Most people who have been following me know that when I left Cressey Sports Performance back in 2015 and started my own gym I was quick to affiliate myself with a small Boston-based company called Pedestal Footwear.
Granted one of the co-owners – Brendan McKee – was a long-time CSP friend, but when he reached out to me to introduce me to his business partner, Mike Lyon, to set up a meeting for Mike and I to meet, it didn’t take more than ten seconds for me to appreciate that what they were trying to accomplish and the message they were trying to convey was something I could get on board with.
Mike and I met, we discussed what Pedestal Footwear was all about, we deadlifted, and it was a match made in heaven.
In the year since that first meeting I have been using Pedestal Footwear exclusively in my training.
A video posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on
I’ve also been recommending them to all of my athletes and clients. In fact, each person that starts training at CORE receives a complimentary pair.[footnote]And a high-five, or hug. What can I say: sometimes it gets weird.[/footnote]
In fact, it’s not uncommon for everyone on the gym floor to be rocking their Pedestals during training, which, now that I think of it, definitely calls for a new hashtag.
#PedestalParty
Why Pedestal?
1) We don’t wear gloves when we type on a laptop, so why do we feel it’s necessary to wear shoes at all times, especially when we train?
When standing your feet are the one part of your body that’s in constant contact with the floor providing sensory input with regards to spacial awareness and balance. There’s a time and place for shoes, but when you’re inside, in a controlled environment, the capacity to actually use the small intrinsic muscles at the bottom of your feet can enhance training.
2) On that last point, many nagging injuries such as Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, and many other injuries up and down the kinetic chain (knee pain, low back pain) have their roots at the feet. Due to wearing cement blocks for shoes at all times many (not all) people have lost the ability to use their feet because the feet are weak, and in turn, compromises the ankles and all the other joints up the chain.
3) More specifically, Pedestal Footwear aren’t just socks. They’re engineered and designed to enhance your training.
Their Base Grip makes it so that your feet stayed glued to the floor and don’t slip. Perfect for performing things like squats and deadlifts. What’s more, you can wear them in shoes – and many do – to help keep the feet more stable inside.
The Ped-Tex Blend makes them almost indestructible. Batman gives them a thumbs-up.
The Woven Saddle, which utilizes the Silver Weave, makes it so the socks themselves won’t become a HAZMAT hazard. They stay odor and bacteria free.
4) They’re manufactured in the USA, if that’s something that’s important to you.
5) And it’s not just me that’s been singing their praises. Other well-known coaches and health/fitness industry professionals have hopped on board: Bret Contreras, Nick Tumminello, Dr. Emily Splichal, Jen Sinkler, BJ Gaddour, and Bill Parisi are just few.
6) In addition reputable fitness publications such a Men’s Health Magazine, The FitCast, BodyBuilding.com, and STACK have all endorsed Pedestal Footwear.
Support and Find Out More
I don’t receive one nickel for any of this. I’m helping out because, yes, Brendan and Mike are two friends of mine, but also because they’re two guys who are the epitome of integrity and are doing the fitness industry a favor by attempting to bring Pedestal Footwear to the masses.
They’ve just started a KickStarter Campaign TODAY (<— CLICK)highlighting the new 2.0 versions. It would be a huge favor to me if you’d take the time to watch the video below and possibly consider helping out their cause.
I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend and have had ample time to recover from their Halloween candy induced insulin coma.
Don’t worry, I’m not judging. If you want to dress up as a Stormtrooper or slutty vampire and walk to a party while double fisting Butterfingers, have at it. This needs to happen more often if you ask me.
I for one DID NOT dress up for Halloween. It’s not my bag. Well, I didn’t dress up in a costume anyways. We went out to dinner with another couple at a fancy schmany place near our apartment and I wore jeans and a blazer. A BLAZER!!
That in of itself is a costume. I could make the case I dressed up as “non-strength coach.”
Anyways, it’s been awhile since I’ve done a Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday post so lets jump right into the nuts and bolts.
1. I’ve Teamed Up With Pedestal Footwear
I’m only two weeks into my new venture as a solo “gig” in Boston and I’ve been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to team up with a really cool company called Pedestal Footwear.
As the name implies they’re a Boston-based company that specializes in socks (and helping to make people into savages).
But not your every day run-of-the-mill white socks like the lame ones you get for Christmas or from your significant other because all your other pair have holes in them.
No, these socks are more baller because they’re made by people who lift for people who lift.
For starters they’re super comfy and look cool (just look at Exhibit A above). More to the point (speaking to why they’re made for people who lift)…have you ever tried to deadlift in socks on a lifting platform or something equally as slippery?
It’s annoying.
On a scale of how annoying with a 1 being “a pebble in your shoe” and 10 being “Kanye West,” it’s around a 5. So, yeah, annoying.
Pedestals are made with these sticky thingamajigs on the bottom that prevent your feet from sliding around as you train.
^^^ Sticky thingamajigs ^^^
They’re also made with a fabric that reduces the “your feet smell like a fart passing through an onion” phenomenon by a factor of ten. It’s science.
Last but not least: they’re packaging is so on point. If you’re someone who appreciates packaging, Pedestal Footwear is basically the Apple of the sock industry.
Nonetheless, all new clients who start working with me at my studio in Boston will be given a complimentary pair. Holla!
And even if you’re not a client of mine I’d encourage you to check them out anyways because 1) if you lift weights you’ll appreciate the quality 2) I really dig the product and 3) I said so.
Full Disclosure: I am NOT receiving any affiliate income for promoting this product.
Full Disclosure II: I am not at all opposed to considering sponsorship from other companies too. Especially Audi.
2. Beast Sensor
Autoregulation in training (and keeping tabs of velocity and bar speed via bio markers) is all the rage nowadays, and rightfully so. There’s a ton or efficacy, anecdotal evidence amongst coaches, and research to back it up.
Just a few gleaming examples:
– Bryan Mann, university of Missouri and NSCA, “Developing Explosive Athletes: Use of The Velocity Based Training in Training Athletes”
– Carmelo Bosco, Muscular Strength, Physiological Aspects and Practical Applications
– Jidovsteff et Al, Inertial Muscular Profiles allow a more accurate training load definitions,
– Rontu, Pekka et Al, One – Repetition Maximum Bench Press performance estimated with a new accelerometer method
– Gonzalez-Badillo and Sanchez-Medina, movement Velocity as a Measure of Loading Intensity in Resistance Training
– Jandacka and Beremlisjski, Determination of Strength Exercise Intenisties based on the Load Power Velocity Relationship
– Verkhoshansky and Mell Siff, Supertraining
– Zatsiorsky, Science and Practice Of Strength Training
Products like Gymaware, Push, and Tendo have made velocity based training more accessible to the general public at a fraction of the cost compared to years past.
Another cool app/product that’s grown in popularity and is fast gaining traction as of late is the Beast Sensor.
I’m only just getting acquainted with the product myself, but so far I really like it and feel it has a lot of uses outside of the “it looks cool” factor. The Beast can help with motivation, adapt lifting to daily conditions (depending on how you feel you may need to tweak optimal loading per day), help organize data via their WebPortal, in addition to more advanced analytics that are outside my scope of experience because I’m not a NASA rocket scientist.
Needless to say: you can do a lot with the data and get instant feedback on your daily performance. Check out their website if this has piqued your interest and let me (and them) know what you think.
And again, I receive NO kickbacks for recommending this product.
3. “Work Smarter, Not Harder”
My boy Tony Bonvechio wrote a great article yesterday titled 20 Frustrated Fitness Thoughts that I feel everyone should read.
In it he had the following gem of a quote:
“Work harder, not smarter” doesn’t apply if you’re not working hard in the first place.
Let that marinate for a moment and think twice before you send out that Tweet this AM that you’re “rising and grinding.”
No one gives a shit. Really, I’m not kidding. No one.
As a frame of reference I just listened to the latest episode of Mike Robertson’s Physical Preparation Podcast where he interviewed his business partner, Bill Hartman.
Bill noted that he had worked every Saturday from 1998-2013. For those who suck at math that’s 15 consecutive years of working six days a week.
You’re bragging about getting up at 5AM two days in a row to train clients? That’s cute.
New Rules of Lifting for Women is still a book I refer women to all the time. It’s saved me innumerable hours trying to explain why Tracy Anderson is a moron in addition to counteracting many other myths and fallacies with regards to women and strength training.
I was sent an advance copy of Lou and Alwyn’s latest book geared towards women and it’s nothing short of amazeballs[footnote]I dare you, Amazon, to use use that as an endorsement.[/footnote]
I believe it’s slated for release on November 10th, so it’s right around the corner. Keep your eyes peeled and make sure you purchase a copy for your mom, girlfriend, aunt, best friend, sister, or your old 11th grade Enblish teacher. Cause, that’s not weird at all.
5. Actually, I Lied. I’m Reading Other Stuff Too
My wife likes to pick on me because I tend to read 3-4 books at a time. I’ll read a few pages or a chapter in one book and then move onto the next.
Ever thought to yourself, “in the movie 300 they shoot arrows up into the sky and they seemingly blot out the sun. Is this possible, and how many arrows would it take?”
This question is answered (and many more like it) in this book. It’s basically nerd heaven.
I’d like to make a submission: “why can’t my wife go more than five minutes without giving me the look of death whenever I leave a dish in the sink without washing it?”
Oh, hey babe! I didn’t realize you were standing there behind me as I wrote that. I love you. What’s with the lead pipe? Babe? BABE????? Ahhhhhhhhh…..
6. Did You Know I Dabble In Movie Reviews?
I have a silly day dream that I’ll one day be paid to write movie reviews. I can think of nothing more that would make up the most perfect day than going to the gym and then spending the rest of the day watching movies.
Okay, maybe diving into a swimming pool of Honey Nut Cheerios or playing Laser Tag with 100 clones of Olivia Munn would rank up there too. But after that, I’d watch the shit out of movies.
I wrote some reviews for the following movies recently:
