I have a personal theory opinion: We live in an Excuse Based Culture. Most people have a list of Want to Do's/ Have to do's/ Should do's that's a mile long. This list usually includes, "I should exercise more" and "I should eat better" But for some reason a lot of people today would rather grow old quickly, live in pain, be reliant on medications, move like the tin man, be depressed, be physically weak, be overweight, be fat, look like shit and generally feel like shit. Than be responsible ADULTS and spend 4% of their day (or less) to alleviate most of those ills. It's Easier to make Excuses than Results I’m too busy/No time I’m too old I … [Read more...]
The Tabata Myth: It’s Just Interval Training, Not Magic
October 16, 2013 by
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...]
Fitness “Professionals”: Snake Oil, Charlatans and the Willfully Ignorant
August 22, 2013 by
Fitness "Professional" Sadly this guy and his "health elixir" would fit right in today. It implies that someone who works in this field is a "professional"....right? From Merriam-Webster: a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession b : engaged in one of the learned professions c (1) : characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession (2) : exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace So why the hell is the industry and the people in it so disparate when it comes to "professional" practices? There is no standard operating procedure, it's just a miss-mash of … [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...]
10 Sites For Fitness/ Training/ Awesomeness
June 27, 2013 by
Where do you get your Info? I get asked that just about EVERYDAY. So I figured I'd compile a list of the sites I visit just about everyday to have knowledge bombs dropped on my mind. *This is in NO WAY one of those Nut-Hugger, "50 top trainers", posts that people make because they need more site hits so they send it to one of the guys on the list who actually gets hits and puts a link to it on his next blog or newsletter. I could give 2 sh@ts about that, this is just a list of some of the places I go for info on the wild world that is the interwebzzz. 10. StrengthCoachPodcast.com The SC Podcast is 5 parts; really great information and 1 … [Read more...]
Ribs Down! How Not to Hang Off the Low Back
June 20, 2013 by
"Ribs Down!" Back pain: Virtually Everyone has it in Some Form at Some Time Everyone. My upper back around the base of my neck hurts if I sit here and work on this blog for too long. My Lower back hurts if I stand for too long or sit (especially in my car) for a few consecutive hours. I know what you're thinking, "Holy Sh@t, Yoda hurts Too?" Yes, we ALL have default patterns and compensation patterns that have formed from them. One of mine is I "hang off the low back" sometimes, and when I do it for long enough, I get pain. Look, when you're training people, you're standing....A LOT, and it's easy to get into an "Extension" position and really crank on that … [Read more...]
Book Review: The Healthy Bodybuilder & Powerlifter
June 17, 2013 by
Dying to Win? Common misconception "normal people" have about bodybuilding and powerlifting: These activities are "good" for your health. Common misconception "normal people" have about bodybuilders and (some) powerlifters: They're the picture of perfect health. Basically it goes something like this: "Those guys are in such great shape, they workout all the time how could they have any health issues?" Here's how: "Bodybuilding is an extreme sport; it involves pushing human capacity to its absolute limit. As an extreme sport bodybuilding carries with it a certain amount of risk." - The Healthy Bodybuilder Both are extreme sports. One … [Read more...]
Book Review: The Charlie Francis Training System
May 7, 2013 by
Charlie Francis reached the peak of his coaching career when his athlete won a gold medal in the 100 meters at the 1988 Summer Olympics. THE single most highly regarded achievement in the world of sports among physical preparation coaches. Why? Cause everybody runs...and the guy who wins the 100 at the Olympics is, THE FASTEST MAN IN THE WORLD and that sh@t matters. Problem was that athlete was Ben Johnson.....yeah, THAT, Ben Johnson. The one who got disqualified for steroid use. So now you're all like, "How is he so great? His athletes used steroids and steroids are evil tools of cheaters. Righteous, virgin athletes like Lance Armstrong, Arnold … [Read more...]
