CategoriesOff Topic

Day 7: Lift, Wander, Taste

Photo Credit: Taste of Prague

Day 7: Lift, Wander, Taste

Our last full day in Prague. How terrible!

We started off with some eggs and Czech granola, and although we were planning to head out to BarBar, Tomas’ gym, we received an email in the morning that Tomas and his wife Lenka were in the hospital, because The Baby is coming!

Congrats to you both, Tomas and Lenka!

Tomas provided a recommendation for a nearby gym, and off to the Palladium we went, for a little workout. We paid a steep guest fee, but it was worth it! All of this beer and bread and meat necessitates picking up some heavy stuff.

After the gym we went back to our apartment for a light lunch. We had the rest of our farmer’s market fare and leftovers, and then headed out to wander around Old Town, New Town, and The Lesser Quarter one more time. Here are a few photos…

Wandering in Old Town

Wandering in New Town

Wandering

At 5:00pm we met Jan (of Jan and Zuzi, Taste of Prague) for the Prague Foodie Tour!

Along with six of our fellow Americans, we proceeded to have a gustatory escapade that rivals any meal we have EVER had!

First of all, Jan is exceptional. Here he is with Zuzi (pics from their website):

Fiance to Zuzi (who I have emailed 34,000 times in the past several months with questions and wonderings), Jan is a professional translator and attorney who executes 9 tours of food PER WEEK for curious, hungry Americans!

Needless to say – he knows his stuff.

The Prague Foodie Tour taught us more about the culture and recent history of Prague than the rest of our week here, all put together. We learned about pre-Communist Czech cuisine, the impact of communism on the food and the people, and the return to traditional Czech cuisine – plus the modern twists – that are becoming popular once again.

Before we begin, I would like to first tell you that I am an adventurous eater (and drinker). I LOVE to try new things and hear about strange and little-known ingredients. So the Foodie Tour was kind of “my thing”, if you will.

Tony, on the other hand, has the tastes and preferences of a nine year old boy (or an American Meathead). He prefers chicken breasts and other cuts of meat that are super-lean and do not at all resemble the animal they once were.

He does not eat seafood.

He is not into sauce or dressing. He does not drink alcohol. So, in short, this entire experience was outside of Tony’s comfort zone…

Our journey began at “Sisters Bistro”, where we tried Chlebicek – an open faced sandwich. This is apparently something you make if you’re having people over, or if you’re brining in a little bite for your co-workers to nosh on during a meeting.

Sisters Bistro

The first had a little celery root remoulade with roast beef atop, accompanied by a little crunchiness sprinkled on top (maybe bacon bits?)

The second was pickled herring with a little radish and wasabi mayo. I thought both were very excellent and well balanced.

And guess what? Tony liked it!

Tony eating Herring

Across the hall from Sister’s was one of my favorites, “Nase Maso”, a butcher shop.

Nase Maso

This is an all-natural establishment that prides itself on being preservative and chemical free.

It seems impossible to describe to you the amazing difference between eating meat from a happy animal and our standard American freaks-of-science factory “animals”, but it is really something.

First, and the best, was the meatloaf on a bit of bread, with a pickle. This consisted of “40% fat”, which was probably why it was so fantastic. Then we tried a wiener sausage that was very delicious, followed by headcheese!! (Which was actually kind of nice). Then finally a little pork crackling. See for yourself:

Nase Maso tastings

Next, we took a walk to Lokal – a pub fashioned after the standard communist pub in Prague.

Although our guide planned to have us here just after the Czech vs. US ice hockey competition, the game had gone into overtime, and we arrived to a local pub BRIMMING with screaming, enthusiastic Czeck hockey fans!

Lokal in overtime

Luckily the restaurant accommodated us and placed us into a separate room, so that we could hear Jan over the cheering fans.

At Lokal, we enjoyed very traditional yet delicious food, from the “standard” communist recipe list:

First, a bit of pork schnitzel with potato salad, Prague Ham (preservative free and fantastic) with horseradish cream, and then a little Goulash with dumplings.

In addition, we had a beer – dark for the ladies (a Kozel) and light for the men (Pilsner Urquell). These beers also came from the “tank” and were very fresh and preservative free. Take a look:

Ham and beer at Lokal

Not only did I enjoy my beer, but Tony had his ENTIRE BEER! Tony has never drunk a beer before.

I was stunned.

Amazed.

See for yourself!

Beer at Lokal

Drinking beer at Lokal

Beer finished at Lokal

How could there be more?! Our next stop was a very fabulous, funky wine bar, Bokovka. Here we did not eat (Thank goodness!), but did enjoy tastes of three different Czech wines.

Bokolve wine tasting

Mostly from Moravia, Czech wines tend to be more delicate, light bodied, and white. We had an “all natural” unfiltered white that tasted more like a cider, a simple “Welch Riesling” (apparently this is most likely a mis-translation, as the real name of the grape means “Walnut-ish tasting Riesling”), and the house red (a Cab).

Tony also tried these (and most liked the Riesling).

Onward!

Maso a Kobliha was our next stop, home of “The Real Meat Society,” which prides itself on raising happy healthy animals that taste delicious.

First – a Scotch egg! If you’ve never had one, they’re amazing in any country… these were extra delicious. We then had a Vanilla Custard Donut (Tony took care of this one for us) and a bit of “craft” IPA. Tony had that too!!

Koliha donut and IPA

Here we are, enjoying the outdoor seating in the back of the restaurant:

Us at Koliha

Finally, we hopped on the tram and ventured to Eska restaurant. Walking into a gorgeous open kitchen, we enjoyed a front-row seat at the Chef’s Table and had an exceptional finish to our tasting.

Eska

Priding itself on no-waste, this restaurant attempts to utilize all parts of the animal, and all “waste” from the food prep and cooking process. First, we enjoyed a bit of fermented coffee soda – which sounds super weird, but was delicious.

Then, an “amuse bouche” of rabbit pate, and insanely fresh bread with salted, herbed butter

Amuse bouche at Eska

Finally, we had my favorite dish of the night. Wheat berries with wild mushrooms, in a risotto like consistency, with a sous-vide egg. The dairy-eaters on the tour also had burnt potato in ash with potato espuma, while I enjoyed green asparagus with buckwheat chips.

Finally, Tony finished with a Zemlovka – a bread pudding with apples and an espuma of vanilla and rum, while I had fresh asparagus and strawberries in a sweet “salad”.

What a journey!

Special thanks to Zuzi and Jan for planning and executing such a special evening. I highly recommend Taste of Prague and the Foodie Tour to anyone visiting Prague in the future!

We made the journey back home and began to pack for tomorrow’s departure.

We’re sad to leave the apartment. But THRILLED to be heading to Olso, Norway!

Until then,

Lisa (and Tony)

CategoriesCorrective Exercise Program Design Strength Training

The Pendulum Swing

I’m still in Europe. Thankfully I have some coaches pinch-hitting for me while I’m away providing some awesome content. 

Today I have a great post from Pittsburgh based strength coach and physical therapy student, Michael Mash.

Užívat si (<— Enjoy in Czech)1

What You Need to Know

  1. With the popularization of core stability training, true rotational movements have erroneously gotten a bad rap.
  2. Mobility and soft tissue work have done wonders for various populations, but if you’re stretching and mobilizing for an hour before you even start your workout, something’s wrong.
  3. Squats and deadlifts are fantastic foundational exercises, but they are simply not enough to effectively train the core.
  4. While it has good intentions, the term “functional training” has recently been abused. Real functional training is actually quite simplistic.
  5. Evidence-based practice has enhanced the way we view clinical practice and strength training, but it is simply a tool in the toolbox.

Fitness trends act like a pendulum. As soon as the newest idea hits the mainstream and peaks, a group of people who adamantly oppose it return it to the other end of the spectrum. What we can learn from this phenomenon is this: the answer often lies right in the middle.

Core Stability Training

Quite possibly one of the most popular fitness buzz words of the last decade, core stability training has made a huge impact on how we train our midsection for health and performance.

Characterized by learning to properly move at the hips and upper extremities while keeping the spine stable, core stability training can be categorized into different planes of movement.

For example, anti-extension exercises such as the RKC plank, challenge the core’s ability to resist extension, whereas the barbell torque, an anti-rotation exercise, involves moving a barbell from side-to-side while maintaining a rigid core.

The barbell torque, performed with arm movement and a rigid core, is a fantastic anti-rotation exercise.

Popularized by Dr. Stuart McGill, while anti-rotation exercises are fantastic for those in both the rehabilitation and performance worlds, they seem to have been associated with the trend to completely STOP doing rotational core exercises.

What gives?

The last time I checked, the torso does actually have the capability to rotate and does so quite frequently on the field. Although, solely training core stability might not directly encourage an athlete to run around the field like a stiff board, promoting movement fluidity and rotational power with TRUE rotational core exercises does have merit.

Barring any contraindications such as previous or current hip/lumbar pathologies, rotation at the core is pivotal for successful sports performance, so let’s train it!

Exercises such as cable chops and medicine ball throws will train core rotation in the standing posture to promote both movement fluidity and increase performance!

 

Mobility and Soft Tissue Work

Oh mobility and soft tissue work!

Can’t live with it, can’t live without it!

The rise of mobility and soft tissue work has done wonders for both the banged-up lifter population and the elite athlete. Mobility and soft tissue work are paramount for success and have helped extend careers and led to more pounds lifted on the platform.

Once again, like core stability training, what started as a great idea to reduce pain and increase performance, now has turned into people flopping around on foam rollers, smashing and flossing each and every muscle, and twisting themselves up into a pretzel for 45-minutes before they even begin their workout!

This is a major problem.

I emphasize, do not take this babble to be anti-mobility work rhetoric, quite the contrary.

In order to set yourself up for success and time efficiency, your mobility and soft tissue work needs to be succinct, effective, and goal driven. Often times, what happens is the complete opposite.

Let me propose to you an example.

You are someone who has “tight” hamstrings. You spend the first 5 minutes of your routine foam rolling.

Next, you get out your spikey ball, because the roller wasn’t good enough, and you start rolling with that. Then you perform some mobility work such as single-leg toe touches, walking kicks, yoga push-ups, and finish off with a healthy dose of static stretching from 5 different angles. Fast-forward 6-months, and guess what? You STILL have “tight” (and I use that word loosely…no pun intended) hamstrings.

My point is this: It is IMPERATIVE that you monitor for results with your targeted mobility and soft-tissue work. Your warmup should be no more than 10 minutes at most, and if you are not seeing the results you want, reassess, or see a qualified professional for some advice instead of endlessly spinning your wheels.

Squats and Deadlifts Only for Core

With the popularization in core training, came a concurrent rise in the notion that it’s all a pile of bologna.

Yep. You heard me right.

“Look at all these wacky core exercises. You don’t need those. Just squat and deadlift. That’s all you need!”

Going along with our pendulum analogy, with the rise of core stability training, came the rise of those who said all you need to do is squat and deadlift.

Again, the answer lies in the middle.

Here’s the bottom line: although you don’t need to perform a million different core exercises, squats and deadlifts alone are NOT enough. I’ve worked with clients capable of squatting and deadlifting a brick house but the second you challenge them in with dead-bug progressions such as the hollow-body hold, they can’t maintain proper positioning without holding their breath or slipping into anterior pelvic tilt.

 

Although you must brace the core in a 360⁰ manner to encourage maximal stability during squats and deadlifts, they essentially only train the in an anti-flexion manner, a.k.a preventing your spine from crumbling into a pile of Lego blocks during the lift.

While the barbell lifts with ALWAYS serve as the pivotal foundation of exercise prescription, adding in a few extra rotary, lateral flexion, and flexion (or “anti” movements, again BOTH have their place), will take minimal time and promote a more complete core training experience to enhance performance and reduce the risk of injury.

Functional Training

What once started as a great idea to promote enhanced daily function, has turned into people single-leg squatting on a Bosu ball while juggling in one hand and reading a book in their other hand to their imaginary friend.

Functional right?

So let me ask you this. What does functional training mean to you?

From what I understand, the premises of functional training is utilizing exercise techniques to promote function in ever day life and sports performance. In life we bend down to pick things up off the ground, reach overhead to reach and cupboards, and carry things around, do we not?

Progressively loading human patterns IS FUNCTIONAL. It literally doesn’t get more “functional” than loading squats, deadlifts, carries, and presses. Barbell training IS functional training.

Teach grandma how to pick a barbell off the ground with a correct hip-hinge pattern and suddenly she has more ease playing with her grandchild who’s sitting on the floor…funny how that works.

Training the Farmer’s Walk suddenly makes carrying groceries in from the car that much easier.

 

I’m not against functional training, I’m against what functional training has become. True functional training entails progressively loading basic human movement patterns to increase quality of life, rehabilitate from injury, and increase sports performance.

Evidence-Based Practice

The rise of evidence-based practice (EBP) has drastically improved the practices of physical therapy and strength & conditioning.

Constantly questioning the methods we employ is paramount to ensure practitioners are constantly learning and providing the best possible care for their patients and clients.

With that being said, we must view EBP for what is it, an important tool in the clinical toolbox, not the end-all be-all solution for everything.

Solely relying on EBP can limit creativity. Suddenly clinicians and strength coaches become hesitant to employ a technique or exercise because there’s insufficient evidence to support its use.

Here’s the truth: strength coaches and rehab professionals in the trenches DRIVE evidence-based practice.

In order for there to BE evidence, someone has to be grinding away utilizing innovative techniques and seeing results beforehand.

Do you think evidence-based practice was a part of King Arnold’s success back in the ‘70s? I don’t think so, but if he had it on his side, he may be done even better (if that’s even possible)!

Incorporate a healthy mixture of your experience, the latest evidence, and your patient/client’s values to maximize outcomes.

Conclusion

The pendulum often swings from both ends of the extremes in the fitness industry, but it ALWAYS finds its way back to the center. When new ideas rise to the mainstream, it is often associated with major backlash by a group of those who believe the complete opposite! Always question the latest and greatest fitness trends, because the REAL answer always lies somewhere in the middle!

About the Author

Michael Mash, SPT, CSCS, FMSC is a physical therapy student and strength coach located in Pittsburgh, PA. He started his company, Barbell Rehab and Performance, with the mission to bridge the gap between physical therapy and strength & conditioning by implementing barbell lifts into clinical practice.

Follow Michael at his website BarbellRehabandPerformance.com and on Facebook and Instagram (@barbellrehab))

Categoriescoaching Conditioning

Why You Should Train Like an Athlete, Even If You Aren’t One

You don’t have to be playing in front of thousands of people or sign a seven-figure contract in order to train like an athlete.

Although, lets be honest: both would be nice.

I’m often asked how I go about writing programs for my athletes as opposed to by everyday regular Joes and Janes; how much do they differ?

Well, not as much as you think!

Rest assured there’s a lot of attention to detail when training anyone – regardless of athletic background. It’s important to take into consideration one’s injury history, anthropometry (anatomical differences), training experience, goals, and a host of other variables.

However, with regards to athletes, I’d be lying if I said we didn’t have to be even more meticulous with their programming at times. When you’re dealing with a million dollar arm – literally – for example, the last thing you want to do as a strength & conditioning coach is place the athlete in peril, performing exercises with high-risk/low-reward value.

(For the record, peril in this case doesn’t mean life threatening or anything. Just, you know, you don’t want to do stupid shit with them, like juggling chainsaws on a BOSU ball, or using a BOSU ball in general).2

Not to mention you have to respect the ebbs and flows of off-season vs. in-season program design, and the unique stress each sport places on the body.

I.e, how you write a program for a football player will differ quite a bit from a baseball player…based off the demands of the sport.

All that said, the principles I follow whether I’m training an athlete or general pop client don’t differ much.

My male and female clients still squat, deadlift, row, press, perform farmer carries, toss med balls, push the sled, and otherwise vomit (not literally) strength and conditioning all over the place.

Likewise, while I may not clock their 40 yd times, I still have them skip, shuffle, jump, and move around like athletes.

Life = The Ultimate Game

Am I right, or am I right?

Training like an athlete provides many benefits: (generally speaking) improved muscle mass, strength, body composition, bone health, CNS inter/intra coordination, better balance, and an overall sense of athleticism.

It also makes you a better dancer. #truestoriesitellmyself

Lets face it: after a long day at work and using all your will power not to stab your boss in the throat with a stapler, what sounds more enticing….heading to the gym to perform a few sets of this and a few reps of that with no rhyme or reason or lifting something heavy with some purpose and tossing/dragging stuff around?

 

On a related note: wanna know what my litmus test is for athleticism in my “non-athletic” clients?

It’s not 1RM testing on anything, and it’s not testing their vertical jump.

It’s a simple drill that everyone has done at one point or another in their lives………….

Skipping

And I’m not talking about “Dorothy skipping down the yellow brick road” skipping. I mean, athletic skipping.

 

The saying is true: “if you don’t use it, you lose it.” (<– trying really hard to refrain from a penis joke here).

Athleticism is one of the first things to fade as we grow into adulthood. We trade in fields and courts for filing cabinets and coffee mugs that says “World’s Best Boss.”

One of the first drills I use with my general fitness clients to help build up their athleticism is plain ol’ vanilla skipping.

Along with shuffling, medicine ball drills, jumping, kettlebell swings, and uphill sprints (less wear and tear on joints).

Many people are programmed to think that training has to be analogous to calculus: “x”reps for “y” sets, done with the same machines, in the same order, time and time and time again. Boring.

It’s amazing to see my clients become invigorated and enjoy their training sessions again by having them perform more un-traditional exercises/drills. They think they’re training like athletes….

…..because they are.

Why You Should Train Like an Athlete

My good friend, Jen Sinkler, is involved with a new project coming out soon called Lighting & Thunder.

Below is a link to a short video you can watch explaining some of the benefits of training like like an athlete, even if you’re not.

NOTE: no spam involved here. Jen hates spam as much as she hates not wearing lip gloss.

—> CLICK ME <—

CategoriesOff Topic

Day 6: Terezin and Old Prague Ham

Day 6: Terezin and Old Prague Ham

Tony and I woke up early this morning to try and get yesterday’s blog up before heading out – the internet was slow, so sorry for the delay yesterday!

We walked a whole three minutes over to Old Town Square to meet the bus, and started our one hour journey outside of the city to see a concentration camp.

Meeting point for tour

Us on the tour

Terezin, or Teresientadt, was built for use as a military fortress, starting in the 1780’s, but then was used as a political prison during the 19th century. In 1940 the Gestapo (Nazi Secret Police) was assigned to Terezin, and it became a ghetto – a concentration camp.

Terezin was huge.

There was a “small fortress”, which was very large, and also a large fortress. There were “dormitories, and a crematorium.

Although Terezin was not an “liquefaction” site, or an “extermination camp” thousands upon thousands died of starvation, terrible living conditions., and typhus toward the end and even after the end of WWII.

Terezin was often used as a “first stop” for Jews to first be “concentrated”, before being transported to Auschwitz or another concentration camp for extermination. Also used for propaganda, the site would be used to demonstrate how “nice” concentration camps could be, including staged bathrooms and “comfortable” living quarters that weren’t actually used by the Jews.

It was an intense day, to say the least. Here are a few pictures:

Terezin entrance

Work makes you free

NOTE: Tony also uploaded a bunch more pictures from Terezin (with background/historical info) on his personal page.

We arrived back to the city at 3pm and were starved!

We sat in Old Town Square for a late lunch – I tried some Czech goulash, and Tony (surprise) had a chicken Cesar salad. We knew we’d be too pooped to go back out again later for dinner, so we took the advice of an attendee at Tony’s workshop and bought some “Old Prague Ham” from a street Vendor, and went back home for a night in.

I cooked up the zucchini from the Farmer’s Market , and along with the Carrots and the Old Prague Ham, we had a relaxing night at home!

Tomorrow, our last day in Prague. Sad, I know!

Talk to you then,

Lisa

(and Tony).

CategoriesOff Topic

Day 5: The Library, The Lesser Quarter, The Dinner

Day 5: The Library, The Church, The Dinner

Another quiet night, followed by a leisurely morning with coffee from our little machine, eggs from the local market, and the most insane granola ever.

Today the Somersets and Gentilewis’ decided to divide and conquer.

Dean and Lindsay headed to Old Town Square and the Torture Museum, while Tony and I headed to Klementium, Pragues second largest building next to the Castle (and pictured above).

An entire complex consisting of buildings that are or have once been The University, two separate churches, a library, and an observatory. We got to check out the Baroque Library Hall

As well as the Vysehrad Codex (which seemed like something from an Indiana Jones movie:

After visiting the meridian hall and checking out some other old school devices for tracking the planets and keeping time, we were allowed up on the observatory deck for a great 360 degree view!

Observatory View

Observatory View II

Here’s Tony taking a peek through one of the holes the astrologists used to peek down into the Observatory.

Tony Peeking

Afterward we visited Wenceslas Square, which is a much bigger, much more modern square than Old Town Square.

We walked home for some lunch back at the apartment with the Somersets.

I whipped up the cabbage, purple potatoes, and broccoli that I bought at the local market (Naplavka) a few days before, and also headed up a chicken we had recently purchased.

As you probably know if you like to travel, it feels AWESOME to eat a home cooked meals with lots of veggies after traveling and eating lots of bread and heavy restaurant foods (and cookies J).

Here we are (sans me):

Lunch in the kitchen

Then we headed back out to continue our respective journeys.

I, of course, got my espresso-of-the-day from The Bakeshop (and Tony had a brownie). We made our way down to the river and back over the Charles Bridge to explore Kampa Island and Mala Strana (The Lesser or Little Quarter). It was more quiet, more local, and more funky/gritty in this part of town. My favorite so far!

Mala Strana II

We were on bridge below the Charles, so it made for a fabulous view when we walked back to the center of the city over “Most Leggi” Bridge

Mala Strana

We took the long way home, past the Theatre:

Prague Theater

And some markets.

Once back home, we happened upon the Somersets watching the new Game of Thrones!!!!!

We are not into season 6 yet, so we quarantined ourselves in our half of the apartment and got ready for our exciting dinner out!

As I may have mentioned, I have arranged a “Foodie Tour” through a fabulous couple/blog site called Taste of Prague, and I have made email BFF with the wife of the couple, Zuzi (I am sure she does not reciprocate her “best friend” status, but I’m ok with that).

Zuzi recommended Cestr for us, and I got reservations for tonight!

A 25 minute walk from the apartment, the Somersets and Gentilewis’ headed out.

We walked through Old Town Square, then Wenseclas Square, finding the restaurant on the backside of a museum.

Here it is!:

Cestr

It was an exceptional meal and I highly recommend to anyone in the city!

The mission of the restaurant is to serve local food.

They serve the Czech breed of cow, called “Czech Spotted Cattle” or “Cestr” for short, and provide not only a menu prepared for that day, but also a map of the cow so that you can read about items on the menu and then look at where that is located on the animal.

Beef map

Dean and Lindsay both ordered gorgeous looking drinks, and when I asked for help choosing a glass of wine, the Sommelier came over, listened closely, and recommended a Moravian Dornfelder.

I’ve had some unpleasant German Dornfelder in the past, so I was nervous! But it was exactly what I wanted. Here are our drinks:

Drinks

For dinner, Lindsay had the chicken, Dean had the “rump” Tony had the Filet (naturally), and I had the skirt, along with some carrots. Here is my food:

My dinner

A wonderful evening! On the way out, I even got to spy on the butcher, working on some beef just off the kitchen:

Butcher

What a day!

Thanks again to Taste of Prague for the recommendation. After a quick stop at The Bakeshop for dessert (are you shocked?), we headed back to the apartment, laying low to be ready for our excursion tomorrow.

Good night and talk to you then!

Lisa

(and Tony)

CategoriesCorrective Exercise

New (To You) Scapular Stabilization Exercises

I’m still in Europe.3

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of former CSP intern and now current rock-star PA based strength coach, Rob Rabena

Shoulder health is always a hot topic amongst baseball players and overhead athletes. To keep a healthy shoulder, there are a lot of variables that come into play.

Most of these variables are trainable.

Other factors such as pitching mechanics, sport stress, and life stress are hard for the strength coach to control and train. The goal of this post is to provide some new exercise variations to help keep the shoulder healthy – whether you get paid to throw a baseball 95MPH or if you’re Bob from Accounting.

I have always been a big fan of scapular isometric perturbations to train the scapular muscles. I usually do a standing ball to wall at different arm positions.

Lately I have been playing around with different lower body positions as well.

Check them out!

Half Kneeling and Standing Split Stance Ball to Wall Stabilizations

 

What Does It Do: Trunk and scapular control/stabilization.

Through an added manual isometric perturbation, the athlete needs to control the arm and trunk to not fall over or lose joint position.

This is a fantastic integrated scapular exercise where the athlete needs to not only control the entire body, but also the arm. This exercise helps maintain the head of the humerus in the socket. The athlete should feel the posterior shoulder during this exercise.

Key Coaching Cues:

  • Don’t let me move you
  • Open your fingers wide and feel the ball
  • Feel your foot on the ground
    • Left foot- Left outside heel and left big toe
    • Right Foot- Press your arch into the ground
  • Inhale and fully exhale before beginning
  • Breathe throughout the exercise, don’t hold your breath
  • Reach arm, don’t over pull the scapula down and back
  • I usually place the athlete at end ranges of the shoulder

Science and Research:

Oliver et. al. (2016) found that in the lunge position (the TGU and prone I) had significantly greater serratus anterior EMG compared to other exercises.

A greater EMG during this position is most likely from the scapulae in protraction.

Protraction or reaching can do wonders for shoulder health, scapular health and position of the ribcage. Always take in consideration that EMG studies are not the end all be all when it comes to exercise selection.

Who Should Use It:

Any overhead athlete such as baseball, tennis, swimming, softball and volleyball would be recommended. This can be used to help prevent any future injuries with anyone who has a history of shoulder problems or pathologies.

Program Design:

 2-4 sets of 10-15sec or until athlete fatigues or technique/position is lost.

I would suggest that the half kneeling position can be used at times as a regression to the standing ball to wall variation. The standing Split Stance variation is definitely a progression due to the narrow base of support and difficulty of the exercise.

See the list below to help with program design as well as for training floor regressions and progressions.

Quadruped: Ball on Ground

Standing: Ball to Wall

Supine: Off-Table

Half Kneeling: Open Chain Variation

Progression Order:

  1. Quadruped ball on ground
  2. Half kneeling ball to wall
  3. Standing ball to wall
  4. Standing split stance ball to wall
  5. Supine off a table
  6. Open Chain Variations

Conclusion:

When training the shoulder or scapular muscles, be sure to mix up and progress lower body position when utilizing a manual isometric perturbation.

References:

Gretchen D. Oliver, H. A. (2016, March). Electromyographic Analysis of Traditional and Kinetic Chain Exercises for Dynamic Shoulder Movements. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

Author’s Bio

Rob Rabena, MS, CSCS, is the Director of Sports Performance at Maplezone Sports Institute (MSI) in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania, where he trains high school, college and professional baseball athletes.

Prior to joining MSI, he was the head strength & conditioning coach at Cabrini College, working with their nationally ranked lacrosse team. In addition to his work at Cabrini, he completed an internship at Cressey Sports Performance in Hudson, Massachusetts in 2012.

Rabena earned his B.S. in Exercise Science with a focus on Health Promotion from Cabrini College in 2011, and his M.S. in Exercise Science with a focus on Strength and Conditioning from East Stroudsburg University in 2012. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Instagram- @robrabena3

Twitter- @RobRabena

CategoriesOff Topic

Day 4: Prague Castle

Day 4: Prague Castle!

After a solid 10 hours of sleep, we had a more successful morning with the coffeemaker in the apartment, and all of the Gentilcores and Somersets sat in the kitchen quietly, catching up on emails and filling up on caffeine and Czech Granola (which is delicious, by the way!)

Dean and Linds - starting the day

The Somersets, ready to roll!

We received a message last night from reception that there was a special package waiting for us from Taste of Prague!!! So we ran over there, to pick up our very own special copy of The Taste of Prague Guide!

We got free access to the PDF when we booked our Foodie Tour (coming up Thursday!), so it was just super-duper special to get the hard copy!

taste of prague

Then, we packed up and were off!

We took the subway out to Tomas’ gym: BarBarGym, for some training.

It was an adventure just maneuvering the subway, but we did it – and ended up in Krizikova, also known as Praha 9… also known as The Karlin District.

Krizikova

Our workouts were great!

I’ve been rehabbing an ouchie shoulder and haven’t gotten to bench heavy in many months. Tony and I got to train together (a rare occurrence) and since I had a handoff I decided to test out some heavier benching – here’s 65Kg (about 143lbs):

 

After a shower, we walked down the street from the gym to visit a coffee place highly recommended by both visitors and locals alike – Mujsalek Kavy – for a much needed post-workout caffeine buzz.

Mujsalekkavy

After that we headed down to Meze for some lunch. Lemonade (or Limonady) seems to be all the rage here, so Dean had a few lemonades, I had a little vino, and we all had a very delicious and leisurely lunch.

Due to being outside of the city center and on the “other” (North) side of the river, we decided to walk to Prague Castle from the Karlin district. Here are some amazing photos of the city and our view along the way!

Planetarium

A Prague bridge

The castle itself was amazing! Beautiful views from outside the castle overlooking the city:

View from Castle

An amazing Cathedral:

Prague Castle Cathedral

Gardens, Crown Jewels, and CRAZY statues at the gates!!

Prague Castle Statues

After walking back down the steps we walked over the Charles Bridge – another highlight of the city:

Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge II

We then stopped at Bakeshop (which is fast becoming my favorite spot for a coffee). I grabbed a muesli cookie and an espresso. Tony had a piece of carrot cake (his favorite):

carrot cake

We went home for a bit to regroup, and then went back to Old Town Square for dinner. Afterward we went on the search for a local delicacy, the trdelnik:

I’m not quite sure how to describe.

Note from Tony: I can……..f***in delicious. Even better with ice-cream stuffed inside.

Dough. Fire roasted. Sugar and cinnamon coated. And for the tourists, filled with something. Nutella, or ice cream, or some other decadent thing. Tony and I had one and it was delish!

Lindsay likened it to a churro, but since it’s not fried, it’s lighter than that.

Anyways, don’t miss it when you hit Prague!

Once back home, we settled in with some Netflix (we can’t find a TV station in English), and watched a bit of TV before heading off to bed. Another amazing day! Thanks for reading and talk to you tomorrow.

Lisa

(and Tony).

CategoriesNutrition

5 More Scientific Reasons Athletes Should Eat Carbs

I’m in Europe traveling, speaking, and eating lots of cheese.

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of strength coach Travis Hansen. I don’t write nearly enough nutritional content for the site – if I do it’s always gluten free4 – so when Travis reached out to offer a sequel to a popular article he wrote for T-Nation I was happy to oblige.

Enjoy!

If you haven’t already be sure to visit part #1 of why athletes should eat carbs HERE, where I cover several often overlooked reasons why athletes need carbohydrates to look and perform to their peak potential.

Photo Credit: Bosque Village

Right now, I want to take some time and cover several more key reasons to further put this myth to rest once and for all!

1) Ghrelin Suppression

Ghrelin is a very intricate hormone of our endocrine system that is released primarily from our stomach cells.

Awww, ghrelin is so cute!

Once released into our bloodstream this hormone travels up to the brain where it binds to its specific receptor site.

There is extensive research on this hormone, but most notably is its role on increasing appetite.

Interestingly enough, once we ingest enough carbs ghrelin levels tend to scale down. This becomes significant since ghrelin also plays a negative role in metabolic rate and fat storage. (1)

2) Non-Essential Amino Acid Synthesis

When our body utilizes carbohydrates as energy some of the chemical by-products become necessary for production of the manufacturing of non-essential amino acids.

This becomes important since this particular sub-category of amino acids is involved in many metabolic pathways in the human body.

I analyzed several studies which indicated that non-essential amino acids did not provide any additional benefit to muscle growth outside of essential amino acid intake, however if you sit down and examine the role of each one you will come to find out that they play vital roles in various reactions in the body which will ultimately affect athletic performance and you would be foolish to limit their production by going low carb.

3) Testosterone Levels

I discussed the effects of Insulin briefly in the previous article and from that you could see just how valuable the hormone is for muscle growth and performance.

What’s more is the influence insulin production can have on our testosterone levels.

When we ingest and digest carbohydrates Insulin will prevent a hormone by the name of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) from attaching itself to Free Testosterone circulating through our bloodstream.

Moreover, I was able to locate an awesome study which examined the effects low carbohydrate diets had on Testosterone levels. (2)

In this particular study, researchers studied two groups of male athletes.

One group consumed moderate to high amounts of carbohydrates (60% of caloric intake), while the other group consumed low quantities of carbs (30% of caloric intake). After three consecutive days of high intensity training, blood samples were taken from each group, measuring each groups Testosterone to Cortisol Ratio.

The control group only showed a 3% decrease in T while the low carb group showed a pitiful 43% drop in T!

Keep in mind, the exercise protocol did not involve heavy weight training, so it would be interesting to see the effects of pre and post-percentage drops in each group with very high amounts of muscular damage induced from resistance training protocols.

4) Motor Control and Coordination

I absolutely love science as much as the next person, but I don’t think there is really any true need to provide any study on this one.

Bottom Line: our nervous system’s preferential source of fuel comes directly from carbohydrates in the form of glucose and if we deprive ourselves of carbs as athletes then it has to be manufactured from external and internal sources of body protein (aka muscle mass) with small amounts stemming from fat (glycerol).

Also consider the potential lag time in glucose production from non-carbohydrate sources that occurs since it’s not readily available in muscle stores as glycogen for glycolysis.

Most team sports rely on anaerobic glycolysis fueled by glucose and glycogen stores, and if there is a delay in providing these energy sources then exertion has to stall to some extent.

Aside from everything else I’ve shared with you up until this point, all you have to do is work with any strength or power athlete for a considerable amount of time while they are practicing a low carb diet strategy and you will inevitably recognize common deficiencies in movement (speed, quickness, strength, motivation, etc.) derived from fatigue, dehydration, and subsequent motor control deficits.

5) The X-Factor: Glycogen

In the first article, you saw the influence systemic hydration levels have on performance outcomes, and the high amounts of H2O that is to be stored in our glycogen stores. Any small decrease in hydration (2-3%) has been shown to lead to poorer performance and you absolutely risk this by depleting glycogen stores in your muscles and liver by consuming less carbs.

Furthermore, one of the common physiological adaptations that occurs in our muscles in response to strength and athletic training is an increased capacity for glycogen and thus water to meet the increased demands of the training stimulus so that we can perform better.

Moreover, there is good evidence that glycogen stores play a direct role in recovery and protein synthesis following intense training. (3), (4).

Increased cellular signaling is one potential way that glycogen can affect recovery and regeneration.

Lastly, if you are an athlete who is trying to get fancy and shed weight fast let me inform you of some things before you do so.

When glycogen stores become depleted within a day of strict low carb dieting there is an automatic up-regulation of specific enzymes which store more glycogen to help combat this approach.

With this there is an increase in glycogen stores above original baseline. This means that you are going to temporarily gain MORE weight in the form of increased water and stored carbs then if you had just stayed consistent in the first place.

What I am referring to here is the classic “carb loading” approach advocated and mastered by endurance athletes everywhere for decades now. And it absolutely works for this population, but definitely not in the context of efficient weight loss for athletes who still need to perform at a high level regularly.

If nothing else, why would the body adapt this way? Obviously we need the glycogen, especially if you are an explosive athlete.

Lastly, there is a decent amount of research that I found showing that sufficient glycogen or glucose replenishment may offset Central fatigue of the nervous system, and I will be sure to discuss this topic more in the final installment of this series…

Scientific References

#1-#6-http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/bodyweight-regulation-wrap-up-other-hormones.html/

#2-Lane AR, Duke JW, Hackney AC. Influence of dietary carbohydrate intake on the free testosterone: cortisol ratio responses to short-term intensive exercise training. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010 Apr;108(6):1125-31.

#3-John, L. Regulation of muscle glycogen repletion, muscle protein synthesis and repair following exercise. J Sports Sci Med 3: 131-138, 2004.

#4-Howarth, KR. Effect of glycogen availability on human skeletal muscle protein turnover during exercise and recovery. J Appl Physiol 109: 431-438, 2010.

Author’s Bio

Travis Hansen has been involved in the field of Human Performance Enhancement for nearly a decade. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fitness and Wellness, and holds 3 different training certifications from the ISSA, NASM, and NCSF. He was the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Reno Bighorns of the NBADL for their 2010 season, and he is currently the Director of The Reno Speed School inside the South Reno Athletic Club. He has worked with hundreds of athletes from almost all sports, ranging from the youth to professional ranks. He is the author of the hot selling “Speed Encyclopedia,” and he is also the leading authority on speed development for the International Sports Sciences Association.

CategoriesOff Topic

Day 3: Rain, Rain!

Day 3: Rain Rain!

Today started off with a coffee machine mishap.

Dean and I thought it would be smart to just use the coffee maker in the apartment, instead of running out for a little coffee in the morning.

Unfortunately, due what dean believes is a design flaw, I walked into the kitchen 10 minutes after starting the coffee to find brown water everywhere, and a vomiting coffee machine! So after cleanup, I headed out, once again, to what is fast becoming my favorite coffee place: Bakeshop:

After a little coffee and breakfast, the boys ran to their workshop, and Lindsay and I took our own separate little runs.

Lindsay (I can only imagine) probably actually ran. I, on the other hand, jogged about 20-40 feet, and then stopped to take a few photos…

running charles bridge

Here is :

running 1

And then …

running 2

Franz Kafka museum

And also:

running 3

So after my jog/photo interval session, I took a shower and got ready for the day. It was rainy and gross, but we really wanted to get out to see the library, The Klementium.

First Lindsay and I made lunch from the amazing and CRAZY cheap produce we found at the farmer’s market yesterday, and then we set out!

It was cold and rainy, but that didn’t stop the tourists! They were everywhere.

After some walking around, we came across the building where the library was, but walked around all 360 degrees of the building before figuring out how to enter.

Unfortunately the next tour was not beginning for some time, and we couldn’t handle staying out that long in the pouring rain.

So off we went… this time finding the Nardoni Gallery! We checked out the Old Master’s collection, with a mix of some Picasso, renaissance, and Czech artists.

Narodni Gallery

The weather started to improve, and we went on a manhunt for some laundry detergent… not the easiest to find in the center of an ancient city with a drove of tourists and the matching gift shops.

After the mission was accomplished, I found myself back at the Bakeshop for another espresso and a few treats for Tony.

We came home to relax a bit before the boys came home, and suddenly Dean texted Lindsay to explain they would stop by in a few minutes to pick us up so that we could have dinner at Tomas and Linka’s house!

Here is the AMAZING view from their roofdeck!

roof deck 1

roof deck 2

Lenka is 9 months pregnant, but was a spectacular hostess. Somehow, they got Tony to drink moonshine a second time (still not sure how this is happening), and Dean had him take a sip of Scotch.

Tony drinking scotch

Here is Dean and Tony with our wonderful host, Tomas:

Tomas Dean Tony

Another amazing day! See you tomorrow,

Lisa (and Tony).

CategoriesOff Topic

Day 2: Naplavka and Vysehrad Fortress

Day 2

After an amazing 12 hours of sleep, I was bright eyed and bushy tailed! I found the nearest open coffee shop, grabbed myself one, and brought one home for Dean. Tony was whipping up some eggs, and the boys were getting ready for Day 1 of “The Complete Hip and Shoulder Workshop” (available on DVD soon!).

Here’s Tony in our Rockin’ 1970’ European kitchen!

Tony making eggs in the kitchen

After the boys left, Lindsay and I headed out. Thanks to Zuzi and Jan at The Taste of Prague, I had many tips and guides for good food and sightseeing in the city!

Today’s itinerary was The Perfect Saturday itinerary, which is from their website. Making our way to The Vysehrad Fortress, we passed by the Philharmonic:

The Philharmonic

The Charles River Bridge

Bridge

And then my favorite, the Naplavka Farmer’s Market!

The Market 1

Crepes at the market

Farmer's Market Food

Filled with produce, meat, homemade food and drinks, and plenty of local wines and beers, the market also had clothing and jewelry from local artisans. We grabbed some extremely cheap produce for the fridge back at the apartment, and then hit up the fortress.

Atop a long set of stairs, we had lazy lunch next to the fortress. It was a warm and sunny day, and lots of locals were out for some coffee or beer. We walked back home along the river, to meet up with the boys and hear about Day 1 of the seminar.

Tony and Dean arrived back home around 6pm – just long enough to change clothes, freshen up, and head to dinner!

We ate at a local spot with “traditional Czech food.”

Not only did Tony have the Goulash – but he has a shot!

If you don’t know, Tony does not ever drink alcohol (he hates the taste). The Ex-Pat American next to me at dinner explained, “this is basically Czech moonshine”. I thought it tasted like tequila… Tony threw it back like a champ!

Tony's shot

And I had the pigs knee. It was delicious!

Pigs Knee

After some dessert we walked back home and couldn’t wait to get some sleep.

Good night and talk to you tomorrow! Lisa (and Tony).