I've been following the Diesel Crew guys for a few years, but it wasn't until the past year or so that I had the opportunity to start interacting with Jim "Smitty" Smith regularly. In the short time that I've known him, Smitty has really impressed me; he is without a doubt one of the most knowledgeable and innovative guys in the "biz." The interview below is just a small sample of the tremendous amount Smitty has to offer; enjoy!
EC: Okay, Smitty, I know quite a bit about you, but that's not to say that our readers can be sure that you're not a complete poser. Tell is about yourself.
JS: I've been involved in strength training since 1995 and a strength coach since 2001. I have gotten a few certifications over the years, but have most of my knowledge from years of self study, competing in sports and strongman competitions.
I co-founded the Diesel Crew, along with Jedd Johnson, in late 2001 and have been developing the Diesel Method since then. We've been utilizing powerlifting, odd objects, kettlebells, weightlifting, and Grip strength protocols to build athletes to their greatest potential.
I believe we have a solid reputation for being innovators and hopefully provide strength coaches and fitness professionals with new ideas to improve their strength programs.
EC: You're about as creative a person in this industry as I've met. You're like MacGyver; you could train a blind man with no arms and legs with just a book of matches, some Blue Heat, and a burrito. How did you get so creative? Do you sniff glue or something?
JS: What have you heard? Let's not talk about college.
Seriously, when people first see our products, I am sure they say to themselves, "Damn, I would have never thought of that exercise." I take a lot of pride in that.
When Jedd and I first started, we had no money and no equipment. All we had was a great desire to succeed. If we had an idea for an exercise, but we didn't have the equipment, we had to make it or improvise.
For instance, in the EliteFTS Q&A Exercise Index, you'll see one unique way to train atlas stones right in a commercial gym without atlas stones and even a cool way to train farmer's walks without farmer's walk implements. These are just two quick examples.
But it is much more than being creative with equipment when you are poor.
If athletes or coaches are participating in or training with powerlifting components, they typically only use powerlifting techniques. If people are utilizing odd objects in their training, they also typically only use these techniques and exercises.
But, we saw great potential benefit trying to combine techniques from each protocol into one system. We called it the Diesel Method.
One example would be to take typical keg lifting (odd object) and perform beyond the range (powerlifting) bear hug good mornings. This BTR hip extension has huge carryover for gluteal firing and neutral lumbar stability endurance.
EC: You and Jedd are the go-to guys when it comes to grip training. What are the most common mistakes you're seeing people make with their grip training?
JS: Grip training is not only about getting your hands stronger; it is also about preventing imbalances, training specificity (General, General Specific) for your sport and finally learning how to channel the power generated by your body through your hands. The body works in integration and everything is connected. Grip is typically the weakest link in this coordinated kinetic chain. Strength programs focus on developing limit strength, rate of force development, power, speed, agility and so on - but we still must be able to express this strength through our hands to play any sport! That is why Grip strength is so important.
For example, if you're a boxer whose hands, wrists, and elbows are weak or beat up from tons of sparring, you are very quickly going to:
- become injured from impact - cannot provide adequate contraction of musculature
- become injured from too much tendon and soft tissue trauma - poor restoration
- become limited in your ability to generate a powerful punch - poor neural expression
To determine how to implement Grip protocols into your training, check the Needs Analysis for the sport and go from there.
EC: I know you're got a pretty good corrective training background; have you been able to apply some of this grip work in that capacity to prevent/rehabilitate injuries to the elbows, forearms, and wrists?
JS: Eric, you know we need to create balance in our movements. If we have balance in movements, improved soft-tissue quality, neural grooving of firing - then we'll have proper functioning. The same goes for Grip.
You used the example in your Sturdy Shoulder seminar of people who sit in flexion, type in flexion, watch TV in flexion, play video games in flexion all day long. These people MUST do extension, mobility, and soft tissue work.
Similarly, a comprehensive grip protocol would include; flexion (fingers, wrists), extension (fingers, wrists), supination, pronation (radial/ulnar), ulnar / radial deviation (wrist), internal / external rotation (humerus), adduction / abduction (fingers) - everything from the fingertips to the shoulders. Remember, everything is connected.
Now, once these movements, imbalances, and injuries have been addressed, we move to Level II, where we start to learn how to express power through the hands. That is where irradiation or co-contraction comes into play.
The lower arm musculature is part of the whole kinetic chain. You'll immediately see this when you move into finger into extension against a rubber band or sand (bucket), and the musculature that crosses your elbow contracts. Why is that? Because we know that if a muscle crosses a joint it affects that joint. That is why when you clench your fist as hard as you can, your forearm, biceps, triceps, deltoid, and lat contract as well. That is how the kinetic chain works, and we can utilize this to our benefit in our training.
EC: Let's talk about the Jim Smith library. What are your top five resources?
JS:
1. All the standards:
-Essentials of Strength and Conditioning, by Baechle and Earle
-Supertraining, by Siff
-Science and Practice of Strength Training: 2nd Ed., by Zatsiorsky and Kraemer
-Designing Resistance Training Programs, by Kraemer and Fleck
2. The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual, by Cressey
3. Starting Strength, by Rippletoe and Kilgore
4. Afterburn I & II, by Cosgrove
5. James Smith's Manuals
6. The Coach's Strength Training Playbook, by Kenn
7. Chu's Plyometric books
The list goes on and on. Some I reread regularly, some I use as a reference.
I would recommend that your subscribers also do the following:
1. Print out articles and categorize them by topic: nutrition, periodization, sport, protocol, etc. Now, take these articles and get a bunch of 3-ring binders and create a binder for each category.
2. Make a goal for yourself that each day you will: read one article, read one blog post, add one article to your binder(s), email someone on a question you have, start or create an article yourself.
3. With the idea of always trying to improve yourself, attend every seminar, clinic, and/or conference you can. I've spent thousands this year in the never-ending pursuit of knowledge.
EC: You've got a new manual: "Building the Ultimate MMA Athlete." Fill us in a bit on it.
JS: I've been a huge MMA for years and coming from a wrestling background, I have been formulating ideas for years to put in this manual, specifically training the functional movement patterns for combat athletics. It started as a small project and ended up being an eight-month project ending with a 300-page manual.
I have gotten an overwhelmingly great response to the book because it is not your standard deadlifts, pull-ups, and cleans type of manual. Of course, those exercises form the foundation of the program and are in there, but I wanted to go above and beyond that standard school of thought. I used every implement known to man and took the three functional positions; Standing/Clinch, the Guard, and the Mount, and built the programs and exercises around them.
My next manual, Chaos Training, is also going to open a lot of eyes and minds on what "functional" training really is.
EC: Cool stuff; thanks a ton for taking the time, Smitty. How can our readers contact you?
JS: The best bet is to go through our websites, www.DieselCrew.com .
EC: A note to our readers: Smitty's new Combat Coree-book is an absolutely awesome read that I highly recommend to everyone interested in learning about true "core stability" and "functional training." I reviewed it HERE.
In Part 1 of this article series, I discussed everything that was wrong with distance running for pitchers. In Part 2, I'll outline my thoughts on how to best integrate conditioning for pitchers between throwing sessions. This article will focus on managing starters, but I suspect you'll find that managing relievers isn't entirely different aside from the fact that you'll need to "roll with the punches" a bit more.
I think the best way to introduce this article is to describe a coincidence from the beginning of the year. On January 5, I received an email from one of my pro pitchers asking me if I could outline some thoughts on my between-start strength and conditioning mentality, as his old college pitching coach had asked for his input from him, as he was a student of the game and had tried some non-traditional ideas. In response to that email, I replied with essentially everything I'll describe in this article - plus everything I outlined in Part 1 with respect to how bad a choice distance running is.
The coincidence didn't become apparent until a week or two later when I got my hands on the January installment of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, which featured a study entitled "Noncompatibility of power and endurance training among college baseball players."
These researchers divided a collegiate pitching staff into two groups of eight over the course of a season, and each group did everything identically - except the running portion of their training programs. Three days per week, the "sprint" group did 10-30 sprints of 15-60m with 10-60s rest between bouts. The endurance group performed moderate-to-high intensity jogging or cycling 3-4 days per week for anywhere from 20-60 minutes.
Over the course of the season, the endurance group's peak power output dropped by an average of 39.5 watts while the sprinting group increased by an average of 210.6 watts (1). So, basically what I'm saying is that I was right all along - and I'm totally going to brag about it. Part 1 of this series simply justified all of my thoughts; now it's time to put them into a framework.
Some Prerequisite Q&A
As a response to Part 1, I got an email from a college pitching coach looking for some further details, and here were his questions (bold) and my answers:
Q: Is running 1-2 miles once a week considered distance running?
A: I'd call anything over 150m "distance running" in a pitching population, believe it or not. I haven't had a baseball player run over 60 yards in two years - and even when they go 60, they're build-ups, so only about 50% of that distance is at or near top speed.
Q: Is running 10 poles in 30s with one minute of rest considered distance?
A: Let's say it takes 30s to run a pole, and then you rest a minute (1:2 work: rest ratio). Then, you go out and pitch, where you exert effort for one second and rest 20s (1:20 work:rest ratio). This is the equivalent of a 100m sprinter training like a 1500m runner.
Q: Don't you need some endurance to pitch a complete 9-inning game?
A: If all endurance was created equal, why didn't Lance Armstrong win the New York or Boston Marathon? Endurance is very skill specific. Additionally, there is a huge difference between exerting maximal power over 20-25 individual efforts with near complete rest (a sample inning) and exerting submaximal efforts repeatedly with no or minimal rest.
Q: What about guys who are overweight? What should they do?
A: Fat guys should be paperweights, bouncers, sumo wrestlers, or eating contest champions. If they want to be successful players at the D1 level or beyond, they'll sack up and stop eating crap. Several years ago, I promised myself that I would never, ever try to use extra conditioning to make up for poor diet.
Q: What are your thoughts on interval training?
A: We know that interval training is superior to steady state cardio for fat loss, but the important consideration is that it must be specific to the sport in question.
These responses should set the stage for the following points:
1. The secret is to keep any longer duration stuff low-intensity (under 70% HRR) and everything else at or above 90% of max effort (this includes starts, agilities, and sprints up to 60yds). For more background on this, check out the McCarthy et al. study I outlined in Part 1.
2. Ideally, the low-intensity work would involve significant joint ranges-of-motion (more to come on this below).
3. Don't forget that pitchers rarely run more than 15 yards in a game situation.
4. Strength training and mobility training far outweigh running on the importance scale.
5. If you need to develop pitching specific stamina, the best way to achieve that end is to simply pitch and build pitch counts progressively. If that needs to be supplemented with something to expedite the process a bit, you can add in some medicine ball medleys - which can also be useful for ironing out side-to-side imbalances, if implemented appropriately. However, a good off-season throwing program and appropriate management of a pitcher early in the season should develop all the pitching specific endurance that is required.
The 5-Day Rotation
In a case of a five-day rotation, here is how we typically structure things. Keep in mind that dynamic flexibility and static stretching are performed every day.
Day 0: pitch
Day 1 (or right after pitching, if possible): challenging lower body lift, push-up variation (light), horizontal pulling (light), cuff work
Day 2: movement training only, focused on 10-15yd starts, agility work, and some top speed work (50-60 yds)
Day 3: bullpen (usually), single-leg work, challenging upper body lift (less vertical pulling in-season), cuff work
Day 4: low-intensity dynamic flexibility circuits only
Day 5: next pitching outing
Notes:
1. When a guy happens to get five days between starts, we'll typically split the Day 3 lifting session into two sessions and do some movement training on Day 4 as well.
2. I know a lot of guys (myself included) are advocates of throwing more than once between starts. For simplicity's sake, I haven't included those sessions.
3. There are definitely exceptions to this rule. For instance, if a guy is having a hard time recovering, we'll take Day 2 off altogether and just do our sprint work after the bullpen and before lifting on Day 3. That adds a full day of rest to the rotation in addition to the really light Day 4.
The 7-Day Rotation
With a 7-day rotation, we've got a lot more wiggle room to get aggressive with things. This is why in-season can still be a time of tremendous improvements in the college game, especially since you can work in a good 2-3 throwing sessions between starts. Again, dynamic flexibility and static stretching are performed every day. To keep this simple, I'm going to assume we've got a Saturday starter.
Saturday: pitch
Sunday: challenging lower body lift, light cuff work
Monday: movement training only, focused on 10-15yd starts, agility work, and some top speed work (50-60 yds); upper body lift
Tuesday: low-Intensity resistance training (<30% of 1RM) circuits, extended dynamic flexibility circuits
Wednesday: full-body lift
Thursday: movement training only, focused on 10-15yd starts, agility work, and some top speed work (50-60 yds);
Friday: low-intensity dynamic flexibility circuits only
Saturday: pitch again
Of course, traveling logistics can throw a wrench in the plans on this front sometimes, but the good news is that collegiate pitchers have six days to roll with the punches to get back on schedule.
Closing Thoughts
As you can see, I am a big fan of quality over quantity. Our guys only sprint twice in most weeks - and certainly not more than three times. This certainly isn't the only way to approach training between starts, but I've found it to be the most effective of what our guys have tried.
References
1. Rhea MR, Oliverson JR, Marshall G, Peterson MD, Kenn JG, Ayllón FN. Noncompatibility of power and endurance training among college baseball players. J Strength Cond Res 2008 Jan;22(1):230-4.
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“Eric Cressey’s cutting-edge four-phase program, featuring constant progression, variation, and inspiring goals, keeps you focused on increasing strength along with muscle mass, helping you achieve the fittest, most energetic, and best-looking body you’ve ever had – with fewer hours at the gym.”
Results speak much louder than words, though; featured below are testimonials from the initial group of nine "guinea pigs" for the program:
“One of my problems in designing workouts for myself was choosing the protocols. Strength, muscle growth, endurance, frequency, reps, sets, exercises, etc…there are just too many factors to balance, especially on top of a busy schedule. Too much of one thing usually resulted in an aching injury, or joint pain for a few days. Overtraining was common for me.
“I have to say that the best part about Cressey’s training system, in my opinion, is the balanced approach. I do not leave a workout feeling like I have pushed a muscle group beyond its ability to recover. And I like hitting upper and lower body twice a week. Training the ancillary muscles has kept me from having any aches or pains since starting the program. My shoulder has not hurt for months. My knees feel great. I feel like the exercises selected, the volume of work, and the mobility warm-ups are doing their job: keeping me healthy, in great shape, and in the gym.
“On the Maximum Strength program, I have actually improved all of my test numbers, my posture and joint health, and I feel stronger and healthier – all in spite of the fact that I’ve been busier at my job than ever before. I also feel that I look better than I have for many years. I was very happy with my results!”
Chris Paul - Danbury, Connecticut
Added five pounds of body weight, increased broad jump by six inches, box squat by 80 pounds, bench press by 30 pounds, deadlift by 50 pounds, and 3-rep max chin-up by 10 pounds.
“The Maximum Strength program took me to the next level of performance with my lifting. After using a variety of programs focusing on fat-loss and hypertrophy and having limited results from them it was great to see such solid increases in strength and physique changes from the program. In addition, the program focus on dynamic flexibility and foam rolling has resulted in an injury free training cycle and major flexibility and posture improvements. I would highly recommend this program and book to anyone wanting to make real progress with strength, performance and body composition.”
Dan Hibbert – Calgary, Alberta
Increased body weight by 14 pounds, broad jump by seven inches, box squat by 80 pounds, bench press by 30 pounds, deadlift by 70 pounds, and 3-rep max chin-up by 27.5 pounds.
“Bumps, bruises, dedication and commitment have lead to amazing gains in both strength and mobility. The Maximum Strength program is for anyone who has a desire to be better in their physical conditioning tomorrow than they are today. It is well written program that provides a variety of exercises and training parameters that keep you interested in going to the gym. Each month of the 4-month regime was a new break through and, in many cases, plateau-busting gains. Four months of your time is an easy investment to make in a program of this caliber.”
Gabe Wilson – Houston, TX
Gained 12 pounds, added 55 pounds to his box squat, 35 pounds to his bench press, 30 pounds to his deadlift, and 27 pounds to his 3-rep max chin-up.
About Maximum Strength:
-Co-authored by veteran fitness journalist, Matt Fitzgerald, who is renowned for his humorous writing style and ability to relate complex training strategies in simple terms
-4 progressive four-week phases designed to make you feel stronger and more athletic than ever before
-Each phase is complete with mobility warm-ups to keep you healthy and prepare you to train safely and effectively
-Recommendations for supplemental cardiovascular training based on YOUR body type
-Nutritional guidelines to follow to optimize performance
-A chapter on important considerations on how to plan your own future training
-Tips on mental preparation for training
-256 pages
-Over 200 illustrations to accompany in-depth exercise descriptions
-Foreword by world-renowned nutrition expert, Dr. John Berardi
“I've lifted for a long time now – but I have never trained until now. I was lifting like a bodybuilder to be an athlete and while it helped at first, it hurt in the long run. If I had this program when I was younger I think I would have been much better off. The mix of mobility and soft tissue work has helped me with all my old injuries and the periodization has helped me stay stronger for longer than ever before. The Maximum Strength program helped teach me a lot about how to train for a long-term goal and it will help me even more in the future.”
Ryan Gleason – Derby, Connecticut
Lost seven pounds and 4% body fat, increased broad jump by seven inches, box squat by 90 pounds, deadlift by 60 pounds, and 3-rep max chin-up by 15 pounds.
“I was sick of messing about in the gym, changing programs every week to some different one I saw online, I was stuck on the same weights on the same lifts for ages. Eric's program helped me focus on building strength, which has always been my main aim. I still play a lot of recreational rugby and I'm 100% certain that I'm stronger and better at it thanks to the program. Eric's program covers all the bases: strength, conditioning, and mobility. I was extremely impressed.”
David O’Neill – Cork, Ireland
Gained five pounds of body weight while dropping body fat percentage, and increased broad jump by six inches, box squat by 55 pounds, bench press by 22 pounds, deadlift by 33 pounds, and 3-rep max chin-up by 11 pounds.What those "in the know" are saying about Maximum Strength:
“Eric does an outstanding job of pulling from multiple disciplines to maximize athlete performance. No fancy machines or gimmicks – just barbell, dumbbell, and body weight movements that are proven to be effective. Maximum Strength is a must-read for anyone serious about increasing their maximal strength and overall performance.”
Sal Alosi - Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, New York Jets
“Maximum Strength is a guide for those who truly want to make meaningful changes to their bodies. Eric Cressey has created a program that will challenge any individual to push themselves to levels they have never been before. In the years that I have known Eric, his goal to help people achieve maximum performance and get the most out of their bodies has never wavered.”
Michael Irr - Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Charlotte Bobcats
“Maximum Strength is a must-read for any person that is serious about changing their body. The easy-to-follow, detailed program is sure to deliver fantastic results!”
Shawn Windle - Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Indiana Pacers
And for Those Looking to Drop Body Fat?
“To say that I was very pleased with the results of this program would be an understatement. The active recovery and stress management approaches always had me ready to go for the next training session, when in years past I was constantly feeling run-down and less enthusiastic about training. The mobility work really helped me improve my form. This program encompasses so much that is needed for proper training, yet manages to focus it all together to yield the best results I have ever experienced. Now, at the end of the program, I’m much leaner and the strongest I’ve ever been.”
Jeremy Lisenby – Rowlett, TX
Lost 2.5 inches off his waist, and added 6 inches to his broad jump, 30 pounds to his box squat, 15 pounds to his bench press, 40 pounds to his deadlift, and 12 pounds to his 3-rep max chin-up.
“Not only did I improve my strength on all major lifts, I also lost a significant amount of body fat and became much leaner in the process. My body composition progress became evident to me when I had to have my business suit pants taken in by a tailor (usually, the opposite occurs). Needless to say, I was pleased.
“One of the most significant changes I noticed throughout this program was my increase in mobility. When I woke up in the morning, I didn't feel as stiff and creaky as I had in the past. I also didn't take as long to get properly warmed-up before a workout. Overall, I just felt stronger and more focused.
“Finally, I would say that even during the tough days, and weeks, one of the motivators was that I knew the program was written by Eric. I've read his articles and witnessed the results he can get for his clients. Throughout the entire program, I felt confident that what I was doing was not only safe, but effective.”
Jake Chatterton – Onslow, Iowa
Lost 11 pounds while increasing broad jump by 19 inches, box squat by 50 pounds, deadlift by 15 pounds, and 3-rep max chin-up by 10 pounds. Anytime you can drop significant amounts of body fat while actually gaining strength, you’ve done an awesome job!
So Who is this Cressey Guy, anyway?
Eric Cressey, MA, CSCS is the president and co-founder of Cressey Performance. Specializing in athletic performance enhancement and corrective exercise, Cressey is a highly sought-after coach for healthy and injured athletes alike from youth sports to the professional and Olympic ranks. Behind Eric’s expertise, Cressey Performance has rapidly established itself as a go-to high-performance facility among Boston athletes – and those that come from across the country and abroad to experience CP’s cutting-edge methods.
Cressey received his Master’s Degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science through the University of Connecticut Department of Kinesiology, the #1 ranked kinesiology graduate program in the nation. At UCONN, Eric was involved in varsity strength and conditioning and research in the human performance laboratory. He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
As an invited guest speaker, Eric has lectured in four countries and more than one dozen U.S. states. An accomplished author, Cressey has written three books and more than 200 articles, and co-created two DVD sets.
A record-setting competitive powerlifter himself, Cressey has deadlifted 650 pounds at a body weight of 174 and is recognized as an athlete who can jump, sprint, and lift alongside his best athletes to push them to higher levels – and keep them healthy in the process. His competition bests for the squat and bench press are 540 and 402 pounds, respectively.
Want to be More Athletic?
How does a 36-inch broad jump (standing long jump) improvement in four months sound?
“After four months, I am pleased with my results, but not completely satisfied because I know that the knowledge I’ve attained with this program will lead to continued gains for years to come. Did I get stronger? Absolutely! Do I want to continue? Most definitely! The program Eric has pulled together has inspired me to continue lifting, because it showed me results are possible if you put in effort. The program is the smartest and most fun I have completed. It’s been the best four months I've spent at the gym.”
Mike Czobit – Mississauga, Ontario
No change in weight, but increased broad jump by 36 inches! Also increased box squat by 40 pounds, bench press by 15 pounds, deadlift by 50 pounds, and 3-rep max chin-up by 10 pounds.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Dr. John Berardi
Introduction
Chapter 1: Why Stronger is Better
Chapter 2: Building Strength
Chapter 3: Maximum Strength Program Overview
Chapter 4: What to Expect
Chapter 5: Maximum Strength Warm-ups
Chapter 6: Phase 1: Foundation
Chapter 7: Phase 2: Build
Chapter 8: Phase 3: Growth
Chapter 9: Phase 4: Peak
Chapter 10: Nutrition for Maximum Strength
Chapter 11: The Muscle Between Your Ears
Chapter 12: Maximum Strength for Life
So with all this in mind, what are you waiting for?
Don't take it from me, though; take it from guys like Doug Adams who have experienced Maximum Strength first-hand:
“At the beginning of the Maximum Strength project, I had an idea of the type of training I wanted to do in the gym, but no concrete plan or ‘map’ for how to get there. I was completely clueless, which is why I volunteered to be a part of the test group for this program. I wanted to blindly follow a program from someone who knows what they’re doing. Do every workout, as written and on schedule, I told myself. Keeping to those words proved to be beneficial because I made great improvements in strength, technique, and most of all, attitude.
“With the attitude, there comes a sense of independence, almost to the point of non-conformity. Now I am coming to a stage in my lifting career where I am beginning to question what is told to me. I am asking myself “is this really the best thing for ME to do TODAY?” I am not going to say I have all the answers now, because I do not. I have been pointed in the right direction to where I want to go. If I happen to get a little lost along the way, I can always ask for directions.”
Gained 12 pounds and increased broad jump by seven inches, box squat by 25 pounds, bench press by 30 pounds, deadlift by 40 pounds, and 3-rep max chin-up by 22 pounds.
Q: For years, I have had difficulties with acquiring any real depth in my back squats. I took on board all the thoughts some authors had about working on ankle mobility and then what others had to say about weak abdominals and how they can wreak havoc on one's ability squatting into the hole. However, it wasn't until I went to get fitted for a pair of orthotics recently at the podiatrist's that I realized that even though I have done STACKS of ankle mobility and soft tissue work, genetically, I am limited by my foot and ankle structure to ever really squat deep.Why on earth have these authors of whom I have a great deal of respect for continued not to acknowledge that for some people, squatting DEEP is simply not an option due to structural limitations. I rate you among the best of the best out there Eric so if anyone should tackle this one and explore why genetics can dramatically improve or hinder someone's ankle mobility it should be you!
A: I have actually seen a fair amount of high-level athletes with feet like this, and you just have to realize that you can't put a round peg in a square hole. If you have a foot that won't allow for much dorsiflexion (toe-to-shin range-of-motion), it just won't let you squat deep safely. These are the guys who get better results from single-leg work in place of squatting.
And, if you are going to try squatting variations, it ought to be more sitting back (box squats or powerlifting-style free squats) where the shin is more vertical, but the spine remains in neutral. Have a look at this squatting video and you'll see that sitting back minimizes how much dorsiflexion ROM one needs to get the benefits of squatting:
Conversely, check out this more quad-dominant, "traditional" squat. You'll see that the knees come forward more, indicative of more dorsiflexion occurring.
Why has this become such an issue? Well, there are still a lot of coaches out there who are just "clean, squat, bench only" - and a one size fits all approach like that is sure to throw some athletes under the bus. These guys want to do what they've always done rather than recognize that everyone isn't the same; otherwise, they've lost one-third of their training arsenal! The more open-minded guys are looking to functional mobility and stability deficits - and the guys who "get it" are realizing that some athletes are just "stuck" with the ankles they've got.
For more information, check out To Squat or Not to Squat, featured previously in Newsletter 91.
With the holidays upon us, I'm going to be taking a few days off from blogging. I did, however, want to take this last opportunity to wish all of you Happy Holidays and thank you for your continued support. This website has grown exponentially in popularity in 2008, and I have you to thank for your loyalty and enthusiasm (and, in some cases, patience for listening to me ramble).
All the best to you and your families this holiday season!
EC
PS - Merry Christmas, Tony; this one is for you (and all of your deprived readers):
It's become a bit of a tradition for Cressey Performance interns to not only pick up on training knowledge while they're at CP, but also get more diesel in the process by following the program in my book, Maximum Strength. This fall's intern, Chris Howard, just had his Moving Day today.
Here are his results:
Body weight: 159 to 174.5
Vertical Jump: 27.1" to 28.0"
Peak Power: 5,397 W to 5,855 W (8.5% increase)
Broad Jump: 91" to 103"
Box Squat: 235 to 265
Bench Press: 205 to 230
Deadlift: 215 to 335
3-rep max chin-up: 224 (BW+65) to 244.5 (BW+70)
Not too shabby for just under four months of training. Congratulations, Chris, and thanks for all your contributions to Cressey Performance!
Click here to pick up your copy of Maximum Strength!
Q: Hey Eric, let me start off by saying what a great job you've done with Maximum Strength. It is a wonderful book that I've enjoyed reading and am looking forward to starting in a few weeks. I have a question regarding the book, though. For certain exercises, like the DB Bulgarian Split Squat, DB Lunge, and DB Step-up, can I use a barbell across my back instead of dumbbells, as I find that variations harder and more challenging on my core and balance?
A: These drills feel harder on your "core and balance" because you've moved your center of mass further up and away from the base of support. It's one way to make an exercise harder.
I'd prefer, though, that when starting the program, you simply load the dumbbell version more in the "lower center of mass" position. The barbell stuff would come later on. There are several key benefits to holding dumbbells early on in a training program, including strengthening of important postural muscles as well as those involved in gripping.
We actually got a snow day up here, so I'm using it to catch up on all sorts of stuff - from holiday shopping, to wrapping presents, to writing articles and programs. Admittedly, I did sleep until 9AM this morning, and that's pretty late for me.
1. It occurred to me that thanks to the miracle known as YouTube, I can embed a music video in my first random post each week, and you'll have musical entertainment in the background (if you want) as you read my stuff. And, since it's the season of miracles, I'll do just that. For the record, the experience will be all the more enjoyable if you hold your mouse in your right hand and raise a lighter in the air with the left arm. Of course, it won't really work out that well if you try to play the other videos below at the same time, but my intentions were good...
Here's Coming Undone by Korn, a classic song around Cressey Performance. It gets me all fired up to blog like a rock star.
2. While snow is a royal pain in the butt up here in New England, it does have one upside: accident-prone reporters who think they need to be outside to accurately relate just how much it is snowing.
Occasionally, you'll even get an in-studio goofball:
3. The only thing better than weathermen making tools of themselves? You guessed it: clumsy women stomping grapes with their feet on camera.
4. Apparently, we've got some pro pitchers - one in VA, and the other in NH - drawing inspiration from this blog as they prepare to get up here in early January to prepare for spring training. How you like these apples, fellas? Up five reps from the Thanksgiving day lift - simply because that's how we roll.
Come get some, fellas!
A huge thanks goes out to Jeremy Heffer and the University of Georgia Strength and Conditioning staff for the "Power G" beanie that made this all possible.
5. I've talked previously about the long-term detrimental effects of taping ankles, and I recently got a good inquiry about whether I thought this same issue would be present in MMA fighters who tape their wrists. My response was that it probably wasn't an issue as much at the wrist predominately because the wrist isn't a weight-bearing joint. By loading the ankle while it's taped, we solidify neural patterns a lot more quickly. Additionally, nobody tapes their wrists for the same duration and frequency as those athletes (basketball players, for instance) who tape their ankles daily for several hours - and combine those restrictions with wearing high-top sneakers. I remember seeing an interview with Bill Walton back in the mid-1980s when he joked about how the ankle taping got tighter and tighter as the season went on - probably because the guys got more and more unstable at their ankles!
That's all she wrote for today. Have a great weekend, everyone!
Q: After an injury and rehabilitation of a low back overuse/deadlifting injury, I’m finally able to deadlift and squat again. Only problem is that I am having a lot of trouble performing the deadlift correctly.
The problem is during my heavy sets, my lumbar spine starts to round early on in the pull. I’m not sure why this happening, but I’m almost positive it’s NOT due to a lack of mobility anywhere. I’m wondering if it may be an issue of having TOO much lumbar spine mobility and/or not enough core stability.
Or, maybe it’s an issue of my hamstrings being too weak and my lower back wanting to take over the pull too much. What do you think?
A: First off, I don’t think it’s as simple as “Muscle A is weak and Muscle B is tight, etc.”It has a lot more to do with you not having all the “ducks in a row” with respect to this particular movement pattern.There are a lot of people who have great stability and mobility who look awkward attempting a movement for the first time simply because it’s unfamiliar to them.
Just having good stability and mobility (which are context-specific, anyway) doesn’t imply that you can just immediately master a movement.Otherwise, we’d all be superior athletes from strength training and flexibility work without every having to practice the sports in which we want to excel!
More than anything, I suspect that your struggles are a matter of you trying to groove technique with weights that are too heavy (as noted by your “heavy sets” comment).Would you try to teach an elbows-tucked bench press technique with 275 if you knew a guy could bench press 300 with his elbows flared?No!He'd go right back to his "natural" movement pattern (the path of least resistance).
Technique work needs to be performed with submaximal weights, with the progression being:
1. multiple sets with few reps, controlled speed, light/moderate weights
2. multiple sets with few reps, FAST concentric, light/moderate weights
then...
3a. fewer sets with more reps, light/moderate weights
or
3b. few or multiple sets with few reps and heavier weights
I'm guessing that you're just going right to 3b – and that’s where the problems set in. Your body basically goes into panic mode. As an example, I'll throw myself under the bus. Here is a video of my best competition deadlift: 650 pounds at a body weight of 174.
Now, I know it might come as a surprise to some of you, but I don't lift 650 pounds all the time. In fact, I'd say that I deadlift over 600 approximately 5-6 times per year between training and competitions. This is why competition lifts are never really good measures of excellent technique; they are all essentially panic-mode (others have called it chaos training). You can bet that I'd never let an athlete of mine attempt any weight where his form came close to this; the risk:reward ratio is completely out of whack.
Also, as a tag-along to this, some people need to have a Step 0 where they actually do a different movement in order to progress to a main movement. In the context of the deadlift discussion, this might mean doing pull-throughs, trap bar deadlifts, or rack pulls to get the hang of the proper hip sequencing before moving down to the floor to pull with a conventional stance. Others might be better off leaving out deadlifts for the long haul, if a previous injury is significant enough to warrant it.
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All the Best,
EC
At the seminar in Houston last weekend, both Brent Strom and Ron Wolforth had high praises for the book Talent is Overrated. These guys know their stuff, so I just ordered four copies (three books as gifts for players/coaches, and one unabridged audio for me to check out in the car). Sounds like it is worth a read; I'll give it a review down the road.
Here are his results:
Body weight: 159 to 174.5
Vertical Jump: 27.1" to 28.0"
Peak Power: 5,397 W to 5,855 W (8.5% increase)
Broad Jump: 91" to 103"
Box Squat: 235 to 265
Bench Press: 205 to 230
Deadlift: 215 to 335
3-rep max chin-up: 224 (BW+65) to 244.5 (BW+70)
Not too shabby for just under four months of training. Congratulations, Chris, and thanks for all your contributions to Cressey Performance!
