The Best Physical Preparation Advice I've Heard
One of my fiancée's many awesome character traits is her ability to condense a seemingly-long explanation into a few words. She frequently steers clear of prolixity, and this is one of the things I love most about her. What does this have to do with physical preparation, you ask? Well, quite simply, I once heard Kelsey give an answer to an inquiry that was a huge "Ah-ha" moment for me, and has saved my life during subsequent weddings, holiday parties, and the like.
You see, whenever I attend any sort of gathering, the good ol' question of "So, what do you do?" is naturally directed my way. Upon informing them of what I do for a living, the onslaught of fitness-related questions inevitably ensues:
"How do I get rid of this?" (as they grab a particular body part they feel is fatty)"Oh, cool. Hey you know what, my ankle has been bothering me, what should I do?""I’ve been trying to dunk a basketball for the first time, can you write me a program to improve my vertical?""I need to put on 15lbs of muscle in the next two weeks, please tell me what program to follow."
Now, I can't entirely blame them for asking these questions, as I realize they don't deal with this particular sphere on a daily basis. And, it's not like I've never asked a doctor or accountant for free advice. However, I usually find that, more times than not, the person isn't ACTUALLY ready for the answer. Typically, they're looking more for what they want to hear as opposed to what they need to hear.
About a year ago, Kelsey and I were taking a course on financial management together. During one of the breaks, we ended up in conversation with a friendly fellow. Soon enough, the question pops up:
"So, I've been trying to get back into a gym routine. What should I do in order to add some muscle, drop some body fat, and feel better?"
Kelsey, in true form, replies with: "Pick up heavy things."
BRILLIANT!!! When asked to explain further, she simply repeated herself. "Pick up heavy things." That was all she said.
I don't feel this was rude, either.It actually, quite succinctly, informed the guy of exactly what he needed to do, without delving into fancy exercises, set-rep schemes, periodization, intermittent fasting, or any other similar topic that will quickly lose an audience. It also saved us the danger of entering a long conversation in which training philosophies are debated, "He said/She said" arguments are tossed back and forth, etc.
And you know what the cool thing was? The following week, the same man approaches us and looked at Kelsey: "So, you know what? This past week, I went into the gym, and, I did what you said. I picked up some heavy stuff. It was cool."
Pick up heavy things. That's really all this boils down to.
Want to run faster? Pick up heavy things. Jump higher? Squat heavy things. Obtain broad shoulders? Press heavy things over your head. Look better with your clothes off? Pick up heavy things.
This is refreshing advice to hear. In a world where women are told they'll turn into a She-Man if they move anything more than a pink dumbbell, and baseball players are told they need to go on endurance runs for off-season conditioning (*insert hand grenade in mouth here*), it's few and far between that heavy things are picked up off the ground.
Now, of course, "heavy" is relative. What is moderate for Coach Chris (see video below) would be crushing for Olivia (see picture below video).
As such, Chris clearly needs something heavier than 135lbs to elicit continued strength gains, whereas Olivia - a new trainee - will garner plenty of benefit from squatting her bodyweight in the initial stages. Each person must be individually assessed to see what is "heavy" for them.
15-rep barbell snatches is not strength training. Nor is performing ten reps on e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.
Would it be best for a coach to lead and guide you throughout the process to ensure form is in check and you are progressing appropriately? Absolutely. But for now, should I run into you at an upcoming Fall wedding or holiday party, I'm sticking to this advice. It's all we really need to know.
Start picking up heavy things.
What Are Your Weaknesses?
Superman --> Krytponite Wolverine --> Magnetic Powers
Batman --> Age
Achilles --> His Heel
The King Cobra Snake --> Honey Badger**
Men --> Attention to Detail
Weaknesses. No matter who you are, you've got at least one. The problem is, we rarely leverage these to help us improve.
I received an email the other day from John, a fellow strength coach, that got me REALLY fired up. He had trained at SAPT for a while in preparation for a military physical fitness test, and, in the course of exchanging emails with him post-training, he sent me this:
"In conjunction with our conversations about priorities and focus, I have a question for you. Based on your work with me as a client, what area(s) and/or weaknesses do you think I need to address in my own personal programming? I know that can be a difficult question, but I'd appreciate any feedback or insight you have."
AWESOME!!!! (John: If you're reading, I send you an internet high five). Man, if only more people, athletes and non-athletes alike, approached training this way.
The email got me thinking: in any facet of life, very very few us honestly want someone to bring our weaknesses to light, as it's obviously a blow to our ego. And the sphere of physical fitness is no different. However, recognizing, and then improving upon, our weaknesses is one of the largest steps we can take to reach our goal.
John "gets it." As soon as I received the email from him, I knew he was going to continue to make incredible progress because of his mindset. After all, the large majority of us gravitates toward partaking in the activities which amplify our strengths exclusively, but this ends up holding us back. If we fail to eliminate (or at least work on) our Achilles heel, we can only go so far. We're only as strong as our weakest link.
Let me use a quick example of something that happened to me in college....
I'm in the weight room one day and this guy approaches me. He was wearing an orange T-shirt, so we'll call him DIOTS (Dude In Orange T-Shirt). Here's how it goes down:
DIOTS: So, it seems like you kinda know what you're doing. Do you think you could help me with my bench press?
Me: Sure...what's up?
DIOTS: Well, you see, I haven't improved in the last few months. I've plateaued big time, and my shoulder really bothers me.
Me: Ok. Well, how do you typically train on a weekly basis?
DIOTS: I'll usually do bench press every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Then I'll follow it up with some dumbbell work....maybe some lat pulldowns and curls, too. It kinda depends.
Me: Hmmm...I see. When do you train lower body?
DIOTS: ................what?
Me: You know, like your legs.
DIOTS: Oh. No, I don't really do that.
Me: Squats or deadlifts? Single-leg work?
DIOTS: Well, I used to have to do them with my team in high school. But I don't do them anymore. They're just so hard, ya know?
Me: I know, I know...
DIOTS: Ok, well, anyway, what does lower body have to do with increasing my bench press?
Me: We'll get to that later. How about rowing variations...you doing any of those? Or taken any measures to work on that cranky shoulder?
DIOTS: No, not really.
Me: Ok, no biggie, we can do this....Take your benching down to one day per week, and begin to incorporate a lot more rowing variations and prehab work for your shoulders. Get in a squat or deadlift variation in each week, too. If you really want to, feel free to add in some curls but it won't make or break your routine.
DIOTS: Benching only once per week?! How is that going to help me?
Me: Just trust me. You sure you want to continue with this?
DIOTS: No, yeah, I mean I trust you man. I'll definitely take your word for it. It just seems so crazy and counterintuitive ya know?
Me: Yup, I know.
I then proceeded to instruct DIOTS on proper bench form (his bench technique, or lack thereof, was an enormous culprit for his shoulder pain), as well as show him the basics of squatting/deadlifting, and gave him a few drills he could utilize for shoulder health. To his credit, he soaked it all in like a sponge and did exactly what I said.
I ran into him about eight weeks later and this is how the conversation went:
ME: Hey man, haven't seen you in a little while. How's it all be going?
DIOTS: I can't believe it! My bench press has gone up twenty pounds since we talked. Better yet, my shoulder pain has gone away.
Me: Wow, that's really awesome. Did you make those adjustments in your program?
DIOTS: Yeah, it was tough to make the change but man, it worked. I added in that shoulder stuff you gave me, and also did those rows each week. I also did that warm-up you suggested to me. The squats and deads were cool too, I actually began to enjoy them a bit. It doesn't make sense to me but I'm feeling way better and just seem to keep improving.
That last paragraph may sound a bit corny, but that's literally what he said (trust me, I'll never forget it as it was a ridiculous contrast from my first conversation with him).
The point of all that is this: DIOTS wasn't too arrogant to trust someone else with analyzing his weaknesses and making suggestions. As a result, he improved dramatically and blew away his expectations.
Weaknesses - which we can turn into strengths if we're smart about it - can come in many shapes and sizes:
- It could be a physical limitation with regards to glute function, scapular stability, hip flexor length, the upper back, ankle mobility, etc. (the list could go on and on...). A deficiency in any of these areas can (and most likely will) result in sub-par athletic performance, injury, and/or stalled progress in the big lifts.
- Your circle of influence can be holding you back. I see it time and time again: one's immediate support structure will, more times than not, make or break their progress in the gym.
- Nutrition. It never ceases to surprise people that you can do all you want in the gym, but will rarely see the desired result in the fat loss or muscle gain realm if you're all over the place in the kitchen.
- Poor mobility. Our sedentary lifestyle, along with the increased use of computers, time spent sitting, driving, etc. has left many of us with Tin Man-like mobility. If you're a runner, you can say goodbye to running economy (and faster times). If you're a lifter, you can bid farewell that oh-so-helpful positioning that enhances your mechanical advantage in the set-up and execution of the lift.
- Refusal to take time off. Yep, this can be a weakness, too. "Exercise-aholics" often reach the point where their progress stalls - or worse, they become injured - because they never give their bodies a break. Remember that you build muscle and/or lose fat as a result of recovering from training, not during the actual training session itself. And no, going on a five mile run is not an off day.
I've made plenty of mistakes along the way in this realm, which is why I'm so urgent about it now. For example, I've known for quite a while that I possess atrocious shoulder mobility and thoracic spine ROM, and that it is the worst on my left side. Is it any wonder that, after rarely addressing this issue, I developed persistent shoulder pain in my left shoulder? Had I only attacked this sooner (and perhaps held myself accountable to someone), I'd be in a much different situation.
How about you? Are you willing to have someone give you some honest feedback (as ego-shattering as it may be), and then take action, so you can succeed over the long-haul?
**Bet you didn't know that one! (look it up on Youtube, it's crazy).
A Few Things I've Learned: "Life" Edition
Following in the wake of the 26 Things I've Learned: Training Edition post on Wednesday, I thought I'd share a few of my"life lessons," along with some other musings, here today. 1. The people you spend the most time with (your “circle of influence”) will dramatically affect the shifting of your mindset, actions, emotions, etc. throughout the course of your life.
This may seem like an elementary principle, but it’s quite powerful. If you surround yourself with people who are encouraging (yet not afraid to give you constructive criticism), see life with the “glass half full,” take care of their bodies, are wise with their finances, etc. then it’s highly probable the direction of your life will shift in a favorable way. However, if you surround yourself with people who are consistently negative, tell you “you can’t do it,” never push themselves to grow their character, are unwise with the use of their money, and rarely get excited for anything other than Happy Hour on Friday evenings, then it will be no surprise if you quickly take a turn for the worse.
It has been said that you will become the average – in terms of your mindset and finances – of the five people you spend the most time with. It’s one of the reasons I highly enjoy being the dumbest person in the room: it’s one of the fastest ways for me to learn something new and develop my mind. Free learning!
Think about how this may affect a weight-loss goal you have, or if you’re battling depression (I’ve been there). Do you seek out those that will further your character, help you keep your footing, and provide a positive example to look to? Or do you surround yourself with those that view life through a dark lens, tell you “it’s futile to try,” and/or rarely seek to challenge themselves? I’ve always been amazed at the rewards I reap when heeding this simple advice.
2. Learn to love the challenges of a particular endeavor, not coveting the result. Oftentimes, if we fail to meet a particular goal/standard we set, we beat ourselves over the head and use tunnel vision to only focus on the fact that we “failed.” This may be with regards to our relationships, numbers in the gym, a physical pursuit (ex. weight loss, a 10k time, etc.). Instead of focusing on the fact you failed to meet your personal standard (which can often be unreasonable if we’re not careful), take a step back and think about everything you learned in the process. Enjoy the actual challenge of seeking to accomplish a task, and fine-tune as you go.
I’m not saying to avoid setting goals; that would be silly. On the contrary, it’s extremely important to set goals for yourself, as otherwise you’ll find yourself floating around aimlessly. However, love the challenge of the actual process of reaching that goal, instead of always fixating your vision on the goal itself.
This can also be useful for those of you who struggle with a fear of failure. Ever turn down something because you worry you won’t win, or won’t complete/learn the task successfully? When you live this it’s like you’re constantly walking around with shades on, never seeing life’s true color. When you’re focusing on the challenge itself, rather than how others will perceive you if you win or lose in the end, it changes everything. See your failures as the steps toward success rather than the end of the road.
3. True multitasking is a myth. Attempting to do it is one of the most surefire ways to reduce efficiency and stall your progress (and I’m not talking about doing the laundry while simultaneously cooking dinner).
Many people who think they’re multitasking really aren’t, but, instead, are ‘switchtasking.’ Business coach Dave Crenshaw talks about this in his book The Myth of Multitasking. It’s impossible to truly multitask, and what I mean by this is performing two tasks – that both require mental attention and effort - at the same time. When we try to multitask, what we really end up doing is ‘switchtasking:’ we very quickly switch from one task back to another. The cost of this is very high.
For example, if I have 90 minutes to do a few tasks, I’ll accomplish less if I’m simultaneously writing an email (or checking my email in general), writing programs, making a phone call, and searching the internet. I’ll get much more accomplished if I shut off my email, put my phone away, turn my internet off, and just focus on writing programs for 30 minutes. Then, close my excel sheet, and spend 30 minutes writing emails. And lastly spend 30 minutes making necessary phone calls.
It blew my mind the first time I tried this because I was able to accomplish so much more in less time. In fact, just turning your email off alone is amazing way to increase productivity.
The same concept applies if trying to listen to a friend, family member, or employee while doing something on your computer (number crunching, drafting an email, etc.). Both tasks end up suffering as a result.
4. Wet umbrellas are extremely irritating. Specifically, wet umbrellas that are folded up and shoved between my legs during a car or bus ride. For this reason alone I refuse to use umbrellas. I can’t stand it when someone else gets in the seat next to me after using an umbrella in the rain and puts it next to me. Now I’m wet anyway, so why use the umbrella in the first place.
5. I don’t know about you, but going head-to-head with a yellow traffic light is one of the most stressful parts of my day.
6. People are entitled to their opinions, but you’re also entitled to ignore them, if you’re so inclined. I picked up this little gem from Eric Cressey, and thought it was great. There’s always going to be people out there who will vocalize their disagreement with what you’re doing, either because they’re insecure, prideful, or because they care about you and have some genuine insight to offer. Only pay attention to the latter group.
I’ve wasted too much time arguing on the internet or with people at random parties due to taking their opinions too seriously. You'll save yourself a major headache by refusing to get emotional and lash back at someone because their opinion is different than yours. Someone is always going to bash your decision to eat healthy, exercise frequently, and/or prioritize good habits. Usually this is because they’re fragile and insecure. But then you have the people who care about you and are able to see something in your life that you may not be able to. Don’t be too vain or stubborn to ignore it when someone who loves you is stepping out on a limb to offer a hand.
7. People will - at some point in their lives - violate the very same behavior they expect in others.
8. Keeping a memento mori sheet was one of the best decisions I ever made to maintain self-awareness and stay focused on the things that really matter in life.
9. In general, women tend to bond by talking together, whereas men tend to bond by being together. This is an enormous explanation for the frequent divides and disagreements you see in relationships. It’s why the female usually tends to feel that she hasn’t spent enough time (or doesn’t feel connected) with her man, while the guy is baffled because he already feels connected by simply being in the same room. It’s also why guys can go to a sporting event together, say very few words throughout the game, and leave feeling like they had a great time. This would rarely happen with women; they need to talk to feel they have a bonding experience.
By realizing and applying this, it can help each party avoid driving each other nuts all the time (sorry to get all Dr. Phil on you, but I found this to be quite simple yet extremely helpful).
10. In general, spending money on an experience will give you greater joy than spending it on material possessions. For example, grabbing coffee with a friend, going to dinner with someone special, or taking a vacation will usually lead to an enhanced feeling of vitality, mental energy, happiness, etc. than if you spent that money on a piece of jewelry, a new TV, an upgrade for your computer, etc.
Sure, there’s no denying that people receive happiness from buying something cool and enjoying it. However, I know that most of my purchases lose their excitement after a while. Sooner or later, it just becomes part of the “background noise” of my everyday life. However, when I invest in a good experience, those memories rarely leave me.
Just recently, I took a short backpacking trip in the Shenandoah. We pitched our tents near an outlook off the trail, and caught an amazing sunset (see below). At that moment, I wouldn’t have rather been anywhere else. It was breathtaking, and I was devoid of every worry/stress that may typically assault me in my normal routine. It was awesome, and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything (except for the fact that I picked up Lyme’s Disease on the hike, but that’s another point…that tick will meet it’s Maker soon enough).
11. The best things in life cannot be attained without relentless pursuit, and dedication to succeeding. This may be with regards to a romantic relationship, a spiritual journey, or a particular athletic or physique goal. There’s never a point where you can sit back and say, “Ah, the work is finished, now I can just let the winds carry me.” You’ll quickly stumble rearward with this mindset. If you’re not moving forward, then you end up moving backward. Very rarely can we sit still and maintain status quo.
26 Things I've Learned: Training Edition
Here are 26 things I've learned and/or mused over throughout the past year. Why 26? Well, it's one more than 25. By no means is this a conclusive list, but grab a cup of coffee, take a break from work, and enjoy:
1. Probably my most favorite exercise to program – and then subsequently watch in action – is the towel-grip farmers walk. Not only is it fantastic for developing the upper back, shoulders, and wrist and forearm musculature, but also fairly idiot-proof to perform. Not to mention, you can do it in pretty much any gym without needing farmers walk implements. Just grab a hand towel, loop it through some kettlebells or plates, and walk like your life depends on it.
Admittedly, the primary reason I love programming them is there’s just something mildly entertaining about watching someone try to walk from Point A to Point B while on the verge of dropping their belongings. Especially if they’re a high school male with a competitive spirit, and trying to carry a bit more than their grip can handle:
2. It’s funny how the hierarchy of your favorite exercises changes you as you obtain knowledge/experience, train more, and coach training more. If you had asked me what my favorite exercises were, in order, back in high school, I probably would have told you something along these lines:
1. Flat Bench Press
2. Incline Bench Press
3. Decline Bench Press (noticing a pattern here?)
4. Bicep Curl
5. Some ab exercise (probably a sit-up variation)
6. Look in mirror
Now, if you were to ask me, I’d probably say something like this:
1. Deadlift
2. Single-leg Work (this includes Sled Variations)
3. A Horizontal Pull (it could be a Suspended Row, Cable Row, etc.)
4. Pushup
5. Pullup
6. Other Exercises
It’s just crazy, if you actually take the time to investigate and experience good training, how quickly you begin to realize the exercises that will give you the most bang for your buck and actually deliver results. These exercises will not change over time, either. If it weren’t for boredom, most would be best served by only performing the first five exercises (and their variations) in the second list above. For the entirety of their life.
3. Muscle soreness. It’s not really an accurate indicator of whether or not you had a good workout. At least in terms of a workout that will produce the desired training effect. And, if you’re really sore in a particular body part, that doesn’t mean that body part is going to magically transform the next day.
I can think of a thousand ways to make someone sore. It doesn't really take a whole lot of brain power to do this. Here’s one: Perform walking lunges around an entire track while holding a weight over your head.
I used to say this as a joke and then a trainer actually made me do this during trainer evals in college. Not kidding. Not sure what he was trying to accomplish with me, but I couldn’t move for three days afterward.
Understand that muscle soreness stems from two primary stimuli: significant eccentric muscle action, and/or the exposure to a new movement pattern. The amount of muscle soreness doesn’t necessarily have a direct relationship to looking like a greek god or goddess.
Personally, I feel an intelligent trainer can write a routine that will induce a sound training effect (fat loss, muscle gain, performance enhancement, etc.) while minimizing the soreness a trainee will feel the next day. This way, the trainee can still perform other activities, unhindered, throughout the week.
This is what we’ve figured out at SAPT, more or less: the correct exercise progressions and the optimal number of sets, reps, intensity, duration, etc. to give someone results without crippling them the next day. Now, some people need to feel some soreness in order to feel mentally satisfied. For example, women love feeling sore in their glutes and/or abs. We can make this happen, if needed :)
4. Beginners seeking muscle mass and strength really don’t need to perform more than 15 work sets in a given training session. They should also keep their training to 4x/week, maximum. In fact, 2-3x/week is usually best to start. Note that, unfortunately, this is much different than what the typical beginner will find when opening an issue of FLEX to determine what to do in his first gym routine.
5. Many more women would experience results from their gym efforts if the media didn't constantly throw nebulous terms and propaganda at them. It’s a constant battle to provide women with sound training advice, as they’re bombarded by fallacies everytime they walk down the magazine aisle. Females are told that lifting heavy weights will make them "big and bulky" (<-- the media loves that term), when the reality is this (lifting correctly) is often the key piece they're missing in their exercise program. In fact, JC Deen just wrote a fantastic piece on proof that lifting heavy will NOT make women big and bulky.
Understand that words such as "cellulite," "shaping," "toning," etc. have no physiological basis and these very words are loved by marketers in their quest to scare and sell. And I just can’t believe the archaic advice of hopping on an elliptical, going on endless runs, and doing sit-ups to achieve a lean midsection is still being handed out.
Heck, just this past week, Tiffany dominated a 135lb front squat as she prepares for D1 college volleyball. I think you’ll find she’s far from the “bulky mammoth” women are told they’ll turn into if they touch a heavy weight:
6. One of the most important training principles is that of the minimum effective dose. That is, the smallest dose that will produce a desired outcome. In the context of training, the "dose" would be a training stimulus such as lifting weights, running, conditioning, etc.
The key is to always use the lowest intensity and the least amount of volume in order to incite adaptation. This way, you can save higher intensities and volumes for later in your training when they become essential for continued improvement.
Tim Ferriss gave a great example of boiling water: "To boil water, the minimum effective dose is 212ºF (100ºC) at standard air pressure. Boiled is boiled. Higher temperatures just consume more resources that could be used for something else more productive."
I see this all the time when beginners try to use methods that are way too advanced (and won't help them, anyway). They waste wayy too much effort and valuable time on powerful methods when they could save them for later in a way that actually gets them to the place they seek.
Applying the minimum effective dose is the most efficient and effective way to ensure continued success in the realm of athletic performance, strength gains, fat loss, you name it. The secret is knowing how to use it.
7.If there were one tip I could give to instantly improve your results in the gym, it would be to always move the bar AS FAST AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. This includes your warm-up sets. If you have 150lbs on the bar, treat it like it’s 300lbs. Move it FAST. Even when the weight becomes heavy, still lift it with the intent of moving it as fast as you can.
This will help better prime your CNS and tap into your high-threshold motor units -the ones that have the highest potential for growth and power.
I see way too many people just lollygagging along through their warm-ups, or, even worse, their work sets. Move the bar fast, every time. Then be amazed at your results. And, in case of confusion, I’m referring to moving the bar fast only through the concentric portion of the lift, or the portion in which you’re moving the load in the opposite direction of gravity.
8. One more quick tip on instantly enhancing total body strength: Increase your grip strength. In nearly every exercise, your grip is the first link in the chain. Strengthen your grip, and you’ll automatically be able to allow the larger muscles to contribute more, via less neural activity wasted on failing wrist and forearm musculature.
9. I never really understood the bravado surrounding the idea or action of puking as the result of a workout.
“Yeah, man. That workout was sooo intense. It made me puke. It’s only the second workout to make me do that. It was awesomeee.”
Stop it. Stop that right now. Your vomit in the trash can is a flashing billboard telling everyone that your body wasn’t prepared for the “workout” you attempted. If you puked, that means you were underprepared and you failed the routine.
I can think of a hundred ways to make someone puke in a workout. It takes little to no intelligence to design a routine that will induce vomit in someone. As such, I really don’t look up to anyone who writes a program with the intent of making his or her trainees puke, or even come close to it. And if you do puke, please stop bragging about it. That coughed up food on your shirt is a Badge of Fail, not honor.
10. Falling over after a workout. Similar to #9...avoid this pitfall. I’ll admit, this would happen to me on occasion after some of my most grueling sessions in the past. It seemed to be my body’s natural response. But then I spoke to Sarah and she told me how she took great pride in never falling over, or putting her hands on her knees, during/after a brutal conditioning session. This made perfect sense when I thought about it.
In the context of training an athlete, imagine if you let the athlete consistently put their hands on their knees, or collapse onto the floor, during a tough conditioning session. This conditions the athlete to display visual signs of defeat when tired. If an opponent sees this, it gives an immediate advantage to them by watching your athlete breakdown in front of them.
It takes a great amount of mental fortitude to stand tall when your lungs are burning and you feel as if you have no strength left in your legs. But it’s possible. Remember that when your mind is telling you you’re at 100%, your body is probably only at 60-70%.
11. I’ve rarely come across movement dysfunction at the lower extremity that cannot be at least partially remedied by strengthening the glute med. Strengthen the glute med, and you’ll find many problems to become attenuated.
12. Always be sure to train all three planes of movement throughout a given week. In day-to-day to life, and in many training programs, people tend to be very sagittal plane dominant. Basically, we’re always moving front-to-back or back-to-front. Running, swimming, deadlifting, squatting,, etc. all occur in the sagittal plane. Be sure you’re taking time to develop musculature and neural efficiency of the frontal and transverse planes, for purposes of both injury risk reduction and improved performance. An example of a drill focusing on frontal plane movement and stability is the lateral broad jump and stick, as Kieran is demonstrating in the video below:
13. Taking the shoes off and getting “slightly on the outside of the feet with the toes up” during most lower body movements is a surefire way of recruiting more of the glutes during the exercise.
14. Take caution if training lower body early in the morning. Your spine actually hydrates overnight, thus causing the intervertebral discs to swell/expand. This makes your spine less flexible, and also more susceptible to injury. As such, take great care if performing bilateral lifts early in the morning (ex. squats and deadlifts). Try to wait at least an hour before training, and spend a bit longer than you normally would during the warm-up.
15. The pushup is probably the most underrated exercise, and also the most commonly butchered.
16. Remember that your training and nutrition plan should enhance your life, not place you in a prison cell. I remember I used to turn down invites to friends houses, short getaway grips, and other festivities because it was going to interfere with my training session for that day. I even missed a dinner invite to a Pastor friend’s house because I had a session I “couldn’t miss” that afternoon. I also turned down an offer to play backyard football because I was worried it may make me too sore for my squat session later that day.
Outrageous, isn’t it? Before I knew it, my training was controlling me, instead of the other way around.
Not anymore, it was destroying me. Now, I’ll pick a gorgeous hike with my fiancée or some good buds any day over a training session. The gym will still be there, and it’s not like I’m going to backtrack. Or, if it’s a beautiful day, I may opt for some hill sprints instead of staying inside to use the gym.
Do you ever fear/avoid going over to a friend’s dinner because you worry about what they may be serving? Or turn down a trip to a restaurant with friends because of what the chefs may use in their cooking? While it is important to live a healthy lifestyle, remember that it’s important to livea healthy lifestyle. This means balance, and not placing yourself in a prison cell because you fear a gram of carbohydrate or losing an ounce of muscle.
If your training/nutrition plan is hindering the relationships you could be building with your family, friends, spouse, etc. then there is something wrong. That’s not healthy.
17. There’s a sublime sensation that can only be attained from training outside. I think everyone should make it a point to train outside more often.
On a recent Saturday, after work, I took my five fingers, homemade suspension trainer, and some bands to a local field.
I had a blast performing some sprints, crawl variations, and pretty much anything I felt like doing. It was awesome to enjoy the sun, feel my lungs burning, and not be interrupted by anyone for a change! It can be surprisingly refreshing to change your typical training scenery and perform an “unscripted” workout from time to time.
18. "Crack a walnut between your butt cheeks" may be the best cue to get someone to recruit their glutes during a hip bridge or deadlift variation. It's also a great way to break the ice with a new client and find out if they take themselves too seriously or not.
19. The body, when undergoing injury, will always take the path of least resistance. This is one of the reasons you rarely see an ACL tear in a young child; their skeletal system hasn’t fully matured so their bone(s) will break before their connective tissue goes.
20. I picked up a great tip from Alwyn Cosgrove regarding the topic of “getting back on track” with an exercise program. Many people feel that when they get sick, or unexpectedly miss a week of their exercise plan they have to overcompensate by doing a lot to make-up for what they missed. Or, perhaps some people feel they need to go crazy with exercise if they eat too much on a particular day/week.
Anyway, someone asked Cosgrove if they should ramp up their weight training + nutrition and go on overspeed to make up for lost days. I thought his response was great:
“Just get back on track. When you go off your plan - it's a "cheat" right? You won't get as good results. But going off your plan by doing extra work, or eating less/differently is still "off the plan" too. Just get back on track, don't do anything special.”.
21. Possibly my favorite exercise for someone with a cranky shoulder is the standing single-arm cable row. It aids in scapular retraction and posterior tilt (great for shoulder health), and VERY rarely irritates the person’s shoulder when performed correctly. As Cressey once said (slightly paraphrased), ‘If you’ve got a bum shoulder, and this exercise hurts, you can assume one of two things:
A. You’re doing something wrong.
B. You’ve got a reallllllly jacked up shoulder.’
22. The other day at SAPT I was talking with a parent about the demands and expectations that are placed on kids. It seems that with each passing year, children are less encouraged to have FUN and, instead, are nearly forced to spend the entirety of their week (and Summer!) working to become the next Michael Phelps, or world-renown scholar. Often they’re pushed to excel in just ONE sport and specialize in that from a young age. I don’t think many realize the negative impact this has on the development of the organism.
In fact, Mike Boyle released an EXCELLENT piece on this very topic, titled Summer Training for Nine Year Olds.
If a child is only 9-years old, they don’t need to be spending all Summer at speed camps or sports camps. Athletics should be enjoyable, not a job. Some of the best years of my life were spent competing in lacrosse, swimming, wrestling, and soccer. But some of those same best years were also spent camping, running around friends’ backyards, going to the pool, etc.
I couldn’t be more grateful that I was never forced (whether actively or passively) to play just one sport. It laid the framework for an extremely enjoyable childhood, and subsequent growth (mental and emotional) into adulthood.
23. Hill sprints may just be my favorite conditioning tool. They’re done outside, place minimal stress on the joints, develop the posterior chain, and allow you to perform a very natural, primitive, and basic human movement: sprinting. Sounds like a win-win to me.
24. In training, there aren’t any right and wrongs, but there definitely are right and wrongs. What I mean is that there are many ways to get someone stronger, looking better, moving better, etc. provided you use the given principle appropriately and with great care and consideration. Upper/lower splits, HIT, bodypart splits, avoiding bilateral squats, using a lot of bilateral squats, high frequency training, long distance running, sprinting, etc. can all work provided the one administering them is smart and pays attention to feedback from the client.
However, there are some things that are borderline asinine and are certainly wrong. Examples would be poor form (thus putting the individual at risk), progressing too fast, not progressing at all, having an obese person perform situps until their eyes bleed, running into a brick wall, etc.
People spend hours arguing on the internet about the “right” and “wrong” ways to do things. Do I feel certain methods work better than others? Yes. But I also feel that in many cases, the saying “different strokes for different people” applies. The reason I think there are so many strokes work. However, don’t forget that “methods are many, principles are few. Methods always change, but principles never do.” Never drift away from the tried and true training principles.
25. I never would have guessed how great a battle it is to balance giving the client what he/she wants vs. what he/she needs.
In my opinion, it takes a phenomenal coach to master this. The tricky thing is, the tools that are going to give someone the fat loss they seek, or the improved speed on the playing field, aren't the most sexy-looking and don't induce the "wow" factor in the majority people. However, it's also important to make training fun and not scare off the client. To balance education of the client, keeping their mental and emotional needs in check, while at the same time giving them what's actually going to help them, is more difficult than many would think unless they've worked in the field. Especially when you don't sell out or throw all the bells and whistles out there in hopes of winning someone's affections.
26. Consistency with training and nutrition will always trump a “perfect program” or “best exercise.” Every time. This doesn’t mean you have to be a nut case and filled with paranoia of missing a workout or meal, but the point is to stop looking for the quick fix and, instead, simply maintain a general track record of consistency.
The Cost of NCAA DI Athletics
Unless you’ve been a college administrator or coach for many years, I think it can be hard to understand/appreciate how much athletics (and I’m only talking NCAA DI in this post) can cost from financial standpoint. On occasion, I’ll hear friends talking about how much money the big football schools “rake in” during the season. Yes, the big-time football schools (FBS) generate some impressive numbers, but what most people don’t realize is how much it costs to maintain these teams and keep them competing at the top of the nation. Here are some shocking numbers I attained from the NCAA's report on Revenues & Expenses for 2004-2010:
Net Operating Results – NCAA DI 2010 (Median Values)
| Football Bowl Subdivision: | |
| Total Generated Revenues | $35,336,000 |
| Total Expenses | $46,688,000 |
| Median Net Generated Revenue | ($9,446,000) |
| Division I without Football: | |
| Total Generated Revenues | $1,993,000 |
| Total Expenses | $11,562,000 |
| Median Net Generated Revenue | ($8,597,000) |
Total Revenues – NCAA DI 2010
| Football Bowl Subdivision: | |
| Largest Reported | $143,555,000 |
| Median | $48,298,000 |
| Division I without Football: | |
| Largest Reported | $32,098,000 |
| Median | $11,077,00 |
Additionally, there are an average of 333 athletes participating in athletics at FBS schools. At these institutions the median expense per male athlete is $61,000 per year. For females the expense is a paltry $29,000 per year.
In contrast, at D-I schools without football there are an average of 176 athletes participating in athletics with an average of $21,000/year spent on men and $20,000 spent on women.
If you’ve never seen these numbers, I think it serves as a slap in the face by the reality that is the big business of college athletics.
It’s also pretty easy to see why it is so difficult for non-football schools to compete with the big boys on a national level in all the other sports.
In the end, the lack of money is why it is so impressive when a school like George Mason makes it to the top 25 national ranking for men’s basketball or when a school like VCU blows through the NCAA Tournament bracket. Ohio State (who, by the way, has the largest athletics budget in the country) should NEVER, EVER lose to a school like a Mason or a VCU whose budgets pale in comparison (we’re talking in the neighborhood of $120 MILLION less).
Fortunately, there is still a lot of heart and love in athletics and that can be worth more than money. So, while I LOVE my alma mater Virginia Tech, the longer I work with the other coaches and athletes at Mason, the more and more I appreciate the challenges and rewards that come from working with less and achieving more. Go Patriots!
SAPT's Top 5 Exercises for New Moms
Happy Birthday Arabella!
I’ve always heard a lot about how hard it is for a new mom to find time to exercise. But, I’m now living it and I’m here to tell you it’s a bunch of hooey. Regardless of time, here are my top 5 best exercises that ALL new moms are already doing in some form or fashion. So why not make them an actual workout?… you’re doing them anyway!
My Top 5 Exercises for New Moms
- Baby Goblet Squat (Ass to Grass) - I can’t even begin to guess the number of deep squats I’ve done over the last 12 months. This is a legit exercise that allows mom to work on ankle, hip, and thoracic mobility along with quad, hamstring, glute, CORE musculature, and upper back strengthening. Start with just a couple sets of 3-5 reps and work up 10, 15, or even more reps.
- Stairs – This one’s easy and obvious. That sweet little baby wants to be held all the time and mom wants to finish losing those last few LB’s, so why not take advantage of the situation and do a little low impact cardio on your household’s stair case?
- Baby Clean and Press – This one is fun for mom and baby and, as is common for all these exercises, occurs naturally. Hold the baby about mid-torso level and hoist her up overhead. This will work on a touch of posterior chain power development and get mom some much needed upper body strength and stability! Stick with just a handful of reps (3-6) for multiple sets.
- Baby Gate Hip Mobility – If the Ass to Grass Baby Goblet Squats aren’t getting it done for the hip mobility, then inevitably mom will have the benefit of crossing over a baby gate about 3 zillion times a day. I started enjoying improved hip mobility around 7 months when Arabella began crawling and suffered two cracked toenails to prove my hip mobility could, in fact, use improvement. You can’t do to many of these, just try to keep good form (chest up, lift you knee, no hip drop) and enjoy the benefits!
- Baby Carrier Household Chores – Talk about great for improving general physical preparedness (GPP)! Last summer Arabella and I spent many hours together with her strapped on my chest in the baby carrier while I did everything from dishes to laundry to vacuuming. You quickly learn if your core is strong or not. This one crushes the lower and upper back, in particular, but is excellent for rebuilding stabilization strength in mom’s midsection.
Here are a few more advanced exercises you can give a try if you’re feeling “froggy.” I should note that my baby is not old enough to reliably stay on my back for the plank or push-ups, maybe in a few more months!
- 1-Arm Baby Cradle Carry + Full Laundry Basket Carry – An advanced technique for the busy mom. Grab baby in one arm and full laundry basket in the opposite arm. This exercise is very similar to some of the Mis-loaded bracing/farmer’s walk variations we do at SAPT. Great for improving core strength and stability!
- Baby Plank – Use baby’s body weight to increase the difficulty of a standard prone plank.
- Baby Pushups – Again, using baby’s body weight to increase the difficulty of a push-up. Although we haven’t tried these yet, I’m pretty sure she’ll be having a pretty good time sitting on my back while “the ride” takes her up and down!
I’ll admit when I got the idea for this post it was designed to be “tongue in cheek,” but as I got to thinking about all the ways having a baby challenges new moms physically, I realized that these are some pretty darn good exercises. Not only are they fun, but they are also very productive if you just focus on doing a few things correctly and accumulating a bit of volume.
So to sum up, today is Arabella’s first birthday and I find myself exceptionally happy. I’m completely in love with my daughter and have found that my husband and I truly work well together. I’ve managed to lose all my “baby weight” and even a few more pounds to boot. And the icing on the cake? I’m working less and earning more.
If you know any new moms who might find this post motivational or inspirational, please forward it to them and don’t forget we offer comprehensive distance coaching to help moms all over the country lose those last few baby LB’s!
