Punishing Your Body, Part 1: Running

Ah running… the most widely practiced physical activity in the world with nearly two billion people jiggling their way to a body only a mother could love. From those staggering numbers it’s confirmed that we, as an industry, are not even close to where we need to be in terms of strength training frequency.

Let’s be honest, in 2015, it’s pretty damn hard to make CrossFit look like the less shitty alternative to an unsafe and ineffective form of training. Running wins this battle due to the punishment it delivers to your body with each successive step. Each leg pounds into the ground with the force of 4 times your body weight!

I don’t know about your country, but the American infrastructure wasn’t designed to withstand this kind of punishment. The streets deserve better.

Now, I read “Born to Run,” and still to this day it is one of my favorite books of all time. Loved it! It makes perfect sense. Our bodies were made to MOVE. Here is the problem: I don’t know one person that runs with form as good as the Tarahumara tribe, and when Americans aren’t running…they SIT. That’s the reality. That’s our working world, today.

I’ll be the first to admit I love hybrid endurance events and the challenge that they provide for myself. A sense of accomplishment engulfs me after every event. However, I’m not talking about marathons and half-marathons, here. I’m talking these new-found hybrid events such as Tough Mudders, combining strength, endurance, and pure grit. These events bring out the best in people, and it’s awesome to watch. I would never want people to stop participating in those because of injury. The problem lies within the training days leading up to the event.

It is not uncommon for me to have a new client come in and tell me that they are completely at a loss as to why their physical health is so horrible, and their body is just so weak. “Well, ‘Judy,’ what are you doing right now for activities?” — “I run almost every day, that’s why I don’t understand!” Hmmm….

Spinal stenosis, constant SI joint pain, hip pain, limited ankle mobility, stress fractures of the tibia…these are just a few of the issues that are common with “lifelong runners.” The biggest problems we run into with these people are with their spine. The amount of time people spend running with their subpar form causes problems in the SI joint and lower back. Pain in the sciatic nerve will erupt with vengeance if you run for many years with bad form.

In an attempt to save our roadways and orthopedic health, let’s take a deeper look into how running has continued to do absolutely nothing to eradicate the American obesity epidemic while adding to the ever-rising orthopedic dysfunction and injury rates plaguing our questionable medical system.

Running has single-handedly made the presence of pain the norm in an American society that’s struggling to be active. Up to 80% of runners are in pain on any given run, no matter the distance, intensity, or course. If you accept this statistic as “part of the game,” you’re just as much to blame as Phil Knight and the injury rainmakers over at Nike. Time to question your own beliefs and help evolve our poorly educated society, one runner at a time.

An ideal running stride is as rare as the thousand-pound squat. Just because you can run doesn’t mean you should. Without the ability to achieve proper biomechanics, your running is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Would you squat if you couldn’t keep from drawing attention from you atrocious form? I think not.

If you’re truly passionate about running, and it’s the only thing that provides an emotional release for you, that’s your prerogative! Just like anything else, try and use moderation. And for goodness sake, STRENGTH TRAIN! It’s just as good for your cardiovascular system and actually provides a benefit for the rest of your body, instead of deteriorating it! Need to lose weight? Running isn’t the only answer. Hit the elliptical and put on some lean mass by moving weights! The elliptical won’t beat down your body like the treadmill, and resistance training will add lean mass that is essential for raising your metabolic rates and sustaining any weight loss that you achieve.

There are a few fitness “trends” that punish our body, but running takes the cake.

Stay tuned for Punishing Your Body, Part 2.

Jared

Move to the beat of your own drum. 

Top 4 Reasons YOUR ‘Diet’ Is Not Working

Dieting necessarily implies some form of restriction – normally starting with some sort of calorie suppression. The truth is, most dieters take the restriction a little too far – a combination of too few calories and too many foods on the forbidden list.

Ironically, the U.S. is the most diet-obsessed country in the world, yet we are also the most obese. The National Weight Control Registry reports that we spend a grand total of $20 billion a year on the diet industry (books, drugs, products, and surgeries), with approximately 108 million people on a diet in the U.S. at any given moment.

While there are a multitude of socioeconomic, technological, and environmental factors that contribute to this alarming rate, the truth is that when it comes to fat loss, we humans are fighting an uphill battle from the get-go. Our bodies were not designed to subsist on a food-deprived state. By embarking on crash diets, then, we fire up the biological and psychological mechanisms that protect against starvation and incline us, ultimately, to more weight gain.

Here are 4 big mistakes people make when dieting:

1. You don’t consume enough protein.

Of the three macronutrients – protein, carbohydrates, and fats – protein is the most important when it comes to muscle retention while on a diet. Dietary protein also has a high effect on the thermic system, meaning the body expends a lot of energy breaking it down; thus, more calories burned.

When you diet, your body is already in a stage of caloric deficit. So, what happens when you add in insufficient protein amounts? You get a loss of lean body mass. This is the last thing you want to happen. Now all you have done is taken your unhealthy body and have made it smaller in mass; yet, with no better body fat percentage–which is the ultimate goal!

A general rule of thumb is to aim for your bodyweight in grams of protein a day. So, a person 150lb in body weight should be aiming for 150 grams of protein a day.

2. You focus on the numbers too much. 

Stay off the scale! At least, don’t be on it every single morning. Stepping on the scale every single day is only going to demotivate you when you don’t see a change. Demotivation leads to tapering off your original plan and forgetting about the goal…which is to get BETTER every day, not necessarily to drop pounds every day! The chemical changes taking place in your body aren’t going to reveal themselves on the scale each and every time you step on it. KNOW you are doing the right things, and KNOW the changes will take place in due time…IF you are following the plan: eating right (see reason number 1), exercising, and moving!

3. You’re impatient. 

Everybody wants results NOW. I see this all the time. People automatically give up if they haven’t seen significant changes in two weeks time. Did you go from a desirable body fat percentage to overweight in just two weeks? No? I didn’t think so! So, why would you expect optimal results in that short amount of time. Life doesn’t work that way.

Most people will give a diet program maybe five days – two weeks if they’re lucky – before they jump ship onto the next cool fad. From Atkins to Zone to Paleo, they can’t seem to make up their minds.

Next time you feel like you haven’t made progress, THINK about it. Is there a reason you may have not made progress? Do you really feel that way, or is it just because you stepped on the scale again and didn’t see desirable numbers? Either way, KEEP GOING.

4. No plan of action for after the diet is done.

A “diet” is just that…a diet. If it weren’t just a diet, someone would say they are “making a lifestyle change,” not “going on a diet.” The biggest mistake people make is being satisfied with where they have gotten, so they now think they can go right back to the potato chips, soda, and pizza. That’s what got you there in the first place, remember? What makes you think you won’t go right back?! You will!

The “diet” ultimately has to lead to some version of a lifestyle change, or you will be unsuccessful in the long run. Even if its that the diet was more hardcore, and the lifestyle change is a more laid back type of thing. Either way, you can’t go back to where you were before. Think of the diet as being a kick-starter to your lifestyle change. It gets you motivated, gives you something to follow, and gets you use to the new foods and lack of junk food that you will have to primarily abide by for life.

No one is saying you can’t cheat sometimes. What’s the fun in eating the same crap every single day. I’ll be the first to admit that I purposely slip up on a Saturday night. But, guess what? I go right back to the good stuff. The key is to not let it get out of hand. Do you have that kind of self-control? If you don’t, I would recommend not cheating at all for the first month or two. This may get you going at a faster clip from the beginning, anyhow, and should get you better and faster results.

Control what you can control. Nothing more, nothing less.

Jared

Move to the beat of your own drum.

Training the Athlete: Program Design – Part 1

Strength training for athletes is an extremely complex system that involves careful design, organization, and a long look at a needs analysis. 

Despite what some people may think, strength and conditioning for high-level athletes is not just throwing a barbell on one’s back, slamming medicine balls, and loud music. Your average personal trainer is simply not trained extensively enough to be able to properly train an athlete looking to make significant gains in their respective sport. 

Now, that is not a knock on regular-Joe certified personal trainers, but a large compliment to personal trainers, strength and conditioning professionals, and other certified individuals who go above and beyond to be the best at their craft. After all, that’s what this is–an art form. 

In part one of this series, I am aiming to explain the first “period” of Periodization, why professionals use it, how it works, and what it is comprised of. 

Periodization is the gradual cycling (maybe days, weeks, or months) of specificity, intensity, and volume of training to achieve peak levels of fitness for the most important competitions. Training shifts from non-sport-specific activities of high volume and low intensity to sport-specific activities of low volume and high intensity over a period of many weeks. 

A macrocycle (usually a year’s training) is divided into two or more mesocycles that revolve around dates of major competitions. Each mesocycle is subdivided into periods of preparation, competition, and transition. Ideally, an athlete will complete a mesocycle of training prior to each major competition, with variations for lengthy competitive periods. 

Periodization for athletes should start with a prep period in which there are three main phases.

Preparatory Period

Phase 1: Hypertrophy/Endurance

The hypertrophy/endurance phase occurs during the early stages of off-season prep. It may last from 1-6 weeks, depending on the condition of the athlete. This stage starts at a low intensity with high volume. In other words, it should involve a lot of sets and reps with lower weight. The goal for this phase of training is to develop an endurance base for future, more intense training. 

Training days can be full-body routines or split (upper body day and lower body day) routines. Exercises should be on the simpler side, and should not be highly tasking (i.e. no snatches, power cleans, or other movements that are highly complex in nature). 

Phase 2: Strength

In this phase, running programs progress to interval sprints of moderate distance, plyometrics activities become more complex, jumping activities can be introduced, and weight training becomes more specific to the event. Intensity level is gradually increased to loads of over 80% of the athlete’s 1RM (rep maximum), or in the 5RM to 8RM range, and only a moderate volume of training is performed. 

Phase 3: Power

As the cycle progresses, load increases to over 90% of 1RM (2Rm-4RM), and speed work intensifies to near contest pace (I prefer barefoot sprints on FLAT grass fields; but, always check your path for any unwanted surprises). Full recovery is allowed between bouts of exercise, and speed training drills, which may include sled towing, sprints against resistance, and uphill and downhill sprints, are incorporated. Prowler sprints and sled towing will forever be my favorite power exercise. There is nothing more challenging to the mind than trying to convince yourself you can do ONE MORE sprint when you are completely gassed. 

Next week—-Part 3: Competition Period, Flexibility Training, and Plyometrics.

 

“You can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.”  

                                                                                 –Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

Move to the beat of your own drum.

Jared

 

 

Power Training = Power Athlete

Most of the athletes I come across are looking to be more powerful. They want to be stronger, faster, and more explosive. 

First, let’s get down to the cellular level.

The primary adaptation to anaerobic (intense, short duration) exercise, strength and/or power training, is an increase in muscle cross-sectional area, known as muscle hypertrophy. Muscle fibers both increase in size and in quantity in response to the high intensity contractions of weight training and/or sprint training. 

Nutrition is critical to hypertrophy gains…without adequate food intake or protein intake, amino acid availability and/or surplus energy won’t be available to stimulate this process. But, that’s another topic for another day…

In addition to changes in cross-sectional area, anaerobic exercise can enhance the activity of ATP-PCr (immediate short-burst energy stores) system enzymes and the glycolytic system enzymes. These changes help to increase the rate of energy transfer within the muscle, allowing for more rapid responses to energy demands in the future. 

Training

Most athletes have some kind of pre-season, competition season, and off-season. We will assume the athlete is using proper periodization when training during each of these seasons. 

The “power athlete” can cover a broad spectrum of athletes out there: baseball, football, shot-putter, 100m sprinter, high/long jumper, etc…

The training philosophy is simple: use powerful movement in the weight room to get power results in your sport. It’s not just a mindset, it is physically training your brain to recruit your fast-twitch muscle fibers, and training each of those fibers to fire at a high rate of speed. The meat of your off-season should be spent in the power/strength phases of training. We don’t want anyone coming right out of the competition season and throwing stacks of plates on the barbell and maxing out within a week or two. That’s foolish. Spending the entire off-season in power training will lead to the athlete over-training and regressing in just about every category. Today, we are only addressing that heart of the off-season, where the athlete is spending his/her time gaining power and strength. 

The goal of the strength/power phase is to first maximize strength gains with an increase in training intensity and decreased volume. You should start focusing on moving the weight a little faster through your range of motion. Each set should be heavier than the previous. After a few weeks of that, the goal is then to maximize power output. Exercises should be performed quickly, with proper weight. There should be an increase in time between sets. The power phase is extremely taxing on the neuromuscular system and will completely drain you without proper rest periods. 

Similar exercises can be used for both the strength and power phases. The only difference is going to be a drop in weight and doing the movements quicker or adding a plyometric touch when in the power phase.

For example: Strength phase – Heavy DB box stepups —–> Power phase – DB box stepups with a hop

Strength phases will typically entail sets of 4-6, with the reps being between 3-6.

Power phases will primarily be sets of 3-5, with reps of 2-4. 

So, the volume decrease in the power phase, but the movements will be much more difficult for your body to keep up with. 

**Obviously, serious athletes should always try and seek out a trainer in the off-season (or sometimes even year-round, if possible). But, for some it’s just not an option due to various factors. For those with a trainer, you may never have to worry about all this complex stuff. More power to you!

Be a beast. 

 

Jared

 

Move to the beat of your own drum.

 

 

 

 

LEG DAY

Building muscle hypertrophy in the lower-half is something most fitness enthusiasts take seriously–yet many struggle with. 

A lot of the struggle comes from having bad form and not targeting the right areas. One slight shift or translation of the hips/knees can completely alter an exercise into something that it wasn’t meant to be. A deadlift can become a squat very easily without a precise idea of what your whole body is supposed to be doing. This is the sole reason I love full-wall mirrors in a studio/gym. 

Some may just have no idea what exercise is supposed to target what muscle…which is completely normal for beginner and novice lifters. 

I would like to offer up some lower body exercises that I do on my leg days (yes, “DAYS,” not just “day”) that you may have not come across or thought of. 

Good Mornings

The good morning is primarily a hamstring exercise that also promotes hip mobility. Hip mobility is something that is SO, SO important, yet many fail to have the proper movement we need for the long haul. This exercise is a barbell exercise, but you could also use a body bar–which is just a shorter version of a barbell that is pre-weighted and not meant to have plates stacked on it. Another unique twist is to use a thick power band, looping it under your feet and onto your upper back. The most important points when performing this movement: 1. Have a slight bend in the knees before initiating the first movement. 2. Think of driving your butt back first, rather than bringing the chest down. 3. Keep your back flat, core contracted, and toes on the ground. The Good Morning is highly underrated because of its looks, but never judge a book by its cover–because this exercise can directly improve your deadlift numbers and technique. 

Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iycq-kJann0 

Box Skateboarders

There isn’t much to say about this exercise. Its primarily a single-leg, quadricep exercise, with the usual benefits of a squatting motion. I love unilateral exercises due to the indirect core workout you can receive while performing them. The skateboarder is no different. Its essentially a single-leg squat, while adding height and a “pedaling” motion of the opposite leg. The skateboarding motion gives you a sense of rhythm…that’s the best I could come up with. 

FFV Link: http://freefitnessvideos.com/exercise_detail.php?exerciseID=38

Elevated Single-Leg Calf Raise

I’ll be the first to admit, I love working my calves. I don’t need high heels to flaunt them, either. With shorts season on the way, jump on the “anti-chicken-leg” bandwagon. This is the best calf exercise I use (besides the seated calf-raise, which calls for an actual machine). The wooden plank in the video is a homemade calf-raise plank, but almost any elevated surface will do just fine. The only necessity is that your heel needs enough drop room to get a full stretch on the down-movement. I add a single heavy dumbbell and hold it on the same side of the working calf. Be sure to “draw” out the exercise and really hike that heel up on each rep. Full extension will get those cows mooing. 

FFV link: http://freefitnessvideos.com/exercise_detail.php?exerciseID=532

Hip Series

The Hip Series is a three-part exercise that is targeting the external rotators and glutes. Every single client I have come across has weak hips. I can’t stress this enough: If you don’t train your hips, they WILL NOT hold their own and will definitely not become stronger. All day, every day, we spend our time moving in one plane–the sagittal plane (moving forward in a straight line). Your hips have virtually no impact on moving in the sagittal plane, which is why long distance runners will tend to have the tightest illiotibial (IT) bands known to man, and extremely weak external rotators. Pay close attention to detail in this video provided by freefitnessvideos.com, because one subtle movement can take the focus off of the hips. Also: YES, the hips and butt go hand-in-hand, so focus on these to achieve that Jen Selter commode-kisser. 

FFV link: http://freefitnessvideos.com/exercise_detail.php?exerciseID=650

Obviously, my favorite lower body exercise of all time has to be the old-fashioned barbell squat. With fantastic combinations of strength and mobility, there is nothing that trumps it. So, if you are already squatting–squat on–because you’re doing it right. 

 

Moo.

 

Jared

 

Move to the beat of your own drum.

Ways to BE GREAT: Installment 5 (Final Installment)

Here is #81-100…This is the final installment. I’m not sure why it is. I guess 100 is just a good place to stop. If you haven’t already, see Installment 1, 2, 3, 4 so you don’t miss out on anything! 

Okay, so no more movie references; but there are more life lessons…and you guessed it, all are important.  I hope each person that reads these installments have at least implemented something they’ve read into their own training/life. I appreciate all of you who follow my posts…it means the world. Please continue to follow and PLEASE send me feedback. I would love nothing more than to create a post for somebody on a topic that they can appreciate. “Envision it. Be patient. Make it happen.” 

81. Strongman training for athletes is great, but introduce it slowly and choose the right events
82. Strength training can happen with every tool on the market or with NONE
83. PERFECT your trade. Whether you’re in the fitness industry or not, be the best at what you do. Always think, “What can I do now to make myself better at this.” Never settle.
84. Try to get 100 jumps with a jump rope without missing, try 200, 300…
85. Precede every row with a shoulder retraction, makes the exercise 10 x harder and hammers your subscapular muscles–which will take pressure off the rotator cuff muscles.
86. Front squats and zercher squats are BADASS. Think your 400lb back squat was sweet? Try a 225lb front squat on for size. 

 

87. Knee sleeves and elbows sleeves are more important as you get older. Don’t wear them just to look awesome.
88. Remember, no one cares about your opinion, they only care about their own.
89. Internet comments? Don’t succumb to them. 
90. Do you have a dream? What did you do today to move closer to that dream?
91. Stop taking notes and take action.
92. Do pull-ups with chains. 
93. Fat Gripz are a great tool. 

 

94. Interact with other strength coaches in the field, hit them up on their site, email, skype, message in a bottle, Mike Tyson carrier pigeon.
95. Don’t forget to say “thank you”, “yes sir”, “yes ma’am”
96. Power cleans are great with a barbell if they don’t irritate the shoulders and you have good form. If you can’t do them, use dumbbells, sandbags, kettlebells and work on your shoulder and upper back mobility.
97. Watch a lot of tv? Hit push-ups, mobility, foam rolling during the commercials.
98. Watch Bear Grylls and do 20 push-ups every time he eats some weird shit.
99. Chaos training is important. 

 

100. The torso should be developed to promote stability and resist movement. Don’t just train your core in one plane. 
101. Think about what they’ll say about you when you’re gone? What is your LEGACY?

 

Jared

 

Move to the beat of your own drum. 

 

Ways to BE GREAT: Installment 4

Here is #61-80…if you haven’t already, see Installment 1, 2, and 3 so you don’t miss out on anything! 

More movie references, more life lessons…all are important. Check out the links to the videos on 63. These movements are something you would never think of doing. Many of our clients have been very successful in fixing range of motion due to, in-part, these exercises. “Envision it. Be patient. Make it happen.” Enjoy.

61. Never forget those who helped you along the way.

62. Push yourself harder than you ever have in your next workout. 

63. Shoulder hurt? Move to a neutral grip for dumbbell exercises, work on upper back mobility (http://freefitnessvideos.com/exercise_detail.php?exerciseID=247), stretch and roll the pec with a tennis ball,  work on trap, serratus and rhomboid activation (http://freefitnessvideos.com/exercise_detail.php?exerciseID=750)

64. Do more than the next guy

65. Sit back on the kettlebell swing, don’t sit down, you have to load the hamstrings, glutes and hips
66. If you have tight pecs, don’t bench
67. Getting more mobile? Don’t forget to strengthen in this new range of motion…flexibility can weaken if strength is not maintained through training

 68. Send flowers unexpectedly

69. Don’t text and drive
70. Quit playing video games…okay, you are allowed “throwback nights” every once in a while with your old gaming buddies
71. Don’t program an exercise or workout unless you know the effects of the exercise or workout. You must know the requirements to perform the exercise correctly. You should be able to explain what you’re doing to an expert and not look like a fool. 
72. If you want to be powerful, use short bouts of high intensity…if you want to increase stamina, use longer bouts with lower weight/intensity
73. Bands and chains are NOT restricted to exercises performed with a barbell

 74. Watch Road House, 23 x

75. Have you ever seen Deer Hunter, Jeremiah Johnson, Apocalypse Now, Scarface, Cool Hand Luke? Classic Man-Flicks

76. Be VERY specific with dreams and goals. Envision it. Be patient. Make it happen. 
77. Check Facebook less frequently.
78. Don’t stop learning. The best coaches always try to get better.
79. Get respect, not money.
80. Spend time on the warm-up, it isn’t a quick arm cross back and forth before benching.

The last 20 coming next week!

 

Move to the beat of your own drum.

Ways to BE GREAT: Installment 3

Here is #41-60…if you haven’t already, see Installment 1 and 2 so you don’t miss out on anything! 

This is a culmination of “Life Lessons” for anyone involved in health and fitness. Hell, these are great for anyone to follow. Some I’ve learned from my mentors, some I’ve discovered by trial and error. But, ALL of them hit home and ALL of them are deeply accurate, in my humble opinion. Stay tuned, many more to come…BE GREAT

41. Stop being negative, instead of “Why don’t I have something?”, say to yourself “Why am I so good at working hard for what I want and achieving my goals?”
42. Don’t worry about other people’s PR’s, set your own
43. Remember, “You are the bouncers, I am the Cooler”

 

44. Be the best part of someone’s day
45. Squats – hips back, don’t drop them straight down; shins vertical, not over toes
46. Don’t have a prowler, push a 100lb plate across the floor, see Epic line 23
47. Slow down…enjoy it, whatever it is
48. Go to the park and hit some pull-ups and hill sprints

 

49. Go out and throw some med ball around…yeah, for fun
50. Go to seminars, conferences and clinics
51. Read more fitness articles
52. Train consistently…have a plan
53. Roll on a lacrosse ball and pvc pipe, stop using the white foam roller
54. Watch Pineapple Express 3x
55. More tension equals more strength, take the slack out of the bar before you pull
56. Give when no one is looking
57. Watch Spongebob

 

58. 1-6 (power), 6-8 (strength), 8-12 (muscle), 12+ (conditioning, endurance) – generally
59. Stop thinking people owe you something
60. Be humble

Installment 4 coming next week. 

Jared

 

Move to the beat of your own drum.

 

Ways to BE GREAT: Installment 2

Here are the next 20 on the list of the ways to be a better human being.

This is a culmination of “Life Lessons” for anyone involved in health and fitness. Hell, these are great for anyone to follow. Some I’ve learned from my mentors, some I’ve discovered by trial and error. But, ALL of them hit home and ALL of them are deeply accurate, in my humble opinion. Stay tuned, many more to come…BE GREAT

21. If your trainer has a skin tight under armour shirt and matching shorts, you’re probably not reeaaally training
22. If you have trap bar deadlifts in your program, don’t neglect the hamstrings
23. You don’t need the fancy equipment to get strong
24. Realize the iPhone is better than the Droid
25. Show your clients/family/friends/kids the way through your actions
26. Don’t let social media comments degrade you…post them for the world to see

27. Get good training partners, training partners that are stronger than you and never lose that desire to get bigger, faster and stronger (S/O to my boy Alex “killa” Thompson)
28. Never stop pushing your body to its limit
29. Be smart and deload every 3-6 weeks (range based on training age)
30. Kinesio-tape, sweet outfits, and the latest fitness trends don’t make you tough. Putting your nose to the grindstone day-in and day-out make you tough.
31. Do more pushups…of all kinds

32. Do more pull-ups…the right way
33. Do more face pulls (use cable machine with the dual rope)
34. Tell your loved ones everyday how much they mean to you in one way or another
35. Kettlebells are great tools, but don’t start throwing them around without watching some professional videos first

36. Tired of planks? Overload them!
37. Don’t skip breakfast…I eat 18 eggs a week. My favorite: Ribeye steak and eggs. Boom. 
38. Agility ladders don’t build leg drive which is required for speed…all they do is leave you with your feet on fire
39. Build your grip strength…use FAT GRIPZ for exercises and you kill 2 birds with 1 stone

 40. Balance your pushing movements with your pulling movements. Having an anterior/posterior imbalance can affect posture and either make you walk like a gorilla, or a turkey.

 

Happy hunting for your happiness, 

Jared

 

Move to the beat of your own drum.

Ways to BE GREAT: Installment 1

This is a culmination of “Life Lessons” for anyone involved in health and fitness. Hell, these are great for anyone to follow. Some I’ve learned from my mentors, some I’ve discovered by trial and error. But, ALL of them hit home and ALL of them are deeply accurate, in my humble opinion. Stay tuned, many more to come…BE GREAT

1. If you want to build muscle, lift heavy
2. If you want to lose fat, tighten up on your nutrition. Stop thinking that circuits and conditioning will take care of it
3. Hit more mobility work, yeah, I’m talking about everyday
4. Stop worrying about what people think of you.
5. Don’t forget to use a training log to keep track of where you’ve been and where you’re going. Write you goals down in the log. Don’t forget to track sleep patterns, water intake, conditioning sessions, warm-up exercises…
6. Don’t forget to laugh and stop taking everything so seriously
7. The bench press is a great exercise, but it isn’t the only thing that builds a big chest and pressing power. How much you bench? How about how much you squat? How about how much you push on the prowler?

8. Eat complex carbs for breakfast and in your post-training meal.
9. Watch Godfather I and II – 10x

10. Stretch your shoulders and upper back every 20-30 minutes if you sit at the computer all day
11. Stop, and really LISTEN to your family/friends/kids. They deserve your complete attention.
12. Do more single leg, unilateral, and 3-plane (sagittal, frontal, transverse) movements. 

13. Don’t save anything for the swim back.
14. Remember that good box jumps usually reveal good hip mobility, not vertical explosive power.
15. Give hope to others when no one ever has.
16. Knee pain? Work on the stuff above and below.
17. Remember there is no perfect program, it should change frequently as you change.
18. Drink more water.
19. Shelter your kids as long as you can from the bad stuff in the world, but prepare them when they are ready to be strong, confident and self-assured when it is time for them to face it alone.
20. 20 rep squats and heavy prowler sprints will make you mentally tough.

 

Jared

Move to the beat of your own drum.