Eat and Train Like a Spartan

 

I'm definitely a bit of a minimalist.

If you look in my closet for example, you won't find a cornucopia of different wardrobe options. I generally stick with a tee shirt and a pair of jeans on most occasions. I own exactly two suits (c'mon bro I'm a trainer) and two pairs of dress shoes.  In my experience, you really can't go wrong with a nice tee shirt and a pair of jeans. For most occasions, it just works.



 

The ancient Spartans are well known for their minimalist approach. They carved away nearly every activity they deemed a luxury and focused on a simplistic lifestyle. Their architecture, speech, and way of life revolved around success in the only aspect they deemed necessary; war.  They ate only what was needed, trained efficiently, and concealed their intellect in an effort to be underestimated by their adversaries.

Spartan minimalism will serve you well in several aspects of life. Especially as it pertains to training and nutrition.
 

Spartan Training

MED stands for minimal effective dose. This is the lowest volume, lowest frequency, and the fewest changes needed to achieve the desired outcome. In this case, less is more.

I find it best to pick three things you can make time for that directly contribute to your success. Consider this: If you had to choose just three exercises to achieve your desired result, what would they be? The best choices are always going to be compound movements which recruit the largest number of motor units and muscle fibers.

For example, if your goal is fat loss:

1. Chin Up 5x10
2. Kettlebell Swing 5x20
3. Twerk till you puke or sprint 5x100 yards

Or strength development/muscle gain:

1. Deadlift 6x3
2. Chin Up 6x8
3. Press 6x6

Keep in mind this is the bare minimum, but accomplishing these three things allows you to continue to make progress in times of chaos. Depending on your fitness level and goals, you can add variety with different exercises, set, rep, and rest period combinations. Use these three movements as your MED and add more when you have the time and energy.

This is very similar to how I train most of the year. I don't waste my time with the newest, coolest fitness trends or a set of bullshit DVDs that promises results in 90 days. I know what works and I do it consistently.

Spartan Nutrition

One could argue nutrition is not so simple. True, there are several factors to consider when designing a good nutrition plan, but there are four variables one can isolate to achieve the best outcome. The four most important nutritional variables are:

1. Protein intake
2. Fruit, vegetable and whole grain consumption
3. Food quality
4. Common sense

Most nutrition plans fail because of shortcomings in one or more of the above variables. You would be surprised to see how many people have problems with #4. Not surprisingly, our MED for nutrition will revolve around these variables.

For Fat Loss:

1. Eat only clean foods with a very short list of ingredients.
2. Consume a minimum of 30g of protein at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
3. Eat a salad or green vegetable with every meal.

For Muscle Gain/Strength:

1. Consume a minimum of 50g of protein at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
2. Eat a fruit or whole grain with every meal.
3. Eat a salad or green vegetable with every meal.

I think common sense goes without saying here. Again, this is the minimal effective dose. Sure you would benefit from keeping track of calories and macronutrients, but when your proverbial well is running dry this Spartan approach works great.

Summary

The Spartans were successful because they showed tireless dedication toward achieving a single goal. Taking the Spartan approach is simple, not easy. Any quest for self-improvement takes a healthy dose of dedication and determination.

Consistency is key. We all have several obligations. Home ownership, children, and work to name a few. Few of us have the time or energy for a year-round rigorous training and nutrition plan. When the things get crazy at home and work, you need a simple set of effective principles to fall back on.  By stripping away all of the excess, you allow yourself to make continued progress in the things that matter.

Stuff You Should Read Because I Said So - 10/15/13

It's almost here...

I am officially only two weeks away from the end of my youth. The big 3-0 is knocking at the door.

I had previously been looking at this upcoming milestone with feelings of dread. Looking back, I'm not really where I thought I would be at this age. So I grabbed my high school yearbook and looked up my prediction on where I would be in ten years. It said something about living in California and drinking protein shakes on Venice beach in between sets of deadlifts with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Just kidding, but hey a guy can dream right?

After some self-reflection I realized I've accomplished some pretty great things in my 30 years on this earth. I'm proud of myself for making a positive contribution to society and hope to continue to do the same in the my next 30.

Now on to this month's stuff you should read. Enjoy!

Surviving Whole Foods

Training the Aging Athlete

Speed Training is NOT Conditioning

You Are Setting Yourself Up to Fail

Fat Loss Workout Mistakes You Might Be Making

Cutting Crossfit a Break

5 Critical Training Mistakes

5 Life Stressors That are Affecting Your Training

Low Bar Squat vs High Bar Squat: Choosing the Right One for You

Nobody can debate the effectiveness of the squat. It is the cornerstone of any good strength training program. Regardless of your goals, some squat variation deserves its special place in your program.

Want big legs? Squat.

Shapely glutes? Squat.

A date with Sofia Vergara? Keep squatting.

The back squat is probably the most popular squatting variation. It also allows one to handle the most load, therefore I consider it the most beneficial.

Early in my strength training career, I really didn't know the difference between the low bar back squat and the high bar back squat. My coaches probably didn't either. Like any beginner, I just put the bar on my back and started cranking out reps. For a beginner this is probably fine, you just need to get used to squatting with some weight on your back and adding pounds to the bar.

As one progresses to the intermediate level, it becomes useful to know the difference between back squatting in the low bar and high bar positions. This way one is able to choose which is a better fit for their goals.

High Bar Squat

The high bar position is the most commonly seen bar placement in the back squat. Walk into any commercial facility and you will likely see any Bro Montana using a high bar position hammering out half reps with a puss pad and less than stellar technique. I'm not saying the high bar position is bad, just making a point that its rare to see someone squatting correctly in a commercial gym.

In the high bar position, the bar is placed high on the shoulders, right on the upper traps. Due to the higher center of gravity one must maintain a more upright torso through the movement. This decreases the knee angle and increases the hip angle, thus making the lift more quad dominant.

Due to the quad dominant nature of the lift, the high bar squat is best used by those with more aesthetic goals in mind (big quads). High bar squats are commonly used by bodybuilders because of increased quadriceps recruitment. The high bar position is also preferred by Olympic lifters because it keeps the torso more upright (as in catching a clean in the bottom position).

The only real downside to the high bar position is that it limits the amount of weight that can be used.

Low Bar Squat

The low bar position is less commonly seen in your average commercial gym setting. Usually because it is more technically demanding and most people simply don't know how to do it correctly.

In the low bar position the bar is placed lower on the shoulders. The proper position is located right above the spine of the scapulae. The first attempt at maintaining this position is usually very uncomfortable, especially when the weight gets heavy. The "chest out" cue becomes very important when using a low bar set up.

Due to the lower center of gravity, this variation requires a more angled torso during the descent. It feels a little strange at first because you have to actively lean forward at the torso and sit back at the same time. This increases the knee angle and decreases the hip angle, thus making this movement more posterior chain dominant and allowing for maximal glute and hamstring recruitment.

A low bar position is best used by those with more performance based goals because the lower center of gravity and ability to recruit the hips more allows for the use of heavier loads. Low bar squats are commonly used by more experienced strength trainees and powerlifters. I would argue that they are more beneficial to athletes as well (stronger backside = more powerful athlete).

A downside to the low bar squat is that it can be hard on the shoulders. Placing the shoulders in an abducted and externally rotated position under load can beat them up over the long haul. Especially if your shoulder mobility is a little shaky to begin with. If you decide to make the low bar squat your variation of choice, it would be wise to rotate periods of high bar and front squatting (along with the usual pre-hab) into your programming to keep your shoulders healthy.

Summary

As always, knowledge is power. Knowing the correct variation to use based on your goals will serve you well over the long haul. I've cited it a few times on here now, but Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength is an excellent book for those of you that want to get more serious about your barbell training.

So here's a quick recap:

High Bar Squat

• Lower learning curve.
• More quad dominant.
• Less weight can be used.
• Best for aesthetic-based goals and Olympic lifting.

Low Bar Squat

• Higher learning curve.
• More hip dominant.
• More weight can be used.
• Best for performance-based goals and the serious strength crowd.
• Hard on the shoulders. Make sure to rotate your lifts accordingly.

Now go squat something!