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The baseball off-season is a lot of fun for me, but it also means crazy long hours, loads of competing demands, and quite a bit of stress. To take it a step further, though, most of my long hours are spent on my feet on the floor at Cressey Performance, which isn’t exactly conducive to making progress in a training program. Topping it off, we've gotten about 470 feet of snow in the Northeast this winter, which makes us all want to simply go into hibernation!
While I’ve gotten all my gym sessions in during this time, the reality is that in many cases, they were a lot more like “working out” than they were “training.” And, although I haven’t wasted away, it’s never a good sign when someone you haven’t seen for a few months asks you if you’ve lost weight when you haven’t been trying to do so – and that happened a few weeks ago.
The end result? I’m under 190 for the first time in over two years – and sadly, I’m not really any leaner (or stronger, for that matter).
Something clicked two weekends ago, though. Since the gym is closed on Sundays, I find it’s the best day for me to go in refreshed and get in a good lift. Thanks to a little rest, loud music, and a good training partner, I sumo deadlifted 500 for a set of five. And, it felt damn good!
It also made me realize how much of a pansy I’d been in the gym for the two months prior. With that realization, I headed home to put a program for myself on my to-do list.
The next morning, I woke up anticipating writing that strength and conditioning program (along with about a dozen others!), but before I could get to it, I found an email from Mike Westerdal waiting for me. And that email included an advanced copy of the new product he created with Elliott Hulse: Lean Hybrid Muscle.
For those who don’t know of Mike, he’s a strong dude, with competition bests of 640 squat, 630 bench, and 600 deadlift at a body weight of 242. And, through his website, criticalbench.com, he’s helped thousands of guys bust through their bench press plateaus, not to mention interacted with and programmed for a lot of experienced lifters. Elliott is no quack, either; he is a professional strongman and runs a hardcore gym in Tampa, FL.
I’ve often reminded my readers that that if you need a contract written, you’d go to a lawyer. If you needed your taxes done, you’d go to an accountant. Well, I’m also here to say that if you need a program to kick you in the arse when you’ve been training like a sissy, you go to qualified lifters and coaches who have consistently helped people get strong, burn fat fast, and put on muscle. And that’s what I did.
And, I’ve definitely received that kick in the arse. The past 10 days of training have been some of the more challenging I’ve encountered in over a decade of lifting. And, just as Westerdal assured me, it has been a nice change of pace from the powerlifting-oriented work I’ve done in the past. Here’s what I like about the program:
1. Concurrent Periodization – it might be high volume, but that doesn’t mean that you won't be able to increase strength. If your goal is changing body composition – and not just dropping fat or building muscle exclusively – it’s a great resource. Anybody can get you to lose weight with a high volume program, but not everyone can help you maintain or even increase strength and build muscle mass in the process.
2. Video Demonstrations – Mike and Elliott have links to every exercise featured in this strength and conditioning program, so if you don’t recognize one, you can quickly and easily check it out. I know my stuff in this regard, but it was helpful when I came across a few new ones that these guys must have invented themselves.
3. Versatility – I’m fortunate to have quite a few extra goodies – sledgehammers, farmer's walks handles, tires, turf, kettlebells, sleds, slideboards, kegs – at my fingertips, and Mike and Elliott are all about incorporating what you’ve got into the strength training program. I’ve used it to modify the interval work included in the program. They also give you a wide variety of strength exercises from which to choose so that you can work around injuries or specialize on your weak areas.
The benefits certainly go well beyond these three points (the nutrition component/meal plans are excellent, for instance), but in the interest of brevity, I’d highly encourage you to check out Lean Hybrid Muscle. It actually makes for a great follow-up to Show and Go, for those of you who are just wrapping up that program.
For more information, head over to the Lean Hybrid Muscle Website.
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As a business owner, I can say without wavering that there are a lot of times when I admittedly get stressed out and wish there were more hours in the day to get everything I have on my plate done - and still have time left over to spend with my wife and family.
And, while I haven't managed to figure out how to add more than 24 hours to the day, I have started to find a few ways to better manage my time - and, more specifically, my strength training program.
You see, many people use exercise as a means of relieving stress - and I think that's absolutely awesome. Unfortunately, when you already work 10 hours a day on your feet in a gym, it's hard to see things that way even when all the equipment is right at your fingertips. To that end, the stressed-out strength training tips I note below will be applicable to folks in any occupation, not just the fitness industry.
Tip #1: Increase training frequency, but reduce training duration.
I find that when I'm busy, I can find 30 minutes here and there, but getting 60-75 minutes free at a convenient time is tougher. One thing I'll do is simply up my training frequency to 5-6 times per week instead of just four sessions. Rather than having sessions that include four pairings (7-8 strength exercises), I'll just have two pairings (3-4 exercises).
If you've read anything from Chad Waterbury or Joel Marion, you'll find that both of these guys are fans of strength training as frequently as possible, provided that you can recover from those sessions. Somewhat coincidentally, sometimes the best way to utilize this frequent strength training approach is when you're already stressed and recovery is compromised! I still get in all my "work" over the course of the week, but it's spread out a bit more so that it's convenient and less taxing.
Tip #2: Leave the gym feeling refreshed.
Also on the "less taxing" front, I think it's important to leave the gym feeling "refreshed," not exhausted. While it might feel good when your legs are trashed at the end of a training session, you really don't know how well you're going to recover from that challenge until the days that follow. Doing 15 sets of 9 reps might have sounded like a good stress buster at the time, but when you can't walk up the steps to work the following day and are falling asleep at your desk at 11am because you couldn't sleep with your legs cramping all night, hindsight definitely becomes 20/20.
Don't get me wrong; there's a time and a place for doing crazy stuff. Your most stressful days aren't that time, though.
Tip #3: Train early.
This is something that I've grown to love with the baseball off-season in full swing and my day starting earlier. Normally, I'd train alongside the rest of our staff at 10:30AM, but at that time of year, I may have athletes at 9:30AM MoTuThFr. So, I get in at 8:15AM to get my lifting session in. Why?
First, lifting early requires planning. You need to go to bed early and prepare your stuff for the next day. So, in the process, you make time instead of finding time. That's huge at a stressful time when you're inclined to miss a session altogether.
Second, most people I know (at least the adults out there) have better energy in the morning than after a long day of work. That said, many people take a few weeks to warm up to the idea (and feeling) of training early. If you're going to make the switch, give it a few weeks and be consistent with it; you'll find that you get more and more comfortable with morning training with each new session.
Third, I'm a firm believer in the adage that one hour of sleep before midnight is worth two hours of sleep after midnight. When you train in the morning, you've got to get to bed earlier or else it simply isn't going to happen.
Get better sleep quality and just about everything else in your life will improve.
Tip #4: Outsource things to keep training fun.
I'll admit that many times, after a long day in a strength and conditioning facility, the last thing I want to do is follow my own weight training program. I spend all day getting other people organized on that front, so a bit of chaos in my own strength training is sometimes welcomed relief.
About two months ago, believe it or not, I asked one of my pro baseball players (who was hanging out in the office at 7pm one night) to put a lower body program up on the dry erase board for me. It turned out to be one of the better training sessions I'd had in weeks. The same goes for any conditioning I may do; often, I'll just pull Robert Dos Remedios' book, Cardio Strength Training, off the shelf and give something a shot.
Variety may be the spice of life, but when it comes to training, that variety usually needs to come from someone else. It might be why so many fitness professionals have really enjoyed my Show and Go program; it not only demonstrates some of my programming approaches, but also gives them a change of pace in their own training, as a recent blog post showed.
Tip #5: Use less variety.
Normally, I am all about strength exercise variety within a training session. However, when you're pinched for time, sometimes you can just throw that out the window and it's the best decision.
Think about it: for every additional exercise in a day's session, I add a warm-up set as well as the need for equipment set-up. If I keep my training day to 2-3 strength exercises and just increase the volume on each, I can usually do just as much (if not more) work in less time. You get variety over the course of a training phase and career; you get a training effect within a single session.
In other words, don't be shy about doing 5 sets of 3 on deadlifts, then 4 sets of 8 on dumbbell reverse lunges from a deficit - and then calling it a day for your lower body training - especially if you're trying out the frequency recommendations I noted earlier.
Tip #6: Use deloading periods.
At the end of the day, when it really comes down to it, stress is stress. Sometimes, when life is beating you down, adding training stress to that personal/professional stress is the worst that you can do. As a general rule of thumb, the more training experience you have, the more likely you are to need some down time from the gym when the rest of your life gets super hectic. If you're new to the iron game, though, chances are that some exercise will help you manage the stress much more effectively.
For more information on how to attack deloading periods, check out my e-book, The Art of the Deload.
These six strength training tips are obviously just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to exercise and stress, but hopefully they'll be enough to get you headed in the right direction. Additionally, what strategies have those of you out there implemented for training during stressful times?
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I received this Show and Go Review via email the other day and thought I'd share it with those of you who might be on the fence about whether or not this product is a good fit for you.
"I just read your recent blog post in which you mentioned sending Show and Go testimonials. Well...it would be a travesty if I didn't give you a shout out.
"I'm a personal trainer myself. And after over 23 years of training myself and 16 years of training others, to say I grow "bored" with conventional weight training programs would be an understatement. I first trained to augment sport (football), then I got into powerlifting, and really became addicted to it when I started bodybuilding. I competed for eight years in the sport and did very well. But...I outgrew it. Yes...I was bored.
"I, like many others that I train, look to other sources to not only motivate me in my own training (mentally more than physically), but also to broaden my horizons as a trainer. That is what led me to purchase your Show & Go program. I have to say, Eric, it is the most comprehensive, integrated program I have ever used. From the warm-ups, to the strength exercises, to the stretching, to the cardio enhancement....my strength, flexibility, conditioning, and muscularity all improved ten-fold. And my bodyfat level went noticeably down without me tweaking my normal diet. I even had nagging shoulder and low back pain that inhibited me from doing certain movements that are now gone. I was able to deadlift weight I haven't been able to use since my powerlifting days. Plus, a couple of the core movements you include are ones I have never seen or done and I loved them! I now use many of them with my own clients.
"One last thing to note...I very rarely get through a 16 week program. I tend to grow bored and need a different style of training. That never happened. Not only that...I am starting a second go-round this week of it with a few of my own personal tweaks to it. Great product, Eric! Thank you so much!"
James Cipriani - CFT, CSCS, NS
Brookfield, CT
I wrote yesterday about how fantastic I think Charlie Weingroff's new DVD set, Rehab=Training, Training=Rehab is. Now that it's on sale, I thought I'd use my next few posts to highlight the top ten key points he made that really stood out in my mind. Here are the first five.
1. I hear people saying all the time that they need to find a niche – and I’ve written in the past about how I found my own niche. As Weingroff points out, we’re all working with the same platform and set of rules: how the body works. A “niche” just comes about because we get good with working with those rules in specific populations to create a subspecialty. I train baseball players using my unique methodology, but there are others out there getting results in this population with different modalities, too, because they're performed correctly and these folks keep the original set of rules in mind. Likewise, there are folks with similar thought processes as mine - and they're getting results in populations outside of the baseball world.
The take-home message on this point is that if you want to be a specialist in your niche, you need to understand general principles first.
2. We’re always trying to find the “link” between terrible movement and pathology/diagnosis – and Charlie offered a good perspective in light of the joint-by-joint theory of movement (a central piece of his two-day presentation). When mobile joints become stable, we get degenerative changes (arthritis) and poor recovery. When stable joints become mobile, we end up with dislocations, positional faults, muscle strains, and disc herniations. Want to prevent or address these issues? Work backward along this line of logic with your corrective exercise strategy.
3. Speaking of the joint-by-joint approach, Charlie offered the most comprehensive approach I’ve seen. Traditionally, this approach has been discussed largely in the context of the sagittal plane only, but it definitely has frontal and transverse plane implications as well. Weingroff also went into more detail on the neck and foot than I’ve seen – as you have alternating mobile/stable joints within these entities, too.
4. Typically, a joint in this school of thought will only really have two direct impacts: the joint above it and the one below it. The hip might impact the knee or lumbar spine, for instance.
The thoracic spine, however, has more far-reaching effects, though, and that’s likely why it’s such a crucial area of focus. It affects four systems: the neck, ribs (respiration), scapula/clavicle, and the lumbar spine. So, if you’re seeing a lot of “gross” dysfunction above the hips, it’s often the best place to start with your corrective exercise.
5. Charlie goes to some great lengths in defense of the vertical shin (tibia) as compared to the angled shin during various tasks, most notably squatting. He raises an interesting question in asking whether it’s really a good thing for both the femur and tibia to move simultaneously during the angled shin squat – as it essentially works in contrast to the joint by joint theory of movement he proposes.
Meanwhile, almost every day, we see folks whose knee pain disappears when we teach them to squat with a vertical shin – effectively letting the femur move as the tibia stays still. The same goes for teaching folks to deadlift, do pull-throughs, or anything else that emphasizes “hips back” as opposed to “knees forward.”
Admittedly, Charlie says it much better than I do, though! And, I should note that he emphasizes mastering the movement far more than simply loading it up - especially if we are talking about loading up a dysfunctional pattern (not a good idea).
I'll be back with five more takeaways tomorrow, but in the meantime, check out Charlie Weingroff's Rehab=Training, Training=Rehab at the introductory price HERE.
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This is the third installment of my Correcting Bad Posture series. In case you missed the first two installments, you can check them out here:
Strategies for Correcting Bad Posture: Part 1Strategies for Correcting Bad Posture: Part 2
Today, we pick up with tip #9...
9. It's not just the strength exercises you perform; it's how you perform them. Often, people think that they just need to pick a bunch of "posture correction" exercises and they'll magically be fixed. Unfortunately, it's not that simple, as making corrections takes time, patience, consistency, and perfect technique. As an example, check out the following video of what some bad rows often look like in someone with a short pec minor, which pulls the coracoid process down and makes it tough to posteriorly tilt and retract the scapula. The first substitution pattern you'll see (first three reps) is forward head posture replacing scapular retraction, and the second one (reps 4-6) is humeral (hyper)extension replacing scapular retraction.
Ideally, the chin/neck/head should remain in neutral and the scapula should retract and depress in sync with humeral movement.
Of course, these problems don't just occur with rowing motions; they may be seen with everything from deadlifts, to push-ups, to chin-ups. So, be cognizant of how you're doing these strength exercises; you may just be making bad posture worse!
10. Get regular soft tissue work. I don't care whether it's a focal modality like Active Release, a mid-range modality like Graston Technique, or a more diffuse approach like general massage; just make sure that you get some sort of soft tissue work! A foam roller is a good start and something that you can use between more targeted treatments with a qualified professional. A lot of people really think that they are "breaking up scar tissue" with these modalities, and they certainly might be, but the truth is that I think more of the benefits come from altering fluid balance in the tissues, stimulating the autonomic nervous system, and "turning on" the sensory receptors in the fascia.
11. Recognize that lower body postural improvements will be a lot more stubborn than upper body postural improvements. Most of this series has been dedicated to improving upper body postural distortions (forward head posture and kyphosis). The truth is that they are always intimately linked (as the next installment will show) - however, in the upper body, bad posture "comes around" a bit sooner. Why?
We don't walk on our hands (well, at least not the majority of the time).
Joking aside, though, the fact that we bear weight on our lower body and core means that it's going to take a ton of time to see changes in anterior pelvic tilt and overpronation, as we're talking about fundamentally changing the people have walked for decades by attempting to reposition their center of gravity. That's not easy.
So why, then, do a lot of people get relief with "corrective exercises" aimed at bad posture? Very simply, they're creating better stability in the range of motion they already have; an example would be strengthening the anterior core (with prone bridges, rollouts, etc.) in someone who has a big anterior pelvic tilt and lordosis. You're only realigning the pelvis and spine temporarily, but you're giving them enough time and stability near their end range to give them some transient changes. The same would be true of targeted mobility and soft tissue work; it acutely changes ROM and tissue density to make movement easier.
Long-term success, of course, comes when you are consistent with these initiatives and don't allow yourself to fall into bad posture habits in your daily life. In fact, I have actually joked that we could probably improve posture the quickest if we just had people lie down between training sessions!
12. Add "fillers" to your weight training program. Mobility drills aimed at correcting bad posture are often viewed as boring, and in today's busy world, they are often the first thing removed when people need to get in and out of the gym quickly. To keep folks from skipping these important exercises, I recommend they include them as "fillers." Maybe you do a set each of ankle and thoracic spine mobility drills between each set of deadlifts (or any strength exercise, for that matter) - because you'd be resting for a couple of minutes and doing nothing, anyway. These little additions go a long way in the big picture as long as you're consistent with them.
I'll be back next week with Part 4 of the Correcting Bad Posture series.
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While this digital resource has been used by folks of all walks of life for everything from fat loss to athletic performance training , in light of an email I received the other day from my buddy, Kevin Neeld, I thought I'd highlight the strength increases aspect of things. Kevin is director of athletic development at a strength and conditioning facility in Sewell, NJ - and I sent him an advanced copy of Show and Go. Here's what he sent me the other day:
"Eric, I wanted to let you know that I put our whole staff on your Show and Go program and the result [after just a month] has been:
Matt Siniscalchi-405 x 5 (Personal Record)
David Lasnier-385x5 (Personal Record)
Kevin Neeld-425 x 5 (Personal Record)
"I also front squatted 285 for 3, which is pretty good for me. Turns out your programs work! I've been pumping Show and Go's tires a lot around here since you launched it. Hopefully the program is getting the attention it deserves."
Then, a day later, a few days later, I got another email:
"We just did the front squat 1RM test; here were some results:
David Lasnier - Front Squat (295 - PR)
Kevin Neeld - Front Squat (315 - PR)
"You should also know that David and I both tied/set PRs during our 1-RM bench press test too...but we were both SO sore from the previous upper-body lift that we didn't even bother shooting film. I think we'll both beat our previous bests by 10-15lbs in a couple weeks when you have the next 1RM built in. Thanks!"
Today's guest blog comes from current CP Intern Conor Nordengren.
During one of my recent morning drives to Cressey Performance, I was listening to the radio when I heard one of my favorite songs from my youth: “Don’t Sweat the Technique” by Eric B. and Rakim.
As I was fist-pumping (a la Tony Gentilcore), I realized that I had never actually paid attention to the lyrics of the song. Mid fist-pump, I put my hand down so I could listen closely to the words. After hearing the chorus, I was shocked: “Don’t sweat the technique?” Really? In my sudden state of anger and disbelief, I came to another realization: this must be why Eric hates rap!
Ever since that morning commute, the word “technique” has been stuck in my mind. More specifically, how it pertains to strength and conditioning and just lifting weights in general.
One of the first things I learned when I began my internship at CP was the importance of proper technique. This often neglected aspect of training is constantly stressed here. Eric, Tony, and Chris are always out on the floor coaching, cueing, and correcting technique. When us interns aren’t scheduling Eric’s next seaweed body wrap at the spa or picking up Tony a tall, iced peppermint white chocolate mocha espresso (with extra sprinkles) from Starbucks, all of our time is spent out on the floor actively coaching as well.
The great thing about CP is that everyone who trains here is aware of the importance of proper technique, too. Many times, I’ll be out on the floor and a client will come up to me and ask me to watch their form on a certain strength exercise. I’ve had this happen with athletes who are in middle school, to pro baseball guys who are veterans of CP, and also with those so-called “weekend warriors.” I have to admit, I love it when this happens! This means that the client is not only cognizant of the importance of technique, but is looking to improve upon or maintain their technique; it also tells me that they truly care about their training and their goals.
The other week, a younger CP athlete was doing a set of pull-throughs with less than stellar technique. As Chris quickly came to the rescue, I listened in to what he was saying and I came away with one of those “Ah-ha!” moments along with a great quote to remember. Chris said, “Right now, we really need to focus on technique; we have plenty of time to get you strong.” A lot of young kids or beginners who are fairly new to lifting weights will sometimes have the tendency to want to use too much weight on their exercises. While they are still learning and improving upon their form, putting too much weight on the bar can prove to be injurious. This can be a problem for even the more experienced lifter if they are losing focus on their technique. Whether you are picking up a weight for the first time or you’ve been lifting for many years, you need to constantly be aware of your form. When you enter the weight room, leave your ego at the door because technique is far more important than the amount of weight you can lift. The cool thing is, as your form becomes very good, your chances of progressing faster and lifting more weight become greater. And don’t worry, no informed lifter is going to think you’re a “girly man” if you take some weight off the bar to work on your technique.
Competitive powerlifter Chad Aichs wrote an article last month about constantly “hammering” technique. Now, Chad has been lifting for a long time and is one of the strongest guys in the world (2733 total in the squat, bench, and deadlift). Suffice it to say, when Chad’s talking, I’m listening. According to him, technique must be the foundation of everyone’s training program. When you begin your workout, from your warm-up to post-workout stretching, you should strive to perform every movement with picture-perfect form. During our staff lifts at CP, we’re always watching each other’s lifts and giving each other feedback when necessary. While this usually consists of Eric yelling at Pete from across the gym telling him that his form is about as good as a brain-dead, overweight, arthritic donkey, that’s beside the point.
The lesson here is that I’m lifting with some of the most knowledgeable, experienced coaches out there and they’re still critiquing each other’s form. In other words, you are never too experienced to not monitor and improve your technique. Holding yourself to high standards when it comes to technique keeps it in check and allows you to put your body in its strongest, safest position to lift the most weight and stay injury-free. If you train alone and don’t have an experienced eye to watch your form, try to video yourself performing a certain lift. This way, you can self-correct your technique and/or post it online to have others chime in on what you may need to improve upon. I know that may sound a little extreme to some of you, but if you’re serious about your training, it may be necessary for you to get better and make progress toward your goals.
While striving for perfect form is great and very important, I agree with Bret Contreras’ application of the 80/20 Principle when it comes to technique. Basically, your form should never break down more than 20%. This 20% serves as a bit of a leeway that is necessary for lifters to make progress and get stronger. On a scale of 0 to 10, 0 being horrendous and 10 being perfect, at the very least you want to score an 8. However, an 8 should only be allowed on heavier sets that are more challenging. All other sets, including warm-ups and the initial working sets, should be 10’s. I’ve seen Bret’s theory in play in my own training. During a recent trap bar deadlift session, I set out to perform 5 sets of 5. I was feeling good that day, so I decided to increase the weight for my last working set. My first 3 reps were 10’s, but during my last 2 reps, I lost a bit of the tightness in my back, and would’ve characterized them as an 8 or a 9. Even though my form was not completely perfect, it was not a significant break down that would put me at a great risk of injury. Always be aware of your technique, but don’t obsess about it to the point where you’re limiting your progress. On the other hand, don’t be too careless where you’re putting yourself at a heightened risk for injury; a.k.a. don’t be this guy (and I’m not just talking about his hair):
Improving your form and keeping certain cues in mind is not an easy thing. There are several things to remember regarding technique while executing a given lift, and at times, it can seem overwhelming, especially if you lift alone. If this is how you feel, try this little trick that Tony uses with his clients. Say you’re performing a deadlift, whether you’re somebody who’s just learning this movement or a veteran lifter who’s doing a heavy set. Instead of just motoring through each rep of your set, treat each rep as its own set. You can think of it as sort of “resetting” yourself after each repetition. Before your first rep, get yourself into position and go through a mental checklist of key cues. Perform the rep, set the weight down (or just a pause for other movements), and quickly go through that mental checklist again to make sure you’re ready to perform the next rep with proper technique. This is a simple yet effective tool for keeping form tight that can be applied to almost any exercise.
So I guess what I’m trying to say is that Eric B. and Rakim are full of crap; you better “SWEAT the technique!” Proper resistance training technique will allow you to progress faster, get stronger, stay injury-free, and ultimately help you to reach your goals. As Chad Aichs has said, “Technique is everything.”
Conor Nordengren can be reached at cnordengren@gmail.com.Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter and Receive a Deadlift Technique Video!
1. I'm happy to report that I not only survived our wedding festivities, but that Anna actually said "I do" (actually, "I will"). Kidding aside, it was - without a doubt - the single best weekend of my life; we had an absolute blast.
2. For those who are wondering, I did, in fact, eat the cake (actually, I ate a lot more than just cake; we had a sweet buffet):
3. Speaking of cakes, my fiancee wife had an extra one made in the shape of a dumbbell with our initials on it. We're both bummed that we never had a chance to try a piece, but at least it looked great - and hopefully some people enjoyed their slices.
Enough with the wedding stuff, as these aren't even the wedding photographers pictures - and you are probably more interested in me talking about lifting heavy stuff and the like!
4. Brian St. Pierre - who happened to be in attendance at the wedding (like that transitional material?) - just had a great article published at T-Nation that I think you'll really like: 10 Forgotten Muscle Building Foods.
5. A while back, I contributed on an article by Bret Contreras - and it was just published yesterday. Check it out: The Best Assistance Exercises for the Three Big Powerlifts. It's a good one if you are wondering which strength exercises will have the most carryover to squat, bench press, and deadlift.
6. I have an AWESOME interview lined up with Kelly Baggett for later this week. Kelly and I go back quite a few years, and he's one of those guys that I always learn something from when we connect. If you are interested in athletic performance improvements, he is a great guy from whom to learn. He actually did a interview at this site a while back, if you want to check them out:
Baggett of Tricks: An Interview with Kelly Baggett: Part 1Baggett of Tricks: An Interview with Kelly Baggett: Part 2
Kelly recently collaborated with Alex Maroko on a product called The Truth About Quickness, and it came out really well.
7. Last, but not least, if you are a Red Sox fan (or any sports fan, for that matter) and didn't see this on ESPN last night, you missed an awesome hour of television. I had goosebumps the entire time.
Sorry for not having any unique "EC content" for you today, but we're doing all sorts of post-wedding stuff - from unpacking, to writing thank you notes, to
Based on feedback on Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look, Feel, and Move Better, one of the most popular components of this strength and conditioning resource has been the exercise modifications section. This section features recommended modifications for everything from mobility deficits (e.g., can't squat deep without rounding the back) to equipment limitations (e.g., no cables or squat rack).
That said, I know it's never possible to use a single chapter to cover absolutely every equipment modification one will encounter, so I wanted to get a series going here that highlights some quick and easy substitutions that you can use in your strength training programs. To that end, here is the first installment of High Performance Training Without the Equipment. Today's focus will be what to do in your home gym if you don't have access to dumbbells.
If we're talking about regular bilateral dumbbell pressing, the modification is quick and easy: just use a barbell, and get your variety by using a collection of floor presses, board presses, full range-of-motion presses, and various inclines and declines.
If we're talking about either unilateral or alternating dumbbell pressing variations, then try out the 1-arm push-up. You can make the exercise easier by performing it off the pins in a power rack - and as you get stronger, gradually move the pin down lower.
On the "flip side," you can obviously use barbell rowing variations to replace dumbbell rowing variations. One that I particularly like is the 1-arm corner row, in lieu of the 1-arm DB Row. You just stick the end of a barbell in a corner.
Or, you can just do the 1-arm barbell row - which requires a ton more grip and forearm strength to keep the bar from tipping.
Of course, there are plenty more options in this regard; your imagination is your only limit!
