Happy New Year!!

Another year gone, another year to look forward to. But I just realized how much I've aged. Five or six years ago, I would have been getting ready right now to drink an insane amount of alcohol with the hopes of getting some unlucky girl to kiss me at midnight. Now, I'm sitting at my computer with my dog at my feet, putting together another blog post.
Anyways, I want to wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe New Year. Cheers.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Val Slide Reverse Lunge

Have you seen the Val Slide? It's basically a portable slide board and a pretty simple training tool. And simple works for me. This simple piece of training equipment can be used for a number of upper body, lower body and core training exercises. This week's exercise, the Val Slide Reverse Lunge, is a single leg, lower body exercise. It's an exercise that should be used as you progress to forward lunges and variations (Forward lunges are an exercise that should be worked up to, not started with. That is another entire post).
To perform the Val Slide reverse Lunge:

1. Start in an upright position, with one foot resting on a Val Slide.
2. Slide the Val Slide back, allowing your supporting or front leg to bend and dropping your hips down toward the floor.
3. Return to the starting position by sliding the back foot forward.

Simple, but effective. For more information on the Val Slide click on the image below.





Or for more great training tools, visit
Performbetter.com

What is Functional Training?

First, I hope everyone had a very nice Christmas and Santa was good to all of you. Next, I want to open up a discussion about functional training. This is a term I hear being used on a daily basis. The functional training craze took off about 6-7 years ago. Now it's what a good majority of trainers are selling. They're selling themselves as functional trainers as opposed to just you're old, boring, high top wearing personal trainer. But what is functional training? How is functional training different than any other type of training? Does it involve balance devices? Does it involve medicine ball training? I want to know what readers of this blog think functional training is. Throw your answers at me. Let's get some active participation from my millions of readers. Ok, may be not millions, but tens of my readers. And next week I'll tell you what I think functional training really is.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Circuit Workout

I'm going to mix it up a bit this week just because it's Christmas season (if that makes any sense). Rather than an exercise of the week, how about a workout of the week? Yesterday I was pressed for time and I wanted to get a quality total body workout in in about 45 minutes. Actually, I wasn't pressed for time, but I pretended like I was. It's been tough to workout lately. Anyways, here is what I came up with:

• 5 minute upper and lower body dynamic flexibility warm up
• A total body circuit consisting of the following exercises, with no rest between exercises until the end of the circuit.

A1) Zercher Sandbag Step Up x15 each leg
A2) Shoulder Sandbag Squat x15 each shoulder
A3) Kettlebell Swing x15
A4) Prone Alternating Kettlebell Row x8-10 each side
A5) Kettlebell Push up x 15

• Before I performed the first set, I though I might need 2 minutes rest after the last exercise. When in reality, after 2 minutes I was still trying to pick myself up off the floor. So I decided on 4 minutes.
• The first run through took about 3.5 minutes. The second time dropped off to about 4 minutes. And the last set I didn't even bother timing. I just wanted to finish.
• Call me a wuss, but this is one of the harder workouts I've done. I'm usually a guy who does a set, rests 90-120 seconds and then does another set. I'm not in good enough condition to go from one exercise to the next with minimal rest. But hopefully, over time I will be.
• What I did like about this workout is that it brought me out of my standard alternating sets type of workout. This was mentally and physically demanding.
• Don't have a sandbag or kettlebell lying around? I'm sure many of you do not. Substitute a barbell and dumbbells instead.

If anyone has any tough circuit conditioning workouts they'd like to pass along, please do. I'm always game for trying something new. It might only be once, but I'm always game.

10 Habits to Success (Part II)

Here are my remaining five tips to nutritional success:

6. Avoid fruit juices, sodas and other sugary beverages. Drink a ton of water.
7. Eat wholes foods instead of supplements whenever possible. I see people relying on protein bars way too much. One a day is alright. Also be sure to check the ingredients of these bars. They may not be as healthy as you think they are.
8. Plan ahead and prepare meals in advance. If you do not know what your next meal is, chances are it will be that 1500 calorie Whopper or Big Mac.
9. Eat a wide variety of foods. You should be getting your nutrients from a bunch of sources.
10. Supplement with fish oil. I do not know why people are still missing the boat with fish oil. The benefits are numerous: cardiovascular health, reduced joint pain, increased insulin sensitivity, etc..
I'll be the first one to tell you that following all of these tips is not easy. If it was, there would be no McDonald's and everyone would have the six-pack of a cover model. But it can be done. It requires discipline. It requires awareness. It requires preparation. Good luck.

10 Habits to Success

In order to get you through the next week or so without eating everything in sight, or if you want to get a head start on your New Year's resolutions, I'm going to provide you with 10 habits to nutritional success. Here are the first five:

1. Eat every 2-3 hours. This will keep that metabolism stoked and your insulin levels even, preventing you from that enticing food binge.
2. Eat protein with every feeding. This too helps manage your insulin levels.
3. Eat vegetables or fruit with every feeding. Are you getting 3-5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day? Probably not.
4. Most of your carbs should come from fruits and vegetables. The other carbs (rice, pasta, potatoes, etc.) should come after an exercise session only.
5. Eat healthy fats daily. About 30% of your calorie intake should come from fat. Just avoid eating fat and carbohydrates together.

There's five tips to get you started. I'll follow up with another five tips later in the week. Remember, a lousy diet will defeat a good workout program all the time.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Scapular Wall Slide

I like the scapular wall slide for a couple of reasons:

1. It's a great exercise to use as part of your upper body warm up. It'll really get your low trap muscles firing.
2. It'll help open up your chest and bring your shoulders back if done enough.
3. A lot of shoulder injuries have been linked to scapular dysfunction. This exercise tries to address this dysfunction
4. It makes you aware of what ideal posture is (chest up, shoulders down and back).
5. You don't need any equipment, just a wall.

Start the exercise by leaning back against a wall. Your feet will be about 6-8 inches of the wall, but your hips, shoulders and head are going to be against the wall the entire exercise. Starting with your arms up, slide your forearms down along the wall. Think about forming a "W". In the bottom portion of the slide you should really feel a pinching sensation between your shoulder blades. Hold for a count of 2, then return to the starting position by sliding your arms back up the wall. Just like you were signaling "Touchdown" (I hope to see about 10 of those scored on the Jets this weekend). The real key is to try and keep your forearms back against the wall the entire movement.
As I mentioned before, this exercise can be used as part of your warm up where I'd suggest one set of 8-10 reps. Or you might want to include this as a pre-hab or re-hab exercise in your routine and perform multiple sets.

Question to RichRuff Training

Hi. I would like to strengthen the muscles in the front and sides of my thighs. How do I do it? Also, how do I strengthen the core muscles of the trunk: back, buttocks and abdomen?

Erica

Hello Erica. Without getting into too much detail, the basics work. Squats, lunges, deadlifts and all their variations are going to strengthen your thighs. These exercises will also help strengthen your back, buttocks and abdomen. As you can see these compound lifts are great for a number of muscle groups and should make up a the bulk of your training.

"Use your Abs!!"

How many times have you heard a trainer mutter this phrase to a sweat drenched client. Sometimes trainers will coach their clients to "Use your abs" with every single exercise. Push ups, "Use your abs!!". Squats, "Use your abs!!". Single leg donkey calf raises, "Use your abs!!". I can see the client thinking, "What exactly does he mean?. How is using my abs going to get me to to move this weight?". It's not!! Your moving body parts are going to move the weight for you. How are you supposed yo use your abs during a push up? How are your abs going to get your chest off the floor? I do not know.
A more appropriate term to use might be "Brace". Tighten up your abdominal section like George Forearm was about to punch you in the midsection. Bracing is not going to help you move the weight, but it is going to help you stabilize your core. When performing any type of compound movement, you know how important core stabilization is. It's going to protect you from injury and help you move optimally. "Brace", don't "Use".

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Pallof Press

This is a pretty cool exercise that I picked up from strength coach Eric Cressey. At first, this looks like an upper body exercise and looks pretty simple. Yes, you are pressing your arms out in front, but that is not the key aspect of this exercise. The key to this exercise is resisting rotation back towards the pulley by firing your obliques. (remember, your obliques are just as important for resisting rotation as they are for promoting rotation). You want to think about bracing your abdominal area as if you were about to get punched in the stomach. It's a core great stabilization exercise. Take a look at the video.

Holiday Survival

The average American puts on 7lbs between Thanksgiving and New Years. I see that stat every year, yet, it still amazes me every year. And what's even more amazing to me is people accepting this stat. They have no problem of putting on that 7lbs of belly jelly. Since when did the holiday season become a time to eat as much and whatever you want and not exercise? Yeah, I know. You have have less time to exercise. You have more parties to go to. Desserts are everywhere. The eggnog tastes so good, especially with a little bit of rum in it. I've seen it all. I've heard it all. Just because Santa Clause has that big belly, doesn't mean you have to. Here are a couple of tips to surviving the holiday season without being mistaken for a relative of the Claus family:

1. Make time for exercise. It can be a stressful time of year, so what better way to work off that stress than exercise. If you have time to go shopping, you have time to get in 45-60 minutes of exercise three times a week.
2. Do not go to a party hungry. The chances of you stuffing your pie hole when you're on an empty stomach are pretty good. Have a small bite to eat about an hour or two before the party.
3. Just because alcohol is a liquid, doesn't mean it does not have calories. A couple of drinks is fine, not 10-15.
4. Get your normal amount of sleep. Sleep is the body's best restoration tool.
5. Ask for a healthy gift (sneakers, gym membership, workout clothes, etc.). This will help you get a jump start once the holiday season is over.

Happy and healthy holiday's to everyone.

Strength Focus

I'm going to make it easy for all of you. For all of you that are looking to lose weight. For all of you that are trying to stay healthy. For all of you who want to look good in the mirror. If you focus on getting stronger all those goals and many more are going to fall into place, especially if you're new to the game. Getting stronger may or will result in:
*Increased lean muscle muscle mass which leads to an increased metabolic rate which may lead to weight loss.
*Increased speed which may lead to increased power which may lead to increased performance.
*Increased connective tissue strength which leads to a decreased rate of injury.
*Increased joint stabilization which leads to increased balance which leads to decreased rate of injury.
It's not that hard to understand. Focus on strength and watch everything else fall into place.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Inverted Row

Going off last week's exercise of the week, I'm going to give you another exercise using the Jungle Gym or Blast Straps. If they're up, you might as well use them. And this exercise is going to balance out your push ups. When designing a program or workout out you should strive for some sort of balance. The volume of pulling exercises should equal the volume of pushing exercises. Even more importantly, the volume of horizontal pulling exercises should equal the volume of horizontal pushing exercises.
For the inverted row, you're basically going to reverse your position and movement of the suspended push up. You'll start face up underneath the handles. The closer you are to a horizontal position, the more difficult the exercise will be. From the starting position, pull yourself towards the handles, bringing your elbows by your side and emphasizing a squeeze of the shoulder blades.
Another body weight exercise to add to your training arsenal.

"....Squats and Lunges are Bad for the Knees."

"I heard that squats and lunges are bad for the knees." This was part of a question I received today on the website Allexperts.com. The question was about whether squats or lunges are better for leg development, but aren't they both bad for the knees? So I asked back, "Where did you hear this from? Do you have any evidence or research to support this?". I can not believe this myth still exists. A lot of things can be bad for the knees. If I slugged your kneecap with a sledgehammer, wouldn't that be bad for your knees? But a lot of things can be good for your knees, such as squats and lunges, when they are applied to a training program correctly. Another thing, watch people move throughout the course of a day or during a game. You will probably see alot of squat and lunge type patterns. So why is that garbage quote still out there? When someone can find some research, please let me know.

Get Uncomfortable

In order to get anything out of your training program, you're going to have to be taken out of your comfort zone. You're going to have to add another rep or another set or more weight. Or may be you're going to have to do an exercise that you really do not want to do, but it's an exercise that works. You might have to to push yourself a bit more. You're going to have to do something you wouldn't normally do. You're going to have to feel a bit of soreness. Working out wasn't meant to be easy. And the results are not going to come easy either.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Suspended Push Up

This is an exercise that is going to require the Blast Straps or Jungle Gym that I mentioned a couple of posts back. As push ups are making their way back into many training programs, this is a great version that is going to do a couple of things that a normal push up doesn't. One, it's going to allow you to get deeper in the bottom position, thereby increasing the range of motion. Two, the instability of the straps is going force all of your stabilizing muscles, from the shoulders all the way to your lower back and abs, to work harder.
To perform the exercise you're going to have to adjust the length of the handles. For more difficulty drop the handles closer to the floor. And vice versa to make it easier. Get into a push up position, forming a straight line. (No ass in the air or hips to the floor). Control on the way down with a nice even tempo, then explode out of the bottom position.




This is not an exercise for anyone. This is an exercise that should be worked up to in your push up progression. If you can not do a regular push up, with correct form, you have no business doing this exercise.
Don't have the Jungle Gym? Visit Perform Better Training Zones for the best ideas in equipment and training for functional training, full body training, and rehabilitation.

Happy Thanksgiving

I just want to wish every one a Happy Thanksgiving and a safe and healthy holiday season. Try not to kill each other over who's getting to get the drumstick or some other quarrel that is about to happen in your family. And lay off the mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie.

Where to Train?

I think the importance of a good training environment is overlooked. Put a power or strength athlete in some upscale gym with a bunch of 40 year old ladies going through the motions on the elliptical machines. Now watch the intensity and performance of these strength and power athletes drop through the floor. Vice versa, if I'm training one of these 40 year old ladies on the elliptical machine in a gym full of muscles heads, she may feel so subconscious that she may not be willing to do anything. Find the place that is right for you. How hard is it to perform a max effort lift when Celine Dion is playing in the background? Pretty hard. Or may be find a training partner that is going to push you just a bit more. Or may be hire a trainer (I do have times available, hint, hint). These are all things to think about other than just what exercise you're going to do next.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: ITB Foam Roll

The benefits of working with the foam roller or self myofascial release are always being talked about. Read Runners World and working with a foam roller will be advised for recovery. Talk to a physical therapist and self myofascial release is advised for rehab purposes. And just about every gym I go into now has a couple of foam rollers lying around. But not many people are taking this advice or using these rollers. And I do not know why. Well, I guess I do know why. One, it's going to be uncomfortable. Especially if there's a large amount of trigger point or adhesion build up. Two, people are too lazy to spend 5-10 minutes on work that it not going to give them a six pack or tight glutes. Three, people just do not know how to use this $15 tool.
There are a number of areas the foam roller can get at. One of the most effective foam roller movements is rolling of the Iliotibial Band. This band of tissue is usually extremely tight and has a a bunch of adhesion build up. It's essential to work on this band of tissue if you're having any type of knee or hip issue. A picture of it being done is below.



A couple of points:
1) Roll the IT Band about 8-10 times in each direction from hip to knee.
2) I'd suggest doing this before any type of lower body workout.
3) Be diligent with it. One session of rolling the IT band is not going to get it done.
4) If you want to increase the pressure, stack both legs.
It's not going to tickle. It's not going to feel good. But it is going to help.

Less Thinking, More Work

Stop thinking about how to target the lower abs or what single joint exercise is going to get rid of the the jiggle on the back of your arms. Stop finding new ways or exercises to get more of a calorie burn. Stop telling me about the worthless research article you read in Muscle & Fiction. You not getting results is not from not thinking through things. You not getting results is from not putting in the necessary work. Over analysis will hinder work output whether it's at your office or at your gym. Get to work.

Question to RichRuff Training

Hi Rich. Can you please tell me how to shape muscles, instead of gaining more muscle. I just want to shape my abs, calves, arms and upper body. I don't have a gym membership, but I do have a few weights at home. Thanks.

Shaun

Hi Shaun. There is no easy way to get results. They just come from good, old fashioned, hard work. You shouldn't be concerned about shaping muscles. Get on a good training program, be consistent and clean up your diet.

RichRuff Training Product Review: Jungle Gym

There are a couple of these pieces out on the market. The first ones I saw were the Blast Straps put out by EliteFTS. I was looking for ways to spice up my training a bit and figured I'd give them a shot. They were one of my favorite training tools. There was a whole host of exercises I could do: suspended push-ups, inverted rows, abdominal fall outs, chest flys and on and on. They were also great because they were portable. Bring them to the gym, wrap them around the the top of a power rack and get to it. The only downside to these for me, though, was that I needed a power rack. Most of my in-home clients, actually not one of them, has a power rack.
So I was looking for new equipment to add to my in-home training tools and I came across a slightly different version of the Blast Straps, the Jungle Gym. The Jungle Gym is put out by Perform Better. It's the same idea. It's about the same price. But it has has one more benefit. It doesn't need a power rack. If you have a power rack, great. Wrap it around that. But if you do not, the Jungle Gym has a door attachment handle, making it a bit more usable. I do suggest that you use a pretty sturdy door. I purchased this piece last week, have been using it and am very happy happy with it.
Click on the picture below to get more information or to purchase the Jungle Gym.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Barbell Russian Twist

I love it when I see functional trainers having their healthy clients perform all their "core" training from the floor, lying on their back, moving up and moving down. Seems like a bit of a contradiction, right? But what if we take that same client and put them in a standing position? The closer we get to a standing position while performing "core" work, the more functional or purposeful an exercise will become, right? Bring on the Barbell Russian Twist.
The set up to this exercise is going to be nearly the same as last week's. Wedge one end of a barbell into a corner and get underneath the opposite end. Grasp the bar with both hands and extend your arms out in front. Your hands should be a bit above eye level. From this position, you're going to drop the bar towards one hip, keeping your arms extended and eyes straight ahead. The rotation should come from the thoracic spine, not your lumbar spine, so focus on keeping your belly button straight ahead also. From the bottom position, rotate back to the starting position and then rotate to the other side.

Check it Out!!

Check out my first article at Underground Strength Coach!. The link to my article is:

http://undergroundstrengthcoach.com/members/programs/KingBarbell.pdf

Underground Strength Coach is a great resource for any athlete or coach looking for ways to get the best results out of their training programs!!

Forget About the 10%

Sometimes people are so caught up in the minute details of their workouts or diets. They're concerned about how to work some tiny muscles in their forearm. Or they'd like to try some wacky ab exercise that was seen in a magazine. Or, this is a classic, searching for the best fat burning supplement out on the market. They worry about the last 10% of their workout and nutrition program , rather than the 90% that's going to make the largest difference. You want to worry about this stuff, fine. But your first concern should be to have the basic principles of exercise and diet and place. Worry about the major details. Are you getting enough hours of exercise in per week? Are you using the basic, compound lifts? Are you including enough protein in your diet? Probably not. Focus on the 90% and forget about the 10.

Question to RichRuff Training

We have very little room. If you could have one piece of equipment for a man & a woman to workout on what would it be? My husband wants a Bowflex, but I know a lot of people who have not been satisfied with it. Any suggestions?

Cora

I get asked this question a lot. When I started out on own my own as an in-home trainer, my clients would ask me the same thing. And I would tell them the same thing, "not much". All you really need are: an adjustable bench, some sort of dumbbells (adjustable or regular), and maybe a physio ball. Add in all your bodyweight exercises and you're good to go. Plus as time goes on you can add other training equipment in.

Finding Balance

Take a look at your training program. How many horizontal pressing movements do you have? How many horizontal rowing movements you have? Compare the two numbers. Are they the same? Probably not. What about the number of posterior chain movements compared to the number of quad dominant movements? Are those numbers the same? Probably not. These are two examples of imbalances within a training program. An imbalanced program is a faulty program setting you up for injury or poor results. A well designed training program will emphasize balance between movements and muscles.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Barbell Corner Press

The barbell corner press is pretty straight forward exercise. Wedge a barbell into a corner. Load up some weight on the opposite end. Get the barbell up to about shoulder level. And press. This is a nice exercise to use if anyone has problems with direct overhead pressing or is working their way back from a shoulder injury. Also working uni-laterally will help with any strength imbalances between the right and left sides.

Keeping a Food Log

When my clients are focused on losing weight or improving their bodyfat percentage, I stress the importance of proper nutrition in addition to their training program. The first thing I'll ask a client to do is to keep a 3-5 day food log. They should be writing down everything they consume whether it's a glass of water, an apple, a bottle of wine or a free taco from Taco Bell. They should also be writing down what time they ate that taco. Most people do not know what they are eating, so a food log is a must in order to point out where better choices can be made. But it will also tell me something else. It will tell me how serious they are about cleaning up their diet and reaching their goals. I can not tell you how many times I've asked a client to keep a food log. But I can tell you how many times I've actually received one from from a client. Maybe 3 or 4. Do you know what this tells me? Most people are not serious enough about losing weight. If you can't take an extra 5-10 minutes a day to keep a food log, what tells me you're going to take extra time out of your day to prepare meals or eat right? So if you're serious about losing weight, start keeping that food log.

Question to RichRuff Training

How many ab exercises do I have to do to get a six-pack?

Nick

Hi Nick. It's not so much about how many ab exercises you should be doing, as it is about lowering your bodyfat percentage. I'd suggest trying to get your bodyfat percentage down to around 10% in order to develop a "six-pack". This can be done through proper nutrition, weight training and high intensity interval training.

2007 World Series Champs!!

Does seeing Papelbon celebrate ever get old? Of course not!! Is there a better time to be a Boston sports fan than right now? I can't see it happening. The Red Sox win the Series on the eve of a 52-7 demolition by the Patriots. Not only that that, Boston College is ranked #2 in the country, the Celtics are about to open up a new season with the "Big 3" and the Bruins....forget the Bruins.
And, hey ARod, we don't want you!!

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Tabata Intervals

I'm going to mix it up a little this week. No upper body exercise. No lower body exercise. No stretching. How about some cardiovascular work? "No!! Not cardio." I'm sure that's what some of you are saying. But what if I said you could do four minutes of interval work and burn just as much fat as you would performing a moderate 45 minute aerobic workout? Now do I have your attention? Through his research, Dr. Izumi Tabata discovered that high intensity interval training done for four minutes could burn just as much fat as moderate aerobic exercise done for 45 minutes. But this is not just any four minutes. This is breaking your you know what for four minutes. It involves working at a high intensity for 20 seconds , rest for 10 seconds and then repeat seven more times. I'd suggest the following protocol:
1) Warm up for 3-5 minutes
2)High Intensity for 20 seconds
3)Rest for 10 seconds
4)Repeat 7 more times
5)Cool down for 3-5 minutes
In order for this method method to be effective, each work interval should be to near exhaustion. And when that ten seconds is up, GO AGAIN!! The rest is not 11 seconds long, it's 10!!
If you're looking to drop some bodyfat, I'd suggest using this method 2-3 times per week after your strength training workouts. As far as what exercises to use, some of my favorites are: thrusters, burpees or using the upright bike, rower or step mill.

5 Things I Noticed

Just got back from Mexico and one of my most enjoyable weeks over the last couple of years. I survived a week of sitting in the sun, gluttony and having a few too many shots of tequila. As much as I enjoyed the week and can not wait for my next one, here are 5 disturbing (to me at least) things that I noticed:
5) The number of people who still smoke. Smoking is unhealthy...right?
4) How many grandmas feel like it's alright to go topless just because they're in Mexico.
3) The number of overweight people. And I'm not just talking a couple of pounds.
2) How many people still use the Smith Machine for pressing, squatting and lunging.
1) No guy looks good in a speedo, in shape or not.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Fat Bar Hold

How important is grip training? Very important if you ask me. If you can't hold onto the bar, you can't perform the lift. If you can't hold onto a rebound, your coach is going to be yanking you out of the game for turning the ball over. If you can't hold onto the air conditioner as you're removing it from your window, it's going to fall on the poor lady standing 2 floors down (almost happened to me today). I could keep rambling on about instances where grip strength and endurance comes into play. Don't you get angry knowing that you could have done another 3 or 4 pull ups, but your grip is so weak that you couldn't finish the set? But is grip training part of your workout routine? Probably not.
This weeks exercise is so simple it doesn't need a video or a picture. At the end of your workout get into a power rack and set the pins up below waist height. Load some weight on the bar (I'd say either 185 or 225). Now, I know the headline says "fat bar". If you're able to use one great. If not, get a towel and wrap it and around the bar. Or there is a great product out there called Lynx Performance Grips. Check them out at http://www.lynxpt.com/. I've been using them for any pulling movements and boy will you feel the difference in your forearms. Anyways, whatever bar or implement you're using, reach down grab it and hold on for dear life. When that bar slips out of your hands, rest for 2-3minutes and repeat for one more set.
Over time, watch your strength numbers and performance improve.

Yeah I know. That's not a picture of the Fat Bar Hold. That's a picture of a beach in Mexico, where I will be next week on an overdue vacation So until I'm done soaking up some rays and having a few Coronas, give some Fat Bar Holds a try. And when I'm back, maybe the next Exercise of the Week will have something to do with sitting on a beach with drink in hand. See ya.

Question to RichRuff Training

Hi Rich. I've been working out for two months now. How often should I be switching up my routine?

Sanju

Hi Sanju. The answer to your question is really dependent on each individual. For a beginner, I would suggest staying with the same workout routine for 4-6 weeks. This is the time to build a solid foundation of strength and trying to perfect some of the more basic exercises.

2007 ALDS Champs

8 wins away from another World Series title!!

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

A couple of weeks back I discussed the importance of single leg training. Yet, there is one problem I see with single leg training. Most single leg exercises done by individuals are quad dominant. Step-ups, split squats and lunges are all quad dominant exercises. There's nothing wrong with these exercises, but some times I think we ignore single leg hip dominant exercises. So without any further introduction take a look a this clip from one of strength coach Mike Boyle's athletes performing the single leg Romanian deadlift.

Question to RichRuff Training

Hi Rich. I am trying to find an exercise that I can add to my workout that will increase the strength of my hockey shooting muscles. What about swinging a kettlebell in one hand?

Barry

Hi Barry. In order for me to really answer your question I would need to know what your workout consists of now. But I can help by giving you some suggestions.
What I would not do is to try and replicate your shot with weight training exercises. If you mimic your on-ice shot too much with weighted exercises you may actually screw up your shot mechanics and produce a negative effect.
What you can do is try and strengthen your shot indirectly by working on the muscles that are involved in your shooting. Some exercises I may include in your workout are: chin-ups & pull-ups, external rotation work for the shoulder, direct forearm work, and some torso rotation work (Russian twists and diagonal woodchops for instance). This work, along with your on-ice work should help improve your shot.

Roll, Roll, Roll

What's the typical massage cost? Probably anywhere from $75-$100, right? And if you're going to get a massage on a regular basis, you're looking at a pretty good expense. I know my pockets are not that deep. But what if I told you that you can get the close to the same benefits as a deep tissue massage for only $20? And you don't have to make an appointment. You'd be able to do it any time of the day. What's this $20 cure? A foam roller.
Even though the foam roller has been around for awhile now, I still do not think people understand it's importance. Basically, muscles have two properties that are related to their functionality: the length and the quality of the tissue. The length of a muscle is addressed through stretching techniques. But what about it's quality? If there are trigger points, adhesions or scar tissue build up the muscle is going to have poor quality. Not only will it have poor quality, but the quality of the tissue is also going to affect it's length. Poor quality + Poor length= trouble. And as I said before, you don't have to run out to Mr. Feelgood in order to get those knots worked out. Instead pull out that $20 foam roller out from under the bed and get rolling. You will immediately see the benefits.
For a great selection of foam rollers go to PerformBetter.com and get your $20 cure to all those aches and pains.

AL East Champs!!!

One celebration down, three more left (division series, pennant, World Series). Let the madness begin!!

Who wants to face this guy in the 9th inning?

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Mini Band Side Steps

I'd be happy if I saw the hip abduction machine collecting dust in the corner of the gym. I'd be even happier if gyms got rid of this machine altogether. "But I need to shape my hips" all the ladies in their one piece spandex suits would say. Okay then. Go get a $2 mini band from Perform Better. Wrap it around your ankles. Keep your legs straight and leading with your heel, move your leg out to the side. Do not allow the band to slacken as as you bring the trailing leg in. Take anywhere from 10-20 steps in one direction and then move the other way. Now your glutes are working properly.
This is a great exercise as part of your warm-up in order to get your glutes firing, because in too many people these muscles are inhibited. Or throw it in at the end of your workout as part of your prehab or finishing work.
And guys, this exercise is not just for the ladies. If you're one of those whose knees tend to cave in when squatting or you're constantly having trouble with your hamstrings, get side stepping. Plus you'd look good in your spandex.

Top 5 Worst Exercises

Here's my list of the some of the worst exercises I see being done. Feel free to post your thoughts on some of the worst exercises you see being done

5) Leg Extension Machine. A trainer I know says the only use for this machine is if you're in an ass-kicking contest.
4)Rotary Torso Machine
3)Ab Crunch Machine
2)Smith Machine Squat. Just watching someone perform this exercise looks painful
1)Anything done standing on a Bosu Ball. How are you supposed to lift a substantial amount of weight, when you're so worried about falling of this damn device?

Exercise of the Week: BirdDog

The BirdDog is an exercise that is found being done in many rehab settings. It is an exercise that is done to address any type of low back pain or weakness. But people who are suffering from low back issues are not the only ones who should be doing this exercise. Want to tighten up the glutes? Use the Birddog. Want to get those glutes turned on and firing? Use the Birddog. Want to work another exercise into your warm-up routine? Use the birddog.
In order to perform the BirdDog, start in a quadraped position. Your hands should be underneath the shoulders and your knees should be underneath the hips. Simultaneously, extend one arm out in front and the opposite side leg back, getting full extension at the shoulder, hip and knee. Take a slight pause at the top, really focusing on squeezing the the glute and return to the starting position. Perform the set number of reps on one side, then switch to the opposite sides.


A couple of key points to remember while performing this exercise are:
1) Maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise.
2)Keep your eyes down on the floor, so your neck is not in a hyperextended position.
3)Brace your abdominal area as if someone was to punch you in the gut.
4)If you find your toes pointing out when extending the leg back, rotate your foot in as much as possible.

Fatigue Seekers

Some of my least favorite clients. They want to train until they puke. They want to be gasping for air for a full 60 minutes. They want to feel so sore the next day that they can't even take a seat on the toilet. They have no regard for their training program as long as they're exhausted at the end. No other goal, except to be tired. Well you know what? Any person can make anyone tired or sore. I could tell you to chase my dog around the block for an hour, stand there with my arms crossed, and I'm sure you'd be tired at the end of the hour. But does creating this feeling of fatigue end up in results? No. Seeking fatigue and getting results are not correlated. Results are created by a well though out plan that enables performance to improve from a workout to workout basis. After some workouts you may feel wiped out. After others you may not. But is your performance improving? Are you becoming leaner? Is the pain subsiding? These are the parameters you should be judging your workout by.

ISLOP

After spending the night with my friends and their spouses over the weekend, ripping it up pretty good at a wedding Saturday night, a greasy breakfast was in store for the next morning. So the only place really near the hotel is IHOP, International House of Pancakes. You want breakfast anytime of the day, you can get it here. You want lunch for breakfast, this is the place. I haven't been there in awhile, and I do not think I'll be back for awhile. I figured I'd get some type of omelet, my usual order. Then I look at the menu and see that I get 3 pancakes with my omelet. I passed on the pancakes, and I wished I had passed on the omelet. These omelette's were enough to feed a family of five. I could not believe the size. And they want to give me pancakes? Are they just trying to waste food or fatten everybody up? I looked around my table, a couple of healthy conscious people, and no one had put a dent in their breakfasts 15 minutes after they were placed in front of us. But I looked around at the rest of the restaurant and what I saw was an omelet-pancake-french fry-burger eating contest. Remember when mom and dad made you finish everything on your plate at dinner. Well, screw mom and dads dinner orders. Get your portions under control and get yourself healthy, before your next IHOP omelet is your last.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Split Squat

Before any squatting, deadlifting or any other bi-lateral lower body exercise is performed there should be a focus on single-leg training. Single-leg training will address strength differences between right and left sides and can also tell you if there are any other muscular imbalances. For instance, when performing a single-leg exercise if there is a tendency for the knee to buckle in, that usually indicates a weak VMO and glute medius. By knowing this, you are able to work other exercises into your lower body routine in order to address these imbalances.
One of the most basic (and this is where I like to start with all clients, basic) exercises is the split squat. The basic split squat is done with both feet in contact with the floor. Using body weight alone is hard enough for most people. Once you are able to execute 12-15 reps on each side perfectly, then you can start adding in some dumbbell or barbell resistance.


You'll notice in this picture that my knee is traveling over the toes of my front foot. And most of you have probably heard that the knees should not travel over the toes with any exercise. Nonsense. If you watch people move throughout the course of a day or during a game, you will see the knees travel over the toes a good amount of the time. So why are we told to not let the knees travel over the toes? And if we're told not to let the knees travel over the toes when training, what's going to happen in a real life situation when the knee travels over the toes? You're going to have a hard time getting out of that position, correct? I'll let you think about it.
In any case, use the split squat as a training tool. Not only to get strong, but to address what is weak.

Too Much Change

Some trainers and more trainees have come down with a serious case of Exercise ADD. They're doing different exercises just for the sake of it. They're working in different rep ranges from one workout to the next. Yet, there is no science behind their reasons for changing. The only reason for changing up their routines is that they're bored of doing the same exercises, the same number of sets and the same number of reps. Well I hate to tell you this, but boring works. Changing up exercise routines just because you're bored is going to get you nowhere. There needs to be some constants in your workout. How are you supposed to know what's working and what's not if you're constantly changing routines and exercises. You've just confused the nervous and muscular systems so much, they don't know what to. Does this mean to stay with the same routine forever? No. But give your routine a chance. Change in routines should be planned, not random. Beginners should be giving their routine at least 4-6 weeks, whereas more advanced trainees should have some planned change every 3-4 weeks.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Kettlebell Swing

Training hip extension is of utmost importance for any athlete. If an athlete is not able to properly extend his or hips forcefully or correctly they are going to be weak, slow and may be even wind up injured. So what are some exercises that train hip extension? Squats, deadlifts and Olympic lifts. But trying to get someone to execute these lifts properly can be difficult. Most of the time the back rounds, the weight is distributed in the wrong areas and there is no recruitment of the glutes or the hamstrings (it is turned into a quad dominant movement). It can be frustrating as a trainer to watch. And it must be painful as a client to perform. Well the kettlebell swing is here to save your aching back. If you're having trouble trying to get your hips back and placing the load on your hamstrings rather than your lower back, give the kettlebell swing a try. It's easy to learn and will set the foundation for future hamstring/glute exercises. Plus it's an exercise that can be used for conditioning purposes.
Don't have a kettlebell available? Try a one-arm swing with a dumbbell. Same idea, just with a lesser load. Now the key to this exercise is getting all the weight back on your heels in the bottom position while keeping your spine in a nice, neutral position (no rounded back). From there, forcefully extend your hips and drive the kettlebell up to about eye level. The momentum generated from the hip drive should carry the kettlebell up. Do not turn it into a front raise.

Work this exercise into your lower body day. Or use it as a conditioning exercise at the end of your workout, performing a high number of reps with little rest between sets. Or use it as part of a total body circuit.

Look Above, Look Below, Look to the Other Side

We've all been there. Whether we developed a chronic condition through excessive use, suffered an acute injury or just developed some sort of repetitive strain injury through poor posture. Tennis elbow, chrondromalacia , plantar fasciatis and shoulder impingement are some common maladies. So we do as we're told, the old R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) method and pop a few Advil. Next step is rehab. We strengthen and stretch with all the focus being on the source of pain. The pain still exists a couple of weeks later. We continue with the Advil. We continue with the exercises that the physical therapist has given us. The pain is still there. Okay, now we go back to resting with hopes that the pain goes away. The pain goes away, so we get back to our normal everyday and exercise routines. The pain comes back. What in God's name is going on?
I see this scenario too much. Do you know what God (if he was a great physical therapist or trainer) would tell you? You're treating the symptoms, not the problem. Pain is just an indicator that something is wrong. It is not always going to tell you where the source of the pain is. If you've already put all your focus on the site of the pain and are still having trouble, it's time to look elsewhere. Look above. Look below. Look to the other side. There may be muscular imbalances or excessive tightness at the muscles above, below and on the opposite side. Or there may be a trigger point that is referring pain elsewhere. I'll give you a couple of examples.
Look above. Your knee joint was designed for stability and your hip joint was designed for mobility. What happens if you're hip joint is excessively tight and not very mobile. Now your knee joint has to make up for the lack of mobility in your hip. What is supposed to be a stable joint is now being asked for mobility. The end result: knee pain
Look Below. Same idea. 80% of the population has dealt with back pain at one time or another, mostly lower back pain. And if I were to check the mobility in these persons hips, I bet you I would find very little. So again, the forces are transferred. The lower back is not made to excessively twist and turn. It's role is stability, just like the knee. The end result of the lower back having to be to mobile because the hips are not: back pain
Look to the other side. Every time I pick up the paper or turn on Sports Center, at least one athlete has suffered a hamstring strain. And sometimes it's the same guys over and over again. Must just be a case of chronically tight hamstrings, right? Maybe, but not always the case. Look to the other side. Look at the hip flexors. If the hip flexors are tight they are going to rotate the pelvis too far forward. If the pelvis rotates too far forward, the hamstrings become lengthened. So if the hamstrings are already lengthened, what can happen when they have to be lengthened even more when running? A hamstring strain.
There are many more painful conditions that can arise from places we may not suspect. But if we are aware enough to remember that pain is just a symptom, not the problem, we'll have a better chance of operating pain free.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Chin up

I'm probably boring you with this Exercise of the Week. Well, too bad. If I saw more people doing chin-ups or working on their chin-ups, I wouldn't need to include this exercise. I ranted about this a couple of weeks ago. Then it happened again. Before I rant again, let me say that the lat pulldown machine has a purpose. It's for those who can be classified as beginners. Beyond that group, I do not know who else should be using that machine.
The other day I overheard a guy talking about how much weight he uses on the lat pulldown machine. Being the non-confrontational guy that I am, I didn't have the guts to ask him how many chin-ups he could do. I do not want to hear how strong you are, unless you can prove to me you can do chin-ups or even one chin-up. I do not want to hear about your arm training if chin-ups are not part of your overall training program. I do not want to hear about how weak your grip is, if chin-ups are not part of your program. And I especially do not want to hear about how many lat pulldowns you can do if you claim to have been training for years. But what I do want to hear is someone say, "Hey Rich, I want to be able to a chin-up". I'd be more than happy to help. May be even for free!!
I was hoping that I wouldn't have to include a picture for this exercise of the week. But since I see this exercise being performed so infrequently, I figured I ought to.

"Come on Rich, 1 more to 100"

Curtain Call Crazy

Enough with the curtain calls Yankee fans. You're making a mockery out of something that used to have some sort of meaning. Take last night for instance. Johnny Damon hits a ball 315 feet in the 7th inning that barely makes it out of the ballpark. So what does he get for giving his team a two run lead? A curtain call. You've got to be kidding me. Did you forget how an inning earlier he mistimed his jump on a ball that he probably should have caught? Instead it wound up in the front row of the left field bleachers and allowed the Sox to tie the game up. It's not like it was Damon's third home run of the game or a milestone home run in his career. It was his 8th home run of the season (By the way, aren't Sox fans happy that management didn't sign him up for another four years?). But you're guilty of this all the time. I think Yankee Stadium has set a record this year for the number of curtain calls given over the course of a season. Why don't you just ask for a curtain call every time a Yankee hits the ball out of the infield? Or what about every time ARod catches a ball in foul territory? Maybe it's not even the Yankees fans who are asking for the curtain call. May be it's the players who just feel like they should give one. It wouldn't surprise me considering you have three of the largest egos in the game in ARod, Clemens and Damon.
Give it up Yankees fans and players. Because not only is it annoying, but you've taken away the significance of a tradition that used to mean something.

Congratulations Massachusetts....I Think.

In a study done by Trust for America's Health, Massachusetts was found to have the second lowest obesity rate , 19.8%. The state with the highest percentage of obesity was no surprise, Mississippi. But even though we can pat ourselves on the back for finishing second, there are some concerns. No state showed a decline in obesity rates from the previous year. As a nation, we are becoming fatter. Some people tend to laugh it off and say it's a personal choice. I know. I have friends who joke about their keg bellies and how many buffalo wings they can eat in one sitting. And the worst part is, these are friends who are in their 20's and 30's. They have a lot more living to do. I hope. This personal choice can lead to increased risk of diabetes, heart problems and other issues as a result of being overweight. As a trainer, I see numerous clients who have knee and hip issues. Most, not all, of these issues are a result of being overweight. A study done by Georgia Tech University showed that losing 10 pounds can reduces pressure on the knee by amazing 40 pounds.
So do not get all fat and happy, literally, Massachusetts. There is still some concern and work to be done.

Good Night New York

career just The Red Sox gave the Yankees and their obnoxious fans a bit of hope when they crawled within four games of the division lead. And there was a bit of panic in Red Sox Nation. Where are all those obnoxious, pinstripe wearing, Derek Jeter loving, Roger Clemens worshipping fans now? At home licking their wounds from a 16-0 pounding by the Detroit Tigers. Not only is Mike Mussina's career just about over, but so is the fantasy of the Yankees catching the Red Sox.
This goes out to Beckett, Schilling and Dice-K (I will not even try to spell his first or last name). Put the Yankees away the next three days. Stomp on their chests, dig their graves, buy them a one way ticket out of town. Do whatever you have to do....just so I can keep talking trash.

Tales from the Gym

I'm usually not one to bust on people, but in this industry there is a lot of it. If I do not believe in other trainer's concepts, most likely I'm going to get ripped for it. I see a lot things done in the gym by other trainers and I just keep my mouth shut. But sometimes I have to vent. And I have to vent when someone else tells me what I should be doing and what works.
I went to the gym this morning for a little upper body workout. My goal was to be in and out of the gym in one hour, give or take 10-15 minutes. I had my routine already made up. I knew what I was going to do. I knew how hard I was going to train. So after loosening up my upper body and getting it ready for my routine here's what I did:
A)Bench Press: warm-up for of 5,3,3,2, 1 reps , then 3 sets of 3 reps with about 3min. of rest between sets.
B1)Close Grip Low Row: 4 sets of 8 reps, 2 min rest
B2)DB Incline Press: 3 sets of 10 reps, 2min rest
C1)Standing Plate Raise: 2 sets of 12 reps, 1 min rest
C2)Seated DB Cuban Press: 2 sets of 12 reps, 1 min rest
D)Hanging Leg Raise: 3 sets of 5 reps, 2 min rest
So that's it. Your average upper body workout. Got some chest, back, shoulders, external rotation and abdominal work in. 17 sets in about 65 minutes, including warm up. Yeah, I know. Who cares? Where am I going with this. Well, this is about the guy who was yapping in my ear the whole time about his biceps routine. I showed up, he was already there. I left, he was still there. I saw him do preacher curls, standing Db curls, seated DB curls, seated cable curls, some funky version of a concentration curl and I think that's it. Five bicep exercises in the 65 minutes I had been there. And who knows what he was doing before and after I was there. If I had to guess it might be... BICEPS!!! And it wasn't just the insane training that I saw. He was telling me about his forearm training and telling me what muscles I was working, all the while wearing his lifting belt that was at least 30 years old!! A lifting belt for biceps!!! And if he wasn't telling me, he was telling someone else. And these people buy his crap, because he looks like he's in pretty good shape. And you know what else? He's about 60 years old, at least!!!
W here am I going with this? I really don't know. May be it's about the efficiency of your training routine. May be it's about not believing every word that's coming out of the local gym rat's mouth. And if I"m offending any one out there who follows the same type of routine, I'm not sorry. Unless, your goal is to be the next Mr. or Mrs. Revere Beach, there is no need for this type of absurd training. It's not as much about the quantity of your training as it is the quality. Get to the gym with your workout already planned. Choose 1-3 compound lifts and 1-2 accessory lifts and throw in some core work. Limit the chit chatting. Train with some sort of intensity and get out.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

The previous exercises of the week have been upper, lower or core strength training exercises. What I've failed to do, is provide some stretching exercises. Stretching is the one aspect of training that is ignored by most people. But it is just as important as any other aspect of training. You can not expect to stay injury free over the long term if some form of stretching is not done.
The kneeling hip flexor stretch addresses what are most likely the tightest group of muscles in the body, the hip flexors. A large part of the population works at a desk or commutes to and from work each day. What happens when you're seated at a desk or cramped up in a car on the Expressway for 2 hours each day? You're hip flexors are in a shortened position for an extended period of time and become increasingly tight. If your hip flexors become increasingly tight, a whole lot of problems can occur. Your pelvis gets pulled into an excessive anterior tilt and problems will occur up and down the entire body including poor posture and risk of straining your hamstrings. Tight hip flexors will also have an affect on performance. They will cause you to fall forward when squatting or prevent you from getting full extension at the hip when sprinting.
Below is a picture of the kneeling hip flexor stretch. It can be performed many ways, but this is the most basic.

Think about pressing that front knee as far forward as possible, allowing your hips to drop down and forward. Hold for 10-15 seconds in the bottom position, come back and repeat 2-3 times.
This is also one of the few static stretches I'll have a client perform before a lower body workout. By stretching out the hip flexors, you are almost turning these muscles off. If these muscles are turned off, you'll find you'll be able to get deeper and prevent yourself from falling forward when performing a squat.
Remember, stretching isn't just something done by those cute girls in yoga class. It's essential to keeping you injury free and performing up to your abilities.

Get a Grip

How many times have you ended a set of chin-ups prematurely because you could no longer hold on to the bar? You feel like you're hanging on for dear life with your fingertips. Or may be the same thing has happened when doing deadlifts. Your grip becomes the limiting factor. Yet most training programs ignore the importance of grip strength and endurance. Not only will it help with lifts such as chin-ups and deadlifts, it will help with sport performance and with everyday activities. And for you weak college freshman, it will help you lug that keg up three flights of stairs. Grip strength can be trained in a number of ways. Here are some options:
1) Do not use straps. They only serve as a crutch for your weak grip.
2)Fatten up the bar. Some gyms may have fat bars. If not, you can fatten up the grip yourself by using a towel or a great training implement called Lynx Grips.
3)Work on isometric grip strength at the end of your workout out. Some suggestions are: bar hangs, weighted bar holds, hex dumbbell holds and plate pinches. Hold for as long as you can, rest for two minutes, then perform another set.
You're only as strong as your weakest link, or in this case your weak grip.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Dumbbell External Rotation

Suffering from shoulder impingement? Shoulders are fairly healthy and you want to keep them injury free? Want to drive up the poundage of your bench press? This week's exercise, the dumbbell external rotation, can help with all those problems.
Most training programs have a ton of internal rotation work (bench presses, pull-ups, pulldowns) and very little external rotation work. The pecs and lats, which work as internal rotators, tend to dominate the small external rotators of your shoulders. And what happens when programs are not some what balanced? Injury occurs or performance suffers. So if you're not already including some external rotation work in your program, do it now.
There are a couple of different versions, but I think this version is a great one. One, it only requires a dumbbell. And two, it provides a great stretch of the posterior joint capsule when the dumbbell is in the down position. To perform:
1)Take a seat on the end of a bench, with your foot up on the bench so that the knee is bent.
2)Press the elbow of working arm directly into the knee that is up. This is your fulcrum.
3)Rotate forearm down towards the bench.
4)After a slight pause in the bottom position, rotate your forearm back up so that it's
perpendicular to the floor.
A couple of key points. One, try to keep the knee fixed the entire time by pressing the elbow and knee right into one another. Two, keep your chest up as much as possible. Three, try to keep your wrist straight so that tension is kept on the external rotators.
GET EXTERNALLY ROTATING!!!NOW!!!

Tiger Power

Remember when golfers were afraid to lift weights because they thought it would make them all big and bulky and they would no longer be flexible. They thought their swing would go to hell and they'd be posting scores in the 100's (I'll take a 100 any day). Well, has anyone seen Tiger Woods physique lately. I've heard he works out regularly, but not until I saw him at the British Open a couple of months back did I realize how hard he must be working in the weight room. Then I saw him this past week at the PGA Championship. Same thing. Here's a guy who's the best golfer in the world, may be of all time. It sure doesn't look like lifting weights has hindered his game. In fact, he has put on 30lbs from the time he turned pro and is stronger than he's even been.
I remember when Annika Sorenstam was dominating the LPGA a few years back. There were stories about her strength routines that would make most guys look silly. This added strength didn't seem to bother her game.
Now do you want to take your game to the next level? Do you want to stay injury free over the course of a season? Do you want to be able to finish a round without feeling completely exhausted? It's not just about going to the driving range and hitting a bucket of balls. It's also about getting into the gym, getting on a well designed program and improving your strength and flexibility levels. Golf isn't just an outdoor game.

Apologies

I was on a roll. I had the RichRuff Exercise of the Week going for four or five straight weeks and last week I let it all fall apart. I got lazy. It's named the exercise of the week for a reason. It's supposed to be updated every week. And I let it slip (just like the 14.5 game lead the Red Sox had over the Yankees), so I'm sorry. I'll get it back up this week for my faithful readers, if there are any. Sometimes I feel like I'm writing to myself, but that's alright. I enjoy posting. May be one day this blog will be a "hot" read. Whether it is or not, I plan on being around for a long time. I love training. I love helping others. I love reading about training. And one day when I get to the top, it's going to be because of all of you who are reading this and who supported me along the way.

Overweight and out of work

Why do most people work out? For most people it's aesthetic purposes. They want to look good or lose weight, which in turn makes them feel good. For others it's health purposes such as: preventing injury, slowing down osteoporosis or strengthening weak joints or muscles. There may be another good reason to make exercise part of your lifestyle, finding a job. Yesterday's Boston Globe magazine told about the struggles of overweight job seekers and how they were being passed over for thinner job seekers. Also, the article stated that a thin employee is likely to have a salary that is one to six percent higher than an overweight employee. So, it's not just your job related skills an employer is looking at when you are brought an for an intereview. They're also looking at your waistline.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl

What function do the hamstrings perform? Most people would say knee flexion, and they would be correct. But they also perform one other function that many trainees ignore, hip extension. In fact their role as hip extensors may be more important than knee flexors. A lot of training programs, especially those for new trainees, ignore the hip extension function of the hamstrings. The hamstring exercises are usually made up of every variation of the leg curl: lying, seated, kneeling, toes in, toes out, etc.. But you are doing yourself a disservice if you're not including some form of hip extension in your workout.
One exercise that I've used for years is the Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl. I like this exercise for a couple of reasons. One, the only equipment required is a Swiss Ball, so it can be done anywhere. Two, it trains both functions of the hamstrings, hip extension and knee flexion at once.

Lie flat on your back with your arms out to the side (t-shape) and palms facing up. Place both feet up on Swiss Ball with your legs straight. Press your hips up towards the ceiling (hip extension), creating a straight line. From this position, flex your knees (knee flexion) bringing the ball in towards your glutes. After a slight pause, roll the ball out (keeping hips up) and then repeat.

Training Hard

With the internet boom any one can find information on exercise program design or even have a workout customized for themselves. Strength training and every thing else that's tied in (flexibility, energy system work, pre- and post-rehab, etc.) has become very specialized. I'm asked all the time to create workouts for individuals. I'll choose exercises that are appropriate, determine the number of sets and reps and even recommend the length of their rest periods. But what I can not determine is the effort that the individual is going to put in. Only the person performing the program can determine the effort.
What's been lost in all this specialization and program design, is people training hard. They just think because they have a program designed for them, that they will lose weight, get stronger and look good in their new Speedo. I don't care what program you're on. If you're doing it half-ass, nothing is going to happen. Someone on a poorly designed program who breaks their ass in the gym is always going to get more results than someone sleep walking through a well designed program. But if you put someone who breaks their ass on a well designed program, what do you think will happen? Now you have the ultimate training program. Does this mean you have to pray to the porcelain gods after every set? No. You know deep down the amount of effort you have to exert. Results do not come easy and neither should your training.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Front Squat

What happens when someone has excessive forward lean while performing a back squat? They place a whole lot of torque on their lower back and will probably be crawling around on their hands and knees the next day. What happens when someone performs a front squat with excessive forward lean? They dump the bar on the floor. They may feel a little embarrassed, but they've saved their lower backs. It's hard to front squat poorly. That's one reason to include this exercise in your lower body training regimen. Another reason is that it there is no spinal loading. Now, there are those out there who are only worried about moving as much as weight as possible. So, they will dismiss the front squat because they are not moving as much weight as the back squat. But when you are decreasing the load on your spine and improving your back position with front squats, you may want to think again.

Eating Clean

A couple of posts back, I talked about how a lousy diet will always defeat a good workout program. Well, what makes up a good diet? Here are five easy tips to follow:
1) Start your day with breakfast
2) Eat every 2-3 hours
3) Include protein at every meal
4) Include vegetables at every meal
5) Cut out calorie containing beverages. Water should be the drink of choice.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Single-Arm Overhead Press

Overhead pressing seems to be lost in a lot of strength programs. In fact, some well known strength coaches have cited the high incidence of shoulder injuries because of the lack of overhead pressing. If you're shoulders are healthy enough to handle it, some form of overhead pressing should be included in your routine from time to time. Not only will it build up your shoulders, but it can also help with bench press performance (hey guys, did I grab your attention now) and lower back strength. You will find out if your low back is strong if you are able to complete a set of overhead presses with good technique. Now I'm not telling you to run over to the power rack, load up the bar and pound out a set of overhead presses. If you're just getting back into overhead pressing I suggest you start with a different variation, the single arm DB overhead press.


By using a single arm, you're doing two things. One, you're working on any strength imbalances between the right and left sides. Two, you're allowing the scapular to rotate freely. Most people who have shoulder issues, have some type of scapular dysfunction. A couple of points to make with the execution of the exercise:
1)Slide the foot back of the same side you're pressing with (staggered stance)
2)Rotate your palm so it's facing in (neutral grip)
3)If you need support, place your opposite hand onto a power rack

Fish Oil

Not taking it? Start now. It's amazing how many benefits there are to taking fish oil. Google fish oil and you will find page after page of studies & articles on it's benefits. Yet, most people are not taking it. If you care about preventing heart disease, reducing joint inflammation or dropping bodyfat then you should definitely be supplementing with fish oil. Right around 5 grams day, divided up before each meal, should do the job.

Stupid Things Seen in the Gym

I hate using the word stupid, but I have no other word to use. Being in the gym every day, either on my own or with a client, I always have an eye on people. I watch how a person performs an exercise. I watch what other trainers are doing with their clients. If I've been watching someone for awhile, I'll try to break down their workouts. I'll even try to listen in on conversations (yeah, I'm nosey). Something usually stands out everyday, and usually it's not a good thing. In fact, this could probably be a daily column. But, I do not want to insult. What I am trying to do is correct people and understand their methods. If they give a justifiable reason, I may understand. If they recite studies from Maxim or Glamour, I may have a problem. Enough rambling.
This is one of the more bizarre things I've seen (and that's leaving out what goes on in the men's locker room). A guy, probably in his fifties, was standing on the rounded side of a half foam roller (the bottom side is flat). He is in a split stance, one foot in front of the other. From this position, he was attempting to jump on the rounded side of the BOSU ball without falling. Immediately, as soon as I start watching him, he stops his set and leaves the area. Now unless this guy was training for a lumberjack log-roll contest, I have no idea what his purpose was. Here is another situation of someone probably not being able to perform a basic lower body exercise, such as a squat or lunge, and just trying to over complicate things. If I had been able to ask him what he was trying to do, he probably would have told me, "Working on my balance". That's when I would have told him to work on single leg exercises (step-ups, lunges, single-leg squats). It's not about training the very specific aspect of balance, because only those aspects are going to get better. In order to have better overrall balance, work on the muscles that are involved in order to keep you upright (glute medius, peroneals, hip abductors and adductors).
Always think an exercise through. And if it seems foolish or requires more than one unstable training device, kick that exercise to the curb.

What happened to chin-ups?

I was at this fairly new gym this morning working with a client. I wanted to start her workout with some chin-ups (she's capable of doing 2-3/set). I searched and searched and searched, yet couldn't find a real chin-up bar anywhere. There wasn't even one on the power rack, just some square bar going across the top. Yes, they had the Gravitron machine, but I hate that piece. And yes, there was a lat pulldown machine but it's just not the same. And you know what? No one in the gym, workers or members, probably even care. What happened to chin-ups?
If the squat or deadlift are the kings of lower body exercises, the chin-up (or pull-up) is the king of upper body exercises. Usually, I get lots of questions about muscular or strength development. I'll ask the person what their current workout is and I can not find chin-ups or pull-ups anywhere. You want big arms? Work on chin-ups. You want real world strength? Work on chin-ups. No one cares how much you can do on the lat pulldown machine, but they will be impressed if you can a good set of chin-ups.
So what if you can not do one chin-up? It does not mean you have to resort to the lat pulldown machine. There are better ways to build up your chin-up strength. One way is to work on the lowering portion of the lift. Hop up to the bar and try lowering yourself at a 10 second count. Perform 3 sets of 3 reps, and gradually try to extend the time of each rep from session to session. Another way is working with Superbands. Loop the band through a bar and hook one knee in. Once you can do 8-10 reps, move to a lighter band. Here is video from strength coach Mike Boyle demonstrating band chin-ups.

http://www.michaelboyle.biz/joomla/content/view/84/60/

Or if you're working out with a partner, hang from the bar and have your partner hold your ankles. As you perform the chin-up, the partner will give you as much help as you need. Once you can do 8-10, have the partner hold one ankle. Once you can do 8-10 have your partner assist you from the waist, giving you as much as help as you need.
So there you have it. No more excuses for not doing chin-ups. Yes, they are difficult. But when was working out supposed to be easy. And if your gym doesn't have a chin-up bar, ask them why? If they direct you over to the the lat pulldown machine, it's time to find somewhere else to train. Good luck.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Prone Plank

Where do most "newbies" start their abdominal training? Most likely with some sort of crunch: floor crunches, swiss ball crunches, twisting crunches, med ball crunches, machine crunches, and what ever other crunch you could think of. But is there where most people should start their abdominal training? The answer is no. The abdominal region (or let's use one of the most overused training words around, "core") is meant to provide a link to the upper and lower bodies. In order to provide a link, the area has to be stable. If not, there will be energy leaks as force is transferred from one part to the other. So in order to train the "core" to provide stability, you have to use "core" stability exercises, which definitely are not crunches. But a prone plank does.

This is where all abdominal training should start. Perform 2-3 sets of these starting in the 30-45 second range and then gradually extend your time to the point where you can get 90-120 seconds.
The keys are: 1) maintain a straight line from your feet to your shoulders (no ass in the are; it's a plank not a draw bridge) 2) brace your abdominal area like George Foreman was about to punch you in the gut (do not bring the belly button to the spine). Good luck.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the week: Turkish Get Up

Sounds funny, right? It even may look funny, because it is not a conventional or even ordinary lift. You may even raise a few eyebrows in the gym doing these. Well, there's nothing funny about this exercise. It's a demanding exercise that truly is a total body body exercise. It involves just about every prime mover and stabilizer. Rather than me explain it, I've provided a link where Anthony DiLuglio of Punch Kettlebell Gym in Providence, RI breaks the exercise down in order for you to do it correctly.

http://www.artofstrength.com/Newsletter/tabid/75/newsid468/11/Default.aspx

I'd suggest doing 1-2 sets of 6-10 reps on each side at the end of your lower or total body workout as a finishing exercise. Don't worry if you do not have any kettlebells around, a dumbbell will do. And don't worry if, like I said earlier, people look at you funny. The next time they're standing on a bosu ball doing biceps curls with 5lb dumbbells, you can laugh right back.

Congratulations to another fine American

The United States may not claim to be proud winners of the first World Baseball Classic a year back. We can not even be proud to dominate the Winter or Summer Olympics like we once did. But we can be proud to have the new World Hot Dog Eating champ, Joey Chestnut!! And in the process he set a new record of 66 hot dogs eaten in 12 minutes. Congratulations Joey. You've done America proud. We may not be able to out perform other nations in more recognized sports, but we have one man who can out-eat anyone from another country (May be even out-eat an entire country.)