The Fine Art of Team Warm-ups
Designing a warm-up for a large team looks easy if you're watching passively from the sidelines. Unfortunately, this ease is quite deceptive. There are actually several critical aspects that need to be taken into account if you want you're warm-up to go from adequate to Fine Art status:1. Time: how much do you have? I usually try to end a minute or two before I told the coach I would be done (think under-promise and over-deliver, coaches LOVVVVVE that!). 2. Efficiency: you never have much of #1 and you may have as many as 30+ players. So, how do you keep them all moving, engaged, and organized? You gotta be efficient! 3. Effectiveness: Numbers 1 & 2 are components of this, but effectiveness speaks to the QUALITY of what you’re doing. Are you getting the most “bang for your buck” per movement? If not, go back to the drawing board. Be sure to take into account the 3 planes of motion, what the team’s first drill of practice will be, and general fatigue level (where are they within the season and within the training week?).
Beginning this past Saturday, I’ve been standing on a soccer field for about 5 hours a day working hard on the start of, what is certain to be, a legendary sock/farmer’s tan combo. Regardless, that’s just a fantastic by-product of my point: We just started the preseason training time period for women’s soccer and I’ve put together several warm-ups I think are pretty darn good. I’m going to share the two I used on Monday, August 8th and point out a couple important things about the two of them:
AM Session (the 5th practice within 48 hours):
Team Jogs 1 Field Lap in two lines
Upon return have two lines split apart on the 18
(one line on end-line other line on 18, lines face)
65% Builder Sprint to Back Pedal (long reach)
• Walking Spiderman to Overhead Reach
• Yoga Pushup x5
• Skip backwards with Heel Lift
70% Builder Sprint to Gate Openers
• Knee Hugs
• Cross-behind Overhead Reverse Lunge x5/side
• Frankenstein Kicks
75% Builder Sprint to Walking Opposites
• Walking Quads
• Bowler Squat x5/leg
• Skip for Distance
80% Builder Sprint to Alternating Side Shuffle
• Walking Toe Touch
• Split-Stance Kneeling Adductor Rockbacks x5/side
• Cradle Walk
Lateral Broad Jump x3 to Turn & Sprint (both directions)
Stretch on Own
Notes:
• This practice was the tipping point for the team. At the time it started, it was the 5th practice they would be attending within 48 hours – that’s a lot of soccer in a short window!
• The previous two days had a portion of testing (think non-contact) that was significant enough that I knew they would still be feeling pretty good for this session.
• My warm-up “template” typically consists of 3 levels of warm-ups. One is fairly intense and is for pre-match or other situations when the group is fresh, the second is a mid-level warm-up that respects the training volume the team is currently enduring (or the point in the season), and the third is a very low-level warm-up that is appropriate for recovery and respects the teams general level of fatigue but still preps them for the drills to follow.
• The AM Session warm-up was a Level 2.
PM Session (the 6th practice within 54 hours):
Team Jogs 1 Field Lap in two lines
Upon return everyone grabs ball and circles up
Soccer Ball SMR :20-:30/location:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Adductors
IT Band
Glutes
Squat Mobility Series x1
Team Lines up on Sideline:
2 Tuck Jumps to 65% Builder Sprint to Gateopeners
2 Tuck Jumps to 70% Builder Sprint to Frankensteins
2 Tuck Jumps to 75% Builder Sprint to Skip for Height
2 Tuck Jumps to 80% Builder Sprint to Alternating Side Shuffle
Stretch on Own
Notes:
• After a morning training session that lasted a full two-hours and was jam-packed with intense sprinting and full contact, I knew the team would be starting to get very sore and tired.
• I gave them as much time as I could (in this case only 8-minutes) to do some self-massage with the soccer ball and a mobility circuit before we started moving around to get the heart pumping.
• The PM Session warm-up was a Level 3.
Orchastrating an excellent warm-up day after day is certainly one of the less "sexy" aspects to the job of Strength & Conditioning Coach, but it is nonetheless extremely important. Keep in mind a solid dynamic warm-up on a regular basis is the opportunity to improve general fitness and work on power, strength, speed, change of direction, mobility, flexibility, and injury prevention... I think anyone would agree that's a great opportunity to have on a daily basis, so don't waste it by not planning properly!
As a side note, if you train with us in Fairfax, you may soon get to experience warm-ups similar to the AM session - did you hear we got TURF last week?!? If you don't already train with us and wish to experience the excellence that is SAPT, please contact us here for information on in-house performance coaching, distance coaching, Buttkamp, or any combination of the three!
Update: New Flooring! Your Feet (and Hands) Will Be Grateful.
This past Friday was a pretty exciting day for us. We received a shipment of two, 500lb rolls of turf, right at our doorstep. Well, actually, not at our doorstep, as the truck wasn't able to fit down the lane (we're located in an industrial complex); so Chris and I were stuck carrying the rolls off the truck, through the parking lot, and into SAPT. I'll pretend we did it flawlessly, and I'll also pretend that Chris didn't have to make up for being stuck with a guy that deadlifts >100lbs less than him. Needless to say, we spent the entirety of our office hours (11:30am-3pm, betwixt the morning and afternoon appointments), rearranging the facility and laying down the turf. The most tedious part of the entire process was getting rid of a giant sandbox we had in our facility:
Here it is halfway complete:
And, voila!
A special thanks to Carson and Trevor for helping out with the labor, too.
The turf is awesome for a few reasons:
- We can finally utilize various bounding, sprinting, and various movement training drills that, before, weren't possible on the concrete.
- It creates a larger lane for farmers walks, crawl variations, and sled pushes. *strokes evil beard*
- The coaches don't develop a minor case of plantar fasciitis each week from standing on concrete all day.
This was especially exciting for the SAPT staff, as turf is something we've obviously desired for a long time, but haven't been able to prioritize it. Being a small business and a true start-up (no investors, etc.), we've haven't had the luxury of buying copious amounts of equipment and "toys" from the get-go. As such, we didn't initially purchase the turf because:
- It's crazy expensive
- It wasn't necessary to have in our facility in order to deliver results.
Heck, when SAPT first opened, the freaking power racks (a staple in most gyms) didn't even arrive for a few months due to a delay in shipment. All SAPT had to work with was a couple tires, medicine balls, towels, kettlebells, and a **ladder. Nonetheless, we continued to grow in the midst of a struggling economy (in which people were cutting out their "luxuries," including gym memberships), bring in more clientele, and deliver results to the athletes and adults that trained with us because the gym equipment doesn't really matter.
In fact, in the past two years alone, we've seen multiple performance centers go out of business in the northern Virginia area, despite the fact that they were able to open with all the turf, TVs (really???), ropes, sleds, machines (again, really???), free weights, and square footage imaginable. Eric Cressey actually just discussed this very topic in his recent article: Why the Gym's Out-of-Business and the Porn Store's Thriving.
Delivering results and creating a favorable training environment has never been and never will be about the equipment, toys, and gimmicks available. A good coach can run an awesome training session with the use of only the person's bodyweight. A bonus would be to throw in a sturdy resistance band and medicine ball!
There's really no substitute for a coach that possesses genuine care and sincerity for his or her craft, and also knows how to get it done. This means giving the clients what they need, individualized to each person's strengths/weaknesses, treating them as an actual person (as opposed to a means to an end), and giving them an enjoyable experience in the process.
Anyway, I say all this because, while turf would be included in many training facilities from the start, we went pretty long without it. As such, it makes it all the more exciting, and I love appreciating the things that are often taken for granted.
So, to those of you that train with us (and didn't come in over the weekend), enjoy the sensation of soft, luxurious grass under your feet the next time you walk in!
**The ladders were used for pullups (by grabbing one of the rungs). No, I'm not kidding.
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.
Taking “at home/on your own” training programs a step…more like a giant leap, further…
Now I’m not gonna sit here on my soap box and pretend that some of the “at home/on your own” programs and gadgets (both past and present…I won’t mention any names…ha-ha-ha-choooo-p90xgazellefreestylerinsanitybuttmasterorwasitthighmaster?totalgymchucknorrisissweetthough, pardon me, just allergies) haven’t “worked” for some people (define worked…), but what I’ll also say is that for every one “success story” there’s probably another five epic fails following close behind. Epic fails include: -Those three easy payments collecting dust in your video library or home gym.
-A visit to the orthopedic with a bum back or knee because what you didn’t know was that performing a-bajillion “plyometric movements” (it’s in quotes because, well, you really weren’t doing plyometrics in their true context…sorry) in a single training session isn’t a sound protocol for a freakin’ Olympic Triple Jumper, nor is it the proper prescription for you.
-Or, how about this, your preexisting knee condition has gotten worse because maybe attempting to execute an absorbitant amount of single leg broad jumps in one training session is, well, just silly. Or, maybe because the program overlooked the progressive overload of resistance that’s required to increase joint strength and integrity. Or, maybe it was because you were never provided any coaching or feedback, or heck, maybe you weren’t even shown proper form in the first place. The total acquired benefit from performing all those squats incorrectly…nada. To top it off, it sucks you’ll have to sit-out the father-son scrimmage, and the company golf outing again this year, huh?
-Finally, you haven’t gotten an ounce stronger, increased your lean body mass by a negligible amount, and subsequently are still holding on to that spare tire.
Well here’s the deal people, you’ve invested more money than you might like to admit in great marketing campaigns, now it’s time to stand-up against QVC and take a chance on SAPT’s Distance Coaching Training Programs. Well, that’s unless you feel training programs that include and deliver the following isn’t your cup of tea:
-Consideration of your current level of physical preparedness, medical history, and goals, FIRST, and construction of an appropriate training protocol SECOND…you know, so that you don’t quit on the program because the one size fits all shoe is a little too large for your size 8.5’s.
-Weekly correspondence with a real freakin’ certified performance coach who can quickly troubleshoot any questions or issues you may have encountered with your individualized training program.
-Video analysis of your movements to ensure you’re not just lunging just for the sake of lunging, rather trying to a-c-c-o-m-p-l-i-s-h something with each repetition.
-Mobile phone accessible, exercise demonstrations (coaching cues included!), performed by a certified performance coach (with his, or her, shirt on(!), imagine that…Steve, keep your shirt on…) so you know exactly how the movement is supposed to be executed.
- Did you know there is a 10% decrease in total number of muscle fibers per decade after the age of 50? Our distance coaching training programs safely implement multi-joint movements, and progressively increase resistance, to improve power output and elicit the physiological responses necessary to ward off muscular atrophy, and the increased disposition to store fat, that occurs as one ages. Check-out distance coaching client, Frank. Dude could barely hip hinge properly when he first started working with SAPT (come’on Frank, admit it). Now he’s safely smashing front squat to a box a bit below parallel…on his time, in the comfort of his garage gym!
Oh, and my Mom wanted me to note that her bone density readings have been much improved since she’s begun her distance coaching protocol. How many post menopausal, or soon to be, women do you know who need this? Mom also wanted me to note that she appreciates the positive change in my Dad’s mood since he’s begun his distance coaching protocol; she also appreciates the gluteal hypertrophy…gross.
To contact us and get more details regarding our Distance Coaching Training Programs, click HERE.
We look forward to helping you.
Chris
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.
A Little Bit About Knee Injuries
Why Do Knee Injuries Occur?1. Poor biomechanical alignment 2. Suboptimal muscle function and strength 3. Poor mobility at adjacent joints 4. Poor strength in surrounding musculature 5. Excessive tension in surrounding muscle and fascia 6. Overuse Types of Knee Injuries 1. Acute knee injuries are those that occur in a moment – as in "if you blink at the wrong moment you’ll miss it" kind of thing. Acute knee injuries result in ligament tears, meniscal tears, etc. By taking a small mental step forward, acute knee traumas can further be classified into two separate categories: contact and non-contact injury.
Anytime I find out an athlete I work with has sustained the ever popular ACL tear the first thing I want to know is if it was a contact situation or not. Why? Because in the situation of a contact injury, there is really nothing that can be done to avoid sustaining that ACL tear (or insert your own injury of choice). In fact, the knee in question can often be functioning perfectly without any strength imbalances or deficiencies whatsoever. And that means that there was an outside force that initiated the injury sequence. A good example is that of a soccer player who is slide tackled. If the foot is planted as the impact occurs, say goodbye to continued knee health and hello to months of therapy. Even the most “perfect” knee will usually not make it out of that situation unscathed.
On the other hand, a non-contact injury typically occurs because the athlete is not strong enough to decelerate his or her own body mass safely. For example, if a basketball player goes to plant and cut and the knee simply “goes-out.” In this instance there was no contact to blame, instead the cause is simply lack of strength (with probable issues of joint restriction about certain joints, too). Chronic Myofascial Injury This is another extremely popular knee injury amongst young athletes. This one is very general and more of the “my knee hurts” kind of pain in which there are no signs of traumatic injury of any kind. In reality, this isn’t so much a knee injury, as a problem with the muscle tissue. My caution here is if you are a coach be sure you don’t write off these types of complaints as unfounded because this is a real problem that should be addressed by improving movement techniques and taking a look at the volume of work (so, think improve strength and address overuse). Chronic Joint Injury These are the old injuries that really settle in as we age and usually affect people that have had serious knee pain or have been dealing with a traumatic injury for and extended period of time. “Current literature indicates that a one-time trauma (such as an ACL tear) significantly increases the probability of knee osteoarthritis, pain, and functional limitations later in life.” – Bulletproof Knees In the case of chronic joint injury, performance improvements are no longer important. At this point the emphasis must be placed on improving the comfort of daily living, longevity of the joint, and avoiding major surgery.
10 Things You Must Do for Healthy Knees 1. Get your glutes firing!!! 2. Strengthen the posterior chain 3. Lots-O-Single-leg work 4. Strengthen the quads 5. Work frequently to improve hip mobility (like it’s going out of style) 6. Address ankle mobility 7. Maintain and improve tissue length 8. Maintain and improve tissue quality 9. LEARN TO ABSORB FORCE CORRECTLY!!! (This one is crucial, but you must have already gone through a focused period working on numbers 1-8 before attacking force absorption whole-heartedly) 10. Improve diet and supplementation (when appropriate)
So, where/how should you get started? The obvious answer is to click here and start training with us in-person or via our distance program. Buuuuuuut, if you're really eager, here is a great starter exercise that will knock out at least 5 or the 10 listed above: Stepback Slider Lunges
Many thanks to Mike Robertson's excellent source on all things knee related in Bulletproof Knees - I've referenced it many times over the last two years and leaned on it heavily for this post, too.
