Wednesday, February 27, 2013

How to Build Trust


I was having a discussion with my boss recently about a particular client with a history of low back pain. This man (we will call him Bert) has been an on and off client of ours for the past four years. As long as we have known him, he has had intermittent back pain. He recently re-injured his back and came back to us seeking help. This time around Bert has taken a multifaceted approach and has been working with a physical therapist and chiropractor as well. Over the past month, Bert has significantly less pain and is doing a fantastic job. This made me think, "Why is he having so much success this time, compared to the past?" The answer is simple.

He buys into the program.

I have seen my share of individuals with knee, low back, and shoulder pain over the years. When I take one of these individuals through an assessment, I assess static posture and identify painful and dysfunctional movement patterns. Then I build a program to address their weaknesses and prescribe a few correctives. If necessary, I refer out. The funny thing is, when I ask them if they have been to a physical therapist in the past they all say the same thing: "Yeah I have, but I don't think they were doing me any good. None of the stuff they had me do seemed very hard." Lets get one thing straight people. Corrective exercise isn't fun or sexy, but when prescribed and coached correctly, it works. The hardest part is getting people to believe what you are telling them.

I make it a point to learn as much as I can in my profession. I read at least an hour every day, watch webinars, and attend seminars when I can. It is a point of personal pride for me that my knowledge base exceeds that of most other fitness professionals. As professionals, we often get wrapped up in the fact that our knowledge exceeds that of our clients and patients. We believe that because an individual comes to us for help, they are automatically going to listen to everything we say. Right?


So how to we get people to believe what we say? How to we turn everyone into a cybernetic organism sent back through time with living tissue over metal endoskeleton, that does exactly what we tell them?

Trust.

I've come across the following Theodore Roosevelt quote several times; "Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care."Our clients have to trust that we have their best interests in mind when we ask them to do anything. They have to believe we care. It goes both ways too. If I believe that my client buys in and will work hard on their own, it motivates me to work even harder to help them. Here are a few ways to build trust:

Be On Time
Nothing pisses me off more than when someone is late for a session. I understand things come up, and once in a while being late is totally excusable, but when someone is consistently showing up at the last minute it tells me they aren't serious about what I'm trying to do for them. The same goes for me. I better on time and ready to begin when they are.

Practice What You Preach
I never ask anyone to do something that I haven't done before. How can you expect anyone to trust you if you can't put down the Nutty Buddies, or do a push up? Nuff' said.

Have a Positive Attitude
Nobody wants to work with a Debbie Downer. I recently saw Martin Rooney speak at a seminar and he said "You can't be at a 2 and expect others to be at a 10". If people are having fun, they are more likely to stick with it and succeed. Trust me, its not easy to get up every morning at 5am and be at the top of your game, but I do my best. Smile, laugh, give out high fives and chest bumps, make some borderline inappropriate jokes, whatever it takes to make it a fun experience for all involved.

Go the Extra Mile
People really appreciate it when you take extra time out of your day to do something for them. It doesn't have to be anything monumental either. I regularly send my clients emails liking articles that I've read that might interest them, Who cares if they don't read it? What matters is you took the time to think of them. I can't tell you how much I appreciate when one of my clients brings in a bottle of wine or batch of cookies for me. These little things show you care.

Take a look at the relationships in your life and ask yourself what you've done to build trust. Are you doing all you can? If not, I challenge you to do better. Practice what you preach, be on time, stay positive, and do a little extra from time to time. I promise it will make a difference!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Mastering the Push Up

The push up is one of the most fundamental movements everyone should master. Many are quick to dismiss the push up as a cornerstone in their fitness program because its "too easy". Conversely, I know several individuals that struggle with performing a single push up properly. When done correctly, the push up addresses several things:
  • Core strength and stability
  • Scapular Stability
  • Upper Body Strength
  • General Shoulder Health
  • Lack of Awesomeness
Push ups are the first horizontal pressing progression that I use in all my programs. I don't care if you can bench press 300 pounds. If you can't perform a push up with satisfactory technique, we will be spending lots of time on the floor before you get anywhere near a bench. In my experience, many people do push ups incorrectly. Here is an example of what you might see at your local YMCA.



Now an example of what a good push up looks like.


 
Notice how I maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire movement and lower my chest all the way to the floor. This brings me to the next subject, where I will outline a few coaching points.

Lose Some Weight
Sorry kids, but the truth must be told. If you are overweight, its going to be much harder for you to perform solid push ups (or anything else for that matter). If you have been having trouble with them for a while, look no farther than the scale, your plate, and your drinking hand for some answers. Be honest with yourself.

Maintain a Neutral Spine Throughout the Movement
This might be the most important aspect of performing a good push up. If you look at the picture above, notice that the dowel rod maintains  three points of contact: the back of the head, between the shoulder blades, and sacrum. I also engage the anterior core and squeeze the glutes to create minimal space between the lumbar spine and the dowel rod. Notice I maintain this position the entire way to the floor. Maintaining a neutral spine ensures that the load is equally shared throughout the entire body so stress is not placed on passive structures. This allows prime movers and stabilizers to do their respective jobs.

Humerus At 45 Degrees of Abduction
Placing the upper arm and elbow at 45 degrees relative to the torso on the descent places the shoulder in the scapular plane. This is the best position for efficient and pain free pressing.

Retract the Scapulae During the Descent
The scapulae should "glide around the rib cage" during the movement. Focus on bringing the shoulder blades together on the descent while maintaining neutral alignment throughout. I cue my clients to think "chest first" to ensure this happens.

Push the Chest Away from the Floor at the Top of Every Rep
Emphasizing pressing the chest away from the floor at the top (scapular protraction) will help engage the often neglected serratus anterior muscle, which is good for overall shoulder health.

Push Up Progressions
Below I will cover some progressions you can use if you are having trouble performing perfect push ups. Make sure to include plenty of core work in your program as well. My favorites to improve the push up are Planks, Side Planks, and PUP Walkouts.

*A quick note on push ups done on the knees: They will do little to improve real push ups. You need to practice movements specific to the skill you are attempting to acquire. Use the progressions outlined below.

#1 Hands Elevated
This is where to begin if you are unable to do regular push ups according to the points outlined above. Simply find an elevated surface to place your hands on and get to it.



#2 Band Assisted
I love the versatility of continuously looped resistance bands. This will allow you to practice the exact movement while lowering the load and providing some extra stability. Anchor the bands to a pull up bar or other high anchor point. As you improve, change to a lower band resistance. Check out Dave Schmidt's site to order some of the bands and learn more.



#3 Regular Push Up
Now that you have mastered the first two, its time to get to the real thing. Its ok if you can only do a few perfect push ups at first. Pick a number to complete over the course of the day and try to reduce the total number of sets it takes to complete all the reps. You will be crushing sets of 20 before you know it.

The push up isn't one of the newest or most sexy exercises in the world, but when performed correctly it is one of the best upper body exercises you can do. It should be a regular in every strength training program no matter what your goals are.


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

4 Rules to Follow in Training (and Life)

As I was thinking about a topic for this week's post, I began to reflect on my own training over the last month. Since the holidays ended, I have had a great month of training. I set a couple PR's in the gym and have been feeling pretty motivated. This got me thinking about some of the lessons I have learned, allowing me to continue growing physically, professionally, and personally over the last few years. Here are a few rules I think everyone can benefit from following:

1. "Train" don't "work out"
This is a topic that you might have seen or heard of before, but it bears repeating. "Training" is a mindset that you should have every time you set foot in the gym. Everything you do from the warm up to post workout stretching should have a purpose. You should be setting goals and your training program should revolve around accomplishing those goals. For example, if your goal is to deadlift 400 pounds, you should be doing plenty of deadlifts, pull ups, abs, and other posterior chain work. If you want to lose fat, intensity should be high and rest periods should be short. "Working out" is like being a single guy. It might be fun and you might feel free, but you really have no clue what the hell you are doing. Your house is trashed, the heat was shut off last week, and you are eating pizza and leftover chicken nuggets from between the couch cushions.
Don't be that guy.

This myopic approach will get you mediocre results at best. Don't be one of those people that go to the gym, day after day, and execute yet another random workout.

2. Overcome Fear
We have all been afraid at one point or another, but fear will get you nowhere.
Fear is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Think about it. How many times have you been afraid to pick up that heavy-ass weight in front of you? "Oh theres no way I can lift that." Are you afraid to ask your boss for a raise? "I'll just ask him/her next month." Well guess what. You've already failed.
Once you convince yourself you can't, you probably wont. People who are afraid are weak. They never get anywhere in life because they are afraid to try. Believe in yourself! Have the courage to conquer your fears and the sky is the limit.

3. Educate yourself
Whether you are training for your first half marathon or attempting to cook for your family, learning as much as you can about a particular topic will only increase your chance of success. The Russians developed a training philosophy long ago that required their athletes to develop a complete understanding of the function of organ systems, physiology, biomechanics etc. They believed that this contributed to a more complete athlete. No wonder they kicked our asses for so many years. I am shocked at how many people enlist my services and have no interest whatsoever in learning about how the body functions. How can you expect to take control of your body if you have no clue how it works? The same can be said of any new endeavor. Go pick up a book and learn something.

4. Find a Good Coach
If you are not sure where to begin, the best course of action is to seek out someone who can help you. A good coach will listen, inspire, and motivate you to achieve what you never thought possible. When looking for the right coach (or trainer), there are a few things you should be looking for:
  • Does he/she do some kind of assessment? (Nutrition, Movement Screen etc.)
  • Does he/she have a system in place used for program design? Remember, random sucks. If they aren't taking the time to design a program specific to your needs, find someone who does.
  • Does the individual conduct themself in a professional manner?
  • Are they certified?
Becoming a stronger individual really isn't all that complicated. Approach your training with a purpose. Don't be a coward. Expand your mind. Find someone to help you along the way.

Have a great week!




Thursday, February 7, 2013

Bulletproof Running

Let me start by saying that I am not much of a runner. I have always been more of a meathead and despise most forms of sustained cardio. Most of my conditioning comes in the form of kettlebell work, sprints, and walking my dog. Truth be told, the only way you will get me to run more than 100 yards at a time is if I am being chased by a bear, or there is free beer at the finish line.

                                                          Now THATS Motivation
 
All kidding aside, I do work with a lot of people that enjoy running competitively and as their main form of cardiovascular exercise. My first priority is always to keep my clients healthy so they can do the things they love. Below, I will outline what I believe are the most important things one can do to remain healthy while participating in a distance running program.
     
*If you are overweight, starting a running program is NOT a good idea. Stick to walking until you lose the weight.*
 
The repetitive motion undertaken while distance running often leads to muscular imbalances, eventually leading to some type of overuse injury. When  the average person gets about 1,500 foot strikes per mile, and running produces forces in the area of two to five times bodyweight per foot strike, its no wonder Physical Therapists are so busy. Some of the imbalances that occur are:
  • Short, repetitive strides leading to stiff hip flexors, quads, IT bands, and lower leg muscles.
  • The glutes and hamstrings are underutilized and usually weak.
  • Running is performed in the sagittal plane, so muscles used in the frontal and transverse planes get little attention.
 In order to remain healthy (and avoid a trip to your Physical Therapist or Orthopedic Surgeon) one must maintain a balanced exercise program by using proper recovery techniques and strength training at least two times per week. Below are three elements that I feel must be present in any distance running program.
 
1. Soft Tissue Work - Perform daily, spending 30 seconds to 1 minute on each muscle group.
  • Self Myofascial Release (Foam Rolling) - This is probably one of the most important things one can do to maintain adequate tissue quality and joint range of motion.To put it in layman's terms, SMR is a form of self-massage that breaks up adhesions and relaxes overused and chronically tight muscles. If you are a runner, this stuff is an absolute necessity. Areas to focus on include:
    • Plantar Fascia - Use a tennis or lacrosse ball
    • Calves - Tennis or Lacrosse ball
    • Quadriceps
    • Adductors
    • TFL/IT Band
  • Massage - Deep tissue massage or ART are the best soft tissue modalities you can use, but can be costly. Try to get a massage every couple of weeks if it is in your budget.
2. Strength Training - At least 2 times per week.
  • Train the Posterior Chain - When running you are predominantly using the muscles on the front of your body. In order to stay healthy and balanced (and build glutes you can bounce quarters off of) you must train your backside with hip dominant movements such as: 
    • Deadlift variations
    • Pull Throughs
    • Glute Bridges
    • Kettlebell Swings
  • Use Single Leg Exercises- When running you spend most of your time on one leg, so it makes sense to include plenty of single leg movements in your strength training. This will help develop the tri-planar foot and hip stability needed while running. Single leg movements include:
    • Split Squats
    • Lunges
    • Single Leg Deadlifts
    • Single Leg Squats
    • Step Ups
  • Train Core Stability - Thanks to Dr. Stuart McGill, we know that the chief function of the core musculature is to keep the lumbar spine from moving into excessive flexion and extension while we "move about the hips". The majority of your core training should reflect this philosophy. The following exercises should be staples in your core training:
    • Anti Extension - Front planks, PUP Walkouts, Ab Wheel Rollouts
    • Anti Lateral Flexion - Chops and Lifts, Suitcase Carries, Waiter's Walks, KB Windmill
    • Anti Rotation - Pallof Press Variations
    • Hip Flexion With Neutral Spine - Jackknifes, Pikes, Marching Mountain Climbers
    • Dead Bug Variations
    • Bird Dogs
 3. Frontal and Transverse Plane Movements - These are best used in the warm up and on recovery days. Once again, while running you spend a lot of time in the sagittal plane. In order to maintain balance, one should include some frontal and transverse plane work for the hips such as:
  • Side lying clamshells
  • Monster walks
  • Lateral squats and lunges
 
 And there you have it! Building your training program around all of the above principles will not only decrease your likelihood of injury, but increase your performance as well.


*Don't forget to share with your friends on Facebook and Twitter if you like the content!
 
 


Sunday, February 3, 2013

Consistency is the Key to Success

In the years that I have been training I have noticed one overwhelming key to success. The most successful individuals in life have this one characteristic in common:

Consistency.

Whether in my own training or when working with others, the one factor I believe determines long term success and failure is consistency. Below I will discuss three elements that must be present for you to be successful.

#1 - Goal Setting

Setting specific goals is an often overlooked element in the path to long term success. How can you begin to define success if you are not sure exactly where you want to go? If one of my clients tells me they want to lose weight or get stronger that's great, but I need specifics. How much weight do you want to lose? How much do you want to squat? When do you expect to accomplish this? What happens if you don't? You must have a clear definition of what you want to accomplish and how you are going to accomplish it. Consistently strive to set new goals and break personal records.

#2 - Assessment

It all begins with the assessment. If you aren't assessing you're guessing. Period. If your goal is fat loss, take circumference measurements and get on the scale. If you want to move more efficiently and decrease your pain level, find a qualified professional (like myself) to evaluate your posture and current movement skills. Keep a training journal recording sets, reps, and weight used. I have kept a training journal since 2007. It's a great feeling looking back at those journals and seeing the progress I've made over the years. When you consistently evaluate yourself, the proof is in the pudding. Many of my clients avoid assessments like the plague because they are afraid to be held accountable for their actions. Don't be afraid! The expectation needs to be set from the beginning that you will consistently evaluate yourself periodically. I encourage my clients to schedule some form of assessment every six to eight weeks.

#3 - Training and Nutrition

You must consistently get your butt in the gym or on the field and put good food on your plate to reach your goals. Its that simple.

Are you training at least three times per week?

Are you consistently adding weight to the bar?

Are you putting good food on your plate 90% of the time?

Is the scale moving in the right direction?

Do your clothes fit?

These are just a few of the questions you need to be asking yourself in your quest for self-improvement. If the answer to any of these is no, take a hard look at your routine and make a change.