Montreal Highlights

I am back from Canada and I had an amazing time!! I have been too busy to write since I got back but I am starting back up this week...... so the nagging emails can stop :-)

Here are some of the highlights from my visit to Montreal:

1. Training the pulse. This made a HUGE light bulb go off in my head. The pulse is something that Stuart McGill has presented in recent lectures and has been looking at in his research with the greatest athletes in the world. His research and testing is trying to answer, "What makes great athletes great"? The pulse, as Stu explains, is a explosive contraction (pulse) followed by a relaxation phase, followed by another explosive contraction (pulse). The tests are showing that the best athletes do this much more efficient than others. Now that we know this pulsing idea exists, how do we train for it? Stuart gave me some great ideas........don't you wish you knew what they were ;-)

2. My friend Jon Chaimberg is a very smart coach. He gave me a great tool for training MMA athletes to work through fatigue and simulate "getting rocked" in a fight. Since I got back, I have been playing with some of his pre-exhausting ideas and I am liking them very much. Jon has a DVD coming out soon and it will be a must have for everyone's video libraries. I'll let you know when it is out.

3. Georges st. Pierre is as nice in person as he seems to be on tv. In fact all of the athletes up there were extremely nice. They are some of the best representations of the sport of mixed martial arts.

4. Stuart McGill assured me that my opinions on pilates are correct.

5. Jon let me train some of his fighters while I was there. It was actually really nice to be able to work while I was gone, I enjoy it. I also was able to train jiu-jitsu with some of the guys including David Loiseau and Jonathan Goulet.

6. It doesn't get much cooler than Dr. Stuart McGill in an Impact Jiu-Jitsu shirt!!


7. UFC Welter Weight Champion Georges st. Pierre


If you want to see more pictures from the trip.......find me on facebook.com.

DN

Off to Canada.....

Well, I won't be blogging at all this next week. I am heading to Montreal to visit my friend Jonathan Chaimberg of Adrenaline Performance Center. Jon is most known as the strength coach of some of MMA's most elite fighters including Georges st. Pierre, Denis Kang, David Loiseua, Rashad Evans, Keith Jardine and many more. Jon is the best strength coach in MMA and I look forward to picking his brain. As equally exciting, Jon has Stuart McGill, the worlds leading back researcher, coming in to do some research and testing on his athletes while I am there. Most of you know that I have a "Man Crush" on Stuart, so I am VERY VERY excited.......Oops did I just say that???!!!

Plan on some great stuff when I get back!!

DN

New Article on Strengthcoach.com

I had a new article come out this week at strengthcoach.com. It is called "The Deadlift: teaching it and fixing it". It is written more for trainers and coaches but can definatley serve some purpose for others. If you don't have a membership to strengthcoach.com (why don't you?), you can read it at impact-pt.com.

DN

Anyone for a Cold Shower??

For those of you who have done any hydrotherapy like a cold plunge, I am sure you are aware of the benefits. There are not many things that make you feel better or recover faster from a hard training session than a cold plunge. It can be a bit shocking the first time you hop into 50 degree water but after doing it a few times, you begin to actually crave it!

There is a problem though. How many of your homes or the gyms you train at have a cold plunge ready? Yes, you could fill up your bath with some ice and water. But that can be a hassle. And if you want to incorporate a Hot/Cold contrast (going back and forth from cold water to hot water), you would have to drain and refill the tub over and over. Not happening!

So the logical solution would be the shower. Now, I have experienced both hot/cold plunging and hot/cold showers and there is no doubt that the plunge is better. But there are absolutely great benefits from the shower. If you have not done this, definitely give it a try.

Begin with hot water for 2 minutes and cold water for about 30 seconds. After a few times of trying this, increase the time you are in the cold water. I prefer to go 1 minute hot and 1-3 minute cold. A trick that I do is to make the hot water fairly uncomfortable (very, very warm!!).......this makes the cold feel more refreshing and tolerable.

This is a part of my weekly recovery strategies. Give it a try. I think you will be surprised at how much you will actually start to like it.

DN

Six Nutrition Tips From Dr. John Berardi

Here are six nutrition tips from John Berardi. These are the basics and if you are not following these basic MOST of the time..........plan to fail!! You can visit Dr. Berardis website at Precisionnutrition.com

1. Eat every 2-3 hours.
Are you doing this – no matter what? Now, you don’t need to eat a full meal every 2-3hours but you do need to eat 6-8 meals and snacks that conform to the other rules below.

2. Eat complete, lean protein each time you eat.
Are you eating something that was an animal or comes from an animal – every time you feed yourself? If not, make the change. Note: If you’re a vegetarian, this rule still applies – you need complete protein and need to find non-animal sources.

3. Eat vegetables every time you eat.
That’s right, in addition to a complete, lean protein source, you need to eat some vegetables every time you eat (every 2-3 hours, right?). You can toss in a piece of fruit here and there as well. But don’t skip the veggies.

4. Eat carbs only when you deserve to.
Well, not ALL carbs – eat fruits and veggies whenever you want. And if want to eat a carbohydrate that’s not a fruit or a vegetable (this includes things like simple sugars, rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, etc), you can – but you’ll need to save it until after you’ve exercised. Yes, these often heavily processed grains are dietary staples in North America, but heart disease, diabetes and cancer are medical staples – and there’s a relationship between the two! To stop heading down the heart disease highway, reward yourself for a good workout with a good carbohydrate meal right after (your body best tolerates these carbohydrates after exercise). For the rest of the day, eat your lean protein and a delicious selection of fruits and veggies.

5. Learn to love healthy fats.
There are 3 types of fat – saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Forget about that old “eating fat makes you fat” maxim. Eating all three kinds of fat in a healthy balance (about equal parts of each) can dramatically improve your health, and even help you lose fat. Your saturated fat should come from your animal products and you can even toss in some butter or coconut oil for cooking. Your monounsaturated fat should come from mixed nuts, olives, and olive oil. And your polyunsaturated fat should from flaxseed oil, fish oil, and mixed nuts.

6. Ditch the calorie containing drinks (including fruit juice).
In fact, all of your drinks should come from non-calorie containing beverages. Fruit juice, alcoholic drinks, and sodas – these are all to be removed from your daily fare. Your best choices are water and green tea.

DN

Strengthcoach.com Audio Interview with Dewey Nielsen

I did an audio interview this week at strengthcoach.com. It was on my recent article "Common mistakes of a mixed martial artist, from a strength and conditioning perspective"

Have a listen here

DN

Some Random Thoughts:

1. It seems a lot of folks in the fitness industry like gimmicks. Fancy speed ladder drills, stability ball exercises, bosu ball stuff, balance boards, tire flipping, and so on. What ever happened to the basics? Most everything has its place but people seem to jump on the bandwagon of the newest sexy exercises and forget about the basics. You know? Getting people stronger. Increasing ones strength will have the BIGGEST impact (no pun intended) on someones fitness level. Squats, Deadlifts, Pushups, Bench press, Chinups, Rows, etc. Get back to the basics...........Be brilliant at the basics!!!

2. I will say this again, if you are a trainer, coach, PT, Chiro or involved in the health and wellness industry and you are not a member of Strengthcoach.com, become one NOW! Seriously!!

3. Deadlifts rock!! Two of my favorite ways to teach them are sumo deadlifts with a kettlebell and trap bar deadlifts.I should have a new article out on strengthcoach.com on deadlifts in the next few weeks.......One more reason to join :-)

4. You know what else rocks? SLED PUSHING!! I am beginning to think it is as important as oxygen.......

5. Oh yeah and speaking of gimmicks. Check out Eric Cressey's new book The Truth About Unstable Surface Training. Some very good stuff! Trust me.

6. My friend Anthony Renna wrote an article a while back called "No more sit-ups, No more crunches". Take some time to read it. Its very good! And a recent "GURU" I talked to........ Lets call him Mr. "Internet" Guru.......Well, he should enjoy the read. I wish I could be a GURU.

7. Halloween is tomorrow! Have fun!!

DN

Mixed Martial Arts and Distance Running

I see it all the time, preparing for the demands of the Boston marathon instead of an MMA fight.

This is the single most common mistake that I see in the sport of mixed martial arts. Not only do you see this in probably every athlete at the amateur level but it is a viral infection among professional MMA fighters. Just turn on an episode of the ultimate fighter and you will see guys taking heavy hits of LSD (Long Slow Distance). In other words, these guys are going jogging along with other types of slow endurance type conditioning. This is the kiss of death for the sport of MMA. First you must realize that MMA is NOT an aerobic sport. I’m sure that’s not a shocker. But it is absolutely jaw dropping how many guys are literally conditioning for a marathon type event before a fight! MMA is an anaerobic sport with repetitive bouts of power output, hence why we will use an oxymoron “Power Endurance”, for lack of a better term. Georges St. Pierre is a perfect example of an MMA athlete training correctly for the sport. Georges’ strength coach, Jon Chaimberg, is the best in the sport and I will guarantee that you won’t see Jon giving his athletes doses of LSD.

Second, our body adapts to the demands that we place on it. Plain and simple: Train slow, Perform slow. High intensity interval training with progressions toward negative rest to work ratios (ex: tabatas) should be the staple of an MMA conditioning program.

"For the last time, training like this for MMA will DESTROY your performance!!"

Here is an example of a common interval progression we use (note that you can use various equipment for this, sprinting, airdyne, slideboard, etc.):

2-3 weeks – work = :30/ rest = 1:30 (start with 5 sets and add one per week)
2-3 weeks – work = :30/ rest = :60
2-3 weeks – work = :30/ rest = :30
2 weeks (modified tabatas)– work = :10 / rest = :20 x 4 minutes (that’s one set)
2 weeks (modified tabatas)– work = :15 / rest = :15 x 4 minutes (that’s one set)
2 weeks (tabatas) – work = :20 / rest = :10 x 4 minutes (that’s one set)

This can be modified to whatever is right for the athlete. Some athletes may spend more time in a specific progression than others, depending on their current conditioning, age, goals, fight notice, etc. It should be of the most importance that the athlete gets to negative work to rest ratios as soon as possible (without overtraining). So again, this is just an example.

For an MMA athlete, classic endurance work like jogging, etc, makes about as much sense as punching yourself in the zipper for an hour. Next time you watch a fight and see the fighter gas out quick, its more than likely he has been having heavy doses of LSD. In fact, see if you can get a look at his strength and condition program online and have a look for yourself.

Some athletes and coaches may make the argument of using classic endurance work for weight management. Again, interval training reigns supreme here. But this brings up a very important component called “Nutrition”. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of John Berardi’s book “The Grapplers Guide to Sports Nutrition”.

DN

Squats: Toes Out or Toes Forward?

Q: There are conflicting views at my gym between the trainers on whether the toes should be turned out or straight ahead during a squat. What is your view on this topic?

A: Many Coaches and trainers say that during loaded squats it is best to have the toes turned out 7-15 degrees. I completely agree with this. One will get more glute activity with some slight external rotation. Not to mention, it is much more comfortable for most.

"Toes out is okay.......just put on some bigger britches than the Tom Selleck look-a-like"

One thing you must realize is that there is a difference between training the squat and testing the squat. I think this is where some of the confusion between trainers stems from. When I have an athlete or client first come in, I run them through a Functional Movement Screen. The first test in the FMS is a squat pattern. During the test we ask the athlete to maintain a toes forward position throughout the movement. This is so that we can began from a neutral position for scoring purposes. We are looking to see if the athlete can "prevent" external rotation, pronation, valgus, etc. If they can prove that they are able to prevent these compensations, then they are cleared to began "training" the squat.

So, my view is that we test the squat (unloaded) with the toes forward and we train the squat (loaded) with the toes slightly out.

DN

What The Hell???

I really don't know what to say..........


http://view.break.com/582303 - Watch more free videos

DN

How to Look Like an Idiot and Get Beat up 101:

DN

Want Back Pain? Try Pilates

Oh boy......This one is gonna stir the pot.

How pilates became so popular, I don't know. Maybe it's the pretty girls in Lycra pants that do it or the fact that you can stay in one spot for an hour and call it exercise? Or, maybe it's the list of lies and false promises??

Build long, lean muscles - LIE
Tone and burn fat - Half truth
Strengthen your back - That should be read "Possibly ruin your back"
Get strong - You cannot progressively lift a heavier weight unless you plan on gaining body weight.
Lose belly fat - Spot reduction training?? Yeah and Peter Pan is real.

The list probably goes on.

These lies are really not the problem. Most everybody uses these lies to sell fitness products and gimmicks. The big problem I have with pilates is the fact that it requires bouts of repetitive flexion. Along with that, they ask you to draw your belly button towards your spine to stabilize your back. So, not only are they asking you to perform the mechanism of disc herniation (repetitive cycles of flexion/extension) but they are asking you to do this with an inefficient way to stabilize the spine (drawing in). Really, it looks a lot like the recipe for back problems.

In fact, the next time you see an avid pilates person, take a look at their posture. Because they have gone through so many repetitions of lumbar flexion, you will notice that their rib cage is actually being drawn towards their pelvis. This is not a good thing.

Now, before all of the hate mail fills up my inbox, let me be clear. Not all things in pilates are bad. I'm not saying that. All I'm saying is that SOME things in pilates are not wise. With the amazing work that geniuses like Stuart McGill have put out, it is infant like to ignore it and say that high amounts of repetitive flexion is "okay"........or even worse, "good for you".

It's funny, when I write about the subjects of crunching, situps and spinal flexion, I get a little bit of hate mail. But even funnier (or sad), is that NOT ONE of these people have read the research. And these are the people working with other human bodies........scary!!

My friend Tom Schram (who by the way, is a very good trainer in the Seattle area) sent me a great article that sparked this post. Click here if you are interested in reading it. So all hate mail can be re-directed from my inbox to Tom's :-)

DN

Fightingmind.com Interview with Dewey Nielsen

Dewey Nielsen - Interview by Paul McVeigh (CWFC World Champion) of fightingmind.com


Article courtesy of Paul McVeigh, fightingmind.com

Dewey Nielsen
Dewey is a reputable and respected strength coach based in Oregon. As well as being a Strength and Conditioning expert he is also a successful mma coach and holds a brown belt in Jiu Jitsu. Having this combination makes Dewey a man we had to talk too. Read on to discover his thoughts on performance enhancement for combat Sports......



DN

Why You Are Still Fat

Time for a reality check..... Take a couple minutes to watch:



"Cheater Cheater Over Eater"

DN

IPT Athletes go Undefeated!

It was a good day for Impact this past weekend and the Oregon Open grappling tournament! Big congrats to all three IPT athletes for going undefeated for the day:

Andy Wong won the Purple belt middle weight division and the Purple belt Absolute division. Andy racked up the points on all of his opponents with a smooth and methodical game. It seemed every time I blinked Andy was sweeping someone with his smoking half guard!

Bryan Marugg won the Blue belt light weight division and the no gi intermidiate light weight division. Bryan won every match by submission and if this isn't impressive enough, Bryan is not even old enough to actually have a Blue belt. He is only 15. MAN CHILD!!!

Pro Escebedo won the no gi Heavy weight intermediate division. This was actually Pro's first time competing in a "Jiu-jitsu" tournament. Pro is a solid MMA fighter and the current Light heavy weight champ for the Full Contact Fight Federation. It was great to see him compete in a different environment then he is used to........not being able to punch people :-) If you live in Oregon, come out and watch Pro defend his FCFF title in early December.

DN

Featured Exercise(s)

RINGS!!!! I love them!!! Here some examples of a few exercises we use our rings for:

Pushup (Horizontal Push) - This is one of the hardest pushups you will EVER do! Lots of shoulder stability.......I love it!!

Inverted Row (Horizontal Pull) - I have shown this before......maintain pillar like stability and pinch the scaps together.

Prone Press Outs (Anterior Core) - This one looks easy but is an extremely challenging exercise. Be conservative at first. If you do not follow a proper progression and push out too far, I will almost guarantee that your spine will buckle.



Gymnastic rings can be used in a gym or at home........just throw them over the rafters in the basement. Order a set today!

DN

Hey Hunch Back!! Yeah I'm Talking To You.....

Hunch back posture is not only predominately found in the "Computer Man", but it seems to be a plague among kids and even athletes. Everywhere I go I see people with rounded shoulders and a head popping forward as if they were a rooster strutting it's stuff for a hen.

The title of this post could have been "How to get taller", because you are literally inches shorter with this slouched posture. But being shorter isn't the worst thing. Kyphotic posture can lead to many things like shoulder pain, neck pain, back pain, etc.

"The evolutionary process of computer man".


Athletes with severe kyphosis will lose strength and power in virtually everything they do. This is do the muscular imbalances and massive energy leaks. Force WILL NOT travel correctly from the ground through the legs and hips, up to the core and through the upper extremities. So, not only will you be in pain and create a higher risk for injury but you are making yourself weaker!!

For the MMA and BJJ guys reading this, make sure you read the "Common Mistakes of a Mixed Martial Artist - from a strength and conditioning perspective".

Here are some simple things you can start doing right away to combat this ugly posture and stop looking like something out of Lord of the Rings:

Soft tissue work for the pecs


Thoracic spine mobility


Active pec stretch


Wallslide - This is a great bang for your buck......Scap activation, active pec stretch, active lat stretch.

Note: This is actually a progression. Don't begin this seated. Perform it standing and grind your forearms on the wall. The idea is to not allow any space between your arms and the wall at anytime. If you cannot achieve this, try it one arm at a time.

DN

What not to wear when participating in the "Race for the Cure"

I recently participated in the "Race for the Cure" and ending up getting quite a site.

This should be logical......"Do not wear shorts so short that the entire world can see you Yam Bag"!! Apparently this guy didn't get the memo that we were raising money towards breast cancer, NOT trying to make 30,000 people throw up.




DN

No Gym? No Problem.....

Q: I travel fairly often. When I am on the road I rarely have time to seek out a gym. The hotels I stay at have nothing more than a junkie universal gym machine and dumbbells that could hardly challenge a 4th grade school girl. Is there a way to increase/maintain strength and power while traveling?

A: Yes, but obviously its not ideal. You can get a pretty decent body weight workout to get you by. The only thing that is challenging to do is pulling exercises. A heavy band can work for this. I send my traveling clients off with a miniband (for activation exercises), tennis ball (for soft tissue work), a heavy resistance band for rowing variations and maybe a valslide. Here is what a workout may look like:

1. Soft tissue work with a tennis ball

2. Flexibility/Mobility

3. Activation (glutes, psoas, etc.)

4. Movement prep

5. Power: (the folks staying below you in the hotel will love this)

Jump squat
Lateral bound

6. Strength:

Tri-set one:
SL squat (use a chair for range of motion)
Feet Elevated Pushup (try a 5 sec down, 5 sec hold and drive up)
Side Bridge

Tri-set two:
Valslide leg curls
One arm band row
PDAL

You could also make this have a more metabolic effect by taking no rest between sets.

There you go........no reason not to workout :-)

DN

Featured IPT Client

I thought I would give everyone a before/after shot of one of our clients at IPT. Jamie is one of the most pleasant individuals to be around and made an AMAZING body transformation!! And sorry boys, she just recently got engaged........congratulations Jamie!!



Here is what Jamie had to say about her training experience:

".......I have been to gyms and worked out on the equipment. I have worked out with trainers from other gyms – but it is only since training with Dewey that I realized and then surpassed my fitness and weight loss goals. Dewey made my time at the gym more efficient and effective and beyond that, gave me the additional information I needed to achieve success. The key was my willingness to learn from him and trust his advice. The result has been a loss of 40 lbs and being in the best condition of my life."

DN

Featured Exercise: Side Bridge

The side bridge is one of Stuart McGill's BIG 3. One of the best benefits to the side bridge is that it gives you the highest abdominal load with minimal spinal load. It's a WIN WIN. The video is a progressions that we do over several weeks. These are NOT done in one session.



Try this:

3-4 weeks: Side Bridge - knees (beginner)
3-4 weeks: Side Bridge - feet stacked (intermediate)
3-4 weeks: Side Bridge - feet elevated (advanced)
3-4 weeks: Side Bridge - jumping jack (super hero......yes Andy is a super hero)

We typically perform 30 second holds each side or 10 reps each side

DN

Power to the Pushup

The pushup is one of the most underrated exercises. It is a great corrective exercise, anterior core exercise and strength exercise. Yes big dudes, pushups are a great strength exercise (try throwing on a heavy weight vest and you will get the picture)!

The pushup is what Gray Cook and Lee Burton refer to as a Primitave Pattern. It is one of the first patterns we learn in the human growth development process. So, it is probably more important to learn a proper pushup before someone is squatting, lunging and deadlifting.

Also, you get some great serratus anterior activation because the scapulae are free to move. You don't get this in a bench press because we want a "packed" shoulder and minimal scap movement.

If you are not including pushups in your program.......start yesterday. If you are including pushups in your program, let's make sure you do them right.

Here are the three most common errors in the pushup:

1: Elbows flared (Yes, this hurt)


This can really wreak havoc on your shoulders over time. On a similar note, this is also a common mistake in bench pressing.

2: Sway back (Yes, this one hurt worse)


This is usually indicative of a weak core. Usually a pretty simple fix.

3: Head up


Driving the head up can tend to kick in the upper trap a bit and lead to some scapular elevation which can create instability in the shoulder complex.

And finally, a correct pushup!


Look to have "pillar" like stability through the body along with a slight elbow tuck. Also, focus on "clawing" the ground with your hands. This will create more shoulder and core stability.

DN

Over-Reaction to Static Stretching

This is in response to a handful of my clients recently being told that static stretching before their workout is detrimental. Hop on the "Logic Train" and enjoy the ride!!


A constantly debated topic in the fitness industry is the use of static stretching. The popular statement that static stretching reduces force output has made individuals completely over-react to static stretching. Some trainers and coaches now avoid static stretching like the plague, especially the use of it before resistance training.

Many world class coaches use static stretching and use it before resistance training with great results. Mike Boyle, Alwyn Cosgrove, Joe DeFranco, Martin Rooney and many others all incorporate static stretching in their program design.

You must understand that it is NEVER the modality that is the problem.......It is the misunderstanding of how to USE the modality and the misinterpretation of research.

We use static stretching all the time and you know what? We use it BEFORE resistance training. I can hear the shrieking screams now!! Look at this logically. We know that static stretching has some inhibiting qualities to it. Basically if you static stretch a muscle, that muscle will be a little more relaxed for a short duration following the stretch. This is not really a bad thing. If someone has tight pecs, I could stretch their pecs and before doing a set of Rows in order to get more scapular retraction. I could also stretch someones hip flexors before they do a vertical jump in order to get the hip extensors to do their job without interference of the antagonist. So, the inhibition of the muscle was exactly what I was looking for. As you can see, it is not the modality that is the problem but rather not knowing how to use the modality.

A chainsaw is a great tool in a logger's hands but may be extremely dangerous in a 4 year olds hands.

The most popular time to do static stretching is post workout. This is fine but it only restores tissue length back to what it was before the workout. If you are looking to improve tissue length, stretch cold.......YES COLD. In fact, most soft tissue experts will tell you that if you want a structural change in the tissue you should stretch cold. And even better is to stretch directly after soft tissue work. This is exactly what we do. Foam roll first followed by static stretching.

Also understand that we do not stretch and then maximally lift a weight. Here is the order of our programming:

1. Soft-tissue work
2. Static stretch (commonly tight areas, ex: hip flexors, lateral hamstring, adductors, pecs, hip rotators)
3. Activation
4. Movement Prep
5. Speed
6. Power (med ball, plyos, etc.)
7. Strength
8. Condition

By the time we are strength training, it has been nearly 30 minutes since we have stretched. Do you seriously think that we are going to have negative benefits on our force output 30 minutes later??? Feel free to come into our gym and watch one of our fighters do some static stretching.........then have him kick you in the head and see if he has lost his strength and power. When you wake up from your reality check I will have a delicious protein recovery drink waiting for you :-)

"Do you wanna tell GSP that stretching is making him weak?"

Really we could make any research support a belief. If I tested your 3RM in the bench press and then immediately tested your 5RM, you would be significantly weaker. SHAZAAM!! We just provided research that says "Strength training makes you weaker"!!

Note: Go to Pubmed and re-read the research

DN

Simply Amazing

The way these kids move is simply amazing!! Talk about body awareness and athleticism......wow!!



DN

HFCS.....its back.......

I know what your saying, "CORN AGAIN??!! Give it a rest Dewey!!"

A few months ago I wrote about how the Corn Refiners Association was launching some major advertisement on High Fructose Corn Syrup because people are becoming more aware of how bad this crap is for you.

So here it is!! The cheesiest commercials about how HFCS is okay for you because its.........."Made From Corn". These are the same dirty marketing strategies that the tobacco folks use to tell us nicotine is not addictive.

What they don't tell is that this stuff is pretty much banned in places like Canada, Europe and Mexico.




Kinda sounds like a drug dealer huh? "Here little Johnny, just snort one or two lines.......a little Cocaine won't hurt."

DN

Kick Cancer in the A$$

We have formed an Oregon First Community Team (my wife's employer) for the Susan G. Komen, Portland Race for the Cure. The event is Sept. 21 2008 and we are participating in a 5k walk to benefit breast cancer research.

This cause has personally effected many of us including my Mother and good friend Laura Stroth who are both breast cancer survivors!!

Oregon and Washington have the highest rates of breast cancer in the nation and is the leading cause of death in women between ages 40-59. Each year 2,444 women are diagnosed in Oregon and 4156 are diagnosed in Washington. 520 women in Oregon and 780 in Washington will die from breast cancer annually.

This is the 17th annual Portland Race and Mary's 4th time participating on a team. It's a really powerful event for a great cause that draws tons of people and we hope to have a stellar turn out . Donations can be made in Dewey's name at the following link.

Kick Cancer in the A$$

Thanks!!

DN

HIIT: Lose more fat

Aerobics suck!! There I said it. If you are doing 30 minutes to an hour of aerobic training to lose fat, you are wasting your time. If your goal is fat loss, high intensity interval training (HIIT) is your go to weapon. The downside to HIIT is…….well, it friggin’ sucks because it’s hard. But the benefits are:

Extreme fat loss
EPOC (exercise post oxygen consumption)
Elevated metabolism
Save time (most sessions are under 15 minutes, but remember it’s HARD)

Here is a study that showed interval training to be nine times more effective than traditional aerobics. Yes, NINE TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!

Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C.
Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism.
Metabolism. 1994 Jul;43(7):814-8

They compared 20 weeks of traditional aerobics to 15 weeks of interval training. The interval group burned less than half as many calories as the aerobic group. But the interval group lost nine times more fat!! In less weeks!! This is most likely due to EPOC. After interval training, EPOC is raised, metabolism is elevated and you are burning a significant amount of calories by doing nothing. In fact, some research has shown EPOC to be elevated as long as 40+ hours after training.

So, check out some of the research on EPOC:

Schuenke MD, Mikat RP, McBride JM.
Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: implications for body mass management.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2002 Mar;86(5):411-7. Epub 2002 Jan 29.

This study showed EPOC was elevated for 38 hours post workout. That means 38 hours of cooking away calories without doing anything. I’ll take that!!

Bryner RW, Ullrich IH, Sauers J, Donley D, Hornsby G, Kolar M, Yeater R.
Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate.
J Am Coll Nutr. 1999 Apr;18(2):115-21.

The resistance training group lost significantly more fat and the aerobic group actually decreased their metabolism (not good).

Kramer, Volek et al.
Influence of exercise training on physiological and performance changes with weight loss in men.
Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 31, No. 9, pp. 1320-1329, 1999.

Diet group: Lost 14.6 pounds
Diet/Aerobic group: Lost 15.6 pounds (only one pound more)
Resistance training group: Lost 21.1 pounds (again probably due to EPOC)

Even with all of the research, people with continue to do steady state aeorbics. Why? For the simple fact that it is EASY and interval training is HARD. Remember, traditional cardio makes you an efficient fat STORING machine.

So the next time you are at the gym and see someone doing some long slow aerobic training (for the goal of fat loss), throw a 5 pound plate at their head to knock some sense into them. And if you are that person running a long, slow, death to nowhere………..have someone throw a 10 pound plate at your head :-)

DN

Dinosaur Doctors

I just got off the phone with a friend of mine. He was asking if I had ever heard of prolotherapy. His girlfriend is having back problems and is getting shots of prolo. I don't know much about prolo so I won't act like I do but I will give some feed back on what I have heard:

Note: These are from a hand full of PT's I have talked with

1. It is better (maybe safer) than cortisone shots.
2. No known side affects.
3. Should still be a last resort


My advice would be to NOT get the shots until Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip stability has been assessed. Basically, how well does the lumbar spine, pelvis and hip integrate and stabilize together? Starting with the prolo shots is going about the problem completely backwards.

Now, with all that said, I will get to the REAL point.......The doctors advice. Remember that the prolo shots were for back pain. Following the shots, the doctor told here to, and I quote, "do ab work and lots of crunches along with stretching your back". Someone could not give worse advise for this situation!! This doctor should be chained to two 18 wheelers driving in opposite directions.

Once again we are proven that dinosaurs are not extinct...........



















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Gimmick Exposed!!

With all the fitness gimmicks and BS out there, I figured I would start a "Gimmick Exposed" feature to this blog. I may get some hate mail or get lynched in a dark alley at some point........but oh well.

Let's start with the most recent piece of crap I've seen, The downs disc

Here's my testimonial:

"If you would like to get weaker and look pathetic, all while creating some SEXY back pain, then you must get the downs disc asap!! The opposite sex will really dig the new lump on your low back (as long as they don't realize that the lump is actually a posterior herniated disc)."

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Christian the Lion

Alright, this has nothing to do with strength and conditioning, performance enhancement or corrective exercise.........but it is very neat!! I found this at Alwynn Cosgrove's blog. It's pretty amazing.



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Look for a Weak Synergist

Q: I recently pulled my quad while sprinting. This is a re-occurring problem. Along with my quad, last year I also pulled my hamstring twice. Is there anything I can do to hopefully prevent it happening again?

A: With any injury, one of the first things we do is look for a weak synergist. When people pull/strain their quadriceps, it is usually only one of the quads. Namely the Rectus Femoris. In this case, look at the Illio-Psoas. Most likely you will find significant weakness. With the hamstring, you will find weakness in the glutes.

Quad injuries = strengthen the psoas

Example of psoas activation

Hamstring injuries = strengthen the glutes

Example of glute activation

Think of it this way.:

Your glutes and hamstrings are teammates (they assist each other with many movements). Your glutes are the pilot (bigger, stronger muscle) and hamstrings are the co-pilot. What is happening here is the pilot has had little too much to drink and has fallen asleep so the co-pilot has to work overtime. In time, the co-pilot is going to get exhausted from always covering the pilots butt........literally.

Keeping Your Cool

I have no idea what Dick Hartzell was thinking in this video. Perhaps he chased some prescription pills down with a shot of whiskey. None the less, notice how he continues with his lecture...........now that's keeping your cool.



Yeah, what the hell was he thinking!!!???

DN

Featured Exercise

Inverted Row:

The inverted row is by far my favorite horizontal pulling exercise. Different than cable rows, during the inverted row one must maintain pillar like stability through out their body. Although you can perform it underneath a straight barbell, using a Jungle Gym will allow you to add a rotational component to it. In time, this option will save your shoulders by recruiting a more functional rotator cuff action to it.



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Stop Stretching Your Back!

Trying to increase range of motion at the lumbar spine is DANGEROUS. I haven’t really written in depth on this because I honestly forget that people don’t already know this. It is a subject that has been written about extensively, so I did not want to beat a dead horse. But I continue to see people come to me with low back stretches that their PT or Doctor gave them for their low back pain. So, if so many PT’s, Doctors, etc, don’t know this……….then how would the general public know? Let me be clear, unless you are looking to increase back pain, STOP trying to stretch your low back!!

Physical Therapist, Shirley Sahrmann states in her book, Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes, "Rotation of the lumbar spine is more dangerous than beneficial and rotation of the pelvis and lower extremities to one side while the trunk remains stable or is rotated to the other side is particularly dangerous." Sahrmann notes that "The overall range of lumbar rotation is approximately 13 degrees. The rotation between each segment from T10 to L5 is 2 degrees. The greatest rotational range is between L5 and S1, which is 5 degrees. The thoracic spine, not the lumbar spine should be the site of greatest amount of rotation of the trunk.”

You must understand that the primary role of the abdominals is to provide isometric stabilization and limit the rotation of the lumbar spine. If you are doing any of the following stretches/exercises, my advice is to stop before you have to chase one of your vertebrae down the street.













































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Back Squats and Shoulder Pain

Q: I am a powerlifter and have recently had to stop squatting because of severe shoulder pain. What can I do to train around the pain?

A: When someone’s shoulder is hurting during a back squat, it is usually a sign of shoulder impingement (external rotation + abduction). Depending on the severity, you may want to get it looked at. Front squatting (I prefer using straps) would most likely feel better than back squatting.












Front squat using straps

You could also try squatting with a Rackable Cambered Squat Bar . These are options to work around the pain and still create a training effect. But don’t neglect some good old soft tissue work. I'd bet your shoulder has some barnicles growing in it :-) ......The Foam Roller should be your best friend for a while.

The Deadlift: Teaching it and fixing it

One of my favorite quotes from Mike Boyle is “A bad program done well is better than a good program done poorly”. This holds so much truth. You can have the best program with the best exercises but they are close to worthless if the execution of the exercises are sloppy. As coaches we should dislike mediocrity and strive for our athletes to function properly in the gym so that they perform better in their sport. We need to learn when to be coaching intensive, when to shut up and what coaching cues are correct in the right moments. Read more......

Featured Exercise:

Medicine Ball Rotary Throw

Want to punch harder, kick faster, hit the ball further or just try a core exercise with a little edge? Not matter your sport, improving your rotary power will dramatically improve your performance. Plus, whats the point of having a well developed core with no power behind it? Try the 1/2 kneeling rotary throw for 3 weeks to learn how to properly load the far hip and transfer the energy from your hip, through your core and upper extremities. Once you are proficient at that progress to standing.

Med Ball Rotary Throw - 1/2 kneeling


Med Ball Rotary Throw - standing


Medicine Balls have a thousand different uses. They are a must have tool for any gym and/or home. Some Med balls bounce and some don't. Both are great and offer fantastic results.

DN

Efficient Ways To Get Fat And Stay Fat - Part 2

As promised, here is part 2. Enjoy!!

5. Lift light weights – Well, if you are going to lift weights. Make sure you lift light weights so that you don’t add any muscle. Because as you know now, muscle burns fat and we need to hold on to that fat.

Fat Burning Solution: I have written this before. Why would you lift a weight 10 times, when you could actually lift it 20 times? How does that make sense???? Welcome to the logic train………CHOO CHOO!!

6. Eat more sugar and starchy carbohydrates – Make sure to consume the larger percentage of your calories from sugar and starchy carbohydrates (rice, pasta, etc). This way your insulin levels sore and send your blood sugar into a whirlwind. Not only will you help hold on to fat but you might even score some diabetes!

Fat Burning Solution: Try to have things like rice, pasta and potatoes post workout only. All other times, get your carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables. Remember to consume a lean protein every time you eat. Although “calories in versus calories out” is a must in losing fat, it’s not just about the calories. Not everybody tolerates carbohydrates the same. Also, gluten (wheat and other grains containing gluten) is a large food allergen for many and has been linked to irritable bowel syndrome, heart disease and more. *Poor choices if you are looking to lose fat.*

7. Don’t change your workout program – Who wants results?? Results are for losers!! Keep doing the same workout program you have been doing Richard Simmons shorts were “IN”. If you keep on the same program, your body will adapt to the demands that you have placed on it. This way you will burn fewer calories during your workout because your body is used to it. Perfect for the goal of fat storing.

Fat Burning Solution: Insanity is defined as, “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. Sorry but someone had to say it :)

8. Skip breakfast - Ahhhh. Perfect. Nothing beats topping an 8-10 fast by……….fasting even longer. This is a fantastic way to kill your metabolism, lose muscle and store fat. Really try to push it. To maximize your fat storing results, try not to eat until noon. *Me skipping breakfast.....seriously, ask my wife.*

Fat Burning Solution: Have you ever thought about what “breakfast” means? Break the fast!! You have been fasting all night. It is of the most importance that you consume something right away! The Golden Rule is, eat within 15 minutes of waking up. If you have some time, make a veggie omelet. If you are running behind try 2 scoops of protein, a hand full of frozen blueberries, and 1-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds. Blend it up and go.

DN

Efficient Ways To Get Fat And Stay Fat - Part 1

Yes, I realize nobody wants to get fat and stay fat. Hopefully the sarcasm will make it a fun read. I will post Part 2 tomorrow.

1. Eat 1-2 meals per day – By only eating 1-2 times per day, your body can really go after that lean muscle for fuel and hold on to more fat. One pound of fat yields approximately 3500 calories. Because of this, your body will hold on to fat for survival purposes and feast off of your muscle. After all, who needs muscle?? *Said in a sarcastic voice*

Fat Burning Solution: Repeat after me, “I will eat every 2-3 hours”. Say it again, “I will eat every 2-3 hours”…….NO MATTER WHAT!! If you want to create a high firing metabolism, this is a must! You will create a thermogenic effect in your body and actually burn more calories by consuming more calories. Your total meals per day should be between 5 and 8. Note: These are mini-meals.

2. Do cardio for an hour – This is one of the best ways to become an efficient “fat storing” machine. When you perform long slow distance, low intensity, aerobic training, you are teaching your body to hang on to fat. Because you are in the mythical “fat burning” zone, you are using most of your fuel as fat during that hour of training. This sounds good at first, but now realize that you are programming your body to store fat for the other 23 hours of your day.

Fat Burning Solution: High Intensity Interval Training. The idea is to work as hard as you can for a designated time, rest for a designated time and do it again. This can be done in many different ways and on many different pieces of equipment. The Schwinn Airdyne bike is my favorite because you can have the least impact on your joints and the most impact on your muscular and energy system. For simplicity, lets use sprinting for an example. Here is a good work to rest ratio to start with:

Sprint for 30 seconds, rest for 90 seconds. Perform 5 sets. Add one set per week for 3-4 weeks. After that keep the work the same but take the rest down to 75-60 seconds. These sessions will last around 15 minutes. Sometimes a little less, sometimes a little longer. For the most part, stay away from traditional cardio (30 min-1 hour) if your goal is to shed fat.


*Some of our light heavyweight and heavyweight fighters working through some intervals on the bike. Miserable!!*

3. Eat very low calories – Just like only eating 1-2 times per day, eating around 1000-1200 calories can really help you hold on to more fat while pissing away that nagging muscle.

Fat Burning Solution: Most women will be around 1800-2000 calories and men around 3000-3500 calories. Of course this depends on the persons activity level, etc. But these are common numbers. Make sure these calories consist of lean protein, veggies and fruits.

4. Don’t lift weights – Now we can scare that muscle away for good. Because muscle burns fat, and we don’t want that (that rhymes). Combo this with an hour of cardio and you are on your way to holding onto that fat like mama bear holds on to baby bear.

Fat Burning Solution: Uhhhhhhhhh…………Lift weights. Period.

DN

Walking Lunges are not for beginners

Q: I read that you think Walking Lunges are an advanced exercise and beginners should not do them. Why?


A: First off, they are far too dynamic and require too much motor learning for a beginner. They will tend to pitch forward with they upper body and/or use their back leg to push them through. The action should actually be more of a "pull" with their forward leg while maintain a tight and tall torso. Once we progress to walking lunges, that's exactly what I cue: "Pull your hips through with your front leg and stay tight and tall". You can also have them drag their back foot to learn how to pull through. The only down side is it tears up your shoe.

Second, beginners will often complain the next day of a pulled groin. It's not actually a pulled groin, they are just really, really, really friggin' sore in their adductors.

My advice is that if you want to keep a new client, don't have them perform walking lunges to soon. They will be way too sore and you will look like you don't know how to teach an exercise. But if you dislike the person, day 1, walking lunge the hell out of them :-)

A nice progression is to begin with a Split Squat, which I consider "static supported". Next move to a Slideboard or Valslide Lunge. This becomes more dynamic and teaches the person to pull the hips through (with out shredding their shoes). After that, progress to walking lunges, which become even more dynamic due to a great eccentric emphasis. Spend 3 weeks with each exercise and you have a nice 9 week progression.

DN

Corn: One of the worst things you can eat

Is anyone sick of me writing about corn?.........That makes two of us :-)


Recently I was at a little get together. It was a great atmosphere, good people, drinks, nice weather and good food........or so one would think. The food is really what caught my eye. Everything appeared somewhat healthy but things aren't always what they appear. Corn and its evil cousin high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is one of the worst things you could eat, and it was in everything!

Here is a list of what was served:

Pasta Salad - The pasta had HFCS in it

Crackers with some hummus - The crackers had HFCS

Hamburgers - The beef was not organic or free range so you can guarantee it was fed some crappy corn meal. Which by the way, cows should not eat the stuff. They should be eating on the grass like they would naturally. In fact, corn meal makes them sick with diseases and if they did not slaughter them when they did, the cattle would soon die from a disease.

Hamburger Buns - Whole wheat non the less, which had HFCS

Cheese - Again, the cattle is fed corn meal so the cheese will have corn too.

Soda - Obviously crappy. HFCS

Cake - HFCS

Ice Cream - HFCS

And guess what else..........Corn on the cob!!! And no, corn on the cob is not okay and its not a vegetable. Its grain. A very crappy grain.

Bottom line is, be more aware of what you are eating and stay away from corn and its sickening derivatives.

DN

Featured Exercise

KETTLEBELL SWING:

This is a great exercise for many reasons. Its great for hip dominant/posterior chain work, double extension, power, power endurance (Yes I know that is an oxymoron), and conditioning/metabolic training. I also use it to teach a "hip snap". So it is one of our first things we use in Olympic Lifting progression.



If you haven't incorporated Kettlebells into your training or your clients training, I recommend starting now. There are a number of things that a kettlebell can offer, that no other peice of equipment can mimick. Click on the kettlebells to purchase one today.




DN

10 More Random Thoughts

Okay, more like 8 but 10 sounds cooler

1. The draw-in method (belly button towards the spine, TA activation) is not a good method to support spinal stability. In fact it de-stabilizes the spine. Your spine will buckle if you choose to draw-in while your body is under significant load. People should rather learn what Stuart McGill refers to as "Abdominal Bracing", which is a co-contraction of the abdominal musculature (RA, TA, Ext/Int Obliques). The research on TA activation has been very misunderstood.

2. If you have knee pain you should replace your walking and forward lunges with reverse lunges or slideboard lunges. Also, perform more hip dominant work than knee dominant. Basically, Deadlift more!!

3. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

4. Most personal trainers scare me!! I think there should be a governing body that throws personal trainers in jail for malpractice. Or at least a Grim Reaper looking dude that makes them Deadlift with a flexed spine so they can feel the same disc herniation that their clients feel.

5. Hip flexors aren’t just short and tight. They are often weak too. Especially the iliacus and Psoas. These two hip flexors are isolated when the hip is flexed beyond 90 degrees. If you constantly get quad pulls I guarantee your Ilio-Psoas is weak.


6. For the Trainers out their……..Strengthcoach.com is the best site on the internet for training information. If you are not a member, you are so far behind the curve that I won’t even make a joke about it. Check it out!! Click this link:SportSpecific.com and get a 14 day trial for $1. You can't afford not too!!

7. I NEVER thought I would make a myspace page………but I did (just threw up in my mouth)!! I promise that I won’t start snapping photos of myself making different emotions with my face (that’s just weird). But if I do, you will know Armageddon is near.

8. Power Yoga?? Huh?? Power is the rate of force production. Think speed........so how can something be done deliberately slow and be called "Power"? This confuses me. I think they should rename "Power Yoga" and call it "Not As Slow As Other Types Of Yoga". Or for short, "NASAOTOY". Wait a minute, I'm getting an idea here! A new sport for the Olympics.........Slow Sprinting.

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Randy Pausch Passes Away

I have posted this video before and it has also been on many other blogs. If you have not watched it, take a few minutes to do so. I guarantee it will move you. If you have watched it.......Watch it again.

Rest in Peace Randy Pausch 1960-2008



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Featured IPT Athlete

Bryan Marugg is one of our athletes' at Impact Performance Training and Impact Jiu-jitsu. He is only 15 years old and is already becoming a decorated grappler. Bryan has competed numerous times at the adult level and taken home 1st place time and time again. Not only is Bryan a great athlete but he is one of the nicest, most level headed kids you will meet.......Lets hope he stays that way :-) Check out his highlight video:



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Olympic Lifts: Bad or Good?

The Olympic Lifts (OL’s), namely the Clean and the Snatch, get a bad wrap a lot of times. They are feared and frowned upon by many professionals including some doctors and physical therapists. There is also a concern among the general population along with parents worrying that their kids are going to hurt themselves performing the OL’s in a high school weightlifting program.

The OL’s are second to none in producing power development in athletes. Here is where some of the confusion and problems stem from:

1. Coaches/Trainers teaching the lifts incorrectly – This is the number one problem. The OL’s are incredibly coaching intensive. When the lifts are done correctly, they are extremely safe and VERY effective. But, they become a train wreck quickly when they are being coached by someone who does not fully understand the purpose and technique.

2. Not knowing who to do them with – The OL’s aren’t meant for everybody. They should mostly be performed with athletes but even that doesn’t qualify the use of the lift. Extremely tall athletes (basketball) or athletes with a past history of back problems should avoid them and choose one of the many alternatives.

3. Not knowing where to place them in a training session– You must understand the demands and purpose of the OL’s. They are used for power development and require a large central nervous system demand. Because of this, they should be placed at the beginning of a workout, after a warm up, before strength training.

You can see how many would confuse these as dangerous…………Because they are, in the WRONG hands!! A four year old with a chainsaw is dangerous too.

The girl in the video has some pretty good technique. So for the Olympic Lifting "purists" that watch it and start nit picking away........Don't try to pick fly sh** out of pepper :-) and realize that using the OL's to develop power for an athlete is different than using the OL's to make an Olympic Lifter.



Note: If your child is attending Newberg High School, they are in great hands with my good friend Coach Baumholtz.

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Sciatic Pain Relief

Every day, sciatic nerve pain debilitates thousands of people. Many people just deal with the nagging pain in their butt (literally) and push on through their day. There can be several reasons for sciatic nerve pain (many of which we will not discuss here) and finding relief can sometimes be more difficult than sitting through an episode of American Idol.

Often times, pain is wrongly attributed to a “tight muscle” when it is actually an irritated nerve. Getting a proper diagnosis is very important because treating the muscle for tightness (ex: hamstring stretching) will most likely irritate the nerve more.

One of the techniques I have seen work many times in situations of sciatic nerve pain is Nerve Flossing. This is a great technique that can work in as little as one time of performing it.

Scientists have suggested that nerves have the ability to create their own pathways as long as they can move. This makes sense since so many people find relief through “flossing”.

The idea of “nerve flossing” is to pull the cord and nerves from one end while releasing at the other end, and then to switch directions. Flexing at the cervical spine creates a pull on the cranial end of the spine and a release from the caudal end. As your knee extends at the same time your cervical spine extends, you reverse the pull.



Caution: Be very conservative in your first time of doing this. While this can be an unbelievable technique for chronic sciatica, it can also be an onset. If the nerve is adhered, it will not slide. Therefore, the problem will be exacerbated. If you feel no change or relief the next day, continue flossing.

Some Tips:
1. Keep the motion slow. Each cycle should last about 5 seconds.
2. Make sure the flexion/extension motion is coordinated
3. Begin with 10 repetitions. If it feels okay, continue to perform it several times per day.
4. Do not floss within 2 hours after rising from bed.

* Stuart McGill, Low Back Disorders second edition 2007
* Butler, 1999


DN

I Hate When People Write Stupid Things

I'm sorry, I just had to post this. I was reading an article on back pain on the Internet. It started out pretty good and was citing Stuart McGill's work. Then it took a turn for the worse. Half way through, I have a feeling the author started to consume illegal drugs, prescription pills and sniff glue all at the same time. Here are the not so bright highlights.

"Dead Lifts: If you are looking for 1 exercise with the highest likelihood of producing a back injury, then this is it. For example, people with osteoporosis can injure their back by simply bending over to pick up a pencil. Imagine what kind of pressures are being exerted within your lower spine when you bend over at the waist and try to lift a barbell."

Note to Author: Are you serious?? A deadlifting pattern is one of the most important patterns someone (especially with back pain) could learn!! And you don't bend over at your waist, you hinge at your hips. It's hip movement, not spine movement. If you actually read McGill's work, "Spare the Spine" would ring a bell.

"Weight-machines: Use a light weight and do a high number of repetitions. Pick a weight where you can do at least 20 reps. Your goal is to develop your core muscles by increasing muscular endurance."

Note to Author: Weight machines?? Light weight?? Everyone already knows my opinion on machines.......they are crap. But can someone please explain what light weight means? And how do you develop your core muscles on a machine?? Seriously, did you really read McGill's books?

"Pilates: Pilates is an excellent method to develop "core" strength (eg., the muscles of the torso)."

Note to Author: Repetitive flexion is the mechanism of disc herniation. Pg. 68-70 in Stuart McGill's book, Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance.


I don't have anything else to say :)

DN

On Your Way to a Pullup

You have always heard about the benefit of performing Pullups but have never done them because...........well, YOU CAN'T!!

Pullups are arguably one the best upper body exercises. The only problem is most people can not even do one pullup, so they get stuck on the evil step brother, (insert build up music here) "The Pulldown"!! In fact, even the people that CAN do a pullup choose to do the pulldown instead. This is because the pulldown is easier. Much easier. But "easy" does not produce results! So if you CAN physically perform pullups, you should not be caught on a pulldown machine. But what can the rest of you do so that you can be on your way to knocking out some pullups? Get a set of Superbands.They will progress you faster than an assisted pullup machine. Here is the simple progression:

- Use the 2 1/2" band until you can get 10 reps
- Progress to the 1 3/4" band for 10 reps
- Progress to the 1" band for 10 reps
- Almost there!! Now progress to the 1/2" band - By this point you will be able to do bodyweight pullups.

Here is the set up:


DN

Becoming Great

Read/study for one hour per day, and you will be in the top 5% in your chosen field within three to five years. Thats 1095 to 1825 hours of continueing education under your belt!

Not enough time in your day to read? Skip a tv show, get off the computer, or buy a book on time management and read it :)

Don't like to read? Than your in the wrong field/proffession. Get out sooner than later and look elsewhere.

DN

Featured Recipe

I actually can't remember where I got this recipe........Possibly John Berardi. So I don't know the name but lets call TASTY SLUDGE. Yeah, I like that name!!


2 Tbs Natural Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese
2 Tbs Ground Flax Seeds
Add some Agave Syrup or Honey

Stir it all up and enjoy!!

Total calories are around 430. You can alter this by adding more or less peanut butter.

Total Protein is about 23 grams

I know it sounds gross but it is actually really good. I'm wolfing some down right now!!

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Beware of New Media Brainwashing About High Fructose Corn Syrup

The Corn Refiners Association is launching a major advertising and public relations campaign designed to rehabilitate the reputation of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS has been linked by many scientists to the nation's obesity epidemic. Read More....

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The Village Idiot

Stupidity at an all time high!!



Does any one have a big enough scale that we could weigh the risk to benefit ratio on this one?? I hope the coach has a good lawyer. And hopefully he has good health insurance because the first smart soul that catches him doing this is gonna smack him in the mouth!!

Hmmmmmm??? Maybe he has a money investment in a Dr., or Physical Therapist? Train althete - Injury athlete - Collect money - Repeat. Kinda fishy??

DN

Training Around Knee Pain

I get many pre-knee surgery and post-knee rehab clients. For the most part these people come to me in order to still get a training effect around the existing injury. The things we first look at are:

1. Eliminating knee dominant exercises that present ANY discomfort. Many times this is all of them.

2. Performing mostly hip dominant patterns. Deadlifting, bridging, etc. We will replace all knee dominant exercises for hip dominant. Basically overdosing on hip dominant exercises. The deadlifting pattern is of the most importance to learn, as it sets the patterning for squatting.

3. Restoring ankle and hip mobility. This is usually what caused the injury in the first place. If the ankle isn’t moving right and the hip is lacking mobility, guess what makes up the movement? Yes, the knee.

4. Waking up the foot musculature to produce stability thus making the ankle maintain the new found mobility. We do this by teaching the client proper foot positioning and including barefoot warm-ups.

5. In extreme cases where the client really cant use the leg at all, we will work the good leg only. This is called a “cross transfer”. The injured leg will actually get some of the benefits of the working leg even though the injured leg is not being exercised. This is because the body cannot completely separate itself.

On the road to recovery we look at:

1. Progressing to a single leg unsupported pain free squat. We use a progression of split squats, split squat back foot elevated, and finally single leg squatting with emphasis on progressive range of motion.

2. We also want the client to eccentrically decelerate in a dynamic environment. We use Mike Boyle’s plyometric progression for this. This is used in the later stages of recovery.

So, just because you have an existing injury or pain, this should not be an excuse to not train. There are many ways to train around all sorts of injuries. These are some that I use for knees.

DN