The #1, post Beginner phase, Mistake Lifters (still) Make? Rushing The Rep They don't set up with intention, unrack the weight "tight", allow the weight to settle, compress the joints and "feel" the weight before performing the movement. Weights get a little heavy, the set gets a little hard and we start to think, "If I go fast, i'll get in and out, and don't have to hold the weight any longer than is absolutely necessary" This probably happens for a few reasons: Figured out the Stretch Reflex. Sooner or later you've discovered the "bounce" or "rebound" you can get out the the bottom of a squat or bench. Not in a, crash the bar into your chest and … [Read more...]
Processed Food: Are They Really Pure Evil?
August 8, 2019 by
"Don't Eat it if it Comes From a Box" How often do we hear that these days? What's so bad about food from a box anyway? Well, the nutritional zealots look at it this way: The response usually comes down to some variation of, "It's Processed Food" With headlines like these, Processed Food must be one Bad Hombre: Highly Processed Food Linked to Earlier Death Why Eating Processed Foods Might Make You Fat How Processed Foods Wreak Havoc On Your Health Could it be that we've finally found THE REASON 70% of Americans are overweight (this stat includes obese)? Processed Food: Satan For All Ages All the previous nutritional devils have fallen by … [Read more...]
Food is Religion Part 1: Finding Your Salvation in False Gods
August 2, 2019 by
Dr. Layne Norton says it all the time, "Food has become the new religion" I think he's right. Religious people describe themselves as: Christian Jewish Muslim Flying Spaghetti Monster When it comes to food many of us do the same: Paleo Raw food Atkins Keto How many people lately have been doing the Beyoncé or Tom Brady diet or J-Lo no sugar challenge? How often is it you hear this or that person lost weight doing this diet or such and such eats ___insert magic food___. Why? Do any of those people actually know ANYTHING about nutrition and what's going on with the body? How could people actually think they "discovered" … [Read more...]
NSCA National Conference 2019 Review
July 25, 2019 by
NSCA National Conference 2019 Review After 13 years, back in the nations capital. That means no TSA cattle calls and pat downs for this gut! Fun story: The very 1st NSCA event I ever went to was the 2006 National Conference in Washington DC. I wasn't even certified, had just started working (ie I was super poor) and went for a single day (they used to have single day ticket). Highlight was Dr. Pearson handing out string before his presentation as a prop to demonstrate why hypertrophy is important. The string represents the muscle tissue. As you fold the string over onto itself that's the same as thickening of the muscle cell...ie muscle cell … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: TRX High Row
July 12, 2019 by
"Pack Yo Scaps!" We know the back is important. Lats are super important. But what about the upper back? That area over/ around and in between the scapula? "If You Want Healthy Shoulders You Need a Strong Upper Back" - Matt Wenning What's my most prescribed exercise? Band Pull-Aparts An upper back exercise. Literally EVERY client I train is performing some form of the band pull-apart in every workout. Why? Well, we ALL need more upper back. Desk Jockey Syndrome Living in a hunched over/ flexed forward anterior based world has left us, as a population, devoid of rear delts, mid traps, rhomboids and scapula control. Why's The … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: X- Band Walks
July 5, 2019 by
Gym Class Warm Up, Circa 1995: "Ok Guys, we're gonna warm up with some of these, some of those, a couple stretches and get the balls out and shoot some hoops" That's right a "warm up" used to be run a couple laps, then stretch and you were not impervious to injury. I'm gonna lay some real sciency shit on you, That's Not Really How "Injury Prevention" Works. In fact, that approach might actually be WORSE, than doing nothing. But, as far as warmups go, the "sum a deese, sum a dats" approach is probably neutral at best. Dynamic Warmups By about 2002-03(ish) it pretty much industry standard that a "dynamic warmup", one where you were do "dynamic"/ … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Snatch Grip RDL
June 27, 2019 by
Deadlifts are Cool Again. Wasn't too long ago they weren't. But they are now, and in 3-5 years, they wont be again. How Do I Know This? I watch people do them on the reg and just because you picked it up off the ground, doesn't make it a good deadlift. "It's Not a Deadlift That Hurt Your Back. It's What YOU Did, and Called a Deadlift, That Hurt Your Back" Here's the common deadlift issues I see. <----yes, they usually all go together. Arches collapsed Knees Collapsed Hips posteriorly tilted Low back rounded Thoracic spine rounded Shoulders out of the joint Reaching for the weight Knees driving forward (and in) Why Do … [Read more...]
Lats are Core: Engage the Lats to Create TRUNK Superstiffness.
June 20, 2019 by
"You've Got a 400lbs Squat cause You've Got 600lbs Legs. But 400lbs Abs" - Louie Simmons, Via Dave Tate See, the key to lifting big weights, athletic performance and staying injury free is, in part, moving the correct thing, at the correct time. The forgotten (or more often ignored) part of that statement is... NOT MOVING WHAT SHOULDNT MOVE. or more accurately Not ALLOWING What Shouldn't Move To Move. This part of the equation is EQUALLY and maybe MORE important. If stuff starts moving, under heavy loads, at high velocities or positions of great instability/ challenge. YOU'R DONE And in my opinion probably exponentially exposed to tissue … [Read more...]
