CategoriesUncategorized

5 Reasons Your Shoulder Is Jacked-Up and Not Jacked – Part II

Welcome back!

For those who missed it, yesterday I posted PART ONE (Newsflash: you’re reading part II) of some of the reasons why your shoulder is most likely jacked-up and not jacked.

If you’re too lazy to click the link above, here’s the dealsky:

1.  Your technique on just about everything is, for lack of a better terms, is god-awful.

2.  The program you’re following, while written with good intentions and attention to detail, may in fact be feeding into your issues and causing more harm than good.

And that’s all I’m gonna say on that front. If you want to dive in and a get a litte more detail you’re just going to have to click on the link and read part one.

Hint: You should read part one.

Moving things along, lets go a head and get the most obvious one out of the way first.  And while it’s the most obvious, I’d argue that it’s still something that many people disregard altogether and shove into some back room like a red-headed stepchild.

Not Addressing Tissue Quality

Much like taking your car in to get its oil changed, or going to dentist every six months for a cleaning, or clipping your nose hairs before a big date, addressing tissue quality should be considered preventative maintenance.  Or, at the very least – especially with regards to the latter – set you up for long-term success.  Maybe even second base if you play your cards right!

Either way, it still dumbfounds me that people (especially those in pain) refuse to put two and two together and aren’t more proactive on this front.

It’s not a sexy topic, which is probably why so many people turn their backs on it.  But watering things waaaaay down:  when you palpate tissue, it shouldn’t hurt.  Conversely, if you palpate your pec (and if you’re really talented, your pec minor) and it makes you jump off your chair, then that should tell you something.

Almost always, the pec (and by association, the pec minor) is going to enter the equation when the discussion of shoulder pain comes up.  Think about what I mentioned yesterday and how most programs are aligned:  there’s a heavy emphasis towards pushing movements compared to pulling.  As such, it’s not uncommon to observe many people with rounded, abducted shoulders – kind of like this poor guy here who I found on Google images:

Putting my Captain Obvious hat on for a second, it stands to reason that this said random guy should become BFFs with a foam roller, and spend a lot of time rolling his upper/mid back, as well as his lats (which is an area that many people neglect).

But that’s just half the equation. Anteriorly speaking, what do you think is pulling is scapulae into a more abducted position?

His pecs!

Taking the time to perform some dedicated self myofascial release on the pecs, and as a result working to get into a more optimal alignment, can pay huge dividends when you’re dealing with a cranky shoulder.

Doing your part to help release built up scar tissue, adhesions, and trigger points is a step in the right direction, but you also need to understand that it’s just as important to lengthen that tissue after the fact and then “cement” that new length with proper strength training.

Stealing a popular phrase from physical therapist, Charlie Weingroff, we need to “get long, and get strong.”

You can’t make the mistake of JUST foam rolling or whatever and then just going about your business.  You also need to lengthen that tissue and strengthen it within that new length.

It’s actually a profound litmus test if you’re someone who’s going to a physical therapist or manual therapist.  Are they just treating the symptoms with whatever modality they prefer (Graston, ART, dry needling, deer antler spray, Unicorn tears) and kicking you out the door, or are they following treatment with appropriate stretching and strength training?

If the former, I’d be reticent to continue with said therapist.

Doing Too Much Band Work

I’ve mentioned this in the past, but it bears repeating.

If I were to ask you what is the function of the rotator cuff, what would you say? If I were a betting man, I’d garner that the vast majority of people reading would say one of three things:

  • External/Internal rotation of the arm (glenohumeral joint).
  • Elevates the arm in the scapular plane.
  • Where the hell’s the rotator cuff? Isn’t this the part of the post where you post a picture of a scantily clad hot chic

If you mentioned either of the two former options- congratulations you’ve obviously read an anatomy book within the past 25 years. And, while you’re technically not wrong, you’re not entirely correct either.

With regards to the latter option, I’d would post a picture of the rotator cuff to help clear the air but THIS is actually the point where I post a picture of a scantily clad hot chick.

For the record, her rotator cuff would be approximately 2 o’clock from her cleavage. How that’s for functional anatomy….;o)

Okay back on track: While the rotator cuff does invariably play a significant role in external/internal rotation, as well as elevation of the arm, you’d be remiss not to recognize that it’s main function is to simply center the humeral head within the glenoid fossa.

Unfortunately, if you were to take a peek into what most people’s shoulder “rehab” programs look like it would most likely resemble a hodge-podge collection of rotator cuff band exercises done ad nauseam.

Now I’m NOT suggesting that band exercises are a waste of time or that dedicated RC exercises like the side lying external rotation shouldn’t be performed.

Far from it.  In fact, side lying external rotations (with the arm abducted slightly) have been shown to have the greatest EMG activation of the rotator cuff – when done correctly.

I think my main beef – especially when it comes to band work – is that people are under the assumption that more is better.

The above couldn’t be further from the truth. Training the rotator cuff to fatigue increases superior humeral head migration, and makes about as much sense as making another Sex in the City movie.

Put another way, when the rotator cuff is fatigued, the humeral head will shift superiorly towards the acromion process, effectively increasing the likelihood of shoulder impingement.

So, contrary to popular belief, all of those 50-100 rep sets of band or side lying DB external rotations you’re doing to keep your shoulder “healthy” isn’t doing your shoulder any favors.

I’m not saying it’s wrong to do them.  I just think it’s wrong to do them until you’re blue in the face.

Your Shoulder Probably Isn’t Even the Issue!

Let me clarify before I proceed, because I know I’m getting some people scratching their heads at that last comment.

Looking directly at the shoulder does make sense – especially if 80-90% of your clientele make their living throwing a baseball.

As an example if we get a pitcher walking through our doors who complains of shoulder pain, it only makes sense to look at the shoulder and check out things like total ROM (glenohumeral internal + external rotation), upward/downward rotation, so on and so forth.

But when working with the general population, it’s often advantageous to dig a little deeper.

This isn’t to say that the shoulder ISN’T the problem, it very well could be.  But it’s been my experience that it’s usually not.

I just find it comical whenever I read a random article or blog where someone starts throwing out things like “check for big toe dorsiflexion” or “can they recite the alphabet backwards in less than 17 seconds?” as if any of that really matters.

Sure, I guess we could make a valid (albiet far reaching) case that limited big toe dorsiflexion can effect things up the kinetic chain, but more often than not I just feel people start throwing out that kind of verbiage as a way to make themselves sound smarter than they really are.

Nevertheless, there are a multitude of factors that we have to take into consideration as to why someone’s shoulder is flipping them the bird that may or may not have anything to do with the shoulder.

At CP we take the following into consideration that may have nothing to do with the shoulder:

– Overuse

– Scapular instability

– Poor glenohumeral ROM

– Rotator cuff weakness

– Soft tissue restrictions

– Poor thoracic spine mobility

– Acromion type

– Poor exercise technique (seriously, read yesterday’s post)

– Poor cervical spine function

– Poor programming balance

– Faulty breathing patterns

– And yes, opposite hip/ankle restriction

A handful or maybe all factors above may need some attention and have their share of the limelight, but the real take home message is that you need to think outside the box.  Just because your shoulder hurts doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a shoulder issue.

And that’s that!  Hopefully I was able to shed some light on an often murky and confusing topic.  If you liked this, please do me a favor and “Like” it, as well as share on as many social media outlets as possible.  I’ll give you a hug if you do.

CategoriesCorrective Exercise Program Design Rehab/Prehab Strength Training

5 Reasons Your Shoulder Is Jacked Up and Not Jacked Part I

We work with a lot of overhead athletes at Cressey Performance – in particular baseball players – and it’s no coincidence that we deal with, address, work around, and (hopefully) fix a lot of shoulder issues ranging from the acute like AC joint issues and external/internal impingement to the more “oh shit factor” scenarios like shoulder separations and post surgery situations.

And using the word “acute” in this instance isn’t to downplay things like impingement (as anyone who’s had to deal with a chronic case will think otherwise), but rather it’s just to put things into perspective that some shoulder pathologies take a little more attention to detail and TLC compared to others.

As an example I can’t tell you how many times someone’s walked into the facility complaining of consistent shoulder pain preparing for the worst, only to demonstrate to them that their push-up technique is god-awful.

I didn’t need to resort to bells, whistles, and smoke machines or take a page out of Professor Dumbledore’s Magic Book of Bedazzling Hexes and Awesome Shoulder Remedies (on sale now through Amazon!) to show them how to perform a push-up correctly and to not piss their shoulder off further.

Unfortunately, it’s not always so cut and dry.  For many people out there – average Joe’s and meat heads in particular – living their day to day life with shoulder pain or discomfort is sometimes second nature.  Analogous to riding a bike, putting your left sock on before the right, or reaching for that second cup of coffee. Or fifth, don’t worry I won’t judge.

What’s more, some view it as a proverbial right of passage or badge of honor, as if living with daily pain comes with the territory for those who spend their free time lifting heavy things.

While true, there is some semblance of “risk” involved, and many will undoubtedly have a few bumps and bruises along the way (we’re lifting weights here not doing origami), just “dealing” with pain  and sucking it up isn’t an option in my book.

That said, not many things can derail one’s progress in the gym like a banged up shoulder.  Okay, a Zombie apocalypse or a raging case of explosive diarrhea rank fairly high on the list for sure.  But a nagging shoulder injury bites the big one, too.

Below, while not an exhaustive list, are some of the more common “reasons” why your shoulder may be hating you.

1.  No, Seriously, Your Technique Is Horrible

I won’t beat a dead horse here, but it stands to reason that half the reason your shoulder hurts all the time is because your exercise technique is less than exemplary.

I know, I know:  you’ve been lifting weights since stone washed jeans were considered a cool fashion trend, and there’s no conceivable way you’re doing something incorrectly.

Well, I’m here to tell you otherwise!

Taking the time to actually learn how to perform a push-up correctly or how to bench press correctly – or at the very least tweak things to make them more “shoulder friendly” – will go long ways in keeping your shoulders healthy.

It’s akin to lightly tapping your thumb with a hammer.  While seemingly not a big deal at first, before long, it’s excruciating.

Constantly performing your exercises with shitty technique day after day, week after week, and month after month will eventually lead to some bad things happening.  Namely a shoulder ouchie.

And this goes for rowing variations, too.  You’d be surprised as to how many people butcher these on a day to day basis.

A perfect example would be something as innocuous as a face pull.

* Video courtesy of the one and only Mike Robertson

I was training at a commercial gym not too long ago and watched a gentleman perform this exercise with the exact opposite form Mike demonstrates above.

For starters, he held the rope with a pronated (overhand grip) which locks you into more internal rotation and thus compromises the acromion space.

Secondly, he’d allow his scapulae to go into posterior tilt with each rep, and worse he’d substitute scapular retraction with an excessive forward head posture.

While I’m sure he had good intentions for including the exercise in his program, the execution was less than to be desired and was probably causing more harm than good.

And this goes for just about every rowing variation out there.  You’d be surprised as to how many people butcher technique and aren’t even close to performing them correctly.

Take the time do things right, and your shoulder will thank you.

 2.  Your Program Kinda Sucks

More to the point: it’s the structure of the program thats sucks. It’s common in the strength and conditioning community to talk about programming imbalances, especially as it pertains to the upper body.

Dissecting most training programs, it’s not uncommon to see significant favoritism or preponderance towards pushing exercises compared to pulling.  It’s no secret:  guys like to bench press.  And as such, many develop muscular imbalances (overactive/stiff pecs and weak/inhibited upper back musculature) which results in a less than happy shoulder.

To counteract this, many fitness professionals will advocate more pulling motions compared to pushing – oftentimes to the tube of a 2:1 or even 3:1 ratio.

In other words: for every pushing exercise prescribed, they’ll “counteract” it with two to three pulling exercises.

This is sound advice, and definitely a step in the right direction for many trainees.  But we’re omitting another less obvious (yet equally as important) component, and it’s something Eric highlighted last year and that we’ve been addressing at Cressey Performance for a while now.

And that is:

While anterior/posterior imbalances are important to address, not many people give any credence to superior/inferior imbalances.

Translated into English, we also have to be cognizant of the interplay between upward and downward rotation.  More and more (especially with our baseball guys, but even in the general population as well) we’re seeing guys walk in with overly depressed shoulders. For visual reference, cue picture to the right.

Most baller t-shirt, ever ================>

This can spell trouble for those whose livelihood revolve around the ability to get their arms over their head (baseball players) as the downward rotators of the scapulae (levator, rhomboids, and especially the lats) are kicking into overdrive and really messing with the congruency and synergy between the scapulae, humeral head, glenoid fossa, and acromion process.

And this doesn’t just pertain to overhead athletes either.  We’re seeing this quite a bit in the general population as well, as we as fitness professionals have been shoving down their throat  “shoulder blades together and down, shoulder blades together and down” for years now.

In this case, some dedicated upper trap work would be advisable so as to encourage more scapular UPWARD rotation.  And no, relax, I’m NOT referring to barbell shrugs.

These wouldn’t be useful because there’s no “real” scapular upward rotation involved, and you’re doing nothing but encouraging more depression anyways.

Instead drills like Forearm Wall Slides with Shrug;

And Back to Wall Shoulder Flexion will work wonders.

Too, it may come down to toning down things like heavy deadlifts, farmer carries, and anything that entails holding onto heavy dumbbells (since all will pull the shoulder girdle down promote significant shoulder depression) in favor of more overhead/waiter carries, Goblet variations (squats, reverse lunges, etc), and barbell related work.

Just some food for thought anyways.

And that’s it for today. Be sure to check back tomorrow for some more insight and conversation on why your shoulder is jacked up and not jacked.

SPOILER ALERT: your shoulder may not be the issue in the first place!

*Smoke bomb, smoke bomb.  Exit stage left*

Also, as an a side (and giving credit where it’s due):  Title inspiration came from THIS article I read a while back on Elitefts.com.

CategoriesMotivational Program Design

5 (Simple) Ways To Make Your Workouts More Effective

So we’re what, three weeks into the New Year? As I suspect, most reading this site have made your New Year’s resolutions three weeks ago, and whether it was to try to read more, watch less television, eat less cheese, smile more, put 10% of your paycheck into a savings account, drink more water, eat out less often, introduce a little culture into your life and watch more foreign film (or listen to jazz, or buy Grey Poupon), travel more, floss more, or simply accept the fact that a shirt is required attire when grocery shopping (which is utter BS!), I’m sure many are crushing it and still going strong.

But lets be honest, when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, 90% of them revolve around finally (like, I mean it this time) making a concerted effort to head to the gym on a regular basis and getting into shape.

While many have undoubtedly taken the plunge and dedicated some time and energy to fitness goals, the real coup de gras is sticking to these New Year’s resolutions for more than a month!  Understandably there are many reasons why people don’t stick to their workouts and fitness New Year’s Resolutions.

Some of them are just facts of life, such as time commitments, financial concerns, and lofty expectations, as my friend Mike Reinold noted in a recent post of his. Some of them are just lame as lame can get , such as “oh, American Idol starts tonight!” or ” Dammit, I forgot my gym shoes!” or “I have a hang nail.”

While I’m being a bit facetious in tone, it’s certainly not outside the scope of reality that there are some people out there who are pros at sabotaging their own efforts.

But then again, there are far, far more people who make a resolution to get healthy, purchase their gym membership, iPod, and new white kicks, and stay about as consistent as humanly possibly.

Yet, for some reason, fail to garner the results they’re after.

Many may head to the gym 3-5x per week, for weeks on end, yet fail to see the fruits of their labor.  Before long frustration sets in (why the heck do I ever bother!), and soon they become nothing more than a New Year’s resolution statistic.

While it’s almost impossible to nail down (exactly) what, why, and how someone fails to achieve optimal results in the gym, below are some ideas/thoughts/insights I’d like to throw into the mix for everyone’s consideration:

Supersets (Are You Using Them?)

Simply put, supersets are arguably (but I don’t really see what there’s to argue about) the most efficient way to set up your programming.

For those scratching their heads, all a superset implies is that you pair two exercises – preferably ones that work opposing muscle groups or an upper/lower tandem – together that are performed back-to-back.

So, rather than performing a set of bench presses and then walking around for two minutes twiddling your thumbs, annoying the hot personal trainer you have no shot with, or watching highlights on SportsCenter, you’d pair another exercise like a row variation, lunge variation, or mobility/activation drill. You increase training density, and can use the pairings to bring up weak areas.

Many people waste too much time in the gym by performing straight sets, where they’ll perform a set of an exercise, rest for an allotted amount of time, and repeat.

While there’s definitely a time and place for straight sets, instead try to pair exercises in an A1-A2, B1-B2 format.  By doing so, you’ll get more work done in a shorter amount of time, and burn infinitely more calories in the process.

If you’re still kind of lost on the idea, and need some ideas for exercise pairings, check out THIS post by Eric Cressey, which should turn on a few light bulbs.

Implement Fillers

Pigging back on the point above, adding “fillers” to your program is an awesome way to address imbalances and weaknesses.

Another common mistake I see many trainees make (along with trainers for that matter) is taking too long to warm-up or getting too caught up in “corrective exercise” mode.

Yes, it’s important to active “stuff.”  In fact, I’m often flummoxed that some people still don’t understand the importance of taking themselves through a proper warm-up.  Getting the body and nervous system primed for physical activity is kind of a big deal, and I won’t belabor the point here.  You should be doing it.

But I do feel – at times – people baby themselves.

I’m sorry but if you’re someone who takes 30 minutes to active your left glute, you’re missing the bigger picture here.

To save time I LOVE implementing fillers into my programs.  The idea is to address common “problem areas” by tossing in some low-grade activation/mobility drills during one’s rest intervals.

The key point here is LOW-GRADE.  Performing a set of 400M sprints or Tabata anything IS NOT a filler, and defeats the point. We’re trying to turn stuff on, not train for a cage match.

Instead, if I’m working with someone with poor T-spine mobility I may have them do a set of side lying rib rolls after their bench presses:

If they have poor glute function, I may throw in some glute bridges in between sets of squats:

Or if they’re just one massive knot in general, I may have them perform a Yoga Push-Up complex to work on everything:

Again, the idea here is to keep it simple, address common weaknesses, and not to shit an appendix.

There’s no need to go overboard here.

Don’t Perform Anything Sitting

It’s insane how much people sit during the day.  I’m a fairly active person, and yet I still sit upwards of 4-5 hours a day writing in the morning and driving to and from work.

But that’s peanuts compared to most people.

Many have a rough commute to work, and then have to spend 8-10 hours sitting in front of a computer all day, only to head to the gym and sit even more on the recumbent bike or through various exercises like seated DB press or seated leg extensions or seated whateverthefuck.

Performing the bulk of your exercise standing will not only be more challenging, but it will also force you to engage more muscle groups, which in turn will help you burn more calories, which will probably increase your chances of seeing someone of the opposite sex with their clothes off.  Maybe even with the lights on.

It’s a win-win.

Start With a “Money” Movement (The rest is just details.  Kinda).

When I write my own programs I don’t necessarily take the mindset that Monday is a “leg day” or a “lower body day.”

It’s deadlift day!

Likewise, Tuesday isn’t “chest day,” it’s bench day.

Are you picking up what I’m putting down?  Well good – you should.

Each workout – or to be more appropriate, each training session – should have a main exercise (or focus) of the day.  That’s the what I mean when I refer to a “money movement.”

And for the record, you should put all your heart and soul into that money movement.  When I know it’s a deadlift day, I don’t pussyfoot around.  I’ll get myself mentally prepared by planning out my session, visualizing hitting all my lifts, cueing up some mid-90s hip hop, and either sparta kicking a wall or punching a dolphin in the face.

Whatever gets me amped.

It’s me vs. the bar and that’s really all that matters.

And if I did everything right, and didn’t leave anything in the tank, I’m absolutely trashed afterwards.

Of course I’ll have a list of accessory exercises I’ll perform after the fact, but those are just details and serve just to “compliment” my money movement and to help me bring up my weaknesses.

I truly feel if people placed more of a premium on that money movement, got a little angrier, put every ounce of energy into it, and did more than just putter around on the Cybex circuit, they’d see marked improvements in their progress.

Include More Movement/GPP/Or Whatever You Want To Call Them Days

Know what I can’t stand (other than Ryan Seacrest)?  Are “off days” where people head to the gym only to walk on the treadmill for half an hour.

Listen, I get it:  getting your cardio in and improving your heart health is important. And if it’s something you want to do, than do it.

But if it were me, I’d nice the warm and cuddly cardio sessions and perform more movement based or GPP days into the mix.

Instead of hopping on the elliptical and dying a slow death of boredom, why not get your heart rate up in other ways and actually work on things you need to improve?

If you have access to a Prowler, farmer carry attachements, kettlebells, TRX, and the like, you’re golden.  You can set up some killer circuits and absolutely torch yourself.

Understandably, most of you won’t have access to those things, but that doesn’t mean you’re relegated to treadmill hell.

You can simply set up a circuit like this:

A1. LIGHT Goblet Squats: x10

A2.  3-Point Extension-Rotation: x10/side (thank you Conor Nordengren for the video)

A3. Side Plank w/ Row: x10/arm

A4. Bodyweight Reverse Lunge: x10/leg

A5.  Hand Switches w/ Push-Up: x5/side)

 A6. High FIve Someone

Perform in circuit fashion with as little rest as possible between each exercise.  At the end, rest 30-60s, and repeat for a total of 3-5 rounds.

It’s roughly 10-15 minutes of work (depending on how long you rest and how many rounds you complete), but it will definitely get your heart rate up (and be of more benefit because you’re addressing common weaknesses like poor glute function, core stability, etc), and it’s a heckuva lot more exciting than rotting away in the “cardio” section.

And I’m Done

While I could throw in a few wildcards like getting more (quality) sleep, drinking more water, hiring a reputable coach, or making an effort to train with people who will push you (even if it’s only once per week), I think I stated my case.

Nothing I mentioned above is revolutionary, but I think the above suggestions will go a long ways in helping people take their programs to the next level.  We often think that making things more complicated than they have to be is the way to go, and that couldn’t be further from the truth.

In reality just making an effort to simplify things, or to be more aware of common mistakes we’re making can make all the difference in the world.

CategoriesUncategorized

Beware of Cookie Cutter Training Programs

Today’s guest post comes from Liberty University undergrad student, Joe Amberlock. Joe’s a bright kid who’s writing has been featured on T-Nation.com as well as Elitefts.com.  It’s a slightly different flavor compared to the posts I normally write (or even include as a guest post), but for those who like to geek out on baseball, and more to the point, baseball mechanics, this one will be right up your alley.

Also, as a quick reminder, Bootcamp in a Box, an excellent collaboration between Mike Robertson, Jim Laird, and Molly Galbraith geared towards bootcamp owners is now available (and currently on sale throughout the rest of the week). 

Loaded with 6-months of tailor-made programming, as well as a plethora of progressions (and regressions), this product is a must have for anyone looking to separate themselves from the bootcamp masses.

Beware of Cookie Cutter Training Programs

Improving performance in sport is always the goal of an athlete’s training. However, in many ways the training community has begun to veer away from this goal of late. Progress is being placed on how much an athlete can squat, clean, or press rather than on the increase effectiveness in the actual sport.

This is true in all sports, not excluding baseball. An example would be a baseball player that increases his max back squat from 400 to 500 pounds over the course of an off-season. This is viewed as progress, the player has improved. He returns to spring training pleased with his improvements, tells his coach and everyone is happy. However, the athlete plays no better on the field and can’t figure out why his gains are not transferring to his sport.

Unfortunately this form of “progress” is a frequent occurrence. Common knowledge says increase the athletes power, speed, strength and they will improve. Hence athletes are given “cookie cutter” programs that only take into account the athlete’s current state of performance which is determined by a set of lifts and pre-determined speed and agility protocols. The athlete improves in these “cookie cutter” programs however their sport is not performing “cookie cutter” movements, it is baseball.

Power, speed, and strength of a movement are not the only contributors to an athlete’s success in a given movement (task) but also heavily weigh on the athlete’s skill to effectively use and execute the task with the potential power, speed, and strength developed.

Every sport consists of the body completing a series of small tasks to form what to the naked eye would seem like a simple movement.

However, a sport cannot be generalized or simplified as just a body in motion, but rather every sport presents its own complex motor patterns to complete a task as it is presented during the competition of that sport.

Every game a player will encounter numerous tasks and they must accomplish this task through a motor pattern (Sequence of movements arranged to succeed).

That motor pattern can involve several different tasks throughout competition such as in baseball. An athlete will be expected to complete tasks such as fielding a ground ball, throwing to another player, or hitting. Each task is different in its own unique way, and each athlete is unique in how he accomplishes each task. Hence why cookie cutter programs aren’t the most effective way to train.

Say an athlete swings on a fastball, makes enough contact to hit over the right field fence, home-run. Spectators marvel at the athletes’ power and strength, the pitcher had no chance. The athlete was able to hit the homerun because he overcame the external opposition he was facing; the pitcher. He studied the pitchers tendencies and knew what was coming.

Although the battle at the plate is often chalked up to the pitcher vs. the hitter there are many other oppositions the hitter must overcome in order to complete his task successfully.

When an athlete steps into the batter’s box to hit the focus is generally placed on the external opposition. In this case it is the pitcher. The pitcher will present resistance in the form pitch selection, pitch speed, and location.

An athlete’s preparation is usually catered to focus on the external opposition he is certain to face. However, the athlete will also encounter forces he cannot directly see.

Opposition comes in the form of gravity, balance, inertia, and reactive force. All of these come into play and must be overcome. Each of these forces can be analyzed and broken down on the effect of the swing just as pitchers tendencies can be analyzed.

Therefore increasing the effectiveness of a task requires improvement of specific skill to control body movement and to generate force to overcome external resistance.  Not just getting more powerful and stronger in a squat or deadlift. 

When an athlete is first taught the correct form, technique, mechanics on how to swing and hit a pitch generally it is not a pretty sight. Perhaps his technique shows progress as he takes each swing slowly and deliberately. You then ask him to perform that same technique but now swing as powerfully as possible, as I’m sure you can imagine the swing mechanics would almost entirely break down and the athlete looks as if he had never swung a bat in the first place; It looks as if there is no rhyme or reason to his technique.

Note from TG:  Sort of like CrossFit, but without all the blacking out, and puking on the floors and stuff.  Ohhhhhhhhhhh snap!

Okay, sorry Joe, I’ll let you finish.

As the athlete becomes more mechanically proficient inefficiencies in his mechanics become harder to realize.

Flaws in the swing are not as apparent as they were at the beginner stages. Although this does not imply that the inefficiencies, although smaller, are any less important. Every portion of the swing’s motor pattern must be analyzed.

Each portion of the swing interacts with another forming a specific pattern of sequential actions known as a biodynamic structure. A small mechanical error can affect the entire biodynamic structure and throw off an entire at bat just like an incorrect guess at an oncoming pitch can.

There are key elements and movements that must be broken down in each athletes swing and accompanying these elements are secondary-elements that assist them. A good example of this is the athlete’s bat speed would be a key-element and movement and the elastic energy stored in the muscles before the swing would be an example of secondary-elements because they assist in the key-elements success.

To improve these key elements there must be a specific analysis of the biodynamic structure of the swing. The analysis should consist of the following:

Identifying the key-movements in the swing

There must be an examination of where during the swing there is a shift or displacement of the athletes’ center of body mass.

In relation to this center of body mass how does this shift or displacement impact the force propulsion throughout the swing; a small inefficient shift could result in failure. Also the key displacement of the body’s limbs from the center of gravity during the swing must also be taken into account and the phase in which the ball makes first contact with the ball.

Finally there must also be a mechanical observation of the synchronization of these two (the center of body mass and displaced limbs upon contact) An athlete at a glance may have a smooth proficient swing, this appearance is due to the syncing of all these small aspects.

Increasing the key-movements abilities

Increasing the effectiveness key-movements in the swing is a multifaceted task.

However it is made easier if the principle of dynamic correspondence is implemented correctly. This principle assures that the athletes training will be applicable to the improvement of the swing. The muscle groups and their range of motion, along with direction of motion must be observed. It is also necessary to examine types of muscle contractions that are taking place throughout the movement.

All of these observations must be taken into account before planning out an athlete’s preparation. Key movements and elements must be analyzed and broken down to find inefficiencies. If these inefficiencies are not trained and improved than the athletes increases in power, speed, and strength will not be used or translated into the sport if mechanically there is something out of whack.

This takes time and patients however, with these observations progress can be correctly measured rather than with vague movements or drills that contribute little to actual on the field performance.

And That’s That

To summarize, a program designed to increase a player’s performance is not a one size fits all deal. Each athlete is different and therefore each approach to an athlete must be unique to them. What works for one athlete may only be detrimental to another. Be wary of cookie cutter programs and arbitrary methods and take the time to analyze and get to know what your athletes really need to improve.

Author’s Bio

 

Joe Amberlock(Orlandi) is an undergraduate student at Liberty University pursuing a degree in Kinesiology. Joe’s tutelage under master strength coaches Bill Gillespie and Dave Williams along with experience working with Division 1 collegiate athletics has allowed him to learn, apply, and share his methods to all levels of athletes. Find out more at AmberlockPerformance.com

 

 

CategoriesMotivational Strength Training

Can I Workout Today?

I love Tuesdays.  For me Tuesday is like everyone else’s Sunday because, as un-conventional as it is, it’s a regularly scheduled “day off” for me.  I know, that was all sorts of confusing, so let me try to clarify.

I don’t have a standard weekend like most people. I work on Saturday (and sometimes even on Sunday depending on the time of year), and my “weekend’ is generally shortened to a 36 hour span from Saturday afternoon through Sunday that generally consists of what I like to call catching up on life.

Translation:  a crap ton of laundry (which, for those curious, is a shade more than a shit ton), and other errands like grocery shopping, food prep, and being dragged , usually kicking and screaming, to Target.

Don’t get me wrong, my girlfriend and I do fun stuff, too.  For instance, we have our “date night” on Saturdays where we pick a restaurant, get all jazzed up (her looking as bootylicious as always, and me trying to remember not to wear brown shoes with a black belt), and head out on the town.

We like to consider ourselves “foodies” and have a fun hobby where we collect cards from all the different places we eat in or around Boston and pin them up on, what else, our “Date Night” Board.

But in the grand scheme of things, my “weekend” is a blur, as it is for most people.  Which is way I savor my Tuesdays.

Tuesday is effectively Tony Time, where I’m able to catch up on emails, writing, programming, various projects in the mix, and episodes of Deadliest Warrior.

In addition, Tuesday happens to be the day where I make the short walk over to Boston University to train with my friend, Dave Rak, at BU Strength and Conditioning which is essentially a candy store for meatheads.

We typically meet up around one in the afternoon, and I spend the majority of my morning salivating at the mouth because both Dave and I have dedicated that day to deadlifting our faces off (and doing our part in the fight against terrorism).

 

So, as is the case with every Tuesday, I was excited to train.  That is until I actually showed up and realized I felt like I got run over by a mack truck.

Mentally I was just drained, and to top matters off, my back was a bit cranky from what I guess was sleeping on it wrong the night prior. In a nutshell, I was a walking bag of fail.

X Infinity

My plan was to head in and do some heavy mid-shin rack pull singles, but I scratched that idea once I started warming up and realized my back wasn’t feeling spectacular.  I knew I could probably push through it, but I decided not to be an idiot and opted instead to switch things up.

Rather than pull heavy, I performed some light(er) back squats for sets of three, and then, still wanting to get some deadlifting in, set the bar up for some speed pulls.

315 felt like I was pulling the weight out of a tar pit.  It felt sluggish, and by the third of fourth set I was starting to get an exertion headache, where I felt light-headed and a little nauseous.

Again, I cut everything short, and then moved on to my accessory work (barbell glute bridges with some one-arm DB rows).

In hindsight, I probably would have been better off NOT training in the first place.

In my defense, I wanted to move around a little a bit, and I was still able to get some semblance of a training effect in – so there’s something to be said for that.

But really, if I’m going to be honest with myself, it was a craptastic session and I really didn’t make myself any better.

Ironically enough, Dave Dellanave, one of the head trainers at Movement Minneapolis, posted this graphic on their fan page yesterday:

While I can pat myself on the back that I still “trained” yesterday, looking at this simple yet effective chart, I most likely would have been better off doing some foam rolling, dynamic mobility drills, maybe some light pull-throughs and sled work, and calling it a day.

Of course there are going to be the internet warriors and people who talk a big game who will say that this approach is for the weak minded or “gay” (someone actually said this on the Minneapolis Movement Facebook page).

I’d like to take the route that it’s smart, instinctive, self auto-regulating training.

As I’ve grown as a coach, and as someone who’s job it is to make people better, I’ve come to understand that trying to pound square pegs into round holes – while admirable t0 an extent (you can’t fault people for loving to train) and will undoubtedly win you some internet cred – is a poor choice to go about things 90% of the time.

It dumbfounds me that some people (some of whom are coaches) will take such a close-minded, and if I may be frank, pigheaded “all or nothing” view on training.

It’s unfortunate really.  Go HERE to read the thread.

Reverting back to a phrase that both Eric Cressey and myself use regularly:

Fatigue will always mask your true fitness level.

While it would be wrong of me to state that one should never train while feeling fatigued  or tired (that’s a little overboard, and not the lesson being conveyed anyways), I do feel there’s a valuable message being “sold” by the Movement Minneapolis camp.

Which is: it’s okay to take a day off, or to back off a little bit.

The world won’t come to end, and no one will think any less of you.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tweaked my programming, or that of my clients, if they’re not feeling up to snuff on certain days.  While it’s rare that I’ll shut someone down completely, there is some credence behind knowing when to back off when the time is right. (<—-You should Tweet that).

What are you thoughts on the matter? I’d love to hear what others have to say on this topic.  For me, there’s little (if any) advantage in plowing through a training session when it’s just not there.

More specifically, what does it say of me as a coach to take an athlete – or a general population client – and beat them to a pulp when they only had three hours of sleep the night prior; or just broke up with their significant other; or worse case scenario, has a raging case of explosive diarrhea?

Probably not going to do them any favors

That said, do me a favor and sound off.  Seriously, I want to know your thoughts.

CategoriesUncategorized

Greatist Workout of the Day

Affectionately referred to as GWODs, these are workouts designed by both myself and strength coach Dan Trink that will give people a firsthand look as to what a well structured, properly progressed fitness routine should look like.

Taken from the Greatist.com website:

“….these are high-quality, comprehensive strength and conditioning programs anyone can use. GWODs were created after Greatist.com readers expressed their frustration at a lack of quality fitness programming accessible to the average gym goer — not just the most “elite” or “hardcore” individuals among us. So we partnered with some of the best minds in the health and fitness industry to create killer workouts we could give our readers — for free (we think you’ll agree that’s a good price).”

You read that correctly:  FREE.  As in F to the R.E.E.

A few things to note:

1. It’s purely coincidental that both Dan and I could pass for a Mr. Clean impersonator.

2. We recognize that there are limitations to this program.  I think I speak for both of us when I say nothing will trump working with a reputable trainer on a face-to-face basis. But that’s the thing: there are a lot of crap trainers out there writing crap programming which are woefully craptastic at best, and flat out dangerous at their worst.

That said, everyone is unique with their own set of weaknesses, strengths, imbalances, injuries, and experience level and I’d be remiss not to recognize that following a program written for the masses will address every issue for every person in every circumstance.

It ain’t gonna happen.

You’re your own unique flower, and we understand (and appreciate) that.

However, we feel confident that the programming we’ve outlined will be a welcome breath of fresh air for the Greatist community (and the rest of the interwebz for that matter).

3. We’ve covered all the bases from the warm-up (it’s a lot more than just doing some cute arm circles and hopping on the elliptical for five minutes) to laying out, set by set, rep by rep, a well organized, structured, and progressive workout plan (2x, 3x, and 4x per week) that will help people move better, get stronger, and feel like a million bucks.

4. We’re not saying it’s perfect, and we’ll be the first to say that it’s still a work in progress.  We’re still very much  at the “grassroots” level with this shindig, and we’ll undoubtedly have a few kinks to iron out as the upcoming weeks/months progress.

But we’re really excited that we have the opportunity to help a lot of people and hopefully assist them (and more importantly, YOU) take their fitness and well-being to the next level.

So what are you waiting for?  Check it out HERE.

Enjoy the ride!  It’s going to be awesome.

 

CategoriesMotivational Strength Training

Shut Up and Lift

I had the pleasure of doing an interview for Jon-Erik Kawamoto’s site last week, and without tooting my own horn, I have to say it’s arguably one of my best ones, like, ever.

To read it in its entirety, you can go HERE.

But since I know a lot of people never click on the links (jerks), I wanted to post one of the questions – and my answer – here because I think it’s a message that a lot of people need to hear.

JK: From stalking you on Facebook and your blog, I know there is nothing more important in your life than deadlifting and bacon (and your new cat). There are a kagillion articles on deadlifting out there. In your expert opinion, what’s the best method/program to deadlift two ton Tessie?

TG: That is true, I do love bacon. And, it’s funny: if you would have told me five years ago that I’d eventually own a cat, I probably would have 1) laughed in your face, and 2) make some kind of joke that I was more likely to listen to John Mayer while eating tofu in my Prius on my way to a yoga class.

But it’s true, my name is Tony Gentilcore, and I own a cat (Dagny).

Who’s the most beautifulest pretty Princess on the planet???? You are, that’s who.

So bringing this to a more manly discussion, lets talk about deadlifts! What’s the best method/program to pull over two ton Tessie?

1. For starters, I really wish people would just get off the freakin internet, go to the gym, and actually lift some heavy shit. There are countless “internet warriors” out there that all they do is talk and talk and talk, and speculate, and argue, and brag about how many posts they have on any given forum, and any number of other things equally as dumb, and yet forget one key component: you need to actually lift some damn weight!

Stop talking, get your ass to the gym, place some weight on the bar, get angry, and then lift it……sometimes repeatedly.

2. Speaking more colloquially, it really comes down to one simple concept:

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD

Here’s a personal reference. I didn’t start deadlifting until 2004. I shit you not, you can probably find posts on T-Nation where I’m asking people “what are these deadlifts you speak of?”

Like a lot of people I started out lifting weight at a young age and followed more of a body part per day split. Chest day, back day, blah blah blah. Trust me, a little piece of my soul dies just thinking about it. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I cringe looking back at how I trained as a high school and even collegiate athlete. If I ever had the chance to take a time machine back to 1994, I’d totally go back and Sparta kick myself in the face.

While I laugh and make fun of it, you know what? I always, and I mean ALWAYS had it in my mind to consistently try to lift heavier loads – whether it was adding a rep here and there, or incrementally increasing the load. That just made sense, ya know? I didn’t need anyone to tell me otherwise.

Anyways, so I started reading a few things here and there and slowly but surely started to understand that, for lack of a better term, I was training like a moron. I started incorporating deadlifts into my weekly training. I nixed the leg press, and started learning to squat to depth (a very humbling experience I might add).

One day I decided to test my 1RM deadlift. Mind you, I had NEVER tested my 1RM before. On day one I hit a 420 lb lift. Not too shabby. The kicker? I didn’t even train for it. All I did was focus on progressive overload. I wasn’t on internet forums arguing about foot placement or set/rep schemes or whether or not Han shot before Greedo (token Star Wars reference there). I was in the gym. Training.

Shut up, and train. It’s that simple. If more people did that…….they’d see marked improvements in their lifts.

I know that that wasn’t the “x’s and o’s” answer you were looking for, but I just feel that we’re living in an age where people are so inundated with information, that they’ve become paralyzed. It’s literally gotten to the point where people over-think things so much – should I do 5×5 or 4×4; So and so said I should wait 47 seconds between sets in order to elicit optimal growth hormone elevation; For max strength, this article said to use a 212 tempo, but my best friend’s brother’s second cousin’s Little League coach said to use a 311 tempo – that they forget one crucial thing.

Fucking lift!!!!!!

To read the rest of the interview (it’s pretty awesome) go HERE.

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing Strength Training

Exercises You Should Be Doing: 1-Arm Dumbbell Press.

More appropriately this post should be titled:  Exercises You Should Be Doing:  1-Arm ANYTHING.

It’s a bit of a conundrum if you ask me, but why is it whenever you come across articles that discuss unilateral (one-limbed) training, more often than not it ONLY discusses the lower body?

I’ve been a culprit of it in the past:

Perfecting the 1-Legged RDL

DB Reverse Lunge to 1-Legged RDL

Don’t get me wrong, I think 1-legged training is crucial, otherwise why would I go out of my way to write about it all the time?  It’s an important component of any well-rounded strength training program, and something that, thankfully, in no small part to the likes of coaches like Mike Boyle, Ben Bruno, and Mike Robertson, a lot more trainees are starting to implement into their weekly repertoire.

Rarer, however, is the person who includes unilateral upper body training into the mix. At least that’s been my experience.

Using a completely unrelated analogy:  It’s kinda like Ben Affleck vs. Matt Damon.

Ben, while respected in the movie industry and a lot of people know who he is, has always lived in the shadow of his best friend, Matt, who, as we all know is freakin Jason Bourne.

In much the same way, unilateral upper body training has always taken a back seat while the lower body has taken all the admiration and accolades.

Well, no longer my friend.

1-Arm Flat DB Bench Press

What Does It Do: This is just one example, of course; there are a million and one variations to choose from – 1-arm push presses, 1-arm DB rows, etc. But while it’s stating the obvious, the 1-arm DB bench press is an awesome way to train overall upper body strength, whether you’re looking to build steel plated pecs or triceps the size of Kansas.

In addition, utilizing more unilateral upper body exercises such as this is a great way to weed out any imbalances that may exist between the right or left side.

A little less ubiquitous is the notion that 1-armed (offset) exercises are a fantastic way to hammer the core as well, as you really have to fire the contralateral side so as not to fall off the bench.

Key Coaching Cues: Well for starters, I’m going to call myself out and say that I really wussed out on the weight selection in that demonstration.  Really Tony? 40 lbs?

That notwithstanding, I like to coach a slight arch in the lower back and to use more of a semi-pronated/neutral grip whenever someone performs supine pressing exercises as it’s a little more shoulder friendly to do so.

Moreover, one of the key things to be aware of here is to try your best to keep the butt/pelvis flat on the bench the entire time.  As I alluded to above, as you lower and press the weight on one side the offset loading is really going challenge your “core” to fire and to keep the body steady on the bench throughout the duration of the set.

Foot positioning is based off of personal preference.  I like to tell people to dig their toes – or heels, whatever is more comfortable – into the floor and to make sure they’re placed more underneath the body rather than splayed out.

I’d say anywhere from 2-4 sets for 6-8 repetitions is par for the course.

CategoriesStrength Training Uncategorized

Supreme Strength

I’m posting this a little later than usual, I know. But for those who aren’t in the loop, I’ve been traveling all day and have officially touched down in Canada, baby!  Lisa and I have been on the go since 4 AM this morning trekking from Boston to Edmonton, and after taking a few moments to manually unclench my butt cheeks – Note to any new readers out there: I absolutely HATE flying – we’re all checked into the hotel and waiting to meet up with my boy Dean Somerset to get our swole on at his facility.

Later on we’ll be getting together with the rest of the Muscle Imbalances Revealed crew – Rick Kaselj and Dr. Jeff Cubos – for dinner and, depending on how crazy things get, dessert too.  It’s vacation, right!?!!

Tomorrow will be game time, and I’m really looking forward to giving my presentation:  Core and Spine Training – From Assessment to Badass (ß best title, ever).   Likewise, I’m also looking forward to listening to all the other presentations, and am fully prepared to get my mind blown into a million pieces.

Speaking of mind blownage, today I have something really cool for all of you. Two coaches I truly admire – Todd Bumgardner and John Gaglione- have recently released their new training manual, Supreme Strength, to the masses and I thought I’d take the opportunity to introduce everyone to it because, well, I’m cool like that.

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy sent my way not too long ago, and to say I was thoroughly impressed would be an understatement.  I’ve long been an advocate of telling people that if you want to look like an athlete, you need to train like one.  Supreme Strength fits that bill and then some.  Those familiar with programs like Eric Cressey’s Show and Go will LOVE Supreme Strength because it has many of the same components – getting people strong (and lean, if that’s your bag), addressing postural deficits, movement quality issues, and just providing people will an all-encompassing program – but with a flavor that only Todd and John can provide.

You see, both have an uncanny ability to think outside the box and provide a unique training experience that, not only gets results, but actually TEACHES people along the way.

I asked Todd if he’d be willing to sit down and answer a few questions to give everyone a little more insight.  Enjoy!

TG: Hey Todd, thanks for taking time out of your day to answer a few questions. You know the drill, this is the part where you’re supposed to tell me all about yourself. Care to give my readers a Cliff Notes version of who you are, what you’re about, and why I should never, ever, pick a fight with you?

Todd: You deserve the thanks, my friend! I appreciate the opportunity.

Wow, though, what should people know about me? Well, I’m a 6’0” balding ginger, an innovative high-fiver and I have a rib tattoo. I’m also a strength coach based in Central Pennsylvania, a co-founder of Beyond Strength Performance and avid lifter. I train clients at a small, invitation only powerlifting gym in Bellefonte, PA. I can also listen to John Mayer and Lamb of God during the same car ride and I’m completely comfortable with it.

Note from TG:  Well played sir.  Well played.  I can relate because I spend the better part of my days listening to Metallica, Linkin Park, and Rage Against the Machine, but as soon as I get into my car I’ll tone it down with a little Norah Jones action.

* hands in man card *

I started working as a strength coach while I was still in college. I was 21 and green behind the ears. My first gig was with the women’s lacrosse team and they owned me for about three months. Thirty chatty females vs. one unsure gym hermit is a recipe for domination. But I learned some valuable lessons and got hooked on coaching. By the time we were done working together they won a league championship. It was a pretty cool thing to be a part of.

Since then I’ve earned my Master’s in Exercise Science, helped a lot of people get stronger, benched 405 and started dating one of the best female rugby players in the country (oh, shit shout out to Annie Z!).

From a coaching standpoint, though, my main emphases are strength and clean movement. Oh, and proper celebration. If you crush a big weight you have to have celebration go-to’s. I like the jumping top-gun high five.

TG: You and John Gaglione (the other co-creator of Supreme Strength) are well known for thinking outside the box and are constantly coming up with new and innovative exercises and ways to train. Do you two have some sort of secret underground laboratory where you all stroke your evil strength coach beards? What gives?

Todd: Beards, Tony. Beards are the answer. We really just focus on creating beard equity and it seems to carry us along.

Seriously, though. It’s cool to be known for something—especially since I didn’t realize it!

John is just a great coach. The dude can teach anyone to do anything. I’ve seen him turn a mangled squat into a work of art. It’s very impressive. Necessity has given him a great set of innovative tools.

We’ve each also had the opportunity to work under awesome coaches. John and Zach Even-Esh are tight, and James “Smitty” Smith has really taken me under his wing. They are two of the most innovative coaches in the game—it’s tough not to catch their paradigm breaking bug.

I also just think about training all of the time. It rarely leaves my brain, so I think of cool ways to apply basic concepts. So I write stuff down in my journal and try it out when I get to the gym. If it works I’ll apply it where I can.

TG:  What persuaded both you and John to develop Supreme Strength, and how is it different from any other program out there someone can purchase off the internet?

Todd: It all started with a conversation.

I was helping out Smitty and Joe DeFranco at their first AMPED/POWER seminar, John was there—he and I got to talking.

We found out that we do things pretty much the same way—teach movement, preach strength and then practice what we preach. Right after that we fist pumped and decided we needed to create something awesome, something with depth, and something based on what we’ve seen work for a lot of folks.

Most of all we wanted to create a resource, and I think that’s what sets Supreme Strength apart from other internet programs. Rather than just jotting down some sets and reps and sending a chap on his way, we worked hard to create something bigger. We created a strength system. We explain the why and demonstrate the how. You’re also given the means to modify when necessary. It’s more than a program. It’s a great reference.

TG:  First things first:  I also want to give a shout out to Smitty.  The man is, well, the MAN.  Absolutely amazing coach and one of the most humble (and giving) human beings that exist.  He ranks right up there on my man-crush list with Jason Bourne and The Rock.

Back on task: One thing I noticed while looking over the program is the emphasis on the basics.  I absolutely love that approach.  Can you explain to everyone reading why they’re not that special and why they should listen to you?

Todd: It’s simple, man. We know WE aren’t that special.

I know, that may not sound compelling. But, if you think about it for a minute, it makes sense.

I heard a great quote once. It goes something like ‘a person that doesn’t make mistakes is unlikely to make anything.’ That’s definitely true for the strength and conditioning world.

I’ve been lifting for fourteen years and I still manage to mess something up every day—I’ve never gone through a session and done everything perfectly. I’ve gotten really good at a few things, but I haven’t perfected anything. I’m still busting my ass to achieve basic perfection. I think that’s where people miss the point and they jump ship too soon.

The basics will always work—strive to be great at them. It’s a point that I repeat constantly to myself. I think people miss this fact because they want something sexy. It’s not a bad thing, just a little misguided.

Mainly, I think people hold a misguided view of the basics. A lot of guys and gals think that basic movements can only be applied one way, when, in truth, there are thousands of ways to use basic movements and train to be great at them.

It’s like dance moves. Everyone wants to hit sick hip-hop moves before they get down the basic shuffle steps and they end up doing the Carlton dance. You can live with the shuffle steps for years. It’s how I keep my white boy dance prowess.

TG:  NAILED IT!  Well stated, and couldn’t agree more.

For the hell of it:  what are your top five programming faux pas mistakes that people make while training for strength?

Todd: Ah, the mistakes question. This is like an interview rite of passage. I’m psyched to answer this one! Not necessarily because I like to be negative, but I feel like this is my jump into the club. Here goes!

1.  Dismissing Autoregulation: No one can predict what they are going to feel like three weeks in advance, it’s silly to assume so. Programming so strictly that switching things up for a day implores waves of guilt is counterproductive.

I’ve heard great coaches say that the best programs are those that are sustainable. If an athlete or coach can’t autoregulate, their program is as sustainable as a Kardashian marriage. At the very least use the RPE scale.

2. Not Prioritizing Movement: I see a lot of programs that prescribe lifts but don’t prioritize movement. You want someone to deadlift? Great, but how will they get into the best starting position? How will they train a clean pattern?

I understand that strength is built with big weights, but it’s solidified with clean movement. Every good strength program should start with a movement preparation phase to groove, or re-groove, patterns and prepare for heavy loading.

3. Not Prescribing Active Rest: I know if I’m not told what to do sometimes, I’ll stare at the wall and think about chicken wings. By knowing my own shortcomings, I make sure that I keep my clients moving between sets by using mobility fillers. I learned a lot about fillers from you and Mr. Cressey.

Back to the rest period—I think it’s the most misused variable in training—I don’t see the point in just moving aimlessly about between sets. This is a great time to work on weaknesses, improve movement and prepare to boost performance during subsequent sets.

4. Forgetting Relative Strength:  Unless a person happens to be a super-heavy weight powerlifter or strongman, relative strength is important. Squatting 500 pounds is great and all, but if it you have to put 40 pounds on to do it your performance is going to suffer.

That’s why body weight training is so important. Exercises like pull-ups are a great relative strength barometer. If the big lifts go up, but pull-up performance declines, there’s a good chance a gent is running slower and jumping lower. Even for the 9-to-5er, maintaining athleticism and body composition while gaining strength is important for longevity.

5. Not Teaching Tightness: Ok, so I know this is more of a coaching point than a programming point, but I think it’s too often missed on. Tightness and tension are so important for strength, but so few coaches are harping on it.

Before anyone picks up a bar, they need to be taught what tension feels like. They need to know how to set their grip aggressively, how to use air to create pressure and they need to know how to brace. Unless a trainee is constantly working to master tightness, they aren’t training as safely as they should be and they are missing out big strength gains.

TG:  Thanks Todd!  Awesome interview, and I hope it gives everyone reading a little kick in the pants to check out the manual.  I really do feel it’s top notch and will help a lot of people.  For more information, where can people learn more about you and your products.

Todd:  Thanks TG, always a pleasure to talk some shop.  The best way to reach me is to check out my website HERE, and, of course, check out……….

—–> Supreme Strength <—–

CategoriesStrength Training

Q and A: Hypermobility and the Olympic Lifts

Q: I’ve recently got into Olympic lifting, but my hamstrings are so flexible, I have no tension at the bottom and lose power. Also, my shoulders are unstable when I snatch and my wrists bend too far back when I push press, etc.

I’ve just purchased wrist straps, but I’m not sure what to do about my hamstrings in particular. Any tips or advice? Many thanks in advance for taking the time to read this!

– Paula

A: First off, let me just say that I think it’s awesome that you’ve taken a step outside your comfort zone and decided to take on the OLY lifts. It’s refreshing to see a female get after it and not fall into the Tracy Anderson “no woman should lift a weight over three lbs/excuse me while I vomit a little bit in my mouth” trap.

To that, Paula, I’m dedicating this slow clap to you:

With that out of the way, there’s a few things we need to highlight/discuss.

There’s obviously a lot of efficacy towards the OLY lifts as it relates to strength, power development, performance, and increasing one’s overall level of badassery. As a strength coach, I’d be remiss to state otherwise.

The first point I’d like to cover – for my own edification – is how “technique heavy” the OLY lifts are.  These aren’t just something that you decide to throw into the mix one day and all is butter fly kisses and rainbows. The OLY lifts are hard and often take years to master.

I don’t care how many articles someone reads or how many Youtube videos they watch, NOTHING will trump in-person coaching.

ESPECIALLY in this context.

To that end, I’m just going to assume that you’re under the watchful eye of an established OLY or weightlifting coach.  If not, please do yourself a favor and seek one out.

Secondly, and maybe most important of all, is the heart of your question: Do the OLY lifts and hypermobility mix?

At first glance you would probably think yes. I mean, if you watch many of the top lifters or someone who knows what they’re doing, it would seem that having all that mobility would be a good thing. How else to explain the crazy positions they’re able to get themselves into – with a shit-ton of weight above their head no less!

While there is a fair degree of natural selection going on in terms of having the ability to do those things, you also have to understand that these athletes are demonstrating an insane level of mobility AND stability, as dictated by the joint-by-joint school of thought.

For the amateur or weekend warrior, having excessive hypermobility may (not always) be more of a reason NOT to partake in the OLY lifts.

Of course, how can we even ascertain whether or not someone is hypermobile in the first place?  Are they in any way, shape, or form, affiliated with Cirque de Soleil?  If so, they’re hypermobile.

Kidding aside, one easy screen you can do is the Beighton Laxity Test.

1.  Do the fingers extend past the 90 degree angle to the dorsal aspect of the hand?

2.  Does the thumb contact the forearm with full flexion?

3.  Is there more than 10 degrees of hyperextension in the elbow?

4.  Is there more than 10 degrees of hyperextension in the knee?

5.  Can he or she lay their palms flat on the floor during the toe touch movement?

Generally speaking, if someone scores a 3/5 or higher on the screen, chances are they’re hypermobile.  Or, at the very least, it’s something that needs to be taken into consideration.

With this information on hand, we can make a better judgement call as to whether or not the OLY lifts would be a good fit.  Now, this isn’t to say that if someone tests very high on the Beighton Score that he or she needs to avoid Olympic lifting like a Justin Beiber concert.

I’m not saying that at all.

Rather, all I’m trying to convey is that certain precautions need to be taken into consideration.

1.  Avoid aggressive, uncontrolled ranges of motion during the warm-up.  Especially in the upper body.

2.  I wouldn’t go out of my way to perform a lot of yoga.  If you are: stop.

Well, let me back track that statement.  You can perform yoga, but I’d limit aggressive poses that place a premium on becoming a human pretzel.

3.  With your warm-ups, something to keep in the back of your mind is that closed-chain exercises will provide more stability.

4.  As far as strength training is concerned:  to reiterate, I can’t stress enough how important it is that you seek out a reputable coach, or someone who has experience with the OLY lifts.  Given the excessive ROMs elicited by the sport itself, not to mention how technique intensive it is, it only make sense.

Additionally, since you mentioned how you feel you lose power in the bottom position and that your hamstrings are very flexible, it probably wouldn’t hurt to hammer things like Romanian deadlifts, pull-throughs, glute ham raises, or anything that will help strengthen that area (single leg work included).

5.  It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to include more rhythmic stabilizations into the mix to help teach the joints to, well, stabilize.

6. Static stretching.  Don’t do it.  Seriously.  Stop.

Instead, I’d try to perform more low grade activation drills.  Think:  glute bridges, Forearm wall slides, bowler squats, t-push-ups, dwarf throwing, etc.

And that’s really about it.  Like I said, I think it’s fantastic that you’re pursuing the OLY lifts, but I think given your situation, some precautions need to be made.

In Summary:

1.  Get a coach (if you haven’t already).

2. Don’t go out of your way to perform a lot of static stretching.

3.  Strengthen the posterior chain (especially the hamstrings).  Also, be careful with front and back squats – hypermobility (when not addressed properly) can wreak havoc on the joints when squatting.

4.  Try to include more low grade activation drills and rhythmic stabilizations into your repertoire.

5.  Avoid exposure to Justin Beiber as much as humanly possible. Good luck with that.

If there are any coaches or people with more experience than myself on this particular topic, PLEASE, feel free to chime in.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.