1.Just a quick heads-up: today is the last day you can get the new Functional Strength Coach 3 DVD set from Mike Boyle with all the sweet bonuses he's offered as an introductory special. Definitely check it out (here).
2. There's some great new research out in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research that compares front and back squats with respect to stress on the knees. Not surprisingly, you actually see higher compressive forces and knee extensor moments with the back squat - which would imply that the front squat is a safer option for most folks. This actually isn't a huge surprise to me, as we've integrated front squatting well in advance of back squatting in returning folks with lower extremity issues to "normal training." However, there is a bit more.
You see, we'll have people do a box squat variation before going to a front squat. There is more of a sitting back motion, and a bit less knee flexion, so more of the stress it put back on the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings) than the quads. It not only takes the stress off the knees, but also allows folks to maintain a great training effect while they're on the mend. And, in reality, it probably helps to address some of their inefficiencies, as a good chunk of folks with knee issues tend to have weak posterior chains and be very quad-dominant. While the majority of these individuals' training focuses on deadlifting variations and single-leg work, when the time comes to squat, we'll first use a front box squat:
From there, we'd go to a back-loaded box squat variation (giant cambered bar, safety squat bar, or straight bar), and then on to regular ol' front squats. (FYI, I covered front vs. back squats from a different perspective HERE)
3. When it comes to shoulder health, one thing folks miss out on all the time is the important role of the subscapularis, one of the four muscles of the rotator cuff. This is a huge mistake if you want healthy shoulders. Why? As the picture below shows, this sucker has a big cross-sectional area (CSA). In fact, according to Bassett et al., its CSA is the second largest (behind only the deltoid) of any muscle crossing the glenohumeral joint.
As an interesting little tag-along to that fact, I recall reading that research has demonstrated that subscapularis cross-sectional area was the only factor that predicted powerlifting performance. While the primary focus of the subscapularis is dynamic stabilization of the humeral head (and, more specifically, creating anterior stability with its posterior pull), it also assists in internally rotating the humerus, so it's lumped in as a "bad guy" with the other internal rotators: pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, anterior deltoid, and teres major.
In reality, in most folks, some subscapularis activation work during the warm-up should be done in conjunction with lengthening drills for the other internal rotators and posterior rotator cuff in order to establish a good shoulder groove before training. We go into great detail in Assess and Correct with two of our progressions, but to get the ball rolling, try putting your hand behind your back (as if handcuffed) and then lifting off without extending your elbow or flexing your wrist.
If this isn't happening easily (both getting the arm back there and lifting off), you need to get to work!
4. Speaking of Assess and Correct, the feedback thus far has been fantastic - and folks haven't even received the DVDs yet! Here's a little sample from some of the emails I've received:
"I ordered a copy last night and have been looking over the e-manual this morning and I’ve got to say, it looks awesome! Can’t wait to put it to use."
"I got it yesterday. It's awesome and the DVDs haven't even arrived yet!"
Needless to say, the DVDs alone will be 100% worth the deal, but the in-depth bonuses take things to the next level. Remember that the one-week only introductory price of $97 expires on Sunday at midnight, so pick up your copy ASAP!
Have a great weekend!
EC
PS - I'm looking for a good trainer/S&C coach in the State College, PA area. If you are located there or know someone good nearby, please email me ASAP at ec@ericcressey.com. Thanks!
PPS - I'm doing the Fitcast with Kevin Larrabee this morning. I'll get the link posted as soon as it's available.
Today's a really exciting day for Mike Robertson, Bill Hartman, and I - and hopefully for you, too!
You see, after months of planning, filming, and editing, our new product, Assess and Correct, is now available at www.AssessAndCorrect.com. And, for the first week ONLY, we're making the product available for $30 off what will be the normal retail price.
Assess and Correct is the first resource that empowers you with not only a series of self-assessments to identify your own flexibility and stability limitations, but also exercise progressions to correct those inefficiencies. In the process, you'll take your athletic performance to all new levelsandprevent injuries from creeping up on you - whether you're a high-level athlete or someone who sits at a desk too much.
With 27 self-assessments and 78 corresponding exercises, you'll cover virtually everything you need to feel and perform well. And, you'll have plenty of variety to use for many years to come! And, while the DVDs alone are really comprehensive, the bonuses we've added to this really sweeten the deal. Included in this package are:
DVD #1:Your Comprehensive Guide to Self-Assessment
DVD #2:Your Individualized Corrective Exercise Progressions
Bonus #1:The Assess and Correct Assessment E-Manual, which is a guide to which you can refer to in conjunction with DVD #1.
Bonus #2:The Assess and Correct E-Manual, which includes written cues and photos for each recommended drill in DVD #2 so that you'll have a resource you can take to the gym with you.
Bonus #3: "The Great Eight Static Stretches" E-Manual, which shows you eight additional flexibility drills that we use on a regular basis in addition to the drills featured in the DVDs.
Bonus #4:The "Optimal Self Myofascial Release" E-Manual, which shows you the soft tissue methods and techniques we use with our clients and athletes.
Bonus #5: "Warm-ups for Every Body" E-Manual, which is a collection of two sample warm-up templates for 19 different sports/scenarios.
Again, this introductory offer will end next Sunday, November 1 at midnight EST. For now, though, I'd encourage you to head over to www.AssessAndCorrect.com to check out some of the sample videos from the DVDs - including the introduction in which we discuss our rationale for creating the product.
1. I got a question earlier this week about how I felt about swimming for pitchers. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan for pitchers. Swimmers actually have a lot of the same issues as pitchers in terms of adaptive changes in the shoulder: an acquired anterior scapular tilt, glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD), and generalized laxity. I guess when it really comes down to it, I'd rather have guys actually throwing if they are going to develop imbalances.
2. Last, but not least, Mike Boyle has a good video up in conjunction with the release of his new Functional Strength Coach 3 product. Check out The Death of Squatting.
3. Even if he never scores another goal in his life, this kid is a stud - quite possibly on par with the West Virginia Ninja from last week.
4. Tony Gentilcore just switched his blog over to a new site. If you guys want to be entertained and learn something in the process (infotainment), check out www. TonyGentilcore.com.
5. Speaking of Tony, the two of us tested 1RM deadlifts yesterday (yes, together; it's kind of like when women go to the bathroom together). This came after a month-long deadlift specialization program that kicked the crap out of us (let's just say it was 4x/week deadlifting for three weeks, then one week of rest). Tony pulled a personal-best 550 pounds; here's our boy in action:
6. As for me, well, there was no PR. In fact, I got sent down to the JV team. I got 700 about three inches off the floor, and that was it. A subsequent attempt at 675 went only slightly better in my fatigued state. And I put a crater in the middle of my hand when a callus ripped off.
7. If you're a strength and conditioning coach or personal trainer looking for work and are anywhere near (or willing to move to) just east of Philadelphia, please shoot me an email at ec@ericcressey.com. I have a friend who is looking for some good coaches to work with athletes at his facility in that area. It's a positive, learning environment - and he's a great dude.
8. And, last, but certainly not least: Assess and Correct will be up for sale on Monday! Newsletter subscribers will hear about the product first, so if you aren't subscribed already, head HERE to get signed up.
Here's this week's list of recommended reading:
When I Was Young - In this newsletter of mine from a while back, I discuss why I think young athletes are getting injured at such alarming rates nowadays. It draws quite a bit on my own experience as a young athlete "back in the day."
Dirty Nutrition, Volume 2 - This is the latest installment in Dr. Jonny Bowden's nutrition Q&A. The stuff on high-fructose alone is fantastic.
Lastly, Joel Marion's got some sweet new bonuses going on a big promo he's running at TransformationDomination.com. It's worth checking out; Joel knows transformations...
1. I started a little deadlift specialization program this week. So far, it's beating me up like a rented mule - and this is just the introductory week. I don't know if it will get me to 700, but at the very least, it'll prove whether deadlifts to excess really can kill someone. I'll let you know how it goes.
(I still get a kick out of how disinterested the air conditioning repair guy in the background is during this video)
2.A big congratulations goes out to CP athlete Danny O'Connor, who ran his professional boxing record to 9-0 with a third round knockout on Thursday night. I can honestly say that I've never seen anyone get knocked out with a body shot, but let's just say that this was one for the ages. When his opponent actually regains the ability to speak, digest, and walk upright, I'm sure he'll agree.
Next up for Danny is a big fight on November 7 at the Hartford Civic Center, so we're back in the gym getting after it today.
3. My fiancee went to get her annual physical the other day, and because she started a new job with a new insurance plan, it was her first time with a new primary care doctor. Since she knew bloodwork was going to be part of the drill, I had encouraged her to ask to get her Vitamin D levels checked. The doctor replied with, "No, we won't do that. You're not post-menopausal."
Are you serious???? Um, Vitamin D isn't just about bone health. As Chris Shugart covered in a recent article, it has some pretty darn extensive roles in the body, and it's been established that a large chunk of the population has insufficient - if not deficient - levels of Vitamin D.
I find it fascinating that this doctor wouldn't hesitate to order cholesterol and glucose measurements for a second year in a row, yet would rigidly oppose testing for something that's a heck of a lot more useful (even in someone under the age of 30).
Not surprisingly, from what my fiancee (who is also a doctor) told me, she had a terrible bedside manner to go along with her complete lack of preparedness and openmindedness. She even busted out the body mass index line with a female patient who deadlifts over 250 pounds and can do ten body weight chin-ups. Women can have muscle, you know.
Needless to say, she is down one patient now.
4. Here's a great, comprehensive article on antioxidants by John Romaniello and Joel Marion; it covers what works and what doesn't, and does so in an entertaining format: Movie Stars, Blockbuster Berries, and You
5.Chris Frankel from TRX is in town to do an in-service for our staff this morning. We started using these just a few weeks ago and are excited to see all the new tricks and tips Chris has for them. Check them out for yourselfHERE.
Have a kick-ass weekend. This kid definitely will!
Here are a few good reads from a variety of disciplines:
Organic vs. Kind of Organic vs. Wait, I'm Confused - This was a great blog post by Tony Gentilcore that tells you everything you ought to know (but might not want to know) about organic food.
Clean Eating Gone Wrong - Another great post, this one from Dr. John Berardi. It just goes to show you that being on the money with your nutrition can quickly and easily hit the fan.
Blood and Chalk: Jim Wendler Talks Big Weights - Jim is a great dude and one of the most amusing guys you'll encounter in this industry; he's always got something funny, but incredibly valuable to say. Check out this interview with him at T-Muscle.
The theme of this week's random thoughts is "questions" (even though I know that having a theme makes it pretty non-random).
1. Yesterday, one of our high school guys was throwing - or tossing, I should say - the medicine ball with less than stellar velocity. So, I went over and pinned a $20 bill to the floor with a dumbbell, and told him that if he broke a medicine ball, he could keep it. He didn't break one, but at the very least, it got him throwing the ball harder.
Seconds later, I hear a thud - only to look over and see that my fiancee had dropped a dumbbell directly on one of our stopwatches. Her question? "Do I get $20 for breaking a stopwatch?"
Sorry, honey, breaking stopwatches doesn't get you the $20 when you already have access to my credit cards and checkbook.
2. Do you watch The Biggest Loser? If so, you have to read this blog post by Robert do Remedios.
3. Can someone tell me why this kid doesn't just put down the controller? Weird.
5. Was that video just woefully inappropriate?
6. Does anyone think there is actually hope for Matt Forte as a legitimate fantasy football running back this year? He really let me down in Week 1 (five points, and I lost by one), and I have a bad feeling that it's going to be a looooonnnnggg year in this regard. Some #4 overall pick...
7. For the record, I think it's a disgrace if Zach Greinke doesn't win the AL Cy Young award. He'll be punished because he plays for a team that is isn't very good (four of his eight losses have been in games where the Royals were shut-out), but seriously, how can you ignore these numbers? He's got 244 strikeouts and just 44 walks in 210 innings right now. Filthy numbers.
8. Have you watched Mike Boyle's Advanced Program Design DVD set? I'm in the process of updating my resources page, and I came across it. It made me realize what a great product it was, yet how it seems to get overlooked. It's definitely worth checking out, if you haven't already.
Pop quiz, hotshot. You need to add some plates to the bar and pack some meat on your bones. You've got precious few weeks to accomplish both, but only have four days per week to train. What do you do? What do you do?
I've asked this question to myself countless times and only recently have I come up with what I believe is the most effective method. Forget total-body training. Forget upper and lower splits. The trick is to, well...I'll get to that in a minute.
Continue Reading...
Feel like swallowing some bitter truth today?
Okay Spunky, first strip down to your Power Rangers shorts. Now grab a compact from your girlfriend's purse and sashay over to the full-length mirror on the back of her bedroom door.
Face away from the full-length mirror and use the smaller mirror on her compact to eyeball your backside — your entire backside from the top of your shoulders to several clicks south of Glutesville.
Personally, I'd also use one of those cardboard boxes with a couple of pinholes in it, the kind that kids use during solar eclipses to keep from going blind, because what you see might scar you emotionally and physically.
Continue Reading...
- Eric Cressey
Back in early May, I published a newsletter discussing some alternatives I've used as replacements for traditional interval training. Basically, the goal was to show that one can work to address inefficiencies while still getting some good energy systems development training.
One of the key concepts I briefly outlined in this newsletter - and also thoroughly in Mike Robertson and my Building the Efficient Athlete DVD Set - is the Law of Repetitive Motion. This law is expressed as the equation I=NF/AR. In this equation, injury equals the number of repetitions multiplied by the frequency of those repetitions, divided by the amplitude of each repetition times the rest interval.
Looking at this equation and understanding each of these factors sheds some light not only on how we can prevent injuries, but also address these issues once they reach threshold. Truth be told, as I related in another previous newsletter, I'm a firm believer that we're always just see-sawing back and forth, getting closer to threshold when tissues are loaded in excess of their capacity.
Providing adequate stability, mobility, recruitment patterns, and tissue quality with the appropriate training loads and recovery measures ensures that we stay below this threshold. All of these issues are covered in one way or another by the equation from above.
"I" is the injury, or insult to the tissues. In the active restraints - muscles and tendons - this may present in the form of soft tissue restrictions that can be addressed with manual therapy and foam rolling. In other words, sometimes simply doing some soft tissue work can bring someone back below threshold (one reason why I refuse to refer any athletes or clients to physical therapists who do not put their hands on patients, but that is a whole other newsletter altogether).
"N" is the number of repetitions imposed on the tissues. This may be working on a factory line doing the same motion over and over again. It may also be simply sitting with poor posture, which is the equivalent of a high number of reps (constant activation). Or, it could come from doing as many chin-ups as possible simply because your business partner told you that he didn't think you could do it - and the Mudvayne in the background motivated you to action (but I wouldn't know anything about that).
With respect to "N," the general assumption is that simply reducing the number of repetitions is what it takes to reduce insult to the tissues. That's absolutely true, but not exhaustively true.
Take someone who bench presses with the elbows flared, and teach them to tuck the elbows and activate the upper back and scapular stabilizers. You may instantly relieve their pain without altering the number of repetitions; you're just redistributing the load.
The same is true of someone with anterior knee pain who has pain with forward lunging, but not with reverse lunges. So, the lesson to be learned isn't just to modify the number of repetitions, but also the manner in which those repetitions are performed.
"F" is the force of each repetition, and it's important to remember that this force is expressed as a function of maximum muscular strength. So, in other words, the "F" figure will be higher - and more injurious - on a weak tissue. This is one reason why resistance training is a big portion of modern physical therapy - including physical therapy that the brighter minds in the PT community wouldn't consider "comprehensive" or "good."
Here's an example. Average Joe gets anterior knee pain and, of course, he gets diagnosed with patellar tendinitis when it's really more of a tendinosis (but I won't digress on that). He spends six weeks in PT to really "build up his quads." It's obvious that the patellar tendon was just weak and inflamed, so strengthening it and knocking back NSAIDs like candy will fix everything. Riiiiight.
Chances are that the patellar tendon was just overused because Joe had no hamstrings or glutes. Getting the quads strong just reduces the "F" figure in the equation above. They push him away from threshold, but not as far as he'd have gone if they'd also worked on recruiting glutes and hamstrings better, optimizing hip and ankle mobility, or performing soft tissue work. Or, maybe he just got better because they reduced the "N" we discussed above by resting the knee. Regardless, Joe's not in the clear and very well might be back in PT in a few months if he doesn't address the other issues in the equation.
And, with that in mind, I'll get to the final two components of the Law of Repetitive Motion in my next newsletter. In the meantime, check out the Building the Efficient Athlete DVD Set for more details.
