Tabata This Tabata That Tabata Here Tabata There Tabata Everywhere From Tony Gentilcore "Tabata Training" Has Become THE Thing of the Minute..... Classess, workouts, even certifications So what is Tabata? The generally accepted definition: "Eight rounds of ultra-high-intensity exercises in a specific 20-seconds-on, 10-seconds-off interval." That means all out for 20 seconds, rest and go at it again for four minutes straight. That's REALLY hard. But it's not magic, it's just interval training. Think about it.... Why eight and not nine rounds? Or 16 or 100? Why are people doing 30 minute Tabata classes when the study was 4 minutes of … [Read more...]
CrossFit: My Take, Once and For ALL
October 4, 2013 by
I DO NOT Hate CrossFit. I just hate ON CrossFit, cause it's just too easy... Before the handstand pushup/ double unders/ kipping pullup/ wall ball, nut huggers set out to crucify me let me heap some praise. There are In fact there some things that ANY ONE who is in this business should thank CrossFit for. #1. More People are Doing Worthwhile Things in the Gym A lot of people have gotten away from the old back and bi's, chest and tri's body-builder workouts and machine circuits. That's something strength and conditioning luminaries like Mark Rippetoe, Louie Simmons, Mike Boyle and Charlie Francis were not able to do. CrossFit made Squats, Deadlifts, Pullups … [Read more...]
10 Instant Workout Upgrades
September 17, 2013 by
#1: Stop Wearing a Dri-Wicking Shirt to Squat In. These shirts are slick to begin with, so the bar slides down your back, but then they push the sweat to the outside of the shirt and making it even slicker. Heavy Bar + Slick Shirt = Moving bar From http://www.jerzees.com #2: Use Dumbbells or Pushup Handles Instead of Hands Flat on the Floor for Pushups. Putting the hands flat on the floor puts a LOT of pressure on the wrists and is uncomfortable as hell, so quit doing it. Use the damn pushup handles or dumbbells (especially if they're the hex kind). Using handles allows you to keep the wrists straight and crush the handles. This takes pressure off of the … [Read more...]
Pushup? Yeah, That Isn’t a Pushup…
September 5, 2013 by
Fun Fact: TV personalities, fitness celebrities, and hell, the Army, do miserable "make your eyes bleed" pushups. Here's how this goes: http://youtu.be/_3NnWasBz00?t=35s Starts at about 35 seconds... Then everyone in the audience claps and the people on stage go... "Ohhhh, you guys are so great!"... http://youtu.be/SPMbzRlP4Oc Starts at about 8 seconds..... But....Ummmmm, theses "Pushups"....well, they suck. Even "Army" or "Military" style pushups suck these days: Pic Stolen from Army.com Point is: There are LOTS of REALLY Sh@TTY pushups being passed off as good ones.... Sometimes the movement is just too difficult and someone lacks upper body and … [Read more...]
How to Use a Gym Tampon
July 25, 2013 by
It's Not on the Back of Your Neck..... That's Dave Draper squatting with Ahhhnold. When you can squat like him, I will no longer question your use of a tampon when squatting. Where it will just screw up your squat.... But it can be useful if used in some "unconventional" ways. Preventing burns during TRX pushups: http://youtu.be/iw2pi4tW7t8 Make sure you have the TRX fully deployed, if not the bar pad will put pressure on the clip and it'll deploy it's self.....mid rep, and that's not cool. Controlling Humeral Position During Rows and Presses: When you do a rowing or pressing exercise you should aim for a neutral Humerus position, limiting Humeral … [Read more...]
Improve your Squat: Free The Ankles
July 23, 2013 by
Squatting is making a comeback in a BIG way. You don't hear as much of the, "Squatting destroys your knees, back, shoulders, etc" that you used to. And the squat racks at my gym are actually, predominantly, used for......wait for it.....wait for it....... Squatting Not curls. Which I think is: Awesome. Primarily the result of the influence and popularity CrossFit has gained. Fact is, before CrossFit was everywhere and everyone was hugging Rich Fronings nuts, which are probably 100% jacked. The rack was an empty, lonely, wonderful place reserved only for those with intestinal fortitude, pride and self-respect knowledge about how to train and … [Read more...]
Book Review: Strong Curves
July 16, 2013 by
Bret Really Likes Big Butts.... The guy's tagline is "The Glute Guy"... He's popularized what is probably the best Glute-centric exercise, the Hip Thrust and it's variations (dumbbell, single leg, barbell). Word to the wise: If you're going to do Barbell Hip Thrusts, buy an Airex Pad or a Tampon Thick Bar Pad, your hips will thank you. He's previously written a 675 page book dedicated solely to the azzz....so obviously he has a lot to say about butts. Which is kinda awesome since the Glutes are the (arguably) the most important muscles of the body, for every-body... "the single nagging issue that prevents you from running like a well-oiled machine is … [Read more...]
Daily Preventative Maintenance
July 10, 2013 by
If You Only Had 10 Minutes a Day To Feel Better, What Would You Do? Let's get one things straight: the body ADAPTS to the loads applied. Stolen from http://acommondilemma.wordpress.com Do something---->Signal is Sent out----> Body Receives Signal and Reacts (Adapts) Sh@ just doesn't "happen"... Your tight spots, lack of range, sore spots etc have occurred, in large part, as a response to the signals YOU'VE sent out. True, genetics play a role, some people are naturally tighter. looser, have deep vs shallow hips sockets and all that. True, you could have had a traumatic/ culminating event....ie a car crash or fall etc, that caused change … [Read more...]
