20 Random Training Thoughts

1. Based on the nature of our everyday lives most people need to focus on hip and thoracic mobility.  That being said you can not go wrong by including exercises such as Spider Man lunges, reverse lunges with overhead reach, side lying windmills and quadruped extension and rotations as part of your warm up.
2. If you have anterior knee pain start your lower body training with a leg curl variation such as a lying leg curl or slide board leg curl.  It serve as a nice additional warm up since the stress placed on the knees with leg curls is not the same as the stresses from squats or lunges.
3. Your core training can be broken down into four basic categories: anti-extension (front plank, dead bug, bird dog) anti-rotation (belly press, cable lift), anti-lateral flexion (side plank, suitcase carry) and hip flexion (Swiss ball jackknife, 1/2 get up).  By the end of the training week you should have done at least 1-2 exercises in each category.  
4. Sorry to disappoint you, but every training session is not going to be a record breaking training session.  Some days you got it.  Some days you don't.  That's the nature of the beast.  The days you got it, push it.  The days you don't, hold back.
5. Lunge variations are not just limited to forward and reverse variations.  Work some lateral lunge variations in: goblet lateral lunge, off set lateral lunge and slide board lateral lunges are some options.
6. There is more to making an exercise harder than just adding weight or reps.  You can change the grip, increase the range of motion or change the tempo to make things harder.  You can make chin ups harder by going to fat grip chin ups.  You can make a split squat harder by going to a rear foot elevated split squat.  You can make a dumbbell incline press harder by taking a three second pause in the bottom of the lift.  There are many, many options.
7. Use a variety of different holds with your lower body training and you will get a variety of training effects.  Use a goblet hold to get more of a core anti-extension training effect.  Use an off-set hold to get more core stability work in terms of anti-extension and anti-rotation.  Use a barbell to really jack up the load and move more weight.
8. Have aching elbows?  Do 1-2 sets of high rep band press downs as part of your warm up to get some blood flow pumping to that elbow region.
9. The best thing you can probably to do to get more results from your training program is not to write up your own training program.  If you are writing up your own programs you are most likely going to include what you like and not include what you don't like but probably need.  There is plenty of great resources and coaches out there that have quality programs for you to use.
10. The next best thing you can probably do to get more results from your training is find a training partner.  You know and I know that we are more likely to skip that last set or interval when no one is looking.  Or may be it is just me that is guilty of this, but I do not think so.
11. Five things you should add to your gym bag if you are training at a commercial gym, because the chance of said commercial gym having any of them is slim: 1) a lacrosse ball for self myofascial release work  2) Val Slides for different lunge and core exercises 3) a few different Superbands (1/2 inch thick, one inch and maybe a 1.5 inch) for warm up exercises, for band assisted chin ups, for band resisted push ups or for different core training exercises  4) Fat Gripz if narrow bars really take a toll on your elbows, to use for farmers carries and to get a different training effect  5) a Gymboss interval timer to keep your interval or circuit training spot on without having to peek at your watch or search around the gym for a clock.
12. Do not get married to one training tool whether it is  kettlebells, dumbbells, the TRX or God forbid the Bosu Ball.  Not every tool is good for every job.   The more tools you have in your toolbox the better off you will be.
13. A nice change of pace from your training can be to work in a body weight or mobility day to get some type of training stimulus while also promoting recovery.  A simple circuit of such would be something like: Quadruped Extension/Rotation x8/side, Yoga Push Up x8, Single Leg Glute Bridge x8/side, Split Squat x10/side, RDL w/reach x10/side, Inverted Row x10, Prisoner Walking Lunge x8/side, Side Plank x30s/side.  Go through the circuit 3-5 times.
14. Squat everyday.  This does not mean loading up a barbell and throwing a few plates on each side. You have plenty of other options that can be worked into your workout, your warm ups or if you are just hanging out at home: prisoner squat, squat to stand, goblet squat or an overhead squat with a dowel are some examples.  The one pattern that tends to deteriorate the most as we age is our squat, especially if we do not keep up with it regularly.
15. Have pain in your shoulders or elbows when placing a bar across the top of your back for squat or lunge variations.  Go to a pinkie-less grip. Index, middle and ring fingers will go around the bar.  Pinkie finger will go beneath the bar.  I picked this tip up from strength coach Joe Defranco and it has done wonders for my elbows and shoulders.
16. Include some type of power training into your workouts at least once or twice a week.  Power is one of the first things to go as we get older.  Not only that it is a great way to to get you in the right mindset for a workout.  And power training is different for everyone.  For some it may be work on the agility ladder.  For others it may be skipping drills.  For others it may be medicine ball throws.  You really do have a lot of power training options.    
17. Injuries can always be worked around.  Injuries should not be a built in excuse to stay away from the gym.  If you are having lower back pain I would suggest staying away from loaded lower body exercises such as squats.  Focus more on single leg variations.  If your shoulders are cranky focus more on horizontal pulling exercises.  If your lower back and shoulders hurt go through a mobility workout like the one I listed in point 13.  
18. Want to get better at a particular exercise?  Hit that exercise early in the week, early in your workout.  The exercise you hit early on is usually going to get the most focus mentally and physically.
19. Sometimes you just need to throw training rules out the window and just TRAIN!  Notice I said sometimes, not all the time.  Every now and then test your self with a gut check workout.  Or maybe you saw a workout someone else was doing and wanted to give it a shot.  Go ahead and give it a shot.  Maybe your current training does not call for a timed mile or max set of push ups, but you want to give it a shot.  Go for it!  It's all right to break the rules now and then.  I repeat, now and then.
20. Pick a performance related goal.  Do you want to run a 5K in 25 minutes?  Do you want to be able to do one chin up?  Do you want to be able to 15 straight high quality push ups?  Do you want to be able to deadlift 2.5 times your body weight?  Once you set a performance related goal it is easier to set up your training since your training should be helping you get to your goal.