CategoriesFemale Training Strength Training

What To Expect In the Gym When You’re Expecting

Note From TG: This is a re-publication (with updated edits/additions) of an article I wrote a few years ago. I figured since I’m currently working with four women at the moment – three in person, and one distance based – who are pregnant, it was something I felt required a little dusting off.

Hope you enjoy it.

Okay, I know what some of you may be thinking: What does someone who has succumbed to male pattern baldness, hates The Notebook1, and pees standing up know about the female body, let alone speaking to something that’s arguably the most precious, magical, and delicate time of a woman’s life?

(insert shrug emoji here)

Close-up pregnant woman doing exercise indoors.

What to Expect (In the Gym) When Expecting

Well, first off: Not for nothing, I took health class in 9th grade, so I know where babies come from Smarty Pants. For those who don’t know, when a man and a woman love one another they place a note in a bottle and throw it into the sea.

Eventually a mermaid reads it, sends her pet seahorse to the Galapagos Islands where he then relays the message to Henry the stork.

And wah-lah…a baby arrives nine months later.

Don’t argue with me, it’s science.

Secondly, in the just over two decades I’ve been a strength coach I’ve worked with and trained a few dozen women through their pregnancies and I thought I’d share some of my own thoughts on the topic because I feel much of the information out there directed towards women is regurgitated, archaic, hogwash.

Admittedly I have a strong viewpoint and recognize that not everyone will agree with me (and that’s cool). But it’s my hope that this post at least opens up the conversation and helps encourage people to think outside the box.

For me there’s a massive dichotomy between what I do and what most (not all) of the research says we should be doing when working with someone who’s pregnant.

Obligatory Disclaimer: Every pregnancy is different; each woman needs to consider her own specific situation. And, to cover your bases, it’s best to consult with your physician. Preferably one that lifts…;0)

No one should be made to feel guilty or lazy if they need to take it easy; the health of the baby and mother are paramount.

While it always comes down to the individual, their comfort level, their ability to listen to their body, as well as their past training history, I find it somewhat disheartening that there are health professionals out there (both primary and tertiary, as well as many of us in the fitness industry), and even more articles, that suggest “training” should orbit around light walking and what mounts to folding laundry.

Close-up photo of woman folding laundry on sofa

For me, when I’m working with someone who’s expecting, it’s about preparing them for something a helluva lot more significant than lifting pink dumbbells (or for that matter anything I’ll ever have to do as a member of the Y chromosome club).

I mean, I think it’s an accomplishment I can grow chest hair, but if you’re able to grow and push a human being out of your body, that’s next level shit.

If that’s the case, you’re also capable of lifting a barbell off the ground.

Repeatedly.

But let me be clear, and this is going to serve as the proverbial umbrella of the entire conversation:

It ALWAYS comes down to the woman’s comfort level.

Regardless of one’s experience in the gym, whether they’re a seasoned veteran or a newbie, I always instruct the women I work with to listen to their body. After a few hundred thousand years of evolution, the human body is pretty smart, resilient, and will let you know when it’s pissed off or doesn’t like something.

Now, I’m not insinuating that every expecting mother out there should go out and try to hit a deadlift PR on a weekly basis or snatch a mack truck over their head. But I’m certainly in the camp that feels we can offer a lot more than simply telling them to “go walk on the treadmill” or what mounts to playing patty cake for shits and giggles.

As an example, here’s one of my former female clients, Whitney, when I was a coach at Cressey Sports Performance performing some heavy(ish) deadlifts at roughly 32 weeks out.

And I say “heavy(ish)” because the weight in this video was no where near her best effort.

 

Because this is a gargantuan topic and because my head is spinning in several different directions – and because it’s something I can’t possibly cover in one simple blog post – I’m just going to shoot from the hip and blurt out some thoughts in random order.

Stuff

1. Before I begin I’d be doing a huge disservice to the discussion if I didn’t point people in the direction of Dr. Laura Latham, Julia Ladewski, and Stacey Schaedler all of whom are three very strong (and very smart) women who have written extensively on women training through their pregnancy.

Likewise, I’d be remiss not to mention Dr. Sarah Duvall’s excellent Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification – it’s not only THE best resource on the topic of training during pregnancy and postpartum, but, if I’m be honest, its THE best course I’ve ever taken.

To rank them:

1. Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist

2. Lightsaber Self-Defense Against the Dark Arts (and fit-fluencers)

3. CPR.

To quote the Dr. Duvall herself:

“You gotta lift shit to fix shit.”

If you’re a trainer, strength coach, physical therapist, or I don’t know, an Orc – it stands to reason this information applies to 50% of your current/potential client roster…

…you WILL need to know this stuff.

I’d also be remiss not to point to THIS amazing archive on the Girls Gone Strong website – everything from myths about strength training during pregnancy to pelvic floor dysfunction is covered. In addition, HERE is a FREE 5-day course by GGS dedicated to trainers who work with postpartum clients.

(On that same front, if anyone reading has any high-quality websites, blogs, or general information they’d like people to know about PLEASE link to them in the comments section below).

2. Just to give you a little insight into the type of information being regurgitated out there, one of the women I used to train had a friend who told her that when she was pregnant, her physician recommended that a great way to get more protein in her diet was to pound milk shakes.

“I…drink…your…milkshake.”

via GIPHY

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

Anyways, back to milkshakes.

Many women fall into the trap of “Well, I’m eating for two now,” and interpret it as a free-pass or opportunity to ramp up their caloric intake. Granted, there’s no doubt the metabolic demands of the body increases when another human being is growing inside of it, but lets not get too carried away here.

Most of the research and material I’ve read says that an increase of 400 kcals per day is more than enough to cover one’s bases, and to ensure adequate fuel for the body and the growing fetus.

Giving that a little perspective, 400 kcals mounts to roughly four (standard) tablespoons of peanut butter.

peanuts butter

That’s it.

No need to go crazy with pizza buffets, a baker’s dozen from Krispy Kreme, or a daily liter of Coke challenge (the drink, not the drug). Don’t try to fool yourself into thinking that just because you’re pregnant, means you can go bonkers with the calories.

I am not saying it’s wrong, and I can attest to the weird food cravings that come about. For instance my wife was obsessed with tacos for a four-week span, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more than happy to hit up our local taqueria several times per week; it’s not like she had to pull my arm.

However, just take this as a little dose of “tough love” and expectation management.

“Eating for two” is a bit overplayed and overstated.

3.  While the topic of nutrition is HIGHLY individual, when in doubt stress protein. But really, I don’t care what side of the fence you preside on…low carb, Paleo, Vegetarian, Vegan, or whether you only eat foods that start with the letter Q:

The important thing to remember is to provide adequate calories.

Need a little nudge? Check out THIS amazing infographic from Dr. John Berardi of Precision Nutrition.

4. KEEP THINGS SIMPLE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

But remember…

It all comes down to what THEY’RE comfortable with.

If I’m working with a current client it’s really more a matter of tempering down intensity (load) than it is reneging on any specific exercise. All of the women I am working with currently still deadlift, squat, row, press, etc. As their body changes we’ll of course modify things, but for all intents and purposes it’s business as usual.

I just make sure to check in prior to each session to see how they’re feeling and will make a judgement call on whether or not to adjust a specific session or not.

If I am working with a new client through her first pregnancy I will spend a fair amount of time on proper breathing mechanics and honing in on teaching basic stuff like Goblet Squats, TONS of core stability work (think planks, chops, lifts, Farmer carries, and Pallof Presses), teaching a proper push-up pattern, band resisted hip thrusts (<— video of my wife doing them at 24 weeks), single leg work, and the like.

You’ll notice it’s not that much different than working with a new client who isn’t pregnant, and that’s the point…

…a pregnancy doesn’t automatically mean you’re unable to go to the gym.

The last thing I want is for them to feel like a delicate flower.

Remember: Our job as their coach is to prepare them for something bigger…child birth. Assuming a thorough assessment, taking into consideration any contraindications, using appropriate progressions/regressions, and always checking in on comfort level, a barbell, used in a controlled setting, is no more dangerous than bathing in a tub of seed oils while drinking a diet soda on a yacht full of Paleo CrossFitters.

Likewise, HERE are some thoughts on postpartum considerations for those curious.

Putting things into context, Whitney G (from the deadlift video above) had been training with me for three years, and I knew she knew what she was doing – so I felt completely comfortable throwing deadlift and squat variations (and she still did chin-ups!) into her programs.

Speaking of chin-ups here’s my wife, Lisa, using (natural) progressive overload to complete a rest/pause set.

5. Look at Cara, another mom-to-be I worked with a few years ago who was still training and getting after it 34 weeks into her pregnancy.

Here she was deadlifting 200 lbs for eight reps:

 

Cara trained with me at CSP for well over two years prior to becoming pregnant, and, slight humble brag, was coached very well. We had no problems staying on task with her training when she was expecting.

Which is to say…while certain “tweaks” and modifications were made trimester to trimester, we were still able to maintain a significant training effect.

While she’s definitely an exception to the rule, despite being a first-time mom, she never experienced any morning sickness – something she attributed to not flaking on her training.

From Cara herself:

It was hard to find information specific to heavy weight lifting. Most “advice” given about exercise has to do with cardio, probably because that’s what doctors expect most women are doing. In general, there’s an attitude that if you are already fit, you can continue what you are used to. So I made my own decision to continue what I was doing, to the best of my ability, just paying attention to what felt comfortably to me personally. Taking longer breaks, adjusting weights and positions as needed.

Others might think I lift “too much” or let my heart rate get “too high” but I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all limits on what pregnant women should be doing. We’re all accustomed and able to do different things when not pregnant, and I think the same can apply during pregnancy.

6.  By that same token, I don’t want to give the impression that every woman who’s pregnant has to lift heavy things. There are quite a number of other things to pay close attention to.

Shedding some light here are a few thoughts provided by Boston-based trainer Laura DeVincent, who’s Pre/Post Natal Certified through FitForBirth:

The first ten minutes of a session are spent diaphragmatic breathing, which I think is vital for keeping connected with the core. Although kind of awkward to coach, kegals are also important to prevent problems down the road. The next 30-40 minutes are spent on corrective exercise and strength training, and the last 10 minutes are spent interval training.

7.  Expounding a bit further, something else to consider is stretching. Does it have a place? Many women (and fitness professionals) are under the assumption that stretching is an important factor, but I’d actually caution against it in this case.

In fact I’m actually not a huge fan of stretching in general – as most people suck at it, only stretch what they’re good at, and, what’s more, you’re not actually “stretching” anything anyways (only increasing the tolerance to stretching).

But that’s a debate for another time.

As the pregnancy progresses the body produces more of a hormone called Relaxin, which, as the name implies, makes the tendons and ligaments (soft tissue) “relax” or more “pliable” as the body gets closer and closer to the due date.

This can make activities such as running, yoga, and group classes not as much of a better or “safer” alternative as many will have you think.

Pregnant woman in yoga class

Mirroring my thoughts, Laura notes:

In my experience, most women that are used to doing group ex classes feel nervous doing intense plyometric and cardio workouts, so they love the fact that they can get intense with weight training!

What most women deem “intense weight training” can be left to interpretation, but it stands to reason that contrary to popular belief, weight training can be argued to be SAFER than most other options…if for no other reason(s) than it is generally more controlled, can be more easily individualized, and focuses more on improving stability (via strengthening).

8.  Taking it a step even further, and touching on the whole heart rate issue, my good friend Dean Somerset offers his insight as well:

The big cautions come from not wanting to have large blood pressure fluctuations early on in the pregnancy or having too much of an anaerobic load that would cause stress to the fetus. If the muscles are pulling all the oxygen and not enough is going to the fetus, it can cause some issues, so most cardio is best performed beneath anaerobic threshold, or in short bursts where fatigue isn’t a major factor.

Loading tends to have to be decreased over time due to changes in core stability, pelvic dilation, presence of lumbosacral ligamental laxity, and increasing pressure on the bladder and bowels. It’s cool to deadlift in the second trimester, but something to avoid in the third trimester in favour of squatting, moving from a conventional stance to more of a sumo stance as the pregnancy goes on.

I’m not going to sit here and diss on CrossFit – because there is plenty about CrossFit that I like.

All I’ll say is that if you’re someone who’s pregnant and you’re still adamant on going to CrossFit every week (and that’s completely fine), please, please, PLEASE use some common sense and recognize that it’s okay to pump the brakes a bit and not feel like you’re going to cough up a spleen when you train.

9.  Shedding some more light on this topic, here are some sage words from strength coach, John Brooks:

The problem with training pregnant women is no two pregnancies are the same. With our first born my wife hit rep PRs into the early third trimester, did chins, and lots of unilateral leg work deep into the pregnancy. This latest (due in march) had some complications and bleeding early on, so she was on pelvic rest (which means you can pretty much do somewhere between jack and crap) now she’s back up to some basic body part split stuff. Totally different response to training stress in those conditions.

I’ve worked with a couple other women who didn’t have complications and for me the HR monitor was the key, Keep their HR down below threshold, keep a training effect going, and (especially if this is the second+) no movements that abduct the legs either quickly or under load (if you don’t know why ask your mother).

10.  And bringing everything to a nice succinct stopping point, I want to share one of my former distance coaching client’s, Laura, (whom I trained through her second pregnancy), perspective on everything:

I was one of those lucky women Tony trained through a pregnancy. During this time, I also regularly attended kettlebell classes in preparation for my RKC certification, which I passed 7 month after delivery.

With solid programming from Tony that included a lot of heavy compound lifts and modifications where necessary (no barbell glute thrusters), I was fitter at the end of the pregnancy than I had been at the beginning, with a slew of new PRs in my pocket as well – including squats and deadlifts.

My daughter presented in a posterior position (sunny side up), but I only had to go through 20 minutes of pushing — believe me that’s rare. With doctor approval, I was back swinging kettlebells in the gym the day after I was home from the hospital, and I healed like a champ.

Now, I’m not trying to blow sunshine up my own butt, but how many women do you know who are back in the gym a mere day after returning from the hospital? [Pats self on back].

Mind you: This SHOULD NOT be considered a standard goal for everyone.

That said, there’s no way Laura could have done that – let alone even think about doing it – if she had only resorted to yoga classes and basing all of her training sessions around weights that are lighter than the purse she carries around on her shoulder.

11.  Something else to think about is the fact that Laura had a very progressive MD (which is rare, but a breath of fresh air) and midwife, who, according to her, “understood that pregnancy is not an illness or handicap.”

As well, according to her, “I also took a lot of comfort from the wonderful book Exercising Through Your Pregnancy by James Clapp, which examines study after study showing the value of continuing to engage in strenuous exercise during pregnancy.

The book also provides advice for people who go into pregnancy in more of a de-conditioned state.

So there you have it

While not an exhaustive list, and certainly a topic which deserves someone taking a more proactive approach into what’s the right course of action for HER, I feel this post provides a rather unique (and dare I say: anti-status quo) approach to how women should go about exercising through their pregnancy.

I’m in no way saying that my opinion is right or should be considered the gold standard. But it deserves every bit as much consideration as all the other advice being given.

Coming full circle, isn’t it funny how people will often scoff, give double takes (or worse panic) if they see a pregnant woman lifting appreciable weight in the gym, yet fail to recognize that women have been partaking in far superior activities – walking across continents, manually plowing fields, hunting, and gathering – loooooong before barbells existed.

They (and their babies) turned out just fine.

CategoriesUncategorized

How to Correct Diastasis Recti and Turn It Into a Bulletproof Core

As a card carrying member of the Y chromosome I did not write today’s article.

This isn’t to say I lack the confidence or knowledge to do so – in fact, I’ve gone out of my way in recent years to educate myself more on postpartum issues so that I am better prepared to work with & help my female clients.

It’s just I feel this is a topic in better hands with a woman. And not only that, a woman who has had firsthand experience with diastasis recti.1

I don’t feel this is a controversial take.2

If you’re someone – man or woman – who works with postpartum clients it will behoove you to read this article via Certified Personal Trainer and Postpartum Exercise Specialist Gina Paulhus.

She does an excellent job providing actionable solutions to a complex problem.

Hands of physiotherapist checking diastasis recti on belly of postpartum woman

I Can Teach You How to Improve Diastasis Recti with Exercises Anyone Can Do

Have you been told you have diastasis recti? Or have you figured it out on your own while spending some quality time with Google? While it can be scary to think that you have a “hole” in your abs, take heart – there are many non-surgical options available.

I have healed my own diastasis as well as two large hernias with a natural, exercise-based approach. This outcome was confirmed by ultrasound. My healing happened after several surgeons told me that my only solution would be to get total abdominal wall reconstruction – with mesh! 

Note From TG: puh!

What is Diastasis Recti, Exactly?

To answer that question, a bit of anatomy is in order. The two sides of your abdominal wall connect in the middle on a line of fascia called the linea alba. 

This line appears between each and every person’s “six pack” muscle, otherwise known as the rectus abdominis. When that tissue in the midline thins out beyond a certain point it’s known as diastasis recti. Pregnancy is the most common reason a person develops a diastasis.

While more women develop diastasis, it can totally happen to dudes as well.

Certain workouts and non-optimal daily movement patterns can both make a diastasis worse, which is why it’s important to identify when you have a diastasis so that you can take steps to nip it in the bud. 

Hey, Fancy-Pants: You Can Measure Your Own Diastasis

You can measure your diastasis by barely lifting your head and checking the width and depth between the two sides of the rectus abdominis muscles. Anything greater than two and a half finger widths is going to qualify you as a card-carrying member.

You also want the area to feel on the firm side – think trampoline-like. Broken trampolines are no bueno. A doctor, PT or Postpartum Exercise Specialist will be able to assist you in checking if you’re unsure. It’s always going to be a bit of an estimate when using fingers. Ultrasound is the gold standard on whether or not a diastasis is present.1

Every pregnant woman has a diastasis at their due date, so it’s normal at that point in time. By some estimates 39% of women have a diastasis at six months postpartum.2 Because of that peeps, we can’t necessarily assume that everyone will bounce back the same way after giving birth! In other words, stay clear of those show offs on the ‘gram who are hoisting cars overhead a few weeks out from giving birth. The other thing to know is that diastasis can become a greater problem with each subsequent birth because the tissues will stretch faster the more times they have been stretched out before.

Oftentimes if a woman is “fine” after one child she is shocked when, by her second or third child, things have changed a lot in her abs. For other women, the first pregnancy has already led to a diastasis that didn’t resolve.

Everyone is different and each pregnancy is different. I CAN’T EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH. The nice thing is, once you know how to correct diastasis recti, the same principles can be utilized during any future pregnancies to keep yourself safe.

And then maybe, you too can hoist a car after giving birth next time (I mean, I wouldn’t).

Young sporty woman with in training

What’s the Big Deal About Having a Diastasis?

A huge part of our core’s job is to be able to handle pressure generated in our body. This pressure is generated when we work out as well as during daily activities. We generate pressure in our core in order to protect our spine. If pressure is generated poorly, it can result in a diastasis forming.

By learning how to fine tune our pressure management, we put our bodies into a position to undo the damage. HOW COOL IS THAT? IT’S LIKE MAGIK. 

How do you know your limit of how hard you can push? If you see a doming out of your midline during exertion, it’s a telltale sign that you have a diastasis and that what you are doing is making it worse. A poochy lower belly that sags and protrudes is another red flag to watch out for.

via GIPHY

Can’t I Just Have Surgery For My Diastasis?

Yes, surgery is an option. However, I will warn you – even if you choose to get surgery, that doesn’t mean your work is done.

If you haven’t taught yourself how to better manage pressure in your core, the diastasis could very well return. And if it does, the additional scar tissue you will have accumulated might cause more problems. 

via GIPHY

You also will become weaker while you lay dormant waiting for your surgery to heal – the exact opposite of what a diastasis needs, which is more core strength!

Rather than skip immediately to surgery, I would much rather see folks learn how to manage pressure in their core.

This sets them up for success in healing a diastasis naturally, as well as leads them to the best possible post surgical outcome if surgery is chosen. Either way, learning proper pressure management is where it’s at when it comes to healing a diastasis.

There are particular muscles that need to be called out and worked when you’re looking to correct diastasis recti.

  • Learning to contract a special “corset” muscle deep in your abs called your transverse abdominis (TAs) before you perform an exercise can help create tension across your midline. Once that tension is in place, it means that you get the green light to work your core. And working your core is what you so desperately need for healing. Fascia requires stress to heal. But like goldilocks, not too much and not too little is best.
  • Your pelvic floor works as a team with your TAs, so we want to make sure that it is up to snuff. It may be tighter or looser than we want for optimal functioning. Leaking pee when coughing, sneezing or exerting is a sign that things are amiss.
  • Working on how you breathe can go a long way toward healing a diastasis. When our breathing technique is off, it loads excess pressure on your diastasis, preventing the fascia from healing. The diaphragm is a critical muscle for our breathing function.
  • Other muscles can affect how our core loads too. Take inventory of your serratus muscle (the muscle just in front of and under your armpit) as well as your glutes. Both can have a huge impact on healing a diastasis. 

Muscles need time to heal after getting stretched out due to pregnancy or other causes. Rushing right back into all the exercises you did before is a recipe for keeping a diastasis present – or for making it worse. DON’T FEED THE MONSTER! Fascia can heal when we support it with the right environment, but the timing of when we challenge it versus when we let it rest matters. A lot.

Tackle Correcting Your Diastasis in these 4 Steps

Step 1: Work On Your 360 Breathing

 

This exercise will help improve the amount of pressure that is pushed out toward your diastasis, whether we are talking during exercise or during everyday life. Bad habits in daily life can undo a lot of high quality exercise, FWIW.

Step 2: Find Your TAs, Otherwise Known As Your “Corset” Muscles

 

You’d be surprised how many people’s TAs are completely out to lunch! It’s common for the bigger ab muscles to do all the work after a diastasis has formed. Unless we specifically perform an exercise that forces them to come back on board, the TAs could be lost forever.

Don’t let that happen people!

Step 3: Test How Stable You Can Keep Your Core While You’re Moving Your Limbs

If you feel any movement at all in your pelvis, slow the move down, or simply don’t extend your leg as far. This exercise will greatly improve the stability of your core – something everyone with a diastasis so desperately needs.

Step 4: If You’re Having Trouble With Any of the Above Exercises, You Might Need to Do Some Release Work

 

While a professional massage is great, ain’t nobody got time for that on the regular. This technique is great to do at the beginning of your workout to make performing the above exercises easier. And heck yeah, who wouldn’t want to make exercises easier?

What’s Up With Those Abdominal Binders?

They can be a good idea when you’ve just had a baby to use something to help support the abs. But hold up – after the first six weeks I don’t recommend wearing one, and here’s why.

  1. Binding the abs can create more pressure down on the pelvic floor, which can contribute to other issues developing such as pelvic organ prolapse. Bottom-up support in the form of a pair of supportive shorts are safer if you must use some external support.
  2. As I said before, fascia needs some stress to heal. It’s similar to the idea of wearing an ankle brace for the rest of your life – if you do that, your ankle will never get stronger.

You can always apply tape to your abdomen while trying to bridge the gap between wearing a binder and going with nothing. I know many folks who have healed their diastasis who swore by the tape. I like Rocktape best for this, although KT tape can also work. And you also get to cover yourself in brightly colored strips so that randoms can ask you questions.

It’s a great ice breaker. 

What are the Keys to Healing a Diastasis To Completion Once and For All?

Why, I’m glad you asked.

1. Build a more efficient and effective breathing pattern.

Good breathing patterns help our structure and also prime our nervous system to push out the optimal hormones to heal. The 360 breathing drill in the video above is a great start.

2. Improve posture.

Poor posture puts a ton of pressure out on a diastasis, preventing healing. Good posture, in a nutshell, involves stretching tall and stacking our ribcage over our pelvis well. Make grandma proud, yo!

3. Perform exercises that strengthen the full body.

When the rest of your body is strong, less pressure is applied to the abdomen. Strong glutes and a strong pelvic floor in particular really matter for how a diastasis heals! Since your pelvic floor can be too tight or too weak for optimal functioning, it’s important to figure out what’s going on with yours. See my article on prolapse here for more information on the pelvic floor.

You can also read more about leaking here.

4. It’s not enough to have strong abs.

They need to be balanced! A corrective exercise specialist can check out how your muscle balance is looking and prescribe a workout plan to help. If you need help with the other muscles I mentioned as well, such as the serratus or the glutes, once again a corrective exercise specialist can save the day.

5. Whatever you do, STOP DRAWING IN YOUR BELLY in an attempt to support your diastasis!

This is only going to make things worse since it interferes with the natural functioning of your core. Take my word for it. The halter tops will have to wait.

Remember, I have healed my own diastasis as well as 2 large hernias with this exact full body approach. This outcome was confirmed by ultrasound. My healing occurred from committing to an exercise plan after a few different surgeons told me that my only solution would be to get total abdominal wall reconstruction with mesh!

About the Author

Gina Paulhus, CPT and PCES Certified, has been a personal trainer for over 20 years. Through her company Home Bodies she offers in home as well as Zoom 1:1 Personal Training. Gina’s passions include helping men and women heal from a diastasis as well as from hernias. She is a two time author. Gina is also the creator of the world’s first Adult Gymnastics Camp.

Sources

1 A T M van de Water 1, D R Benjamin 2. Measurement methods to assess diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle (DRAM): A systematic review of their measurement properties and meta-analytic reliability generalisation. 2016 Feb;21:41-53. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2015.09.013

2 Patrícia Gonçalves Fernandes da Mota, Augusto Gil Brites Andrade Pascoal et. al. Prevalence and risk factors of diastasis recti abdominis from late pregnancy to 6 months postpartum, and relationship with lumbo-pelvic pain. Observational Study Man Ther. 2015 Feb;20(1):200-5. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2014.09.002. 

CategoriesFemale Training Program Design Strength Training

You Need to Lift Shit to Fix Shit: Some Postpartum Considerations

I know, I know…

I’m a dude.

What could I possibly have to say when it comes to the delicate intricacies of postpartum anything?

Well, as it happens, I’ve worked with many women during and after their pregnancies throughout the years, and have had pretty good success with mansplaining the inner workings of a uterus helping them understand that, whether they’ve given birth seven months ago or seven years ago, strength training can help with myriad of postpartum issues.1

*cue the trumpets*

Copyright: nightunter

You Need to Lift Shit to Fix Shit

Just so we’re on the same page…

…when I say “lift shit” this DOES NOT insinuate anything close to maximal effort.

For starters: I’m not an asshole.

Secondly: All strength training is not powerlifting. It’s still feasible to have someone lift appreciable loads – even postpartum – and not assume I’m attempting to turn them into Stefi Cohen.

But more to the point: I’m not an asshole.

I understand, to the best of my Y chromosome having abilities, the intricacies and delicateness that coincide with the months postpartum.

It’s not a time to rush back into things and to race oneself back to pre-pregnancy gym numbers.

The first few months are all about rebuilding the base (specifically to address the pelvic floor and diaphragm, to get the “core” connected again, and to progress from there).

After that, a person’s capabilities and foundation matter more than whatever time frame it takes to get them deadlifting appreciable weight again.

As far as the BIG no-no’s to avoid immediately postpartum:

  • Plyometrics – burpees (please, stop), jumping, stairs, and running.
  • Anything coming close to max-effort loading.
  • Front abdominal exercises (planks, sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts, or anything that makes the abdominals bulge anteriorly or uses the core to support a lot of bodyweight).
  • FWIW: Any sort of Fight Club is out of the question during this time as well.

It’s Not Just About Kegels

Kegel exercises are amazing, but as Dr. Sarah Duvall notes in her spectacular Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist 2.0 course they’re often OVER used.

Or, more often that not…the ONLY thing used.

For many women their postpartum approach = kegels (and that’s it).

Alternatively, a more germane (and, not coincidentally, successful) approach to postpartum training is:

  • Kegels
  • Teaching a GOOD breath – focusing on the canister position.
  • Cementing all of the above with “strength.”

Kegels are a fantastic (and proven) tool to use to help with pelvic floor dysfunction. Teaching them the right way (and when appropriate) helps to connect and educate the pelvic floor. As it stands, women who did dedicated pelvic floor training = 17% less likely to report incontinence.

However, when OVER used kegels can lead to an overactive pelvic floor. Compound that with the all too common scenario of very little attention being made toward the efficacy of positional breathing drills – I.e., emphasizing the canister position (pelvis stacked underneath the ribcage; or reduced rib flare)  – and you have a recipe for disaster.

Photo Credit: Inspired Physiotherapy

Left Image = Canister Position (diaphragm stacked on top of pelvic floor)

Right Image = not that.

Positional breathing begins with teaching a GOOD inhale. This entails 3D (360 degree) expansion of the ribcage. With a good inhale the diaphragm contracts down and it able to “let go” and relax. Moreover, as Sarah notes in her course, every (good) inhale can push down on the pelvic floor which is okay.

Bearing down is one thing. This is not ideal.

However, with a proper inhale, the idea is to push the “ground floor of the house to the basement.” In other words: the inhale EXPANDS pelvic floor. Then, a full, accentuated exhale brings everything back to the ground floor.

For the visual learners out there this may help (graph taken from Sarah’s course):

Again to reiterate:

“Inhale = pushes down onto pelvic floor (get it to the basement)….exhale = RELAXES.”

Taking the time to really build context and to hammer home the importance of the canister position will be a home run for many (if not most) postpartum women.

A simple example would be something like a deadbug, performed with a full 360 degree inhale followed by a drawn out, full exhale (without aggressive bearing down of the abdominals):

 

Tony, Did You Forget About Lifting Things?

Puh.

Not at all.

Strength training is the part where we “cement” all of the above into place. It’s crucial to build pelvic floor awareness (kegels) as well as function (positional breathing drills). If someone is unable to do this right, I am NOT going to load them.

However, assuming the work has been done I see no reason not to.

First we start with TIMING of the breath with the bodyweight squat. Inhale on the way down (pelvic floor expands and relaxes).

Exhale on the way down (pelvic floor comes back up and contracts).

 

Once that is mastered, then we can begin to THIS IS SPARTA. BACK SQUAT MAX EFFORT, BABY.

Just kidding.

I just use common sense and progress accordingly with something like Goblet Squats and always remain cognizant that I DO NOT want any aggressive bearing down of the abdominals and to keep IAP in check. The pelvic floor is just like any other muscle and needs progressive overload too.

Being postpartum is not a disease and I find it increasingly frustrating that many women are programmed into thinking that the only approach is with kegels and kegels only.

It’s a far more multi-faceted approach that requires attention to detail and dare I say…

…lifting shit.

Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist 2.0

In recent years whenever I am asked by other health/fitness professionals what course I’d recommend they look into my immediate answer is Dr. Sarah Duvall’s PCES course.

It’s without hesitation the most valuable continuing education resource I’ve come across in recent memory, and it’s also had the most impact on my own coaching.

Every pregnancy is different.

Every woman who is postpartum is different.

There are a LOT of women out there and you WILL undoubtedly need to know this information and know how to apply it.

As it happens, Sarah just opened up access to the entire PCES 2.0 course:

  • 34 hours of content loaded with a tsunami of lectures, videos, and case studies.
  • CEUs available
  • Save $250 off the regular price through May 21st. Access to the course shuts down on 5/25.
  • FYI: Payment plans available.

This course will teach and show you the appropriate assessments/screens to use as well as the corrective strategies to implement to address everything from pelvic floor dysfunction to incontinence to rectus diastasis. In addition, and this is what I dig the most about Sarah’s approach, is that strength training can and should be a part of the process.

Remember: You only have till midnight on 5/21 to SAVE $250 and access to the course ends on 5/25.

👉  CLICK HERE 👈

CategoriesFemale Training Strength Training

What To Expect (In the Gym) When You’re Expecting

Okay, I know what some of you may be thinking: What does someone who burps out loud, hates The Notebook1, and pees standing up know about the female body, let alone guiding and training someone through what’s arguably the most precious, magical, and delicate time of their life?

Well, first off:  Not for nothing, I took health class in 9th grade, so I know were babies come from Mr. Smarty Pants.  For those who don’t know, when a man and a woman love one another they place a note in a bottle and throw it into the sea.

Eventually a mermaid reads it, sends her pet seahorse to the Galapagos Islands where he then relays the message to Henry the stork. And wah-lah……a baby arrives nine months later.

Don’t argue with me, it’s science.

Secondly, more to the point (and a bit less tongue-in-cheek), in the ten years that I’ve been a strength coach I’ve worked with and trained a number of women through their pregnancies, and since two of my female clients are currently less than three weeks away from “go time” I thought I’d share some of my own thoughts on the topic (as well as those from people who reached out through this blog).

Admittedly I have a strong viewpoint on this topic and recognize that not everyone will agree with me (and that’s cool). But it’s my hope that this post at least opens up the conversation and helps encourage people to think outside the box.

For me there’s a massive dichotomy between what I do and what most (not all) of the research says we should be doing.

Obligatory disclaimer: every pregnancy is different; each woman needs to consider her own specific situation.

No one should be made to feel guilty or lazy if they need to take it easy; the health of the baby and mother are paramount.

While it definitely comes down to the individual, their comfort level, listening to their body, as well as their past training history, I find it somewhat disheartening that there are health professionals out there (both primary and tertiary, as well as many of us in the fitness realm), and even more articles, that suggest that “training” should revolve around light walking and what mounts to folding laundry.

For me, when I’m working with someone who’s expecting, it’s about preparing them for something a helluva lot more significant than lifting pink dumbbells, or for that matter anything I’ll ever have to do.

I mean, I think it’s an accomplishment when I can shave my head without missing a spot.

In my eyes, if they’re able to grow and push a human being out of their body, they’re capable of lifting a barbell off the ground.

Sometimes even over their head.  Repeatedly.

But let me be clear, and this is going to serve as the proverbial umbrella of the entire conversation:

It ALWAYS comes down to one’s comfort level.

Regardless of one’s experience in the gym, whether they’re a seasoned veteren or a newbie, I always tell them to listen to their body.  After a few hundred thousand years of evolution, the human body is pretty smart and will let you know when it’s pissed off or doesn’t like something.

Now, I’m not insinuating that every expecting mother out there should go out and try to hit deadlift PRs on a weekly basis or snatch a mack truck over their head.  But I’m certainly in the camp that feels we can offer a lot more than simply telling them to “go walk on the treadmill” or what mounts to playing patty cake for shits and giggles.

As an example, here’s CP client Whitney G performing some heavy(ish) deadlifts at roughly 32 weeks out.

And I say “heavy(ish)” because the weight in this video is no where near her best effort, but is still a heckuva lot more impressive than what many non-pregnant women throw around.

 

To that end, because this is a gargantuan topic, and because my head is spinning at several different directions, and it’s something that I couldn’t possibly cover in one simple blog post, I’m just going to shoot from the hip and list things out in random order.  I like lists, so whatever.

1. Before I begin I’d be doing a huge disservice to the discussion at hand if I didn’t point people in the direction of Cassandra Forsythe and Julia Ladewski, both of whom are two very strong (and very smart) females who have written extensively on women training through their pregnancy.

Just do a search on both their sites (linked to above) and you should have no issues finding quality information.

On that same front, if anyone reading has any high-quality websites, blogs, or general information they’d like people to know about PLEASE link to them in the comments section below.

Julia Ladewski

2. Just to give you a little insight into the type of information being regurgitated out there:  one of the females that I’m training right now has a friend who told her that when she was pregnant, her physician recommended that a great way to get more protein in her diet was to pound milk shakes.

Many women fall into the trap that, “well, you’re eating for two!”  Granted, there’s no doubt the metabolic demands of the body increases when another human being is growing inside of it, but lets not get too carried away here.  Most of the research and material I’ve read says that an increase of 400 kcals per day is more than enough to cover one’s bases, and to ensure adequate fuel for the body and the growing fetus.

Giving that a little perspective, 400 kcals mounts to roughly four (standard) tablespoons of peanut butter. That’s it.

No need to go crazy with a quarter-pounder with cheese, a baker’s dozen from Krispy Kreme, and a liter of Coke. Don’t try to disenfranchise yourself into thinking that just because you’re preggers, means you can go bonkers with the calories.

Just a little dose of “tough love” there to get things started.

3.  While the topic of nutrition is HIGHLY individual, when in doubt stress protein. But really, I don’t care what side of the fence you preside on:  low carb, Paleo, Vegetarian, Vegan, or whether you only eat foods that start with the letter Q (I can’t of more than five off the top of my head).  The important thing to remember is to provide adequate calories, and try to keep them to as many whole, nutrient dense, un-processed foods as possible.

4.  Take your fish oil.  If you’re already taking fish oil, take more of it – but be sure it’s a HIGH-quality fish oil.  If you choose not to participate in strenuous exercise just to be safe and to keep your mind at ease, that’s perfectly fine.  But it doesn’t make much sense (in my eyes) to do that, only to nonchalantly buy some generic fish oil brand that’s sky high in mercury levels and other toxins.

The nutrients you take in are the same one’s your baby are taking in, so if you’re going to go out of your way to supplement with fish oil – and you should – you might as well do yourself a favor a buy a high-quality brand that has a potency of 50% or higher.

5. If I’m going to be honest, I’d have serious reservations working with someone who has limited experience in the gym or is new to me.  Having a sense of rapport is crucial in this context, as both parties involved have to have quite a bit of trust in one another.

But that isn’t to say I’d turn my back on someone whom I’m not familiar with.  I just wouldn’t go crazy with the programming and would keep things as simplistic as possible.  In keeping with the above mantra:  it all comes down to what THEY’RE comfortable with, but that doesn’t mean we can’t introduce new exercises and drills that are going to have many more far-reaching benefits down the road.

In this scenario, I’d maybe stick to more basic exercises like Goblet squats, TONS of core stability work (think Pallof Presses), teaching a proper push-up pattern, single leg work, and the like.

It’s not like I’m going to throw them to the wolves and have them performing heavy singles and triples.

Putting things into context, Whitney G (from the video above) has been training with me for three years, and I KNOW she knows what she’s doing – so I feel completely comfortable throwing deadlift and squat variations (and she can still do pull-ups!) into her programs.

Someone with limited experience or that I don’t know very well:  not so much, and I’m going to be much, much more conservative.

6.  Likewise, the same can be said for Cara L, another mom-to-be who’s still training and getting after it 34 weeks into her pregnancy.  Here she is deadlifting 200 lbs for eight reps:

 

Cara’s been training at CP for well over two years now, and she’s been coached very well.  As such, we had no problems staying on task with her training.  Which is to say: while certain “tweaks” and modifications were made trimester to trimester, we were still able to maintain a significant training effect.

And while she’s definitely an exception to the rule, despite being a first-time mom, she never experienced any morning sickness – something she attributed to not flaking on her training.

From Cara herself:

It was hard to find information specific to heavy weight lifting. Most “advice” given about exercise has to do with cardio, probably because that’s what doctors expect most women are doing. In general, there’s an attitude that if you are already fit, you can continue what you are used to. So I made my own decision to continue what I was doing, to the best of my ability, just paying attention to what felt comfortably to me personally. Taking longer breaks, adjusting weights and positions as needed.

Others might think I lift “too much” or let my heart rate get “too high” but I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all limits on what pregnant women should be doing. We’re all accustomed and able to do different things when not pregnant, and I think the same can apply during pregnancy.

7.  By that same token, I don’t want to give the impression that every woman who’s pregnant has to lift heavy things.   There are quite a number of other things to pay close attention to.

Shedding some light here are some thoughts via my blog provided by Laura DeVincent, who’s Pre/Post Natal Certified through FitForBirth:

The first 10 minutes of a session are spent diaphragmatic breathing, which I think is vital for keeping connected with the core. Although kind of awkward to coach, kegals are also important to prevent problems down the road. The next 30-40 minutes are spent on corrective exercise and strength training, and the last 10 minutes are spent interval training.

8.  Expounding a bit further, something else to consider is stretching. Does it have a place? Many women (and fitness professionals) are under the assumption that stretching is an important factor, but I’d actually caution against it in this case.

In fact I’m actually not a huge fan of stretching in general – as most people suck at it, and you’re not actually “stretching” anything anyways (only increasing the tolerance to stretching).  But that’s a debate for another time.

As the pregnancy progresses the body produces more of a hormone called Relaxin, which, as the name implies, makes the tendons and ligaments (soft tissue) more “pliable” as the body gets closer and closer to the due date.

Mirroring our thoughts, Laura notes:

In my experience, most women that are used to doing group ex classes feel nervous doing intense plyometric and cardio workouts, so they love the fact that they can get intense with weight training!

What most women deem “intense weight training” can be left to interpretation, but it stands to reason that contrary to popular belief, weight training can be argued to be SAFER than most other options.

9.  Taking it a step even further, and touching on the whole heart rate issue, my good friend Dean Somerset offered his insight as well:

The big cautions come from not wanting to have large blood pressure fluctuations early on in the pregnancy or having too much of an anaerobic load that would cause stress to the fetus. If the muscles are pulling all the oxygen and not enough is going to the fetus, it can cause some issues, so most cardio is best performed beneath anaerobic threshold, or in short bursts where fatigue isn’t a major factor.

Loading tends to have to be decreased over time due to changes in core stability, pelvic dilation, presence of lumbosacral ligamental laxity, and increasing pressure on the bladder and bowels. It’s cool to deadlift in the second trimester, but something to avoid in the third trimester in favour of squatting, moving from a conventional stance to more of a sumo stance as the pregnancy goes on.

I’m not going to sit here and dis on CrossFit – because there is plenty about CrossFit that I like.  And yes, plenty that makes me throw up a little in my mouth.

All I’ll say is that if you’re someone who’s pregnant and you’re still adamant on going to CrossFit every week (and that’s completely fine), please, please, PLEASE use some common sense and recognize that it’s okay to tone it down a bit and not feel like you’re going to cough up a spleen when you train.

10.  Shedding some more light on this topic, here are some sage words from strength coach, John Brooks:

The problem with training pregnant women is no two pregnancies are the same. With our first born my wife hit rep PRs into the early third trimester, did chins, and lots of unilateral leg work deep into the pregnancy. This latest (due in march) had some complications and bleeding early on, so she was on pelvic rest (which means you can pretty much do somewhere between jack and crap) now she’s back up to some basic body part split stuff. Totally different response to training stress in those conditions.

I’ve worked with a couple other women who didn’t have complications and for me the HR monitor was the key, Keep their HR down below threashold, keep a training effect going, and (especially if this is the second+) no movements that abduct the legs either quickly or under load (if you don’t know why ask your mother).

11.  And bringing everything to a nice succinct stopping point, I want to share one of my former distance coaching client’s, Laura M (whom I trained through her second pregnancy), perspective on things:

I was one of those lucky women you trained through a pregnancy. During this time, I also regularly attended kettlebell classes in preparation for my RKC certification, which I passed 7 month after delivery.

With solid programming Tony that included a lot of heavy compound lifts and modifications where necessary (no barbell glute thrusters), I was fitter at the end of the pregnancy than I had been at the beginning, with a slew of new PRs in my pocket as well – including squats and deadlifts.

My daughter presented in a posterior position (sunny side up), but I only had to go through 20 minutes of pushing — believe me that’s rare. With doctor approval, I was back swinging kettlebells in the gym the day after I was home from the hospital, and I healed like a champ.

Now, I’m not trying to blow sunshine up my own butt, but how many women do you know who are back in the gym a mere day after returining from the hospital?

There’s no way Laura could have done that – let alone even think about doing it – if she had only resorted to yoga classes and basing all of her training sessions around weights that are lighter than the purse she carries around on her shoulder.

12.  Something else to think about is the fact that Laura had a very progressive MD (which is rare, but a breath of fresh air) and midwife, who, according to her, understood that pregnancy is not an illness.

As well, according to her, “I also took a lot of comfort from the wonderful book Exercising Through Your Pregnancy by James Clapp, which examines study after study showing the value of continuing to engage in strenuous exercise during pregnancy.

The book also provides advice for people who go into pregnancy in more of a deconditioned state.

So there you have it:  while not an exhaustive list, and certainly a topic which deserves one taking a more proactive approach into what’s the right course of action for HER, I feel this post provides a rather unique (and dare I say:  anti-status quo) approach to how women should go about exercising through their pregnancy.

I’m in no way saying that my opinion is right or should be considered the gold standard. But I am saying it’s something that needs to be discussed.

But coming full circle, isn’t it funny how people will often scoff or give double takes and question a pregnant woman who’s lifting appreciable weight in the gym, yet not think twice about those who crush a bag of Doritos as a snack?

While there are definitely cases where women have to use their own discretion and recognize what’s best for them (and their child), I’m not one to fall into the overly recognized notion that women (and by extension, pregnant women) are these delicate flowers who need to limit themselves to drying the dishes as a form of exercise.

Weight training and strenuous activity have been around a lot longer than Doritos the last time I checked. And plenty of women have came out just fine.

CategoriesMiscellaneous Miscellany Uncategorized

Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: Yes, I Watched the Golden Globes. Don’t Judge Me!

I just realized it’s been a good 5-6 weeks since I’ve done one of these, which is just completely unacceptable.   Part of me feels like I’m doing a disservice to everyone by “wasting” a day to post about random shit.

I mean does everyone really care that I watched every minute of the Golden Globes last night?

Hell yeah you do!

1. If you missed them – all sorts of shenanigans went down.  Tina Fey and Amy Poehler did a bang-up job hosting.  While I didn’t get my panties all up in a bunch like a lot of people did when Ricky Gervais hosted last year, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a breath of fresh air to see that they didn’t go out of their way to “roast” all the attendees.

While on one hand I think if you’re making upwards of $10 million+ to pretend you’re someone else on screen, you should be able to suck it up if someone wants to bust your chops a little bit.

On the other, I don’t necessarily feel someone deserves to be humiliated in front of millions of viewers.

Nevertheless, I was happy to see my boy (as if I know him?) Quentin Tarantino win Best Screenplay for Django Unchained, and was equally as happy to see Ben Affleck (Ben freakin Affleck!) win Best Director (and Best Picture) for Argo.

I’ve had my qualms with Ben in the past. Namely for marrying my long-time crush (from her Alias days) Jennifer Garner, and you know, for making all of us suffer through Gigli.

But I have to say, he’s completely redeemed himself.  I was really impressed when he made his directorial debut with Gone, Baby Gone back in 2007. I was dumbfounded when The Town came out.

Many – myself included – felt Gone, Baby Gone might have been some kind a fluke; beginner’s luck if you will.

But when The Town came out two years ago, anyone who loves movies could tell that he had a knack for this directing thing.

With Argo, he’s easily established himself as one of the A-list directors in H-town.  And, giving credit where credit is due:  the guy’s grown on me as an actor as well.

If you haven’t see it already, I suggest you do it ASAP.

I read the other day that he’s in cohoots with Jason Bourne Matt Damon to make a movie based off the life of Whitey Bulger. Which basically means that if they decide to film in Boston (which I don’t see why they wouldn’t), the entire city is going to go into apeshit mode.

OMGOMGOMGOMG  – it’s going to be awesome.

The other highlights from last night: Wolverine can sing! He won for Best Actor in Les Miserables.  I haven’t seen it yet (mainly because I pee standing up), but stranger things have happened and I’ll most likely check it out soon.

The Oscars are next.  See you in a few weeks.

 2. One of the more common questions I receive on a somewhat regular basis is Tony are those your pecs or cinderblocks you have underneath that shirt? Tony, what’s your beef against Olympic lifting?

Presumably many are under the assumption that because I don’t discuss OLY lifting that much – or that I never program it – I’m adamantly against it.

Au contraire mon soeur.

This couldn’t be further from the truth!

For starters, as a strength coach, I’d be the worst one in history if I was somehow opposed to the OLY lifts. I think it goes without saying that they’re an unparalleled tool to help build explosiveness, power, and overall athleticism.

Thing is:  I don’t have a lot (if any) experience with them. As such, I don’t really go out of my way to coach them, or include them in any of my programs, because I’d be a walking ball of fail if I tried. If anything, I’m taking a huge bite of humble pie by admitting that I don’t feel comfortable as a coach including OLY lifting in my programs.

This isn’t to say that we don’t have other coaches at CP who have more hands-on experience with them and are more comfortable around them. But for me, I think I’d be doing my athletes and clients and disservice by pretending that I know what I’m talking about.

Besides, we make do with various med ball drills, sprinting drills, and the like, which get the job done.

Considering we don’t necessarily know how long we have each athlete for, it makes much more sense from a time-efficiency standpoint to utilize less “coaching intensive” protocols.

Sadly, there are quite a few coaches and trainers out there who don’t have the same mentality as myself. Instead of admitting their weaknesses, they pretend to know what they’re talking about at best coaching people with god-awful technique, and at worst……hurting someone.

That said, recognizing my weaknesses as a coach, I’ve started to delve a little deeper and started to read and watch various texts and DVDs on Olympic lifting.  It’s a whirlwind for sure, but something I feel will help make me a better coach in the grand scheme of things.

As luck would have it, I was sent an advance copy of Will Fleming’s Complete Olympic Lifting DVD a few weeks ago, and it’s been awesome.

The problem isn’t deciding whether or not to incorporate these lifts into our programs. It’s getting your athletes to properly execute them.

And THAT’S what’s helped me the most.

It takes you through the process of assessing, teaching and fixing the Olympic Lifts (and their variations) in a simple, straight forward way you can begin implementing immediately.

No technical jargon. No fluff. No scientific text. No cowbell.

If you’re like me, and the thought of OLY lifting makes you cower in the corner sucking your thumb, I’d highly suggest checking this fantastic resource out.

It’s on sale this week for 40% off the regular price, which is a steal if you ask me.

Check it out HERE, and thank me later.

3.  For more of universal flavor, and because bootcamps are now all the rage in the fitness industry, Mike Robertson, along with Jim Laird and Molly Galbraith have just released a 30-minute webinar as a precursor to their Bootcamp in a Box product coming out later this week (Tuesday, Jan. 15th in fact).

This is a product geared towards bootcamp owners that want to run a smarter and safer bootcamp.

I know all you hear right now is blah, blah, blah, just another bootcamp product to throw onto the “not interested” list.

But what differentiates this from all the other similar products there is:

  • I personally know Mike (as well as Jim and Molly) and know they’re all passionate about the type of information they put out there, and won’t allow themselves to put out a poo-poo product.
  • This is a DVD and manual which gives you – on a platter – an entire training system that you can use with your bootcamp clients.

It entails 6-months of done-for-you programming, progressions and regressions for all the major movement categories, and they’ve literally taken any guesswork out of the program.

For what it’s worth, many of the principles covered are things we’ve incorporated into our own Excellence Bootcamps at Cressey Performance

Like I said, the 30-minute webinar is FREE, and will give you a better idea of what the system entails.

Check it out HERE.

4.  And lastly, I want to touch on the whole training women while they’re pregnant topic. I’ve personally trained a handful of women through their pregnancies, and I’m currently training two as I type this.

Well, I mean not literally as I type this, but you know what I mean.

I definitely have some strong viewpoints on this topic – and I do want to share them in more detail – but I’d be curious to hear what other’s have to say (or think).

For me there’s a massive dichotomy between what I do and what most (not all) of the research says we should be doing.

While it definitely comes down to the individual, their comfort level, listening to their body, as well as their past training history, I find it asinine that there are physicians out there (and even more articles) that suggest that “training” should revolve around light walking and what mounts to arm circles.

For me, when I’m working with someone who’s pregnant, it’s about preparing them for something a helluva lot more significant than lifting pink dumbbells or anything I’ll ever have to do.

In my eyes, if they’re able to grow and push a human being out of their body, they’re capable of lifting a barbell off the ground.

Sometimes even over their head.  Repeatedly.  GASP!!!!!!!!

But again, this definitely doesn’t apply to everyone. I understand that there are subtle training modifications that should be addressed trimester to trimester, and there are times where extenuating circumstances come in to play as far as complications are concerned.

In my experience, however, these are few and far between and I often feel like we’re being overly cautious.

Now, I’m not insinuating that someone carrying child should go out and try to hit deadlift PRs on a weekly basis or snatch a mack truck over their head.  But I’m certainly in the camp that feels we can offer a lot more than “go walk in the treadmill.”

Like I said, I’d like to jump into this topic with more detail, but I wanted to throw out a “feeler” to see if anyone would bite and offer their insight on the matter.

Soooo, what say you?