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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: Wheat Belly Review, Spinal Health and Core Training, Creating Monsters

While it’s technically not something you’ll be able to read while you’re sitting there at your desk pretending to work, I just wanted to remind everyone out there that today’s marks the LAST day that Spinal Health and Core Training: An Interdisciplinary Approach for Health, Fitness, Rehabilitation, and Performance is on sale for $100 off the regular price.

While I’d like to sit here and say that this DVD will add 50 lbs to your deadlift almost instantly, make you strong enough to wrestle a great white shark (with one arm), and increase your IQ so high that NASA will hold a ticker tape parade in your honor, that would be embellishing things just a tad.

I mean, it’s pretty much common knowledge that it’s impossible to put a great white into a half-nelson. So it’s not like I’m fooling anyone here.

All kidding aside, I really feel this is going to be a game changer for a lot of fitness professionals out there and will undoubtedly place you a step above the rest with regards to anatomy, assessment, corrective exercise, program design, and a plethora of other things like understanding when to progress (or regress) clients with back pain, how to integrate appropriate core exercises, and maybe even more important, how to coach the exercises correctly!

Spinal Health and Core Training

All of the guys involved – myself, Rick Kaselj, Dean Somerset, and Dr. Jeff Cubos – put a lot of work into this seminar and provided over 12 hours worth of information and knowledge bombs that, in our eyes, will make anyone who watches it a verifiable Robocop when it comes to working with athletes and clients with back injuries.

Diet Book Review: Wheat Belly – Dr. Yoni Freedhoff

I thought this was a fantastic review by Dr. Freedhoff on the best selling book, Wheat Belly, by William Davis, M.D.

It seems like every few weeks a new diet book comes out throwing something else under the table – in this case it’s wheat.

Now, I’m fully aware the gluten intolerance – and all the nastiness involved with it – exists.  And I’m also fully aware that people tend to overemphasize highly processed foods like breads, bagels, and pasta in their daily diets – even if they’re “whole wheat/grain” (and presumably under the guise that they’re healthier options) – and develop a killer “wheat/pot/food” belly as well as a raging case of type II diabetes to show for it.

On the flip side, though, there are still plenty of people out there who do eat whole grains and wheat (as well as many of the other foods which Dr. Davis poo-poos on) without any issues what-so-ever.

Admittedly, if given the choice, I’d lean more towards the camp of telling people to omit much (not all) of the grains and whole wheat products they eat – my gut and experience just tells me that most people are better off that way.

But at the same time I understand that pointing the finger at one thing is a bit naive and sensationalist; and that what works for one person, may not necessarily be the right choice for the next – especially in the long-term.

Thanks to people like Dr. Freedhoff, it’s a bit easier to tone down the stupid.

Are We Creating Monsters – Dr. Justin Rabinowitz

In light of all the talk surrounding the increased incidence of concussions and the dangers to one’s health that are a result, I thought this was an interesting commentary of the role the strength and conditioning community plays.

Now, just to be clear:  I am in no way insinuating that we shouldn’t “hold back” in our efforts to make our athletes (and clients) bigger, faster, and stronger (that’s what we’re paid to do)……..

…..But is there ever a time – and have we reached that point – where enough is enough?

CategoriesCorrective Exercise Product Review Program Design Rehab/Prehab Strength Training

Introducing Spinal Health and Core Training

For those familiar, Muscle Imbalances Revealed has slowly engrained itself as one of the more sought after, consistent, and continuously revered fitness product series out there.

Seemingly, every year (give or take a few months) the man and mastermind behind the scenes, Rick Kaselj, is releasing a new version to the masses.

If I had to equate it to anything, it’s basically like the Fast and Furious franchise where we can expect a new(er) and more badass upgrade of some sorts every so often. Except in this case there’s no tricked up cars, high-speed chases, hot chicks (bummer), or cheesy Vin Diesel dialogue (even more of a bummer).

High-octane gear head talk aside, some of you may recall a little trip I took to Canada last summer where I went alllllllllllll the way up to Edmonton to “party” with my Muscle Imbalances Revealed Upper Body alumni Rick Kaselj, Dean Somerset, and Dr. Jeff Cubos.

And by “party” what I really mean is the four of us decided to combine our collective minds, go all Professor X on the world, and set up an epic 2-day seminar all dedicated to a multi-disciplinary approach to core training and keeping spines bullet proof.

We video’d the entire thing in all of our high-definition glory (I even shaved!) and have finally made it available for everyone.

===> Spinal Health and Core Training Seminar <===

Outside of being completely freaked out by the fact that it was still daylight at ten o’clock at night, it was an awesome two days where everyone involved – the presenters as well as the 15+ attendees – had the rare opportunity of learning from four high-quality, uber smart, and unwittingly handsome professionals with varying backgrounds and expertise.

Rick has extensive experience working with and dealing with a wide array of injured clientele, and is a straight up Jedi when it comes to assessment and understanding how to program around injury.

Dean, too, has a plethora of knowledge with regards to rehab, assessment, and working with the general public. He also broke a deadlifting PR that weekend with me just standing in his presence.  True story.

Dr. Jeff is a chiropractor and manual therapist with tons of experience working with elite athletes. His knowledge base with regards to corrective exercise, posture, and the newly minted “it topic” in the industry, breathing patterns, is second to none.

And then, you know, there’s me.

Because I don’t want to leave anyone hanging, I felt it only fair to give a sneak peak into each person’s presentation so that everyone on the fence would have a general idea of the material and topics covered:

Me Discussing Assessment

Dean Discussing Assessment as Well

Dr. Jeff Discussing the Importance of Self Mobilizations Drills

Note:  This is a clip from the actual finalized product!  HD baby!!!!

Rick Discussing Parameters Writing Programs Around Pain

And there you have it!  That should give everyone a sense of what to expect.  And remember, there’s roughly TWELVE hours worth of this stuff – including more “hands-on” lecture, some talk on breathing patterns and how that effects core function as well as posture, exercise technique, programming, and there may even be some shadow puppets thrown in the mix for good measure.

Okay, I’m kidding on that last one. Needless to say there was no stone left un-turned, and I really feel this is something that can (and will) help a lot of trainers and coaches out there stay on top of their game.

And the general public shouldn’t feel left out in the cold either.  This is a very “user friendly” product for all the general fitness enthusiasts who may be reading as well.

I’ll finish by saying that I’m often asked what I feel differentiates the “good” trainers and coaches from the bad ones, and what – if anything – I feel separates the masses.

While I could sit here and come up with some arbitrary rationale as to why bald trainers and coaches are far superior compared to those who are more “follicly” endowed (you know, cause I’m kinda bald), the real truth is that those who tend to be more successful and have a long shelf-life are those who don’t view continuing education as burden, or more to the point……as a “cost.”

I’ve always used the mantra that even if I only learn ONE thing from any DVD or book, and it leads to me picking up ONE client, it essentially paid for itself.

It was a goal of ours to make this product as easily “accessible” as possible (while still being profitable enough to satiate my impending beef jerky addiction).  To that end, Spinal Health and Core Training is on sale NOW (2/12) through this Friday (2/15) for $97 (. Which is a steal given the amount of information provided, and the fact that you’ll see videos of me from when I had hair.  I mean come on: That’s worth the price alone.

After this week the price climbs to it’s regular price of $197. So get it while the gettin is good….;o)

===> Spinal Health and Core Training <===

CategoriesCorrective Exercise Rehab/Prehab

Introduction to Spinal Health and Core Training

Some of you may recall I took a little trip out to Edmonton, Alberta back in June to take part in the Spinal Health and Core Training seminar alongside my fellow cohorts Rick Kaselj, Dean Somerset, and Dr. Jeff Cubos.

While I’d like to sit here and state that what transpired was a Hangover inspired two-day extravaganza of hookers, cocaine, tigers, and babies wearing oversized sunglasses, what really transpired was completely not that.

Nope, our Wolfpack was all about program design, corrective exercise, assessment, and anything and everything that you can think of as it pertains to core training and spinal health.

Okay, maybe there was a tiger involved……but that was Dean’s idea, not mine.

All kidding aside, it was an amazing weekend and everyone who attended walked away with a gulf of information.  Lucky for you we taped the entire thing and plan on releasing it as a product in the very near future.  And by “very soon,” I’m talking about within the next few weeks.

To wet everyone’s palette, Rick K. is releasing a series of “sneak peeks,” and for those interested below is a quick 22-minute clip of my presentation.

And there’s A LOT more where that come from. I ended up speaking for close to three and half hours that day (how, I have no idea), and Dr. Cubos finished off with another three hours himself.

Day 2 revolved around Rick and Dean, and while I had to take off for Vancouver that day for a friend’s wedding, I heard it was equally as informative and awesome.

Like I said, we’ll be divulging more information on the actual release within the next few weeks, so keep your eyes and ears peeled.