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.)

Great Program vs. Crappy Diet

In one corner you have the greatest & latest buns of steel program you found in Shape magazine. In the other corner you have a diet full of empty carbs, processed foods, and late night binging. Who wins? The crappy diet. I'll even put another program up against the crappy diet. Maybe a program designed by one of the best body transformation experts,such as Alwyn Cosgrove. Who wins this time? The crappy diet again. My point? If body composition changes are your major focus , it doesn't matter what program you're on or who's designing your program. A lousy diet will always defeat a good workout program. So seek some nutritional advice and get your diet in check. Then with a properly designed program you can expect to drop those pounds of flab.