Box Squatting is the Greatest
In efforts to conquer my fear of speaking in front of a camera I decided to make today's entry a video post. We all need to work on our weaknesses and mine happens to be public speaking and speaking on camera; it’s like kryptonite to being able to organize my thoughts. Anyway, practice makes perfect so the following video is talking about why I prefer to use the box squat (as opposed to a squat to box) as my preferred method when teaching proper back squat mechanics. I hope the audio is loud enough; just in case the two main reasons I go into as to why I prefer box squatting is safety and posterior chain strength development. Enjoy…
Patterning for Improved Skill Acquisition
A few thoughts I've jotted down in my journal over the past few months that I thought I'd share here...
All of the athletes (yes, all) that walk in our doors at SAPT become, nearly instantaneously, better at their sport simply from performing a correct goblet squat for the first time in their lives. Yes, the loaded carries and hip hinges certainly aid in this phenomenon as well, but for now I'm just talking about squatting.
We personally recommend the majority of the young athletes (ages 13-18) entering SAPT for the first time to begin with just a 2x/week training regimen, and then, if needed and appropriate, they can increase the frequency. But you'd be surprised at how much you can accomplish in just two sessions a week with someone who's brand new to virtuous training methodology.
In the past, Day 1 has been a "squat emphasis" day, where the first main movement they do is a goblet squat. Day 2 will be a "deadlift emphasis" day, where we help them pattern the hip hinge and learn to deadlift with a kettlebell, keeping a neutral spine and using their posterior chain. After they groove the squat or deadlift (depending on the day), they'll then move on to their unilateral work, pushes, pulls, loaded carries, direct glute work, and all that good stuff.
Now there is nothing wrong with this layout, as, after all, it has worked for a myriad individuals and allowed them to become stronger, less prone to injury, and become more of a beast on the playing field.
The thing that had been troubling me though was I felt that, simply put, they weren't squatting enough under our watch. Given the fact that despite the thousands of team conditioning sessions, commercial gym group workouts, and exercise DVD routines they'd undergone, their squats resembled something along the lines of a baby giraffe learning to walk for the first time. I guess their previous instructors were either too ignorant or lazy to teach them good squatting mechanics, but who am I to judge?
And it can take a long time to "undo" the habits developed from thousands of bad squats performed in a life time. And while 1x/week of squatting twenty-five TOTAL reps can certainly do the trick, I've found it even more time-efficient to squat everyone during every single session.
So, if they're training 2x/week, they squat every session, toward the beginning of their workout while they're fresh. If they're training 3x/week, then yep, they squat 3x/week. Patterning it every day until it becomes second nature.
This means that the unilateral work and direct glute training take the back burner, at least until they can execute perfect squats every single time. Good squats will lay the foundation down for everything else in subsequent training cycles.
While squatting 1x/week will work for a 400lbs squatter, everything changes when someone can't hold a 25lb kettlebell and sit back without everything turning very ugly very fast.
I guess all I am saying is that, in order to "reprogram" someone's nervous system and motor control, they need to practice this motor control training frequently and correctly. Nothing too new or revolutionary, but something to consider when you have limited time to work with a young, developing organism.
Fluid is Fluid? A Lesson in Hydration
The weather for the second half of this week around the DC Metro area promises to be a bear! The kind of bear that brings high humidity and high temperatures with it. Yuck-o.
In honor of it really feeling like summer, I've put together a bit of a hydration survival guide (you can take that literally, by the way) for strength and power athletes:
Hydration and Strength:
- A sweat-induced body weight loss of 2% during a training session can result in a significant performance decline. Strength, power, and overall performance will suffer.
- A sweat-induced body weight loss of 4% or more during a training session begins to cause physiologic strain resulting in increased core body temperature, heart rate, and perceived effort.
- Try to stay ahead of trouble by consuming fluids throughout a training session. Rather than simply attempting to replace lost weight via water and sports drinks after the session is over.
- Athletes involved in multiple practices or training sessions in a single day need to take their hydration seriously as a domino effect of declining performance can occur from one training session to the next.
How Much is Enough?
- Depending on training status, fitness level, body size, training intensity, and heat acclimation status, athletes tend to sweat at a rate of 0.5-2.0L per hour (that's liters! 2 liters an hour... let it sink in).
- To prepare to enter a training session well hydrated, consume at least 1L or 34 ounces of fluid the day before exercising AND/OR consume 14-20 ounces 2 hours before training session begins and continuing to ingest fluids throughout session.
- Exercise lasting less than 90-minutes really only warrants water as a sufficient source of hydration.
- Exercise beyond 90-minutes should include a carbohydrate sports beverage to provide both fluid replacement and a fuel source for the working muscles.
- The addition of electrolytes - even though marketing companies will have you believe otherwise - are unnecessary for most strength/power athletes as their diet covers this base. However, when acclimating to extremely hot/humid conditions or if you are in a negative caloric balance, electrolyte addition can be a good idea.
- Consider taking in fluids during practice/training in the same quantity and timing that you will during competition.
- During hot/humid conditions it is a good idea to take your body weight before and after exercise. Then replace each pound lost with 24 ounces of fluid.
What Counts as Fluid?
- Anything that is safe for human consumption has fluid in it and counts towards total daily fluid intake (check out the table below, all those amounts add up). Plus, things like coffee, tea, and *gasp* even soda count, too (counting as fluid is different from what is optimal to consume, by the way).
- Men should take in 128 ounces (3.8L) of fluid each day.
- Women should take in 88 ounces (2.6L) of fluid each day.
- Check out the fluid content of some common foods:
Cucumber (1 large)
10 oz
Watermelon (1 wedge)
9 oz
Asian pear (1 large)
8 oz
Chicken noodle soup (1 cup)
8 oz
Corn (1 cup)
7 oz
Salad (1.5 cups)
7 oz
Lowfat yogurt (1 cup)
6 oz
Lowfat cottage cheese (1 cup)
6 oz
Baked beans (1 cup)
6 oz
Baked potato (1 medium)
5 oz
Brown rice (1 cup)
5 oz
Grapes (1 cup)
5 oz
Apple (1 medium)
4 oz
Oatmeal (1 cup)
4 oz
Orange (1 medium)
4 oz
You'll probably have a tough time staying cool for the rest of the week, but hopefully this helps keep you well hydrated. Good luck!
Guacamole in 3 Minutes: How to Make Delicious Guacamole in a Flash
When it comes to food toppings, I don't think many can make a case for anything that's better than guacamole. It's the magic maker for all things hamburgers, vegetables, sandwiches, and don't even get me started on Chipotle. Guacamole even rivals bacon when it comes to the fairy dust of the food kingdom.
However, and I don't know about you, but despite the fact that guacamole is irresistibly delicious, and healthy for you (yes, fat is healthy), I often choose not to make it because of how tedious a process it can be. You know, dicing up all those tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, red onions, cilantro etc. into itty bitty pieces.
Not only that, but you put all that hard work into making the guac, and then the freaking stuff turns brown and disgusting (yes, even if you add lime juice....I've tried it) a mere 48 hours after storing it in the fridge. Aaaaarrrggghhhhh!
Not anymore. Enter the world's fastest way to make guacamole. I recently learned this from my older brother, and just last week I whipped up an entire batch of guacamole in a matter of three minutes. (For those of you who know how slow and meticulous I move in the kitchen, you can appreciate how revolutionary this method was for me.)
Step 1
Buy pre-made salsa in the grocery store. This is the step that saves you the eons of vegetable chopping. You'll want the kind that is pretty dry, with a consistency similar to that of pico de gallo. So, you're essentially purchasing a container of pre-chopped guacamole ingredients, sans the avocado obviously.
This is the list of ingredients in my salsa:
- Tomatillos
- Red Onions
- Green Pepper
- Lime Juice
- Jalapenos
- Cilantro
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
Yeah, it does take a bit of the "authenticity" out of the equation, but if you're like me and want to save time, do yourself a favor and just pick up a container of this salsa and save all the vegetable chopping.
Step 2
Pour the salsa into a bowl, and then add the ripened avocados. Mix, match, and stir until you've reached your desired consistency.
Place on desired food, and bask in the rays of human ecstasy as you experience the heights of food deliciousness.
Woah woah woah, can that really be IT? Yep, that's it. Guacamole in three minutes.
Enjoy, and share this with everyone!
Friday Musings: TRX Pullup Progressions, Ninja Blenders, a Letter To Men on How To Treat Their Wives, etc.
1. The TRX Pullup Progression is quickly becoming my favorite way of helping women: A) Achieve their first-ever bodyweight pullup B) Groove good pullup technique, as this is difficult to do while hanging from a pullup bar C) Be more awesome in general, and wreak pWnage upon the arrogant-yet-ironically-weak male gym population D) Develop the musculature of the back and arms in the context of a pullup, and receive a decent core stability challenge to boot.
Here is my beautiful wife, Kelsey, demonstrating the movement:
A few things to think about:
i) Careful of slipping into crazy anterior pelvic tilt (butt "sticking out") toward the top. This is actually the most common mistake I see with these, as this exercise creates a surprisingly difficult challenge for the anterior core (depending on how vertical your torso angle is), and those with low back issues will quickly experience pain if they don't brace properly. Tilt your tailbone down toward your ankles, keep the glutes squeezed tight, and brace your abs.
ii) Drive your feet "into the ground" to help propel yourself upward. Do this more than you think you need to in the beginning to help you groove good technique, and as you become stronger, lessen the amount of assistance you draw from your legs.
iii) Be sure to think "shoulders away from your ears" as you pull up to the top, so that you're not shrugging, enforcing aberrant movement patterns, and defeating the entire purpose of the exercise.
iv) Hold at the top for a bit, squeezing your shoulders "back and down" as much as possible.
v) If you tend to really struggle in the pullup department, begin slowly, starting with just 1-3 sets of 4-5 reps. As you get stronger and become more acclimated to the movement, feel free to do as many as 8 sets of 5-8 reps, spread throughout your workout. I've had numerous women do this, with great results to show for it.
Giving credit where credit is due: I did not invent this exercise. I first saw them on Tony Gentilcore's website, in which he gave credit to strength coach Elsbeth Vaino for being the first to share them HERE.
2. Just putting it out there: I love smoothies. I consume anywhere from three to four every day. One of our 11-year-old "Ankle Biter" athletes actually just told me the other day that he has a sneaking suspicion my blood is made out of smoothie from drinking so many of them.
Well, anyway, the other week, my beloved Magic Bullet met his maker. I don't know whether it was poor manufacturing, or the fact that I tested the limits of its lifespan, but nonetheless I had to regrettably say my goodbyes.
With no blender at hand, it didn't take me long before I spiraled into a perpetual state of sweaty palms, memory loss, and hyperventilation into paper bags every five minutes as I was beside myself with what to do for "in between meals."
Well, needless to say, I couldn't let this nonsense continue for any extended period of time, so I ordered (expedited shipping, of course) the Ninja Master Prep Professional Blender.
Let me tell you, this thing ROCKS. For a few reasons:
1) It's called the Ninja. Need there be any other reason for you to purchase it?
2) It doubles as a blender AND food processor/vegetable chopper. Time saved in the kitchen = 30 minutes a day.
3) The motor is pretty freaking strong. I think they used the same one that powers F-22 fighter jets.
4) While I can't prove it yet, I'm pretty sure that Chuck Norris, Gandalf, and Luke Skywalker all use/used this blender for their travels across the world/Middle Earth/galaxies. Now, I know you're sitting there shaking your head, thinking something along the lines of "Now Stevo, all of those figureheads don't need a blender to chop their vegetables and blend their smoothies. Chuck Norris can use his ninja-like hands and the other two guys....well, it's obvious why they wouldn't need a blender."
Don't be silly. Of course they used this blender. Even if they could dice their veggies and fruits using magical powers, why avoid using the Ninja blender if you have the opportunity?
Besides, when you're finished unpacking the blender, your fat cat can make her home inside:
(She totally needs to go Paleo. That, or Intermittent Fasting.)
I think I got a little off track, but the point is, I highly recommend this blender to everyone.
3. Four quotes I recently read from John Romaniello that I wanted to share here:
1. "Read as many books as you can. Reading often makes you more interesting, more intelligent, and though I can’t prove this, I suspect a more useful human being. It also makes you a better writer."
2. "Tipgenerously outrageously. Not because you have a lot of money, or because of the 1% chance a waitress might give you her number; but because at some point this week, some jerk stiffed her, and it ruined her week. You just fixed it. Karma will be kind."
3. "When explain your dietary habits, keep it simple. If you find yourself at a party and you’re 15 minutes into describing the difference between Paleo and Slow Carb, take a breath and stop talking. No one really cares about your endeavor to reset your insulin sensitivity."
4. "Floss your teeth for better fitness. I feel that you need to have the basics down before you start in adding things intended for ‘advanced’ reasons. I have friends who don’t floss but go out of their way to use whitening strips or see a dentist for teeth bleaching. This is stupid, to me—if you just took care of your teeth on a daily basis, you’d have to worry a bit less.In the fitness context, people ignore basic nutritional needs, but try crash diets or supplements; they can’t take the time to foam roll, but want the hottest training strategy.If you can’t make a habit of flossing your teeth, you shouldn’t bother with supplements—likely, you don’t have the basics figured out."
Good stuff, John.
4. Wow, I can't express how many men members of the male species need to read this. It's a letter that Ronald Reagan gave his 26-year-old son, Michael, right before his wedding day. He essentially lays it down for him, puts his Yoda hat on, and tells his son how a man should treat a woman.
I definitely found myself slow clapping for Reagan as I read this:
(^^^ Read Me ^^^)
5. That's it. Hope everyone has an awesome weekend
We All Need A Little Inspiration
It’s the times that you don’t want to train that will show your true desire and will to win… How often do you wake up and just do not want to go to the weight room, batting cage, football field, volleyball court? What do you do in those situations; do you roll over and go back to bed? Do you make compromises because you just aren’t feeling it today? Do you say “alright starting Monday I’ll get back after it?” We have all been in these situations but as I said these are the situations that define us. I’ve talked a lot about being average in past posts and how I refuse to be it and this is one of the ways I “beat” the average out of myself. I have to train no matter what and no matter how I feel because I know the average person just rolls over and goes back to bed, the average person makes compromises. I’m not trying to be high and mighty, there have been times when I’ve succumb to the state of averageness, and I absolutely hate it. So when I feel the average part of me trying to take over I have put things in place to make my better half overcome. This is usually in the form of watching a video or reading an article that really makes me want to get after it. I’m not really sure why doing these things work for me. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m seeing someone rise above their own feelings of being average and it makes me realize I need to do the same. For you it might be something different but it’s up to you to find something to make you conquer those bad days, to rise above your negative thoughts and feelings of inadequacy. We all have the ability to be great but it is only you that can unlock the potential. Am I being corny? Maybe, but corny is what we need sometimes to get through those rough days; and I’d rather be corny than average. This was a short and to the point rant, but a rant that was needed. If you’re like me and get jacked up watching inspirational videos and reading inspirational articles then take a look below at the things I currently look to when I’m having those lazy days.
ARTICLES
A Letter To My Younger Self by Jim Wendler
VIDEOS
[vsw id="V6xLYt265ZM" source="youtube" width="425" height="344" autoplay="no"]
By far my favorite video to get me jacked up to go train
Former SAPT coach Chris Romanow is one of the people who got me interested in powerlifting so seeing him smash heavy weight makes me want to do the same
SAPT client and friend Ron Reed inspires me to achieve goals, his work ethic is second to none
I have no idea who this guy is but he is dedicated
