Sunday, August 3, 2014

Training Log 8/3/14

Ever have one of those weeks where every day you need a spatula to peel yourself out of bed? Yeah that was me this past week. Every day I had to resist the urge to hit that snooze button for the 4th or 5th time.

Make no mistake though, training in the early morning is the absolute best. The atmosphere is much more conducive to success. Everyone in the gym at 5 or 6 am is there to do work. No obnoxious teenagers. No housewives chatting it up between sets of pink dumbbell curls. No guys doing roundhouse kick-provoking stuff like this:


I've also had a chance to make some new friends with like-minded individuals. All-in-all, this change is stacking up to be a good one.

This Week's Training:

Aside from struggling to get out of bed, this week's training was pretty solid. One thing I probably need to work on more is shoulder pre-hab. I've noticed my shoulders feeling a little more stiff, which could be a new consequence of having a desk job. So, I'll be sure to address this moving forward.

Monday - Lower Body Focus

1. Low Bar Squat - 6x2 @ 285
2. Oly Squat - 2x5 @ 305, 1x8 @ 285

3A. Ab Wheel Rollouts - 3x12
3B. GHR - 3x8
3C. St. Leg Raise - 3x10-12
3D. Farmer's Walk - 2x30sec @ 105 each, 1x max distance

Wednesday - Upper Body Focus

1. Bench - 1x6 @ 255
2. Close Grip Bench - 275x3, 275x4, 225x6

3A. Pendlay Row - 4x8
3B. Db Bench Mechanical Drop Sets - 2x max @ ~45, 20 & 0 degree incline

4A. Chin ups (various grips) - 3x max reps
4B. Pallof press - 2x3x10s holds
4C. Chest supported rear laterals - 2x12
4D. Triceps - Tate press + rolling triceps - 2x max reps each

Friday - Lower Body Focus

1. Deadlift - 3x2 @ 445, 1x1 @ 475
2. Snatch Grip RDL w/ straps - 1x10 @ 225, 3x8 @ 275

3A. Ham Curl - 3x10
3B. 3 month KB Pullover w/ pause - 3x10
3C. Meadows Row - 3x10

4. Turkish Get Ups - 5 mins continuous alternating arms

Sunday - GPP

1A. Kb Swings - 10, 10, 15, 15, 20, 20
1B. Suspension Curls - 5x10

2A. SL Offset Kb RDL - 3x8
2B. Suspension Tricep Extensions - 3x15

3. Hill Sprints - 3x100 yds


Saturday, July 26, 2014

Training Log 7/20/14 - 7/26/14



My writing has been pretty slow as of late. Admittedly, I've been trying to focus on learning the ropes with the new job, so creative juices have been in shorter supply these last several weeks. I'll still be writing about various topics that inspire me albeit slightly less frequently.

That being said, I thought keeping a log of my training could be a useful addition to the blog. I won't be posting these to social media very often, because I don't want to be THAT guy. You know the guy that is 250lbs, 5 percent body fat, squats 1000 and posts every "workout" to his Twitter page in between fist pumps.

I don't train to broadcast what I do to the world. I train because it keeps me sane and I love it. If some of you draw inspiration from what I do and learn something from how I do it, then mission accomplished. Also feel free to reach out with any questions in the comments section.

I currently am using a slightly bastardized version of Brandon Lily's Cube Method. I was skeptical at first for a few reasons.
  • I didn't think the intensity of this program was high enough to elicit the strength gains I am looking for. With cube training, you only train "heavy" once per week with the other days being either dynamic or repetition-based. It's always been my belief that you need to train at or above 80% of IRM most weeks for strength. 
  • Second, frequency is low. You only train each lift once per week. For the average trainee this is fine, but for powerlifting I feel that performing the big lifts multiple times per week is more optimal. 
After some careful thought, I said screw it and vowed to give it a go. For more information on the Cube Method check out THIS article.

I'm currently 4 weeks into the training cycle and I can honestly say it has been great. The rotation of modalities has been a welcome change and allows me to recover much better from week to week. I'm excited to see where this takes me.

This Week's Training:

Monday - Lower Body Focus

1. Low Bar Squat - 3x2 @ 345
2. Oly Squat - 2x2 @ 365

3A. Ab Wheel Rollouts - 3x10 @ 25
3B. GHR - 3x6
3C. St. Leg Raise - 3x10-12
3D. Farmer's Walk - 3x30sec @ 105 each

Wednesday - Upper Body Focus

1. Bench - 6x2 @ 225
2. Close Grip Bench - 2x5 @ 245

3A. Pendlay Row - 4x6
3B. Db Bench - 2x10 + Rest Pause

4A. Chin ups (various grips) - 2x max reps
4B. Dead Bug - 2x8 each
4C. Chest supported rear laterals - 2x12
4D. Pallof press - 2x3x10s holds

Friday - Lower Body Focus

1. Deadlift - 1x6 @ 425, 3x1 @ 425
2. Snatch Grip RDL w/ straps - 3x10 @ 265
* DLs felt great today. Light and explovive. Took a little extra time to warm up abs.

3A. Ham Curl - 3x10
3B. 3 month KB Pullover w/ pause - 3x10
3C. Meadows Row - 3x10

4. Walking Lunges - 1x40 steps

Saturday - GPP

Random assortment of KB swings, snatches and direct arm work.


Saturday, June 28, 2014

Keep Your Eye On the Prize


Some of my best thoughts and ideas come to me after I leave the gym. I'm usually feeling pretty high on life and ready to conquer the world after I walk out of the building. Often times I sit in silence on my way to work, protein shake in hand, reflecting on what I just did and how I'm going to make it better going forward.

More than the obvious physiological benefits that go along with training, the thing I enjoy the most is the process itself.

I approach training much like a grand experiment that will go on for a lifetime. What did I do well? What did I suck at? How can I make adjustments to this moving forward? I enjoy every aspect of training my body and mind to be as sharp as possible. The act of getting better and the science behind it are what continue to drive me every day.

Earlier this week on my way to work, I recalled an old lesson from my high school basketball coach. It was 1998 and we were about to embark upon our season. We all gathered 'round Coach in the locker room either before practice or before out first game while he read a passage to us from what I think was Rick Pitino's recent book "Success is a Choice". The subject being "Keep Your Eye on the Prize". There are some moments in life you remember very clearly, and for some reason this was one of those moments for me.

Eye on the Prize is a mantra meaning one should always keep the end goal in mind. For us, it was making the playoffs, or a district title or something of that nature. The exact goal at the time isn't important. Anyway, that mantra became the focus of our season. We had t-shirts made with that statement printed on the back. Coach put a sign on the wall at the exit to the locker room. He said it over and over during conditioning, practice, and throughout games. No wonder I still remember it. I'm sure many of you that played sports or coach presently have done something similar.

Reflecting on that mantra made me think about how important this kind of attitude is in training, business and life in general. There are always going to be highs and lows on our journey to self-improvement. The important thing is that we always keep the end goal in mind.

Maybe you had a bad day in the gym. You had a few too many beers last night and you feel like a weak pile of shit. Or maybe you failed to hit your numbers this quarter at work and aren't getting that bonus you were hoping for. It is times such as these where we can't lose sight of the big picture.

Pick yourself up and keep moving forward. If we all made never ending linear progress, we would all squat 1000 pounds and be filthy rich. This is what makes the journey worth while. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE.

The same is true on the opposite end of the spectrum. When you achieve a victory feel free to celebrate, but don't get overconfident. Stay humble. Stay hungry.

Celebrate the small victories, don't dwell on the failures, and KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE.

In fact, when I thought about it I remembered I still have that tattered old shirt in a dresser somewhere. So I dug it out.


Here's to the good old days!

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Surviving the Office

Well, I suppose now is as good a time as any to let the cat out of the bag. A few weeks ago I made a career change. I did not make this decision lightly. I've spent the better part of a year contemplating this decision. I could write up a long drawn out post about the soul searching I did, how hard it was and blah blah blah, but I'm not going to do that.

After 6 years in the profession, I simply knew I needed a change. There are elements of the job that I loved, but as I progressed in life I realized the sustainability just wasn't there in the fitness world. We're all searching for that delicate balance between mobility and stability in our lives in and outside the gym. As I progressed in life, the stability aspect became more important. I wasn't getting that from my fitness career. I could have branched out and started my own business , but I knew that wasn't what I wanted. It was time to put on my big boy pants and make a change for myself and my family's future. I'm confident I made the right decision.



Fitness is something I'm passionate about, so I'll still stay involved in a part time capacity through the blog and distance coaching. In fact, I'm pretty excited about being able to be selective about whom I work with, as opposed to needing to take on anyone because I need to pay the bills. I'll enjoy it more this way.

Now that I have that announcement out of the way, I can talk about some of the observations I've made over last few weeks in corporate culture. Considering where I've come from, utter shock pretty much sums it up. People going out to lunch every day and all the utter garbage present in the break room in the form of donuts, bagels, chips, and soda for starters. Temptation is everywhere. Pair up being relatively sedentary with putting all kinds of shit in your body and you have a recipe for disaster.

Taking all this into consideration, I thought I'd present my thoughts on a few strategies I'll be employing for surviving such circumstances. These are things I've been preaching for years to all my clients, but now am forced to practice them myself. At first I thought it would be hard, but honestly it's been incredibly easy. It all comes down to planning and consistency.

1. Train Early


Waking up at 5am pretty much every day for the last 6 years has converted me into a morning person. I find early hours of daylight are the most productive and exciting time of day. Thus, I have been waking up at 5 to get to the gym and train before work. The first few days were tough, but now I love it. The feeling of accomplishment gained from this sets the tone for the rest of my day. Everything seems better after you move around lift heavy shit.

Yesterday I was talking with an old client of mine whom I trained in the early morning for years. He pointed out the most powerful armies in the world train at the crack of dawn. I think there's a lesson to be learned here.

If you've been contemplating training early, just make up your mind and do it. Here are a few strategies to set yourself up for success:

  • Set the coffee pot to auto-brew before you go to bed. It saves time and there's nothing like waking up to some fresh go-juice for your pre-workout. On that note I feel pre-workout drinks are over-rated. They are usually full of a bunch of junk anyway. Throw a scoop of protein powder in your morning coffee, and you have all you need.
  • If you struggle with eating breakfast early in the morning, try eating some more carbs before bed. The glycogen stored in your muscles isn't going anywhere while you sleep and will be readily available for the next morning's training session.
  • Pack your gym bag, food and anything else you need for the next day before bed or as soon as you get home from work. Then you can just grab and go.

2. Get to Bed Early


I often say I'm pretty much useless after dark. When the sun sets, its time for me to start shutting down. I've never understood the people who could stay up past midnight every night of the week. By now I think we all know 7-9 hours of sleep each night is the ideal range for optimal recovery and overall health. If you are training early in the morning, you should be in bed by 10 pm.

Furthermore, what most don't realize is the implications of when that sleep occurs matters just as much as the quantity. As a general rule of thumb, one hour of sleep before midnight is worth two hours after midnight.

Here are a few sleep strategies:

  • Develop a bedtime routine. 
    • Stowe away all electronic devices 30 mins before getting into bed.
    • Knock out 10 deep diaphragmatic breaths before getting into bed. This promotes recovery, decreases sympathetic tone (calms your nerves), and grooves a proper breathing pattern.
    • Find a good book and read for 20 minutes before you go to sleep. 
  • Try using a white noise machine or downloading a white noise app. A fan works too. 
  • Supplementing with melatonin or ZMA can help. 
For a breakdown of some more recent research on sleep check out this article


3. Pack Your Lunch Every. Single. Day.


As I said before, temptation is everywhere. I'm shocked at how few people I see actually pack a lunch.

Maybe this is a function of how I grew up. When I was a kid, my mom packed our lunches every. single. day. I never ate a cafeteria lunch (with the exception of the occasional pizza day of course) until I was well into high school. I guess old habits die hard. Thanks mom! All you parents out there could learn a thing or two from Mrs. Chapman.

Packing your food every day is also incredibly more cost effective. Imagine how much money you would save in the course of the year by eating out less. Having your own food obviously gives you more control over what you put in your body and reduces the likelihood you will eat shit food when you are hungry.

I follow one rule; If its not in the lunchbox, don't eat it.  

And some strategies for packing your food:
  • Have quick snacks ready to go. Make Sunday a food prep day. 
    • Cut up a bunch of raw veggies and put them in the fridge. 
    • Grill a large quantity of meat when making Sunday dinner. Now you have extra for the week.
    • Keep staples like nuts, jerky, and fruit well stocked.
  • As mentioned in #1, pack the next day's food before bed. 
  • Occasionally reward yourself and head out to lunch with co-workers. You need to live a little after all. 

These strategies will help all of you stay on track while managing a full time workload. So much of success revolves around having a plan and developing a routine. Stay true to yourself and never lose sight of what matters. 

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Training Around Knee and Low Back Pain

Yesterday morning I had the opportunity to assist a good friend of mine in a presentation on the FMS (functional movement screen). The presentation was part of a local sports symposium geared toward rehabilitation professionals such as Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers. I'm usually glad to volunteer my time for things like this as it servers as a good opportunity to chat with like minded individuals and learn a thing or two. No matter how firm of a grasp you feel you have on a particular subject, it always helps to get out there and hear it presented from another point of view. Plus I'm a big nerd when it comes to this sort of thing.

I'm a big believer in the FMS. I've had some great success with it over the years and believe it to be a reliable tool in assessing movement quality. The FMS is not only great tool in telling us what we should do, but also in telling us what NOT to do.

For example, if someone scores a 1 on a particular movement pattern, there are certain movements associated with that movement that are contraindicated. So if you score a 1 on the Active Straight Leg Raise, you are not advised to do deadlifts for example.

As you run through the other 6 movements, you may discover you are proficient in some, but lacking in others. Through this, we are able to prescribe some correctives to address deficient areas, but are able to sustain a training effect through training the patterns that are ready to be loaded.

There have been several occurrences where I have referred clients to their doctor with some sort of pain only to be given a prescription for Ibuprofen and told to stop training altogether. This borders on one of the most assanine statements I have ever heard. You tweaked a knee, so now we have to quit everything? It makes no sense. You do happen to possess several other body segments that are perfectly capable of moving.



The moral of this very broad overview is that we can ALWAYS find a way to work around a dysfunctional area or an acute injury, which happens to be the subject of today's post.

Training Options for Knee Pain

Hip Dominant Movements

Hip dominant movements are my "go to" for individuals suffering from knee pain. The allow one to load the lower extremity while maintaining a more vertical tibia. This reduction in knee flexion reduces shear forces placed on the joint while simultaneously emphasizing the posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings for example). Most with knee problems need more posterior chain work anyway.

My favorites include:

Romanian Deadlifts

Single Leg Deadlifts

Kettlebell Swings

Pull Throughs

Hip Thrusts

Glute Bridges


Training Options for Low Back Pain

Low back pain can be a little trickier as the tolerance to load and position can vary between individuals. The universal theme here is reducing the load placed on the spine so you don't shit a disc. All of these accomplish exactly that. There are two categories I find to be the most effective.

Single Leg Work

Single leg variations typically are less stressful to the spine because they require less hip mobility. They can also be loaded up fairly heavy as each leg working independently requires less load than bilateral movements.

Lunge Variations

Split Squat Variations

Single Leg Deadlifts

Horizontal Vector Hip Dominant

There are two types of hip dominant movements. Vertical vector and horizontal vector. An example of vertical vector would be a conventional deadlift. You don't have to be a physics geek to figure this one out. During a deadlift the weight moves in what direction? You guessed it. Vertical. Typically when a hip dominant load is moved in a vertical vector, the low back musculature is involved to a greater degree and more shearing forces are placed on the spine.

When the weight is moved in a horizontal vector as in a hip thrust, less shear is placed on the spine and the glutes are emphasized to a greater degree. This makes these types of movements more ideally suited for individuals suffering from low back pain.

Pull Throughs

Hip Thrusts

Glute Bridges

I wanted to keep this short and sweet to give you some simple and applicable options to use. Whether you suffer from back pain regularly, or you decided to show off your twerking skills last week at your friend's Memorial Day party, these options should provide a work around until you are back to normal.

If you have any questions, feel free to drop some in the comments section!


Thursday, May 22, 2014

Stuff You Should Read Because I Said So - 5/22/14


For this edition of SYSR, I'd like you to think about where your "sanctuary" is. I would define a sanctuary as a place one can go to escape the world and relax. I'm sure we all have one, and if you don't maybe its high time you found yours.

It might be a local coffee shop around the corner, or your "man cave". Speaking from experience, most men need to look no further than their toilet. Kids driving you nuts? Need a break from the honey do list? Nothing like a good old number 2 to carve out 20 minutes to yourself. Come on guys, don't pretend it isn't true. If I had a dollar for every time I heard "Matt! What the hell are you doing in there?" I could take Jodie out to a nice dinner.



All kidding aside, your sanctuary should be a quiet place you can focus on something else and escape the chaos. With that being said, here are a few morsels I've come across in the last month. Seek out your toilet sanctuary and give these a read.


7 Habits of Highly Effective Movement Prep

Breathing Techniques for a Smaller Waist and Tummy

Heavy Deadlifting 101

Why Training Women is Different from Training Men

The Unexpected Flaw of the Paleo Diet Philosophy

Your Success Can't Be Quantified

Glute Activation

The Death of Steady State Cardio

Building a Superhuman Core

Dave Tate's Guide to Supplemental Movements



Tuesday, May 13, 2014

3 Straightforward Tips for the Deadlift

Everyone has a favorite lift/movement.

I like to ask the question "If you were only allowed to perform one lift for the rest of your life, what would it be?" If one considers this question intelligently, they will choose something economical. A lift that gives one the most "bang for your buck".

For me, its the deadlift. You would be hard pressed to find another movement that uses more muscle. Picking up something heavy from a dead stop requires more "starting strength" than any other movement  Additionally, its relatively straightforward. You either pick it up or you don't.


Don't let the simplicity of the deadlift fool you. It is still a relatively technical lift and requires a lot of skill to master. The video above was taken about 2 years ago. While these are respectable numbers for a guy my size, I've improved my technique and numbers significantly since then. My long term goal is to hit 600, so I'm constantly tweaking (not twerking) my programming and technique to get more out of the movement.

Here are three tips to help you do the same.

1. Maintain Tension Through the Entire Lift

Moving big weights is all about creating as much tension as possible. From the time you grab the bar to the time you let go, you need to maintain an almost uncomfortable amount of tension through the entire body throughout.

First, take the slack out of the bar. Contrary to what you might think, the deadlift is not a "0 to 60mph" type of movement. Its more like going from 40 to 60. From the time you pull the hips down into position you should be creating a fair amount of tension on the bar and your body. The bar is almost "floating" before it even leaves the ground.

The second most common mistake I see beginners make regarding tension is on the descent. Its almost like they are in a huge rush to get the bar back to the floor. Probably because they are trying to "bounce" the weight back up. I'm not a fan of the bounce.  If you want to bounce, feel free to twerk in between sets or something.



Think of lowering the bar in a more active sense. Keep the chest out, drive the hips back aggressively, and glue the plates back to the floor before you begin another rep. When the bar reaches the floor, DO NOT RELAX. Maintain tension on the bar and through your entire body. Not only is this more efficient, it reduces the likelihood of injury.

2. Frequency is King

If you want to get better at something you have to do it more often. Plain and simple. If you want to increase your number in the deadlift (or any lift for that matter). Performing the lift once per week probably isn't going to get you very far.

Unfortunately, the deadlift is extremely taxing to the CNS and other body structures compared to the other lifts. Taking this into consideration, one much approach their training intelligently to program the lift more frequently without overtaxing the system.

One useful strategy is to program a speed day and a max effort day. For example, on Tuesday I would use the deadlift for my max effort movement and work up to 3 sets of 3 at 80-85%. On Saturday, I would use the squat as my main movement in the same manner, but for my second movement program speed deadlifts for 6 sets of 2 at 60%. This allows for more frequency without overdoing it.

Remember, true strength isn't about muscles. It's about making the nervous system more efficient. By training the movement more frequently, you maximize this effect.

3. Don't Forget the Accessory Work

Make no mistake, the best way to improve the deadlift is to deadlift more, but many lifters take this advice a little to far. They just deadlift and go home. Sometimes this is necessary due to time constraints or an evening of binge drinking, but to get the most out of your training you must do accessory work. Accessory work is used to build muscle and strengthen weak points. These are specific to each individual, so don't approach them haphazardly.

For the deadlift accessory training should focus on the back, abs, glutes, and hamstrings. Variations of rows, pull ups, hip thrusts, ab wheel, GHR's and hamstring curls should be regulars in your programming depending on weaknesses.

Dave Tate recently released an article over at Elite FTS on this very topic HERE. This is not only one of the best strength training articles I have ever read, but one of the best articles I've ever read period. No matter what your goals are, if you think outside the box you can take something away from this.

--

Short and sweet. Give these tips some thought the next time you plan your training. You should be pleased with the result!



Tuesday, May 6, 2014

The Right Tool for the Job



The last few weeks have been pretty crazy in the Chapman household. I won't get into specifics, but I've had a lot on my plate in recent weeks. There are some big changes coming in the next month for myself and my family. I am expreiencing several emotions regarding these changes, but all things considered I feel good about it. I'm not quite ready to disclose what this change is yet, so stay tuned as I'm sure I will be writing about it soon.

Being that my stress level has been higher than usual, I needed to blow off some steam. Jodie and I decided to have some friends over last weekend for an impromptu Cinco De Mayo celebration. It was nice to hang out and socialize while enjoying a little food and way too much tequila. Seriously...way too much.

Anyway, I got to chatting with one of Jodie's friends (we'll call her CT) about fitness. CT is in pretty good shape and has tried just about everything under the sun regarding fitness. Commericial gyms, group classes, Crossfit, you name it. Her current modality of choice is Pure Barre. When she told me I immediately resisted the urge to vomit. Or maybe that was later in the evening....I'm not sure.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Pure Barre, its a form of group exercise that incorporates elements of ballet into a training session. That's the extent of my knowledge on the subject. As you can imagine, it's not really my thing. Anyway, after my initial horror had passed I asked her what she liked about it compared to all the other things she had tried.

As she described all of her fitness experiences, a theme began to emerge. In nearly everything she had tried before, she hated the atmosphere. Whether it was the annoying people that flood the commercial gym, the elitist coach at the crossfit box, or crazy Zumba lady that looks like a Cheetah, she simply didn't like being there.

When she found this Pure Barre thing, she found a place she liked going to and she stuck with it. She feels great, is more consistent, and most importantly, got results. It might not be what I would choose for anyone, but it works for CT.

Our conversation resulted in what one might call an "Ah ha" moment.

The most important element in any fitness endeavor is finding what works best for YOU.

I talk a lot about the benefits of strength training, and I'm not about to change my stance on it. Lifting weights changed my life and continues to shape me into a better person every time I step foot in the gym. I've helped middle aged men who couldnt even get into position to deadlift on day one, pull 2x body weight. A feat they never dreamed possible. A stronger body with more muscle will serve you well in every aspect of life. However, instead of continuing to hammer a square peg into a round hole, I encourage you to venture outside the box.

It might take a while to find the right tool for the job, but the most important thing is that you keep working until the job gets done. Find your tool. 

You might be going to a gym simply because it is convenient and close to home. The people there might repulse you, yet you continue to scan your card and go into that toxic environment. Are you going to rage if you see Bro Montana doing curls in the squat rack again? Then get out of there! A gym should be a place of physical AND mental health. 

Inspiration comes in many forms and in the most random of places. CT may have just inspired me get proactive about finding a new place to train. I have been training in a commercial gym atmosphere for years, and lately I have been getting more and more tired of it. Just like bars, some of the best gyms are hole in the wall dungeons where there is nothing else to do but get shit done. I think its time to find my hole in the wall.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself about your current gym/training program:

Do I look forward to going?

Am I pushed outside my comfort zone from time to time?

Do I feel accomplished when I leave the majority of the time?

Do I feel welcome? Like part of a family?

Do I have access to the equipment I need?

Am I getting the results I want?

If you are in a situation where you training environment is dragging you down, try something different. I don't care what it is, just get out and try something else. What do you have to lose?


Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Answers to Freqently Asked Questions - Part 1

Spring has brought many things this year.

As Jodie and I approach our one year anniversary of home ownership we realize that spring is a busy time for us around the house. I've always enjoyed working outdoors, so I welcome the opportunity to create a beautiful landscape that is the envy of all our neighbors.

 Yes, that is a porta-john in my neighbors driveway.

Also, its been over a year since I stared my blog. Hard to believe! It has become my little labor of love and I look forward to making improvements as it grows. It has also provided me the opportunity to begin a distance coaching service, which is beginning to grow as well.

Between the house, blog, work, distance coaching, and Game of Thrones starting up again I have been pretty busy lately. The growth of my online presence has also brought growth to my inbox.

So many questions....

As someone who has been in the fitness industry for several years, one might expect I get asked a lot of questions. Whether at a bar, restaurant, farmer's market, gym, or obviously at work, as soon as someone hears what I do for a living their ears seem to perk up a little bit.


Granted, this scares me a little bit as it indicates how readily people will accept information from just about anybody. There are a lot of idiots out there that don't know their ass from their acetabulum. Many fitness "pros" fail to even pick up another book after they complete their entry level certification.

As someone who has spent countless hours expanding my knowledge base over the years, I'd like to think I know a thing or two. So if someone asks me a question, I make sure to give them a well researched answer. Conversely if I have no idea, I'm not afraid to admit it.

I gave some thought to what questions I have heard the most over the years and thought I would shed some light on a few. Being that I have heard all of these more times than I could count, it makes sense that I have spent a lot of time learning the subject matter. While there is always more to learn, I feel I have gained a fairly firm grasp on these subjects.

Bear in mind these answers reflect my own philosophy, research, and experience. The answers to these questions may differ depending on whom you ask.

1. How Do I Get Rid of "this"?

When the individual says "this" they are referring to an area they would like to lose body fat. Usually in the arms, abdomen, or hip area.

I would hope by now we all know one cannot "spot reduce", but I am constantly shocked by the ignorance of the general public. Performing thousands of sit ups and crunches will not only destroy your spine, they are pretty much useless for targeted fat loss in the abdomen. Sculpted physiques are made in the kitchen.

With that being said, regional bodyfat storage does point to certain lifestyle, hormonal, and genetic factors. Charles Poliquin's Biosignature Modulation is a very interesting method revolving around the idea that regional bodyfat stores can in fact be targeted through tailored nutrition and supplementation protocols.

Admittedly, when I first read about these methods I thought it was some sort of voodoo, but after doing some research I found the literature quite intriguing. Basically, over time we develop hormonal imbalances due to lifestyle, genetics etc. These imbalances can cause bodyfat to accumulate in certain areas, based on what hormones are out of whack. For example, if you store excess bodyfat in your abdomen compared to your upper arms, you may be insulin resistant or cortisol levels may be elevated. If this is the case, put the cookies down, eat some vegetables, back off on the caffeine, and get more sleep. It's much more complicated than this, but you get the idea.

I'm not going to go into some long drawn out explanation, but with a 7 site skin caliper and lifestyle assessment, these imbalances can be identified and a proper nutrition and supplementation strategy can be formulated. I've tried some of these recommendations with my more advanced clients and have seen some good results.

Most people will do best with a balanced nutritional approach with an emphasis on clean eating for starters. I'm not ready to begin drinking all the Kool-Aid on this just yet, but the research seems to make sense. Before all of you go changing your diet and supplementation around to target "jello arms", remember you need a proper assessment done by a qualified professional to achieve the desired result.

2. What Do I Do for Cardio?

As with any fitness based question, it depends on your goals and current fitness level.

Beginners need to build an aerobic foundation first. Some basic walking with a target heart rate of 120-150 for 30-45 minutes is a great place to start. Couple this with 2-4 times per week strength training and you have a recipe for success in the first couple months.

After this time the focus should shift from general to more specific.

If the goal is strength development and hypertrophy, the main focus will be in the weight room with a couple days of low intensity aerobic work to aid in recovery. You might have one HIIT day (high intensity interval training) depending on how many days per week you are lifting. This is also assuming you are consuming a lot of calories.

For fat loss, HIIT protocols work best utilizing circuit training, sprints, and finishers to name a few. Aerobic work should be kept at maintenance levels (~once per week) using the aforementioned target heart rate and duration.

Endurance junkies will obviously prioritize aerobic activity and supplement with strength and interval training.

I am often confronted by those who have fat loss goals, but concurrently want to train for a half marathon. This doesn't really work because you can't serve two masters. It's like saying you want to prepare for a hot dog eating contest by eating 5 gallons of ice cream every day. I wouldn't advise it. First of all, you and your toilet will become very good friends (or enemies depending on your perspective) at the end of this. Second, if you want to get better at eating hot dogs, you have to eat......wait for it......hot dogs. Pick one or the other.

This sets me up nicely for the next question.

3. Do I Need to Run to Lose Weight?

The short answer here is absolutely not. If I had a dollar for every time someone told me "trainer x" told me I have to run to lose weight I could finally buy that sweet Vitamix blender I've always wanted. Seriously those things are the Rolls Royce of blenders, but I digress.

I only recommend distance running for competitive runners (ie. your goal is to run x) and those who absolutely, unequivocally LOVE to run. If you are anyone other than that, the cost to benefit ratio of the pavement pounding just isn't worth it. Trust me, I've seen more than a few life long running junkies with knee and hip replacements due to a lifetime of seeking out their next half-marathon.

There is another, even better reason I don't recommend distance running for my fat loss clients. Frequent distance running (and other long duration aerobic dominant work) leads to an over-reliance on the aerobic energy system. You see, the aerobic system primarily uses the oxygen you consume to break down fat for energy. This might sound like a good thing, but the body is an amazing adaptable machine.

According to the SAID principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands), the body adapts to whatever demand you impose on it. By using running and other steady state cardio as your primary conditioning modality, the body will store fat to be used as energy needed for those long distance runs.

So distance running makes you fat. Just kidding...sort of. I'm not saying to hang up your running shoes for good, just don't make it your primary source of conditioning unless you have specific goals that require it.

For fat loss, I recommend a regimen that consists primarily of strength training and HIIT as I mentioned previously. You can still log those long runs, but keep them to once per week.



I hope this begins to shed some light on some common questions you might have. Keep your eyes peeled for part 2 where I answer questions about joint pain, lifting heavy things, and calorie counting.

Any thoughts? Questions? Completely disagree? Let me hear about it!


Saturday, April 5, 2014

Enter the Matrix: A Simple Way to Organize Training and Nutrition

Sorry nerds folks, this has nothing to do with Keanu Reeves or taking the red pill. It's just another system you can use to get more out of training and nutrition in less time.

Consider the average working professional/parent/superhero for a minute. Most of these individuals are highly motivated, goal oriented, and hard working, but they struggle maintaining consistency in their training and nutrition. They simply need some structure in their lives to stay on track.


So enter the matrix, and I'll show you how deep the rabbit hole goes...

What is a Matrix?

In the mathematical sense, a matrix is a rectangular array of quantities or expressions in rows and columns treated as a single entity and manipulated according to rules. (Thank you Wikipedia)

If you paid as much attention in calculus as much as I did, this means absolutely nothing to you.

Basically, a matrix is a super geeky (albeit effective) way to concisely organize information and use it more efficiently.

Nerdy, efficient, yep that's how I like to party.

Luckily for us, our matrix will be nowhere near as complex as ones used in the mathematical sense. We can use matrices to organize our training and nutrition. Here's an example:


Sets & Reps
Push
Pull
Conditioning
Strength: 5x3,3x5,5x5,8x3,6x2,
5x1
Bench
Deadlift
Kb Swing
SSB Squat
Pull Up
Sled Push/Pull
Front Squat
Chest Supported Row
Sprints
Box Squat
Lat Pd
Burpees
Fat Loss/Hypertrophy:
NOT TO BE USED WITH OLYMPIC LIFTS
3x8,4x10,5x10
OH Squat
Seated Row
Med Ball Slam
Back Squat
Hang Clean
Battle Ropes
OH Press
Power Clean
Erg (concept 2 rower)
Incline Bench
Inverted Row
Thrusters
Conditioning: (Work:Rest)
30:30x10
40:20x10
20:40x10
30:60x6

Floor Press
Bent Over Row
Finisher
Push Up
Deficit Deadlift
Anything for high reps
Dips
Trap Bar Deadlift
Jump Rope
DB Press
Sumo Deadlift

Push Press
1 Arm DB Row




Your basic training matrix will consist of just a few columns. You can use excel, or just draw it on a whiteboard or piece of paper. Each column will be used to categorize the type of movement performed. Technically, any movement can be categorized as a push or a pull, this allows for more simplicity.

Simply pick one movement from each column to perform during your training session. Choose set and rep schemes based on your goals. For example, in a strength session I might choose 8x3 for back squats, 4x10 for chin ups, and 40:20 on the erg performed as straight sets.

This is just a quick example I whipped up in a few minutes. You can design your own to include whatever movements you prefer to use. Add or remove columns as you see fit. I am a bit of a minimalist, so I prefer to keep mine to three columns. Things are simpler that way.

Admittedly, this is a little too random for me so I prefer to use the Matrix for conditioning purposes only. With that being said, this is an easy way for the general fitness enthusiast to create some much needed structure while providing some variety in one's programming. In the above Matrix alone there are over 1800 possibilities! Just make sure to keep a training log to track progress.

Matrices can also be useful for nutrition. A useful one I came across is Robb Wolf's Paleo Food Matrix. Regardless of what you choose to include in yours, the principles remain the same.

Now it's your turn. Create your Matrix and put it on your fridge, hang in up in your garage, or toss it in your gym bag so you have an easy reference that can save you some much needed time.

Questions? Comments? Leave your feedback in the comments section!