It's time for this week's recommended strength and conditioning reading:
Insider Secrets to Movement Prep - This is a new "compilation" product from all of us at Elite Training Mentorship. It's a series of videos from all the guys - me, Mike Robertson, Tyler English, Vaughn Bethell, Dave Schmitz, Steve Long, and Jared Woolever - who regularly contribute on this membership site. If you have questions about planning a training, practice, or competition warm-up, this is a great resource for you. The package includes 10 videos, plus several articles and exercise demonstrations. It's on sale today through Sunday for just $29.95.
Who Says You Can't Get After it After 80? - This was a fun blog post from my business partner, Tony Gentilcore, about a client of ours who is over the age of 80 and still crushing it in the weight room.
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I’m psyched to announce that on Sunday, September 22, we’ll be hosting our second annual fall seminar at Cressey Performance. As was the case with our extremely popular fall event last year, this event will showcase both the great staff we're fortunate to have as part of our team. Also like last year, we want to make this an affordable event for everyone and create a great forum for industry professionals and fitness enthusiasts alike to interact, exchange ideas, and learn.
Here are the presentation topics:
Cracking the Crossfit Code - Presented by Eric Cressey
Let's face it: Crossfit is here to stay. With that in mind, it's time for someone to take an unbiased look at how we can make coaches and fitness enthusiasts successful within the scope of this training system. In this presentation, Eric will look past the emotions people have with respect to this approach, and discuss rationale ways to accentuate the positives while offering solutions for the shortcomings. In short, the goal is to bring people together, not drive two sides further apart.
Training Joe vs. Jane: Do Women Need to Train Differently Than Men? – Presented by Tony Gentilcore
Should women avoid lifting appreciable weight? What are the most effective strategies for training women through pregnancy? Is there such a thing as an ACL-Prevention Program?
In this presentation, I will discuss many of the common misconceptions and "myths" relating to training female athletes. I intend to provide extensive responses and feedback to some of the most frequently asked questions I have encountered relating to the art of strength training for women.
Insulin:The Hormone, The Myth, The Legend – Presented by Brian St. Pierre
Carbs spike insulin and insulin causes fat gain. So, cut the carbs and you'll end up lean and healthy. End of story. Or is it?
While the Paleo and low carb camps loudly proclaim that carbs and insulin are the enemy, the latest science suggests otherwise. In fact, we're starting to learn that high insulin is an effect of being overweight, not a cause. In this session, Brian will explore the real relationship between carbs and insulin, discussing some of the common myths about insulin, and sharing some practical eating strategies you can put into action immediately.
Integrating Corrective Exercise for Performance Enhancement – Presented by Mike Reinold
Often times, muscle imbalances, alignment issues, and movement impairments can lead to injury and decreased performance. However, corrective exercises are often unsuccessful for various reasons. By focusing on several key principles, you can maximize your ability to apply corrective exercises to optimize movement and enhance performance.
Getting To Know Your Athlete: Understanding Learning Styles to Be a More Effective Coach – Presented by Chris Howard
In this presentation, I will discuss the different learning styles and how knowledge of this information is helpful in becoming a more effective coach. I will also delve into the differences between introverted and extroverted clients and how it is necessary to coach and assess them differently.
Excellence In Group Training – Presented by Greg Robins
Group training, small group training, and bootcamps are here to stay. Let me help you understand how I manage the variables associated with group training to optimize a less than ideal scenario. The information presented will be sure to help everyone from the strength and conditioning specialist to commercial fitness professional alike.
The Role of Physical Therapy in a Strength and Conditioning Facility – Presented by Eric Schoenberg
Physical Therapy earns little respect in strength and conditioning circles due to the inability of traditional PTs to properly progress a patient from injury to high-level activity. This lack of versatility has contributed to an increased role of the strength and conditioning professional in the care of the injured athlete. But, is there a role for Physical Therapy in the training world? Physical therapist Eric Schoenberg will share his thoughts on why partnering with the right physical therapist can add great value to your business and improve results for your clients.
Location:
Cressey Performance,
577 Main St.
Suite 310
Hudson, MA 01749
Cost:
Regular – $149.99 Student (must present current student ID at door) – $129.99
Date/Time:
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Registration 8:30AM
Seminar 9AM-5:30PM
We’re really excited about this event, and would love to have you join us! However, space is limited and each seminar we’ve hosted in the past has sold out quickly, so don’t delay on signing up!
If you have additional questions, please direct them to cresseyperformance@gmail.com. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Here's this week's list of recommended strength and conditioning reading:
I Throw, Therefore I Am - Thisewas a great Boston Globe article on the evolution of throwing - and there was a similar piece written in the New York Times, as they both reported on the same study results.
Massage Tools: Gua Sha and The Like - This is an outstanding blog from Patrick Ward on the effects of various instrument-assisted soft tissue treatment approaches.
The Truth About Overhead Pressing - My business partner, Tony Gentilcore, authored this article on reevaluating your shoulder function and strength and conditioning programming over at T-Nation.
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I'm psyched to announce that Cressey Performance will be hosting the first ever Elite Training Workshop in the Boston area on Sunday, April 21. Presenting will be Mike Robertson, Mike Reinold, Dave Schmitz, Tony Gentilcore, Jared Woolever, and Steve Long. Additionally, there will be a "bonus" fitness business day with Pat Rigsby and Nick Berry on Saturday afternoon, April 20. At just $99.95, this is an outstanding value.
Here's this week's list of recommended strength and conditioning reading:
Elite Training Mentorship - I normally post my updates here once a month, but this month, it's especially exciting, as we're running at "30 days for $1" trial at ETM, and as a bonus for signing up, you get all the presentations from the Fitness Business Weekend. So, effectively, you're receiving education on the training and business sides of the fitness industry, and you certainly can't beat the price! Head over to the Elite Training Mentorship site for details, but don't wait, as the deal ends this Friday at midnight.
By the way, for those interested, my in-service this month was "Understanding Common Shoulder Conditions and Surgeries," and I also had two articles and exercise demonstrations posted.
Everybody, Never, and Always - This blog from my friend and business partner, Tony Gentilcore, is a great post on why "absolutes" are never a good fit in our industry. He cites some specific examples, but just as importantly, encourages you to consider how these three words apply to your own training.
Here's this week's list of recommended strength and conditioning reading:
The 4-Hour Chef - Tim Ferriss' book is now available, and it looks to be fantastic. My wife and I actually had dinner with Tim in San Francisco back in February when he was immersed in the writing process. We talked at length about how the scope of the book had grown incredibly from a cookbook only all the way up to becoming a book of lessons on how to learn and become highly proficient on any task - with cooking as a medium through which to do so.
I'm actually buying a few copies of this as Christmas presents, including one for my mother, who is a high school principal with a big interest in finding innovative ways to get kids excited about learning - and learning faster. As a bonus, she likes to cook and eat healthy: win/win!
The Virtual Squat Seminar - This was a great post from Jim Wendler over at T-Nation. He covered a lot of what you need to know in order to squat safely and effectively.
All the Hype Behind Kipping Pull-ups - My good friend and business partner, Tony Gentilcore, goes into "dangerous territory" by covering the kipping pull-up, but actually presents a very "neutral" argument that I think anyone can appreciate, regardless of how they feel about Crossfit.
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Whenever someone talks about a plateau they've hit with their strength training programs, the first question they usually ask is "What should I do?" In reality, the answer isn't just what one should do, but what one shouldn't do, as well. Here are five examples of how you can get more out of your strength training programs by doing less.
1. Leave the gym sooner.
Tony Gentilcore is one of my best friends. We co-founded Cressey Sports Performance, were roommates for two years, and he were groomsmen in one another's weddings.
We also have been training partners since 2005. And, in just about every training session we've ever shared, I've finished before Tony. Tony absolutely loves to train, so he's always adding stuff at the end: things like conditioning, accessory work, curls and lateral raises. This stuff is all well and good in the battle to improve his physique, but it's always attenuated his strength gains.
As a frame of reference, back in 2005, my best raw bench press and deadlift were 250 and 510, respectively. They're now up to 365 and 640. In that same time period, Tony has gone from roughly 250 to 300 on the bench press, and 500 to 580 on the deadlift.
That said, make no mistake about it: Tony is still a pretty strong dude - and he walks around at sub-10% body fat year round and could be a Men's Health cover model body with a week of dieting. He trades off some of his strength gains for the volume it takes to build the physique he wants. I, on the other hand, trade off some of the physique stuff to enhance my strength.
We take these considerations into mind whenever we write programs for clients. It's all about individual preference, and your goals may shift over time. If you're looking to get stronger faster, though, look to eliminate some fluff and focus on putting your eggs in the "quality, not quantity" basket.
2. Quit pairing so many things up.
We use a lot of "fillers" in the strength and programs we write for athletes. For instance, they may do a set of yoga plex to work on hip and thoracic spine mobility between sets of trap bar deadlifts. Athletes have so many competing demands that you can't just ignore everything else while you work to build strength, or else you'll run out of training time.
In some of our general fitness clients who have a lot of mobility restrictions to work through, but also need to drop body fat and build work capacity, we may use trisets, pairing up 1-2 strength/stability exercises with a mobility drill. They get a little bit of everything, and they keep moving.
You know what, though? None of the elite caliber powerlifters and Olympic lifters I've met do this. They lift, and then stand (or sit) around between sets. They might not move as well in a variety of contexts as some other athletes I encounter, but they're damn strong.
Look at your program and weight the benefits of adding filler work between sets. For most folks, the benefits definitely outweigh any subtle reduction in strength you'd see on the main strength exercise. If, however, your goal is to squat 800 pounds, you don't need to be doing a set of chops or lifts between sets; you're better off resting and contemplating the challenge ahead, then hitting your assistance work thereafter.
3. Shorten up your movement training and conditioning.
A lot of people want to get stronger, but don't want it to interfere with their ability to train for sprinting, agility, or conditioning. The quick and easy response to these folks is to simply pare back on how much you do with these somewhat competing demands.
If you're accustomed to running 200-400m sprints for conditioning, shorten it to 50-100m and take a bit longer for recovery between sets.
If you normally sprint three times a week, cut back to 1-2 sessions just to maintain what you've built as you add strength to the equation.
If you're used to doing 10-12 sets of agility work in a training session, cut it in half and put it during your warm-up before a strength training session.
Personally, a big chunk of my conditioning actually takes place on the rowing machine in my basement. I'll just hit 3-5 rounds of 200-500m (anywhere from 30s to 120s) at a once or twice a week frequency.
4. Go to a lower rep range with your main strength exercise of the day.
This sounds like a no brainer, but you'd be amazed at how many intermediate to advanced lifters plug away with 4x6 and 5x5 rep schemes, but can't possibly understand why their strength levels aren't improving. So, here's a good general guideline:
Lifting really heavy weights (>90% of 1RM) for few reps can get you stronger. Lifting lighter weights (40-70% of 1RM) for few reps with great bar speed can also get you stronger. Being in the middle (70-90%) and doing more reps at a slower bar speed often winds up being like riding two horses with one saddle.
There are two take-home points here. First, regardless of the weight on the bar, your intent should always be to be as fast concentrically (lifting) as possible. Second, doing sets of five or more reps isn't going to have a great neural benefit for strength improvements, although the volume may help you to gain body weight as a means to build strength. Save the higher rep stuff for your assistance work.
5. Deload.
A line I heard from Kelly Baggett back in the early 2000s has always stuck out in my mind:
Fatigue masks fitness.
If it didn't, we'd all be able to match (or exceed) our personal records in every single training session. That may be the case when you're a complete beginner, but it's certainly not once you get some experience under your belt. If you find you aren't getting stronger, try taking some time off and increasing the amount of recovery-oriented strategies - naps, massage, compression - you employ. You might just find that you bounce back with a PR in a matter of days.
These are just five examples of how subtle modifications to your strength training program can yield big results. They do, however, underscore the importance of having a versatile strength and conditioning program that can be modified to suit almost any goal. To that end, I'd encourage you to check outThe High Performance Handbook.
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I'm psyched to announce that on Sunday, October 28th, we'll be hosting our first annual fall seminar at Cressey Performance. This event will showcase both the brand new Cressey Performance, as well as the great staff I'm fortunate to have as part of my team, and our outstanding sponsor, New Balance. We want to make this an affordable event for everyone and create a great forum for industry professionals and fitness enthusiasts alike to interact, exchange ideas, and learn.
Here are the presentation topics:
Understanding and Managing Congenital Laxity - Presented by Eric Cressey
In this era of semi-private training, boot camps, and group exercise, it’s not uncommon for coaches and trainers to try to train all athletes and clients the same. This can quickly lead to injury in a population with significant congenital laxity. In this presentation, Eric will teach you how to assess for laxity and safely train with it to improve how people feel and move.
The Food Freakshow: What Will You Be Eating in the 21st Century? - Presented by Brian St. Pierre
Burgers grown from dinosaur DNA? Tomatoes carrying a delicious basil lemon gene? Red meat with the fatty acid profile of an avocado? Science is starting to change the way we look at food. And in the coming years our food will be very, very different. Want to know what you'll be eating? What your kids will be eating? What your grandkids will be eating? Let Brian untangle the mystery. In this talk he'll discuss what's on the horizon for those of us who like to eat, and like to eat healthy. Join him for a fascinating exploration of the future of food – and for useable, practical strategies you can put into action immediately.
Deep Squats: Are They Worth It? - Presented by Tony Gentilcore
In this presentation, Tony will highlight research on the squat under various conditions and discuss population-specific considerations one must take into account when programming squat variations. He’ll discuss improving the squat pattern, as well as exercise recommendations for those who should avoid squatting altogether in their programs.
“Out with the Old:” A new model for preventing injury and improving performance in the throwing athlete - Presented by Eric Schoenberg
The system is broken! Injury rates at all levels of baseball are alarming. Despite improvements in research, technology, and sports medicine principles, the numbers continue to rise. Each year, teams work tirelessly and spend millions to recruit, draft, and sign the best talent from all over the world. However, only a small percentage of that money is invested to keep these athletes healthy and allow them to showcase their talent on the field. This presentation will help to debunk some common myths, identify disturbing problems, and provide solutions to help keep athletes on the field and out of the training room.
How "Strong" Does An Athlete Need To Be? - Presented by Greg Robins
In this presentation, Greg will discuss how various strength qualities contribute to an athlete's power potential. Each sport requires a slightly different blend of these strength qualities to provide for high-level performance. Learn which qualities athletes need to improve and how to get the job done.
Current Trends in Manual and Manipulative Therapy - Presented by Nathaniel Tiplady
Nate will present a review of Active Release Technique, Graston Technique, Fascial Manipulation, and joint manipulation. He’ll cover what we know, what we don't know, and present his thoughts and experiences on the best methods to get people pain-free.
Program Design Considerations for the Young Athlete - Presented by Chris Howard
In this presentation, Chris will discuss important considerations one must take into account when designing and implementing programs for young athletes. Topics to be covered are exercise selection and progression, creation of a fun training environment, and the role of the strength coach in educating young athletes. He will stress the fact that young athletes can be trained similarly to adults, but that there are distinctions that need to be made.
Location:
Cressey Performance,
577 Main St.
Suite 310
Hudson, MA 01749
Cost:
Regular - $129 regular, $149 day of the event Student (must present current student ID at door) - $99 regular, $129 day of the event
Date/Time:
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Registration 8:30AM
Seminar 9AM-5:30PM
We're really excited about this event, and would love to have you join us! However, space is limited and each seminar we've hosted in the past has sold out in less than two weeks, so don't delay on signing up!
If you have additional questions, please direct them to cresseyperformance@gmail.com. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Here is this week's list of recommended strength and conditioning reading:
Light Lifting, Big Muscles? - I was interviewed for this Chicago Tribune feature by James Fell. It was particularly cool for me to be featured alongside one of my mentors, Dr. William Kraemer. Dr. Kraemer was actually on my master's thesis committee for my graduate degree at the University of Connecticut.
Cressey Performance In-Service: Get-up/Swing - Tony Gentilcore (with help from Greg Robins) gave this week's staff in-service at CP, and Tony videoed it and put it up on YouTube. If you listen carefully, you can hear me playing catch in the background with one of our baseball guys. Sorry about that!
The Who-What-When-Where-Why-How of Barefoot Training - I got a question the other day about my thoughts on barefoot training, and I referred the individual in question to this post. I thought I'd reincarnate it from the archives for you, too.
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Here's a list of recommended reading for the week:
Exercises You Should Be Doing: Half-Kneeling Band Overhead Shrug - Here, Tony Gentilcore highlights an exercise we use quite a bit at Cressey Performance with some of our athletes who are stuck in scapular downward rotation. It's a big hit with those guys with low shoulders (especially right-handed pitchers). As an aside, I actually prefer the tall kneeling version over the half-kneeling variation, but that's minutia.
An Interview with Dr. Stuart McGill: Part 1 and Part 2 - This two-part interview by Chad Waterbury with Dr. McGill was fantastic. All of McGill's work is must-read material if you're in the fields of health and human performance.
The Red Meat Scare: What Do We Make of It? - Jonny Bowden does a great job of discussing the flaws in the way some folks have interpreted some recent research on red meat consumption and its relationship to mortality.
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