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: Pendlay Row
June 13, 2019 by
If you've been around here for a minute you've heard this: "Muscles up Front are for Show, Muscles in Back are for GO!" or more eloquently put "You Can Never Have Too Much Ass, Abs and Upper Back" I've had lots of clients that were: Anterior dominant Kyphotic <----generally flexed forward. This is mostly through the thoracic spine. Quad dominant Weak Core And to some extent all of those can, and do, usually result in some movement or orthopedic issues. <---yes, these are typically related. But I've had very few clients who were: Posterior dominant Glute dominant Overly strong core Too thick in the upper … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Single Leg Hip Thrust
May 9, 2019 by
There is a good chance that 2018 was peak Insta-Ass. What's Insta-Ass? Insta-Ass is the fitness subcategory (which I kinda just made up) that is nothing more than girls in leggings doing "Booty Workouts" and ass shots on Instagram. Actually, lets face it, until the fairly recent and kinda small backlash against the Instagram Fitfluencer thing, the whole Insta-Ass thing was at least 70% of all fitness related posts on Instagram since about 2015. Butt, here's the thing: Glutes REALLY are Important. I have would argue that glutes are the MOST IMPORTANT muscle group in the human body. "for us, for athletes, glutes are everything — the absolute … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Kettlebell Batwing Gorilla Row
January 2, 2019 by
Want Healthy Shoulders? You need to pull more. A good rule of thumb is you should be pulling, or more specifically horizontal pulling, ie rowing vs pushing, ie benching in a volume of 2 or 3 to 1. That means 2 or 3 sets of pulling exercises to every pushing exercise. Keep in Mind: You need to PUSH the rowing weight harder than you probably are already. Too often people will institute this 2:1 rowing to pressing ratio, but the pressing is done with intention and effort and the pulling is done half heartedly with 50% weights. A Sometimes Foolproof Way to Ensure The @or 3:1 Ratio Happens Calculate your total volume. Volume, not sets. Volume= … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Tall Kneeling Pallof Iso Holds
October 24, 2018 by
Glutes Are Core Lets face it, we could all use a little bit more of both. And the truth is, glutes ARE core. But Roy, "I thought only abs are core." Abzzz are core, but so are glutes. How Are Glutes Core? Abs are primarily meant to STOP motion through the lumbar spine/ "core". The problem with this is that the abs work best when the spine is in neutral. We also call this the Cylinder or Neutral Scissor Position Neutral spine is RELIANT on a neutral pelvis... Wait But What? Yeah, the sacrum, the last segment OF YOUR SPINE is integrated with your pelvis. INTEGRATED, as in, it's the middle segment. You literally can't build a pelvis … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Trap Bar Deadlift
October 3, 2018 by
Most People Shouldn't Deadlift..... with a straight bar. Writing those words in 2018 feels kinda like these guys, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXC-jJhFaUI Here comes the we don't give a damn about context Trolls. Regardless of what the 23-year-old internet guru, soothsayer, shaman, "coach" says not everyone should deadlift, with a straight bar. "The Barbell is The Tool of Satan" I was told that a looooonnnnngggg time ago, by a very large and strong man. At least in his mid 50's and repping 405 on the bench. He was telling me sh@t about what I should do to be able to train forever and still progress. One of those things was, "Don't … [Read more...]
You Should Do This: Glute Bridge Kneeout
September 20, 2018 by
Butts Are Important Seriously, you need glutes. Functioning glutes. Glutes that actually make you Instagram famous keep your knees from being torn to pieces from collapsing inward. I've said it before, I'll say it again, the glutes may be the most important muscles in the body. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXPDhggbWfM great vid from Athlean X If you tell me, "No, it's the core" I'll not disagree with you. Why? Glutes are Core. If the hips can't be "set" , all the abs in the world can't effectively brace you. Without the glutes keeping the pelvis in a correct (usually neutral) position you'll have to default into the lumbar spine, "dump … [Read more...]
“I Have Tight Hamstrings”, Part 1: No Ass Syndrome
July 25, 2018 by
"My Hamstrings Are Tight" Truth is, this is rarely the case. At least not in the way you think. *Quick Note: Some people DO have tight hamstrings. This has to do with the tendon length, muscle belly, past injury, origin and insertion points. Sometimes, when you put all these things together in the right combo, you DO, in fact have structurally"tight hamstrings". Most don't. What the Hell Do I Mean by Tight Hamstrings? Ummm they feel tight...right? But for real, TENSION. Lots of tension in the muscle, in the hamstring. That's usually what people mean when they use the term "tight". But the real question is, Tension When? I … [Read more...]
