Conrad Mann at the USPA Larry Garro Memorial Powerlifting Meet
Whether it’s a third grade spelling bee or the Superbowl, putting yourself into competition takes a ton of courage. At 64 years young, Conrad of SAPT fame decided that it was time to enter into his first powerlifting meet (why not?). Even a double knee replacement wouldn’t keep Conrad from competing, and he decided to enter into the bench-only meet.
Here’s how it went down.
The Weigh-In
Conrad was competing in the 164.9 weight class. He was concerned prior to the meet that he might not make weight, but ended up stepping on the scale at a whopping 159 pounds. He came prepared, however, with plenty of fluids and snacks to get properly hydrated before he stepped on the platform.
The Wait
The typical sequence of a powerlifting meet is 1)Squat, 2)Bench Press, and 3)Deadlift. The lifters will have 3 attempts at each lift, and with two flights of competitors in the squat, we had plenty of time to relax and watch the squat attempts. We saw lifters of all shapes and sizes squat one after another. It was awesome to see all the different leverages people possess and the different styles of squatting they chose to utilize. High bar, low bar, Olympic shoes, Chuck Taylors, wider stance, narrow stance, long femurs, long torsos- basically every variation of a barbell back squat that you could imagine. Anyone interested in biomechanics should definitely check out a powerlifting meet just to see the infinite variations in the same basic movement pattern.
Towards the end of the second flight of squat attempts we decided it was time to start prepping both body and mind to push some heavy weight.
The Warm-Up
Taking the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” attitude Conrad went through the same general warm-up as he does prior to a session at SAPT. Mobility work, scap pushups, face pulls and external rotations were all part of the ritual.
Just as important as getting physically warmed up for the bench attempts is getting mentally focused. At this point, Conrad’s level of raw strength was out of our control. The strength-building portion came from weeks of hard work on a brilliant bench specialization program designed in the top secret laboratory that is Steve Reed’s mind. However, this was the time where it was critical to take charge over the factors that we can control, of them being 1)Techniqu0e, and 2)Obeying the commands. The head judge gives three commands after unracking the bar (start, press, rack) during each attempt, and failure to obey any of these commands results in a “no good” lift.
Following the general warm-up we got on the bench. We started with light triples and progressed into heavier singles, ensuring that each rep was crisp and clean. The bar touched the same spot on his chest with every press, the elbows were nicely tucked at the bottom, and each command was obeyed as I yelled them out during the warm-up.
Go Time!
Having successfully primed his central nervous system to its fullest capacity, Conrad was warmed up, suited up, and ready to go. He was in the first flight of benchers and stepped on deck for his first attempt in a powerlifting competition.
Conrad opened at 85kg (187lbs). It was a solid opener, and flew up at lightning speed. Undisputed three whites from the judges for a good lift.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nw78bHsOqI&feature=youtu.be
His second attempt was 92.5kg (203.5lbs). Another easy bench for Conrad and three whites.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0dQ6bO8x48
Third attempt here was 97.5kg(214.5lbs) for a PR. Again another solid, clean lift that received a well deserved three whites from the judges.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z-L2EkKSXU
Wrap Up
To sum it up, Conrad walked away from the meet three for three on his attempts, a PR, no torn pecs, and shoulders still in-tact! Can’t ask for much better than that. Congrats Conrad, way to represent SAPT! Big thanks to Ron, Jen, and Sondra being part of the SAPT support staff, and a double thanks to Ron for taking videos of the attempts!
Adductors: Caring for the Unsung Heroes of the Lower Body
This is a two parter blog on how to care for and train the adductors (inner thigh, groin muscles... take you pick of their name). We'll talk about keeping adductors healthy and happy (and hopefully prevent groin pulls/strains, I'm looking at you soccer players...) today and then in the next installment, we'll talk about how to train the adductors (ladies (and guys, I've seen a few!), get off the baby-maker machines...) Part 2 is here.
First, a little anatomy lesson just so you know what the adductors look like:
So these are the major players: Adductor magnus, add. longus, add. brevis, pectineus and gracilis. (there's also a muscle called the satoris, it usually works in conjunction with the gracilis but it's attached to front angle of the hip bone (instead of the pubis bone like the gracilis) and it helps flex the hip and externally rotate the femur: like when you sit and cross your ankle over your knee.)
All of them adduct the femur (brining it closer to the body) but that's not their only function! The adductor magnus helps extend the hip (important in understanding groin strains) along with the hamstrings and glutes. The adductor brevis and pectineus assist in breaking hip flexion (like a little extra umph in flexing the hip). Adductors are the sidekicks of the big guys: quads, glutes and hamstrings.
The adductors are also 1/3 of Team Frontal Plane Stabilization: keeping hips and femurs stable everywhere!
In case you were wondering, as I'm sure you are, the other two players are the glutes (especially glute med) and the opposite side quadratus lumborum. So, for example, if you were to lunge forward, the adductors help prevent your hips from shifting up/down and the knee from collapsing inwards.
Ok, with all the awesome-at-multi-tasking the adductor complex is, it's a area that gets really nasty. It gets clogged with knots and fibrotic tissue so it needs a healthy dose of SMR. While you can use a foam roller on the floor, it's not ideal. You can't apply a whole lot of pressure (due to the angle) and your essentially nose-on-the-floor and again, not very comfortable.
I recommend elevating your leg on a table or a bench to eliminate this issue. You can use a foam roller but I've found that medecine balls work wonders on the nasty gunk up in your adductor trunk. You can apply force over a smaller area, thus making it more effective, and it's easier to pinpoint super-nasty areas. See video below:
Notice how I go along the fibers (from knee to hip direction) as well as across the fibers (front to back). And when you find a angry bit, hang on it for about ten seconds then continue the delightful process of that we know of as SMR.
After that, drills like adductor rock backs, Cressy has a good video of standing rock backs, and static side lunges to bring the rolled-out fibers back to a desirable length.
Now, go forth, roll your adductors and be prepared on Friday to learn some ways to train the Sidekicks of the Lower Body.
Why Train with Chains?
I’ve had a few people ask me recently about the benefits of training with chains. I think chains are a great tool for developing strength and power, and not only because it looks cool. For those that have spent some significant time on solid weight training programs using strictly straight weight, incorporating chains into their regimen can help push their performance to another level.
A Teaching Tool
I think chains are a great teaching tool, but not necessarily for technique purposes (If technique is an issue, make that the priority and reserve the chains for another week, month, or year). I’m talking about teaching people how to be FAST and accelerate the load through the range of motion. Adding chains to barbell movements is one of many forms of accommodating resistance. This basically means that throughout the concentric portion of the movement, as the leverages improve, the resistance increases. Take benching with chains for example.
When the bar is touching the chest the weight is deloaded because most of the chain weight is sitting on the floor. As you press the weight towards lockout the links come off the floor, making the load heavier with each inch of concentric range. So imagine that the weight on the bar is 135 pounds, and we added 80 pounds of chain weight. At the bottom of the bench press, if you used the minimal amount of effort needed to press 135 pounds, the chains will reveal themselves to you during the lift as if to say, “nope.” This is when the learning occurs, and you know that you need to drive hard and fast into that 135 pound bar touching your chest because it is going to grow into a 215 pound load at lockout.
Overload Stimulus
The chains as accommodating resistance will also allow you to use greater loads than you may be used to at the end range of a movement. You can get a similar overload stimulus by using partial movements, such as rack pulls for deadlifts, but with chains you can overload while still practicing the full range of the exercise.
Recovering from an Injury
Often times the bottom of a movement is when some of the joints are the most vulnerable. Those who are recovering from a grouchy lower back can benefit from the decreased load at the bottom of squats and deadlifts while building their strength back up. Similarly, those making a comeback from a shoulder issue can start progressing into bench and board press variations with chains to add a little more security.
Convenience
Chains are also an extremely useful mode of resistance for more than just barbell movements. Throw them across your hips during glute bridges, drape them across your back for push-ups and planks, or around your neck for pull-ups, dips, and lunges. Obviously it’s of the upmost importance to look hardcore and throw a bunch of chalk covered chains onto a barbell, but they should not be used haphazardly.
If you don't have access to chains don't stress it, straight weight should make up the meat and potatoes of your program anyway. However if you have been training for a while and have access to them they can be a great addition to your toolbox and provide you with a cool new stimulus. Try them out!
Body-Mind Connection
You have heard it before. Your mind has a huge impact on your body. Our decision-making and free will dictates our eating and exercising habits, which have a great impact on our overall health. This is nothing new. We know our mind determines how motivated we are to act, which fluctuates just like our overall health. While the mind-body connection is often talked about in this very space, the body-mind connection has also been making recent news. This article talks about how exercise can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Cyrus Raji conducted a study on the power of exercise amongst the elderly. Raji found that calories burned greatly impacts the amount of gray matter in the hippocampus, which effects memory. Raji even goes as far as to say, “No pharmaceutical drug on the market has been shown to have these effects on the brain -- not a single drug,”
So while we often talk about the mind-body connection, let’s not ignore the body-mind connection. What shape our body is in can often determine how strong our mind is. Make sure your body and mind are active and don’t let either become complacent. They are depending on each other.
10 Uncommon Rowing Variations that Don't Require Dumbbells or a Cable Column
It's no secret that a sound strength and conditioning regimen should be buttressed by a healthy dose of rowing. I don't care if you're training for powerlifting, athletic performance, fat loss, or for post-rehab purposes, you've got to include your rowing.
It's borderline ironic then that rowing exercises are one of the toughest to employ when either:
A) Traveling, or B) On a tight budget
The most common tools to use for rows are dumbbells and cable columns, and guess what are also extremely difficult to travel with, and cost a boatload of cash? Yep, dumbbells and cable columns.
When traveling, it's super easy to make do with the innumerable pushup variations at your disposal, or to include glute+hamstring work that can be accomplished with the simple addition of furniture sliders.
If you train in your garage, a squat rack and barbell will fit virtually all your needs for upper body pressing and for all essential lower body training. So, how do you achieve your rowing quota for the week in if all you have access to is a barbell (and is not your standard bent-over barbell row), and are divested of any remaining cash to spare?
Fortunately for you, we at SAPT are the kings and queens of training with minimal equipment. One of the first things people ask when they enter our facility for the first time is, "Where are are the dumbbells? Wait, what about your cable columns? Where are those?"
We've been using the dumbbell-less and cable-less rowing variations below for a number of years with our athletes, clients, and in our own training. While far from an all-inclusive list, I hope they can get you started in the right direction:
Dumbbell Row Substitutes: "Landmine" Rows
You can easily use a barbell to sub in for a number of common dumbbell variations. The following five exercises depict this.
1. Bent-Over Landmine Row
2. Bent-Over DEADSTOP Landmine Row
3. 3-Point Landmine Row
4. 3-Point DEADSTOP Landmine Row
5. 2-Point Landmine Row
Cable Column Substitutes: Band Rows
In a number of ways I actually like band rows better than cable rows. They add a really intense contraction at the top, right when your scapular stabilizers are working on overdrive.
6. Seated Band Row, Neutral Grip
7. Seated Band Row, Neutral Grip with Towel
Use this one if you don't have an actual V-handle, or if you just want to fry the grip for masochistic purposes.
8. Seated Band Row, Pronated Grip
We initially used a dowel rod for the handle on these, but then there lies the risk of the handle snapping on you mid set. You can use a barbell instead, which also adds a unique challenge for the shoulders.
9. 1/2 Kneeling Band Row, Neutral Grip
Other Odds and Ends
10. T-Bar Landmine Row with Towel
While not technically a dumbbell or cable substitute, here's one that combines a core stability element with heavy grip demands:
11 (Bonus): Make Your Own Suspension Trainer
Finally, you can make your own suspension trainer, which will open the door for a host of other rowing possibilities, be it for travel or for home purposes.
Heck, even if you DO have easy access to dumbbells and/or cable stacks, I recommend giving these a shot as you'll definitely notice a slightly different (and fun) training stimulus, and may decide to keep a few in your permanent rowing repertoire.
Sneaky Brownies: Healthy Fats and Fiber Right Here!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had a great time with lots of fabulous food and fantastic family time. My family has a tradition, it's the tradition of Pie. Every year, the main even at Thanksgiving is not the turkey (we had 3...) not the side dishes (not even the whipped-with-real-cream mashed potatoes) but it's, really, about the pies.
This year, the 23-pie selection included pumpkin, pecan, key lime, S'mores, chocolate creame coconut, a General Pie-treas (my witty brothers' pie) and numerous fruity variations. Delicious!
However, I don't like pie.
I made a Not-Pie instead. Also, being the nutrition nut that I am, I made a healthy Not-Pie and I thought I would share the recipe so this holiday, there can be some desserts that are not an insulin coma waiting to happen. Here's the link to the original recipe (I love Cara's site!), and below is my not-following-the-recipe version:
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 fairly ripe avocado
- 3 eggs
- 4 Trader Joe 100 calorie 70% dark chocolate bars, mostly melted (they were cheaper than other chocolate options...)
- About 2 Tbs of agave nectar (honey works too)
- Heaping tablespoon of Hershey's Dark Chocolate cocoa powder (yuuuummmm)
- 2 TBS stevia powder (or until it tastes good to you) I actually don't have sugar in my pantry, much to my tea-drinking mother's distress.
1. In a food processor, blend the eggs, beans and avocado until smooth. It will look like dark poop.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 350-ish (I always forget to to this first and since I'm relating how I made this delicious chocolaty goodness, I'm trying to stay true to my actually cooking technique.)
3. Melt the chocolate bars in the microwave (or stove if you have a double boiler) until their mostly melted. I'm impatient so I didn't wait for them to melt all the way. Add them into the black bean goopy-goop. Also add in the cocoa powder and agave nectar. Pulse until well blended.
4. Add stevia (or whatever sweetener you prefer) until it tastes good to you. Mine were not super sweet (like traditional brownies) but still maintained the bitter characteristic of dark chocolate. And sweet enough not to taste the black beans too.
5. Pour mixture into pan of choice; since I was making a Not-Pie, I used a circular pan, but I'm pretty sure that a rectangular pan will make no difference in taste. Cara suggests using an 8 x 8 pan and she's pretty smart.
6. Bake about 30-ish minutes or until you can poke the middle and the poker comes out clean. They'll be more fudge-like than cake-like.
Ta-daa!! Pretty easy huh? So, why should you make these this holiday season (and risk 5-year olds telling you they don't like your pie? (True story)). Reasons are as follows:
1. The recipe offers up a healthy dose of fiber, which we know is a good thing for our bodies and can be scarce during the holiday meals. Also, the fiber helps prevent blood sugar spikes and the ensuing insulin spikes, keeping a steady blood sugar level in the blood (and NO sugar crashes). The fiber also helps fill you up so you eat less.
2. There are healthy monosaturated fats in the avacado (the ones doctors are ga-ga about for healthy hearts). These fats are incorporated in cell walls (helping keep cells healthy, happy and young).
3. There is a good dose of protein from the beans and eggs (woefully lacking in most sweet things)
4. Avocado and black beans provide multiple beneficial compounds like luetin (prevents macular degeneration), vitamin E and glutothione (both helps fight against disease and sickness, like colds, keeping you healthy during the festivities), both contain multiple flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory properties. My favorite fact, black beans have molybdenum which is a trace element which breaks down and detoxifies the body from sulfites, compounds found in wine and salad dressing, and while only some people are sensitive to them, they can't be great to have floating around your body.
5. This is more of a personal benefit, but because they're not as sweet as most desserts, I feel less sluggish after having some.
6. The feeling of smugness knowing what is in them when people are enjoying your delightful brownies.
