Q: I recently purchased your e-book, The Art of the Deload, and really enjoyed it. You did a great job of outlining several different methods that I plan on using in the months to come. I did have one follow-up question on the "Exercise Reduction Week" deloading approach. You talked about making some modifications to go from four days per week to three days per week during the deloading period. Are there certain people for whom this work would better than others?
A: Great question - and the answer is ABSOLUTELY!
I like the frequency reduction deloading strategy for athletes in particular. Many of them already have a lot of training going on with lifting, conditioning, movement training, tactical work, and sport practice. Simply dropping volume of these sessions doesn't really "deload" their hectic schedules. Many of them would rather go to 2-3 full sessions per week than they would keep the four and do less volume in each appearance.
However, for the ordinary weekend warrior for whom lifting is the only form of exercise he gets, I think the frequency is valuable. It favorably affects the endocrine, cardiovascular, and immune systems. Additionally, each time that lifter goes to the gym, it's a chance to do some mobility, activation, and foam roller work that can help to keep him healthy long-term.
So, to recap, if you're a busy athlete, you can reduce your frequency. If you're lifting as your only form of exercise, keep the frequency up.
Learn more about The Art of the Deload.
Researchers have just produced aerial photos of an "uncontacted" tribe in the Amazon rainforest.
Going with my gut instinct, I'm going to venture a guess that hut pictured below is the tribe's gym. Yes, that's exactly what it is. How intuitive of me...
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that it doesn't have a Smith machine, leg extension, or rotary torso machine. In fact, I'm guessing that these folks don't care about their six-pack abs or what's going on at XYZ internet forum. I am, however, guessing that they a) move a lot, b) don't eat refined crap, and c) probably have better mobility and are healthier than most people who claim to be "in shape." I doubt any of them have heart disease, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, or even that nauseous feeling you get after your girlfriend forces you to watch "The Batchelorette" while you could be watching a Red Sox no-hitter.
So, for those of you who think you can't learn anything from a tribe in the Amazon, think again. Move more - and without machines. Wear shoes less. Eat more green stuff and meat (and preferably kill it yourself with a spear). Stand more and sit less. Train your body for function.
Q: I recently ordered Maximum Strength and am really enjoying it and looking forward to building strength with the program. I did, however, have a question for you. Because of convenience to my house the location I work out at has no power rack (sad, I know). For now I need to stay training here just because of location but need some help with the Maximum Strength Program.
What alternatives could I use for the time being for the following exercises?
-RACK PULLS FROM KNEES
-DEADLIFT BAR ELEVATED
-SPEED PIN PRESS
-ANDERSON FRONT SQUATS FROM PINS
-CLOSE GRIP FLOOR PRESS
-SPEED PIN PRESS
A: Piece of cake:
-RACK PULLS FROM KNEES - elevate bar on aerobic steps
-DEADLIFT BAR ELEVATED - same (or plates)
-SPEED PIN PRESS - just a board press
-ANDERSON FRONT SQUATS FROM PINS - box squat
-CLOSE GRIP FLOOR PRESS - board press
-SPEED PIN PRESS – regular bench press (to a board, if desired)
Get Your Strongest Body in 16 Weeks with the Ultimate Weight-Training Program
According to Princeton researchers, one in four Americans have daily pain.
Unfortunate? Yes. Surprising? It would depend who you ask.
I'm a firm believer that most people are just waiting to reach threshold. With so many sedentary folks - and those who are actually exercising doing a lot of moronic stuff (machines, excessive aerobic training), it's just a matter of time until a chronic overuse condition comes to fruition - or something traumatic occurs.
Additionally, just because folks aren't symptomatic doesn't mean that they don't have structural defect. It's estimated that approximately 80% of Americans have disc bulges and/or herniations that are asymptomatic, and I'd put the number of spondylolysis (vertebral fractures) right up in that ballpark as well. All baseball players have labral fraying in their shoulders, but not all of them are in pain. A lot of folks have tendinopathy under the microscope, but don't actually present with pain - YET.
So what can you do?
First off, if you're sedentary, move. Something is better than nothing!
If you're already active, when it comes to your health, think "inefficiency" and not "pathology." The conventional medical model tells us to wait until we have pain to get something checked out. To me, a lack of hip internal rotation range-of-motion, fallen arches, and poor scapular stability are all example of issues that you need to address before pathologies present as pain and loss of function.
If you've got shoulder or upper back issues, check out Inside-Out and Secrets of the Shoulder.
If your hips are tight, check out our Magnificent Mobility DVD.
Lower back pain? Try Dr. Stuart McGill's Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance.
If it's knee problems, Mike Robertson's Bulletproof Knees is for you.
Cruddy ankle mobility? I like Mike Boyle's Joint-by-Joint Approach to Training.
A little education and a small financial investment early-on will do wonders for saving you a lot of pain, time, and cash down the road.
Things are pretty crazy as we get the ball rolling for summer training at Cressey Performance, but I was lucky to have some content "in the well" from an interview I recently did for Jen Sinkler at Experience Life Magazine. Check it out:
Eric Cressey is Unbalanced
