Category: Training
Bulgarian Goat Belly Swings
7th June
It is starting to become more and more evident that although most guys know where their hamstrings are, they are completely unaware of how to use them. For the most part, there are two types of people when it comes to training the hamstrings and posterior chain
The one’s that just don’t do it. They avoid hamstring exercises like the plague.
The one’s that use the hamstring curl machine and call it a day.
The same guys then come up to me and ask what stretches they can do for a pulled hammie. Seriously? The next time I see you on the hamstring curl maching I am going to throw a shoe at you. Yes, I am going to hurl an 80mph barefoot shoe across the gym at ya.
The problem is that most people don’t realize that their hamstring does so much more than … Read More »
Stretching Before Exercise: Good or Bad?
1st June
It still amazes me that that not only personal trainers but many other health professionals are still unclear on how, when and why to prescribe stretching to a patient or client. The meaning of flexibility for some still remains as distant as the mythical creature: the Jillian Michaels.
One of my clients forwarded me a pretty recent article titled “Stretching Before Exercise ‘Is Counter Productive.” The keyword in that title is the word ‘IS’ which would imply that everyone is the same and has the same imbalances. Another article claims that “Experts say: Don’t Stretch Before Exercise.” My only question is what “f”ing experts are saying this? I am curious as to whether they work with real people.
Working with hundreds of clients over the past several years I have found that this is hardly the case. Everyone has unique needs and … Read More »
Does Cardio Before Breakfast Maximize Fat Loss?
11th April
I usually don’t butt into other people’s conversations with whom I am not acquainted, especially when it comes to training. Mainly because disagreeing with their “broscience” causes battle lines to be drawn and the outcome is always the same. They leave thinking you are a jackass and you leave frustrated.
This morning, however, I overheard one of the members trying to convince another one that the best way to burn fat is to do cardio in the morning on an empty stomach.
Usually, at risk of sounding like a cocky know-it-all I avoid conversations like this with people I don’t know but she continued on to say that she never eats breakfast in the morning and does 45min of cardio before bootcamp class. This is right about where you hear the breaks screech and me throw it in reverse, almost like a cartoon.
I politely … Read More »
Periodize Your Training For Maximum Gains
13th March
One of the biggest questions when it comes to strength training is how much volume to use to achieve maximal gains. Yeah, 3 sets of 8 reps works great for a beginner but if you have been doing 3×8 for the past 10 years you may have stopped getting any significant results, oh say 9 and 1/2 years ago.
I have even seen old programs that my clients have given me that was put together from a past trainer or friend of theirs that has 3×10 of every exercise across the board. It seems to me like people are really attached to the numbers 8 and 10. 8, 8 repetitions ah, ah, ah.
Even more important than the actual exercises (unless you still have an “arms” day in which case you should…..) is the manner in which you vary the intensity and … Read More »
Squats: Would You Like It In the Front or In the Back?
5th March
“To front squat or back squat, that is the question.” – Shakespeare
Squatting is perhaps one of the most fundamental and functional exercises we do as humans. I mean, we do it every day. If you disagree then you try pooping standing up and let me know what happens. (Actually, please don’t let me know what happens)
But when we are training the squat at the gym there are so many options to choose from. You have bodyweight squats, goblet squats, back squats, front squats, box squats, over head squats, and the list goes on. You also have your choice of equipment from barbells, to dumbbells, to kettlebells, to safety bars, to sandbags.
Everybody has their preference for which style to train with and train their clients with and across the board there is quite a bit of differences. One thing it seems … Read More »
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