucky to get 15 minutes – and that’s stretching it.  Instead, schools are under pressure to increase tests scores, and as a result, recess is often an afterthought – despite research showing otherwise that giving kids a break IMPROVES their capacity to learn.  And, lest we forget the ever growing obesity and diabetes epidemic amongst our youth.

Listen, I’m not blaming schools, and I understand that their first priority is to educate our kids.  But to deprive them of a simple need – the need to freakin MOVE – is a travesty in my opinion and something that’s a HUGE mistake.