I’m meeting up with two buddies of mine today – Dave Rak and Matthew Ibrahim – at BU to toss around some iron and possibly follow-suit with eating of the dead animal flesh.
Just a bunch of bros being bros.
We’re meeting up pretty early and I wanted to make sure to compile my list this week before heading out. See? My readers come first…..;o)
This is an older post I came across (written in 2014) which I felt was really interesting and brought up some valid points.
NO one – at least within my circles – would ever state that getting strong is a bad thing (or dangerous). To quote Bret Contreras:
“If you think lifting weights is dangerous, try being weak. Being weak is dangerous.”
However, there comes a point in every lifter’s journey where he or she must ascertain “how strong is strong enough?” At what point are the aches, pains, twinges, and incessant DOMS worth it?
Likewise, this is a tough nugget to crack with athletes. Many are drilled into thinking that stronger is always better. To a large degree, it is. However, part of the role as a strength coach is to sometimes pump the brakes and surmise that there’s little (if any) additional athletic benefit in taking someone’s deadlift from 450 to 500 lbs. Is the risk worth the reward?
Anyways, interesting read and nice parameters given for strength numbers for many to strive for – at least to start.
My inner feminist took over after reading this post, and I had to share. The double standard in our society with women and body image is a travesty, and this was a very entertaining read. As a quote-on-quote “writer” myself, I admired this very much. I mean, what’s not to admire with the well placed penis joke?
Reminder
Dean Somerset and I will be at Movement Minneapolis (you know, in Minneapolis, MN) the weekend of October 15-16th presenting our Complete Shoulder & Hip Workshop. It’ll be our LAST live event for this course in 2016 (and the foreseeable future).1
That’s all it said. That’s all it needed to say. I knew Lisa was pissed. And was probably thiiiiis close to tossing her computer out the window.
I’ll be honest: when I read those two words I couldn’t help but chuckle. Of all the things to come back positive on her Pinnertest, we were both keeping our fingers crossed that coffee was going to be safe.
And two, on my side of the fence (a non-coffee drinker), I bought her what’s equivalent to the Cadillac of Nespresso machines for Christmas a few years ago. If we come to find out coffee is on the “hit list,” does it just become an expensive paperweight, albeit one that makes delicious caffeinated beverages?
Alas, there it was, plain as day…coffee: a “Level 1” intolerance.
Lets Back Up a Bit
Without going into too many personal details, Lisa was having a conversation with a friend of ours (Eric Gahan of Iron Body Studios) last year on the topic of diet/nutrition and food intolerances. The two of them steered towards digestive and skin issues and how both believed some of the foods they ate may be playing a role in each.
The idea of food intolerances or elimination diets is nothing new in the industry. In fact, many books extolling the virtues of eliminating “this” (gluten, dairy) or “that” (meat, anything that’s delicious) have been written. And many “gurus” have been made (and made a lot of money) as a result.
By and large, much of the dialogue you see in the mainstream media on food intolerance is sensationalistic and wishful thinking at best, and predatory at worst.
Many charlatans will prey on people’s fears on a particular food (0r category of food) and try to convince them that if they don’t eat or eliminate said food(s) they’ll lose weight3, get a six-pack, be able to deadlift a bulldozer, win the Boston Marathon, balance their checkbook, solve global warming, become a Navy SEAL, and/or have endless threesomes.
I’m a skeptic. And I’m right there eye-rolling with the best of them. Most of the time, anyways.
In fact, on the seemingly pseudoscience of it all I agree with much of what Mike Samuels had to say recently:
If you’ve been reading my messages for any time whatsoever, you’ll know my response to these will be – B.O.G.U.S.
On the whole, any tests you can buy off the Internet are kinda crappy.
BUT …
What I would say (and the point of this email) is that how you feel when you eat a certain food does matter. Bloated after a bagel? Maybe bread’s not your thing. Feel crappy following a big cheese-fest. Perhaps your guts don’t love dairy as much as you do.
It’s worth a try.
It doesn’t mean you have to ban anything, it just gives you the data to make an informed decision over what the best foods for you are.
Hard to argue with that.
However, sometimes people need a little nudge or some form of “expedited” information to help point them in the right direction. A starting point if you will.
And that’s where Eric and Lisa’s conversation from above led to her taking the Pinnertest.
The Pinnertest makes use of the MicroARRAY – ELISA Method IgG (blood) test for determining permanent food intolerances.
It does NOT test for food allergies.
Food allergies can kill you.
Food intolerances, on the other hand, can lead to things such as indigestion, IBS, bloating, skin issues (acne), and even unexplained weight gain in rare cases.4
The latter – indigestion, skin issues – is what served as the impetus for Lisa taking the test. After listening to Eric speak about his experience and how the Pinnertest helped to “pin point” a few food(s) he never would have thought of as culprits, and after hearing all the success stories of many of his clients taking the test…she was in.
To remind you of the result:
“Motherfucking coffee.”
And there were other foods that popped up too, like green peppers for example. Which was amazing, because Lisa avoided green peppers since they always “disagreed” with her whenever she ate them.
She now had some proof to back up her inclinations.
Egg yolks were a +2
Coffee (at +1) was the biggest blow, however. There are varying “levels” of intolerance with the Pinnertest:
Level 1 (Low Reaction)
Level 2 (Moderate Reaction)
Level 3 (High Reaction)
Or, if I were in charge of naming them:
Aw, Man, This Kinda Sucks (Level 1)
No, Really, This Sucks Donkey Balls (Level 2)
Fuck (Level 3)
Per the recommendation of Pinnertest, Lisa omitted all of the above from her diet for three months. Even coffee. I don’t know how she did it, but she did. She was a champion, instead opting for lots and lots of tea (and long, mournful stares at the Nespresso machine).
Low and behold, friends and colleagues who hadn’t seen her for a few weeks started to comment on her skin and how much better it looked. She noticed the difference too. Stuff she had dealt with for much of her life had resolved.
After the three months was over she had her first shot of espresso. I wish I had filmed her reaction. It was on par with Frank the Tank from the movie Old School:
In the time since she’s experimented with varying degrees of coffee consumption and has figured out what’s “worth it” on her end. The Pinnertest helped make the decision making process and planning a little easier.
So, Tony, What’s the Deal With Chicken?
As you may have guessed after a bit of pressing from Lisa, I finally ended up taking the test myself.
Again, not to get too personal, I fart. I fart a lot.
Granted not nearly as much as when I was a bachelor living off of nothing but chicken breasts, Ramen noodles, and boxes of cereal…but, you know, I have my days…….;o)
In addition, I have been battling some dermatitis on my face for many years. Sporadically I’ll get red blotches and flaky skin on my face which, as you can imagine, makes the ladies go crazy.
After some pining from Lisa (and the kindness of the people at Pinnertest to send me a complimentary kit), I was in too.
Here’s me watching the video of the How, What, and Why’s of the Pinnertest (FYI: It’s super easy):
Here’s me signing the form:
Here’s me pricking my finger with a needle:
And here I am sending off my sample to get tested (and crossing my fingers that dairy was going to be safe. No cheese or ice-cream = rip shit city):
Fast Forward Two Weeks…The Results
I got my results back (via email) two days ago. And as you probably guessed one of the foods that came back to avoid (a +2) was…chicken.
Chicken?
Yes, effing chicken.
What’s a meathead to do? Chicken is like, the thing, a food group in of itself. When it doubt eat chicken.
This is analogous to telling James Bond he’s intolerant to Vespers, or that E.T. is intolerant to Reese’s Pieces, or that a vegan is intolerant to, I don’t know, sawdust.
[Thankfully things like dairy, red meat, wheat, and Adamantium were in the clear.]
I never would have guessed chicken (or any of the others for that matter), and as it happens the day I received my results I took this picture of my face. My beautiful, beautiful face:
See those red blotches? They weren’t as profound the day prior. Guess what I had for dinner no less than twelve hours before?
Curry chicken.
Interesting.
So What Now?
I asked Georgie Fear, a Registered Dietitian I respect a ton and author of the book Lean Habits, to chime in. Here’s what she had to say:
My take has actually changed on this. I used to be skeptical and tell people to save their money, not waste it on this stuff. Then I had a client who had chronic stuffiness in her nose, throat clearing constantly, and we had done serial elimination of all the usual suspects to no avail. She did a test and it gave her a laundry list of things. I rolled my eyes. AND it TOTALLY cured her symptoms.
So my skepticism has gone away and my current stance is that if someone has no GI/allergic/IBS symptoms, don’t create problems by looking for foods to eliminate (don’t you have real problems to solve in your life?)
If someone does have symptoms, it can’t hurt to take the test. If your symptoms don’t improve after 8 weeks, quit. But if they do, then you can decide if the pain-in-the-ass-factor of avoiding those foods is worth the reduction in symptoms. It might be, and it might not be. But you can make an informed decision.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
I’m not turning my back to evidence-based research or dialogue. On the flip side, it’s hard for me to discount anecdotal evidence and the bounty of people who have seen results and benefitted from such tests.
So I’m gonna take the next three or so months and see what happens. I’m gonna refrain from eating the foods that came back positive. Why not? It can’t hurt.
Curious? Want In on the Action? Save $$
Are you curious to see if some of the foods you regularly eat may be contributing to indigestion, bloating, acne, or other issues?
You can go HERE to order your Pinnertest and then use the Promo Code: TONYG to receive $60 off.6
Pinnertest is the only food intolerance test on the market that 1) uses a simple finger prick and 2) as a result, doesn’t require additional incurred costs of driving to the doctor’s office to get blood taken or driving to a lab.7
I feel I’ve done a pretty good job of relaying a well-balanced and un-biased opinion. I’ll leave that up to you to decide, though. Maybe I’ll chime in a few weeks from now and say “nope, no change.”
I’m testing the waters here.
At the end of the day it’s information. Based off my experience, my wife’s experience, and that of several coaches I respect, it’s information that may make a difference.
Particularly during our long, cold, New England winters.8
The shovel I’m referring to in today’s post, however, has nothing to do with that kind of shovel. Unlike traditional shoveling which sucks – and ranks somewhere between getting a colonoscopy and listening to Donald Trump speak as things I’m not rushing to do – the “shovel” variation I’m highlighting today is (hopefully) more palatable and something you’ll find use for in the weight-room.
HINT: you totally will.
Barbell Shovel Hold
Who Did I Steal It From: Kinda, sorta myself. I wrote about a similar exercise a few years ago – the shovel lift – but came across a quick write-up by Boston-based coach, Matthew Ibrahim, describing this variation…which I felt was brilliant.9
What Does It Do: First and foremost this is a great exercise to help train rotary stability. The asymmetrical – or offset – nature of this exercise makes it a perfect fit for those struggling with chronic back pain. One must “fight” to maintain a neutral and upright torso position. Not only will this target the more superficial or global musculature – glutes (you need to actively fire these bad boys), erectors, abdominals, traps, rhomboids, obliques – but also the deep, stabilizing musculature as well. Think: the “deeper” muscles like TvA, multifidi, etc.
Note: if you perform this exercise while simultaneously performing positional breathing (inhale with FULL exhale, dialing in on rib position) you’ll hammer those deep, stabilizing muscles).
Because the drill is performed in a more or less isometric fashion, it lends itself as a very user-friendly option that pretty much anyone can do.
As a corollary, even with quote-on-quote “healthy” individuals/athletes, it serves as a welcome way to train core stability and possibly as a way to increase full-body time under tension. To that end, it could serve as a nice way for some trainees to add muscle mass to their frame.
Can you dig it?
See what I did there?
Key Coaching Cues: I feel the thrilling (<— kidding) video above makes things self-explanatory. You load a barbell with anywhere from 10-45 lbs. (start conservative, it’s harder than it looks), un-rack, and hold.
Brace your abs, squeeze your glutes, flex your quads, and think about squeezing oranges in your armpits to add even more body tension. Hold for a 5-10s count, rack the barbell, rest for 5-10s, and repeat for a total of 3-5 “reps.” Then repeat the same process with the load on the other side.
Shoot for a total of 3-5 “rounds.”
I’ve been using this as a quick “finisher” with some of my clients/athletes and they love it.
Today’s guest post comes courtesy of Dallas based personal trainer, Shane McLean. If you forced me to make a short list of things I love, that list would include things like ice-cream (all of it), GoodFellas quotes, anything my cat does, old-school Transformers cartoons, and an empty laundry mat.10
And, you know, my wife would make the list too. Oh, and deadbugs. The exercise…not, literally, dead bugs. Gross.
Read below to watch some (hopefully) new-to-you variations.
Ever witnessed a “watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat” moment?
Mine was around three years ago at a fitness mastermind in Frisco, Texas which had the one and only Eric Cressey in attendance.
During his demonstration he got hold of a minor league baseball player who presented with limited shoulder flexion. After some positional breathing exercises and a few deadbug reps, the player then stood up and demonstrated his improved shoulder flexion range.
It was just like magic.
Ever since then, the deadbug has been a staple programs for myself and my clients. You could almost say it was love at first sight, if you believe in that kind of stuff.
Tony has written extensively on this subject, so I will not harp on, but the benefits of deadbugs are numerous, including
Reinforces contra lateral limb movement
Improves lumbo- pelvic stability
Reinforces correct breathing patterns
Being on the floor provides you with more stability and kinesthetic feedback
Prevents misalignment and encourages good posture
It’s definitely an exercise that provides a lot of ah-ha moments when done correctly. It may look easy to the meatheads who have never done it before, but once I drag them away from the mirror, they know it’s the real deal.
But when they ask me why it is called the deadbug, the best explanation I can give is this.
If you need to be reminded of what the dead bug is, watch Tony perform this with impeccable form.
Notice how serious he is:
Correct deadbug form consists of:
Low back in neutral (encouraging posterior pelvic tilt)
Breathing in through the nose before the rep starts and fully breathing all the air out through your mouth during the rep
Slow and controlled limb movement
No rib flaring and arching of the low back
The standard deadbug is a great warm up exercise and can be used for recovery/mobility purposes between sets of lifting heavy. This is the version you should be doing the majority of the time.
However, like a lot of things that we do over and over again, we get bored and need a little spice. When you’ve nailed the standard version and want to upgrade, take a few of these variations out for a test drive.
You’ll be the coolest person in the gym. Trust me, I’m a trainer.
1) Pullover Deadbug
Kettlebells and the deadbug is a match made in heaven, like peanut butter and jelly or bicep curls and mirrors.
The instability and the resistance of the kettlebell combined with the standard deadbug movement put extra demand on your core stability, shoulders and lats.
Did I mention it also works the chest? Now I have your attention.
Pairing this exercise with a movement that demands core stability and a neutral spine works best. For example
1A. Squat/Deadlift Variation
1B. Pullover Deadbug 6- 8 reps per leg
Or seeing you’re already down on the floor, pair it with a single arm floor press for a great upper body/core workout.
1A. Pullover Deadbug 6-8 reps on each leg
1B. Single Arm KB Floor Press
2) Weighted Deadbug
Adding light weight plates in each hand (2.5-5 pounds) slightly increases the intensity, but the real benefit is that the resistance helps slow down the movement as the weight plate descends towards the floor.
You get to enjoy the deadbug even more.
Typically, I use this movement as part of a warm up, but if you’re feeling extra ambitious, pairing this with a plank variation will give your core a double whammy.
For instance:
1A. Weighted deadbug 6-8 reps each leg
1B. Plank with plate switch (Thanks Tony)
3) Stability Ball Deadbug
The virgin deadbuger can run into trouble with contra lateral limb movement and often extend the same arm and leg. They get frustrated and can feel uncoordinated.
Enter the dragon stability ball.
Using the stability ball as a reference point helps teach the movement because using the same arm/leg will cause the stability ball to drop to one side and the client will feel the tension required for correct form as well.
Actively pressing your opposite arm/leg into the ball combined with diaphragmatic breathing will light a candle under your core that you’re sure to enjoy.
I program this variation into the warm up but this can be included in a core tri-set. For example.
1A. Stability Ball Deadbug 6-8 reps on each side
1B. Stability Ball Hip Ext./Hamstring Curl 12 reps
1C. Stability Ball Rollout 8-12 reps
A young Eric. Those were the days.
5) Bosu Ball Deadbug
Yes, the Bosu ball is good for something.
Bosu balls’ instability is excellent for upper body/core work and can take your deadbug to the next level. You’ll have to work to find your balance point but if you fall off, at least it’s not very far.
Please make sure no one’s filming, for your sake.
Pairing this with any Bosu ball exercise works as long as it’s not squats. For example
1A. Bosu Ball Deadbug 6-8 reps on each side
1B. Bosu Ball Side Plank 30 seconds on each side
https://youtube.com/watch?v=tjzuv9O6Q1E
Bonus – Click HERE for another great variation of the deadbug Tony highlighted a few weeks ago on this blog: Deadbug with Extension + Reach.
Wrapping Up
The deadbug, and its variations, deserves a prime time position in your routine because of all the benefits it provides. Don’t worry, you’ll will not look weird because all the cool kids are doing it.
About the Author
Shane “The Balance Guy” McLean, is an A.C.E Certified Personal Trainer working deep in the heart of Dallas, Texas.
Dean Somerset and I will be in Minneapolis, MN the weekend of October 15-16th putting on our Complete Shoulder & Hip Workshop. Not only will this be our last event together in 2016, but it’s likely to be our last LIVE CSHW event for the foreseeable future.
It’s kind of on par when N’SYNC performed for the last time. Except it isn’t.
So don’t miss out, go HERE and hopefully we’ll see you there.
Pay no mind to the asshat demonstrating the really shitty S.L.R.D.L above. It’s just for show…;o) Sean St. Onge of 212 Health & Performance breaks down some tried and true ways to clean up your single-leg RDL. Awesome stuff!
1. Acumobility products. I was fortunate enough to bump into Brad (Cox) and Julian (Cardoos) at the Perform Better Summit in Providence a few weekends ago where they handed me a few of their products to try out. All I have to say is RAVE reviews from myself and my clients.
2. Chris Duffin himself. The man is a beast (and super smart). Nuff said.
3. Also, shoulder shenanigans. That’s three things, but what can I say: I’m a shoulder nerd.
In case you aren’t picking up what I’m putting down from the title of this post, what you’re about to read is not about climate change, political reform, or ranking the best painters and architects from the Rococo Era.11
No, no…what you’re about to embark on is a little journey and discussion on pecs. You know, these guys:
Every since man first noted how lifting heavy things – rocks, tree trunks, people – over and over again often resulted in a more muscular physique, he’s been obsessed with building his pectoral muscles, or pecs for short.12
“Obsessed” is a bit of a downplay here. You know how young teenage girls are obsessed with Justin Bieber and how their lives were ruined the other day when he decided to delete his Instagram account?
Well, that pales in comparison to how much guys are obsessed with training their chest. Take that away from them, and you’re bound to see an uptick in the sales of pitchforks.
So, um, yeah…guys like to train their pecs.13The question, then, is why do so few have sub-par pec development?
Walk into just about any gym on the planet on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday and you’re bound to see any number of guys finishing up the 47th set of bench press.
What gives?
NEWSFLASH: The Bench Press Isn’t a Super, Duper Pec Developer to Begin With
[Cue Dramatic Chipmunk here]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw
Sorry fellas: it isn’t.
I get it. Me saying the bench press isn’t the most “pecy” exercise is akin to me saying Kate Upton isn’t attractive, or that pizza isn’t delicious, or that The Empire Strikes Back isn’t the best Star Wars movie.14
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a very effective exercise to build both mass and strength (there’s a reason why the bench press is 1/3 of the holy trinity or “Big 3” of any successful strength & conditioning program). Hoisting a barbell off your chest thousands of times is going to result in something happening.
However, if you want to get geeky about it, and if your goal is to actually build your pecs (and not necessarily gain some powerlifting street cred), then you could make an argument that the bench press isn’t the ideal way to go about things.
Your pec (namely, Pectoralis Major) muscles have two origin points:
Clavicular Head – on the anterior border of the (medial half) of the clavicle.
Sternal Head – on the anterior surface of the sternum.
As far as actions are concerned, the Clavicular Head aids in flexing the humerus; the Sternal Head aids in extension and adduction of the humerus…neither of which are optimally “stimulated” with the bench press.
Do the pecs get targeted during a set of bench press? Yes, absolutely. Does the bench press, typically, allow for a person to use the most weight in overloading their chest musculature? Yep. And does Dr. Brad Schoenfeld, in his recently released book, Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy state, repeatedly, that one of the major drivers of hypertrophy (muscle growth) is mechanical tension?
YES…GOSH. GET OFF MY BACK!
The bench press can (and should) be part of an overall approach to building pecs that would make Superman swoon. However, as Schoenfeld notes:
“Research indicates that mechanoreceptors are sensitive to both the magnitude and temporal aspects of loading.”
In non-Elvish speak this basically refers to the differentiation of peak concentric, eccentric, and isometric actions of muscles and how research demonstrates that time under tension is often the de-facto consideration with regards to hypertrophy.15
Cool, we’re all on board with that.
However, in addition, Schoenfeld notes:
“Mechanoreceptors also appear to be sensitive to the type of load imposed on muscle tissue. Stretch-induced mechanical loading elicits the deposition of sarcomeres longitudinally.”
During the barbell bench press, the pecs are rarely (if ever) taken through their full ROM, and this can be a significant strike against why it’s not the best choice when it comes to developing pecy pecs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ytCEuuW2_A
What to do, what to do?
1) Relax, You Don’t Need To Ditch the Bench Press
Not that I was worried this was going to happen, mind you.
The bench press is still relevant to the discussion…it’s just sometimes, you know, a bit overplayed. To that end, it bodes in your favor to experiment. Flat, decline, incline, close-grip, wide-grip, rest/pause, clusters, high-rep, low rep, whatever the case me be…..use them all.
However, if your goal is to really engage the pecs you may be better off doing all of the above with DUMBBELLS.
Dumbbells allow for a bit more wiggle-room with ROM (humeral extension), in addition to involving more of an adduction component.
Also, if you wanted to up the ante even more, try some squeeze presses:
2) Perform More DB Flyes
Yeah, I said it. DB flyes, yo.
Now, of course, I wouldn’t say this should be your main movement of the day (since you’re less likely to use a ton of weight on these compared to bench variations), however flyes are an excellent secondary or accessory movement to compliment things.
Namely because they really work the pecs in adduction…..something that doesn’t happen with a barbell.
These can be tricky with regards to shoulder health, so if you’re someone with a history of shoulder issues, one way to make these are more “user friendly” is to perform Pause DB Floor Flyes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1lVf6–0aQ
Doing so will help you stay out of end ranges of motion that may compromise the shoulder, yet you’re still working the pecs in an action they’re designed to do (at least concentrically): humeral adduction.
3) Push-Up Adduction Holds
I stole this concept from fellow strength & performance coach, Eric Bach. Assume the starting position of a push-up, but then instead of going up and down…try to “bunch up” the floor with your hands and hold for a 10-20s count.
You want to talk about feeling a major burn/pump in your pecs, this it. And, to bring flyes back into the conversation try this killer superset I also stole from Eric Bach:
A1. Push-Up Adduction Hold x 10-20s
A2. Pause DB Floor Flyes x 8-10
A3. Bounce a quarter off your chest x infinity.
4) Add Accentuated Eccentrics
The idea of accentuated eccentrics was first introduced to me by Christian Thibaudeau back in the early 2000’s.
It’s no secret to any meathead that the eccentric portion of a lift (yielding, lowering) is where we’re strongest and where the most muscle damage occurs.
This can elicit profound gains in muscle and strength.
One method to take advantage of that fact is accentuated eccentrics, the more popular of which are super slow eccentrics and negative training.
This technique is fairly simple: using a moderate to heavy load (60-85% of your max) you execute a super slow yielding phase while lifting (overcoming) the bar explosively. The following table gives you the parameters to use depending on the load you select:
Load
Yielding Portion
Reps/Set
Load
Yielding portion
Reps/Set
60%
14 sec.
3
75%
8 sec.
2
65%
12 sec.
3
80%
6 sec.
1
70%
10 sec.
2
85%
4 sec.
1
This type of accentuated eccentric training is fairly easy to do and can yield impressive muscle size and tendon strength improvements.
Negative Training
“Negatives” basically refer to performing only the yielding portion of an exercise and having spotters lift the bar for you. You should use a load that’s between 110 and 130% of your maximum when performing negatives. The time of the action (lowering) depends on the load:
10 seconds if the load is 110-115%
8 seconds if the load is 115-120%
6 seconds if the load is 120-125%
4 seconds if the load is 125-130%”
Another, albeit less sexy approach, is to add an accentuated eccentric during a set of push-ups. I know Dr. John Rusin is a fan of these. Often I’ll have my athletes/clients perform a set of 5-10 reps and then hold their last rep in the bottom position for a count of 10-20s:
Again it’s a nice way to emphasize the eccentric portion of a lift AND increase time under tension (under stretch).
And that’s it on my end.
Have any tricks of the trade to add yourself? Share them below in the comments section or mozy on over to Facebook and leave a comment there.
A funny thing happens whenever I inform someone (namely, guys) they need to hit their upper traps more. The immediately go into Bane mode:
Visions of heavy barbell shrugs, breaking Batman’s back, and walking around asking people “do you feel in charge?” run rampant.
It’s all well and good, I have nothing against shrugs. I draw the line against breaking people’s backs though. BAD BANE, NO!
Shrugs are undoubtedly a great exercise to build the upper traps. And the upper traps are kind of important when it comes to the ability to bring one’s arms overhead – they’re one of three muscles that help to upwardly rotate the scapula.
Via my time as a coach at Cressey Sports Performance (and even now) I work with a lot of people with shoulder issues. Training the upper traps directly has gotten a bad rap in recent years. But for athletes and lifters who are stuck in spine-extension based postures and can’t raise their arms overhead, training the upper traps can be a game changer for overall shoulder health and performance.
The key? Ensure they’re trained with upward rotation.
Continue reading my latest article on T-Nation.com HERE.
Like many of you I have been watching the Rio Olympics and often picking my jaw up from off the floor witnessing the feats of power, speed, agility, and artistry that many of the athletes display.
Whether it’s watching Usain Bolt float to the finish line or shaking my head in disbelief as Katie Ledecky almost laps the competition during the finals, it’s impressive to watch and witness years of dedication and hard work culminate into a two-week span of giving a shit about sports I never knew existed.16
As is the case every four years, much of our attention (and jaw droppiness) is fixated on the seemingly physics defying feats all the gymnasts showcase.17
Simone Biles would be exhibit #1.
To put it bluntly, she is a superb athlete and is raising the bar to standards we’ve never seen before. However, to be fair, what gymnasts as a whole are able to do seems better suited for The Matrix than real life. It’s just, you know, Simone is a real-life Trinity.
There’s no way any of us mere mortals can emulate what they do. Right?
Right. You are correct. No one is impressed by your shirtless somersault.
You may be surprised, though, that one of the most traditional “introductory” movements that most gymnasts learn on day #1 is one of the best (and most underrated) core/abdominal exercises everyone can perform; and should perform. Even you.
It doesn’t require a ton of skill nor two easy payments of $19.99. All you need is your own body and some attention to detail.
The Hollow Body Hold
I wrote about the Hollow Body Hold (and how it can be used to help women get better at doing chin-ups/pull-ups) HERE. It’s a wonderful way to teach trainees what it means to attain full-body tension, as well as helping to drive home some context (on the floor) of what needs to happen if or when someone is ready to hang from a bar.
NOTE: I think you should totally read the entire article linked above, but I’ll post the video here too. But only because because I know most you have the attention span of that dog from the movie Up (and because I love you).
Hollow Hold = body tension. This is key. As Men’s Health fitness advisor, BJ Gaddour, notes:
“The hollow-body hold allows you to properly transfer force from your upper body to your lower body without any energy leaks. The stronger and more stable you are in this position, the more power you’ll have when squatting, throwing, pushing, pulling, jumping, hitting, kicking, or sprinting.”
For most, the regular ol, “vanilla” hollow hold will be more than enough. However, if you’re interested in upping the ante try this other variation:
Hollow Position Plate Rotation
Who Did I Steal It From: the happiest person on Earth, Jen Sinkler.
What Does It Do:makes you hate life takes all the benefits of the original hollow hold, but now adds the challenge of keeping the torso “engaged” while in the presence of movement.
Key Coaching Cues: begin by assuming the “v” position as with any standard hollow hold and lower to a position you’re able to maintain. Press feet/ankles together! While holding a pair of 2.5-5 lbs. plates you’ll rotate each in as large of an arc as you can handle – starting overhead – without deviating from position.
Of course, the contraindication here – in terms of total ROM – is whether or not one has ample shoulder flexion to begin with. Those with limited ROM can still perform this exercise, but will need to be aware of compensatory patterns (excessive forward head posture, losing lower back position on bench).
Assuming a green light, try to cue yourself “palms up” in both the top and bottom positions. This will make it a little more shoulder friendly (less narrowing of acromion space and help drive a little more scapular posterior tilt).
Much like Jen, I like to shoot for higher reps on this exercise – anywhere from 10-30 total repetitions – and to ensure each is performed in a controlled manner. I.e., once you enter “it looks like you’re having an epileptic seizure territory” you should stop there.
Today’s guest post comes courtesy of Boston-based strength coach and trainer, Ryan Wood. Ryan’s made a cameo appearance on this site in the past writing a two-part series on lessons he learned preparing for his first powerlifting meet. You can check those out HERE and HERE.
Switching gears, today he’s discussing lessons learned and myths he avoided in losing 25 lbs. and dropping down to 10% body fat. Like a boss.
Today I’m going to outline five fitness myths I avoided to lose 25lbs. (I previously wrote a post talking about seven things I learned dropping to 10% body fat which you can read HERE.)
Fitness myths run rampant, and, unfortunately, steer many people in the wrong direction. If fat loss is your goal then follow along closely as I discuss five of the most common fitness myths killing your fat loss progress.
Myth 1- You’ll Lose Strength
A lot of people fear losing strength when they begin a fat loss diet. Common belief says if you cut calories your strength has to suffer.
While you shouldn’t be too concerned about hitting one rep max personal records, you certainly don’t want to risk losing strength.
So what should you do?
The answer is carbohydrates. Too many people drastically cut carbs when beginning a fat loss diet. This usually results in quick weight loss but also a huge decrease in performance and strength. Carbs are your main energy source and fuel your training sessions. If you’d like to retain as much strength as possible while shedding excess body fat then keep your carbs in your diet for as long as possible.
I believe when fat loss is the primary goal you should train with higher volumes to help retain muscle mass as calories decrease.
Because of this, I suggest aiming to hit new 8-10 rep maxes
The higher volume training will help you preserve muscle, which when you transition back towards building strength, will be imperative for improving your top-end numbers.
Here’s me hitting some sumo deadlifts towards the END of my diet:
My best all-time sumo pull is 510lbs which was done at a powerlifting meet after months of prep and peaking.
It’s definitely possible to keep most of your strength, if not improving it slightly, albeit in different rep ranges.
Take home points:
Keep carbs as high as possible to help fuel hard training sessions.
Focus on improving 8-12 rep maxes, not maxing out.
Keep the goal the goal. Don’t worry if you can’t hit your all time best at this exact moment in time. Focus on your fat loss goal if that’s your priority.
Myth 2- You Must Eat Clean And Avoid Certain Foods
The gurus say the only way to get leaner is to eat clean or only eat gluten free, organic, dairy free, or sugar-free .
This is what I think of when I hear ‘clean eating’:
Now, don’t get me wrong, I think eating whole foods the majority of the time is a great way to get leaner and in better shape. It’s what I do *most of the time.
But eating clean 100% of the time is not a requirement for fat loss. Nor is avoiding entire food groups or demonizing certain foods.
Why?
Because I love ice cream too much.
And burgers.
And ice cream. Oh, I said that already.
You can and certainly should be able to enjoy a treat every now and then while still reaching your fat loss goals.
I did it and you can, too.
You just have to be in a calorie deficit, which means you’re consuming fewer calories than you’re burning.
If you’ve got room to spare in the calorie department, enjoy an ice cream. Just make sure you’re still under your calorie allotment for the day.
Remember, calories are your number one fat loss priority. No amount of clean eating will help you get results if you’re consuming 1000 more calories than you should be.
Take home points:
Create an energy deficit by taking away 250-500 calories from your baseline diet.
Eat a balanced diet of whole foods but don’t fear or avoid certain foods because someone tells you to.
Enjoy treats every now and then provided they fit into your calorie goals.
Myth 3- You Have to Diet For A Set Amount of Time
About a week and a half left on my 12-week diet I hit my goal weight and felt pretty good with my physique and the progress I had made.
Basically, I went from continuing to try to lose any more weight right into a maintenance phase.
You can set goals to diet for 8,10, or 12 weeks but that doesn’t mean you HAVE to diet the entire time.
If you hit your goals early, then by all means, stop the diet and move into a more sustainable diet.
You’re the only one that can determine if you’re happy with your progress and if you should stick out your diet for another couple weeks.
I’m not saying this to give you an excuse to end your diet a month early. I’m simply saying if you’ve put in 8 or 9 weeks and have hit your goal weight OR better yet, feel phenomenal with how you look, then stop your diet.
Dieting is not a sustainable part of fitness. It’s a somewhat brief period of time in the grand scheme of things to help you reach your goals.
Put in the work, be consistent, and end your diet early if you’re happy with where you’re at physically and mentally.
Take home points:
You can end a diet early if you’re happy with where you’re currently at progress wise.
Once you end your diet, slowly add calories back in to stabilize your weight and give yourself some diet ‘relief.’
On the flip side, don’t extend your diet week after week because you aren’t at your final end goal. Sometimes it takes several 10 or 12 week periods to reach your goal. As a point of reference, my progress took about 7 months.
Myth 4- You Must Do Cardio to Lose Fat
I’m not a cardio hater, I promise.
But the truth is, cardio is not the magic to fat loss.
But it’s definitely not something you have to do in order to trim up. As long as your diet is in order, you will lose fat doing pretty much anything. I prefer a heavy dose of resistance training combined with a calorie deficit.
Cardio is a tool that can be used to enhance progress but I wouldn’t rely on it as your only form of exercise if you can help it. Check out THISpiece where I discussed why I prefer lifting over cardio for fat loss.
Take home points:
Cardio is not a requirement for fat loss. A calorie deficit is the number one most important. Period.
If you like or enjoy cardio then include it in your programming. Try to have more lifting days than cardio if possible. This will help you retain more lean mass while losing body fat.
Cardio is not magic. Don’t rely on it to make up for a poor diet.
Myth 5- You Shouldn’t Get Hungry If You’re Eating the Right Foods
Yea. I know. It’s crazy to think some people believe that eating the ‘right’ foods will keep them from getting hungry during a diet.
The truth is, if you aren’t getting hungrier the further you get into your diet, your results are probably pretty crappy. Hunger is a fact of dieting. Eating less (calorie wise) is required to lose body fat.
There are no magical foods that will alleviate your hunger when you’re 10 or 11 weeks into a fat loss diet. Sure you can increase food volume by consuming more low-calorie foods like dark green veggies, but hunger is real and very important.
It tells you whether or not you’re headed in the right direction. You should be experiencing hunger as you progress week to week in your diet. At the beginning of your diet, you might not be super hungry. However, every time you make an adjustment to your plan, you will feel hunger rumbling deep down inside your stomach.
Use this as feedback that progress is being made. Don’t get tricked into believing that you shouldn’t get hungry after losing 10, 15 or 20+ pounds. Anyone that says you won’t be hungry during your diet is completely crazy or has never dieted before.
Remember, you won’t starve. Being hungry is completely normal during a diet so try your best to embrace it.
Take home points:
Hunger is a normal part of dieting
While still controlling for calories, eating lower-calorie, volume-dense foods can help with hunger a little bit.
Use hunger as feedback that you are making progress
Wrap Up
If you can avoid these five fitness myths you’ll likely be off to a good start. To help you set up your own fat loss diet, grab your free copy of ’10 Commandments of Fat Loss’ HERE.
Remember that progress, especially fat loss, takes time and lots of hard work. It won’t happen overnight that’s for damn sure.
About the Author
Ryan Wood is the author of “The 10 Commandments of Fat Loss” which is freely available HERE. Ryan is a highly sought after online strength and nutrition coach for everyone from your average joe/jane to powerlifters and athletes. He’s worked with MLB baseball players at Cressey Sports Performance and has numerous years under his belt as both an in-person and online coach.
For more information about his online coaching program feel free to contact him at [email protected].
In response to a guest post by Travis Hansen that was posted on my site earlier this week titled Why CrossFit Doesn’t Make an Elite Athlete, the Fitness Pollinator himself, Travis Pollen, wrote this excellent retort.
At the end of the day CrossFit is what you want it to be. Does it make someone more athletic? Of course! It’s hard to argue that point.
Does it produce “elite” athletes…maybe, maybe not. This, unfortunately, is one of those instances where the internet will argue semantics. Either way, both are a great read……..and as always, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.
Side Note: it was refreshing to see how two individuals with two varying opinions could be “civil” in arguing their point of view. No BS, ad hominem attacks, or yo Mama jokes. It brings a tear to my eye.
Bonus Stuff
In case you missed the teaser trailer earlier in the week, this is happening…..
Dean and I hope to launch this sucker within the next few weeks, so stay tuned.
Also, the new Rogue One trailer was released earlier today, which means I’m going to have a raging nerd boner for the next 16 hours.18
Interesting Fact: Last week, while in London, Lisa and I stayed in Canary Wharf which has a tube station deep underground. One of the trainers who attended our workshop informed me that some of the scenes in the movie were filmed there. In fact, if you watch the first Rogue One trailer there’s a part where you see the characters running down a long corridor being chased by Stormtroopers, presumably inside the Death Star (at the 1:06 mark).
So, in effect, I was IN THE MOTHERFUCKING DEATH STAR!
