Categoriescoaching Program Design Strength Training

Two Dudes Talking Core Training

Regulars to this site are very familiar with the name Mike Robertson. He’s a good friend, but also a coach I respect immensely.

Not only does he produce top-notch athletes who are seemingly bulletproof, but he’s also someone who continuously churns out quality content that helps elevate the strength and conditioning/fitness community.

He also has impeccable taste in old-school hip-hop music.

His latest resource, Complete Core Training, is available starting today. It’s, well, a complete resource on core training. It’s not about six-pack abs or showcasing the latest core exercises that have people balancing on BOSU balls while juggling chainsaws.

It’s a system on how to set people up for success.

Mike was kind enough to take some time to talk some shop and discuss “core training” with me below. Enjoy!

Two Dudes Talking Core Training

TG: Mike, answer this: what in the name of infomercial hell is “the core?” And why should a whole manual be dedicated to it?

MR: Great question – and if someone can tell me, then that would be great….

In all seriousness, the core is literally everything from the feet to the head, because it all ties together, right? But that’s probably not the answer you’re looking for, either.

For our purposes, I define the core as a box:

  • You’ve got the diaphragm on the top,
  • The pelvic floor on the bottom,
  • The abdominals (transverse abdominus, internal obliques, external obliques, and rectus abdominus) on the front,
  • The IO’s, EO’s1, and quadratus lumborum (QL) on the sides, and
  • You’ve got the QL, erectors and multifidi on the back.

This is such a tricky answer, though, because no matter how I answer, someone hates me.

But I guess I’m okay with that at this point

TG: The cliche question here is to pop off your most common core mistakes people make. What do you feel people do right?

MR: First and foremost, you have to know that I live in a bubble at this point.

I don’t train in a commercial gym.

The people I’m surrounded by are generally high-level coaches, and are making strides to get the most out of their clients and athletes.

So with regards to doing things right, I think most are on the right path.

They’re focusing more on core stability versus creating movement at the core.

They’re realizing that flexion isn’t a bad thing, at least with regards to having that mobility through the spine and pelvis.

And they’re including core training in almost all (if not all) of their programs.

So when you factor all that in, it’s probably making quite a difference.

TG: Okay, I lied….NOW you can tell us the most common mistakes people make.

MR: Again, I’m around fairly high-level people so when it comes to mistakes, the devil is often in the details.

First off, I’m not sure most truly respect how important position is. For instance, almost every time I coach a core exercise now, we’re going to exhale to set a better position.

But often, we sell people short – what might seem like enough of an exhale simply is not. So we have to really drive a full exhale to set good position, especially with our more toned up bros and broettes.

 

Another mistake that I see is always leaving the core training to the end of the program. But before I get too deep here, I should probably let you in on a bit of my bias and philosophy…

I firmly believe that the core is a (if not THE) weak link with our clients and athletes. Therefore, it’s something that we have to address and multiple levels across the program.

So just throwing in some “ab work” at the end of a session isn’t enough. If it’s truly a weak link, we need to address it throughout the programming, both in the warm-up and the actually lifting portion. This comes largely through sound exercise selection, progression and regression.

Note from TG: this is why I LOVE deadbugs so much. Not only do most people do them incorrectly, but they can be injected into any portion of a training program to fit the needs of the athlete/client.

So if I could just get everyone to cue their clients into a better starting position time and again, and address the core at multiple times throughout the training session, I’d be a happy camper.

TG: The meatheads out there will say all someone has to do is squat and deadlift and that’s all the core work they need. I think this is a very narrow-minded, nay, moronic approach. I assume you agree. Why is this not a smart or ideal line of thinking?

MR: We’re in firm agreement here. First off, let me throw this back at you…

How many people walking in on Day 1 would you say have great posture, or can hold great position in their training sessions?

Probably none, or next to none, right?

So why do we assume that loading these people up with heavy squats and deadlifts that they’re magically going to “fix” their positional issues?

I’m sorry, but it just doesn’t happen.

Instead, we need to often rebuild our clients and athletes. Again, it happens on multiple levels throughout the program.

Instead of a back squat, maybe we front squat. Or even better, 2-KB front squat.

Instead of throwing in a ton of work for the posterior chain, we actually teach them to load their anterior chain more effectively. (I’m going to get roasted for this, but it’s something I’ll explore in more depth at a later time).

Note from TG: Here, here! We’ve been over-programmed to think that it’s ALL about posterior chain, ALL the time, that I find many trainees have lost the ability to recruit their quads. I’ve been programming more leg extensions recently for some of my clients. How you like dem apples, internet?!

We need to get some isolated core training in the program, just to teach our athletes how to actually use muscles like their obliques and TVA (not via draw-ins), to help control their pelvis and lumbar spine.

We start doing things like that, then posture starts to clean up and we can hold position.

And when we can hold position with entry-level exercises, then we can start getting bigger bang from there.

TG: Love it Mike. I’m totally on par with you. Complete Core Training – 10 second elevator pitch. Go – 

My goal was to take my entire approach to core training and give it to trainers and coaches who want to get more out of their programming and coaching.

Like you mentioned above, even the best coaches and trainers out there are looking for ways to get better. This is something that I’ve studied in depth for years, constantly seeking ways to get better results, and most importantly, to create lasting change in how my clients move and feel.

So Complete Core Training isn’t just a random collection of exercises – it’s a complete training system, where I cover everything from the anatomy of the core, to the mechanics of coaching and cuing, and of course, how to program most effectively.

I think it’s a really solid program, and one that’s going to help trainers and coaches across the world get better results with their clients and athletes.

But I’m also willing to admit I may be just a wee bit biased….;o)

Complete Core Training is ON SALE all this week at 50% off the original price.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 3/11/16

Pardon the visual, but I’m recovering from the epic nerd-boner I got this morning after watching the final trailer for Captain America: Civil War.

How nuts/amazing/OMGSHUTUPANDTAKEMYMONEY was that?

May 6th can’t come soon enough. Much to my wife’s chagrin, you know I’m going to be one of those guys who wants to show up at the IMAX theater three hours early so I can nerd out with other nerds and show off my sweet new Captain A t-shirt (which, not coincidentally, makes me pecs look ultra pecy).

A few things before we get to this week’s list:

1) In case you missed it earlier this week, I announced a new apparel line. Relax, I’m not going all Kanye West and charging $125 for a plain t-shirt.

Nothing fancy. Just some t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatpants (tanks coming soon2) that have my logo on them; including a special edition “Because Heavy Things Won’t Lift Themselves” version.

Not that I’m biased or anything, but I think they’re pretty baller.

You can go HERE to check things out for yourself.

2) There’s only a few days left to take advantage of the EARLY BIRD special for mine an Dean Somerset’s Complete Hip & Shoulder Workshop at Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance in Seattle, WA this April. Go HERE for more details.

3) Also, I’ll be at Warhorse Barbell in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, April 24th for a 1-day workshop titled The Shoulder: From Assessment to Badass. For more details go HERE.

The Subtle But Essential Role of the Triceps Brachii in the Deadlift – Dr. Michael Hartle

Subconsciously I’ve been using this cue myself for years…but never really realized 1) that I was doing it and 2) why it’s so essential for deadlift performance.

After reading this I had a few my clients use this cue last night and it worked like magic. Very cool.

A Strong Mind Is a Strong Body – Dr. Lisa Lewis on the Nia Shanks Podcast

That’s my girl!

My wife made a cameo appearance on the Nia Shanks Podcast to discuss the importance of mindset and strength training…especially with regards to women.

The key point: we need to stop “should’ing all over ourselves.”

If this is a topic you’re interested in, Lisa and Artemis Scantalides will be down in the Baltimore, MD area next month at Dauntless Fitness and Health putting on their I Am Not Afraid to Lift: Power of Mindset Edition workshop.

For more details go HERE.

How to Find Your Brand’s Disruptive Opportunity – Ronell Smith

What do fishing lures, Facebook, and encouraging “disruptive” behavior have to do with building your brand? This was an excellent and informative read.

CategoriesCorrective Exercise Exercise Technique Exercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Modified Side Lying Hip Abduction with Leg Slide

When most people – at least within fitness circles – think of “glutes,” they envision bikini models/figure competitors up on stage or people with 400+ lb hip thrust with the ability to crack a walnut/crush a Volvo between their cheeks, in what’s known as the 21st century’s version of “coolest bar trick ever.”

And well, I can’t disagree with either of those examples.

I mean…..GLUTES!

A more poignant and mature fitness professional, however, will note that, the glutes – or gluteal complex (glute maximus, medius, and minimus) – are a major player in a multitude of strength & conditioning (in addition to general health & well-being) facets.

Having strong glutes allows athletes to lift more weight, jump higher, and run faster. While not always the case and a true indicator of athletic prowess, using the eyeball test and comparing athlete A (who has a big ass) and athlete B (who looks as if (s)he has a 2×4 stuck to their rear-end), I’m going to put my money on athlete A.

The glutes also serve a major role in helping to “bullet proof” the body. Athlete or not, many people complain of chronic lower back pain due to “glute amnesia.”

Get those bad-boys strong(er) and firing more efficiently, reduce the likelihood of faulty compensations, and good things tend to always happen.

Exhibit A: Kellie Davis, co-author of Strong Curves, rocking some solid hip thrusts.

Exhibit B: this sexy firefighter rescuing a helpless kitten from a tree.

That said, we can’t always “muscle” our way to strong, efficient glutes. Sometimes we need to implement lower-level, “corrective” type movements in order to appropriately “access” them.

Note to Self: lets tone it down on the quotations marks, mmm-kay.

Modified Side-Lying Hip Abduction With Leg Slide

 

Who Did I Steal it From?: Chicago based chiropractic physician and strength coach, Dr. Evan Osar.

What Does it Do?: The objective here is to not to say we’re strengthening the glute medius. We’re not, really.

Most people don’t have a weak glute medius. And frankly, doing an endless array of hip abduction or side lying clam variations isn’t going to be the answer. Sure, some people may need to regress things to include a healthy dose of motor control exercises, but at the end of the day, if you want to “strengthen” a muscle, you need to, you know, do traditional strength-building exercises.

That being said, the intent here is to help people access their glute medius as part of the gluteal complex, to increase the brain’s and nervous system’s awareness of that muscle, and to recruit it once we get people into the upright/standing position and lifting heavy things.

Key Coaching Cues: 

We get hip extension, abduction, and lengthening of the anterior hip complex.

  • Entire backside is flush against the wall.
  • Shoulders/hips are stacked on top of one another.
  • Elbow at 90 degrees, knees at 45 degrees. Also, it’s a good idea to place a yoga block or towel between knees to encourage a more neutral pelvic position.
  • Start by pushing the bottom knee gently into the floor.
  • Elevate top foot and then push your heel into the wall, engaging glute max.
  • Slowly straighten leg until fully extended, making sure to keep heel in contact with wall the entire time. Toes will point forward/come off wall when leg is straight.
  • Return back to starting position, and repeat 6-8 repetitions/side for 2-3 sets.
  • THAT’S what it feels like to turn your entire gluteal complex on.
  • Now go train.
CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design Strength Training

13 Ways to Improve Your Deadlift, FAST!

You could say I like to write about deadlifts. Well that, and zombies. Or zombies fighting ninjas. Or how adorable my cat is, which has nothing to do with zombies.

Oh, and speaking of cats……cats vs. zombies.

But mostly I like to write about deadlifts.3

In my latest article that went up on T-Nation today, I break down 13 quick-n-dirty tips that many people can incorporate TODAY and see immediate improvement in their lift.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Continue Reading….

CategoriesMotivational Product Review

Tony Gentilcore Swag Now Available: Building a Brand

If you were to tell me ten (0r even five) years ago that I’d see my name plastered on a t-shirt as some sort of “brand,” I would have laughed at you.

“Yeah, right” I would have said back then. “What’s next, lightsabers are real? Donald Trump will be considered a viable presidential candidate?”

And here were are, in 2016, my name is plastered on a t-shirt and Donald Trump is considered a viable presidential candidate.4

Special Edition “Because Heavy Things Won’t Lift Themselves” Tee: Front View

Special Edition “Because Heavy Things Won’t Lift Themselves” Tee: Back View

For those who want to skip the foreplay, you can go HERE to order your fancy schmancy TG apparel.

For those looking to be wined and dined a bit more and seduced with a little word play and backstory, continue reading….

Building a Brand

To be fully transparent: there’s still a small part of me who feels like an impostor, a fitness industry fraud. Who am I to put my name in a t-shirt?

I graduated college in 2002 with a degree in Health Education and was lucky enough to find an internship at a local corporate gym that summer.

For eight weeks I was an intern.

I opened the gym some days, and closed it on others. I worked long hours and felt woefully unprepared the entire time. I remember when I was handed my first “client” and felt like crawling into a corner and hyperventilating into a paper bag.

That internship led to a full-time job, which then led to several simultaneous part-time gigs as a personal trainer in local commercial gyms.

I did that rigmarole for three years.

And then I met some guy named Eric Cressey and we immediately became good friends. I ended up leaving central NY and moved to CT where Eric encouraged me to interview at a gym where he was hired out of grad school.

We worked together for a year and through a series of events decided to move to Boston in the Fall of 2006. It was during this time when I started dabbling in fitness writing. I wasn’t any good then (some may argue I’m no good now), but seeing my first article published on T-Nation was an amazing feeling.5

It wasn’t long after moving to Boston and getting a job at a swanky downtown establishment that an opportunity arose to write a fitness blog for the Boston Herald.

Some of you reading may remember the Step-Up blog. If you do….my sincerest “thank you” for sticking around. I owe you a steak dinner or something.

In the summer of 2007 Eric, myself, and Pete Dupuis opened up Cressey Sports Performance. The rest, as they say, is history.

Since it’s infancy, CSP has grown into one of the most recognizable and respected training facilities in North America (if not the world).

And up until a few months ago, that’s where I happily resided in my little strength and conditioning bubble.

It’s where “the magic happened.”

Yes I was (and am) a co-founder, but as far as the ‘business’ was concerned my main role was to serve as an ambassador for the CSP brand. To help build an army of deadlifting Terminators and 95 MPH baseball throwing assassins.

On the side, however, I was given free-reign to build my own brand underneath the CSP umbrella; to try to make Tony Gentilcore a thing.

I had hoped.

I transitioned my blog on the Boston Herald to my own website and continued to hammer away at building that. The more I wrote, the more I started getting inquires from the likes of T-Nation, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Men’s Fitness, and various other sites and magazines.

Mind you: this was all happening 5-6 YEARS into my career.

I didn’t start with a brand…..I built one.

I’m now 14 years into my career, and finally feel accomplished enough to have a t-shirt.

It’s a lesson I wish more fitness professionals would understand – particularly those just starting out. Many are more enamored with building a brand before building anything.

I’ve seen some trainers who have been training people for less than six-months writing ebooks on how to train people. Worse still, I’ve witnessed some people act as consultants on how to build a successful fitness business, yet don’t run a business.

Let alone a successful one.

And don’t even get me started on Insta-celebrities:

Then again, I’m not the one with millions of followers. FML.

And Yet I Can’t Help (But Sometimes) Feel Like an Impostor

Impostor Syndrome (source Wikipedia):

“Also known as impostor phenomenon or fraud syndrome) is a term coined in 1978 by clinical psychologists Dr. Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes referring to high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as “fraud”. Despite external evidence of their competence, those exhibiting the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved.”

I know it’s my own stupid negative self-talk talking, but when people place my name amongst many of the elite coaches in the industry (Mike Boyle, Dan John, Robert dos Remedios, Gray Cook, EC, Mike Robertson, Bret Contreras, Mr. Miyagi, to name a few) I can’t help but revert back to when I was handed my first client back in 2002, and feel woefully ill-prepared and ill-suited to accept such claims.

I mean, these are coaches who I still learn from, who I still feel indebted to for making me better. Who have numerous gyms, products, and speaking tours amongst them.

And now people are inferring I’m on the same level or on par with them?  Pfffft, maybe if you gave me a +47 handicap.

Look Tony’s got a t-shirt. That’s cute.

 

Okay, that’s enough: I know I’m good. I know I’ve helped a lot of people. I feel I’ve done things the right way. I don’t think I’ve made many enemies. And I’ve stayed in my lane.

I’ve written over 1,700 blog posts, countless articles, and have coached innumerable athletes throughout the years. The past few months, since leaving CSP and venturing off on my own, have been equal parts amazing and scary as balls.

I don’t even know what “scary as balls means,” but for the sake of argument lets say it’s somewhere in between Indiana Jones in a snake pit and watching an episode of The Biggest Loser.

As a good friend told me last year:

“There’s a reason who’ve worked so hard to build your own brand the last 10+ years. You’re going to be okay. People want to listen to and support you”

So, Long Story Short: Buy a T-Shirt….;o)

First off: props to Nor East Apparel for their amazing work in getting this t-shirt design made.

I’ll be selling t-shirts directly at the studio, but I’ve also partnered with the site TheLoyalist.com who will be handling both domestic and international orders.

Basically, you go HERE and:

  • Choose from a variety of apparel
    • Regular tee (TG Logo only),
    • Special Edition: “Because Heavy Things Won’t Lift Themselves” tee,
    • Hoodie
    • Sweat pants.
    • Coming soon: skullies, tank-tops, and I don’t know, stemware, glassware, and fuck it…F-16 fighter jets.
  • Choose your material: 100% cotton, 50/5o, or Tri-Blend (<– my personal favorite).
  • Choose color.
  • Increase your level of awesome by 717%

THANK YOU, everyone, for all your support throughout the years. None of this would be possible without your continued readership.

NOTE: Whether you’re breaking PRs, hanging at home, or out fighting crime, be sure to post pics via social media of you wearing your TG apparel. I’d love to see it!

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 3/4/16

Happy House of Cards Day!

Earlier this week I reminded my wife that season 4 of House of Cards came out on Netflix on Friday (today), and to say she was a wee bit excited would be an understatement.

On Wednesday she was like, “I can not WAIT for House of Cards weekend.”

That’s more or less going to be our weekend this weekend. Binge watching the shit out of HoC.

I picked out which pair of sweatpants I’m going to wear and Lisa picked out her bottle of wine. Who says romance is dead?

On that note, lets jump into this week’s list of stuff to read.

Quick Reminder: SEATTLE – there are spots still available for mine and Dean Somerset’s Complete Hip and Shoulder Workshop at Vigor Ground & Fitness Performance on April 9-10th. Go HERE for more details.

The Importance of Hip Internal Rotation for Acceleration and Deceleration in Athletes – Trevor Rappa

I’ll just quote myself from the Tweet I made the other day:

“This article made me sexually excited.”

Haiti: Hope and a History of Suffering – Bryan Krahn

This article is why Bryan is one of my favorite writers. Not just fitness writers…I mean, WRITERS.

There’s no talk of drop sets, biceps, or how everyone should eat Paleo in this article. Just some damn fine writing on a heart-wrenching topic.

Complete Jumps Training – Adam Feit

 

TODAY (3/4) is the last day to take advantage of the initial sale price (50% off) on Complete Jumps Training by strength coach, and guy I hate because I can’t jump as high as him, Adam Feit

Simply put…

If you are looking for a blueprint for jump training that you can add immediately to your own sports training program to make your athletes more explosive, then I recommend you check out Complete Jumps Training.

No BS and no stupid ankle weights.  Just smart, intelligent, well-thought out progressions to make you and your athletes beasts. Go HERE for more info.

Categoriespodcast

Appearance On the Legendary Life Podcast

I was invited onto the Legendary Life Podcast hosted by Ted Ryce recently.

It was an awesome experience and Ted is one of the greats when it comes to interviewing and producing a highly entertaining podcast.

But I can’t help but ask: Me? Legendary?

I can understand if I hit the winning home run in Game 7 of the World Series, or, I don’t know, somehow beat Jason Bourne in a fist-fight.

That’s legendary.

Then again, I did clean my cat’s litter box this morning and washed the dishes. Soooooooo, I’m pretty much Batman.

  • Kidding aside, I had a lot of fun recording this episode.  In this episode you’ll learn:
  • Why most people plateau in the gym 3
  • Ways to get faster results from your workouts
  • How to avoid the #1 mistake most guys make in the gym
  • High reps, low reps?
  • Which rep scheme is best?
  • The “train hard=>get hurt=>go to physical therapy” cycle
  • Why you should set a performance-based goal
  • Why effective workouts don’t have to be complicated
  • Most common mistakes personal trainers often make
  • Quality vs Quantity: Movement matters
  • Why strength is the foundation of your fitness
  • Why modern life sets you up for injury
  • How to deal with shoulder pain
  • How to workout with an injury
  • Why the skill of coaching is underrated

—> Listen to Legendary Life <—

CategoriesProgram Design Strength Training

The Over Warm-Up: And How It Can Help You Lift More Weight

The warm-up.

Lets be honest: most of you reading either skip it altogether or discreetly brush it to the side as something you know you should be doing, but, you know, don’t.

I’m not here to judge. I do it too.

I don’t feel I need to sit here like an overbearing parent and type out all the reasons why you should be doing a thorough warm-up prior to training. But I will anyways.

A warm-up:

  • Improves alignment and posture.
  • Allows for additional and opportune times to address and tackle “problematic areas” such as the thoracic spine (lack of rotation and/or extension), hips (it takes a crowbar to squat past 90 degrees), glutes (you don’t have any), and ankles (the cement blocks we wear for shoes – not to mention high-heels – place us in a constant state of plantar-flexion, thus compromising our ability to dorsiflex).
  • Helps to increase core temperature and promotes blood flow…which helps improve flexibility/extensibility of muscles.
  • Get the nervous system primed and ready to go.
  • Gets you jacked. Just kidding.6

All that said – and despite many, many, MANY – smart people telling us how important it is…people still tend to skimp on their warm-up.

NOTE: HERE is an article I wrote a few years ago on “The Perfect Warm-Up?” As well as THIS one I wrote for STACK.

This video was part of the article linked to above. I only post it NOW for Eric Cressey’s EPIC video-bomb. Wait for it…..

Long story short: including a warm-up prior to training is a smart use of training time, will help to offset many of the poor sitting (and standing) positions we tend to be stuck in on a daily basis, and it only takes maybe 10 minutes.

DO IT!

The Over-Warm-Up

So now that we’ve established that you’re not going to warm-up, lets discuss the concept of the over warm-up, a term popularized by strength coach and powerlifter Paul Carter.

You’re TOTALLY going to be down for this…so keep reading!

For any uppity strength and conditioning snobs reading this can also, technically, be referred to as Post-Activation Potentiation.

Rather than attempt to define what Post-Activation Potentiation (PAP) is, I’ll defer to Bret Contreras:

“PAP is a phenomena by which muscular performance characteristics are acutely enhanced as a result of their contractile history. The underlying principle surrounding PAP is that heavy loading prior to explosive activity induces a high degree of CNS stimulation which results in greater motor unit recruitment lasting anywhere from five to thirty minutes.”

Traditionally, PAP is performed by utilizing a close to max-effort lift (think: bench press, squat, deadlift, arm wrestling a Terminator) followed suit with an explosive activity with the same “pattern” (think: medicine ball throw, vertical jump, 10-40 yd sprint, high-tailing it to local florist when you forget it’s your anniversary).

To take advantage of the phenomena most strength coaches agree that PAP is best utilized using the “lift something heavy then perform a similar explosive movement after” approach.

NOTE: I’d encourage you to read Bret Contreras’s full article HERE on PAP if you really want to dive into the nitty-gritty stuff.

However, for strength purposes I’ve found using a similar approach useful. Essentially you’ll take your “main” movement of the day – squat, bench press, deadlift – and extend your warm-up/build-up sets so that you work above your intended, scheduled work load.

So, for example, lets say you’re performing squats today and your program calls for 4×4 @ 75% of your 1RM. For the sake of argument lets say your 1RM is 350 lbs.

1) 75% of 350 = 262 lbs (rounded up to 265).

2) A traditional warm-up may look like this:

1×8 @ 40% (140 lb)

1×6 @ 50% (175 lb)

1×5 @ 60% (210 lb)

1×2 @ 70% (245 lb)

4×4@ 75% (265 lb)

 

3) The OVER warm-up will look like this:

1×8 @ 40% (140 lb)

1×6 @ 50% (175 lb)

1×5 @ 60% (210 lb)

1×2 @ 70% (245 lb)

1-3×1 @ 80-85% (280-300 lb)

4×4@ 75% (265 lb)

So in this case the objective is to hit a weight above or past the intended work sets to “potentiate” the nervous system, and thus (hopefully) making them feel easier/lighter.

The idea is to ENSURE your “over warm-up weight” is one you KNOW you can crush. Meaning, it’s not close to a 1RM and bar speed should still be, well, speedy.

Something else to consider is that this should only be utilized when you’re using sub-maximal weight with your work sets (60-80% of 1RM). DO NOT attempt this when you know you’re working at percentages higher than that.

I mean, you could…it just (probably) won’t end well.

Also, this isn’t something you’re going to want to perform long-term. Maybe use it for a block (3-6 weeks) and then revert to something else.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Categoriescoaching Conditioning

Hybrid Jumping: More Efficient Than Your Prius

Today I have an excellent guest post from strength and conditioning coach, jump training specialist, and Director of Sports Performance at Reach Your Potential Training, Inc (www.igotrypt.com), Adam Feit.

Adam’s new resource, Complete Jumps Training, is available starting today. Unlike most traditional jump training programs that tend to focus solely on sagittal plane exercises or worse, utilize ankle weights7, this one actually, you know, helps get people more athletic.

Hybrid Jumping: More Efficient Than Your Prius

Sure, I get it. It’s good for the environment.

Better gas mileage. Minimizing the carbon footprint. Hell, you even get a tax break in most states.

But you’d think they would work on the aesthetics a bit better, no?

All kidding aside, what if I could introduce a new type of hybrid locomotion that would close the gap between where you are and where you want to be?

Possibly even save you time, space and money (without the fear of being made fun of by your friends)?

Would you consider it?

Good.

Because we’re going to explore the latest innovation in jump training for today’s athlete—the hybrid.

When I transitioned from coaching NCAA and NFL athletes to today’s youth, I knew we did not have the resources or the athletes to advance our jump training exercises like we used to.

We actually had real budget restrictions, athletes who had never trained before and limited space. And it got even worse as our business continued to grow and new groups were added.

We were filling the gym but limiting our capacity to move, move often and move well.

So we adapted.

We overcame and attacked the situation at hand and found a way to work around all those roadblocks, specifically when it came to jump training.

Most jump programs focus on some sort of variation of the vertical jump and long jump.

Why? Because they’re easy to coach, touch on both aspects of vertical and horizontal power and allow results to be compared across multiple sporting and coaching organizations.

But was there more to jumping than simply getting up as high as possible or far as possible, especially when it involved athletics? Could jump training be properly programmed and planned out to maximize performance and reduce the risk of future injury?

No question.

After coaching thousands of athletes through jump training, we noticed a few reoccurring themes.

1) Athletes had a difficult time jumping on one leg and landing on the same or the alternate leg.

2) They were stuck moving in the vertical or linear plane, only moving up or out.

3) Coaches did not know how to progress outside the scope of increasing volume or height/distance.

4) There was less and less transfer to actual sport tasks simply because of focusing on double-legged takeoffs and landings.

Years ago, Coach Michael Boyle addressed this very issue and proposed a simplified way of explaining jumps to his coaches and athletes. To minimize confusion amongst his coaches and athletes, he classified jumps as follows:

  •      Jump: a two-legged takeoff with a two-legged landing (e.g., vertical jump)
  •      Hop: a one-legged takeoff with a same one-legged landing (e.g., vertical hop)
  •      Bound: a one-legged takeoff with an alternate one-legged landing (e.g., lateral bound)

However, the more we looked at our own athletes, the more we realized this needed to be expanded. We decided to add a fourth category to the list.

Enter the hybrid.

The hybrid is the combination of any type of jump, hop, or bound with the possible addition of a medicine ball (MB) for upper body power development (e.g., lateral bound to double-legged landing or a hurdle jump to MB punch.)

The hybrid category was a valuable addition to Coach Boyle’s original three categories for three primary reasons:

1) It bridged the gap between the transition of double-leg and single-leg jumping exercises.

With the use of the hybrid, we were able to better prepare for single-leg hops and bounds through the use of single-legged takeoffs with double-legged landings.

No longer were we rushing to do a vertical hop or long hop.

Now, we could slow down our teaching progressions even further to ensure long-term success and appropriately layer sequences within themselves for optimal programming.

Don’t believe us?

Ask your athletes to do a vertical jump (two legs). Then watch them do a vertical hop (one leg).

What do you see?

Dropped chests? Internally rotated hips and valgus knees? Lack of triple extension?

By adding a single-legged takeoff with a double-legged landing (novice) or double-legged takeoff to a single legged-landing (expert), we were able to better prepare our athletes for the forces, speeds and positions they may face in sport.

(Not to mention better hops and bounds for our highlight videos!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn5v85ekXFs

2) It provided what we call “variation within simplicity.”

Rather than change exercises completely, we could simply add or remove one piece of the drill to change the stimulus and keep our athletes and coaches progressing.

Too often, coaches use a two-dimensional approach in regards to progressive overload—heavier weight or more volume.

What about rest periods? Changes in body positioning? Use of different implements?

When our space and time got cut shorter and shorter, we had to think of a way to combine not only types of jumps but also where they were occurring. Instead of devoting a day to solely linear jumping, why not combine it with another day?

Rather than only performing a long jump, why not add a lateral bound to a long jump? Or perhaps a rotational hurdle jump to a vertical jump and long jump?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUbClRjpLGk

 

Variation within the jumping exercise itself allowed us to combine multiple takeoffs, landings and planes of motion to better prepare the athlete for future exercises and what they may feel on the court or field.

3) Lastly, it allowed our staff to analyze single-leg jumping and landing mechanics much earlier in the programming.

Instead of wasting a period of 4–6 weeks on primarily double-leg takeoffs and landings, we could work on the limiting issue (usually single-leg strength/stability/power) right away.

From experience, we knew the importance of using jump training not only for power development, but also more importantly, for the reduction of future injury.

We have seen too many orthopedic doctors clear athletes for their return to play without evaluating all dimensions of their performance, namely deceleration and change of direction. Because of this, we have devoted our efforts to educating our staff and athletes on the importance of single-leg training, specifically jumping and landings.

We perform jump training in the warm-up, during movement, and throughout weight-training sessions.

After all, running, cutting, planting, pivoting, and jumping almost always occur with one leg at a time. Why would we not want to make it a priority?

So, if you’re looking to take your coaching and programming to the next level, I’d strongly urge you to check out the Coaches’ Guide to Jump Training.

It was made for coaches, by coaches. Whether you’re working with middle-schoolers or high-profile professionals, we’re certain this system will add another element to your awesome coaching.

Also, if you are looking to improve your own jump training, this is a fantastic resource. It’s currently available for HALF-PRICE.

—> Complete Jumps Training <—

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 2/26/16

 

Before we dive into this week’s list:

1) Be sure to check out my updated speaking schedule HERE. Early bird rate still applies for mine and Dean Somerset’s workshop at Vigor Ground Fitness in Seattle at …..hint, hint, nudge, nudge.

2) Still haven’t tried Athletic Greens? What’s the dealo? Check THIS out for 50% of your first month.

3) Annnnnnnnnd this…..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbdCPl1RIoM

 

5 Ways Trainers Need to Improve – Nick Tumminello

Supreme writing by Nick on this one, and he hits the nail on the head.

Point #1 really resonated with me: “Some trainers are doing half-ass physical therapy, not training.”

Understanding Mobility – Dean Somerset

One of the most thorough articles in recent memory on what “mobility” really is and how we can effectively train for it (if it’s deemed necessary). Hint: it rarely involves stretching.

ISOs and High-Tension Lifting: Why They Make Sense – Todd Bumgardner

Hmmmm, interesting.

Also, Don’t Forget

To check out Simple Shoulder Solution by Max Shank. It was just released this week, and is getting awesome feedback.

It takes a more unconventional approach to shoulder health, but that’s what I dig about it. I LIKE when coaches think outside the box and take more of a “lets do some cool shit and train” mentality. I’m 100% stealing some of his material. But, you know, giving credit. Max could kick my ass in 2.3 seconds.