If you are a football player, or any athlete for that matter, check out this article by Steve Morris on how to become big, strong, and successful in your sport.
Seventeen Football Training Tips for Beginners by Steve Morris
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
When to Use Manual Resistance
Manual resistance is something that I rarely see used in the gym anymore, which is too bad because, when implemented appropriately, it can be very affective for increasing strength, particularly for female and elderly clients or those with movement disabilities. Okay, it probably sounds awful that I am grouping all females into the same category as the elderly and physically disabled, but please bear with me and let me explain.
First, what is manual resistance? Basically, manual resistance is any type of controlled external resistance loaded against your movement by another human being, such as a training partner, personal trainer, or performance coach. What manual resistance allows you to do is generate a lot of force without having to a move a lot of weight.
Examples of manual resistance exercises would be towel curls or extensions where the client or athlete is holding on to one end of the towel and performing an overhead triceps extension or a biceps curl and the trainer or coach is holding the other end of the towel and pulling down, providing an appropriate amount of resistance throughout the range of motion.
As I stated earlier, I like using manual resistance with my elderly and female clients, in particular. The reason I like using it with the elderly is because I can have them train a bunch of different muscle groups without having to make them move around the gym from machine to machine or rig up a bunch of different pulleys at the cable station. Instead, they can just stand, sit, or lie in one place and I can provide the resistance as they move their limbs.
For females, manual resistance can be a very important training tool as well. The reason I like using it with my female clients is because a lot of them are afraid to use bigger weights, even though they are stronger than they think. So instead of having to deal with a hissy fit when I give them certain dumbbells for an exercise, I can apply an appropriate resistance to them and they have no idea what the exact number is.
One of the downfalls of manual resistance is unilateral movements. Reason being, it is extremely difficult to ensure you are applying the same amount of resistance to each limb during the set. For this reason, I would not suggest using manual resistance as your sole form of resistance for unilateral exercises, but instead use it to supplement weights or bands.
Get big or die tryin'.
Charlie Cates is a human performance specialist and the owner of Self Made (http://selfmadefitness.com/) in Chicago, IL. He is a Certified Personal Trainer and Performance Enhancement Specialist through NASM and has worked with competitive and everyday athletes of all ages and ability levels, from 9-year-old kids to NFL MVP's. He can be reached via e-mail at charlie@selfmadefitness.com.
This article may be reproduced with biographical information intact.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Strong(her) University: The Female Psyche
This article couldn't have been better timed with the post I made yesterday (Too Sore for Cardio??). Why do females not want to lift weights, and is their reasoning just and sound? Check out this article by Jen Comas to find out more.
Strong(her) University: The Female Psyche by Jen Comas.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Too Sore for Cardio??
I received an e-mail from a client yesterday that said she would be canceling her training session with me this week because she didn't wan to be too sore for her cardio the rest of the week. This client is not a person training for an athletic event or for weight loss; just someone who is training to live healthier. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the e-mail. When, America, did we fall so far that we are to believe sitting on an elliptical for 40 minutes a day while we mindlessly stare into a TV screen six inches from our face is not only a substantial form of exercise, but a superior form as well?
There are many different avenues I could pursue with this post, talking about how the catabolic hormonal response to long bouts of aerobic exercise is slowly killing you; how people who only perform low-intensity aerobic exercise have extremely low quantities of muscle mass, and therefore are lacking a natural metabolic stimulator to keep their metabolism high when they stop working out; how doing anything but high-intensity sprint work or recovery work on cardio equipment is a completely inefficient way to train, both from a caloric expenditure standpoint and from a anabolic, physiological, and evolutionary standpoint as well.
I am sure all of these topics will be covered in due time, but for right now I just want y0u to think about that reason I was given as to why this client couldn't train. Think about how many times in your life you opt to take the easy way out rather than challenging yourself to achieve more, to be more. If you're not happy with how something is in your life, it's up to you to change it. I challenge you to be more today than you were yesterday; to be more next week than you were this week. I challenge you to make a commitment to yourself right now that when temptation rises to take the easy way out you will not allow yourself to continue to falter but rather you will take control of your life, your dreams, your visions and do something that is uncomfortably challenging.
Too sore for cardio? Ha. We should all be so lucky as to be too sore for cardio.
Monday, April 25, 2011
This Past Week (4/17-4/23)
This past week was my deload week for SMS^2.4. I lifted Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Then, instead of doing a body weight circuit deload on Friday, I began SMS^2.5. That day consisted of squats and deadlifts, and I was completely toasted by the end. It was awesome.
Saturday I went home for Easter and while I was there I made a stop at Ace Hardware and Farm and Fleet. I picked up a 12-pound sledgehammer, two 50-pound bags of pea gravel, heavy duty contractor bags, gorilla tape, and two canvas bags. When I got home I wrapped up the pea gravel in the contractor bags and taped them shut, then put them in the canvas bags to make my own sandbags. So now I have two 50-pound sandbags and a sledgehammer to add to my training tools. Believe me, I'm pumped.
That's all for this past week. Now it's time to go live this one.
What Would "Pa" Do?
How would farmers from the 1800's hold up to today's health standards? Check out this article by Brett Klika to read more!
What Would "Pa" Do? by Brett Klika
Friday, April 22, 2011
Dynamic Pinch Grip Training
I saw this article on DieselCrew.com and thought it was definitely worth posting due to unique idea of training the grip in a dynamic environment.
Dynamic Pinch Grip Training by Kris Wragg
Thursday, April 21, 2011
How Coordinated Are Your Clients?
One thing I have recently noticed with a few of my clients is they lack coordination. Not hand-eye coordination, per say, but total-body, rhythmic coordination. For example, I have been implementing a lot of jump rope into my clients' training sessions, and all of them have gotten significantly better at theskill of jumping rope. However, when I first introduced them to it, I was amazed at how many of my clients had no idea how to jump rope. In fact, some of them even told me that they used to try jumping rope as kids but stopped because they couldn't get the hang of it.
Another example is skipping. Have you ever seen a grown man who spends 40-80 hours a week in a cubicle try to skip? It is a sight to behold, my friends. First, he'll look at you like you're crazy when you tell him he's about to skip. Then he'll say, "Ha. I haven't done this since I was five." Exactly. That's the fundamental issue.
The problem with this lack of coordination and rhythm is that without these skills, movement becomes a lot more difficult. And when something is difficult, it is a lot less likely that people will find enjoyment in it and will often times not continue to perform these activities.
Think back to your days on the playground as a kid. Think about what you did during recess and why you chose to do those things. Very rarely will you find a case of uncoordinated kids running around trying to sports or other ball games at recess. Why? Because if they're not coordinated, they probably aren't very good at the games; and if they aren't very good then the games probably aren't much fun to them.
Exercise should be seen as playtime for adults, except here you have to do things that you aren't very good at because you are mature enough to understand that if you put in a little work you will get better at these skills and they will become easier and more fun. Here are some exercises you can do with your clients to improve their coordination:
- Jumping Rope
- Skipping (forwards, backwards, laterally)
- Ladder drills
- Footwork drills through cones
- Carioca
- Dance Dance Revolution (Joking. Kind of.)
If you want to add another layer of difficulty onto these drills you can toss tennis balls to them as they go through the drill and makes them catch them and toss them back.
The point of all this is to question whether our clients are in the physical condition that they are because they are lazy or because we, as trainers, are unable to provide an exciting environment for them to train. If we can improve our clients' coordination, then perhaps we will also improve how they view exerciseand it's relative difficulty and, in turn, allow them to get more out of their training.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Strength 101: Strength and the Body
Want to learn some of the basic physiology of what happens when you lift? Check out the first article in the Strength 101 series by Brandon Patterson.
Strength 101: Strength and the Body by Brandon Patterson.
Strongman Training for the Everyday Athlete
One thing I have started doing with my personal training clients is strongman training. I'll have them do a variety of exercises including farmer walks, landing-mat flips (instead of tire flips), and heavy rope pulls. I'll work it in with the exercises they have become more accustomed too, and they are really enjoying it. Not only does it force them to do things they have never done before, but these exercises are often seen as more fun, or at least more entertaining. Instead of trying to hit a predetermined number of reps, going for a certain distance or time brings out a competitive spirit in them. These exercises are also often very taxing cardiovascularly for them, so they are able to get their conditioning in at the same time as their strength training.
These exercises don't take up the entire session, but rather are implemented once or twice over the course of two or three sessions. Examples of exercises I have done with clients are
- Farmer walks with dumbbells and kettle bells
- Battling rope pulls
- Heavy bag pushes
- Heavy bag carries
- Heavy bag flips
- Plate flips
- Landing-mat flips
The one common denominator between all of these exercises is that they all require a tremendous amount of grip strength. As I have said in previous posts, grip strength is something that is very much lacking in every day society, so this is another bonus.
If you are bored with your current training regimen or want to mix up your client's training, consider throwing in some strongman training.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Dave Tate on Human Potential
The take-away from this has no relation to drug use, but rather what he talks about in the middle--that we, as a species, are so much greater than we believe ourselves to be.
Get big or die tryin'.
This Past Week (4/10-4/16)
This past week was my heavy triples week for SMS^2.4. As I said last week, I squatted and deadlifted on Saturday. On Sunday I had bench and rows, Tuesday I had military press and pull-downs, and Thursday I had a body weight circuit. On Monday and Wednesday I had recovery arms days, and Friday was an abs/balance/hip mobility day. Overall it was a very productive week in the weight room and I am really enjoying the new split.
One thing I have been spending time on each day the past few weeks is grip work. I usually train both my crushing grip and my pinching grip in the same days, but have a greater focus on one or the other each day. I have noticed significant improvement in my grip strength since I began making it a priority in my training. I am also still continuing to do the upper and lower back work each day, and I have definitely noticed an improvement in my posture as well as how my shoulders feel the days after I bench heavy.
Also, like I said last week, I have been drinking a gallon of milk each day for the past nine days and have enjoyed a solid nine-pound weight gain over this time. I plan on continuing the method for a month, at which point I will evaluate where I am and where I want to go.
That's all for this past week. Now it's time to go live this one.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Got Squats?
Check out this post by Zach Even-Esh for some great squat variations!
Got Squats? by Zach Even-Esh
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Training Different Muscle Fiber Types
I had a conversation with a friend the other day and I came to realize that, unless you study the body, the vast majority of people really don't understand muscle fiber types and why you train different muscle groups differently. The conversation was from a body-building/muscle hypertrophy standpoint, but the same can be said for performance training, as well.
So here's the story: Muscles in your body are made up of different type of muscle fibers, with the type denoting how quickly they can contract and, related to this, the different bioenergetics of each fiber. The muscle-fiber continuum is: Type I, Type IIc, Type IIac, Type IIa, Type IIax, Type IIx, with Type I being the slowest to fire but also the slowest to fatigue, and Type IIx being on the exact opposite end of the spectrum.
But why is this important to know if you are just trying to lift for aesthetic reasons? Well, because of the differences in how quickly each muscle fiber type fatigues, each type also displays different rep ranges, or more specifically times under tension, by which they optimally perform hypertrophy.
A couple examples are the hamstrings and calves. Hamstrings are predominantly Type II, fast twitch fibers in the majority of people, unless they have trained themselves to perform otherwise. This means that with hamstrings you really shouldn't go about 12 reps in a strength training set because they will begin to lose their fast-twitch characteristics. Calves are comprised of two main muscles--the gastrocnemius and the soleous. The gastroc is comprised of mainly fast-twitch muscle fibers, so it responds to heavier sets of less reps, while the soleous is more slow-twitch fibers, so it responds better to higher reps at lower weights.
As a basic rule of thumb, you can identify whether a muscle is fast-twitch or slow-twitch dominant by asking yourself, "Is the muscle used for form or for function?" In other words, it is a postural, tonic muscle, or is it an explosive-movement, phasic muscle?
Answer that question for yourself and apply those answers to your training to see increased results.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
This is Silly.
Ever been completely unsure what is actually healthy for you and good for you to eat because of the numerous contradicting "expert" opinions? Maybe all the stress caused by these contradictions is worse than the foods themselves. Check out this article by Sean Croxton of Underground Wellness to get a better idea of what I'm talking about.
This is Silly. by Sean Croxton
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Back to the Basics
The last few days I have spent a ton of time reading posts on Zach Even-Esh's blog. Zach is huge into old school training--no BOSU, no TRX (although he does use gymnast rings and ropes for suspension training, both of which have a much more primal feel than the bright yellow of the former), no Power Plates, no BS. Barbells, dumbbells, real kettle bells, chains, a ton of grip training techniques and even more iron plates. This is EXACTLY how strength training should be, pure iron and steel with a ton of body weight training for conditioning as well. Needless to say, my lifts have been off the charts with intensity and passion since I cut back on all the frivolous toys and started focusing on the grown man toys.
If you are feeling like the gym isn't the same as it used to be, maybe it's because you have been spending too much time doing the workouts you find in Steroid Weekly instead of doing what your primal self tells you to do. See that heavy thing in the corner? Pick it up. Move it across the gym. Press it over your head. Move it back across the gym. Do it a hundred times. Feel yourself bigger and stronger every day. Feel yourself get back to the basics.
Monday, April 11, 2011
The Lost Art of Movement Capacity
You have worked your butt off to get big and strong, and that's awesome, but how well can you move? Check out this article by Michael Ranfone for some basic movement training tips.
The Lost Art of Movement Capacity by Michael Ranfone
Sunday, April 10, 2011
This Past Week (4/3-4/9)
This past week was my singles week for SMS^2.4. I squatted on Sunday, benched Monday, and deadlifted Wednesday. I didn't do circuits on Friday as my body weight is still too low. I also didn't do plyos at all this week. Instead, I did an arms lift on Tuesday and Friday and did recovery cardio for 25 minutes on Thursday. I also decided to try a new lifting scheme this week and, if it works well, put it in for SMS^2.5. So, because of this new scheme, I did squats and deadlifts on Saturday as well. Yup, it was a fun week.
On Tuesday I sent out the April issue of The Source. I also sent out the first edition of the Workout of the Week on Monday. You can sign up to receive both of these items by filling out the required information here.
On Friday, when I was inspired to try the new lifting scheme, I also made a commitment to start drinking more milk. A lot more. I have been very hesitant for the last year and a half to drink anything other than raw milk, which means when I can't get out to the farm on the weekends I go without milk for that week. I have been putting almond milk in my shakes, but that hasn't been cutting it. So, I finally decided to just suck it up and start buying pasteurized whole milk in addition to the raw milk. I think this will really help me get my weight back up to where I want it.
That's all for this past week. Now it's time to go live this one.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
A Man of Steel Finds Comfort in the UNcomfortable
Normally I don't post on Saturdays, but I read this today and it NEEDED to be shared. Check out this story from Zach Even-Esh's site.
A Man of Steel Finds Comfort in the UNcomfortable by Zach Even-Esh
Friday, April 8, 2011
The Super Secret Secret to Becoming a Great Strength Athlete
Think there is some magic formula to reaching all of your strength goals? You're right. Check out this article by Matt Dawson to find out what it is.
The Super Secret Secret to Becoming a Great Strength Athlete by Matt Dawson
Thursday, April 7, 2011
End on Perfection
I have been watching the Parisi Speed School DVD series and right now I have finished the first disc of the combine training DVD. There is a ton of great content on these discs, but one thing that really stuck out to me was something Martin Rooney said at the end of this past disc. They were demonstrating the L-drill and he said at their facility they have a rule where if an athlete performs a PR in any test that athlete is done training for the day. The reasoning was that they wanted the athlete to end on a high note and also because they wanted the athlete's Central Nervous System to feel what a perfect time felt like.
I think over the past year my mindset has changed a lot such that I am now more accepting of an idea like this. Whereas before I would continue to push myself if I was having a great training day in an attempt to see how far I could go, I wonder if this would be a better training philosophy. Martin was saying this comment in reference to speed training, and I wonder if the same is applicable to strength training as well.
I think the biggest thing to take into consideration here is the technique being used. If you hit a strength or speed PR using perfect technique, and then hit the same time/weight but with flawed technique, I think it would make sense to either lower the weight or slow down the drill such that the final set/rep can be done perfectly. Clearly it doesn't make sense to end on anything less than perfection both from a motor-learning standpoint and also from an adrenal standpoint, the latter meaning if you continue to crank out sets at extremely high intensities until you execute perfect technique, you are only setting yourself up for injury and extreme fatigue.
Overall, I would say this training philosophy makes sense, but I think it needs to be put into perspective as well, more so for strength training than for speed training. Reason being, if after you warm up you hit, let's say, a 10-rep PR on squat and you got that tenth rep easy, meaning you probably could have hit at least three to five more but you stopped because you are testing 10RM, maybe you go up in weight and see if you can't hit another 10 at a higher weight. I guess you could create a thousand different hypothetical situations in which you could excuse yourself from this philosophy, but, as a general rule of thumb, I think it makes sense for both speed and strength training.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Strength Training Components of a National Title Contender
If you have been coherent for the past three weeks you have had to come across the Butler Bulldogs at one time or another. An undersized mid-major program, they payed in their second consecutive national championship game this past Monday. Here is an article by one of their assistant strength and conditioning coaches, Ross Bowsher, who sheds some light on the team's training philosophies.
The Top Five Components of Building a National Title Contender in the Physical Preparation of a Division 1 College Basketball Team by Ross Bowsher
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Importance of Relative Strength
I'm a big fan of absolute strength. I have been for a while and I don't see that changing any time soon. But, that's not to say that I don't appreciate relative strength. It still amazes me how poorly people are able to control their own bodies, both competitive and everyday athletes. The problem with this is that, in sport and in life, there are often times when our physical strength is judged on a relative basis. For the elderly, being able to stand up out of a chair or walk up and down stairs is of the utmost importance. For kids, being able to climb, run, jump, and swing are everyday necessities. From teens to middle-aged adults, relative strength is often taken for granted until it is gone due to age or weight-related problems. I can't tell you the number of people I see every week who are truly disappointed in themselves because they can't do ten push-ups or a single pull-up.
Whether we realize it or not, we put a lot of importance on relative strength in our minds, so perhaps it is time to start giving it importance in our training as well. Since January I have been doing one day of body-weight circuit training a week, and my relative strength has improved dramatically because of it. Body-weight circuits are not only great for improving relative strength, they are also a great conditioning tool as well.
If you are interested in starting body weight circuits, sign up to be on my mailing list to receive my Workout of the Week every week. You will also receive my "Monster Pushups" program with this subscription. You can sign up by filling out the required information here.
Monday, April 4, 2011
This Past Week (3/27-4/2)
This past week started with my last MAT Jumpstart class on Sunday before starting the internship in June. It also marked the beginning of SMS^2.4. Monday I squatted, Tuesday I bench, Wednesday plyos, Thursday deadlifts, and Friday circuits. I made the decision to cut my plyo workouts to once a week and cut my circuit training down to two sets, compared to the three I was doing before. I am also not doing anymore SMF for a while. The reasoning is very simple--I want to get big. I want to finally commit to putting on weight, and until I get myself to above 235, I will continue to do less of this high-intensity movement training and opt to add additional lifting into my days.
I have also decided to add extra lower back work and posterior deltoid/mid-trap work into my daily training. This is purely for injury prevention purposes as well as to help with my posture. I have also added more grip work into my training. I get yelled at when I deadlift and the weight hits the floor to loudly, so I figure if I can strengthen my grip and set the weight down under control they can't tell me nothin' (Kanye voice).
Early in the week I released a new article, too. It was on kettle bell training and how great kettle bells are for training grip strength. To read the article, check it out at http://selfmadefitness.com/selfmadearticles.
Also, on Friday I received word that "Self Made®" and "Making the world a better place, one athlete at a time.®" are officially trademarked! This has been a process that's gone on for over a year and nine months now, and I am SO happy that everything worked out! A HUGE, "Thank You!" goes out to Gloria Pinza and her staff at Pierce Atwood for all of their help is making this possible.
Alright, that's what I have for you all for this past week. Now it's time to go live this one.
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