Good Stuff from the Good Doctor Berardi

Last week, John Berardi sent me a heads-up on a great new program he’s offering to everybody for FREE.  Just this morning, I finished reviewing it myself, and I have to say, it’s another great offering from one of the industry’s brightest experts.  This course piggybacks on John’s highly successful Precision Nutrition package.  You’ve got nothing to lose; sign up for the 8-day Body Transformation with Precision Nutrition email course today and check out what JB has to offer.  In the meantime, here's today's reader mail Q&A.

Q&A

Q: What’s your take on frequency of static stretching?  Is it "the more, the better"?  More or less, how many days per week would be a good idea?

A: In a nutshell...

1) I'm not as huge an advocate of stretching as I used to be, but I still think people need to do it – especially those who sit at computers all day.

2) Activation work and dynamic flexibility drills are ten times as valuable as static stretching.  I’d rather do 6-8 mobilizations than a 12-15 second static stretch.

3) More people need to pay attention to soft-tissue work.  Many times, muscles will just feel tight because they’re so knotted up.  It's not just about soft tissue length anymore; it's about quality, too.  You can check out my article The Joint Health Checklist for details.

4) My clients do 2-3 static stretches pre-training at the very most (only chronically overactive muscles), and the rest are at other times of the day.  We’ll include some static stretching of non-working musculature during training in between sets just to improve training economy.

5) Stretching daily has helped a lot of my clients improve faster, but I think that they've come along almost just as well with pure activation and mobilization work (we do both).

Q: I've been getting a bit of pain in the front of my hips when squatting.  I'm not sure whether it's the hips flexors or something else.  Squats with a stance around shoulder width are fine, as are any hip flexor exercises that work my legs in line with my body.

It's only when I squat with a slightly wider stance or do overhead squats that my hips are bothered.  It's only when I do leg raises with my legs apart, making a “Y” shape with my body, that I really feel the irritated muscle working.  Although these do seem to help it rather than cause it pain.

Do you have any idea what this could be? Or, tips on how to strengthen the area to avoid it?  Thanks for any insight you can offer.

A: Femoral anterior glide syndrome is a classic problem in people with poor lumbo-pelvic function (overactive hamstrings and lumbar erectors coupled with weak glutes). The hamstrings don’t exert any direct control over the femur during hip extension; their distal attachments are all below the knee.  So, as you extend the hip, there is no direct control over the head of the femur, and it can slide forward, irritating the anterior joint capsule.  This will give a feeling of tightness and irritation, but stretching the area will actually irritate it even more.

The secret is to eliminate problematic exercises for the short-term, and in the meantime, focus on glute activation drills.  The gluteus maximus exerts a posterior pull on the femoral head during hip extension, so if it’s firing to counteract that anterior glide caused by the humerus, you’re golden.  We outline several excellent drills in our Magnificent Mobility DVD; when handled correctly, you should see almost complete reduction of symptoms within a week.

Lastly, make sure that you're popping your hips through and CONSCIOUSLY activating your butt on all squats, deadlifts, good mornings, pull-throughs, etc.  Incorporate some single-leg work as well.  For now, though, keep your stance in for a few weeks, stay away from box squatting, and get some foam rolling done on your adductors, quads, hip flexors, ITB/TFL, and piriformis.

Q: Many members have complained about the thought of getting rid of the Smith Machine in our gym and replacing it with a power rack.  If you wouldn't mind giving me some ammo (arguments) to shoot them down , I’d really appreciate it.

A:

1. The Smith Machine offers less transfer to the real-world than free weight exercises.

2. Depending on the movement, the shearing forces on the knees and lumbar spine are increased by the fixed line of motion.

3. The lifter conforms to the machine, and not vice versa. Human motion is dependent on subtle adjustments to joint angle positioning; the body will always want to compensate in the most advantageous position possible. Fix the feet and fix the bar, and the only ways to get this compensation are inappropriate knee tracking and, more dangerously, loss of the neutral spine position.

4. Smith machines are generally more expensive.   I suspect that you could get a regular coat rack for about $2K cheaper – and it would take up less space.

Admittedly, I did put together an entire article on things that you actually CAN do with the Smith machine, but the truth is that you could just as easily do them on a fixed barbell in a power rack.

Have a great week, everyone.

EC

New Articles

Product Review: Foam Roller Plus

Contributor’s Corner: Jimmy Smith

My personal assistant will be compiling all of your responses over the next few days in hopes of making this newsletter the best it can be.  You can send your feedback to ec@ericcressey.com with the subject line “Newsletter Feedback.”  Thanks in advance for taking the time to make this newsletter even better.

The Clock is Ticking…

There are only ten days until the early registration deadline for the LA Strength and Performance Nutrition Seminar arrives.  People are coming from as far as England for this outstanding event; you definitely don’t want to miss out on an awesome speaking lineup:

-John Berardi

-Alwyn Cosgrove

-Dan John

-Mike Robertson

-Julia Ladewski

-Some guy named Cressey

There will be plenty of free goodies, complimentary Active Release® assessments and treatments, and loads of opportunities to talk shop with presenters and other coaches, trainers, and athletes.  Check it out now at www.LAStrengthSeminar.com.

A Review of Body Worlds

Those of you who have followed me for more than a few days should know by now that I’m an absolute functional anatomy geek.  So, as I’m sure you can imagine, I was absolutely stoked to hear that “Body Worlds” was coming to the Museum of Science here in Boston.  I’ve written in the past that Gross Anatomy – the course in which I spent about five hours per week with a bunch of cadavers for six months – was likely the most influential course I’ve ever taken.  Unfortunately, while this course was tremendous, few people in the fitness industry – or any industry, for that matter – have the opportunity to experience it.  The Body Worlds exhibit – made possible through a process known as “Plastination” – brings this experience to everyone.

Yesterday, I checked the exhibit out with Cassandra Forsythe, Tony Gentilcore, and Carl Valle, and we were all extremely impressed.  Suffice it to say that I was in full-fledged “functional anatomy geek” mode, so nobody in our group needed the earpiece for a guided tour!

The exhibit is featured in Boston until January 7, 2007, and is also on display in Houston and St. Paul for a limited time.  It’ll be coming to Vancouver in less than one month as well.  I would highly recommend it to anyone – and I don’t get a penny for saying so.  You can find more information at www.BodyWorlds.com.

I would also like to take this moment to mention that Cass and I caught Tony skipping in the museum at one point.  Apparently, you can still get excited about 3-D glasses if you’re 29 years old and can deadlift 560 pounds – but you will still look like a girly-man.

Q&A

Q: Why is it that when I go on an inversion table – whether it’s totally upside-down hanging by the ankles or just partially upside-down, my lower back actually hurts as it stretches?  I don't know whether it’s stretching or whether the total area is just relaxed from the gravity and daily crunch on the spine.

Any ideas?  I can't stay on it long enough to benefit.

A: Inversion tables aren't a universal treatment approach for lower back injuries.  They might work well with disc issues, but if you have another underlying pathology, there's a chance that this position will actually give you problems.  For example, I've seen people with SI joint problems who can't hang from a chin-up bar without pain.  You need to get a concrete diagnosis upon which to base treatment modalities - not just pick and choose what you think might work.

Q: I recently saw a tip from you where you encouraged those with shoulder impingement to stay away from back squats and use front squats instead.  I have to say that when I go heavy with front squats, my right shoulder is not happy.  What gives?

A: Front squats are actually an awesome SUBSTITUTE to use when someone has impingement; they keep the humerus out of the "at-risk" (externally rotated and abducted) position that you get with the back squat. A lot of people with impingement really struggle with back-squatting.

If you're having pain in the shoulder with front squats, I would guess that your problem is more likely to be related to your acromioclavicular (AC) joint.  It's very common for those with AC joint pathologies to get irritation from positioning weight right on that area.  If you’ve got AC joint problems, you’ll have pain with reaching across your chest, and performing dips and full range-of-motion bench presses.

Q:  I read your article Frequent Pulling For Faster Progress and I loved it. I just finished up week 4.  I see that I’ll be doing rack pulls for weeks 5-8.  Is there a percentage of my max I should be using?  Thanks in advance.

A: For the rack pulls, it really depends on where the pins are set.  Mid-shin will usually be slightly lower than your pull from the floor (starting from the weakest point in the strength curve).  Anything from the bottom of the kneecap up will generally be well above your max.  As a frame of reference, my best competition deadlift is 628, and I've done rack pulls above the kneecaps for 755x5.

It’s important to note that contrary to popular belief, pulling from pins above the kneecaps won’t help your lockout much in spite of the apparent specificity.  It’ll thicken up your upper back very quickly, though.  If you want to build your lockout, focus pulling against bands, chains, and weight releasers.  For more information on troubleshooting your sticking points, check out my article, Deadlift Diagnosis.

Lastly, don’t worry so much about percentages.  Sometimes, you just need to leave the numbers-crunching for the accountants and test the waters for yourself.

Q: I’m having a hard time getting my lower legs with the foam roller.  I just can’t get enough pressure applied; any tips?

A: Piece of cake!  Just use a tennis ball in place of the roller; you’ll be amazed at how much scar tissue this seemingly harmless ball can break down.  Most people will notice the most discomfort on the lateral head of the gastrocnemius, and this discomfort will intensify as they move up onto the peroneals.

Additionally, you would be well served to pick up The Stick; it gets the job done and is very versatile, so you can use it on several other hard-to-reach areas.

That does it for this week.  Until next Tuesday, train hard and have fun!

EC

Article Update

For those who missed it, I had an article published at T-Nation last week; check out 40 Random Thoughts if you’ve actually enjoyed what I’ve been spewing for the past 18 newsletters.  And if you didn’t, hopefully #19 will get you to come around.

Exclusive Interview: Carl Valle

I’ll admit it: I’m somewhat of a snob when it comes to “approving” of what other coaches do.  I’m so detailed and focused in what I do that I expect all of my peers to hold themselves to equally high standards.  The end result is that there really aren’t many people to whom I’m comfortable referring my clients and athletes.  Frankly, though, if someone is being interviewed, they’re people I consider to be in the upper echelon.

Along these same lines, there are not many people with whom I would talk sprinting mechanics for over an hour at 1AM following a random phone call.  Hell, there aren’t many people who can (or will) call me at 1AM period!  Carl Valle can do just that, though.  He’s extremely well-read and experienced, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a coach out there who can boast of being an expert sprint and swim coach – and understand regeneration protocols in phenomenal detail.  I’m fortunate to work with Carl on a daily basis now that I’m up in Boston, and there is no doubt in my mind that we’ll be churning out freaky athletes for years to come.

EC: Hey Carl, thanks for being with us today.  You just couldn’t get enough of me at the facility all day, huh?  Let’s get right to the meat and potatoes.  You know sprinting mechanics better than anyone with whom I’ve ever spoken personally; where did all this knowledge come from?

CV: Just wait until football season starts and you have to deal with my cranky moods if the 49ers are struggling; then ask if you’re getting enough of me!

Good question, though: where does one get good information on sprinting with so many clowns out there spewing misinformation?  Most of my knowledge stems from far better coaches who are willing to share their sources and experiences openly and I have been very lucky early on.  I owe a lot to Mike Corn from the USA Track and Field Coach’s education school for keeping the instructors and curriculum top-notch.  Each year is very humbling to me as I must throw out the ego and learn from not only the speakers presenting, but also from the coaches attending as well.  In order to take advantage of the enormous bank of information available from great minds you must do your homework with your anatomy and physiology to be on the same page.

My coaching experiences with athletes ranging from high school to world-class sprinters were daily reminders that you better do your research because you are dealing with people’s goals and sometimes even dreams.  During my days in Tampa and North Carolina, I felt I was doing the right things but I was very raw and didn’t have the ability to make the daily adjustments and refinements.  If I knew then what I know now, I think I would be the one speaking at clinics instead of the guy in the back scribbling notes!  Remember, wisdom is a product of both knowledge and experience, so do your reading, listening, and experimenting.

EC:  Let’s talk common myths in training for speed.  Where are people hopelessly misinformed?

CV: Myths exist because people are frankly lazy or are less passionate than many of the more successful coaches out there.  Running isn’t a mystery; it’s just elementary physics and gross anatomy and physiology that can be learned by anyone who puts in the time.  Too many people are looking for easy answers instead of investing in solid training information when trying to develop athletic performance.  Why do a cadaver dissection when you lean back and watch a DVD on the couch?  Perhaps the most common problem I see with this industry is so much lack of patience with improving a quality that one resorts to more “magical” methods because the boring and straightforward avenue sounds less attractive when a gadget or guru can do it twice as fast with half the effort.  After a few years of hearing the same myths over and over again from self-proclaimed online experts and traveling snake oil salesmen, I created three categories of speed myth propagators. They are:

The Gadget Guys – Those who push catalog equipment during their presentations and exaggerate the effectiveness of what this equipment can do for athletes.  I find that equipment must be used sparingly and that athletes must learn to control their bodies before adding any outside tool.  Two tools such as sleds and resistance lines are only 5% of most successful sprinting programs.

The Mechanics Masters – These frauds share drills or new theories of running and make things more complicated than they really are.  I do feel that technique is important but many times mechanical errors stem from program design, postural issues, strength and mobility factors, and other coaching needs besides a lack of drills from a DVD.  It’s analogous to a Tylenol deficiency causing headaches.

The Bomb Squad – These guys assume that every “explosive” exercise will develop speed better than foolishly sprinting from time to time.  Every one of these guys has a secret weight program they stole “Mission Impossible” style from the Russians and Germans.  The funny thing is that they always talk about 40-yard dash times of foreign athletes when those countries use the metric system!  Perhaps it was a translation error?

The truth is that speed development requires sprinting, strength and power training, work capacity, regenerative work (active recovery training, nutrition, and rest), and a great coach to artistically juggle those elements.

EC: You get a lot of high school and college athletes looking to get faster; what are the most common shortcomings you see in them, and how do you address these shortcomings?

CV: Most athletes come to me with small injuries that are at the nagging point that could grow into major problems if they are not treated early.  While many different and unique shortcomings exist, the most common three issues I deal with are poor fitness levels and little accountability in recovery factors.  Here are three factors athletes should consider when looking to improving their speed.

Work Capacity – While speed, strength, and power are the primary means to developing athletic performance, conditioning acts as an internal battery charger to the neuromuscular system and can’t be ignored.  So many athletes think they are overtraining, but in reality they don’t have a biochemical platform to self-repair and need to look at developing a specific work capacity to ensure they are supporting the high intensity elements in their programs.

Lack of Regeneration – The ability to improve requires consistency and an ample amount of time and (unfortunately) injury and illness are viruses that can plague any program if you are not doing enough regeneration work.  Everyone talks about cold lasers, exotic fish oils, and ART, but very few athletes get enough sleep and eat healthily.  Get the basics down and then talk about whey protein drinks and sports massage.

Bad Frames – Sprinting and power training work, but most athletes come in needing to lower body fat, correct muscle imbalances, and finish rehabbing injuries.  Athletes are like cars and need to clean out their trunk (get lean), fix their alignment (correct inefficiencies), and sometimes put their car in the shop (physical therapy).  Don’t come to a race shop to soup up your car if it is going to break down any minute on the highway.  Over the last few years I am getting more and more athletes with preexisting injuries that have not been solved and this is my primary challenge.  This is why I am thrilled to have you at Excel to help troubleshoot problems.

EC: I know you’re anything but mainstream in the avenues you pursue to gain your knowledge; what resources (books, DVDs, manuals) have you found to be the most valuable?

CV: Besides Magnificent Mobility and The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual, Eric?

EC: Those are in a class of their own, wise guy.  And remember that I’m a powerlifter and you’re a swimmer/runner; natural selection and the concept of food chains dictate that I can and should kill and eat you.  Continue…

CV: Believe it or not, I have found the early Paul Chek information to be useful since his correspondence courses deal with functional anatomy in depth, and, I am a huge fan of the Championship Productions Videos (Track and Swimming) because they share good information from real experts.

Books: If you have some money to spend, here are some good resources. I have about 800+ books and 120 five-inch binders of world class coaching content, so much of my info is from pieces here and there.  Two books that I find to be staples are:

Peak When It Counts: 4th Edition by William Freeman.  If you are serious about real periodization pick up this text from trackandfieldnews.com as well as the texts on sprinting, jumping, and throwing.

Strength and Power in Sport (Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine) edited by Paavo Komi – Very solid information with the best group of authors.  Worth the price and is the standard for any coach wanting to know what is needed to develop freaks.  Everyone has Supertraining, but I don’t find it to be as useful but it is important to review it to keep pushing the limit.

Building the Efficient Athlete DVD Set – To be honest I didn’t feel comfortable endorsing products of my friends and colleagues, but not endorsing aggressive corrective exercise would be a disservice. While I like the concept of corrective exercise, the means to evaluate and reprogram an athlete have not worked with my own clients when following some of the less progressive material. While I didn’t attend the seminar in person, the videos you’ve shown me and my knowledge of your abilities has made me realize that it’s going to be a great product that will help a lot of people.  If people are serious, they get the DVD series because it’s a good value and the material will help them do things at a high level themselves and with their athletes.  What I like about what you two did is that you made training an internal movement screen instead of just having people doing tests.  With the hundreds of tests you can do, it's nice to see why someone is compensating instead of just saying they failed a specific test.  This enables the coach to have a watch dog mentality during all training time and not just the assessment or post-training check-up.  It’s scary that there are people out there who are not even aware of concepts such as building a spine of steel and neurologically smooth coordination.

(Note from EC: This DVD set was filmed in late July, and should be available in mid-to-late September; stay tuned.)

Read the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA) World Books. My opinion is that the best minds are in swimming and that is a shame since aquatic sports don’t transfer too well to the rest of the field.  I wouldn’t get my weight training information from a swim coach, but you can learn a lot about the art of coaching from the good ones.

The rest of my information comes from exchanging USB drives at conferences, emails from coaches that type up their workouts, and chatting on the phone.  Half the information I refer to is unpublished content from other coaches that are organized in binders and, of course, locked in a secure storage facility.

EC: You’ve traveled all over the place to see people speak; who are some speakers that everyone needs to experience first hand?

CV: The problem with some coaches is that many don’t present information formally on any speaking circuit or conference because they don’t like to travel or are too busy to speak.  Here are some coaches, experts, and speakers that I find worth the time:

John Berardi, Charlie Francis, Dave Tate, Dan Wirth, Dick Jocums, Al Vermeil, Mike Boyle, Vern Gambetta, Bryan Tobias, Dan Pfaff, Kebba Tolbert, Dave Kerin, Randy Gillon, Adam Lockhart, Mike Stone, Travis Skaggs, William Kramer, Steven Fleck, Brijesh Patel, Landon Evans, Mike Clark, William Sands, Gray Cook, JJ Hunter, Dave Marsh, Phil Lunden, Gary Winckler, John Smith, Paul Chek, Tony Wells, Don Babbit, Art Vengas, Skip Kenney, Richard Quick, Nort Thorton, Mike Bottom, Paul Bergan, Wolfgang Mier, Boo Shexnayder, Mike Young, John Pallof, and some powerlifter named Eric Cressey.

Others speakers may exist, but those are the people I have listened to first-hand.  For example, I enjoy guys like Mike Robertson, John Sullivan, and Christian Thibaudeau but I have not attended any of their seminars.  Mel Siff has passed away, but his presentations were well done.  Some other guys are great resources, but the names I shared come to mind easily.

EC: Fast-forward five years…where is Carl Valle, and what are people saying about him?

CV: I don’t know where I will be in five years, but I do hope people think my efforts are noble in trying to keep the industry evolving and honest.  I am really frustrated with the huge influx of posers and frauds in our field, Eric, and I hope things change soon.  No matter what I do I will still be the guy that reads comic books, drinks too much coffee, and tells jokes at the wrong time – but at least I am known to be a help and not parasite or sellout.  I just want people to think my information is honest and accurate and my training creative and effective.  My goal is to be respected by people I respect.

EC: Word association time.  Name the first sentence or two that come to mind when you see the following words:

Charlie Francis

CV: Brilliant man and simply the best 100m coach of all time, regardless of the drugs involved.  Although forever linked to scandal, very few people know how generous and unselfish Charlie is as a person.

EC: John Berardi

CV: John has the rare ability to make the very complicated simple and practical without losing the effectiveness or key details.  His consulting was a wise investment and I am glad I pushed for his services.

EC: Resisted Sprints with the Sled

CV: They work, but sprinting without equipment can work, too.  I would invest my time running faster speeds instead of running with higher resistances.

EC: The Red Sox Bullpen

CV: I don’t know too much since I wear this Boston Red Sox hat to look like Ben Affleck since he landed Jennifer Garner.  Jokes aside, the bullpen has not been exactly shutting teams down and must rebound or the magic number will be 911.

EC (groaning in lament about the Sox): Excel Sport and Fitness Training

CV: The best facility and staff in New England – period.

EC: That’ll do it, Carl; thanks a ton for taking the time to be with us.  What projects have you got on your plate right now, and where can our readers find out more about those projects and you?

CV: Currently, I am working on two compendiums on training and recovery that have been started and given up on for six years.  If one likes Anatomy Trains or Sports Training Principles, you will enjoy the stuff I am working on.  My goal is to share something I will be proud of and a hardcopy should be available October 31, 2007.

Another major project is the supplement line of which I am a part, and this has taken nearly three years.  The company is called Myonova and we have two regeneration products that are superior; I’m very proud to be involved with them.  The Cytofuse product is an NCAA compliant post-workout formula and we have an antioxidant formula that is years ahead of those of our competitors.  August 31 will be the birth of the new label line, but we NCAA champion teams and many Olympic athletes have already been using the products for over two years.  For more information, go to www.myonova.com and read more about us (it will be up next Friday, August 25).

Finally, I have a few seminars at which I will speak provided it doesn’t interfere with training and my meet schedule; I like these chances to give back the industry.  When the information is solidified, I will email you and you can include it in your newsletter.  In the meantime, readers can contact me at phoenixelitecoaching@hotmail.com.

Newsletter #19 is in the books; see you next week!  Until then, don't forget that the early registration deadline on the LA Strength and Performance Nutrition Seminar is fast approaching; sign up today!

All the Best,

EC

Exclusive Interview: Julia Ladewski

EC: Hi Julia; thanks for being with us today.  For our readers who don’t know you, could you please fill them in a bit on your background and what you’re doing now?

EC: Now, you started out at Ball State, which is well known for producing some outstanding lifters and coaches.  What is it about Ball State?  Something in the water?  And, how the hell did that schmuck Robertson manage to get in?  I heard his father teaches there, so that must have had something to do with it.  But I digress…the floor is yours!

It’s been a crazy few days, as I made the move to Boston from Southern Connecticut yesterday – into this morning. The last box was taken off the truck at 12:30AM, and we’re now sorting through the madness around the new apartment. Fortunately, however, our Internet was rigged up this morning, so as a true workaholic, I’m sending this email out at 11:50PM on Tuesday night. I promise a Tuesday newsletter, and I’m a man of my word! Congratulations are in order!In the collegiate strength and conditioning realm, a lot of interns come and go. At risk of sounding judgmental, few really do much to distinguish themselves. Maybe they’re just there for college credit, or they just don’t have the passion for taking an athlete’s success to heart. Every so often, though, you get an intern who is a diamond in the rough – and Mike Irr is one diamond with whom I was fortunate to work while at the University of Connecticut. To be blunt, at only 22 years of age, Mike has already shown that he is one of the few people in the industry who really “gets it.” He’s a tremendously hard-working and passionate coach, and just as importantly, he’s open-minded and unconditionally positive. Last week, all those excellent qualities and diligence paid off for Mike. I received a phone call from Mike telling me that his internship with the Chicago Bulls this summer had gone so well that he was offered a position as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the team. Keep an eye out for the Bulls in the months and years to come; they just added one hell of a coach to their staff. Congratulations, Mike!

A Strength and Performance Nutrition Symposium Update

Q&A

A Building the Efficient Athlete Update

Dr. Berardi on The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual

An Interview with EC: Diesel Crew Style

Congratulations to Jon Boyle!

This could possibly be the longest report of my life.  I promise that I will try to plug in humor along the way so that you all can make it through.  I promise I've left out everything that doesn't have to be said and included everything that has to be said.  Keep in mind that might be in my terms, a simple race report might just go like: “It hurt like a damned bitch.  I finished.”

Last week, I promised that another big announcement would come in this newsletter, and I’m not going to go back on my word.  We officially confirmed the speaking lineup and location for what I believe will be a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime event: The Los Angeles Strength and Performance Nutrition Seminar.  This amazing event will take place on September 16-17 and feature panel of speakers with expertise in a variety of areas:

• Dr. John Berardi
• Alwyn Cosgrove
• Dan John
• Eric Cressey
• Mike Robertson
• Julia Ladewski

Jesse Burdick and Dr. Ryan Smith will also be on-hand to perform complimentary ART all weekend and help out with a few presentations.  Likewise, there will be plenty of bright writers, coaches, and trainers (not to mention some experienced lifters) from the fitness industry in attendance, so networking opportunities will abound.  I’ll have more information and a link to the official seminar homepage in next week’s newsletter; for now, you can follow along here.

More Outstanding Feedback on The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual

“Your Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual is jam-packed with tons of must-have information for the coach and the athlete!  Not only do you point out the problems in the majority of off-season training programs, but you have thoroughly posed solutions that have been proven in the trenches.  Not only are these proven in the trenches, but they are also very easy to follow, and I respect the fact that with all your knowledge, you did NOT try to impress the reader with overcomplicated methods and terminology.  This is a user-friendly manual that I'll be re-reading frequently.  This manual must be in the hands of all coaches who are looking for effective ways to truly improve their team's athletic capabilities! Bottom line, this is a Must-Read!”

Zach Even-Esh

www.UndergroundCombatTraining.com

"I received my copy of "The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual" a couple of days ago and have been holding off writing anything about it until I'd absorbed as much as the information as I could.

Check it out for yourself now!

New Articles!

I had two articles published last week; be sure to check them out when you get a chance:

Shoulder Savers: Part III

Hanging with Eric Cressey, an interview by Maki Riddington

Contributor’s Corner: Nate Green

Most of you probably aren’t familiar with Nate Green, but don’t forget the name; he’s one of the true rising stars in this industry.  Keep an eye out for great things from him in the future; here’s a sneak peak.

Let it Flow: A Quick Lesson in Optimal Experience

By: Nate Green

Psychology has always fascinated me. At the deepest level, I figure if you can understand how people think—what motivates, aggravates, and incapacitates their total progress, whether in the gym, the kitchen, on the field, or in any faculty of life, really—it’s easier and more exciting to coach them while having a significantly more powerful impact on their overall performance.

So, like EC and his somewhat scary, lustful quest for knowledge obtained from training, coaching, and business books, I’m pretty much a psychology whore—except I’m a much higher grade prostitute than Eric “dirty boy” Cressey – but don’t tell him that!

It’s with this in mind that I would like to introduce an interesting “smack-your-forehead-obvious-but-rarely-elaborated” concept to you: the process of flow.  Coined by renowned psychologist, Mike Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced “cheeks sent me high”), flow describes a state in which one is so completely engaged with a favorable, enjoyable task that time seems to stop.

Now, while that may sound all well and good, Csikszentmihalyi is careful to differentiate between pleasures and enjoyments as they pertain to flow.  While pleasures are seen more as consumption oriented activities that satisfy biological needs—bodily pleasures such as delectable tastes, soothing sounds, orgasms, and the like—enjoyments (or gratifications) are categorized as building psychological capital. Simply put, enjoyments, while they may not bring about intense bodily pleasures at the moment, cause us to invest in absorption and a feel a greater sense of accomplishment in retrospect.

Here are the components of flow:

• The task is challenging and require skill
• We concentrate
• There are clear goals
• We get immediate feedback
• We have a deep involvement
• There is a sense of control
• Time stops

As Dr. Martin Seligman points out in his book Authentic Happiness, “…flow is a frequent experience for some, but this state visits many others rarely if at all.”  I believe that those of us into this whole “fitness thing” experience flow on a much more regular basis than the average individual.  Whether we’re gasping for air after our last set of squats, taking our third lap around the track, or sinking into a hot, Epsom salt bath, I think it’s safe to say that fitness enthusiasts, whether athletes or weekend warriors, are constantly engaged in a sort of flow continuum.

Take a look back up to the list of components.  Which ones describe the way you feel while in the gym or playing your sport?  All of them?  Good.  Personally, I couldn’t imagine not being dedicated to lifestyle that brings about such high ‘psychological capital’.

Seligman writes, “While we moderns have lost the distinction between the pleasures and gratifications, the golden age Athenians were keen on it.  For Aristotle, distinct from bodily pleasures (eudaimonia) is akin to grace in dancing.  Grace is not an entity that accompanies the dance or comes at the end of the dance; it is part and parcel of a dance well done.”

That’s good stuff.

However, while both Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi separate pleasure from flow, I beg to differ slightly.  While they’re both incredibly intelligent and renowned psychologists, I have reason to suspect that their physical conditioning may not be quite up to par with their “mental muscle.”

Now, if you have Dr. John Berardi’s Precision Nutrition program (which you should), you know all too well that your meals can be both pleasurable (with the right spices and food combinations) and gratifying (with the right macronutrient balance and other healthy effects).  And, if you’ve ever been under hundreds of pounds of iron, you know that the cold bar against your hands just feels right, the way it bends just looks cool, the inhalation of chalk dust just smells, well, chalky. But along with those simple pleasures come the other enjoyable consequences (consequences can be defined as either negative or positive) associated with weight training: better body composition, proper and realistic goal setting, and increased psychological capital and motivation to just set the bar higher.

If you get a “rush” or a “high” from training, good for you; now you know that you’re also building a strong foundation of good habits, strength in every respect, and a strong base upon which you can build.  When the bar hits the ground, inhale deeply and let the whole experience flow right through you.

Just don’t forget to exhale.

About the Author

Nate Green is a member of the Advisory Team for Maximum Fitness magazine, holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and is a NFPT certified trainer who works with clients in his hometown of Whitefish, Montana.  He is currently reading everything on which he can get his hands, constantly pestering industry professionals for advice, and preparing to make a splash in the fitness realm. You can contact Nate at nategreen03@hotmail.com.

I'm headed to New York City this weekend for our long-awaited Building the Efficient Athlete seminar, but I'll be back next Tuesday with more fresh material for you.  Have a great week!

EC

Following its release last week, I received a lot of interest in my latest project, The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual.  All the feedback I’ve received thus far has been fantastic; people literally haven’t been able to put the manual down once they start reading it!  Here’s what a few readers had to say:

“I just received your manual and opened it up to take what I thought would be a quick glance.  ‘Suddenly,’ I found myself three hours later not wanting to put it down. The information you provided in this manual is absolutely fantastic.  I've competed in two professional sports, getting only so far with each one; I can honestly say that the off-season training I did for both is really what ultimately got me there.

“This manual would have had a tremendous impact on my training. It would have taken the guessing and hoping out of my routines and instead given me the confidence needed to attack my training sessions. The routines provided are also extremely helpful, as they not only guide you in the beginning, but take you all the way through a legitimate off-season.  I can't say enough how I wish I had something like this while in college and through out my professional athletic career. This is a must-have for athletes and coaches; I highly recommend it.”

Al Caslow

Elite Powerlifter, Former NFL Wide Receiver

www.sostrength.com

“I just finished reading your off-season training manual and had to email to tell you how awesome it was. This manual is going to have a huge impact on the Strength and Conditioning world. I love how it is not just a cookie cutter program and rather a presentation that leaves the reader with the tools to design his/her own off-season programs for their individual sports.

“Congrats on a great product!”

AJ Roberts

www.theirongladiator.com

www.irongladiators.com

"The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual  is a complete training resource that provides for the practical application of the subject matter that it contains. Through the use of scientific foundations and anecdotal evidence, Eric effectively spans the spectrum of planning considerations specific to non-competitive phases of training. Well done.”

James Smith

www.EliteFTS.com

www.PowerDevelopmentInc.com

With that said, I thought it might be a good idea to give you all a little taste of what you can expect; here’s the foreword to the manual:

Foreword

-                                                           -Georg Christoph Lichtenburg

Not a week goes by that I don’t receive a dozen emails from athletes who want the secret to getting bigger, leaner, faster, stronger, and more agile in the off-season. They don’t want to just improve; they want to dominate their competition when the next season arrives.

Pick up your copy today!

Exclusive Interview: Chris Mohr, PhD, RD

As you read this interview, I’ll actually be lifting and grabbing a bit to eat up in Boston with this week’s interviewee.  Some of you might not be familiar with Dr. Chris Mohr, so after reading this interview, you might be inclined to think that he’s and “up-and-coming star” in the world of nutrition for health and human performance.  I beg to differ; Chris is already a star – you just might not know about him yet.

Dr. Mohr has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Nutrition, from Penn State University and the University of Massachusetts, respectively.  He received his PhD in exercise physiology from the University of Pittsburgh and is also a registered dietitian.  He has consulted with various media outlets and corporations, including the Discovery Health Channel, Clif Bar, Fit Fuel, and Labrada Nutrition.  Chris works with all types of individuals, from soccer moms to collegiate and professional athletes.  He has authored or co-authored several textbooks that are to be published in 2007, including a sports nutrition textbook for Human Kinetics and a book, The Platinum Body, on which he consulted with LL Cool J.  In all, Chris has written over 500 articles for consumer publications such as Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health, and Muscle and Fitness, to name a few.  In short, this guy knows his stuff!

EC: Hi Chris, thanks for taking the time to be with us today.  We typically focus a lot on the training end of the spectrum with our interviews, but I think that having more nutrition talk will be a good thing with “beach season” upon us.  Let’s get right to it…randomly toss out ten things that our readers can do right now to optimize their nutritional plans?

CM:

1. Add at least one fruit and/or vegetable to EVERY meal.
2. Replace saturated and trans fats with fish oil, flax, olive oil, and other healthy fats.
3. Drink more tea – green and black, as both offer a ton of benefits.
4. Use a pre-, during-, and post-workout product that offers a carbohydrate:protein blend of about 2-3:1
5. Drink more water.
6. Think fiber, not carbs; whole grains are awesome, unless it’s pre-, during-, or post-workout.
7. Write down what you eat on a daily basis/
8. Eat at least one handful of almonds and/or walnuts daily.
9. Add berries to your diet.
10. Always eat breakfast.

EC: It goes without saying that you’re one of the industry leaders in the field of nutrition for health, performance, and body composition, but who were your mentors?  Likewise, who are the other individuals within the industry with whom you communicate on a daily basis for advanced nutrition knowledge?

CM:  I like to read all that I can – the good, the bad, and the ugly – to keep me in the loop of what’s out there being said, promoted, etc.  With that said, here are some folks I really trust for their nutrition knowledge – well, it’s nobody; I know all the answers!  Just kidding, of course.  John Berardi is great and a good friend, Tom Incledon is very knowledgeable, and I also look to Dave Ellis, who is a dietitian and strength coach who works with many pro/college teams or athletes in every sport.

EC: We’ve talked about the good guys, so how about the bad?  What frustrates you the most about this industry?

CM: The thing that frustrates me the most are those who only want that quick fix; they want all the results, with none of the work.  I hate the different fad diets that come out nearly every day.  Carbs are bad; now they’re good.  Fat is the devil; now it’s the greatest thing in the world.  Nutrition does not have to be that difficult; sure, there are some intricacies that will help you improve body comp, achieve goals, etc., but stick with the basics.  And don’t live off of supplements.  I received an email from a reader the other day with a list of EIGHTEEN different products he was taking and there were about three of each product, just different brands (creatine with dextrose, without, effervescent, three different multivitamins, and more).  Food works pretty damn well – and supplements can of course be beneficial, but don’t try to live off them!

EC: Let’s go with a little word association game.  What 2-3 sentences come to mind when I mention the following words/phrases?

The Food Guide Pyramid - Wish there was more focus on quality of nutrients.  If you’re stuck on a pyramid, I like the Mediterranean Food Pyramid, which emphasizes whole grains, fish, fruits and veggies, and healthy fats.

John Berardi - John is a great guy, very knowledgeable, and a good friend.  Although when he lumps all sports dietitians together as not knowing their head from their ass, he’s barking up the wrong tree!

Fasting - If you want to lose a lot of lean body mass, it’s REALLY effective.  You may be 120 years old when you die because of the extended life from caloric restriction, but you’ll wish you died when you started fasting.

Digestive Enzymes - Depends on your situation.  I don’t believe everyone needs them; the body works pretty darn well, but some folks may benefit from adding them to their regimen.

Eating Organic - Great if you can afford it.  I’m more concerned with folks first getting some healthier foods in their diets; many folks eat less than one fruit and/or vegetable each day.  I’d rather have them start there and just add healthier foods than worrying about paying a lot for organic foods.  If you can afford it, great, but more importantly, start making positive changes from your current diet without worrying too much about the organic thing and then “graduate” to that.

EC: If our readers want to be at the top of their game nutrition-wise, what are a few resources they need to check out?

CM:

Yes, the first two are shameless, self-promoting plugs:

1. Human Inferno – A manual to help you with fat loss; I wrote it with Alwyn Cosgrove
2. Weapons for Mass – Another manual I co-authored, this time with Dr. Greg Bradley-Popovich.
3. Gourmet Nutrition by John Berardi and John Williams
4. Fundamental Fueling Tactics DVD by Dave Ellis, RD, CSCS

EC: Similarly, who are five speakers they should see present?

CM: Alwyn Cosgrove, Craig Ballantyne, John Berardi, Phil Kaplan, and, of course, Eric Cressey.  Well, they should see me too.

EC: What’s new in your world?  I know you’re traveling a ton this summer; please fill us in on what has been on your agenda. Any new projects coming up?

CM:  I am traveling a ton this summer – lots of work, but of course some pleasure too.  So aside from being all over the country in the next few months, I’m working on another cool fat loss project with Alwyn Cosgrove and am in the early stages of a very cool project with someone else in my company that we plan to launch in the fall.  Stay tuned for more details.  I also just wrapped up some work on a book I did with LL Cool J and his trainer that will be coming out in January, in addition to a Sports Nutrition Textbook I co-authored for Human Kinetics that will be out in February 2007.  So, lots of stuff on the horizon!

EC: Thanks for being with us today, Chris.  Where can our readers find out more about you?

CM:  Thanks, Eric!

Check out www.MohrResults.com, www.WeaponsForMass.com, and www.HumanInferno.com.

That’s all for this week.  Before I sign off, I want to remind our readers in the NY/NJ and New England area that we have a few spots remaining for Mike Robertson and my “Building the Efficient Athlete” seminar in New York City on July 22-23.  If you’re interested, please drop me an email at ec@ericcressey.com.

Hi Folks,

After a week of traveling and an insane amount of planning, we’re back on track with Newsletter #13.  And, this newsletter won’t disappoint; I’ve got some great news to share with you.

New Product: The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual

First up, I’m pleased to announce that my first solo project is now available.  It’s been close to a year in the making, but The Ultimate Off-Season Manual is now available for purchase.

It seems very fitting that this publication comes less than one week after five athletes who had a profound impact on my development as a coach were drafted into the NBA. From a team of twelve basketball players (nine on scholarships), five were drafted into the NBA (four in the first round), one will be a free agent signing, and a seventh received a two-year contract to be an NFL tight-end. In this same year, three of our athletes were drafted into the WNBA (two in the first round).

You can find out more about the manual at www.UltimateOffSeason.com.

The Syracuse Strength Spectacular: A Quick Recap and Thank You

I also wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who made it out to Syracuse last weekend for what proved to be the single-best conference at which I’ve ever been present.  Going in, I considered myself extremely fortunate to be included in such an incredible lineup of speakers: Dave Tate, Jim Wendler, Joe DeFranco, Buddy Morris, Michael Hope, and James Smith.  As I left, I realized that I was just as fortunate to be a part of what was unquestionably the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable audience I’ve ever encountered.  I guess only the die-hards make it out to Syracuse in June!

In case you missed it, here is how a few of those in attendance responded to the question, “If you were asked what you thought of the seminar, what would you say?”

• “This was the best $225 that I have ever spent in the area of learning/education of training. I would recommend it to all that will ever ask. Attendee number was just right, not too many and not too small.”
• “This was the best seminar I have ever been to. Normally you pick up one or two things at a seminar. I have eight pages full and that was just from the time I spent talking to the presenters in the hallway and lunch room. You never see this type of interaction anywhere.”
• “In a field where the coaches are so "catty" because they don't want anyone to know what they are doing, probably because they are doing f**king wrong, this seminar shoved it in all of their faces. Thank you for the chance to attend and for helping me progress me even more as a conditioning coach.”
• “Very informative and a departure from run of the mill, impractical, ineffective guru crap.”
• “I have been asked...I said it was very informative. Also the lineup of presenters was f**king amazing. The fact that many of the attendees are top in their field, too, was a testament to the credibility of the presenters. This was the third seminar I've been to and this was hands-down the best.”
• “Worth much more than the price of the entire weekend just for the networking opportunities. Overall a tremendous weekend.”
• “The seminar was great and very informative. It was better than some of the bulls**t research ones I've been to before. I was down to earth - the real deal!”
• “A valuable resource and if one were interested in setting themselves apart from the rest of the pack, this seminar is a must!”
• “If you missed it, you screwed up...”
• “This is the real deal, the real application. This is the mixture of philosophy and practicality, there is not mumbo jumbo talk made to impress anyone, and the presenters have FREE reign to speak on what they want. This comes from coaches who have a proven track record of HIGH success with countless athletes of all levels, ready and willing to share their information in a down to earth manner. This is the place to be when you want to get down with the nitty gritty and learn how coaches take many athletes with little ability and then transform them into a**kickers. I would say, if you're remotely serious in training others, get you’re a** to this seminar and see what it's all about!”
• “I would say that if you're interested in becoming a strength coach, trainer or are interested in powerlifting, this is definitely something you should not have missed. I would say that it was well worth the money. It exceeded my expectations.”
• “Amazing quality of the people.  Each of them said things that made a difference in what I ‘thought’ I knew. Left there knowing that I am the luckiest guy to be working in a field with this kind of ‘leadership’ - amazing people.”
• “I was reminded of concepts I had overlooked and that I needed to reinforce. The seminar left me feeling like my brain was full and provided for a great car ride back home. I met some great people and I look forward to the next seminar.”
• “Quite pleased. It let me know where I was on the knowledge curve, and motivated me to practice my profession and train harder than I was even before the seminar.”
• “The entire weekend was fantastic and I can't say enough great things about it. It was a great experience to hear so many knowledgeable and bright people in the field speak.”
• “Great mix of theory and practice from people who walk the walk and talk the talk.”
• “One the best I've ever been to; it was relevant to what the audience does.  No bullshit – professional - yet relaxed atmosphere.  I could not have asked for a better experience.”

You might be asking: why is EC bothering to post these survey results?  Well, the answer is very simple: we’re likely going to be doing this again in the not-so-distant future, so don’t miss out next time!  Keep an eye out for details in the months to come…

"Building the Efficient Athlete" Seminar

A few seats remain for Mike Robertson and my "Building the Efficient Athlete" seminar, which will take place in New York City July 22-23.  This will be a great opportunity to take your program design and coaching abilities to the next level; you don't want to miss it.  For more information, please email me at ec@ericcressey.com.

A Great Read

As some of the survey results show, a lot of people can use opportunities like seminars to open their eyes to new perspectives.  It seems only fitting to stick with this trend with our recommended reading for the week.  I stumbled onto this short-topic article when I saw the name of the author: Dr. Jeff Volek.  I studied under Dr. Volek at UCONN, and he’s one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of low carbohydrate diets for health and performance.  As I’m sure you can imagine, given the area of his expertise, Dr. Volek isn’t afraid to rock the boat and make you think about what you’ve held as sacred for your entire lives.  With that said, check out Genius Junk Food.

Expectations

I’m currently back home in Maine visiting my family for the 4th of July holiday, so naturally, I have been hitting up my old gym for some lifts while I’m here.  When I’m back in Connecticut, I lift at South Side Gym, a training facility so hardcore that even the cockroaches are afraid to cause trouble.  As I’m sure you can imagine, these two training environments are markedly different.

As it turned out, this is a low stress training week, so I didn’t have a ton of training to do back here in Maine.  Nonetheless, I went in to the gym and hit up eight easy sets of two reps with 335 pounds for my dynamic squat work, and then moved on to speed deadlifts for 8x1 with 455.  I did a few sets of reverse lunges and some bar rollouts, and called it a session – nothing too revolutionary or challenging for me, as it was a recovery week.  Not surprisingly, though, everyone in the gym looked at me like I had two heads for the entire time I trained.  Hell, they looked at me like I was nuts when I passed 135 in my warm-up!

Back at South Side, I squat in a training crew with five legitimate 700-pound squatters, one 800-pound squatter, and two 900-pound squatters.  When we pull, I tend to redeem myself, but that’s not to say that there is a single guy in that crew who can’t push me to move bigger weights day-in and day-out.  The bench press and all our assistance work is no difference.  It’s expected that I do the same for them.

Dave Tate touched on this in great detail out in Syracuse last weekend.  Training in a great environment is one thing that will undoubtedly make you a much more successful lifter, but only if the expectations put on you (by others and yourself) in that environment are high will you reach the next level.  For the guys at South Side, 455 pounds on the bar is nothing; they expect me to do more, and because I know that, I expect it of myself, too.  In the general fitness setting, though, you don’t get those expectations; mediocrity (at best) surrounds you, so you become content to be mediocre.

Some people might think that it would have felt great for my ego to come back home and be the strongest guy in the gym, but that couldn’t be further from the truth; I hate lifting anywhere where there aren’t expectations in place for me.  I wish that one of the old ladies in the gym had come up and called me out for being a sissy and not slapping another plate on the bar.

What does this mean for you?  It’s very simple:

1. Find a great training environment.

2. Find some good training partners.

3. Make it clear to them that you expect a ton of them and that they should expect a ton of you.

That does it for this week.  We’ll be back next week with more exclusive material.

To our American audience, have a Safe and Happy Fourth of July!  To those abroad, who said you could take a break?  This is our holiday; get back in the gym!

EC