RichRuff Training Product Review: Foam Rollers

Don't have a foam roller? Get one if you want to have a good chance of remaining injury free. You can do all the stretching in the world and that's great. But stretching is not going to get rid of the trigger points or adhesion's that may be created from training. You don't have to get hurt in order to develop a trigger point. If you've been training for a period of time, trigger points will just naturally build up. The more trigger points you have, the greater the chance an injury is going to happen. I'll try to get most of my clients to perform about 5 minutes of foam rolling before each session. Some of them have such restrictions through soft tissues, that they need to perform some rolling prior to a workout in order to correctly perform some movements.

Now if you want to go get a deep tissue massage or some Active Release Technique done in order to get rid of these trigger points, you might be better off. But how many of us can get get a massage a couple of times per week? I hardly know anyone that goes for a massage once per week. This is where the foam roller comes into play. It's basically a poor man's massage. A foam roller is probably going to run you no more than $20. And if you purchase the one foot round roller, you can stuff it in your gym bag or take it just about anywhere. $20 is not a bad long term investment in your health.






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Use All Your Tools

Some people will only do machine training. Others may only use bodyweight exercises in their programming. Some people will tell you to only use free weights. Others believe that everything should be done using a Bosu Ball. And the latest thing people are starting to make use of more often is the kettlebell. I say, "Use them all". Increasing your athletic performance or transforming your physique has nothing to do with what tool or apparatus you're using. It has more to do with how you're using that tool or apparatus. If I'm using the tool analogy, I wouldn't use a screwdriver to drive in a nail, would I? Yeah I can, but it's not to effective. There are going to be certain exercises or situations, where one tool is more appropriate than the other. For instance, kettlebells are my preferred tools for performing a single arm or double armed swing. Or if I'm trying to improve my maximal strength, why work on a stability ball where I going to be limited by how much weight I can use because I'm working so hard to stabilize the damn ball. Think about the movement pattern and what you're trying to establish with each exercise then select the proper tool. Use all the tools in your toolbox.

Be Careful

sugar Watch out for those supposedly "healthy" nutritional or protein bars. Don't get fooled by the fancy packaging or all that the scientific jargon thrown on the wrapper telling you just how good that bar is for you. You may think you're doing something good for yourself having one of these bars rather than that Milky Way bar you used to eat, but after a detailed inspection, some of these bars are no better for you than that Milky Way. Yes, they may have more protein or lower carbohydrates than the regular, old candy bar, but take a look at the ingredients. Don't just go by the label. I've looked a somet of these protein bars lately and I've found the first ingredient to be be corn syrup in a good majority of them. Another I looked at listed the caramelchocolate coating as it's first ingredient. These are nothing but glorified candy bars. If the first ingredient is not some type of protein blend, don't even bother with the bar. Also, don't be fooled by bars that claim to have low or no carbs. Most of these bars are going to substitutealcohols in place of the carbohydrates. Forget about some of these sugar alcohols still causing the blood sugar to raise just as it would with carbohydrates. The noticeable side effect they can create is some serious bloating and a few trips to the bathroom. Not a pleasant experience.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: "Sunny Day" Workout

Going to the gym to get a work in can become monotonous at times. Sometimes you just need to get out of your normal training routine and do something different. And going to the gym on a beautiful, sunny day today here in the Boston area is not what I call enjoyable. So I came up with another plan today. I took a 25lb kettlebell, a 50lb sandbag and a 10lb pound medicine ball over to the park and performed the following routine:

10 minute Dynamic Flexibility/Joint Mobility Warm Up

Sandbag Clean & Press for 30 seconds
Walking Lunge w/Sandbag Pressed Overhead x10 reps each leg
Rest 60 seconds


Sandbag Clean & Press for 30seconds
Walking Lunge w/Sandbag on Right Shoulder x10 reps each leg
Rest 60 seconds

Sand Bag Clean & Press for 30seconds
Walking Lunge w/Sandbag on Left Shoulder x 10reps each leg
Rest 60 seconds

Sandbag Clean & Press for 30seconds
Walking Lunge w/Sandbag Bear Hug Hold x10 reps each leg
Rest 60 seconds

Sandbag Clean & Press for 30seconds
Walking lunge w/Sandbag Zercher Hold x10 reps each leg
Rest 60 seconds


Sandbag Clean & Press for 30 seconds
Walking Lunge w/Sandbag Held in Right Hand x 10 reps each leg
Rest 60 seconds

Sandbag Clean & Press for 30 seconds
Walking lunge w/Sandbag Held in Left Hand x 10 reps each leg
Rest 60 seconds


That was it for the sandbag. Onto to the kettlebell.

Kettlebell Forward Throw: 4 sets of 8 throws and w/60 seconds of rest between each set.


Done with the kettlebell. Onto the med ball. You'll need a concrete wall for this next one.

Split Stance Side Throw: 3 sets of 15 reps each side

And that was it. Got a 40 minute workout in while working on my tan at the same time.

Simply Amazing

I think people who do not follow the international track scene or who've run track at one time in their life, can not fully appreciate what Usain Bolt did the other night. To me, him breaking the 200 meter world record was far more impressive than his world record in the 100 meters.

Up until 1996, the world record for the 200 meters stood for 17 years. For a track record, that's along time. Then in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Michael Johnson put on one of the most impressive displays of sprinting that anyone has ever seen. He shattered the world record by four tenths of a second. In track, that just doesn't happen. Four tenths of a second is an eternity for these world class sprinters. I remember that night in Atlanta, watching Johnson destroy the rest of the field in his gold spikes. When the clock read 19.32, no one could believe it. People thought this was a record that would stand for fifty years. The closest anyone had come it was Tyson Gay in 2007 when he ran a 19.62, still three tenths of a second way.

Then comes Usain Bolt. Twenty two years old. Six foot, five inches. I think Micheal Johnson started to worry about his record after watching Bolt coast to a record in the 100 meters. Johnson predicted a 19.5 from Bolt. So what does Bolt do? He goes out and does something no one has ever done at an Olympics: win the 100 meter and 200 meter finals and establish world records in both. 9.69 and 19.30. The silver medalist in the 200 meters was half a second back!! Amazing.

There's now talk about Bolt going after the 400 meter world record, something I know everyone would just love to see. Congratulations Usain.

Who would you rather look like?

If you've been watching the Olympics over the last 10 days or so, I'm sure you've caught some of the Olympic marathon highlights. Or if you really had nothing to do on Saturday, you sat in front of the t.v. and watched the entire women's marathon. And I'm sure even if you're not paying close attention to the Olympics you heard about Usain Bolt from Jamaica winning the gold medal in the men's 100 meter final and smashing the world record in the process, while showboating for the last 20 meters of the race.

Did you notice anything about the physiques of the finalists in each of these events? Who would you rather look like? The frail marathoner who looks like they haven't had a meal in the last 5 days and wouldn't even have the strength to carry a backpack with their running shoes in it? Or the lean, muscular sprinter with the chiseled six pack who looks like they could run through a brick wall?

Or ask your self who would you rather train like? The marathoner who's logging hundreds of miles per week and hours of continuous aerobic activity at a time? Or the sprinter who's running for 10-20 seconds, 45 seconds if we throw 400-meter runners into in the mix, and then resting before repeating the next interval. How long do you think the total amount of time of work is for a sprinter in a training session? Maybe 10-15 minutes. 20 minutes at the most.

Now think about the appearance and the training approach of these two types of athletes and relate it to your training. Do you see what I'm getting at?

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: DB Decline Press w/Neutral Grip

It's hard to tell from the video, but my client is actually working on a bench here that is set up at about a 10-15 degree incline. This gym does actually have a decline bench, but the manufacturer's design is really poor. If you're over 5'5", you're out of luck unless you want to perform some isometric neck holds while pressing the weight. So here, I just found a Reebok step and a couple of risers and planted them under one end of a flat bench.

I like to throw in some decline pressing from time to time in order deload or take some stress off the shoulders for a bit. Further enhancing the deload on the shoulders is performing this exercise with a neutral grip. Take a look:

Random Thoughts....

....from the first couple of days of the Olympics.

• Can just one of the gymnastics girls smile? I know this is serious stuff and I know this may be the only shot at a medal for some of them, but is it that hard to show just a tiny smile? It might even help their marketability after the games. Who knows?
• What is in the pool water over in Beijing? It seems like during every race a new world record is set. Five teams broke the old 4x100 meter freestyle relay record the other night!! Five!! Imagine breaking a world record and finishing in fifth place. Is there really such a thing as fast water?
• I actually thought China might have a chance against the U.S. mens basketball team the other day, considering the United States poor showing at the last Olympics. I guess not. May be this "Redeem Team" is actually taking this Olympic thing pretty seriously.
• Can't wait for the track & field to start. That's what the Olympic games are really about. Not archery, water polo or synchronized diving.
  
• Back to the gymnasts. It makes me cringe every time I watch them perform a landing. To me it just seems like such a violent act on their knees, ankles or any joint through the lower body.
  
• I guess softball will no longer be an Olympic sport after this year. That's only to bad if Jennie Finch planned on playing four years from now. She's the only reason I knew it was even an Olympic sport in the first place.
  

• I don't think that there will be any question once these games are over, that Michael Phelps will go down as the greatest U.S. Olympic athlete ever. How old is he again?
• The I.O.C has the toughest drug policy in the world. I think. So it amazes that any athlete would test positive for a banned substance. Can you be that ignorant? I read in the paper today that a cyclist tested positive for EPO. Have a half a brain, will ya?
  
• Didn't watch the opening ceremonies and sure won't watch the closing ceremonies.
  

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Standing Single Arm Row

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How'd That Happen?

I actually amazed myself in the gym today. Probably for the first time and quite possibly the last. I didn't have much time to get in a a workout so I put a brief upper body workout today.

1. Chin ups: 3 sets of as many reps as possible
2. DB Row: 2 sets of 10
3. Suspended Push Ups: 2 sets of as many reps as possible
4. Knee on Elbow DB External Rotation: 2 sets of 12

Not impressive, but I didn't have much time and just felt like I needed to get a workout in. So after about 5 minutes of some foam roller work and another 5 minutes of a dynamic warm up for the upper body, I hop up to the chin up bar and do something I haven't done in years. In fact, I don't know if I've ever done it. I knocked out 15 chin ups on my first set. "Who cares?", I'm sure most of you are saying. But this is important to me for a few reasons:

1. Like I said before i don't think I've ever gotten 15 chin ups in one set. I'm a fast twitch guy and as soon as my reps go over 10 or so, my performance just crashes.
2. With the exception of doing 4 sets of 5 reps of weighted chin ups one day last week, I haven't done a chin up in the last 12 weeks or so. All of my back or pulling work has consisted of mostly rows or any other type of horizontal pulling work.

So I'm left trying to figure out what happened today. One, I think my bodyfat percentage has gone done over the summer by doing more track work. Less fat to pull equals better performance. Two, I think all the rowing work I've done has helped tremendously with my chin up performance. So there are ways to improve performance in one lift by improving performance in other lifts. Third, since I've been doing more deadlifting and rowing than I've ever done before, I think my grip strength and endurance has improved leading to a better performance with my chin ups. The grip is usually the first thing to go with a higher rep set.

16-18 chin ups next week?

Nike Shox

Yeah, I guess they look cool. And when they first came out they even sounded cool, making that "Boing" noise. Or were mine the only ones that did that? But besides their look there is really nothing cool about these sneaks. First, they're over priced. Second, every pair I've ever had (and it's been a couple of years) has broken down so fast. Put my first two points together and that doesn't make any sense. A high priced sneaker that breaks down pretty fast. Makes you want to go out and get a pair, right?

But the real issue with these sneakers isn't the price or how much wear and tear you get out of them. The issue with these sneakers is the biomechanical problems they can cause. Take a look at a pair. It's basically a sneaker with heels, right? Would you ever workout in a pair of heels? I'm actually afraid to ask the question because I'm sure some ladies would say yes. Anyways, you always hear how heels are terrible for your feet and how they can cause problems up your entire kinetic chain. Not only foot problems from shortened calves and Achilles tendons, but also knee, hip and low back problems. Plus having your heels raised causes a forward weight shift and more problems for your lower back. And then think about how we evolved. Mr. Neanderthal Man wasn't chasing down buffalo in a pair of Nike Turbo Shox. He was in bare feet. Watch the track and field events at upcoming summer Olympics. From the sprinters all the way up to the distance runners, they're basically wearing slippers on their feet. Their heels aren't elevated.
They're practically running in bare feet. And some therapists today would even suggest training barefoot to solve some of your joint mobility and stability issues.

So my suggestion to you is not to get sucked in by Nike's fantastic marketing campaigns that have you running out to get the latest pair of Shox. Especially if you're struggling with some foot or low back issues. I was one of those people a couple of years ago. But after realizing how lousy these sneakers can actually before you, I'll never wear another pair.

Stop Sweating the Small Stuff

• "When should I being doing my cardio? Early morning?"
• "What fruits should I not be eating"
• "How can I isolate my upper pecs?"
• "What's the best time for me to exercise?"
• "What supplements can I use to help burn some bodyfat?"

These are some of the questions I get from people who are always sweating the small stuff. And these are the same people who a good majority of the time do not have any of the basic principles in place. They are:

1. Not doing any cardio at all.
2. Not eating any fruit at all.
3. Not able to even perform 10 quality push ups.
4. Not getting any exercise in at all.
5. Not even following a good nutritional plan.

And these people are always getting no where with their results. They are always stuck in neutral. They'd be much better off if they stopped talking about the best strategies are and started getting 3-5 hours of exercise in per week and cut all the crap out of their diet. Are you one of these people? Stop sweating the small stuff and take a look at the big picture.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Standing Face Pull

This exercise would fall into the category of horizontal pulling or rowing. And more rowing equals less shoulder problems, making this exercise a great shoulder saver. In order to perform this exercise:

1. Attach a triceps's rope to an adjustable pulley and adjust the height of the pulley so it is above eye level.
   
2. Grip the rope with an externally rotated grip (palms facing each other ) and take a few steps back, getting into a split stance. It's okay to have a bit of a backward lean in order to counteract the weight being used.
   
3. Initiate the pulling movement by thinking about bring your shoulders back and down.
4. Your elbows should go out and your hands should finish right around your ears.

Take a look at the video for a better idea.







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