Niel K. Patel

Strength Training is like a Plant

2012-01-27T13:29:00.003-05:00

Strength training is similar to watering a plant. It can't be done all at once in a short amount of time or the plant dies from too much water. Water the plant too little and infrequently then it withers away and dies.

A consistent schedule to water the plant is necessary to ensure it grows and matures well.

Adapted from a passage in Mencius

Hook Grip by Tommy Kono

2012-01-17T11:56:00.000-05:00

I've described how to hook grip the bar before, but that method might not suit everyone. As such, here's Kat Ricker and Tommy Kono teaching his way to hook grip.

Open Mind

2012-01-12T17:23:00.002-05:00

Why should it be only the man who knows how things alternate and whose heart approves its own judgements who has such an authority?

The fool has one just as he has. For there to be 'That's it, that's not' before they are formed in the heart would be to 'go to Yueh today and have arrived yesterday.'

Chuang-Tzu

How can a person arrive to a destination before they've departed? The metaphor isn't meant to be understood in the literal sense. The passage's context describes an individual being close-minded and whose opinion is already formed. Read it once or twice more to let the text sink in.

Chuang-Tzu was criticizing the philosophers of his time for their close-mindedness. I believe his critique carries over into the present day. When it comes to certain subjects and beliefs people can be stubborn. This is especially true in health and fitness.

When a person is looking for an answer in regards to diet or exercise, the majority of reactions fall under these 3 categories:

Affirmation: They're looking for someone to agree with them instead of learning more and expanding their knowledge.

Dismissal: It's not congruent with what they think thus making it incorrect.

Ignore: The information isn't understood and therefore not registered in their mind.

It's common for "affirmation" to be paired with either of the other two (not always). A person wants to be assured their way is the "right way" while they dismiss or ignore other information they come across.

Avoid this mistake if you want to make progress and improve. If you don't, why go to the gym or diet today if you've already determined your limits yesterday?

New Year, Fat You

2012-01-04T13:10:00.003-05:00

London celebrating 2012

It's 2012 and everyone wants to lose weight. The holidays are over and the gyms are packed. Incorporate these tips to maximize fat loss.

Strength Training Gives the Best Results
It also improves performance in cardio activities such as running.
If you don't have access to a barbell you can do bodyweight exercises or purchase a dumbbell/kettlebell.
I've posted workouts in the past. The Anne Meets Jane program is great for beginners.

Be a Role Model
Contrary to what you think your goal is not only about your self. Your choices affect friends or family who are also looking to lose weight.
Reinforce positive decisions by remembering what you want. In turn others will do the same by your influence and look to your for support.

Use Common Sense
You know the basics. A product that advertises it's healthy probably isn't healthy. There aren't vegetable commercials but it's commonly known they're nutritious.
The very least exercise should do is work up a light sweat and feel a bit challenging. Otherwise, can you really say you did something?

Add a Fast
I grabbed this one from Mike T. Nelson - add a day without eating. You can drink water, plain tea, or black coffee (duh, no milk or sugar!).
A day without food won't be the end of the world. If it's really tough, eat but space out the time between meals until you're able to fast the entire day. [Mike's full article]
A bonus to fasting is it also frees up time that is spent on cooking and eating. Use your newfound time to do other things during this day.

The Minimum
All is not lost for those truly busy individuals who have a jam packed schedule. Exercising 3, 4, or 5 days it isn't always feasible. However something is better than nothing.
Workout 1-2 days using 2-3 exercises. For example, some squats and farmer's walks is a quality training session. Be sure to make it count.
If I had to choose 4 exercises to prescribe someone for the New Year? Back squat, dumbbell bench press, chin-ups, and conventional deadlift.

This is a great start for anyone who needs more direction. Most importantly, keep in mind everyone starts out the year strong but loses sight of their goal within a month or two.

The true test is to stay committed past February. Make it 12 weeks and nothing will be impossible.

Exercise for Two

2011-12-23T12:56:00.012-05:00

Milo used plenty of stuff for resistance.

Lack of equipment doesn't have to limit a workout. The body can be used to apply manual resistance in a number of ways. Typically isometrics or bodyweight exercises are frequently used when it comes to body only work, but having a partner can expand your options.

While it's fun to compete against a friend to see who lifts heavier or does more reps, the workout can be made more competitive. Here are a few ideas.

Tug of War
- Grab a rolled up towel and start pulling. To tax the grip and forearms more, put a towel within a towel (towel-ception?) to make it thicker.
Push or Be Pushed
- Sort of a prowler sled substitute, attempt to drive your partner back.
- The flip side of this, don't let your partner move you. Stand your ground as best as you can.
Carries
- Either toss the other person on your back, carry them in your arms, or over one shoulder then walk for a set time or distance.
Perturbations
- Have one person do an exercise as the other person throws off their balance and coordination. This can be done in the form of small pushes around the body (for example strikes during a pull-up) or one continuous effort (pressing down on the low back in a plank).
- The person doing the exercise can shut their eyes to make the strikes more unexpected.

The more creative you are the more exercises you can do, like partner deadlifts. Also be sure you have ample space to perform these. It's a great way to spend a little time this holiday weekend rather than do the usual gym routine. And above all else it's fun to do. When's the last time you did tug of war?

Happy holidays/Merry Christmas and have a good weekend everyone!

The Bench Press Made Easy

2011-12-16T12:59:00.003-05:00

Konstantin Konstantinovs
knows how to bench.

A friend asked if I would do a video on proper bench press form or recommend one to him. I had the intention of creating a video but thought why not make a blog post.

It's up to the lifter's discretion on whether the bench press is simple or complex. Let's take it step-by-step.

Gripping the Bar

I've mentioned it before: position the bar near the palm and base of the thumb. Keeping the bar high in the hand tends to have the wrists cock backwards diminishing force output. Keep the wrists straight. However if the wrists are still lax, squeeze the hell out of the bar and try to pull it apart.

Secondly, to measure from the barbell's knurling (non-smooth part) with the thumbs never made sense to me. My friend taught me to practice the benching motion with my hands. Perform reps with only your hands and see where they align on the bar. Let that determine where to grab it then adjust if necessary.

Set-Up

The head, upper back, and glutes are in contact with the bench. As a result a space is created between the arching of the low back and the bench.

The further you can plant your feet towards your hips the better. Because flexibility issues vary person-to-person choose a stance that doesn't put any strain on you. For higher set benches or individuals with shorter legs, feel free to place something under each foot if you can't firmly ground them. A weight plate is the easiest to use, but aerobics platforms or hexagonal dumbbells work well too.

Execution

In 4 points:
Drive/shove your feet through the floor.

Pull your shoulder blades together and scrunch up your back like so,

Keep your elbows close to your body and pull the bar down under your nipples or above the windpipe.

Aim for the blue line or slightly lower.

After the bar touches your body press it up.
Other Tidbits
Have someone help you unrack the bar. They should help move it out, NOT UP and out. This allows you to keep the back tight and saves your shoulders from pressing in an awkward position.
The "suicide" grip is a thumbless grip. Some lifters swear it's a stronger pressing grip but run the risk of the barbell falling on the individual. The only justification I found for it is certain folks claim it relieves pain from past elbow issues.
For beginners the bench press is a poor pec developer because the shoulders and triceps bear the brunt of the work. Substituting in dumbbells is a better alternative for hypertrophy.
The incline variation shifts an emphasis onto the shoulders whereas the decline reduces it and shortens the range-of-motion. Additionally, the incline or decline doesn't need to be a significant angle change. The fixed incline benches are an example of too much of an incline (45 degree angle).
Personal Take
I bench press on and off, but for the majority of the year it's very little. Rather I utilize a variation of it or another horizontal press. In my first year of lifting DB pressing and flies were my main chest exercises. Since the latter began to irritate my shoulder I decided to drop it.
I enjoy bench pressing but I just don't do it often. It's as simple as that.

And that's the bench press. Not too complicated, right?

Further reading for a more comprehensive approach,

Upper Back Warm-Up Drills
Efficiently Using the Back
The Barbell Row: The Bench Press's Opposite

Gestalt Strength

2011-12-07T13:01:00.001-05:00

Picasso didn't draw a bunch of squiggles.

In English the German word gestalt [jes-stault] is referred to as the concept of "wholeness" (Wikipedia). During my undergrad psychology courses gestalt psychology was glossed over with the phrase "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts."

The same outlook can be adopted when it comes to training or diet.

A single workout or meal doesn't have much of an effect. Even a month's worth of efforts is small in the long run. Therefore being "good," whether it's a day, week, or month, is only a temporary marker towards your goal(s).

Every session or meal is another notch under your belt. The synergy from these yield benefits along with reaching the chosen goal, such as increased strength and body composition change. Likewise every session or meal not conducive to your objective is a step back.

The whole may be greater than the sum of the parts, but you need to ensure there are parts in the first place. Otherwise how will anything be "whole?"

Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is any other endeavor that aims to be successful.

Vasily Alexeev

2011-11-30T10:00:00.001-05:00

Record maker and breaker.

He was one of the greatest lifters in the sport of weightlifting. Here's a collection of sorts from others.

Boris Bachmann
Charles Poliquin
Jamie Lewis [2010 profile on Alexeev]
Kat Ricker
Michael Hartman
Nick Horton [videos]
Tracy Fober

Articles & Video

2011-11-21T10:24:00.000-05:00

I'll be back with original content next week. In the mean time here are some great finds:

Foam Rolling by Carmen Bott
Deadlift Overview by Carmen Bott [video]
Hands Training by Jedd Johnson
Pressing by Charles Poliquin

Have a good week and a happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Understanding Research

2011-11-15T10:01:00.003-05:00

The joy of reading journal articles.

When it comes to research I'm average at best. During undergrad I took stats for research, evaluating health programs, writing research, and worked in a research lab. I'm happy I learned a bit but there's still a lot I don't know/didn't pay attention to in class. I can however make sense of an academic paper.

Of course if you're not dealing with it for work or academics then it isn't necessary to read any research.

Then when will you encounter it? Typically, "New research shows....." from a news reporter. It's fairly common for media to pick up a new study's findings.

In the event you are affected by said "new research," here are things to keep in mind.

- One study's results does not hold substantial grounding. Rather it paves the way for more studies to be done on the subject. A large number of studies should be examined to note similar OR dissimilar findings.

- Studies are controlled and cannot be wholly externalized to the real world where variables are innumerable. To account for everything in the day-to-day isn't possible. Not only that but even certain factors within a study can't be manipulated and/or observed.

- Study design is very important! A poorly designed study will yield equally poor results. Take for instance the recent women's vitamins study. Each participant took varying supplements compared to one another. Postmenopausal women consuming iron wasn't necessary either. Consequently, the data was negatively skewed and the broad statement "vitamins are bad" was reported by many news outlets.

A study should have better execution. I recall one study had two groups. The first group of men & women was split 50/50 but the second group had a contrasting 30/70. That doesn't look right does it?

- Experience has merit but the ability to have it as measurable data isn't easy. Studies provide quantified numbers easier to use and understand on an analytical scale.

- Studies can contain flaws and how a researcher or author presents the results can be biased. This is why it's important to take a look at the study itself.

Every study can be criticized. You can find studies both supporting or against a certain viewpoint. An article will you give you a brief piece of the entire study.

Use the knowledge you have to determine for yourself the meaning behind the data.

Further reading,
Research 101 by Leigh Peele

Sight Beyond Sight

2011-11-09T12:47:00.002-05:00

Can't go wrong with Thundercats.

When taking in information everyone tends to remember the main points. However the ability to observe the most subtle details is a great asset.

"Focus on the big picture."

It's a popular saying, but instead you should try to understand everything. In doing so you can think on a more complex level to piece together various information. This provides clarity and sheds light on a situation.

When two people recount an experience they will have slight variations or notice different elements - something that didn't register to the other person. Also one person being bias for whatever reason can change how the situation is perceived. But by being more aware of the present situation and seeing things as they are, instead of one's own beliefs, you can develop more than the "bigger picture."

Phrases such as thinking outside the box or see the forest not the trees similarly attempt to do the same: forgo the minor details for the major ones.

When creating your exercise and diet regimen, don't forgo the little things like how you feel, attention to pain, utilization of time, interaction with family & friends, and other aspects of your life.

Instead focus on the full picture.

Ep.1 - Snatch & Clean Basics

2011-11-04T10:11:00.003-04:00

My first go at making a video (hence the lack of posting):

Click through to see the
video's description and links.

Have a good, and snow-less, weekend!

What to Eat

2011-10-28T09:54:00.001-04:00

Stuff that makes sense is usually a good choice.

Have a good weekend.

Miscellaneous Pile, 10/26/11

2011-10-26T09:05:00.005-04:00

It's been 3 months since the last random post.

1) Happy Diwali!

2) I started working on a video and it is tough. I didn't realize how much time and effort it takes to create one. Hopefully I'll have it up by next week.

3) If you're not familiar with "Mrs. Q," check out Fed Up with Lunch. For an entire year she took pictures of elementary school lunches. You would think since children are growing they would receive better nourishment.......but that's not quite the case.

4) Google or Youtube CNN Heroes. You'll find stories of amazing individuals. The following is the video I've seen shared on Facebook (winner in 2010 was Anuradha Koirala).

I decided to keep it short today. Have a good day everyone!

Be Blank

2011-10-13T12:44:00.001-04:00

"Forget your fear. Forget your doubt.
Forget your self."
- Samurai's Blood #2

When working on a task, do just that. Don't think about what happened yesterday, what needs to be done later, who said what or anything else irrelevant.

Whether working on a project, writing, exercising, or another activity, let your mind be blank and present in the moment.

Simply put, work on the task at hand.

Second Pull

2011-10-11T14:40:00.014-04:00

The second pull in the snatch or clean is from the knee to the hip. It sets the lift up for receiving the bar overhead or on the shoulders. When it's done properly, the weight goes up relatively easy. If not, you can lose the bar or end up trying to muscle it up.

This can be problematic for beginners in Olympic weightlifting.

Click each to enlarge
(Left Image; Right Image)

Above you can see a triangle-like space is created right before the second pull. In a deadlift you would allow the bar to travel straight up and proceed to lockout. However during the snatch or clean you want to close the gap in this triangle as much as possible. In doing so, the pull will finish strong and smoothly before you proceed to drop under the bar.

Now the beginner problem is not bringing the bar in and to let it follow closely against the body. In the deadlift it's okay to let the bar go straight up since there's no triple extension. In Olympic weightlifting you want to follow the diagonal arrow - let the bar come in and at the torso.

I've heard a ton of tips to fix this problem from Pendlay, Horton, Everett, and other coaches...

Press your hands backwards towards yourself.
Hit your hips with the bar, not hit the bar with your hips. (Subtle isn't it?)
Pull the bar up if as you were trying to put your pants on.
"Shave" your legs with the bar.

I'm sure there are other cues I didn't highlight. Regardless, it's clear the bar needs to be kept close when executing the second pull.

If you're not keeping the bar close, you're losing out on power and efficiency.

Cool Video

2011-10-07T10:28:00.006-04:00

Garage Strength

Pretty cool, huh?

Have a good weekend everyone.

Exercising Around Injury

2011-09-29T12:58:00.001-04:00

When I browse forums, every now and then users tend to ask similar questions. The most popular question is "How do I lose fat or bulk up?" but the other is "I injured so and so, how do I continue exercising?"

The answer: You don't continue to exercise. If a person's sustained an injury where the only remedy is rest then you should rest!

It's hardly rocket science or the most profound advice, but it's pretty damn important. I find it odd when someone attempts to tip toe around their injury to still exercise.

No one likes to not exercise nor does anyone like to be told not to exercise. You run the risk of worsening your current injury if you try to exercise.

Some exercises can be done pain free, but why bother? Is it so bad to take time off? Are you that addicted to your routine? Will you suddenly gain 100 lbs? Will you become so weak you won't be able to rebuild your strength?

IS THE WORLD GOING TO END?

Probably not.

Rules of Programming

2011-09-27T14:25:00.008-04:00

The first rule of Fat Club is that you
don't talk about the first rule of Fat Club.

I had a conversation last week that made me think, "How do I design programs?" I rely on a few hard-and-fast (that's what she said) rules. As I learn more these may change, but for now they play a big role in how I structure programs.

Before I continue I should distinguish between a program and a workout. A workout is one exercise session whereas a program consists of many workouts spanning multiple weeks. A workout can be done for fun without having to follow any particular guidelines. I've done it plenty of times. Consider a program when you need a plan to achieve a goal like increase your back squat, run faster, recover from an injury, fix your posture, and the like.

Now the rules.

Training Should Mimic or Resemble the Goal
- Select movements that overlap with movement(s) in the sport.
For example, shot and discus throwers generate power through through their legs and hips to throw the object. Think of what develops strong legs and hip extension such as squats.
A great way to get ideas is search Youtube for how athletes of a sport train. You can usually find a variety of videos from amateur to elite.

New Skills Go First
- You want to develop a new skill? Begin with it in the first day of the week. This allows you to avoid fatigue while hammering the technique into your nervous system. Remember practice makes perfect.
If the goal is to learn barbell snatches or a front lever, putting them first while you're fresh makes it easier to learn without sacrificing form.

Prioritize One Plane Movement per Session
- The first lift is done when you're primed for working out. As the workout progresses fatigue sets in. Of course it's natural to become tired. Hence whatever you begin with won't suffer from a lack of physical and/or mental focus.

- In a session prioritize one lift per plane movement.* This means you devote your effort to a single exercise compared to the bodybuilding method of many exercises for one muscle.
Pick a heavy compound lift or something that requires near 100% concentration and effort - 1-arm push-up, heavy overhead press, banded deadlift, tempo squat, etc.
*I wrote about plane movements here with an example of each here [the six compound lifts]. The only one not included is a loaded walk/carry.

Choose 1-2 Exercises per Plane in a Workout (3 Max)
- The previous rule doesn't mean you're limited to one thing. Another exercise or two can be added as secondary work. You're able to train with more volume in place of intensity.
Follow a deadlift variation [hip-dominant] with single-leg Romanian deadlifts, glute-ham raises, or band stomps to further work the hamstrings and glutes. They're less demanding on the body than the main lift - deadlift in this case - but still provide training volume.

Free Weights Comprise the Program
- With the exception of special circumstances, an injury for instance, no machines are used. Cable-based equipment is acceptable, but nothing that has a fixed path of movement [the infamous Smith machine]. Free weights provide better results.

Postural & Abs Go Last
- This is self-explanatory. Postural drills are light and higher in volume. Abs can be difficult but don't suffer as much from the preceding training in the workout. You can even pair a postural movement and abs back-to-back.

Emphasize Quality NOT Fatigue
- A common belief is we must break our bodies to a crippling state where we can barely move after enduring a brutal workout.

I don't play that crap. Go in, put effort into a few moves, and then call it a day. At most it should take 90 minutes consisting of 4, maybe 5, days a week.

Minimize Discrepancies
- Simply put: target weaknesses and any glaring problems.
Overly strong bench press but lackluster pull-up? Hunched posture? Something else? Devote more attention to bring up a lagging area.

Remove Awkwardness & Pain
- Everything doesn't work for everyone. If it's painful or downright awkward no matter how much you attempt to work out the kinks, drop it from your program and find a suitable alternative. Don't be afraid to experiment.

These rules don't encompass everything I do but they're core principles I use to create a program. Other individuals will have their own philosophy and that's perfectly alright. Find out what works and benefits you the most.

"If it works, it works, no matter what anybody says."

- Franco Columbu

Quick Decision Making

2011-09-23T07:39:00.001-04:00

"Does it help or not help?"

It doesn't get any simpler. If you have a thought on whether something is a good or bad choice then ask the question above. For example,

"I want to drink soda with my meal."

"Fries or a salad on the side?"

"I don't want to work out this week."

"I pulled a muscle, but I still want to lift today."

Think of what you're trying to accomplish and then ask, "Does it help or not help?" It tends to be obvious, but it's more than a question - it's a reminder.

A reminder of what you want.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Olympic Lift Start Position

2011-09-20T16:52:00.009-04:00

Couldn't clean the images up entirely.

(Click to enlarge)

In the Olympic weightlifting series I posted a Youtube video that showed elite lifters snatching in slow motion. Unfortunately the original user has recently removed the video. However I got lucky and was able to take a few snapshots. Take a look at the lifters above and notice they have a similar set-up.

Outlined are the angles of the spine, femurs, shins, arms, as well as the locations of the shoulders, hips, and knees (the circles). Some interesting points:

The knees are over the toes.
The hips are slightly higher than the knees.
The shoulders are over the bar.

Different body types lead to variations here and there, but you can see they're all positioned more-or-less the same.

Unless you're pulling frog stance, your set-up will resemble the pictured lifters.

*EDIT: Look at that, post #200.

The Buddha

2011-09-16T13:31:00.009-04:00

This documentary aired in 2010 on PBS. I saw it recently and it's a great overview of Buddhism including its history, basic tenets, and philosophy. Whether you're atheist or theist (doesn't matter what faith), the movie is excellent. It runs a bit under 2 hours, but you can pause and come back to it at any time. I've embedded the Youtube playlist below or for more information and the original video you can visit its page on PBS here.

The one message I really enjoyed was "It's okay to be human."

Enjoy and have a good weekend everyone.

Open Hands

2011-09-13T15:30:00.002-04:00

What did the five fingers say to the face?
SLAP!

I like to balance my movements: presses & pulls and quadriceps & hamstring work. That's a basic overview, but to my surprise in late 2009 I learned I was ignoring my fingers. They were always in flexion (curled in, not straight). Ben's article "Balanced Hands" explained many daily activities put fingers in flexion: typing on a keyboard, driving, or grabbing anything - pencil, glass, barbell, tennis racket, you name it.

Ben outlines ways to train finger extension in the article, but the only method I've tried is utilizing rubber bands. However recently I've applied isometric work to finger extension with no equipment. The result,

Before & After

The fingers are straightest after a set is done. For those who are unfamiliar with isometrics, it's exerting effort against an immovable object. Despite no movement occurring, muscular tension is created during a fixed posture. It's important to understand that one static point isn't representative of an entire movement. Therefore, performing a hold at multiple points is best such as at the start, middle, and end points of a movement. Because there are infinite points along an exercise's curve it's not possible to focus on every point. (You best believe I remember something from calculus!)

It's very simple to apply isometrics to train finger extension.

Hands are like that to see clearly.
You can position your hands however you choose.

As the hand on the right is attempting to open up, the hand on the left is acting as resistance by applying pressure to it. I chose four positions:

(1) Fist-like
(2, 3) Middle points
(4) Near full extension

Alternatively, you can slowly open one hand while the other relaxes to put it into a rep-styled scheme. I show all the fingers being trained simultaneously, but one or a few fingers can be done at a time as opposed to all at once.

Since the fingers go behind the hand and wrist when in full extension, the end range can be trained like this as well:

You can also extend against a solid object
such as you're desk, bed, wall, etc.

With isometrics, a few seconds for each point is sufficient. And there's also no need to train finger extension aggressively. A little goes a long way - whether you're at work, in the car, or relaxing, take a few seconds to work your fingers.

Couple the strengthening with finger extension stretching and you're good to go for healthier hands.....but try not to slap anyone with them.

Update

2011-09-06T09:33:00.010-04:00

I've been tinkering with the blog the last week or two. The first thing I attempted to redo was the design. As you can see it's the same - whatever I tried didn't look right so no change there. Aside from that, I've added more to the About page located above and it's been retitled "Me & My Blog."

However, the newest addition is the section labeled "Free Individualized Training." It's exactly what it sounds like: free one-on-one coaching. I've inserted the page below for visitors to read. I'm going to leave this post up for a week so it gains more notice, but I'll be back to regularly scheduled posts next week.

Have a good week everyone!

-----

Specialty Areas & Types of Training Offered

Fat Loss

Muscle Gain
Note: This is the only one that will result in additional costs. A lot more food is consumed to fuel the muscle growth.

Athletic Improvement & General Preparedness for Sport

Movement Quality [better movement quality for daily living]

Powerlifting

Olympic Weightlifting Basics

Free? Seriously?

Yes seriously. You read that correct - free individualized training. What's the catch? There is none. The reasons why I'm creating this service are:

(1) I believe most individuals have less-than-stellar designed programs when it comes to strength training in comparison to their food and nutrition management.

(2) Posts constitute a small portion of what I know. I'd like to utilize what I've learned these recent years. This allows me to gain experience.

(3) The routines I made in my early training years sucked. However, I was given advice on a regular basis from two individuals which helped immensely. It was very generous of them both.

I'd like to do the same and help others. If you have not read about my background please do so here before continuing. Notice I am not certified, a professional of any sort, or employed by a fitness organization.

Make It or Break It Factor

In the past I've had individuals approach me and agree to follow a plan I've designed at no charge. Typically this was done on the fly as opposed to the structured schedule and format described here. As a result, it became a problem and many did not follow the plan. You know what that equates to for me? Effort put forth for nothing and time I won't get back. So if you sign up you'll be paying me.

"OMG WHAT?! THIS ISN'T FREE YOU TREACHEROUS BASTARD!"

Relax. It is free IF you complete the 4 months of services I provide. The first week of every training block you transfer $50 to my PayPal account. Do everything accordingly and after 4 months, voila! I transfer back to you every single dollar and cent. If you enjoyed the work I did, we can continue without the PayPal stipulation. I'm confident in my abilities and I must be sure you're putting in the effort to achieve results.

"What if I screw up?"

Drinks on me! No I'm kidding. I'm not that cruel. Aside from the money, the conditions below require a fair amount of effort too. This will eliminate many individuals who cannot commit to the expected coaching program. However, to "screw up" is to not do a large portion of the work involved. Filling in your workout log a day late is not a big deal.....not updating me on or doing an entire 2 weeks of training is a different story. In the event you do nothing then I will happily donate the transferred money in your name to the non-profit organization Operation Smile. The money goes towards reconstructive surgeries for children born with cleft lip and cleft palate in indigent countries where it remains prevalent.

But I'm a reasonable guy. If you have concerns about everything as you start and aren't comfortable, voice your worries to me and we'll discuss it.

How I Work

My main go-to piece of equipment is the Olympic barbell and squat rack. Everything else is optional and complements it.

Training blocks are designed in 4-6 weeks duration - each block includes a dynamic warm-up, strength training sessions, and stretching.

I cover nutrition and supplementation, but I am not versed in the methods of ketogenics, carbohydrates manipulation, paleo, intermittent fasting, or other diets.

I will not work around an individual's current injuries - like a broken limb - or digestive maladies (celiac disease for example). In those instances I prefer you see a professional such as a physical therapist, orthopedic physician, registered dietitian, etc.

100% Confidentiality
Before and after pictures are required [see below] and add a visual dimension numbers cannot capture. I would very much like to, and appreciate, the permission to upload them here to display that this service is well worth it, but this isn't mandatory.

Whatever information you share with me remains private. The only time I will break this agreement is if for some reason you pose a risk to yourself or others. Even then I will contact you first and bring it to your attention. But again, aside from that scenario whatever you tell me will be kept confidential.

The thing I can't give you is the necessary motivation and drive to reach your goals. I understand coaches motivate their athletes, but in my opinion you have to have that burning desire in yourself to want it first or nothing I say will matter.

Do I believe in you?
- Yes I do.

Will I help you?
- Of course.

Will it be difficult?
- At times it might be.

Are you going to go through this alone?
- No you won't. I'm here.

You need to believe in yourself and understand that whatever you decide you are capable of achieving. It takes time, effort, and consistency to get results.

What You'll Need To Do

PayPal [see above].

Take before and after pictures [including your face is optional].

Skype plus a webcam, or the very least a microphone, to communicate.

Video recordings of training sessions and pre- & post-program strength tests. (This may sound like a lot, but an actual set is less than 20 seconds.)

DropBox to share and edit files. The link provided is a referral. Using it will increase the amount of storage space I'm given.

Filling out a personal information document I provide you via email.

After 4 months, give a short review of the experience.

What You Get

Three or four individualized training blocks [programs] in the 4-month span.

A 30 minute to 1 hour introduction discussing your training background, goals, and other information you've given me in the document you're asked to complete.

At the end of every week we spend 30-45 minutes reviewing your training sessions - videos, your thoughts, and suggestions I may offer.

Video demonstrations of every exercise. [Youtube account is necessary.]

E-mail and phone support.

This service may not be free in the future or it may not be offered at all. I'm not urging anyone to sign up but it's certainly a thought to consider. And in the case there is a high volume of sign ups I will have a cut off point until further notice. Also since this page is new, expect changes to occur regularly as I find details that need to be editted.

So, those interested, and that are serious, send me an email at nielkpatel425@gmail.com to request a document to complete and my PayPal information. Or if you have questions feel free to email me as well. I still take questions and such as explained in the Contact section.

Triple Extension-Flexion

2011-08-24T09:20:00.005-04:00

Lu Xiaojun showing some
serious triple extension.

I've briefly discussed triple extension before, but not resisted triple flexion. Kevin Vick, who I learned this from, explains triple flexion is often overlooked in the Olympic lifts. Think of it as your body's "brakes" at the ankles, knees, and hips from the heavy weights.

If we were to break down the snatch or clean, it would be triple extension, triple flexion, and finally double extension [at the knee and hip; squatting the weight up]. It's why I don't believe there are replacements for the O-lifts. There's a lot going on in a very little amount of time with a maximal load.

If for one reason or another you cannot perform the snatch or clean, two more alternatives come close to replacing them.

Jump Squats

This depends on which squat you choose. I've tried a Zercher jump squat and it was not pleasant on my arms. However, a back squat works well:

Jamie Lewis [NSFW]

The most user friendly would be a goblet jump squat. However after a certain point, heavy loads become uncomfortable, whether it's a dumbbell or kettlebell, to hold against the chest. Either way, choose a jump squat variation that suits you the best.

Trap Bar Jumps

I think these are great for anyone who finds conventional deadlifts difficult. Trap bar deadlifts tend to be easier to get the hang of.

Courtesy of Garage Strength

The exercise is essentially a clean shrug, the only difference being the trap bar. From a technical standpoint, there's less to troubleshoot and piling on the weight is no problem.

They don't quite replace the snatch or clean, but both are simple to incorporate into any program.

Give them a try.

Unrelated note: I won't be posting for the next week or two. Stick around and you'll see why!

Cynosure

2011-08-19T11:52:00.003-04:00

I had no intentions of writing again until next week nor do I ever recommend someone's blog. But there are always exceptions! (And I'll keep this short.)

Go visit cynosure. Sui is a very nice gal who wants to help people. So please take a moment to visit her site.*

Here's the link again: http://rvxn.org.

Have a good weekend everyone!

*Strangely, I don't recall how I found her site.

Row for Press

2011-08-17T18:52:00.000-04:00

Arnold & Franco know a
thing or two about presses.

One exercise cue given for horizontal pressing exercises, namely the push-up and bench press, is to pull during the eccentric portion. The purpose is to have the individual retract the scapulae [shoulder blades] and contract the back muscles. Muscles work through the processes of contraction and relaxation. In the bench press, the pecs will relax and stretch out as the bar is lowered while the traps and lats contract.

The problem is the cue becomes useless if a person doesn't understand how to use their muscles and isn't aware of what the action itself feels like. Essentially, the cue is the basis of another exercise within the horizontal press itself.

It's the basis of the barbell row. An exercise that I believe is underrated. Most individuals opt for pull-up variations or inverted rows. Both are great and have their uses, but this leads to the BB row being neglected. Not only that, but the former two are easier to perform with less chance of being incorrectly performed.

However, the BB row performed correctly recruits the entire back. Take a look at the exercise:

Keep the chin tucked in.

45 lb. plates should be on each side, however if that's too heavy and there are no bumper plates then the exercise can be performed in a squat rack with the safeties on the lowest level.

The grip used can be under- or overhand with the bar pulled either to the lower abdomen (think lower ribs) or to the clavicle (above the windpipe). The execution is as follows,

Shoulder blades spread apart at the start [bottom], the torso kept tight and rigid from the mid-back to the base of the skull, and the bar is held close to the fingers - not the palm.
Keeping the wrists straight and arms close to your sides, initiate the pull by bring your scapulae together then pulling through the forearms until the bar touches your body. Another way to imagine it is "scrunching" up your entire back together.
Reverse the movement by lowering the bar ending with it on the ground and your scapulae spread again. The descent doesn't have to be slow, but should be controlled and not dropped.

It's a simple movement, but gets butchered for two reasons.

(1) Maintaining a strict bent-over pose isn't easy. The arched back and tightened hamstrings is difficult and taxing on the body. Notice in the video how the torso hardly moves.

(2) It's common to see people compensate with momentum to use more weight or because of the inability to keep the necessary posture. (But some just don't know better.)

Initially it takes practice since the bent-over position is new and uncomfortable. To become familiar with the exercise practice using light weight. When you're confident you can do more, work in a 1-4 rep range of moderate to heavy weight. After heavy training, you'll notice a stronger scapular retraction.

Incorporation of barbell rows will lead to better pulling in pressing exercises and create a strong scapular retraction perfect for moving heavy weights.

Entering College, Part 2

2011-08-12T15:23:00.001-04:00

College: A place where people
get trapped in elevators.

Continuing from Monday, here's the other half of tips.

9) You won't always need books - figuring out if you need them is the tricky part. If you take good notes of a professor who lectures well you most likely won't need the text. While it's required or recommended on the syllabus it isn't always used.

If you do buy a book, Amazon offers students free 2-day shipping and student listings can be cheaper than buying from the university bookstore. I always went to the store, copied down the ISBN numbers in my phone, then ordered online. I never sold back my books because it's awful how little you receive.

10) Be able to separate your work and play environments. If you're texting, going on Facebook, Youtube, or playing games on your computer or at your desk you won't concentrate. Understanding this will make you more productive. You'll be more inclined to procrastinate when trying to get work done in a spot you always relax.

Find a quiet place like the library, empty classrooms, student centers, or computer lab. Put your cellphone on silent then work. In between classes is a great time to get work done in a nearby buildings.

11) Add 15-20 years to your age. There, you've just created a professor. The only difference is they have specialized knowledge on a topic. Many professors are not strict - minus the occasional oddball - and are very casual when you talk to them. If you're not a complete idiot and aren't sucking up for a higher grade then they're pretty cool.

You don't have to like every professor, but the ones that catch your interest you should meet. Whenever they prefer is good - some like to talk after class for a few minutes and some during their office hours. It's also good to shoot them an email every now and then whether it's a question or sending interesting news articles their way. I've done it plenty of times and still do.

12) Exercise. There is a ton of free time so 1-2 days won't kill you (and that's on the low end). I went to the gym 3x per week and got strong during my 4 years. Others play basketball, tennis, soccer, or MMA. Do something with friends or join a student sports group. I experimented with Kendo, Weightlifting, MMA, Eskrima, and Ballroom Dancing (yep). It's fun and everyone is friendly.

13) Public speaking is inevitable. At one point or another you will have to do a presentation. I'll write about this in the future, but to keep it short know your material 2-3 days in advance and be confident and relaxed when you speak.

14) You meet a lot of new people during this time. But, don't forget your parents or whoever raised you. After 18 years, make a phone call and show you're not a total ass.

I've seen others with their parents looking embarrassed. You know that "just leave me alone!" demeanor and getting frustrated or angry. Relax and be cool about it - you look much less dorkier.

15) Again, you meet a lot of new people and they're all nice. It's all sunshine and rainbows. But apparently the admissions office lets in a good number of idiots as well. Learn who are good friends to have around that you can trust, are reliable, and glad you met. Surround yourself with positive people.

College is a learning experience and this is just a few helpful thoughts. If however that all went through one ear and out the other, remember this:

People will tell you no or it can't be done. Prove them wrong. Trust yourself.

Do not let fear hold you back.
The greatest skill you can acquire is to adapt to a situation. Stuff goes wrong. Stay calm, but more importantly take control, act swiftly, then move on.

I'll finish this off with Arnold Schwarzenegger's rules of success. The guy's weird here and there, but he's achieved every goal he set for himself.

That's all I got! Enjoy the time because it goes by quickly.

Quick Food Tips

2011-08-10T12:46:00.001-04:00

Crystal Light + little juice [optional] + lot of water
Popcorn
Nuts
Dried Fruit
Powdered whey protein + water, juice, or milk
Fruit (bananas, apples, berries, grapes, etc.)
Peanut butter on anything
Crackers
Bread - freeze it before it expires
Tea
Blender for shakes (thermos for long days)
Sandwiches or wraps made the night before
Tupperware leftovers
Baby carrots or cut-up vegetables
Make your own 100-calorie packs - pick a snack & divide into small sandwich or Ziplock bags

Know more? Comment below with suggestions.

Entering College, Part 1

2011-08-08T15:19:00.002-04:00

College: A place where someone might
be dressed up as Domo.

I have three cousins who are heading to college and two more the following year. Rarely - if ever - did I receive advice entering college/leaving HS. You learn a lot on your own and as you progress through the years. On the first day after my family dropped off and helped me move in, I thought "Hm now what?"

Personally entering college didn't seem to be anything new and I adapt surprisingly well in transitions. While I recall classmates in high school making a big fuss and touring the universities, I barely did anything.

Here are some things I learned on my own.

1) The most important to keep in mind is

Don't be afraid to do ANYTHING!

To have fear and anxiety is normal. However, don't let it overwhelm you to the point where you miss opportunities and ultimately regret it. Sometimes a situation won't present itself again and you don't want to be left wondering "what if?" for the rest of your life.

2) There are 150 school days in the year meaning 215 are free. Don't be lazy. Lazy people tend to stay in the same group as everyone else. I consider lazy to be spending your time watching TV, sleeping, drinking/smoking, and playing video games.

Occasionally is perfectly alright. The majority of your time is not. Go play outside with friends, read a book, draw, anything! 4 years later you don't want to say "I wasted so much time."

3) Pursue meaning. These are the years where you better establish your identity. Trust yourself and find what livens you up. It won't be immediate, but experiment and explore.

4) Get involved with the community because there's a short supply of help. Often everyone has their own agenda to fulfill. Those you help without expecting anything in return will be forever grateful for your kindness and generosity. They will appreciate you that much more than the person who gets what they want out of it and then leaves.

Sometimes volunteering your time can be tedious, hard, and unrewarding, but persistence goes a long way. Everyone wants immediate results especially after helping one time. It doesn't work that way. Consistently be involved and be happy to show up.

5) Work smart, then work hard. Otherwise there's no point to working hard. (You can thank my dad for this one.)

It's not difficult to Google a question if you can't think of a solution. Another trick I've used is to think what someone else would do - pick anyone who you think is smart.

Lastly for this point, when you really have to then know who you can talk to for help. I have people I keep in mind when I need advice or suggestions.

6) Don't get high strung on grades. I'm NOT saying don't care about grades. On the contrary, work hard (& smart) and to the best of your ability.

During undergrad many people worry excessively because they might have done poorly on an exam or didn't get straight A's one semester. Becoming overly stressed is redundant. Learn to relax, go with the flow, and adapt to challenges. Getting good grades shouldn't kill you - there's much worse in the world than a poor grade.

7) When you have the chance take the time to explore. It could be the surrounding area, student organizations, classes, activities, buildings, or a place you haven't eaten at before. You'll be pleasantly surprised to try something new. It won't always be good, but it's better than not knowing at all.

You may learn a new short cut, a resource to use, a great spot to eat, or something else entirely different. Make the best of everything around you.

8) You have the ability to make your own schedule. This means you can take classes with friends. Sometimes it's cool to take classes with friends and it can be helpful.

It's not cool to create your entire schedule to revolve around friends. You can meet plenty of new people in classes. I recall these two girls who took every class together. I thought it was lame, but to each their own.

And that's where I'll end it today. I'll have more later this week in the second half.

Have a good week everyone!

Supercharging the Back

2011-08-05T09:46:00.008-04:00

Teres major, right under the armpit, often becomes

sore from working the lats & not the lats themselves.

Today I'll share a few tips for using the lats and the mid-back more efficiently. This is in addition to t-spine mobility and maintaining a tight low back to optimize pulling strength.

First take another glance at latissimus dorsi,

It's the red glaring area if you can't tell.

It's understandable to believe this giant muscle would be higher up based on experience with soreness. No one's held responsible to learn anatomy before they exercise but as you can see the lat is located lower than you would expect it to be. And how many times does it feel sore from a training session? (Note: A muscle doesn't need to become sore to mean it has been worked but it can be used as an indicator depending on the context.)

Roll It Out

Grab a foam roller or medicine ball and give it a whirl. It's that simple to feel the muscle without having to exercise it directly.

Be sure to hit the lat and not the spine. You'll be orienting yourself on a slight tilt rather than completely flat. 5-8 slow passes from the bottom of the armpit to right before the last rib should cover it. And there's no need to be overly aggressive - don't grind the thing into your side and be in a world of hurt.

Low Trap

Mike Robertson discusses the Y, T, & W drills:

These are great for hitting low trapezius since compound pulls easily develop the middle and upper parts of the trap. If you haven't performed these before, I suggest 4-6 reps per each position and slowly work up [+2 reps] to the recommendations in the video.

Sternum Chin-Ups

The sternum is the breastbone. In a sternum chin-up the body is angled parallel to the floor as close as possible while attempting to perform a chin-up making the chest touch the bar [full instruction here].

The first time I completed these, the next day I was literally sore in new places. While it's a tough exercise, it's possible to work up to them using the regression the lat-pulldown to the sternum,

It's similar to the typical lat-pulldown. Here lean back, arch your body, and use an underhand grip to pull the cable to your windpipe. The most important point is keeping a rigid torso to mimic the actual sternum chin-up and properly protracting/retracting the shoulder blades.

Last Thoughts

Boris reviewed a DVD called Lats: The Super Muscles if anyone is interested (it's kettlebell-focused for the most part).

There isn't much else to add, but the take away point is to use what you've got! While going through motions may appear you're working X or Y, sometimes that's not always the case. Be mindful of what you're doing.

After all, you don't want to waste your time. Have a good weekend everyone!

Calvin

2011-08-03T12:20:00.002-04:00

Breathing

2011-08-02T09:18:00.002-04:00

I was going to write a post on breathing but of course Boris beat me to it - in fact, 4 years faster than me. Since he succinctly discusses it, and it also saves me time, I'm going to embed the video here.

Click through and read the comments.
Some are helpful and interesting.

Random tidbits I've picked up from other places,

Mike Robertson gives the cue to expand/brace against all sides of the stomach, not just in front of the abdominals.
Pregnant women should not hold their breath [source].
Individuals with high blood pressure should take it easy and rest longer between sets [source].
More discussion can be found here.

And while I'm at it, Boris recently listed squat variations out the wazoo. That's a whole lot of squats.

Until next post, breathe easy!

Anchor Points

2011-07-29T16:32:00.001-04:00

The world is full of many things.

I enjoyed studying psychology and religion. However during undergrad I didn't make as many acquaintances as you would think within the two majors. It only became apparent when I noticed how many people my friends knew in their fields.

One of the PhD students in our research lab taught us people can identify themselves across multiples domains. Myself for example, I can be a brother, son, friend, mentor, writer, bachelor (yeah! high 5!), and former student.

I instead identify with other areas. While I didn't identify with my majors fully, one week I wondered what I find as my own place. Coincidentally, the light bulb in my head lit up the same week!

My workouts in the gym revolve around the one squat rack there was - overhead presses, Olympic lifts, squats, rows, deadlifts (gym manager wouldn't allow it in the free weights area). So being stuck to this one corner many people would come by and ask if I'm using the rack. Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but regardless everyone's in the same corner when using it. On this particular day I struck up conversation with a few of the guys. Typically it's the meatheads trying to give advice, but not this time. One was a thrower, one a powerlifter, the other an exercise science major.

I was in my element. For once, the gym was a constant where it wasn't all that different compared to previous years. This was my senior year where I felt everything around me and I was involved in was changing - student groups, volunteer activities, classes, and similar things.

I found an anchor point. Something I saw as comforting and that kept my mind sound.

Identify the anchor point in your life even if they come in small personal forms. They might not be as obvious as you would think and could be right in front of you.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Miscellaneous Pile, 07/27/11

2011-07-27T09:20:00.002-04:00

How about a midweek post of randomness today?

1) I had posts lined up for last week, but internet problems popped up and I was out of town. I came to two realizations while away. The first being many many bugs hit a car's windshield at 80mph. Secondly, I spend more time reading than I thought. It doesn't have to be heavy reading material, but it has to be something.

Being idle doesn't suit me and writing blog posts is relaxing.

2) The Olympic lifting posts have received a lot views. I'm not an expert on the sport, but since it's a popular topic I'll post new stuff I learn.

3) Once or twice in the past I've mentioned free online training or consulting. If I decide to do it, it will be up in mid-August or the end of it. The long distance process isn't as fast and easy compared to in-person evaluation and feedback. But I'll write more when it's finally set up.

4) Everything Strength is a recently new website for following exercise-related articles and posts. Of course it might not cover every single piece on the web, it does a fairly well job to present new information in a streamlined and concise manner.

5) I'm currently reading Championship Weightlifting by Tommy Kono. It's pretty awesome, even if you might not be into O-lifting (some familiarity of the basics will help). The surprise is I see a lot of information or actions of my own reflected in the book. In a sense it's reassuring. The book can be ordered here.

6) My right scapula's been winging the last 2-3 weeks with more info about my case here. I want to take care of it ASAP, but it might prove more hurtful than helpful so more rest in the mean time. But any time before visiting a doctor do as much research as you can. It's much better than going in clueless.

7) pedagogy - (ped-uh-go-jee) - n. - Teaching method or art of teaching.

8) I like this clip. It's silly and is a great performance despite the quality and not being the full scene.

That's it for today. The last thing I would like to say is thanks to everyone who reads the blog. Traffic's been on a slow but steady increase and I appreciate it.

I hope the content is original, useful, enjoyable, and that it stays that way.

Split Jerk Recovery

2011-07-25T09:30:00.001-04:00

At the last open session of the university's weightlifting club, I was performing snatches and cleans. The club's coach was giving me pointers for a better pull.

His feedback was great so I asked him to critique my split jerk. I wasn't half bad and he offered suggestions to improve my execution. I recently wrote about performing the split jerk here - the fourth bullet point comes from him.

At the time I didn't understand the purpose of the front foot's half step back during the recover. I thought it was easier to bring the back leg forward in one single motion. Even in high level competitions you will see some lifters use the back leg only to finish the split jerk. For example, look at the impeccable Svetlana Podobedova:

First clean & jerk at 6:45 mark, the second at 8:00.
Russian born lifters are dumb strong.

She lifts remarkably well with her split jerks being fairly strong and solid. She doesn't do the half step back, half step forward to recover but instead she does a single stride forward. Go back and watch her stand from each jerk. Notice how she takes a few extra steps to regain her balance? Her first split jerk isn't a problem for her. However the second could be troublesome for many lifters to stabilize overhead.

Svetlana ain't no slouch and managed it. But if you can't, it can result in dumping the weight forward or even worse....

Hopefully this doesn't happen to anyone else.

I haven't tried it yet, but I think the wider the split jerk the harder it might be to safely recover when using a single step forward.

Regardless, don't miss any jerks due to poor recovery! If you can get the weight fully overhead, be sure to keep it there.

Online Security

2011-07-15T11:48:00.002-04:00

Common sense: Don't leave home without it.

I do a decent amount of purchases online. Either it's cheaper or certain things I simply can't find in the store.

A few weeks back, the credit card company was trying to get a hold of me. Of course I thought they wanted me to complete a survey so I dodged their phone calls left and right. It wasn't until I got a letter in the mail I found out.

Identity theft. GASP!

Or something like that. I didn't care much. The person chose a broke man to target (I'm a terrible choice) and it was resolved fairly quick.

I didn't care because I don't keep money on my debit card. If I need to do a purchase, I'll deposit the money first then order whatever it is I need.

If you're worried about getting duped through the internet, get a debit card and keep a small amount of money on it ($100-200). It won't put you at a high risk of losing money. If you need to make a costly purchase well over what you're comfortably spending online, do a deposit the morning of your order.

You might never run into this problem, but if you want to play it safe then you can.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Training Session Variety

2011-07-13T15:15:00.003-04:00

If you're not familiar with Pavlov's experiment,
there's an excellent demonstration of it here.

Every training session is an experience. Multiple sessions bring a person closer to their goal, but these experiences also condition the individual.

What's the trainee conditioned to? A number of variables such as their orientation during sets, time of day, setting/environment, mood, and the implement. Of course it only becomes an issue if the person is preparing for competition. Someone working on physique or general health improvement doesn't have to worry.

Ideally training in the same setting you compete in is ideal, but it's not an option. Being in a familiar environment will also give a sense of comfort. If you're able, make an attempt to switch it up. It's not possible to go to a new gym every week, however you can change what area of the gym you train in. If that still can't be done, you can alter how you're oriented in an exercise. For example, choose a new direction to face when performing squats or deadlifts.

There are many manufacturers of barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, and other training tools. Olympic weightlifting barbells are not the same as powerlifting bars, and even with O-lifting bars there is variation [see here]. Some gyms have new and old (more like worn out) equipment. Don't always go for the shiny new toys. Use the older items too.

Mood is an unlikely variable to consider in exercise. While some use aggression and anger, it's best to remain focused on the task at hand. Competition has an arousal component, but attempt to recreate the state of mind you'll have at that moment. Calm, quiet, focused, and serious.

The time of the day is a big factor for most people. Exercising in the early morning, afternoon, and late night are noticeably different from one another. While work and other responsibilities tend to fill in the weekday afternoon, reserving one day for a weekend afternoon can provide just enough variety.

Zatsiorsky explained shot putters best saw performance-related gains from throwing shots that were either slightly lighter or heavier than the actual competition weight. Tossing shots of a significantly different load had a detrimental effect on performance.

Similar thought should be applied to training. Shake things up with a little variety here and there. The competition atmosphere can't be replicated, but by avoiding familiarities you won't be accustomed to the same variables you've been around day in and day out.

See No Mirror

2011-07-07T12:49:00.001-04:00

It's cool to speak about mirrors,
not sure how you can hear them though.

Mirrors get a bad rap in the gym. The commercial gyms have mirrors but the private facilities don't have them. It's reasoned mirrors compensate for lack of bodily awareness and it can be developed by eliminating them. I once read Robert Roman had his lifters train blindfolded because he believed we overly rely on visual information.

In the past I've criticized mirrors myself. However, they're not entirely bad. It becomes a problem when a person stares at them in an awkward direction. It compromises the neck position. Examples include craning your head up in the deadlift or looking towards the side during a set of rows. I remember one time I saw a guy benching and he was pulling his head up to look at himself.

So when is the mirror appropriate? I believe when the trainee has to iron out any off-balanced discrepancies in movement. The most obvious scenario is when one side of the body is doing more work than the other - like an arm going higher than the other in the overhead press or rising faster on one side of the squat. Another case can be when one hand or foot is rotated more than the opposite side. With the mirror's aid, you can cue yourself to fix the problem.

A recent situation of mine was while I coached a friend in the snatch and clean. Since we were using a broomstick, there wasn't a way to place it at the proper starting height. I told him when his hips were low enough at the necessary starting height. But, I wouldn't be with him if he practiced alone. I told him to use a mirror from a side view to know when his hips were at the correct level.

Of course he wouldn't be staring at himself that long, just a quick glance to the side. Over time with practice, whatever the problem is should be taken care of and assistance from the mirror gradually decreased then eventually eliminated.

Once in a while it can be used for fun and variety - as long as you're not doing any harm (i.e., the neck).

Magic Number

2011-07-05T12:54:00.001-04:00

In training when it comes to sets and reps, there aren't any set guidelines to follow - only recommended ranges. Every now and then I like to do a random workout. A few new funky exercises with different parameters.

I've found 6 total reps to be a great number. There isn't anything magical about it, besides convenience. It allows for a lot of variation, such as...

2 x 3 [2 sets of 3]

3 x 2

6 x 1

1 rep, 2 reps, & then 3 OR 3, 2, 1

1, 2, 1, 2 OR 2, 1, 2, 1

Since the volume is low, it serves for a quick workout on compound lifts like deadlifts, snatches, overhead presses, pull-ups, etc. The low reps per set means the intensity can be a moderate or high level.

It's easy without having to spend a significant amount of time for the session. Other numbers can be used, but higher numbers lengthen the workout's duration. Trainees also tend to overdo it on volume hence why I prefer the number to be low.

Do a few warm-up sets and give it a try.

Why Olympic Weightlifting?

2011-07-01T15:25:00.007-04:00

Medalists and former coaches
Robert Roman [left] and Tamio "Tommy" Kono [right].

Recap:

- Part 1: Mobility
- Part 2: Set-up
- Part 3: Assistance Exercises
- Part 4: The Full Lifts

At the beginning of the series I said Olympic weightlifting seems to be more popular. The sport's technical nature makes it difficult to self-teach the lifts. Aside from that, to excel it requires a lot of time and patience.

In a society where everyone wants instant results and gratification, you can see how that's a problem. This extends to coaches as well. They have to spend more time and energy learning how to properly instruct the movements compared to other simpler exercises. I bet if more coaches could adequately teach & coach the O-lifts the sport would be more popular here in the US.

But since there aren't as many Olympic coaches, there's less access to instructors for interested individuals - Chad examines a number of factors here. Hence, this series is a primer for the person wanting to explore the sport rather than sit idly and not learn whatsoever. And I hope it guides them into a new world of exercise & strength.

In my opinion the sport is highly underrated and has some of the strongest athletes around (subjectively speaking). As I ventured to learn more, I felt whatever I knew about weight training jumped out the window.

It was different - a good kind of different. Unfortunately, it's one which not enough individuals are aware of.

I believe Olympic weightlifting is a true pursuit of strength and power.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Other posts in this series,

Part 1: Mobility
Part 2: Start Positions

Part 3: Assistance Exercises

Part 4: Full Competition Lifts

Olympic Lifting: The Lifts

2011-06-29T19:01:00.008-04:00

Sa Jae-Hyouk: 2008 77kg gold medalist.
He beat Li Hongli.

The last three weeks I've given a lot of information. Realistically to prepare for every step it would take around two weeks, maybe three, of daily practice. The exercises are to drill in new motor skills.

But, to move on to the actual lifts is important. After all, everything's been leading up to this post. I'll cover the snatch, clean, jerk, key points, and provide further resources.

Manuel Buitrago's video is good so I'll be using the following for visual reference,

Fast forward to the 1:14 mark.
He'll do two snatches, then the clean & jerk.

To keep the post concise, I'll omit details previously discussed - such as the start position, deadlifting, triple extension, and keeping the bar close. Also, the start of the snatch and clean are very similar in execution. I'll describe a general beginning then split off to describe each where they differ.

First and Second Pulls

In the snatch grab the bar with a wide hook grip. It doesn't have to be end-to-end, but wide enough. In the clean the bar can be grabbed wider than a deadlift grip, but narrower than the snatch grip.
Get comfortable, look at the floor a few feet in front then take a big breath into your belly and begin to rise. Straighten the legs while maintaining the torso's posture over the bar.
After the bar passes the knees [end of the first pull], start to speed up, straighten out and to prepare for triple extension.
As the bar approaches the hips, triple extend fast. The bar will continue going up. [end of the second pull]

Receiving in the Snatch

When the bar is at around lower pec level (think lower part of the arm pit), that's your cue to drop straight down as quick as possible. The bar will be caught overhead as you go under it.
When you're confident the bar is settled above, squat it up.

Receiving in the Clean

Around lower pec level again, perform the descent of a front squat allowing your elbows to break away to the sides. If you've been keeping the bar close it will come to rest in the racked position. Done correctly, it will look like you front squatted down into the bottom position.
Front squat the weight up to prepare for the jerk.
Technicals
- The arms hold the weight and nothing more. Don't use them to force/muscle the bar into the receiving position. Tight grip, loose arms.

- Triple extend straight up. Some lifters have the tendency to pull backwards and rely more on back than legs consequently losing out on power.

- In the snatch, the bar isn't swung up in an arc fashion. The bar travels vertically with the elbows bending as you drop under it.

- In the clean, keep the torso upright! It's easy to cave forward and lose the bar.

- Rearranging the feet after triple extension is normal. They narrow up after standing and tend to take on a wider stance in the catch. A common mistake is going extremely wide for the lack of descent speed and/or flexibility. For example, see here.

- The difference between a good or bad rep is obvious in snatches and cleans. If you're not satisfied with it, dump the bar or don't count it.

Jerk

Stand tall with hands open and as wide as you grabbed the bar during the clean's first pull.
Squat a quarter of the way down maintaining a straight posture. Squat back up as hard as you can to give momentum to the bar.
Right before you finish the squat upwards, quickly shoot one leg forward and the other back to allow your elbows to lock out as you descend under the bar.
Bring the front foot a half step back then the back foot forward to stand finished.
Technicals
- Use the leg you find comfortable to put forward. I'm right-side dominant, but my left leg leads.

- "Slide" the leg shooting forth as opposed to jumping or hopping it out.

- You're not pressing the bar up. The squat gives the bar speed to momentarily go up as you settle under it in the lock out position.

- In this post I've described the popular split jerk. A small portion of lifters use the push jerk or squat jerk. Shi Zhiyong push jerks his first two attempts then a squat jerk on the last in this video. Cara heads does a squat jerk here. Some lifters prefer it and become more proficient at it compared to the split jerk.

My Advice

Grab a broomstick handle and get to it. You get better by practice. Progress to an empty barbell after you understand the movements.

Not only that, but watch videos of elite level lifters perform. It happens quickly, but replay it pausing at various points. Take note of how they move - triple extension, set-up, etc. A few examples,

In general, this is just an awesome video.

Alternatives & Further Resources

Personally I don't think there's a replacement for the lifts or environment. An Olympic coach and gym does wonders to improve your performance. Not only is it helpful to receive feedback from everyone, but the people are very friendly.

Although you can't force anyone to perform the lifts. If you don't want to do them, the assistance exercises can be used as a substitute. Chad Wesley Smith also lists alternative methods he employs in this article . For more information, check out these places:

1) Michael Hartman's blog

2) Tracy Fober's blog

3) Manuel Buitrago's Youtube channel (previously had instructional videos for the snatch)

4) Sweat Pit forum

This wraps up the performance part of the series, but I'll have a formal conclusion here Friday.

Stay tuned.

Other posts in this series,

Part 1: Mobility
Part 2: Set-Up

Part 3: Assistance Exercises
Conclusion

Proud

2011-06-24T12:03:00.001-04:00

I saw a bumper sticker this morning that said,

"Proud Parent...Period!"

Have a good weekend everyone.

Olympic Lifting: A Transition Program

2011-06-22T17:53:00.011-04:00

Li Hongli: 2008 77kg silver medalist & epic beast.
Seriously, look at him.

Last week I laid out the groundwork to familiarize beginners to today's assistance exercises. These exercises serve to transition into the competition lifts - the snatch, clean, and jerk.

The important part is maintaining and applying everything learned to these exercises. I think watching then doing is a great start point to acquire a new skill. Therefore after the program, I'll list the individual exercises linked to videos and provide minimal descriptions where necessary - enough to give an idea of what to do or cues that are helpful.

Before the program, let me describe triple extension. It occurs at three points: the ankles, knees, and hips. Performed powerfully, it accelerates the bar upwards before dropping under it and occurs as the bar clears the knees. The lifter gets on their toes and simultaneously contracts their quadriceps and glutes quickly (locking out the knees & hips) and shrugs their shoulders to their ears.

The Program

Day 1
1) Snatch shrug, 8 x 1-3
2) Overhead squat, 3 x 3
3) Snatch balance, 5 x 1
4) Snatch deadlift, 5 x 2

Day 2
1) Quarter front squat, 3 x 3
2) Overhead static lunge, 1 x 5 per leg
3) Push press, 5 x 2
4) Front squat hold, 3 x 15s

Day 3
1) Clean shrug, 8 x 1-3
2) Front squat, 3 x 3
3) Clean deadlift, 5 x 2
4) Loosening deadlift, 1 x 8

Notes:
- Excluding the loosening deadlift and front squat hold, all exercises are done with an empty barbell.

- Use a broom handle or stick for the loosening deadlift.

- Some weight can be added to the front squat hold.

- The bar needs to be elevated for floor exercises such as snatch and clean deadlifts. Use the squat rack, 45lb. plates, or aerobic platforms.

- "8 x 1-3" is done with 10-20 seconds of rest between sets and 1, 2, or 3 reps per set. Gauge your own performance within each set.

- Keep one day of rest between workouts.

The purpose is to become proficient at the movements. It is not to move heavy weights, get a pump, or impress the ladies. Quality reps are the goal.

The Exercises

*Note: Catalyst Athletics provides descriptions above the videos,
however some aren't great*

Snatch Shrugs/Clean Shrugs
This exercise is to understand triple extension. For now, ignore the bar lowering and perform from a stand still position.
After practice progress to the video's version, then to snatch pulls/clean pulls, and finally the snatch high pulls and clean high pulls.
All versions maintain full triple extension.
Overhead Squat
One of the more difficult exercises to learn. Boris gives thorough instruction here and here.
Tips from me: Shove the bar towards the ceiling the entire time to keep your elbows locked out and your hands pressing the bar up for the duration of the set.
Shrug/pull your shoulders up to your ears.
Keep the bar balanced over your scapulae.
Your stance will most likely be a bit wider than your typical squat stance. Focus driving through you feet as shown in blue here.
Snatch Balance
Drop straight down fast; there's little pressing - if any - of the bar.
Front Squat
More instruction from Boris here.
Quarter Front Squat
Focus on moving your torso straight up and down.
Snatch Deadlifts/Clean Deadlifts
Keep your shoulders over the bar and straighten your legs before preceding to lock out and stand tall. If you need to understand the set-up again, refer to last week's post.
Push Press
Use momentum from the legs to press the bar upwards.
Overhead Static Lunge
Choose a grip closer to your push press.
No need to lunge back and forth or alternate legs every rep; put one leg out, hold it there, then go up and down.
Emphasis going low to become comfortable in this position.
Front Squat Holds

Loosening Deadlift
If you've been arching your back like you're suppose to, this is a recovery exercise for it.

These exercises are very similar to the main lifts. If you find this too much to learn at once, stick with the following:

Day 1
1) Snatch shrug, 8 x 1-3
2) Overhead squat, 3 x 3
3) Snatch deadlift, 5 x 2

Day 2
1) Clean shrug, 8 x 1-3
2) Front squat, 3 x 3
3) Clean deadlift, 5 x 2
4) Loosening deadlift, 1 x 8*

*Optional: Add if back is tired/taxed.

While the original program is preferred, suffering from too many exercises isn't productive as well. The objective is to become skilled enough. If you're not prepared, you might as well not bother.

With this post done, that leaves one left and will cover learning the snatch, clean, and jerk. Not only that, but also alternative methods to them and a conclusion on the topic.

Other posts in this series,

Part 1: Mobility
Part 2: Set-Up
Part 4: Full Competition Lifts
Conclusion

Quitting Fast Food

2011-06-20T13:18:00.003-04:00

McTurtle

Everyone has certain habits. Some are good, some are bad, and some are neither of the two. I'm sure most of us would like to eliminate the bad habits.

And it's possible to get rid of them. As far as I've experienced, there are two ways to quit a bad habit.

#1: The Bad Experience

An aversive experience will leave an impression on you. My high school motorcycle & auto shop teacher told us after he had a throat surgery years ago the doctor told him he had to quit cigarettes or he would die. From that day forth he didn't touch a cigarette.

My personal story is getting a harsh case of food poisoning in elementary school. I was addicted to McDonald's but I think god believed I had my fill of it and decided to set me straight. The only details I can recall are feeling horribly ill and the doctor telling my mom and I that another kid came in with McDonald's food poisoning. It was enough for me to never eat it again.

These stories are a bit extreme. No one wants to go through a terrible situation to quit a habit.

#2: Time Off

Going cold turkey works if you can shake the initial withdrawal jitters. I've done it twice and only once it was a conscious effort.

One summer I decided to not eat fast food for a year. I can't remember what compelled me, but I did it. It went fine; I just didn't eat fast food for a year.

When the year was up we got Pizza Hut for dinner and man it tasted disgusting. I feel I was conditioned to fast food and breaking away from it returned my palate to its own sense of normalcy.

Time away from a habit works wonders. The initial period can be difficult, but if you can do it for a year then you have a significant amount of control over the habit rather than it controlling you.

It becomes easier as time goes on.

Olympic Lifting: Getting Comfortable

2011-06-16T15:28:00.008-04:00

As Lu Yong shows, the mobility from

part one is important for a reason.

Mobility in weightlifting gets your foot in the door. However, that doesn't count for much. Your foot's got a long ways to go in the sport.

It isn't enough to have mobility. During various points along the movement, there are specific postures. Today's goal is to get familiar with them.

Low Back Arch

I posted this article Monday. If you've never arched your low back in deadlifts or squats you might be able to get away with it, but not in Olympic lifts.

Rippetoe states in the article women know what to do when asked to arch their back as opposed to men. Check out these three positions:

(A) Lying motionless on the floor
(B) Flattening your low back against the floor
(C) Arching your low back

Figure B displays the core exercise the dead bug where you rotate your pelvis up and towards your self. Figure C is the opposite. You rotate it backwards and down into the floor. Think of your tailbone as the thing you're trying to rotate into the floor. This will widen the space between your low back and the floor creating the arch. To understand how each feels practice a few reps of both positions.

After that, try it standing:

The flat back on the left is how most deadlift and squat. To the right is what we're aiming to achieve: rotating the tailbone back and up [clockwise rotation in this image]. If you haven't done this before, it will feel uncomfortable and exhaust your low. With time your low back will build strength in the arch.

Hook Grip

The snatch and clean are done for low reps. Between each rep the lifter resets themselves to pull. To handle heavy weights and get a tight grip on the bar they utilize a hook grip. Unlike the common overhand or mixed grip in deadlifts where the thumb is over the other digits, the hook grip has the thumb under the index and middle finger.

Understanding this initially confused me since I was use to gripping the bar as I've described here. Elite lifters on Youtube show them putting their thumb on the bar and then the other four fingers over it, but for myself this felt weak and loose.

However, I noticed Lu Yong does it differently. He grabs the bar regularly, lifts his index and middle fingers then places his thumb underneath. I've found this far more effective. Try the following:

1) Grip the bar as you would as any other pull - again see here.

2) Next, lift the index and middle fingers extending them as high up as you can. Now wrap your thumb as far as you can around the bar.

3) When you're confident your thumb is as close as it can get to the bar and wrapped as far around as it can be, wrap the two fingers over it as far as possible.

You should feel your grip has tightened significantly. At first the hook grip is painful and awkward. Practice with the bar itself and perform single reps of light to medium weight deadlifts.

Spreading the Scapulae

Scapulae simply means the shoulder blades. Protracting them - spreading them apart as opposed to retracting where you pull them together - results in a lat spread.

Bruce Lee demonstrates the lat spread.

Get in front of a mirror, puff up your chest, and bring your lats out wide. Focus on the movement coming from the scapulae, not the arms or deltoids/shoulders themselves. Tommy Kono explains this allows the lifter to take advantage of the lat muscles' power for a better pull. The above image of Bruce Lee is more or less how the body is during triple extension (more on that next week).

Perform a few poses in front of a mirror and then a few facing away from it. (You won't be able to look at a mirror in the start position.)

Lastly to maximize efficiency during the pulls, as the bar travels upwards it should remain close to the body. For a great explanation I'm going to direct everyone to Mike Robertson's post here. [EDIT: Importance of this explained here.]

Start Positions

Courtesy of Catalyst Athletics

For now, don't worry about doing this exercise. Rather, observe the start position and get into it yourself. Here we put everything together discussed thus far. The arched low back, using a hook grip, and separated scapulae.

If you do your deadlifts in the high hips powerlifter-style, this will be a big change. The hips are much lower being right above the level of the knee.

Other cues to follow:

Shoulders over the bar
Knuckles pointing straight down
Looking ahead or angled at the floor in front of you
Elbows rotated out [see here]

I rarely discuss the clean's start. Aside from the grip width on the bar, it's very similar to the snatch start.

What I will discuss is the racked jerk position.

Stretch the wrist and fingers
to better rack the bar.

It's as easy it looks. With your hands cocked back and outside your shoulders, let the tips of your fingers face up and rest under the bar. Note that you're not using your hands or fingers to hold the bar up.

The bar rests on your front shoulders for support as your fingers provide balance. Stand tall and make a big chest to avoid hunching over - otherwise you'll lose your balance and drop the bar forward.

Much like the other new postures, this will feel relatively odd and become more natural with practice.

Wrapping Up

This post covers many things and can appear overwhelming. The thing is, Olympic weightlifting is very technical! Practice one detail at a time before trying to combine it all together. Becoming proficient in everything discussed will make it that much easier to learn the snatch and clean.

This post wasn't brief, but hopefully thorough for beginners. Next week we'll start with triple extension and assistance exercises.

Other posts in this series,

Part 1: Mobility
Part 3: Assistance Exercises
Part 4: Full Competition Lifts
Conclusion

Miscellaneous Pile, 06/13/11

2011-06-13T14:12:00.005-04:00

Rather than end the week with a random post I'll instead start with it.

1) Blogspot owners are able to view the visitor stats of their blog, such as visits in a given time span, most frequented posts, and traffic sources. One day I saw this funny bit:

This is what people search online?
(click to enlarge)

2) I'll eventually get around to writing more psychology-based training posts. They take some time to research (i.e., open old notes and textbooks).

3) I've noticed the phrase "hip hinge" becoming more popular to describe bending at the hips in exercises like the deadlift or swing. I previously used "hinge" but the word isn't as descriptive as it appears.

People didn't know what the hell it meant and what they're suppose to hinge. I prefer to say pivot or use the hatch cue from the post here.

4) Some sexy articles this round,

Proper Back Position for Power
- In Olympic lifting, deadlifts, and squats, you're suppose to arch the crap out of your back and keep it tight.

The Language of Failure
- Don't let the first half bog you down (skim it if it's killing you that bad). Matt talks about the perspective of how we incorrectly perceive difficulties.

The Most Important Writing Lesson I Ever Learned
- My favorite quote from the article, "Nobody wants to read your shit."

5) Despite being average-ish in PC skillz and the side label category "PC," I don't mention the subject. My friend majoring in IT suggested I slim down on security programs. The more you have doesn't mean the more you're protected. Multiple programs can interfere with one another.

He recommended sticking to avast & Malwarebytes for viruses/trojans/spyware/whatever else you get from porn sites then use CCleaner to free up harddrive space.

6) My current training program is mostly backside-focused:
Deadlift twice a week [snatch & conventional]
Snatches & Cleans
Pull-ups & Rows
Abs
That's about it. I have two presses (military presses & assisted 1-arm push-ups) and walking clean grip lunges for my quads. I'm built for deadlifting so I thought why not do it twice a week.

7) Be the cool kid to say this word.

axiom - (ak-see-uhm) - n. - A given statement regarded as being self-evidently true.

8) Can the commercial here be topped? You decide.

Epic much?

Hope that livened up everyone's Monday. More posts to come this week.

Summer Cool Down

2011-06-09T14:17:00.002-04:00

Not sure why he's doing yoga in
what appears to be cargo pants.

To say it's hot out is an understatement. The weather around here these past two days has been well over 90 degrees. It's so warm I imagine ice cream melts before it even hits your lips.

As a result, exercise becomes a bit more strenuous and taxing on the body. However, it's not impossible. Similarly to warming up in the winter, we can stay cool in the blazing sun. Of course, we just need to be smart about it.

1) Clothing
Keep it minimal and light. Guys can get away with a pair of shorts and going shirtless. Girls will need to sport a tank top. I somewhat advise against hats since it retains heat, but if the sun is burning your head it might be wise to protect it.
If you exercise barefoot outside remember hard surfaces become hot. You don't want to step out only to have your feet burned.
2) Combating Heat
Whatever you're doing, sip on cold fluids. I prefer water over sports drinks. Sports drinks don't quench my thirst as well as water. Water also allows you to periodically splash your face/head. Drink and splash frequently, but be careful not to use the entire container early in the workout. You don't want to feel bloated or be without anything to drink.
Take frequent breaks. Look for areas of shade to cool off.
3) Exercise Duration & Selection
Exercise can't be over-the-top-balls-to-the-wall intense. Keep the session moderate or light intensity around 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Don't do a handstand or anything where your head is upside-down. The blood rushing to your face is a terrible and nauseating feeling.
If you're lifting, stick to low volume. Sets of 4 reps and keeping it 10 total reps or below is a good idea. For example, 2x3, 4x2, or 5x1 all would be great parameters to work with. Static holds like planks shouldn't be held too long - 20 seconds max.
Take breaks of 2 minutes or more to get control of your breathing, find some shade, and allow your body to handle the heat.
4) Recovery
After your session, take 5-10 minutes to cool down. Perform a mix of light activity such as walking, going up & down stairs, jumping jacks, arm circles, planks, push-ups, stretching, or other bodyweight movements. Give your body a moment to readjust to resting mode.
Meditation is a useful tool. When you complete the cool down, find a quiet spot, close your eyes and take 10-15 minutes to focus on your breathing.
Take a shower to wash the sweat off and de-stress.

If you don't exercise regularly, I suggest skipping exercise altogether in hot weather. Some may say it's crazy to do anything in the heat. It's not crazy. Whether it's practice or a game, athletes play in this weather.

I did it twice the past two or three weeks - once yesterday and another time in late May. I noticed the weather was well over 90 degrees and thought it would be interesting to try. The worst thing about it? Having to hold a barbell while your feet are on fire.

Why would I do it? Well it's a nice test of mental toughness (albeit not a huge one) and I like a challenge as much as the next guy/gal.

Secondly, some of the most bad ass athletes did out-of-the-box stuff. Take for instance Vasily Alexeev. This guy would toss weights into the Volga river and lift. I don't have a river nearby - not that I'd go into any of these murky waters - but I'll gladly try something new.

But back to the main point. You can exercise in hot weather as long as you're smart about it. Take a barbell, dumbbells, kettebells outside or perform bodyweight exercise.

Just have fun with it.

Olympic Lifting: Preparation

2011-06-07T15:43:00.006-04:00

Pyrros Dimas looking
like a beast as usual.

I wasn't sure what to post today, but I knew I wanted to deliver more exercise content. I figured why not discuss Olympic weightlifting. I've noticed it becoming more popular, but the lack of a USAW coach's instruction acts as a limiting factor (another is finding an Olympic gym). I originally was going to write about strongman training, but thought more people will enjoy this.

I'll do one brief post on O-lifting each week for the next four or five weeks. However, I'm not a USAW Olympic coach, an elite weightlifter, or for that fact the most knowledgeable on the subject. I'm simply interested in sharing what I learned as I became more involved with it.

If you're not aware, Olympic weightlifting is the sport comprised of the snatch and the clean & jerk. The technical aspect of the lifts make the sport difficult. You have to be quick, strong, and have great technique to do well. I'll be oversimplifying things in these posts, but it will allow beginners to understand the movements easier.

If the movements are broken down, they can be recognized as a series of three or four separate lifts. They start out as a deadlift, become a shrug-jump movement, a squat, and then the addition of a press in the clean & jerk.

Prerequisites

As great as it would be to just give it a go and have the bar smash you in the chin or on your head, the lifts demand a lot of mobility in the ankles, hips, upper back, and shoulders. Luckily for me, I can refer to the following resources:

Ankle mobility
Hip mobility; I also recommend the following drill:

Thoracic and shoulder mobility

If you don't focus in on these areas progressing along will be difficult. Pick exercises from each section and use them daily.

The last prerequisite I have to add is you have to know how back squat and deadlift. Both movements are integral in the primary lifts. If you can't do either, practice in the mean time along with the mobility drills.

And that's where I'll end it. A bit short, but I did say the posts will be brief. Next week I'll talk about triple extension, posture, hook grip, and more.

Other posts in this series,

Part 2: Set-Up
Part 3: Assistance Exercises
Part 4: Full Competition Lifts
Conclusion

Exercise Cues: Locking Out Overhead

2011-06-01T15:03:00.005-04:00

Burly looking fellow.
Must be a European lifter.

When it comes to Olympic weightlifting, most people talk about Glenn Pendlay or Greg Everett. I personally haven't read much from either coach. Instead I'm a big fan of Tommy Kono.

While watching one of his lectures* he briefly mentioned a tip on performing the jerk. He said to have your arms to cover your ears resulting in your elbows pointing away from them. This in turn will better help keep the weight overhead.

When using dumbbells I noticed a similar tip myself. I keep the weight racked close and in line with my ear. Otherwise if it's not close to you it becomes a struggle to hold the weight and press it up.

Next time you're doing any type of vertical press, try bringing your elbows to your ears as you press the weight overhead.

(Side note: I'm back to posting regularly.)

*See his lecture here.

Refinement of the Way

2011-05-15T07:45:00.001-04:00

Character for "the Dao/Way."

The past few weeks I've been lax with my approach to training and writing. I usual follow a set routine, but instead I did everything on the fly.

I didn't do this out of laziness to plan. That's actually further from the truth. Rather, I've noticed the most elite and exceptional individuals did what was best for themselves. In their own realm they were above and beyond everyone else, such as Michael Jordan, Bruce Lee, and Jack LaLanne to name a few.

That's the distinguishing factor. The greats do their own thing and create their own individualized methodology. It's their own formulated system which works best for their own body. Within training and life, it takes a great deal of experimentation to find it. To find that special thing isn't easy.

Daoism calls it "the Dao," or "the Way" when translated into English. The name itself isn't important. What is important is that when it's found, you'll find yourself dedicated to it with a strong passion and as a result work won't feel like work. It will be your livelihood.

And that's what I'm in search for as I attend graduation this morning. To find my own Way: to develop and refine it in life.

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." - Confucius

Four Years Gone

2011-05-14T19:51:00.002-04:00

We were playing around here this past week.

The last post I did was two or three weeks ago. The short break was due to a combination of being sick, school ending, and the sheer "going with the flow" attitude all happening at once. Interestingly, I noticed blog traffic remained steady despite no new content. While I attempt to create two posts per week on average, I realized life goes on whether or not I write new material.

If you follow this blog regularly, you may know I'm a graduating senior. With four years gone, I've noted a few things worth sharing.

College students have a lot of free time. Thirty weeks of school is 150 days leaving 215 free days. I certainly believe it's the population with the greatest potential to make change happen and influence items on a large scale.
The environment can create and enforce bad habits. The ability to create your own class schedule puts you all over the place. Most food around campus is crap leading to fewer selections of better alternatives. Late classes and going out result in sleeping and waking up late. The night social life revolves around alcohol to have a good time. There's an emphasis on negatives rather than positives for the individual.
College is a time where you can learn a ridiculous amount or absolutely nothing. It depends entirely on how you take advantage of your professors and the school's resources - whether they're academic or recreational.
People appear lazy. However, that isn't necessarily true. Instead I think there's a lack of passion to engage in something meaningful and enjoyable. If everyone could find that certain outlook, it would lead to a whole lot more involvement. The same applies to life itself.
If you are fortunate to attend college and pursue higher education, you get a sense of what kind of person you will be in the near future. Likewise, you'll get a good idea of what interests you to an extent and possible avenues you'd like to pursue.
If you find what's right for you, college is easy. Knowledge-wise, it puts you far ahead of the curve than most people in the nation.

You can graduate as the same person you were four years ago or an entirely new person. I don't know a period that's as lenient as college and everyone should make the best of it.

I'll have another post tomorrow morning.

Opinions?

2011-05-02T09:54:00.003-04:00

Every now and then I would really appreciate feedback from the blog's readers. Today is one of those rare days.

Take a few minutes and read this article. Good? Now read this post.

Thoughts? Comments?

(I've intentionally avoided posting recently, but more on that in the near future.)

Ladies Turn: Follow-Up Video

2011-04-15T12:55:00.003-04:00

Continuing with yesterday's video, here's one for the women. It's a nice change since most videos I post have men.

I <3 Marilou.

If any of you have allergies, I feel your pain.....as does my aching head. Hopefully more content next week.

Have a good weekend everyone.

And in the mean time...

2011-04-14T09:03:00.005-04:00

Here's a video. School's been kind of hectic. However this past weekend I was watching a decent amount of Olympic lifting videos and enjoyed the following a lot:

Euro dudes are no joke.
(The song's called "Android Porn").

On a semi-related note, Tuesday I snatched 132 lbs. for fun. It's a deload week, but wanted to hit up the Olympic lifting gym on campus. I'm sure if I was better at getting under the bar I could manage more weight.

Possibly in the near future, but for now I'm happy with the 132.

Exercise Cues: Pressing

2011-04-08T11:40:00.001-04:00

If you think about exercises in certain ways it can make them easier to perform or help hammer in a few subtle details. For any pulling exercise, one you might have heard is to initiate and think of the pull through your elbow to retract your scapula.

Since pulling through the elbows is helpful, I wondered if the opposite is true. I now lock out and press through the elbows for pressing exercises. Additionally, a second point to concentrate on is the wrists.

Pay attention to these two points.

I've found pulling/pushing the bar through the elbows and wrists helps me press better. Racking and locking the weights into my chest has been much more solid and enforced a firm posture.

Just a quick tip for today. Have a good weekend everyone.

Miscellaneous Pile, 04/01/11

2011-04-01T15:14:00.001-04:00

Well readers, due to unfortunate circumstances this will be the last post for the blog. I thought I'd keep it simple today with a few random tidbits.

1) I recently updated the Online Resources section and my blog list. I kept anything useful or I like. Some of the blogs listed aren't updated regularly, but still have great archived material. If you wonder why a certain blog isn't listed it's either because I'm unaware of it or it's not that great. If you're curious about any in particular, feel free to shoot me an email and ask.

2) I've realized this semester that sometimes it isn't wise to go for everything. Being the "jack of all trades" can be more of a hassle than it's really worth. However, experimenting here and there is perfectly acceptable.

3) I wait for the day to use everything I know. Often in my head I go over things I've learned in my psychology courses and am eager to apply the concepts to training. Well, more than anything I'm waiting for the day I can train someone in general.

4) Word to the wise: Make sure to regularly check who has a birthday coming up. You don't want to be that insensitive ass who can't even remember a date. Shoot a call/email/text/smoke signals/whatever to let a person know you didn't forget.

5) Matt Perryman's website should be a staple for everyone. He's written a ton of quality articles. There's literally so much I can't choose one so go browse and see what catches your attention. (Most likely his free E-book.)

6) malaise - (muh-laze or mal-aze) - n. - A general feeling of being unwell, discomfort, or fatigued.

7) Oh Patrick Stewart...

That's it for today. As for the blog coming to a halt, pft yeah right. It's April Fools' Day (duh). I had to do something.

Have a good weekend everyone!

It Looks Good On Paper

2011-03-29T09:12:00.000-04:00

What's written isn't
the same as what happens.

Before embarking on an endeavor or project it helps to write out a rough draft highlighting the major points. Doing so helps refine the plan further guiding it to become more structured. What we end up with is something a little more concrete to follow than the initial rough draft.

In an ideal world, execution of the plan would be perfect to what we wrote down. Unfortunately the ideal world is just that - ideal. Realistically speaking, the plan that's been created can't be prepared for every curve ball thrown at it. Whether we like it or not, there are always a host of variables at play.

As a result we have two opposing ends on a spectrum. At one is the perfect "ideal" plan where everything goes accordingly, while at the other end is the real world where everything can change in an instant. The former contains our original plan while the latter is the first trial run of it. Usually there are a few problems encountered when we try to enact the hard work we wrote out.

I'm certainly not trying to shoot down anyone's hopes. Rather I want to point out it's not always - more like never - straightforward in life. When it comes to exercise and nutrition, micromanaging every detail will only make you obsessive. For short term plans it is possible, but in the long run you need to keep your sanity.

From personal experience in the gym, I don't get to do everything I ponder up in my own head. Sure new exercises sound good in my mind, but when I attempt to do them in the gym it may be a total wreck. At other times availability of equipment might force me to switch exercises. In the realm of nutrition, I don't get to choose every meal if I have to attend a social event or if something comes up last minute. Instead I'll have to consider substitutes and alternatives.

Understand what looks good on paper isn't necessarily how it will turn out. Be prepared to make adjustments and adapt when the moment calls for it rather than having a failed effort or giving up.

Building Blocks of Lifting

2011-03-23T13:02:00.002-04:00

We all have
to start somewhere.

I always liked this piece from Carter. It speaks volumes about having the patience to learn things properly from the start. Enjoy!

"Have you ever, in your adult life, been spoken down to like a child? That condescending tone; that instructive air of arrogance - oh boy I bet your blood boiled! Well I hope to avoid that but if you’re a beginner in the weight room, I’m telling you right now that you’re not unlike a child. And like a child, you may want something – in this case a program – but you’re not going to get it. Why? Because you’re not old enough – in training years that is.

Okay so preface or no preface, I can see that you’re still starting to redden in the face at my brazen assertion but please bear with me. Although I’ve likened you to a child, I promise you that I’m not going to speak down to you as I might a child. Quite the contrary, I’m going to reason with you. And I’m going to do so by starting with an analogy.

When you were in early grade school, did they teach you calculus? Did they hand you a crayon and tell you to write a lit review on Dr Seuss? Did you run gel electrophoresis to prep for mass spec analysis? No, of course you didn’t. You learned what numbers, letters and objects were. In other words, you were taught the very basics. Before you could perform math, you had to count from 1-10. Before you could read or write, you had to recite the alphabet. And way before you were taught what DNA was, you had to know that Jimmy had to excuse himself to the door on the right while Jenny had use the door on the left.

Your parents and teachers certainly expected you to learn and to advance your abilities along but they didn’t expect you to know how to make use of the fundamentals before being comfortable with said base units. Their patience in these early years was likely shaped by your young age but their expectations were given form by understanding – consciously or not - how we as human beings learn. That, as remarkable as we humans are, we still need to break things down or build things up from the sum of their parts. In other words, we need to have a grasp on the building blocks before we can begin building.

So knowing that you had to learn the alphabet before being able to read Barbell Back Squat in an exercise program; and knowing that you had to count to 10 before you could decipher what 3 x 8 meant when the set x rep scheme was provided in the plan; I ask you now, just why the heck do you think you should start a program or system without having a firm handle on the base units involved?

The fact is that you shouldn’t. We’re an “I want it now” society but when the weak link in the chain is you, not much can be done until you’re brought up to speed. And being brought up to speed involves being comfortable with the basics. What are the basics when it comes to resistance training, you ask? Six compound lifts that give form to any other exercise you could possibly want or need to perform. These being:

Squat
Deadlift
Bench press / push-up
Shoulder press
Bent-over row
Pull-up / Chin-up

Learn how to perform the above 6 lifts and you’ve unlocked the reading, writing and arithmetic of the weight room. Don’t learn how to perform these lifts and resistance training will always be a second language. Not unlike broken English or having to add by using your fingers, sure you may get by but it will be an arduous, non-optimized time.

So do yourself a favour and take the time and effort now to get comfortable with the big 6. And no, you probably won’t get comfortable with them by watching a video or reading instructions – especially in the short term.

So yes that does mean that you’re either going to have to spend day in and day out, week in and week out and month in and month out playing around on your own; or that you’re going to have enlist the help of someone – in person – who can help you. I don’t care if it’s Uncle Johnny, the neighbour’s son who just got home from university, or a paid professional. Your task is to learn these lifts by whatever means necessary.

If you do go the paid professional route, it doesn’t mean that you have to hire them on to train you or to run you through some inane bosu ball circuit put together by the suits who run the club. So ignore their sales BS or their assertions of “you have to do this or do that.” Go in there, tell them “I’m going to pay you to teach me these 6 lifts over the course of the next 2 weeks.” Trust me, if they’re worth your employ – that is they know what they’re doing – they’ll appreciate your request and happily have you well versed and on your way to a better you in no time."

Back Squat

2011-03-18T13:15:00.001-04:00

Nothing substantial to post today. I thought I'd give a little insight to this past week's training.

It was:

Monday: Hang snatches (115), conventional deadlifts (265)
Tuesday: Weighted pull-ups (+50), overhead press (125), farmer's walks (110 + 70lb. backpack)
Thursday: Cleans (135), back squat (2x230, 3x215)
Friday (today): Assisted 1-arm push-ups, 1-arm barbell rows

I didn't have an idea of what I was going to select for sets and reps. I knew for the Olympic lifts I'd keep it at a total of ten reps and perform doubles (two reps) for all other lifts. I jokingly wrote for deadlifts "infinity x 2" and figured I'd stop when fatigued began.

I also started experimenting with a hook grip. It's where the thumb is tucked under the middle and index fingers. Apparently O-lifters use it to lift more weight, but it's uncomfortable as all hell.

As such, I thought why not make everything ten reps this week so the regular lifts were 5x2.

I thought I'd make a post about this week only because I did back squats yesterday. If anyone remembers, I haven't back squatted in three years. I've been doing front squats and overhead squats the last two and a half years with Zercher squats this past six months.

Three years ago I wasn't doing any serious warm-ups, single-leg work, or much of what I do today. I maxed out at a measly 215. Back squatting use to make my quads and glutes ridiculously sore.

Yesterday though? I did two sets with 230 then continued with 215 to keep form in check (and I couldn't safely drop the bar if I happened to stall). There's a bit of soreness in my quads, but nothing too bad.

Let me just say after three years, it's good to see the value of other lower-body exercises carry over. Overhead and front squatting are a pain to do if you don't perform them correctly so you're forced to learn the exercises quick. Back squatting is a cinch compared to other squats and it barely felt like I had any weight on my back.

It was fun. Just some food for thought.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Training Density

2011-03-17T16:44:00.002-04:00

Coolest picture I found

for searching "density."

This past's Monday post I mentioned the phrase training parameters. Today I call it something slightly different, but I'm still referring to the same thing.

I, note the "I," define it as how the work given for an exercise is arranged - arranged referring to the manipulation of stress or variables. This is typically seen as weight used in an exercise, which is certainly one method. Aside from adding weight, there are a number of other ways to increase the challenge or vary the training. To avoid complicating the topic, this post will be limited to a few simple strategies.

But why would we make it harder? To keep it short, we adapt to previous loads. To retain strength that's fine, but we can always get stronger, build bigger muscles, and drop fat if we improve the body's performance.

I've posted about certain progressions before, but I'll include them again. For all options listed, weight would remain the same from week-to-week unless otherwise stated and sets x reps notation will be written with abbreviations provided as we go along.

Rep Progression [RP]
- Often I've seen this prescribed as add one rep to each set for the next week. If week one has 4x2, then it would be 4x3 next time.

- Conversely, the opposite can be done where a rep can be subtracted. Here the emphasis would be on quality of movement or weight can be added - 5x5 to 5x4.

- Example
Week 1: 3x4
Week 2: 3x5 or 3x3
Week 3: 3x6 or 3x2
Note: Weight can be increased for subtracting reps but is not mandatory.

Set Progression [SP]
- Similar to SP, rather here a set can be added or subtracted. 4x6 can become either 5x6 or 3x6 in the second week of training.

- For either RP or SP, they can be incorporated whether the reps and sets are high or low. However, I personally like to use RP with heavy loads when volume is low as opposed to SP for when reps are somewhat higher (five to six and up) with single-limb exercises such as lunges or dumbbell rows.

- Example,
Week 1: 5x5
Week 2: 6x5 or 4x5
Week 3: 7x5 or 3x5
Note: Weight can be increased for subtracting sets but is not mandatory.

Rest Intervals [RI]
- Resting ten seconds is not the same as resting two minutes between sets. Always time rest periods. Time IS a variable. Despite it being very simple, I hardly see anyone clock themselves. (The stopwatch on an old cellphone is handy.)

- To take advantage of RIs, start off either at one, two, three, or four minutes. Anywhere from 10s to 30s can be added or subtracted each week. Typically, 15s is an easy number to use.

- Example,
Week 1: 2:00
Week 2: 1:45 or 2:15
Week 3: 1:30 or 2:30
Note: Weight can be increased for adding time but is not mandatory

Volume Arrangement
- One form of volume is the total reps performed for an exercise. If 36 reps were the total volume it can be broken apart into various protocols - 1x36, 2x18, 3x12, 4x9.....9x4, 12x3, 18x2, 36x1.

- Another method is to perform as many sets necessary to complete the total reps. Twenty pull-ups might be done in a fashion of 4, 2, 4, 3, 2, 2, 3.

Example #1,
Week 1: 4x6
Week 2: 6x4
Week 3: 8x3
Example #2,*
10 reps split as: 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1.
*I did this Monday with hang snatches.

Height
- Range-of-motion [ROM] is the better known term, but calling it height makes it a bit more visualable (yes I made that word up [copyright nielpatel.blogspot.com 2011]). Either increase or decrease the height of the exercise.

The exercises,
Squat: Lower a box you can sit on to every week or the following month.
Deadlift: Start in the rack from under the knee, then mid-shin, then two to three inches above the floor, pull from the ground, and eventually perform from a low platform.
Benching: Powerlifters have boards, but if you can bench in the squat rack then lower the pins every week.
Pull-ups: Begin off a high box you can touch and go then decrease the height of the box.
Basically for any exercise, begin at a reduced ROM then increase it every week.

That's it for the basics. At the very least, you can shake up your training and break the monotony. I for one enjoy the freedom of designing my own programs and experimenting hence why I mess around with the outlined methods.

Give it a shot.

Improving Pull-Ups

2011-03-14T09:04:00.003-04:00

Why would anyone
not do pull-ups?

Like the push-up, another exercise everyone is familiar with is the pull-up. It's not as easily performed, however it's still one of the best movements to incorporate into a training program.

If you can't do a single rep then this post is for you. I wasn't very adept at them, but over time I got strong enough to train them regularly.

How strong in the last three years? Well for fun the other day I did 3x2 + 25lbs. of thick pull-ups followed by 3x6 + 35lbs. of chin-ups. I never train that heavy and I could have added more weight as well.

While there are plenty of tips on improving pull-ups, the ones that follow are what helped me (in order of usefulness).

1) Lat-Pulldown
I regularly read to use negatives, bands or a partner for assistance, or a machine to bring up strength. Frankly, I never utilized any of those options.
You can opt for the lat-pulldown or a cable machine that allows you to attach a long straight bar and work from a kneeling position.
2) Grip
The more reps you do, the longer you need to hold the bar. If your forearms are taxed before your lats you'll like let go before completing all your reps. It's a subtle weak link that needs to be addressed.
Either get your set done as quick as you can or improve your grip strength. For the latter add in farmer's walks at the end of a training session.
3) Variety
Work with a variety of grips. A chin-up [underhand], neutral pull-up, mixed grip, and pull-up [overhand] are all unique from one another.
Every two or three weeks change which grip you use. Alternatively if you have a horizontal pull in your cycle, swap the grips between that and your vertical pull.
For example, if you do supinated barbell rows and pull-ups one month then the following month perform pronated barbell rows and chin-ups.
4) Training Parameters*
Variety is the spice of life and it's in your best interest to make sure your own workouts aren't bland. Sticking to the same sets and reps for an extensive period is.....boring. Different set and reps ranges bring different results in addition to some people working well in certain parameters compared to others and vice versa.
I personally do better at low reps with heavy weights, but it's always worth a try to experiment. Attempting 4 sets of 8 is different from 8 sets of 4 reps - despite both totaling 32 reps.
5) Single-Arm Pulldowns
For whatever reason I hardly come across the single-arm lat-pulldown in a training program. The most common unilateral rowing movement I've witnessed is the dumbbell row typically off a bench. If not that, it's often a variation of it - some other unilateral horizontal row. Regardless, this exercise will iron out any strength discrepancies between your dominant and non-dominant sides.
Similar to #1 instead this time with one arm. Since the lat-pulldown is meant for bilateral pulling I tend to hop on a cable machine. Either perform kneeling, in a split-stance [lunge position], or slide a bench over and sit on it.
*I have separate post for this topic, see here.

Aside from the things listed above, I don't think I've done anything different to become better at pull-ups. With a bit of persistence it shouldn't be terribly difficult to achieve at least one pull-up. And if I wasn't clear throughout this post, much of what's recommended can be combined entirely within a month's training plan.

I may write about pull-ups again in the future. Consider this post for the beginners to get their feet wet.

Even the cat
does pull-ups!

Exercise Cues: Hands

2011-03-08T17:00:00.004-05:00

Does it matter where they go?

Last time I said the next topic would be scapular retraction, but this recent realization seemed more useful.

The last two or three years I've performed cleans with little improvement in how fluidly I received the bar in the catch position. It always felt awkward. For whatever reason I decided to widen my grip - something I've done before - but this time was different. It helped me immensely.

That's when the light bulb went off in my head. The location of the hands plays a huge role in any movement. Maybe a "duh" should have come with the light bulb, but it seems like a subtle detail not too often addressed.

In the bench press, the tip I've heard most is to use your thumbs to measure from the smooth part of the bar to figure out where your hands should be placed. I would argue that's not an accurate nor sound method. Instead I suggest the advice my friend gave me when I started out lifting. Practice the motion without the barbell then at the top of the movement let that determine where you should grab the bar. Essentially, you're going with what's natural with your own structure.

For many exercises I'd recommend to opt for what feels natural/comfortable. Start out using a medium-width grip then little by little move your hands apart to get a sense of what works for you. The better or more efficiently you perform the exercise, the more you should stick with that width.

There are exceptions to this rule - the snatch and chin-up. Here a very wide grip might actually be uncomfortable on your grip and wrists. In instances such as these you would rather go narrower on your grip as you experiment.

Combine this with the first post in this installment and you'll feel a large change in how you're performing your exercises.

Lab Application: Response #2

2011-03-04T12:45:00.003-05:00

Here's part two.

"Looking back on your entire life, what is the achievement you are most proud of and why?

When I think of achievements in my life, there’s nothing specific that comes to mind where I can say, “I couldn’t be happier about this.” This isn’t because I haven’t done anything. Rather, it’s because of the people around in my life, and especially because of the most influential ones – my parents. In my childhood, I remember they always wanted to know where I was and what I was doing. Of course, I thought that wasn’t cool at all since my friends didn’t have their parents wondering where they were when I had to leave. Some 9 or 10 years later, I’m reading about protective factors in our textbook and it suddenly struck me. All those things I was reading about, those were things my parents did, such as parental monitoring. It warmed my heart, but yet at the same time, I realized my friends weren’t as lucky to have parents like mine. My parents didn’t read a book or anything on how to be parents, but they simply knew the best for me.

I noticed several interesting things this past December, all with one underlying fact. When my dad spoke, people listened. One night at my aunt’s house, he was talking and everyone was hanging on to his every word, giving him the utmost respect. I realized this wasn’t the only time. There have been several occasions similar to that night. My dad’s a storyteller and when he talks about his life, people want to hear it. The funny part is, he’s done so many things in his life, but he doesn’t regard them as anything special. When he speaks, there’s isn’t anything close to egotism. He just wants people to learn from his experiences and make the right choices in life. For me, it feels like a lot to live up to.

At one point, I use to believe my dad never seemed genuinely proud of me, unlike my mom who was always sweet to me. I thought he was hoping for the perfect smart all-around athlete and “going-to-be-a-doctor” son, but instead he got the opposite. He got me, a kid who still flips the channel to cartoons when he turns the TV on.

This last fall, I was engaged in public speaking and presentations for my classes and organizations. At one point during the semester, I was talking on the phone with my mother and she asked if anyone was videotaping while I spoke. I curiously replied “No, why?” to which she responded, “Your dad wanted to see you talking because he was really happy to hear you were talking in front of crowds and wanted to see for himself.” All I remember was thinking, “Really?” because I don’t remember my dad ever wanting to see me do anything, but this felt like a first. I’m not sure if that’s something to be proud of or even an accomplishment, but for me, to learn that my dad was proud of me, it meant a lot. I guess he was proud of what I was doing, and if he feels that, then that alone makes me feel proud.

Did I answer the question? Probably not, and I may have sidestepped it altogether, but it’s hard to choose an achievement to be proud of. When you have such extraordinary people in your life, simply being a witness to the things they’ve done makes you proud. And I couldn’t be happier about it."

With things finally calming down, I'll be back to regular posting next week. I should also point out there's a new page listed along the top called "Exercise Index." Just a little something to make navigation around the site easier.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Lab Application: Response #1

2011-03-02T13:10:00.004-05:00

Currently my lab's accepting research assistant applications. Seeing as how this has been a busy week (somewhat sick, exams, had an event), I thought it would be a good time to share what I wrote for the two open-ended questions a year ago.

"Why do you want to volunteer as a research assistant in our lab?

In high school, I remember writing in Psychology as my intended major on my college applications. It was the only class I took in high school that interested me. I entered college and still wasn’t exactly sure where I wanted to go in the field of Psychology. During my first semester at Rutgers, I wanted to avoid the mistake I had made in high school – ignoring extracurricular activities. But, Rutgers had so many opportunities and, of course, I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to get involved in. My cousin, who was an alumna, recommended the Asian Student Council. The president told me I did not meet the requirements, but said to try out for the Association of Indians’ freshmen representative position. I was interviewed and didn’t receive the spot. My sister told me to remain involved and I did.

When I went to play Buddy Ball, I quickly knew helping special needs children would be too difficult for me. The following fall, I dressed up as Santa Claus at the holiday party in St. Peter’s Hospital and I loved making the children happy. I found where I wanted to be in psychology – helping children. The next semester, I took Infant & Child Development, but to much of my disappointment, it didn’t deal with psychopathology. However, in Atypical we covered many of the topics I wanted to but did not in Infant & Child Development.

At this year’s holiday party, I saw two children that were present the previous year, but had changed. They were very outgoing and in high spirits before, but now a year later, they were much more withdrawn and quiet. I want to learn how I can understand children so that I may be able to help them. Much of the problem I’ve encountered when working with children is how to connect with them. As a child, I always felt a disconnect myself. I simply didn’t feel as if adults could relate.

Here I am 20 years old, and I don’t blame myself for thinking like that as a kid. Adults are different and I still believe there’s a disconnect between them and children. I’m not heavily involved in the typical college social life and like to think of myself still as the simple kid I was before. I want to close this gap I see between the age generations. I believe I can learn a great deal in your lab and apply it in the real world situations I’ve gone through, and the ones yet to come."

Friday I'll post the second response.

Cues for the Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

2011-02-21T12:24:00.004-05:00

Today's exercise:

Only comment I have is to keep the chin tucked in,
meaning don't crane your neck up to stare straight ahead.

It's a great unilateral movement to hit the posterior chain while improving balance/stability and coordination. I like to incorporate it since it's one of the few single-leg exercises recruiting the hamstrings with little focus on the quadriceps.

She makes it look deceptively easy, but that's far from the truth. First, poor hip mobility will slap any attempt you make. Second, it still involves a somewhat unique awareness of how you're moving [proprioceptive ability] compared to other exercises, say like the lunge or step-up.

Through a little trial and error, I've managed to smooth out some kinks making it easier to perform.

1) Arch your back hard. This is often reserved for the major compound lifts like deadlift, squat, barbell rows, and benching, but this also prevents the torso from flexing at the low back as well as keeping it rigid. Chest pushed out, shoulder blades pulled down, and stick your butt back.

2) The arched back sets us up for initiating and executing the movement, which in my opinion is the trickiest part. The cue I developed was to visualize it as closing a ship's hatch. Take a look:

In the first image, the hatch is only able to move at one fixed point to be closed - indicated by the blue arrow. Likewise, in the next image you should imagine the same thing. Only move at the fixed point of the hip, again the blue arrow, and think of "closing the hatch," almost as if you were trying to make the top of your hip/pelvic bone touch the very top part of your thigh. On the way back up "open" the hatch.

Often it's thought of as the entire torso moving. However, that acts as a distraction. With your back arched, you won't have to worry about rounding out and can focus on the hip pivoting.

3) Weight distribution can act as a hindrance. Use different weights in each hand if your body is falling towards one side or the other. For example, if doing reps on the left foot and you find yourself falling to the right then instead of using two 30lb. dumbbells use a 35lb. in your left hand as a counterweight and a 25lb. in the right.

4) The last key factor is your footing and how you reach down. Keeping your foot firmly planted will prevent swaying. As for your hands when you descend, reaching over midfoot or over the knuckles of your toes is a good spot. Essentially, let your hands hang but don't let them deviate so far away they make you fall.

There a few ways to program the single-leg Romanian deadlift into your own training. Weightless is great to add in your warm-up. Since this isn't an exercise where you go heavy, I recommend in lifting sessions to stick with light to moderate weights for sets with reps being 5-6 or higher.

Though make no mistake, this is an exercise that takes practice. If you're new to it then practice with your bodyweight, use a wall to assist yourself, do partial reps, or try a regular bodyweight Romanian deadlift on both feet and slowly switch to a staggered/split stance (one foot placed further back than the other).

If you want to learn a little more, check out the following:

Correcting and Progressing The Single Leg Dead Lift

RDL Progressions

Now then, go work those hammies!

The End of Six Weeks

2011-02-18T17:24:00.002-05:00

He impressed everyone with his

abilities first, his physique second.

Why did I do this series?

I like to share information that can be applicable to anyone and that can be of use, especially if I'm able to adapt it to the world of fitness. My lab work presented such an opportunity.

I began lifting roughly five years ago. My goal was to optimize my gains as best I could by being as efficient as possible in the weight room. To learn what worked and what didn't involved a lot of experimentation, meaning new methods, exercises, and the like - anything to get better. I rarely compared myself to others around me or thought I would look awkward trying something different.

With regards to lifting, it hasn't been until the last year or so I've become more refined in my thinking process. The bulk of my years I was hardly strong nor knowledgeable on the topic, but still curious to try new methods.

During these past few years conversations about exercise with others would come up. Never have I had so many conversations where people felt insecure on a subject to the point of absurdity based on nonsensical fears instilled. A number of them waste time and end up feeling dejected and hopeless about their goals thinking it should be a torturous journey.

Women stick to their little corner away from any men using the paperweight dumbbells, guys quiver at other guys more muscular than them, while others are too scared to touch the weights at all and stick to their turtle-paced treadmill.

I have a different experience where I enjoy myself with weights, my body, and my performance achieving what I set out for. I enter the gym, enjoy my time lifting, and leave happy when it's all said and done. The only worry I ever have is "will I have to wait to use the squat rack today?"

I wish others the same. Goals are achievable and it doesn't have to be a horrendous experience.

"Research your own experiences for the truth, absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is specifically your own." - Krishnamurti

Be your own person, be confident, and most importantly: be happy.

Lift like you mean it
and enjoy it.

Iron Resiliency, Session 6: Prioritization & Planning

2011-02-15T19:46:00.001-05:00

A cleaner desk leads to better planning.
It was much worse a few days ago.

To recap the last five weeks,

Session 1: There is a cause for certain thoughts we have leading to how we feel.
Session 2: The thoughts can be formed in a way where we unjustly blame ourselves.
Session 3: Mistakes are exaggerated and we tend to focus on one detail or worry about things we cannot change as opposed to the ones we can change.
Session 4: How we handle dealing with people close to us.
Session 5: Learning effective communication is key in explaining your goals to others and closely examining them yourself.

In today's penultimate post of Iron Resiliency we'll be discussing prioritization.

What's more frustrating than doing work to gain nothing? The time used is long gone and could have been put towards something more productive or worthwhile. This brings up two questions.

Always ask, "where am I pouring your efforts?" and "am I setting myself up for success?"

Fat loss: Are you doing too much of the wrong kind of exercise? Running all the time? Or are you not tightening up your diet?
Hypertrophy: Are you incorporating enough compound movements? Is there adequate recovery and caloric intake?
Strength/Performance: Is your training designed to reflect your goal(s)? Emphasis on volume-based work can prove detrimental.
For any fitness-related goal, are you looking at the big picture outside of your workouts? Does your lifestyle reflect what you're aiming for? Is there some way you're keeping yourself accountable?

By developing a sound plan and adhering to it you'll be able to track your own progress.

Developing a rough general plan then proceeding to break it up into smaller parts gives you a better understanding of how to tailor it accordingly. In turn you can micromanage everything and step back to see how it affects the goal at hand.

1) State your goal and compare it to what you're currently doing.

2) Work backwards from your goal and plan accordingly. List your changes.

3) Have a clear picture of each step. Does it make sense?

4) Step back and look at what you've created.

To illustrate this method, I'll go through an example of my own I'm implementing. I have to drop a few pounds for an upcoming strongman competition because I'm too close for comfort to the next weight class up.

1) I need to lose fat while retaining muscle. Before deciding this, my diet was to gain weight.

2) Since fat loss is the plan I need to alter my meals. Before I was relying on nuts to bump up my shakes' calories, going large on portions, and eating more carbs than were needed - such as oatmeal for breakfast.

I'll reduce nuts in my shakes, add more protein & veggies to meals, eat until I'm content (not stuffed), and replace my breakfast with eggs, veggies, and green tea to burn more calories.

3) Reducing the items I used to gain weight would knock my calories down. Providing more protein and veggies will minimize muscle loss. Eliminating useless fillers - extra carbs - also will reduce my caloric intake. So far it makes sense.

4) By reducing calories in a few key areas I've made a caloric deficit in my diet to achieve fat loss.

Breaking apart a large plan into more manageable steps makes it easier to tackle.

Now, I mentioned in session one I'd create a month long program for the end of the series and I've done just that.

Here's a straightforward program anyone can follow - intermediate experience recommended - to really kick up their confidence in the gym.

Session 1
1) Trap bar or sumo stance deadlift
2) Barbell supinated (underhand) rows from floor*
3) Weighted dips
4) Front squat holds

Sets & reps
1) 6 x 2
2) 3 x 4
3) 3 x 4
4) 3 x 20s

*If using less than 135lbs. and no bumper plates are available, perform in the squat rack with the bar resting on the safeties in the first hole from the bottom.

Session 2
1) Any variation of the back squat that isn't the back squat [front, Zercher, overhead, box, pins, etc.]
2) Weighted neutral grip pull-ups (preferably shoulder-width)
3) Barbell front or behind the neck push press
4) Vertical Pallof press

Sets & reps
1) 6 x 2
2) 3 x 4
3) 3 x 4
4) 3 x 20s per side

Rest: 2 minutes between sets.

NOTE: For exercise #1 in either session, if you're familiar with ramping sets and prefer it then feel free to go that route.

Be sure to have at least two days of rest between each session. And to make it progressively more difficult I'll direct readers to the progression outlined here. (Or you can just add weight every week, taking the 4^th week off as a deload.)

Why is it created like this? It's short, but full of big compound movements with a low-volume scheme allowing the trainee to work with very heavy weights. Additionally since the body is strong at most of these variations the movements will be particular easy if using only a moderate weight.

Take for instance the deadlift: With the exception of a rack pull, most people can pull more weight either using a trap bar or with a sumo stance.

In other cases, the movement is meant to take the trainee a bit out of their comfort zone (i.e., vertical Pallof press). Or it may be a combination of the two factors - weighted dips or front squat holds.

In any case, everyone in the gym will be staring at your beastliness. Near the end of this week I'll post a formal conclusion expressing my thoughts on the series and why I wrote it.

And with that, so comes an end to Iron Resiliency. I hope it was an enjoyable six weeks for those who stuck around. Thanks for reading.

Miscellaneous Pile, 02/11/11

2011-02-11T09:12:00.000-05:00

It's Friday. Need I say more? Around half of the post are updates on me, but there are a few tidbits of fun scattered in the latter half of it.

1) While sitting in class this past Tuesday, I opened an email from Cressey Performance to learn I did not get one of the three summer internship positions. (I made it to the second round, a phone interview.)

To say the rejection didn't bother me would be a lie. It stung hard and did bother me - and still does to an extent. I assumed I was a strong applicant, but apparently not strong enough. Both my friend and I thought I'd be chosen, but looks like we were wrong. Though to my surprise I'm handling it much better than I would have thought. A normal response from me 4 or 5 years ago would have been a bit more emotional and taking it harder.

The last time I got rejected from something was 3 years ago and everything turned out better as a result, so who knows. Maybe there's something more grand waiting for me.....or maybe not. Regardless, a bit of failure is healthy for the ego.

2) Continuing with #1, this brings up a few questions. What next? The internship was to bolster my confidence in the fitness field, but how much further will I purse it now? I'd have to bust my ass off to really keep learning more without the help of anyone more experienced.

Likewise, am I doing grad school? Masters? PhD in Psychology? I'm not sure if I want to do research or if I would prefer more being able to work with individuals or in a more application-based setting.

Lastly, before I'm done talking about myself, the blog has become a puzzle. In the sense that "is it beneficial for me to keep writing?" The "Why" section says I want to help people, but that remains to be answered. Am I helping anyone?

Despite blog traffic having fluctuating increases lately, to date I have yet to hear more than one individual make use of any of the information I've wrote. Mostly posts are read as an interesting read, but they're meant to be a little more substantial than that. If I got the internship, I was going to start free coaching/training either online or in-person (with stipulations of course). The question is do I want to start it now.

3) To chime in with some good news, my knee is doing well. There hasn't been any pain and with the adjustments I've made to my current program, strength has been going up.

And I'm pretty impressed with how consistent my blogging has been since this semester started. Last semester posts were slim.

4) My university has held a strongman competition the past 2 years and this spring is no exception. I competed last year but it wasn't anything great and while I'll try again this year, in two weeks, it's just for fun.

I may tailor my cycle to maximize recovery for that upcoming day, but nothing crazy. It would entail adjusting 1 or 2 workouts to reflect the events, which consists of atlas stones, rowing a heavy bag across the floor, snatch-grip deadlift hold as long as possible, and a tire flip. Last time the stones and deadlift hold caught me by surprise so we'll see how it goes.

5) If you're ever bored, go wander over to todaysbigthing.com to check out some interesting videos. (courtesy of my roommate)

6) No articles come to mind recently, but this video of Tommy Kono on Olympic lifting is great.

Part 2 here.

7) surreptitious - (sur-rep-tih-shus) - adj. - Stealthy, well hidden, or covert. (Excellent use of the word here.)

8) The same roommate also shared this with me,

Yeah...we have a lot of free time I suppose.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Supplements, Part 2: How?

2011-02-10T09:23:00.007-05:00

Fish oil does the body good.

Part 1 was posted back in September and I intended to do this right behind the first half. How to write it succinctly became another conundrum. To keep it simple, I won't go into every minute detail but will offer resources at the end of the post. And I'd like to note a lot of my nutritional background comes from the Precision Nutrition team.

Protein

There are a variety of protein powders differing due to their derived source, processing, and rate of digestion/absorption.

A common type is whey protein that comes from milk. Casein protein, which is similar to it, digests slower. Whey protein itself can be hydrolyzed weakening its bonds allowing for quicker absorption, albeit priced higher. Aside from these two, there are vegan-friendly options such as hemp, pea, rice, and soy-based proteins.

This supplement is useful either in kicking up the protein profile in a meal - or shake - or to aid in minimizing catabolic effects of strength training (the breaking down of muscle). This is where hydrolyzed whey comes into play. Alternatively, branched chained amino acids [BCAAs] are the building blocks of protein and are absorbed the fastest.

So how should you use it? During a workout session, the exact amount varies person-to-person and their goals. Half a scoop to one full scoop is usually enough. If it's only one ingredient in a large shake you're creating, 1-2 scoops should be sufficient. I use Optimum Nutrition, but I've heard great things about True Protein, although the S&H is a bit pricey.

Lastly on protein powder, I'll advise against protein blends. The powder contains protein from multiple sources - like egg albumen, whey, & casein - but often results in a very unhappy stomach. Use it at your own risk.

Be sure you are satisfied with the mixability of your powder, taste, and do a little research online for reviews.

Greens Powder

First, be sure you can stomach whichever brand you purchase - my go to is Greens+. I've gotten use to the texture, but it's incredibly nauseating to others. I add half the serving size into water or a shake. The latter masks it very well and can be hardly noticed.

I rarely use the label's suggested three 3 teaspoons since I consume vegetables and fruits with other meals during the day. If you're eating plenty of each, at least +5 servings a day, then you probably don't need this in your inventory.

If you're looking to use this primarily in shakes, leafy greens are the better option. Tossing kale, baby spinach, or a similar vegetable into your blender will be more beneficial than the powder. Buy whichever you prefer and store it in your freezer to avoid spoilage.

Fish Oil

If you decide to start using fish oil, consume your body fat percentage in grams spread throughout the day for the first 2-4 weeks. After that lower the dosage to half your body fat percentage. Someone at 18% BF would take 6g (18g per day) with breakfast, lunch, and dinner then after the hyperdosing period switch to 3g (9g per day) with the three meals. I picked these recommendations up from John Berardi over at the PN forums.

Brand-wise, if you want a liquid version then Carlson's lemon-flavored fish oil is a popular choice. If you prefer capsules like myself, I believed the best priced is Kirkland's from Costco or again True Protein.

Vegans can opt for algae oil. The dose recommendations above don't apply when using algae oil. For those interested, check out V-Pure or Omega-Zen-3.

If I had to select only one supplement for use, it's definitely fish oil. I highly doubt people are consuming enough omega-3 fatty fish on a daily basis. It's unlikely and the diet disparity between the amount of omega-6's to 3's ratio is large.

Multivitamin

I was researching multivitamin information back in July and it was a confusing topic. I've come to the conclusion not to worry about it. Simply grab one that won't make you queasy. Men and postmenopausal women should select an iron-free product and women who haven't gone through "kill everyone" mode yet, take a multivitamin that has iron.

Certain brands suggest taking 3 pills a day and have high vitamin doses. In a situation like that, take only 1-2 pills. One with food, one without. Certain vitamins are only absorbed with foods while the opposite is true for other vitamins.

Additionally, take one and toss it in vinegar to see if it breaks apart. If it doesn't, chances are your stomach acid isn't breaking it up either.

Brands are endless, but New Chapter seems pretty good from what I've seen.

The supplement industry is huge. The ones I've described here are my staples. Another supplement that is widely used and safe is creatine. Only 3-5g is needed. (I personally just don't use it.)

Are supplements I've excluded useless? Not quite.
Are they necessary? Not at all.
Do they have their merit? They do.

At the end of the day, "it depends" is the big question for optimizing your own goals. What one person may need, another person might not. I've found the above supplements help me optimize my gains a tad more than I would on my diet alone.

In my own opinion, it's never all-or-nothing. Feel free to dabble here and there to see what benefits you.

Here are a few worthwhile reads on supplements,

All About Protein
All About Greens Supplements
All About Fish Oil
All About Vitamins & Minerals
All About Where Vitamin Supplements Come From
All About Creatine
The Science of Nutrient Timing, Parts 1 and 2

You may need to register to the site to be able to read the articles, but it's free*. They cover the topics very well for anyone interested in reading more.

Got it? Good.

*If you need to be a registered member, use this link.

Iron Resiliency, Session 5: Staying Focused

2011-02-08T21:24:00.005-05:00

It's easy to be focused
when you stay calm.

Tackling a situation when you're emotionally-charged is one of the worst ways to handle a situation. If your feelings are all over the place, especially at the extreme ends, your actions tend to be more erratic. Whether sad or angry in the heat of the moment, you're less likely to be accountable for whatever you do.

However, it's also a problem if you're not getting it off your chest. Repeatedly going over it in your head doesn't make you feel better and neither does it fix the problem. Fortunately, there's a middle ground to utilize.

Most times we need someone who will listen when we talk. That can be a family member, friend, significant other, or anyone who will give us the time and just listen. As helpful as it is, the conflict still remains unresolved.

I said last week if you have a conflict with someone you know then you should speak to them. We can do it in a specific manner that's structured enough where it won't (a) worsen the situation and (b) lead to another argument. This will allow you to defend your own goals as well making the other person more receptive to your efforts.

1) Let the argument/confrontation cool off. Go do something and give it a day or two before you return to the subject. When you're not hot-headed, return to converse.

2) Go over what happened in your eyes and why it bothered you. They may have not seen it like that from their own point of view.

3) Tell the other person how you felt by what occurred. If they know you're serious and they truly stepped their bounds unknowingly, they'll be more understanding.

4) Describe your goals and what your plan is to achieve them. If they're genuinely interested, they can help and take a proactive role in your endeavors.

5) List the benefits of your goal(s). Improved self-esteem? Better health? Stronger? What is it and why is it important to you?

Sometimes people jump the gun on their judgments and their tongue may slip resulting in a fight.

It happens.

But we shouldn't carry ourselves in a bad mood for the rest of the time. It isn't conducive to a good relationship and it doesn't help our own well-being. Take a stance, be mature, and state what's going on. Talking in a calm collected manner is better received than yelling at another person.

If there's one thing that always helps it's effective communication.

Next week I'll finish up with the final session, include a program to bolster confidence, and have a conclusion near the end of the week.

The Reason Behind the Religion Degree

2011-02-04T17:15:00.001-05:00

It may seem a bit odd for a person always writing about fitness-related topics to be double majoring in Psychology and Religion as opposed to something such as Exercise Science or Kinesiology. Psychology may seem plausible if I argued I wanted to learn more about the nervous system, motor behavior, arousal, and similar subjects in relation to performance. (Actually my high school teacher was just really nice and presented the material well.)

But religion? It was really a progressive move before I decided on it as a second major.

For the spring of sophomore semester, my friend suggested we take Hindu Philosophy to complete a graduation requirement. Apparently the professor was a smart guy and everyone had old notes for the class, so why not? I said sure.

The first lecture scared the crap out of me. How bad? I thought I would fail terribly. I couldn't understand a thing and I felt overwhelmed. But, the professor impressed me with his expansive knowledge. I worked harder than I ever had in college and I ended up with an A in the course.

Intrigued and renewing an interest I always had in religion - my parents raised us with religious values - I decided to take a few more courses that peaked my curiosity and get the minor. Another semester gone, I still wanted more. The next spring I declared it a major and took a few more courses, but wasn't as impressed. However, this past fall went well and it was great.

The main drive pulling me towards the major wasn't solely the courses I registered for, but two professors. The first professor I mentioned and another one who specialized in far East religions (Daoism, Confucianism, & Buddhism) - I took 3 to 4 classes with each and haven't regretted it. They just didn't lecture, they taught me how to think in a new way. They plucked my mind from its science-based thinking and view the world differently.

Additionally, you grow a love for other religions, religious scripture, and people of various faiths.

In an overly science-oriented and empirically driven world, declaring religion as a major has been one of the best decisions in my undergrad career. After all, we should draw on all fields of knowledge rather than limit ourselves to a few selected ones and extending them to everything.

It's like using one pair of shoes for everything. We have slippers, boots, dress shoes, sneakers, our bare feet, and a host of other footwear at our disposal. Wearing boots in the snowy winter makes sense, but not so much on the warm summer beach.

Iron Resiliency, Session 4: Social Network Conflict

2011-02-02T15:03:00.002-05:00

Yeah because everyone's this friendly.

(And yes, this is a day late)

Family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, you name it. They all get on our nerves at one time or another. And when is it really aggravating? When you're very compliant with your training goals.

Diet and exercise are intimately connected with your body. What you do to your body also reflects how you feel about it. If you're in poor shape and begin changing your habits or simply have an affinity towards taking care of yourself, that should always be commended.

Unfortunately, has there ever been an instance where someone commented, questioned, or remarked in a manner which was putting down your own efforts? It's not very encouraging when you're busting your behind.

Now, how do you handle this? What if it's occurred with more than one individual? Does it make you wrong? Are you truly wasting your time? Even more importantly, can you never change your body?

CERTAINLY NOT!

Ask yourself this, what do they know? The executive at Kodak once said digital cameras would never become popular. I wonder how that person became an executive. In the previous installment I said consistency is important in determining your success so shake off the negative Nancies.

Never thought I'd get
to use this image on the blog.

But obviously we can't avoid our loved ones that easily. A few strategies you can employ are:

Don't discuss that subject of your life with them. If they can't respect it, they definitely do not deserve to hear about it.
Talk to a friend who does understand you. Better yet, find an online forum community where members keep logs. Precision Nutrition's userbase has an entire section for everyone to detail their progress and encourage others. Bottom line: Find support.
Blow them away with your results. Actions speak louder than words. It may take time, but they'll keep quiet after they see you.
Speak to them about it. (More on this next week.)

What you shouldn't do:

Get into a pointless argument where you won't change their narrow-mindedness.
Admit defeat by accepting what they say as truth.

I believe social support isn't completely necessary when working toward your goals, but it goes a long way and is immensely helpful.

It doesn't have to be nor it shouldn't be difficult.

"First, they ignore you, then they laugh at you,
then they fight you, then you win." - Gandhi*

Four sessions down and two to go folks!

*This quote probably isn't appropriate with a picture like the one above.

Diversifying the Push-Up

2011-01-28T14:12:00.005-05:00

True more or less.

One of the first exercises we tend to learn is the push-up and with good reason. When it's performed correctly, it's a great movement that engages almost the entire body. But, as we get proficient at the exercise the difficulty diminishes. It then becomes important to progressively increase the challenge and continue to get stronger.

The dilemma is going beyond the standard version. Luckily, the push-up is one of the most varied exercises and can easily become the spice of life in your routine. While the derivatives of the push-up are plenty, a few modifications can be applied to most, if not all, of the variations of it.

Elevation
Either raise the hands or feet. The latter makes push-ups easier while elevating your feet makes it harder.
Example: Push-ups against a wall is less challenging than the standard version, but your feet on a chair is more difficult than against the floor.
Singe-Limb
Lift one leg, one arm, or both (opposite sides, i.e., left arm & right leg). One-arm push-ups are very advanced, but lifting one leg isn't nearly as hard. If you're really strong, you can lift one arm and one leg.
Hands Position
Easily the most overlooked point.
Similar to a supinated [underhand], pronated [overhand], or neutral grip, the same can be applied here. The supinated version puts a significant amount of stress on the wrists but performing them using hex dumbbell against the floor eliminates that issue.
Can be done on knuckles or fingertips. Fingertip push-ups are no joke and require a decent amount of grip and finger strength.
Diamond push-ups are quite misinterpreted. Instead, you're suppose to bring your hands closer together towards your midline/body's center. Like the bench press, elbows should be brought into the torso - not flared out - but that's not achievable the way the hands are place in diamond push-ups.
Your legs can also be brought close together [harder] or spread wide apart [easier].
Loading
Any external resistance: Weight vest, chains, or bands.
If you have a friend with you, you can have them place a plate on your back to load the exercise.
Instability
Putting your hands on any unstable surface requires more tension and places a greater demand on your upper-body.
Furniture sliders, medicine balls [1 or 2], a BOSU ball, a Swiss ball, suspension system/blast straps, or a surface of sand all fit this purpose.

There you have it. Many of these suggestions are also applicable to the plank. Additionally, you can combine one or more modifications together. For example, doing neutral grip push-ups on a medicine ball with your feet elevated. While it doesn't have to be that extravagant, you can change the exercise drastically without having to do much.

Lastly, the push-up doesn't always have to be used as a strength exercise. I personally use it as a movement in my dynamic warm-up - a few of each hand position and explosive push-ups. (Or something like this.)

Regardless of how you decide to use it, it's one hell of an exercise.

Have a good weekend everyone.

No relevance but when you search
"push-up" online, you see mad boobs.

Iron Resiliency, Session 3: Being Realistic

2011-01-25T09:01:00.003-05:00

Calm down and relax.

So far, we've taken a look at the cause of negative thoughts and how to confront these inaccuracies. Today, we'll go a step further and reduce the anxiety they bring us.

Most often, when we stray away from perfection and our plan - whether it be in missing a training session or leniency in diet - we tend to be exceptionally hard on ourselves and unfortunately not forgiving enough. Feeling guilt is acceptable, but the after effect is trying to compensate by tightening up the diet even more than before or training continuously with inadequate periods for rest and recovery.

Reductio ad absurdum (Latin for "to reduce to the absurd") is the method of a pushing an argument to its very end until its illogical and becomes invalid - almost akin to disproving itself. Being realistic will serve the same purpose for our own choices.

In order to truly be realistic, there are two other things to do first, which are:

1) Imagine the worst possible outcome.

2) Imagine the best possible outcome.

For instance, take a person training for fat loss to slim down. Hypothetically, what if this person indulges one evening and has a few foods not on their diet menu? While they may feel shameful about their actions, it isn't all gloom and doom.

Doom says,
"You dare eat cake?!"

Let's run through the worst possible outcome.

You ate a meal with too many calories.
Because you overate, your weight went up.
Feeling dejected, you decide to binge.
Binging has made you balloon up and your weight to skyrocket.
You've gained so much weight you are no longer able to do many of your previous activities.
Since your appearance has changed significantly, you're left single with less hopes of finding someone than before.
The severe weight gain has caused a host of other problems, such as increased blood pressure & cholesterol and put you at a higher risk for heart disease and diabetes.
Overweight and depressed, you spend the rest of your days alone unhappy until your premature death.

It sounds bad, but I did say the worst possible outcome. It's time to lighten the mood and see the best possible outcome.

You ate a meal with too many calories.
Surprisingly, you've dropped a pound. The cheat meal served as a small break from your disciplined eating.
Invigorated by your hard work, you attack your final phase of fat loss with enthusiasm.
Shedding those final pounds of fat, you've sculpted your dream body.
You've done such a great job an agent is impressed by your figure and offers you a modeling job.
As a model, you meet an equally sexified model and get married.
Together you both make millions of dollars and become the most famous models internationally living happily ever after.

But realistically? You'll overeat and your weight may fluctuate slightly if at all. A single meal won't significantly impact your body composition.

The goal of these explanations was to illustrate how absurd our imaginations can run wild when we overreact to minor situations. In reality, the most likely items to occur are the second or third bullet points. The later possibilities are very unlikely to come true.

It is also important to note that problems tend to have more than a single contributing factor, but we narrowly focus on one. Likewise, we may worry excessively on variables not within our control and ignore things we can change. Attention should be addressed to the things we can change!

Consistent behaviors will determine how successful you will be in achieving your goals. Some questions to ask yourself are:

- Are you making adjustments to your diet or behaviors to allow maximal recovery, muscle growth, and/or fat loss?
- Has your training become progressively difficult for adaptation to take place?
- Outside of your training, have you been sitting on your butt all day or being active?

Remember, the whole picture is important. One moment is not equivalent to an entire experience.

Take it easy. More in session 4 next week.

A Legend Gone

2011-01-24T10:44:00.003-05:00

He said anyone can exercise and it doesn't have to be difficult. It still stands true today.

A New Age

2011-01-20T12:17:00.001-05:00

Last week, my mother described the old days to me when she arrived with my dad to America and their life of raising three kids. When they decided to move, my mom was 21 and my dad 26.

My dad took night classes and held a job to support the family. Later at one point, he had two jobs. My mom raised my sister and then when my other sister and I were born, she was working the evenings while taking care of us in the day. My dad would be gone from morning until the evening - which is when my mom left for work. With mom gone, he took over from evening until bedtime.

From the time they came to the US, they didn't have a manual about being parents. Instead, it was whatever they could do to the best of their abilities. There wasn't time to get drinks, go to the movies, surf the web, play games, or hit the gym.

In contemporary society, it appears we take such luxuries and conveniences for granted. Parent or not, we appear to have the time and choice to partake in activities. However, we don't take advantage of this. Instead at most times, we choose activities detrimental to our well-being (mind and body).

Imagine you had commitments so important that it was out of the question to do other things.

My parents had three kids to love and care for each day.

We live in an age where we are given the world with wondrous resources at hand but do not fully utilize them. Because of my parents' hard work, I'm able to pen a blog in my free time, exercise, attend a university, and express my ideas among other things.

And for that, I am grateful.

Iron Resiliency, Session 2: Challenging the Misconceived

2011-01-18T09:48:00.009-05:00

Pause and think for a moment.

Last week I discussed certain thoughts we have about ourselves exist because of our own behaviors or because of externally situated factors that are part of the surrounding environment. As a result, these views determine our mood. Today we'll shatter those faulty notions.

The best strategy to employ is to attack the root of the problem: thoughts. Changing our thoughts alters the process and creates a different frame of mind for how we feel. While feeling bad once in a while may occur, it's crucial to realize the problem affecting us.

To do so, recognizing our thoughts will play a large role. One underlying aspect of our thoughts is how we identify with them. They can be classified as always/always me and not always me thoughts.

- The former category makes us assume that constant flaws are inherent to our character and cannot be changed. Consequently, we may give up prematurely instead of being proactive to better the situation.

- The latter group is about our behavior or feelings which can be changed. We look at the context of the scenario that contributed to the current event.

Consider the following example to better understand the differences between the two. Say one day you had a bad squat workout.

The always me thought might be, "I suck at squats" whereas the not always me thought could be "My squats weren't good today because my knees were caving in."
The always me thought doesn't provide any reasoning within the general statement itself.
The not always me thought allows understanding for what went wrong and gives you the chance to improve in the future (by pushing knees your outwards).

If you constantly find yourself being bombarded by always me thoughts, there is a way to tackle them. Because always me thoughts do not specify any point in time, we can use that to our advantage.

Simply gauge past performance and behavior to tear down the misconception. The one thought shouldn't be allowed to blanket an entire experience and dictate it nor should it predict future abilities.

If you've squatted well in the past, then you really don't suck at squats. Having one cheat meal doesn't diminish your entire diet. On the contrary, you've demonstrated your own discipline and willpower to maintain a nourishing lifestyle.

Thoughts happen in an instant, but they can be wrong. In the heat of the moment, a general statement can be an inaccurate observation of the entire self. Instead, it should be reevaluated and if it makes sense when compared to prior accomplishments.

Not every workout will be good and every meal won't be perfect. You won't be at peak levels all the time. However, it's important to understand one bad moment doesn't represent all moments.

It would be more conducive to your training and pursuing your goals if you don't let the small things bother you. As Lance Armstrong says,

"I take nothing for granted. I now have only good days or great days."

Make an effort to have only good or great days in your training.

And that concludes today's session. With that strategy in the bag, we'll keep it rolling next week with session 3. Stick around folks!

Most Stupid Fitness Phrase

2011-01-13T14:25:00.004-05:00

I don't think I rant too much on the blog. But as of late, something's been grinding my gears every time I see it.

From as far as I can remember, "form nazi" has popped up the last year or two. Now for those who aren't familiar with this phrase, it apparently is someone who criticizes another for having flawed execution on an exercise. Rounding the low back during deadlifts, knees caving in when squatting, rowing in cervical hyperextension, or any other mistake would qualify.

I'm guessing this came about from Youtube videos where someone is lifting an impressive amount of weight but receives a comment saying they did something wrong. However because of the significant weight, the error should be glossed over in favor of the accomplishment.

To generalize this to every trainee is ignorant.

First and foremost, volume-based work should have spot on form. If you're not training with maximal weight, then it shouldn't even be a discussion. Next, there's a difference across the training experience spectrum. The elite, advanced, intermediate, beginner, and everything in between are not equivalent to one another. The more skilled the individual, the more I would give the benefit of the doubt. As always, context is necessary!

1-rep maxes also can expect a little breaking in form, but it's not an excuse to go to complete garbage. A perfect example is Eric Cressey. Take a look at the two videos below.

650 lbs.

660 lbs. one and a half years later

Eric's maxing out heavier than previously, but his form's still dead on for the most part. Heck, he's even kept his chin tucked in more than before.

I occasionally peruse Youtube and observe a lot of mistakes in lifting videos. Mistakes happen often, which is absolutely fine at times, but now the fact it's almost becoming acceptable (to an extent) is a disregard for properly nailing down movements. I've even read coaches' comments where they favor the new PR instead of the atrocious form.

Seriously?

I think my point's been made/vented enough. I'll leave you with a video of the champion Misha Koklyaev demonstrating numerous outstanding lifts WHILE doing so with impeccable execution.

Amazingly strong

Iron Resiliency, Session 1: Perceptions

2011-01-11T14:36:00.002-05:00

Is the left or right
the Photoshopped girl?

In previous posts, I've mentioned mentality is half the battle when it comes to exercise. Thoughts can influence actions to a great degree, but thoughts are internally situated [the self] and there is always more at work - namely the countering external variable [the environment]. Both factors give rise to the perceptions in our mind, but what causes them in the first place?

Self-Caused Perceptions
Indirectly caused by your own actions.
A bad session in the gym can inadvertently bring your own mood down because you didn't perform as well as you expected OR if you decided to skip working out altogether, you may come to regret it later (perhaps even to an excessive degree).
With respect to diet, poor food choices or restraint in your eating can also cause guilt. The question is, "is it appropriate?" There's a difference between one slice of cake once a month versus an entire box of Twinkies once a week.
Environment-Caused Perceptions
Typically outside of your own control.
Comparing yourself to someone else either based on body image, performance, or ideas/beliefs.
Does seeing someone with the figure you want make you feel inferior? Is there a justifiable reason to compare yourself to someone else? Should a reason even be warranted to compare yourself to another person?
An example in the second category [performance], you see a person - of similar build to your own - squat your working weight for their warm-up. To see another person toss around what you worked hard with isn't exactly reassuring to your own efforts.
Do media sources affect you? Such as celebrities or models on magazine covers. The popularized bodies of Brad Pitt in Fight Club or Spartans in 300 are part of a job. They had to become qualified, by improving their physique, in order to earn their income. Most people's incomes aren't dependent on their physical appearance.
How your social circle interacts with the approach you take toward your goals [more on that in session 5] OR others' beliefs imposed on your own. If a girl starts weight training only to be told by her gal pals (who of course aren't in shape themselves) she'll bulk up. She should instead run multiple times a week despite hearing otherwise. Does that mean she's wrong?

It's important to note these behaviors, dependent or independent of yourself, plant certain thoughts in your head which in turn affect how you feel about yourself. They tend to revolve around on your own actions and from our environment by comparison to others in various aspects (image, performance, and beliefs).

You have to be able to detect your self getting caught in these "mind traps" and recognize it before it gets the best of you. Can you remember a time you were hard on yourself for one of the above reasons? Can you explain why it bothered you?

Even if there was a moment you felt guilty, one moment doesn't speak for all your past experiences. One slice of cake isn't a big deal if you've been keeping yourself in check the last few weeks. Someone squatting more than you doesn't undo all your hard work. Progress isn't overnight and look back at how far you've come along.

Much like the rest of life, you should expect a few bumps along the road as travel to your destination [the goal]. The important thing to do is continue forward unabated.

And that folks concludes the first session. Next week in session 2, we'll go a bit more in-depth to challenge negative thoughts. Also I've decided to write up a month long program for the series' conclusion.

But I'll explain more on that when we get there. Until next time!

A bump for Zach Krych

An Introduction to Life Skills

2011-01-09T14:32:00.001-05:00

At first I was going to title this post, "An Introduction to Growing Cohones."

Part of the work I do for my psych lab entails running a Life-Skills Program [based off the Penn Resiliency Program]. Specifically, I partner up with another research assistant to visit a middle school and teach two small groups of 7^th graders life skills, allowing the children to - as it says on my résumé - better regulate and understand their attitudes, behaviors, and emotions.

According to the World Health Organization life skills are defined as,

"Abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life."¹

Since this series is titled Iron Resiliency, we can't proceed further if we're not familiar with resiliency. In my own words, I would succinctly define it as the ability to handle challenges and being strong-minded. I'll be adapting my lab's program to the weight trainee's experience, which includes behaviors, thoughts, their social network, and prioritization to name a few points of the upcoming discussion.

The program is composed of eight sessions, but I'll be writing six sessions and a conclusion. I've decided to cut out a small portion of the material because it's not completely necessary to include in the series.

Like last time, I'll do one post every Tuesday with it following this schedule:

Session 1 - 1/11/11
Session 2 - 1/18/11
Session 3 - 1/25/11
Session 4 - 2/1/11
Session 5 - 2/9/11
Session 6 - 2/16/11

The session titles will be revealed when the posts themselves are published each Tuesday. Additionally I'll still do one post towards the end of each week, albeit shorter and less intensive.

With that being said, drop by Tuesday to see session 1 for yourself.¹ UNESCO, http://portal.unesco.org/education/en//ev.php-URL_ID=36637&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
Source: Wikipedia

Miscellaneous Pile, 01/07/11

2011-01-07T09:16:00.004-05:00

The last time I wrote a random post was back in August. Surely it's about due time for another one! Especially since there are a few items I'd like to mention today.

1) Sunday I'll post an intro for the next series I referenced here. Part 1 will follow that very Tuesday. In regards to it, Sunday's post will be a great overview of what to expect in the coming weeks.

2) My post on squat was never meant to be an all-encompassing instructional - hence more articles at the end of the post. But I direct you toward these other finds I've come across since then: Christine and Smitty [video tips here].

Although this article isn't about squatting, it's still straight up beast. I design my training based on horizontal, vertical, knee- or hip-dominant movements, and the amount of curl variations I can do in one session......OK so maybe not that last one. Either way, apparently Ian King is the one who paved the way and developed that methodology - programming based on plane movements.

3) Since I had lost weight last school year, I decided this past summer to pack on some mass. After the first month, I created massive 32oz. shakes which had: 1-1 1/2 scoops whey protein, hand full of frozen fruit, sometimes fresh fruit, hand full of nuts, 1 1/2 tbsp. ground flax, 1-2 tsp. Greens powder, 1 tsp. pumpkin seeds, 4 oz. orange juice, and water. I'm pretty sure this monster was at least 800 calories.

Did it help? Damn straight. My 4-day training was rigorous as crap and all these calories were exactly what I needed. I ended up filling out some shirts even better than before. In total for the summer, I added on 12 lbs.

4)
The big cheese himself signed for it. I sent my application via Fedex which annoyed my dad since my mom works at a US Postal mail sorting facility. I didn't mean to take away work from my mom!

5) If you haven't tried Zercher squats, you should give it a go at least once. They're a nice change if you normally back or front squat. I've incorporated them this last cycle to give my knee a break from front squats.

6) Speaking of my knee, I should probably explain what happened as of late. I was aggressively training for a 1RM 200 lb. front squat. I broke down my training into three cycles, each compromising one month. First month was front squat to a box, following month was one and one-quarter reps, and I can't remember what I scheduled for the final month.

Well during month #2, I suspect I hit my upper tibia/shin on the floor during a bad descending rep of Bulgarian split squats. In week two it became terribly inflamed. Of course I idiotically continued through the searing pain. In a week I would do snatches, cleans, deadlifts, overhead squats, bulgarian split squats, and front squats. No surprise it was hurting.

Since that time back at October's end, I've been very cautious in how I approach squatting (i.e., low volume & intensity). While I'd like to assume whatever occurred has passed, I doubt it. Mid-December I saw a sports medicine doctor at school and he managed to find a sore/tender spot that I wasn't aware still existed. Alright I'm done with my rant.

7) I see this word used by religion scholars.

inimical - (ih-nih-mih-cul) - adj. - Unfriendly or hostile.

8) Tim Ferriss posted the following video for his new book, 4-Hour Body:

I was amazed it never crossed my mind you can swallow more than one pill at a time. After this revelation, I decided to see if I could swallow my fish oil capsules and multivitamin in a single gulp. I swallowed 5-6 pills with ease. Now some people can barely swallow one pill. It just goes to show you how much the mind can influence your actions.

I do believe that's enough rambling for one Friday.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Winter Warm-up

2011-01-06T09:53:00.002-05:00

Not a dynamic warm-up itself. Sorry for the misleading title, but I'm a nerd for alliteration.

Rather, we'll literally look at "warming" up. Winter weather can be a huge hindrance for some people. I personally can't stand doing anything when I'm cold, especially exercising. Therefore we can choose two options. The first entails becoming a fat ass like this fella:

Sucks for this guy if he was somewhere in Florida.
Then he must have been sweating up a storm.

The other option is to employ a few strategies to work in our favor and raise our body temperature.

1) Get Ya Drank On
Any warm beverage works. Tea or a bit of black coffee helps due to the caffeine. If you're lifting in the night, I'd advise against anything caffeinated because it may affect your sleep.
Likewise, you're not chugging a pitcher. A small cup's worth just to get warm and some caffeine, not a boat load. Drink too much and your stomach will be sloshing around while you exercise.
2) Everything In Your Closet
I lift in shorts and a t-shirt. If I'm home, even less (seriously). The point is we prefer to be comfortable when doing strenuous activity. However, the light attire can leave us shivering for our grandmas. Since it's either a walk or drive to the gym, it's not great to jump gung ho into your workout if you're cold before you even start.
Before I begin to lift, I prefer to build up a slight sweat. I go through my dynamic warm-up with a hoodie and sweatpants (shorts underneath) and even a few warm-up sets for my first lift. When it's time to get down to business, I strip them off. The change in feeling is significant enough for me to feel much more comfortable and ready to lift.
3) Make It Challenging
Your warm-up will get your body going, but if you're accustomed to your routine it won't be as nearly as challenging to complete. It doesn't hurt to add a little extra effort. You won't end up "over prepared." If anything, you'll feel even more ready than usual.
It's relatively easy to make your warm-up harder. Add a few bodyweight movements in with little rest. Jump squats, push-ups, planks, various lunges, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, handstands, lateral shuffling, jump rope, so on and so forth. The possibilities are endless.
If your session is upper-body based for the day, add in upper-body exercises and likewise for lower-body. If you're cycling, focus a bit more on ankle mobility. Benching? T-spine mobility drills. Target areas of your body that will be taking the brunt of the training session.

Through a few quick and easy strategies, we're able to continue through the blistering cold. The extra 5 minutes you utilize will go a long way. But, I can't promise anything like this.....

Creating Productive Training Sessions

2011-01-04T15:18:00.003-05:00

Lu Yong probably knows a thing

or two about being productive.

A somewhat similar post to this previous one, but last time there was an emphasis on "preparedness." The difference now is we'll be examining more direct factors in training. Specifically, understanding advantages already present. Like I've mentioned before, this is aside from other factors that contribute to a truly productive training cycle.

1) Set-up

I learned this a while back from Eric here and then again I read a post of Jamie's discussing - or ripping on guys - taking too long to start a set.
The goal each session should be improvement. This comes in the form of moving more weight, focusing on quality movement, executing better reps (more on that below), and being able to approach the exercise with a solid set-up quickly.
Getting into position to start a lift should be a) comfortable, and b) relatively quick. With new exercises, this may take practice. However in subsequent sessions, you should focus on becoming proficient AND efficient at getting yourself ready. Personally I think if you can start within 5 seconds of the lift, that's pretty good.
Warm-up sets before work sets help as well as regularly using heavy weights. If you can handle heavier weights, than more volume-based work shouldn't present itself as a challenge.
Additionally, identify major areas of concern in the lift. Deadlift: How are your hips positioned? Bench: Are your scaps pulled together and feet driven into the ground? Understand what you need to do prior to starting the set.

2) Reps

All reps are not created equal.
The disparity between a good rep and bad rep is obvious. Whether the weight is heavy or light, a good rep feels easy without excessive strain on the body. On the other hand, a bad rep feels ugly and is a struggle despite the load being light. After the set is over, you're left either satisfied or dissatisfied with your performance.
Again, a good set-up and warm-up sets are key. A thorough dynamic warm-up is essential as well. I'm not squatting well if I haven't stretched my hip flexors, done any glute activation, or ankle mobilization drills.
Awareness is equally crucial. Know what the good reps are if you do them. Was there something you noticed that made you feel particularly strong about the set? In snatches, one important detail for me is my wrists. If they're in slight extension, the bar tends to deviate further away from my torso leading to a poor catch.

3) Exercise Choices

Just like reps, all people are not equal - that is, anatomically.
There's variance among length of limb structures, such as the arms, legs, and torso. As a result, your body's structure will give you the advantage in some lifts, but put you at a disadvantage in others. Long arms lead to better pulling in the deadlift, but causes the bar to travel further in the bench press. If you're familiar with physics, it's called leverage.
By experimenting, you can identify what works and what doesn't for yourself. This doesn't mean you eliminate an exercise altogether, but instead use it less frequently or work with variations.
Frankly, Boris puts it much more nicely here. Suck at squatting? Try box squats, Bulgarian split squats, or another variation. You can find more tips in this article.

As you can see, quality - by being cognizant of yourself - plays a big role. Instead of zoning out during a set, listen to your body.

Next time: Winter Warm-ups!

Old Masters

2010-12-31T13:17:00.001-05:00

When sage advice is offered, listen intently.

If you know what the title's from, kudos to you. The title does serve a purpose itself. Specifically, an important lesson I learned from others this past year.

The first instance was attending a kendo practice to experience the sport. Beginning with a footwork drill, we practiced dashing across the auditorium towards our opponent. The mistake we all made was that after one person stopped short and went to the back of the line, everyone else did the same instead of dashing completely across the room.

When we completed the drill, sensei explained peer pressure can be positive or negative. An action of one person can alter the actions of subsequent peers. In this case it was negative because one person set the trend due to a small error.

Positive peer pressure would demonstrate desired behavior that would be reinforced if everyone did it - such as if that one person did the drill in full.

The second instance was meeting with Swami Radhanath. Our university's bhakti club was fortunate to have him visit for their big semester event. My professor was able to contact him to visit our class and then I heard him speak again when I attended the evening's festivities. After the main event, attendees were able to meet with the swami and have their copy of his new book signed.

When I had my chance to go up I asked him, "What advice would you have given to yourself when you were younger or someone else about to embark on the world?" He took a moment then responded, "Whatever you do, make it positive. Thoughts, speech, action, people, food, everything. Immerse yourself in positive surroundings."

One simple piece of advice I've noticed in other blogs is to keep a good social network. One that is beneficial to your own life and will only uplift it. Heck, it's so straightforward and obvious even my parents tell me to have good friends.

Unless you're a hermit, you most likely interact with other individuals on a regular basis. You have the ability to choose who those individuals are, and in doing so, set the tone of your own life. Even with the greatest environment in the world, what good is it if you are constantly around those who are negative and of bad character? It will only be detrimental to yourself.

You can easily tell who improves your own life by how they affect you.

Do they uplift your mood or bring it down?
Offer good advice?
Act in ways that aren't harmful to themselves or you?
Are they close-minded?
Stubborn?
Poor intentions?
Reinforce positive attributes and behaviors?
Make your own character grow and mature?
Do they tell you can or can't achieve something?

Who you surround yourself with will make your own personal development rise or fall.

How will you choose?

2011 Primer

2010-12-27T13:56:00.006-05:00

Notepad file where I jot down future post ideas.

I hope everyone had a good weekend. Besides getting blasted by snow and helping my dad clean up the driveway, it apparently was the weekend for bad stories from my uncles and dad.

In this penultimate post for the year, I thought rather than recap 2010* it would instead be better to list posts slated for 2011. Not only will it hold me more accountable, but it gives readers a chance to see what's coming. Among all the topics, I'm sure there's something that will catch your interest. The titles give a description, but they aren't 100% definite yet. And don't worry, I'm confident I'll think of more topics as the year progresses.

So, shall we take a look? In no specific order,

Immune System & Stress
Effective Results
Neural Plasticity & Sleep
What Kids Want to Tell their Parents
What's Been Exported to Women in Contemporary Fitness
Building a Better Body [multiple posts]
Everything Abs Updated
Positives and Negatives of Associations & Experiences
If You Had 5 Minutes to Live
Problems with Advertising Fitness Products
Cornerstones of Embarking on a Healthier Life
Exercise Terminology/Abbreviated Dictionary (Somewhat done, but enormous amounts of adding still needed)
Stance Progressions
Improving Pull-ups
Book of Five Rings for Weightlifting [multiple posts, possibly]
More than Facts
Supplements, Part 2 (see part 1 here)
Iron Resiliency [multiple posts]
Defining Fit
What is Vigorous Exercise?
10-Hour Exercise Week
Disordered Eating Roundtable (this is a maybe)
Earning Merit
Driven by Fear or Success
Ideal vs. Reality
Improving Training [original]
Lessons from a Religion Degree
ABC's of Lifting
Greatest Moments
Clean desk
Fold laundry
Do lab work

Whoops! Those last few are actually part of my to do list. Hopefully something caught your eye that you'll be looking forward to in the new year.

By the looks of it, I'll be busy with a lot of writing. To the blog visitors, thank you for reading! I do very much appreciate it when I run into someone and they enjoy my posts, especially if they find the advice valuable.

With that said, stop by later in the week and I'll have the final post for 2010.

*If I had to pick a favorite post of mine this past year, it would be this.

Moment of Clarity

2010-12-22T10:06:00.004-05:00

This past Monday morning, I was walking to the bus stop to go study for a difficult exam I had at noon. It occurred to me after that exam I would be "done." Not in the sense of graduating, but that would be the last serious class of my undergrad career where I hold any interest.

I'll be spending my final semester in the spring taking a psych lab course to complete the degree and a few classes to finish up a public health minor.

All in all though, it's over. The realization and feeling are both refreshing and invigorating.

The past month or two I've received the question, "What are you doing when you graduate?" way too many times. I tend to reply with I don't know, but I do feel blog readers deserve to know my plans. For now, I'll be applying for an internship at Cressey Performance this summer. Only a few people know about this, but hopefully I'm fortunate enough to be accepted. Aside from that, I've yet to formulate anything further.

As alluring as grad school is, pursuing it immediately post-grad just doesn't appeal enough to me yet. The whole applying process sounds torturous and I prefer to know 100% for sure what I'll be doing with so and so degree. (I'm leaning towards something in Health Psychology.)

Enough delving into my life. Let me leave you guys with a few good finds of late.

Adam Rees on unconventional upper-body training
Tracy Fober with a great video here
Brendon's shows side medicine ball throw progressions
Stevo Reed shares a few core exercises

I'll be back posting solid content after the holidays.

Have a good one everyone.

How Ya Liftin'

2010-12-10T15:33:00.004-05:00

I smell a muscle-up.

I've noticed my last few posts haven't been training-related in any way. And although the posts I have slated to write aren't either, it's only right I post something relevant to lifting. After all, the blog is to help everyone improve their own training.

Back in my wee lifting years, I never paid much attention to the subtleties of my reps. Sure I was performing the movement, but there wasn't much detail to locking the glutes, scap retraction, bracing the core, etc.

One of the big mistakes many trainees make is the lack of muscular tension during reps. From what I've observed, it tends to occur during the eccentric portions of lifts. Some familiar examples people may know are the dead hang on a pull-up, a barbell descending quickly & bouncing in the bench press, a quick drop in the squat, and a not-so-rigid torso during rows.

This is a no no. Allowing your body/muscles to become lax during a set is considered wrong. Rather, you should be keeping your body rigid and muscles contracted.

Why? From the sources I've read,* a higher load is transferred to your connective tissues (tendons and ligaments). This results in less gain for your muscles and more stress to the connective tissues.

Pull-ups: As Mike Robertson cues, start with your scaps pulled down and back "into your pockets."
Bench, squat, rows, & everything else: Keep the muscles contracted!

Bottom line: Don't become like jelly during your sets.

Have a good weekend folks!

*The sources,

Charles Poliquin
Jason Ferrugia
Carter Schoffer
Science and Practice of Strength Training

Taste of Success

2010-12-01T17:02:00.005-05:00

If this quote fits you, you're doing something right.

"First, they ignore you, then they laugh at you,
then they fight you, then you win." - Gandhi

I hear about it happening to other people making progress or achieving something worthwhile. Oddly enough, they may receive hate or criticism.

Experiencing it is another thing. It means you're on the right path.

And let me just say, success tastes good.

Holiday Damage Control

2010-11-24T11:50:00.005-05:00

Turkeys: Robots in disguise?

Posts have become a bit more infrequent - once a week as opposed to two - recently, however there is still plenty to write about.

First, the 200lb. front squat has been pushed back again. I have some inflammation in my right knee and was ordered no squatting for 2 weeks. The pain's reduced so hopefully things are good to go in December.

Likewise, the semester's winding down so a flurry of things will fly at me. It's been 2 1/2 weeks since I've hit the gym. One week was a deload and the other a recovery week for the knee.

But today? We lift!

Been tossing some ideas around on what to do and I'm thinking:

1a) Snatch 3x2
1b) Muscle-up 3x2
2) Conventional deadlift or Duck-feet deadlift 4x3
3a) Barbell row or inverted row 3x4
3b) Behind the neck push press 3x4
4) Abz son (most likely heavy front squat hold)

One exercise more than I usually do, 6 as opposed to 4-5, hence I knocked down the volume.

Any how, seeing as how people gorge on copious amounts of food during the holidays, Carter Schoffer brings you tips to reduce guttus maximus this Thanksgiving.

"In order to hedge against the unfavourable body comp effects holiday meals have, there are a few easy to follow strategies you should employ. These being -
Exercise or perform a physical activity an hour or two prior to the meal. This can be a resistance training bout, cardio bout, long/brisk walk, playing with the kids (if you have any) or some "fun" with your significant other.
Consume a protein shake (just a scoop of a milk protein blend with some water will suffice), a few fish oil caps and a piece of fruit (pear or apple) about an hour before your meal. This won't "spoil" your meal as it won't be all that filling but it will put a dent in your cravings while still allowing you to eat enough to be satiated. It will also go a long way toward blunting the blood sugar / insulin response.
Eat your veggies first. This works along the same lines as the above bullet point. Be sure to have a good large serving or servings. Again you'll still be able to enjoy the other foods but eating the veggies first places priority on good nutrition while blunting gluttony.
Go for a walk or perform some other form of physical activity after the meal, before passing out on the couch.
Consume a cup of green tea (2 bags) before and after the meal.
Optionally if you've had experience with ephedrine in the past you may wish to take 16-24mg with the green tea 30 min or so before the meal. This is completely optional and I don't exactly recommend you do this. The reason why you would wish to do this is because it will upregulate your metabolism while also giving you an artificial energy kick to get the exercise / physical activity done. Furthermore, it's a mild anorectic. Other less aggressive "fat burners" may also be useful."

Sound good?

Have a good time everyone.

*EDIT: Just got back from the gym with zero muscle-ups. :(

Adversity

2010-11-08T12:01:00.004-05:00

It's the 2008 Olympics race for the gold medal between China's Lu Yong and Belarus's Andrei Rybakou. Andrei Rybakou takes the lead by successfully lifting more in the snatch during the first portion of the competition.

See how the rest unfolds:

I come across many videos I enjoy, however none as much as this.

It serves as a tiny sneak peek into the next multi-part series I'll be doing for 2011 - the title may be a clue. While the actual series has not been officially named nor have I developed the exact format, there will be a formal introduction to explain it all in due time.

If you liked the last one, then this will be of similar quality or possibly even better.

Stay tuned folks.

Hips Position in the Deadlift

2010-11-05T19:25:00.009-04:00

I mentioned how I was off in my deadlift set-up. I, being ignorant, finally realized what the trouble was.

Between the Romanian deadlifts I had done for an extensive period and the Olympic lifts, my hips were lifting at a high position regularly. This put me at a powerlifting pulling stance. While there isn't anything wrong with it, I'm not a powerlifter.

That wasn't the problem. The problem was I couldn't lower my hips and start in the way I previously was. A cue I tend to give others is to look at the floor in front of you. Funny thing is, I wasn't using it when I was going over my own form.

Let's break down the 3 hip angles. Low height, medium height, and high.

Couldn't find any diagrams decent enough to use, thus Paint to the rescue.
(click to enlarge)

The image above is what I'll be using to describe the different hip positions. It's a crude drawing and not everything is exact/to proportion, but is sufficient to serve the purpose of this post. Torso angle [indicated by the blue line] and line of eyesight [indicated by the dashed red line] are most important to note.

A) Low
This isn't an ideal pulling position. It's akin to trying to "squat" the weight up. Here we can tell the hips are too low due to the angle of the torso being almost completely vertical/perpendicular to the floor.

You can tell your torso is too upright if your eyes are staring directly at the wall in front of you - assuming your neck is in neutral position, meaning you're not craning it upwards but rather it forms a straight line aligned with your spine.

B) Medium
This is where I wanted to get back at. It was extremely helpful to look at the floor a few feet in front of me. My hips naturally fell into the correct position. Previously - coming up in picture C - I felt a tremendous emphasis on my glutes and lower back.

Another way to think of it, I picked up from Bret Contreras, is your body forms a "lightning bolt." If your eyes are looking in the right spot, your neck will be in neutral alignment and you won't be able to look at the wall straight ahead nor the bar under you.

C) High
This resembles a powerlifting deadlift. I simply didn't like my hips being higher up than I was accustomed to. I didn't feel my hamstrings as involved compared to before, and my lower back & glutes were pulling much more.

Here the torso is very close to parallel with the floor and your eyes will be facing the ground directly under you allowing you to see the barbell.

Position A isn't recommended because it's not deadlifting. B & C are fine. However if I'm coaching anyone I recommend B.

Why? Unless they're into powerlifting, I haven't seen a reason to advise it over the other position.

So, how's it feel deadlifting where I was at?

Amazing! I'm comfortably pulling heavy off the floor again with ease and I haven't even become sore yet.

The quest to a 400lb. deadlift begins now.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Fear

2010-10-22T16:50:00.007-04:00

20 years old and has
more cohones than me.

The above picture is criminology student Marisol Valles Garcia. She is now a police chief in Mexico.

Why her you ask? Apparently the article states no one else is willing to take the job because of the danger it poses. Not too hard to understand why when their police force officers are abducted and murdered.

Marisol is not afraid. She won't be scared. She will not use aggression to take down the criminals, but instead aims to use knowledge and education to give confidence to the citizens and empower them.

She is not scared.

This is an important lesson that far too many people I see fall victim to in their lives. Fear itself. It typically takes the form of the unknown and that which hasn't been experienced paralyzing many in their actions and choices.

If that happens, you're a coward. There isn't any other way to put it. Sure we get scared, but is it ever that bad? What's the worst that can happen? And is what you envision really going to happen?

To best sum up my point, let's quote Dave Chappelle on his first time getting booed off stage:

"And that was the best thing that ever happened to me. Best thing because before that time I had never bombed, let alone get booed off stage. And bombing was horrifying. Nobody wants to bomb.

So that night was liberating because I failed so far beyond my wildest nightmares of failing that it was like, "Hey, they're all booing...my friends are here watching, my mom - this is not that bad."

And after that I was fearless to get into the New York comedy circuits."

We can't let fear get the best of us. What if Dave Chappelle felt so humiliated from that single experience he never did comedy again? He would never have been successful.

Yesterday in my class, coincidentally a topic on fear came up.

Cowards run away from it.
Those who don't know what to do behave & are irrational towards it.
Those unafflicted by it act unphased.

I think the above summarizes how we react to fear quite well. We should strive to develop the mentality of the last bullet point.

The greatest upset I see is the potential individuals miss out on because they are afraid.

This is very true to training and diet. The missed gains, time saved, happiness, efficiency, and complete experience.

What if an exercise looks different from what everyone else is doing? What if you're warming up with light weights? What if you pass on dessert? What if you decide to try something new?

The safe zone is the boring & dull zone.

Have a good weekend everyone.

New Look

2010-10-18T11:25:00.004-04:00

If you haven't seen already, I chose a different template for the blog over the weekend. I thought it was an upgrade to the previous default layout. Although there will be a day when there's a complete overhaul to make it more customized to my liking, hopefully you all like this one for now.

I don't ask for user feedback much. This appears to be an instance where I could use it. If the majority of folks aren't feeling this new look, I can always revert back to the other style.

Along the top are the previous pages [contact, resources, all that good stuff] and to the right-side I added a new widget that displays the most popular posts in the last 7 days. Aside from those two things, everything else appears to be the same.

So this isn't a complete waste of a post, I can give an update on the training goals I set in late August. November 7th was a perfect week to test my 1-rep maxes but due to being sick last week, I'll be pushing everything back 4-5 days later to finish my current cycle and deload sufficiently.

1) Front Squat: This is #1 priority compared to the other two. I originally planned 200, but I think I'll be able to do more.

I did front box squats previous month and now I'm debating on whether to do cluster training, wave loading, or one & one-quarter reps. Isn't so much as to which will prove effective, but rather the question is "do I want to use this now to achieve the goal sooner or wait until I stall when I really need it?"

2) Dragon Flag: I bumped this up over the deadlift because I feel like I should be able to do it by the time I'm ready to test. Currently using various RKC planks, front squat holds, and dead bugs.

3) Deadlift: 2 years ago I was deadlifting amazingly. Ton of weight and form was spot on. I then switched to Romanian deadlifts for around 6 months and when I went back to conventional pulling, I was all types of off on my set-up.

Right now I'm not sure if I want to keep this as one of the goals. It wouldn't hurt to try, but I also have tons of ideas to use in my programming for upcoming months. I won't fully know until 2-3 weeks later.

That's all from me today.

Anyone else have some goals to hit? How are they going?

Chipotle

2010-10-15T13:10:00.008-04:00

Or as my roommate pronounces it, "Chipottle."

Posts are slims in these parts I reckon. Being sick (twice in 2 weeks) and exams put a downer on things, but here's a quick and easy one for today.

Often enough, I hear Chipotle touted as either being healthy or unhealthy. I presume the healthy part being the beans, meat, and/or peppers & onions whereas the unhealthy is the white wrap, tons of rice they add, and the huge portion.

But fear not! We can fix this burrito into a more manageable item. Take a gander at what I do.

Step 1

Have a big bowl and brown rice.
Frozen is easy to microwave up in a jiffy.

Step 2

Unwrap or gut open your burrito.
Optional: Bake it to get it warm again.

Step 3

Toss the brown rice into the massive bowl.

Step 4

Cover the rice with your burrito's fixings.

And there you have it. I tend to get a burrito without any rice, chicken, black beans, peppers & onions, mild salsa, cheese, and lettuce.

The benefit of doing this is you now have a crap load of food for 2 servings. Alternatively if you have your own wheat wraps that are similar in size to the Chipotle ones, you can simply do a transfer.

Have a good weekend everyone. I'll be spending mine trying to recover from whatever it is I have.