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Confessions of an Ex-Ironman

I have a confession to make: I'm an ex-Ironman. Sure, in late July, 2006, in Lake Placid, NY, I crossed the line following a 140.6 mile endurance event, but, following that race, mental weakness prevailed. This story shouldn't take away from the accomplishments of those who have tried and missed, succeeded once, or succeeded many, it's a lesson I learned from the heart of sport (not just triathlon). You see, training for any event takes many successfully repeated steps, over a long period of time; nothing of merit can be accomplished in short bursts of over-enthused effort. The mental divide between these two approaches is immeasurable. The ability start a long-term training program months to years before the true pay-off is a hurdle in and of itself, but, an athlete must package that with the same mental strength to overcome the tests of each daily workout. 52 weeks from your first event, pulling only five reps when you sat down for six might not seem like too much of a miss, but 52 reps later... you've missed a lot. Ask yourself: When you've set your mind on six and you come away with five... we're you listening to your body or your mind? Is it the same? There's the rub. The most successful people accomplish their goals by delaying gratification; as a species that has survived by seeking instant gratification, this is no easy feat. The strength effects, from that one missed rep may be minimal but that mental decision, to avoid a second... or two.. of pain, creates another mental brick that must be broken. Not only are you not getting that strength benefit, you're actually working backwards in the mental game. The mental game is hard enough, there's no need to make it harder. Leading up to my 2006 Ironman, I had days where I set the bar down early, took a bit too much time between sprints, or didn't bring my "A game" to my training hours. With 13 miles left in the closing marathon, I thought I had passed the brick wall... then it hit me. I was dehydrated, hungry, and my legs ached more than words could describe; my mind told me to stop running. I should've been prepared for it... 13 miles... the last few reps, but I started walking... and I wouldn't get back to running until that last half mile to the Olympic Oval. Eventually crossing the line, the glory was still there [and still is], but the mental defeat would keep me away from triathlon over a year. So here I am, a year and a half later, building back to register as a born again Ironman. Watch for mental bricks. Long term, dedicated training is more about the metal accomplishment than anything else; it's a commitment to your goal. - Jon Boyle jb@ericcressey.com Is your plan structured for long-term success? LearnThe Art of The Deload
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A Great Read on Being Barefoot

Just came across this excellent article: Feet Hurt? Stop Wearing Shoes
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Just another afternoon at Cressey Performance…

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Preventing Plantar Fasciitis

Q: Another guy from my favorite basketball team went on the injured list with plantar fasciitis this week. What can be done to prevent this? A: Welcome to professional basketball! The average NBA player has very little dorsiflexion range of motion (ankle). The only way the epidemic of plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinosis, high ankle sprains, and patellofemoral pain is going to stop is if the players quite wearing 10-pound high top sneakers and taping their ankles. Or, at the very least, lose the tape and focus on barefoot training, low-top shoes off the court, and plenty of ankle mobility work. Just ask Shaun Livingston:
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George Bush Agrees with Me

Bush adviser Hadley says it would be a 'cop-out' to skip opening ceremony
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Listen Up, Hillary

Warning: this is as political as I will ever get in a blog or newsletter. Today, I read this article about Hillary Clinton advocating a partial boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics by the U.S. in light of China’s “reaction to recent protests in Tibet and its lack of action in the troubling Darfur region of the Sudan.” Frankly, this gesture from Clinton made me want to puke in my mouth. You see, I interact with Olympic hopefuls on a daily basis. These are people that sacrifice everything for the sports they love – and the opportunity to compete in the single-most prestigious sporting event the world has ever seen. They often struggle to make ends meet financially as their hectic training schedules compete with real jobs and school. They leave their spouses for months at a time to travel all over creation to train and compete. Meanwhile, Bill and Hillary Clinton's 2000-2006 tax returns report that they earned a “not-so-financially-stricken” $109 million during that time period. I have a hard time believing that the Clintons have even the slightest semblance of a clue to realize what a huge deal an Olympic appearance means to someone who is making the sacrifices to which I alluded above. Don’t get me wrong; I am all for human rights and sincerely hope that these issues are resolved quickly and peaceably - and I know that she was just recommending a partial boycott. However, Mrs. Clinton, if you need to make a political statement, stop wearing clothes that were made in China. Don’t buy cars of Chinese origin. Or, stop ordering Chinese takeout; take up your beef with General Tso. But, DO NOT even attempt to use a political spectacle to compromise anything for which all these athletes have devoted their lives. They deserve every bit of glory that comes to them.
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Combat Core Review: Taking “Ab Training” to a Whole New Level

This morning, my girlfriend turned on Regis and Kelly. Now, before you start giving me a hard time, I’ll make it known that a) it was her choice and b) I was checking my emails, and my computer happens to be in the neighborhood of my television. My attention shifted from emails to the TV when I saw that they were featuring a transformation contest where a bunch of ordinary weekend warriors went to different personal trainers to get “toned” (I knew I was in for it when I heard that word). In the minutes that followed, I heard the word “core” mentioned approximately 487 times as trainers put clients through all sorts of stuff: 1. interval jogging on a treadmill (nearly made me vomit in my mouth) 2. playing basketball (You can charge for that? I would have gone with dodgeball so that I could throw stuff at my trainer for ripping me off.) 3. Curls while standing on a BOSU ball in a pair of Nike Shox (yes, you can actually find a way to make unstable surface training MORE injurious by exaggerating pronation even more) Incidentally, this third trainer was featured with some hardcore Kelly Clarkson blaring in the background. I not only got dumber (and angry) by watching this segment; I also realized that if I ever go nuts and decide to write my suicide note, you’ll hear “SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE!!!!” blaring in the background as I sob over my pen and paper. Normally, my reaction wouldn’t have been so pronounced, but after this weekend, I was all about REAL “core stability.” You see, I got to catch up with my buddy, Jim Smith (of Diesel Crew fame), while in Pittsburgh to give a seminar. “Smitty” and Jedd Johnson gave an awesome presentation outlining their innovative and effective methods on everything from sled dragging to grip work – and most specific to the discussion at hand, they both raved about how much they love Kelly Clarkson! Plus, they’re HUGE Regis and Kelly fans. Okay, so that last little bit wasn’t entirely accurate; I’m pretty sure that these guys would have Hatebreed or some other angry, belligerent, “my-mother-didn’t love me” music blaring in the background when they finally get their moment in the spotlight on Regis and Kelly. Anyway, they DO know a ton about non-traditional means of training “core stability.” In addition to watching a great presentation, on the plane ride home, I finally got a chance to read through Smitty’s new e-book, Combat Core: Advanced Torso Training for Explosive Strength and Power. To say that I was impressed would be the understatement of the year.
You see, I spend a ton of money each year on seminars, books, DVDs, etc. – and if I can take away even one little thing from each of them, I’m thrilled. In many cases, it’s “same-old, same-old.” Smitty has quickly built a reputation for overdelivering, and this resource was no exception. In the 133 pages of photos and descriptions of loads of exercises you’ve surely never seen, I found: -13 sweet modifications to exercises I’m already doing -16 completely new exercises I can’t wait to incorporate to my own training and that of my athletes -seemingly countless “why didn’t I think of that?” moments. So, to put it bluntly, I think it’s an awesome read – and well worth every penny, especially when you factor in all the bonuses he’s incorporated (including lifetime updates to keep you up to speed on his latest bits of insanity). If you’re interested in some effective, fun, innovative ways to enhance TRUE core stability, definitely check it out: Combat Core: Advanced Torso Training for Explosive Strength and Power
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Plenty of Space… Am I Ready to Press?

Q: Using much of the advice from your T-Nation articles, I am successfully fixing all my kinetic chain problems and my shoulders feel better than ever. I had a minor tear in teres minor. I know that overhead pressing might not be a good thing for someone with my problem; however, when my doctor x-rayed my shoulder, he told me that I have plenty space in the joint. Would you recommend that I still follow the advice given in the Shoulder Savers series? Would you recommend that I do dips? Any advice is greatly appreciated. A: Let pain be your guide. Your pain could be related to an AC joint problem that you don’t even know about; that would be made much worse by dips – but you likely wouldn’t have any pain with overhead pressing. Conversely, if your teres minor tear is the problem, the overhead pressing would probably cause more problems than dips (although neither would be particularly good for the shoulder). Just so you know, a good subacromial space on x-rays doesn't necessarily mean that you'll have a good space during dynamic activities. Keep that in mind as you move forward cautiously... Also, a lot of people have good spaces, but poor scapular stability, thoracic spine mobility, etc. A lot of things affect whether or not you can perform a particular exercise pain-free. Eric Cressey
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5 Programming Strategies for Quick Results

Five innovative training strategies from Eric Cressey, including some counterintuitive ab work, a novel bench routine, some single leg movements, a better box squat, and some benching with lumber. Continue Reading... Sign up for our FREE Newsletter today and and receive this deadlift technique video!
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It Only Took 259 Days…

We opened Cressey Performance on July 17, 2007. Amidst all the lifting, jumping, sprinting med-ball-stomping, and blaring of loud music, we neglected to actually make a website - until now. www.CresseyPerformance.com Enjoy.
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