The 2016 blizzard left me with a lot of time for binge watching on Korean dramas and movies. I came across one very interesting documentary called THIN on Amazon Prime. It is a film about individuals with eating disorders that check into a treatment facility to help overcome their disorders.
Read MoreWe've talked a lot in the past about how making a change is all in your head. Our brains react in very specific ways to certain situations and these reactions are predictable, but not always rational. We like to think that we are smart, contemplative creatures, and that every choice we make is the product of a thorough analysis of the pros and cons of each option. However, this isn't the case. We see examples all the time of judges who are more punitive when they are hungry, and tired people who are more likely to overeat. We are always influenced by circumstance, so the battle becomes less about knowing more about the pros and cons of a choice (junk food versus protein and vegetables), and more about how to positively influence our circumstance.
Everybody knows that smoking is bad for you (these days anyway). People who smoke do not make a conscious choice with every cigarette. They do not carefully weigh the pros; looking like Joe Camel, against the cons; smelling like a chimney.
Pro
Con
We know that these folks are HEAVILY influenced by addiction to nicotine. This addiction makes it harder to make any other choice than the one that has already been made thousands of times before. The path from 'I want a cigarette' to 'I'll have one right now' has been smoothed to the point that alternatives are extremely difficult.
But don't people quit smoking all the time? They sure do. So how do they do it? They have to take stock of how our brains react to change and set themselves up for success. This is the same process with any change and the ones I hear all the time:
I just can't quit sodas
I eat when I'm stressed
I always overeat at night
I eat poorly with family
I can't eat that much protein in a day
I can't wake up early to work out
We at TFN have all kinds of tricks we use to get clients to smooth the path to better decisions. Here is one of the most powerful:
A lot of these changes are daunting to look at. Imagine quitting smoking. If you've smoked for decades of your life, and now you've decided that you'll never do it again as long as you live. That is an enormous undertaking. The sheer scope of it all, can be enough to subconsciously trick ourselves into not even giving it a shot. We think 'Oh well, it's too late now' and stay on our nice smooth path of habit, and comfort.
But these tasks don't have to be huge, we can break them up into smaller more manageable chunks. Now you don't have to QUIT SMOKING FOREVER, you can choose to wait an hour before having another one. This allows the brain to collect some small wins. Those tiny victories that let you say to yourself. "I can do this. This isn't daunting." Where should you look when climbing a 1000 foot ladder? At the next rung.
So what are some examples of shrinking the change for exercise? We often break it down into 3 parts:
Consistency + Effort + Program = Success
This is always true and if you have an exception I'd like to hear it. But let's shrink it down just a little bit more into manageable chunks. Reduce the fraction if you will.
(Show Up + Work Hard) X Science = Success
If you are having trouble making it to the gym, break it down into a small win scenario. Just worry about showing up. If you make it through the doors, count it as a victory. Try to start a streak of training sessions without missing one. Make it a game and keep track! If you can hit 3X a week for 4 weeks in a row, congratulations you just completed your first training cycle. I know a lot of people who stay in this phase for years. Just because you have been 'doing this for a while' does not mean you have been progressing. If your teenager can't drive around the parking lot, they are not ready for the highway. Focus on what matters, Showing Up, and only then move on to step two.
We as humans have a tendency to overestimate our effort and underestimate our caloric intake. It's true of everyone; me, you, your grandparents, everybody. That means the amount of work we think of as 'enough' is probably not. When we say to ourselves 'I really should be seeing some progress' we are saying that we think we are working hard enough. Since we know that the human body adapts and responds to a stimulus every single time, we know that if we are Showing Up, and not seeing progress, the likeliest scenario is that we are NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH. We have to work harder than we think we need to. This is a tough one, but believe me it works. Pour yourself into your work and your training and see if you don't leave it with a zen-like state of six pack nirvana.
Our math problem up above got a little tricky, but let me explain. In the past I've always preached that Science/Good Program/Planning Ahead is merely a component of progress, but I now don't really think this is true. Science is the MULTIPLIER of progress. If you can Show Up and Work Hard you will make progress no matter what you are doing, and this is enough for a lot of people. A lot of people go to the gym every week, and work really hard on some really weird stuff, and they can often see an improvement. But what really makes a difference is working in the right direction by using hard Science to facilitate progress. Science multiplies our efforts. A crappy program gives a little progress, and a great program gives us a ton assuming that we are Showing Up and Working Hard.
No Progress:
Not Showing Up
Not Working Hard
Some Progress/Better than nothing:
P90X
T25
Brazilian Booty Ballet
Good Progress:
Starting Strength
5/3/1
StrongLifts 5X5
Maximal Progress/Pick this one:
A top notch coach to watch your lifts and program the optimal intensities, volumes, and frequencies. I've heard these guys are good...
And there you have it. Want to improve your fitness? Quit smoking? Be nicer to people? It often starts by shrinking the change. It doesn't have to be daunting if we can just start small. We happen to be pros with this whole fitness thing, so shrink the change and just give us a call.
As a trainer and our studio's Nutrition Consultant, I get this question a LOT. Like, a lot a lot.
The simplest answer to this question is - YES. It is definitely okay to eat fruit. Fruits are loaded with vitamins, fiber, enzymes and wonderful disease-fighting things called antioxidants.
But fruit is also full of fructose. Fructose is sugar. It's a carbohydrate and, therefore, used by the body for high intensity energy. [Need a reminder of what this means? Read here.] If you are not a person who is expending high energy very often, you don't need a ton of carbohydrates in your diet. That's why, in general, if you want to be a lean person, you should engage in smart high-intensity exercise and keep your carbs in check accordingly.
Fruit it a lovely thing, but it makes sense to not go to town on fruit all day everyday. Digestive system upset is only one reason! Below, I've outlined a few tips for having fruit in your lean physique life:
1) Eat the skin
This is important, folks. If your fruit has an edible skin, you should eat it. Citrus, bananas and melons, okay to compost those peels and rinds. But apples? Peaches? The skins of those fruits provide fabulous fiber, which helps control the rate at which the fruit's fructose is absorbed into your bloodstream. The same goes for the pulpy membranes in oranges and grapefruits, and the little tiny edible seeds inside raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. "Juicing" a fruit merely isolates the sugar water from the rest of the food, which makes that fructose digestion lightning fast (and not great unless you're immediately post-workout).
2) Fresh or frozen fruit, not dried
Sure, dried fruit has a lot of fiber in it (hello, prunes!), which is a good thing, but it's also missing almost all of its water. Therefore, the VOLUME of the food is much less, and the "fullness" effect much harder to reach. The number of raisins you're likely to eat in the amount of time you would eat a whole apple could be 5x the amount of sugar. A true serving of raisins is about half the size of a golf ball. Can you see why it would be easy to overdo it?
3) Some fruits are more "sugary" than others
It's true - some fruits have more fructose in them per serving than others. You can see what fruits are "low on the Glycemic Index (like blueberries) or "high" on the Glycemic Index (pineapple, grapes, bananas and mangoes are some examples), but that doesn't mean those fruits are bad. It just means that you should eat those fruits fresh or frozen (again, not dried) and keep it to a serving.
4) Consider fruit a carb
Speaking of a "serving", you should consider fruit in your diet to be a carbohydrate. Just as you wouldn't necessarily have bread, rice, pasta or potatoes at every meal and snack if you're trying to lean up, you wouldn't do the same with fruit. Keep your serving size of fresh fruit to 1/2 cup twice a day and you are plenty fine.
5) Carrots count
Okay, they aren't technically fruits, but from a nutritional standpoint you should consider them as such. Carrots are similar to most fruits in fructose per volume, so treat them like you would treat a fruit.
We have the pleasure today of introducing you to client, Bill Eaton, a guy who has TRULY transformed his physique and didn't go bonkers in the process. Bill trains with Christos Monastiriotis and does nutrition work with Jenn Stofferahn. He tells you how it all happened here in this Client Spotlight. If you or anyone you know is trying to lose weight, this interview is a must-read!
June 2015:
TODAY:
TFN: How long have you been working with your trainer, Christos, and your nutrition consultant, Jenn?
BE: I began working with Christos and Jenn about 7 months ago in July 2015.
TFN: Why did you start working together?
BE: I had gained an enormous amount of weight over the past several years. Friends and family members had begun quietly expressing alarm about my obesity and how it was shortening my life. In June, while having lunch with a very good friend whom I hadn't seen for years, I could tell that she was visibly shocked by how fat I had become. However, she quite deftly and diplomatically diverted the discussion to her husband, who had been worried about his weight and had begun working successfully with Christos and Jenn at TFN Training. As she described the methodology TFN uses, the support and professionalism of Christos and Jenn, and the very obvious results for her husband, it sounded like a program that not only made sense but would probably work for me, too. I had long realized that I was relatively ignorant about good nutrition and nutritional habits; I simply ate whatever was convenient or available. I also realized that I needed guidance and support to get me back to the gym, as well as adding exercise and good nutrition into my daily rhythm. Building one new healthy habit a week into my schedule and learning intellectually why each of these new habits made sense, was a winning formula for me. I wasn't overwhelmed by the changes in my lifestyle, but, instead, embraced them much more easily than I could have imagined.
TFN: How has your physique, strength, and/or mindset changed since you started?
BE: Since working with hristos and Jenn, I have lost over 40 lbs and about 6-7 inches from my waist. I've (happily) had to buy new clothes and unpack clothes I hadn't been able to wear literally for decades. I now routinely take part in activities that I had avoided as too tiring only a few months ago. Walking up and down stairs used to wind me. Although years ago I used to enjoy jogging daily and jogged for relatively long distances, before I started going to TFN, I literally had trouble running across a street. Bending over to tie my shoes would take away my breath. I'd break into a sweat if I tried to dress too quickly in the morning. My legs were too fat to cross. I'm convinced that my obesity was a cause for problems that led to a knee operation about 6 years ago. I had used my bum knee as (yet another) justification for avoiding exercise. All of that has changed since partnering with Christos and Jenn. I now seek out (happily) opportunities to exercise. I walk to the grocery store and other shops in my city rather than driving. I run up and down my stairs without thinking twice about it.
I'm jogging again and my knees feel so good that I often forget which knee had the operation. I gladly go to the gym without worrying that folks will laugh at the fat guy huffing, puffing, and sweating profusely. I shop along the perimeter of the grocery store, rarely venturing into the center aisles. I think differently about food; it's now fuel rather than a pastime I plan my meals rather than eating impulsively. Even going with friends to restaurants, which I do frequently, is different since I now unconsciously curl my nose at the fatty caloric stuff that used to be staples of my diet. Most of all, I notice how differently and better I feel now. I'm more conscious now of how eating fatty and sugary foods -- or even eating too much food -- makes me feel and that, too, helps keep me from making bad food choices.
TFN: How many days a week do you exercise?
BE: I try to exercise at least 4 times a week. I meet with Christos once a week and, on the other days, I go to the gym and follow a program he developed for me.
TFN: Life gets busy, how often would you say you miss a workout?
BE: I'm much better dhering to a regular exercise schedule when I can control my schedule. That's not always possible. I still find excuses to keep me from the gym. However, I feel accountable to Christos when I let myself down and don't go to the gym. I also feel the difference in my energy level and mood, so that is an incentive to keep on track.
However, it's rare that I don't exercise at least 3 times a week -- which is a 300% increase over my previous rate of workouts!**
TFN: On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard do you work during your sessions with Christos?
BE: Each orkout session is different and the intensity varies throughout each workout, depending on what we're doing that particular day. Christos is like a mind reader, and knows (even when I try to disguise it) when I'm slacking off. He pushes me to do more than I would have thought possible. He also encourages me, particularly when I think I'm at my limit, reminding me often how far I've progressed since last July. And, just as importantly for me, he helps me intellectualize what I'm doing in any exercise and why it's useful/important. He's always available by phone, text, or email, to answer questions or give advice. His suggestion, for example, to send him email reports on every workout I undertake on my own, helps me feel accountable for building exercise into my lifestyle, but also gives him information and data points that he can use to modify our in-person workouts and my individualized workout program when I'm on my own.
TFN: How important is smart nutrition in your life?
BE: I think about nutrion now any time I eat. I'm conscious of food choices I make and try to make wise choices -- not because I feel shamed into making good choices, but because I understand and notice the negative and sometimes subtle impacts of bad choices. That doesn't mean that I always make the best choices. I'm still tempted by ice cream. But I can now feel (and anticipate) how that ice cream will affect me later that evening or the next morning. That awareness tempers my unbridled enthusiasm for ice cream. The same is true when I overeat some of my favorite dishes; I know there's a price to pay in how I feel afterwards.
TFN: Has anyone in your life been inspired by your changes?
BE: I'm not sure I've "inspired" anyone by the changes I've made in my physique and habits. However, everyone has noticed the dramatic change in how I look. Some friends joke now with mock exasperation that they have to choose restaurants for our outings that have healthy items on the menu. Many friends, when commenting about how much weight I've lost and how much fitter I look, are very interested in learning more about the TFN philosophy and program that led to these results.
TFN: What's your #1 piece of advice to someone who wants to make significant fitness progress?
BE: Gradual, step-by-step changes in fitness and nutrition habits pay dividends and are much more likely to become part of a new healthy lifestyle, rather than the overly ambitious frenzy of well-intentioned but short-lived changes that we make each year as New Year's resolutions.
TFN: Christos, what is it like to work with Bill?
CM: Working with Bill has been a great pleasure. He is focused, determined and honest about everything he does out of the gym, whether it's nutrition with Jenn or getting to the gym, which is extremely important and rare to have in a client. Each week it seemed Bill was shrinking before my eyes. Despite everything he has been through he stays true to his goal of bettering himself, and that is truly inspiring to me. Everyday he comes in and is ready to get to work with what I have planned for him. Even though he will dread some of the exercises (the prowler!), he still pushes through and completes it. I can tell he has found his form of therapy in weight lifting and has really made it part of his life. I feel honored to be a part of his fitness journey and can't wait to see what the future holds for him.
TFN: Jenn, how does Bill set an example as a nutrition client?
JS: Bill started out with us already possessing a critical ingredient for success in losing weight. Bill takes the effort seriously! He had already made up his mind to commit to a process before walking in the door, all it took was an endorsement from a trusted friend for him to seek out our guidance at TFN. Bill has made outstanding progress so far because he's confident in the step-by-step habit change approach and, combined with his hard work in the gym with Christos, he's built exciting momentum. Every increment of progress inspires him more, which keeps the ball rolling. Mindset is the MOST important aspect to success in changing your body. Bill is the right attitude and it's why he has results. Kudos to Bill for his lifestyle change!
A New Physical Chore
As "Snowzilla" blanketed the east coast, millions of adults found their lives full of a rare type of physical demand: shoveling monster amounts of snow. I was one of the adults tasked with this new chore, but secretly I kind of enjoyed it. I like seeing the results I gain from training translated into a useful task. This storm gave me plenty of opportunity to do so. Through hours and hours of shoveling, I had some time to think about how this chore highlights some principles we use in the gym. Here are some of those thoughts:
Is Shoveling Snow a Workout?
If we polled anyone who spent some appreciable time shoveling during this past storm, the likely unanimous answer would be yes. This is because shoveling snow, like many other tasks we perform, provides a physical stress to the body. The task breaks down muscle and burns up energy, much like a workout done in the gym. If we shoveled snow as part of a daily routine we would find that it becomes easier. This is because our body would adapt to this chore by becoming stronger and more efficient.
Which Strategy is Better: Small shifts throughout the day or one binge shovel?
Those who elected for the "binge" strategy likely felt much more fatigued (and later sore) from the effort. This is because a longer, cumulative stress breaks the body down more than multiple, smaller doses. From a gym standpoint, running 5 miles 4 times in a week would be easier to recover from than performing one 20 mile effort. Personally, I tried both strategies and found from experience that smaller shifts were much easier to handle.
Weak Points
I was happy to find that though shoveling wore me out, I experienced no real soreness in the days afterward. I chalk this up to my body already being adapted to the stress of the activity from consistent resistance training. The snow was heavy, but not as heavy as weight lifted during squats & deadlifts. I did experience some mild pain in a few areas that don't get trained as hard during my time in the gym. Constantly bracing the shovel against piles of snow irritated my wrists, hands, and elbows over time. The constant tension on those areas from shoveling are something my body isn't used to, and therefore caused the irritation as these weaker structures got worked in a new way.
Final Thoughts
Living in a society where physical activity is mostly optional, it's (in my opinion) exciting being forced to exert strength in order to return to basic living. Training in the gym is a substitute for this lack of activity, but it also better prepares us for unexpected physical chores that pop up. If you were one of many stuck shoveling for hours, hopefully you found that the training you do in the gym made it easier, and more satisfying.
Part of the reason it's so great living in a bustling part of the country like the DC area is the abundance of interesting, fun, and different places to dine out. Besides, preparing meals at home and to pack for lunch is work that a lot of busy people can't find time to do consistently. Going out is an often more expensive but more convenient option, and many locals do it on the daily.
But eating out means kissing good nutrition goodbye, right? If it's a treat to go out and be served at a restaurant - or by a food truck - then we should treat ourselves and order the most luscious looking thing on the menu. Besides, how are you supposed to "eat healthy" at an Italian trattoria, a French bistro, a Chinese buffet, or a BBQ joint?
I'm here to tell you that it is more than possible.
1) Order water: H2O, that magical elixir of which all life is made and depends, should be an absolute on your table no matter what you're eating (or what else you're drinking). If you've forgotten just how important water is to your health and physique, take a look back HERE. In addition to helping you reach your daily hydration needs, a water glass that gets drained at least twice during your meal will help you feel satisfied and keep you from polishing off a plate that should really be taken home as leftovers. This brings me to Tip #1.5: if the occasion calls for a cocktail, drink a full glass of water at the table before taking your first sip of wine/beer/mojito, and endeavor to cap it at 1 drink for the meal.
2) Make protein the star of your plate: Lean eaters prioritize protein at every meal and snack. You don't have to be supping at a steakhouse to feature protein in your meal, however. Every kind of cuisine has delicious variations of cooking protein, like chicken, fish, beef, and tofu. The trick is to get enough of it at your meal and not have it dwarfed by noodles, wraps, and sandwich bread. Get at least a palm-sized piece of protein on your plate, or 4 golf-ball sized chunks. If you're a vegetarian, seek options that feature a protein-rich carbohydrate like quinoa or lentils. If you're not sure what the protein source in your meal is, chances are you should order something else.
3) Keep the carb portion small and singular: Sources of carbohydrates are myriad on a restaurant menu. In many dishes, the carb is the star of the show (think pizza, pasta, noodle stir-frys, risotto, pancakes, rice and beans). If the carb isn't the star of the dish, there are often several tempting starchy things surrounding the protein (think rice and naan bread at an Indian meal that may also feature potatoes...or think potato salad, cornbread and baked beans at a BBQ spot). "Street food", like knishes, empanadas, and pasties, wherein a flaky crust encloses whatever other food is inside, are notorious for being super "carby". To eat well while dining out, choose ONE carbohydrate element in your meal and have just one serving of it. A serving is, at maximum, about the size of your balled up fist. The average pasta entree at an Italian American restaurant has anywhere from 2 to 4 fists of pasta in it. Pasta makes a better side dish than entree.
[How many fists' worth do you think THIS is?]
4) Include a green vegetable: What to do with all the space on your plate vacated by the extra bread, pasta, potatoes, rice and tortillas? Fill it with veggies! If your salmon entree comes with a corn and bean salsa (your carb source) and spicy aioli (mayo-based sauce) but no veggie, order a small side salad as an accent, or ask for a side of their veggie of the day. Many Asian cuisines feature veggies either within a soup or a stir-fry or curry, but you'll notice that most Americanized sushi "rolls" do not. You're lucky to get a sliver of cucumber. Order some seaweed salad or steamed or sauteed veggies from the kitchen to accompany your sushi.
[This kind of "veggie" roll makes a nice complement to your sushi dinner]
5) Don't be shy about altering your plate: While many restaurant dishes are designed for flavor synchronicity, most chefs are happy to make substitutions when it comes to sauces and sides. Choose a dish that features a protein source you're excited about, make sure a green vegetable is in there somewhere (and doesn't take a microscope to see), keep the starchy carb to one serving (if the restaurant's bread bowl is THAT good, go ahead and have a slice but keep your entree to protein and veggies only), and enjoy. If you're cruising food trucks where the dishes are pretty much served as is, seek out a cuisine that features protein and veggies prominently, and preferably not hidden inside dough.
6) Dessert is not a foregone conclusion: Unless you're on a bad date and want to cut the evening short, chances are that the dessert menu is going to tempt you to linger longer at your table. Keep in mind that sugar lurks in a lot of savory sauces in main dishes and appetizers, so you may have already had quite a bit of sugar without knowing it. If others at your table really want dessert, order a decaf coffee or tea to enjoy and ask for a spoonful of your companion's treat. Ask your server to remove your spoon from the table at the next opportunity.
Feeling overwhelmed? If any of this seems beyond your scope, don't panic. It takes time to develop the skills for eating well intuitively, no matter where you are. Reach out to me for a Nutrition Consultation if you're looking to learn more and make some changes to your physique. Nutrition is key, but you happen to know some very good locksmiths at TFN Training.
Best wishes to all,
~Jenn
The Yoke is without a doubt of one the biggest and most well-known Strongman events. The Yoke can be defined as any event that requires you to carry weight on your back. It has evolved many times throughout the years and almost all forms of yoking are still used today in everything from amateur to professional Strongman competitions.
Yokes have been around for centuries and have been allowing to help men carry heavy loads easier. They were used to carry water and other goods for many miles. People would place them on their backs and attach buckets onto the hooks. You could say that these men and women were the original entrepreneurs of the yoke.
The first Yoke seen in Strongman was in the 1977 World's Strongest Man competition. It was known as the fridge carry.
The entire contraption weighed 904 lbs. The event required the competitor to carry the weight on their back and run it as fast as possible for a distance of 30 meters. One of the most well-remembered moments from this competition was when a well known body builder/ Strongman competitor by the name of Franco Columbo carried the Fridge and had an unfortunate accident leading to a serious leg injury.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZmdw9_vAX8
The 1977 style fridge carry however was used in World's Strongest Man competitions until the year 1980. From the death of the fridge carry, the car carry was born.
The car carry was first seen in the 1993 World's Strongest Man Competition. Competitors would enter the car through the door and use shoulder straps to lift and carry it for 30 meters. Here is a video of Mariusz Pudzianowski crushing the car carry in the 2007 WSM Competition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqZYHG1NZ7Y
Today the Car Carry is still used in a variety of competitions from amateur to professional Strongman Competitions. With the need and want to carry heavier weights and push the limits of the Strongest Man competitions, the Super Yoke emerged.
In 2004 the Super Yoke was born and history revived a new version of the famous 1977 fridge carry. After this the Super Yoke was used in every WSM competition and the weights kept increasing as well as the objects used.
The 2014 Arnold classic Stongman Competition featured tires that were used for a weight total of 1,227 lbs, the heaviest a yoke had ever been up to that time. In the same year at the same event, bale was used to create a new weight total of 1,410 lbs. Stongman competitor Zydrunas Savickas went on to win this event by carrying the yoke 10 feet in 3.87 seconds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjqKfubKK-U
The Yoke will always remain as one of the greatest events in Strongman history and as a testament to the will power, strength, and mental toughness of these incredible athletes.
It's time for another dynamic Client Spotlight here at TFN - get ready to meet Hilary Colton, a new barbell enthusiast since working with her trainer, Jenn Stofferahn, and one of the DC area's go-to stingray wranglers. What exactly is a stingray wrangler? Read on!
TFN: How long have you been working with your trainer, Jenn?
HC: I've been working with Jenn for almost a year now, and she's been very supportive and excited for my progress.
TFN: Why did you start working together?
HC: I wanted to gain strength for work, and to learn better ways to keep myself fit.
TFN: How has your physique, strength, and/or mindset changed since you started?
HC: I am able to squat and deadlift significantly more weight than when I started working with Jenn. I also feel more confident working out at my regular gym with her help in form and explanations of exercises.
TFN: How many days a week do you exercise?
HC: I typically make it to the gym twice a week for strength training, but do a lot of walking and stay active with work.
TFN: Life gets busy and people miss workouts, what's your strategy to stay on track?
HC: I've figured out the times of the week when my gym is the least busy that work with my schedule. I'm better able to plan out days to go when I can be certain I won't have to wait long to use equipment, so its not as much time to set aside. If I miss a workout, I immediately look ahead for the next possible day to go so I don't fall too far behind.
TFN: On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard do you work during your workouts?
HC: Probably about an 8, I can always feel it the next day but not so sore I can't move.
TFN: What is your favorite exercise?
HC: Since starting at True Fitness, I really enjoy deadlifting. Previously, that was an exercise I never would have thought I would be good at, but I've made great strides.
TFN: You have a physical job as a zookeeper, how does your fitness and mindset empower you in your work?
HC: I work in a field where we have to be able to do a lot of physical labor, and you don't want to be the weakest link on your team. With my greater strength, I definitely feel like I'm able to help out with everything, and hearing compliments on my strength are always appreciated!
TFN: What's your #1 piece of advice to someone who wants to make significant fitness progress?
HC: I would say that even if it's very hard at the beginning, don't be self conscious. When I started out, I had never been shown how to properly use weights or equipment in a gym so there was a steep learning curve- but I am very proud of how far I've come!
TFN: Jenn, what is it like to work with Hilary?
JS: Hilary impresses me every time we workout together, both with how she internalizes the cues I give her for good form, and with her outstanding work ethic. I can teach someone to use his or her body the right way, to engage muscles properly and to handle strength training equipment. What I (nor any!) trainer can teach someone is the value of hard work. That comes from within. Hilary has that quality, and it makes her great at her job working with animals. It has also led to incredible strides in her strength, stability and physique. This past year alone, she's taken on new professional challenges, including working in tanks with marine animals, that her resistance training has helped make possible. It's so rewarding to see a client's hard work pay off at unexpected times - like when Hilary came in one day and reported that she was surprised by her recent ease at handling a stingray at work, and that now her team seeks her out when it's time to move the stingrays! How cool is that?
I can't wait to see what 2016 holds for Hilary!
For someone new to fitness, walking into a gym may be an intimidating experience. With all of the different pieces of equipment at a person's fingertips, there are likely questions like "which is best?" and "how many of these things should I be using!?" While (almost) all equipment and exercises can serve a useful purpose in one way or another, there are a few that are vastly superior to the rest. Training with these exercises, or movements, should take up almost all of a person's training time. These movements fit almost all ability levels and goals. What are they? Compound barbell exercises. Let's spend some time discussing why they are so important.
Before we continue, let's define this group of movements. A barbell is a long, cylindrical bar that can be loaded with plates of varying weight on either side. A compound exercise is a movement that causes at least 2 joints to move at once. The major joints of the body are the hip, knee, shoulder, and elbow. Just about all of the muscles we are concerned with improving work to move these joints. The most common (and most effective) barbell compound movements are the squat, deadlift, overhead press, and bench press.
The next question is this: "What makes these movements with a barbell so great?" In the simplest terms, it is because they are the hardest when done right. "Hardest" means that they challenge the most muscles at once through natural movements of the body. This is important because the harder an exercise is for our body to perform, the more physiological benefit we will get from doing it. Like anything else in life, the harder and smarter you work, the more payoff you receive. In fact, training big movements with barbells can help us achieve a variety of goals, provided we program correctly.
Someone who would like to become stronger will do so quickest using these movements. Strength is the ability of the body as a whole to produce force. When these movements are performed with heavy weight, the force producing capabilities of the whole body are demanded. Someone focused on gaining muscular size is best served using these movements in the gym. The systemic stress produces a huge anabolic hormone response (signals for muscles to grow) when done with moderately heavy weights and a good amount of reps (8-12). This same stress keeps the body's metabolism elevated for long periods of time after the workout is over, meaning more calories burned. Trainees looking to burn fat and show off a more lean physique will clearly benefit from this side effect.
Regardless of the trainee, squats, deadlifts, and presses should be a major part of the training protocol. The key in tailoring these movements to a particular goal comes in the programming (reps, sets, rest time, etc.). There are some other useful barbell movements to mention. They are the clean, snatch, rows, and alternate versions of the 4 exercises listed above (rack pulls, front squats, etc.). For anyone who is serious about improving fitness, these exercises should make up the foundation of programming throughout their entire training career.
For those of you who don't already know, I am Korean. I was born in Seoul and came to the United States when I was just 6 years old. My parents used to say I ate like an adult and not a kid. What did that mean? Well... it's simple. I ate the stuff my parents ate! For as long as I can remember, i've loved kimchi, pork, tofu, soup, rice, noodles, and the list goes on and on...
I LOVE spicy!!! It's weird but sometimes if I don't eat something spicy, I don't really feel like I ate at all. I just don't feel satisfied without it! So, with that being said, here is the recipe for one of my favorite spicy Korean dishes! I hope you all enjoy is at as much as our team at TFN did! I made it for our holiday pot luck party and it was a huge hit.
First, get the biggest, deepest frying pan you have. I like to use my wok because it fits so much. Cut up the pork belly so that it's about 1-2 inches in length. The kimchi should already be cut up but I like to give it another chop to make the pieces a little smaller. Turn on the stove to medium/high and add 3 tablespoons of sesame oil along with the kimchi and pork belly. Mix it around with a large spoon. Let it cook until the meat is cooked all the way. Make sure the pink in the meat is gone. Add 1 or 2 cut up jalapeno peppers for extra heat. Toss in cut up sesame leaves. This brings a sesame aroma to the dish that is absolutely delicious! Add a final tablespoon of sesame oil and mix around for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Grab a large serving plate and place green leaves around the edge of the plate. You can cut up the tofu and place it along the side of the plate on top of the leaves raw, or you can put the tofu into the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes and then place it on the plate. It's up to you! A lot of people like to eat the tofu cold because it sort of cools the mouth from the heat of the dish. You can always do half cooked and half not cooked to see which option best suits you. Boiling the tofu makes it softer while eating it raw gives it a firmer texture.
Pour the kimchi and pork belly into the middle of the plate. Then sprinkle some cut up spring onions and roasted sesame seeds for decoration.
Rice is optional. Some people like to eat this dish without it as to go lighter on the carbs but hey, post work out? Do it!!
* 1lb. of pork belly
* 1lbs. of kimchi
* 1 container of tofu (soft)
* Sesame leaves
* Sesame oil
* Roasted sesame seeds (optional)
* Spring onion (optional)
* Jalapenos (optional)
You can always control how spicy you want to make this dish depending on how many peppers you decide to include. Also, if you want to substitute the pork belly for a less fatty cut of pork, that is totally okay! There is so much more you can do with this dish. You can also add onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Whatever you would like. You can find all of these ingredients at a local Korean grocery store (try H-Mart or Lotte). I personally prefer H-Mart because I think their ingredients are fresher. Enjoy!
Raise your hand if you've had any shoulder pain recently. Just kidding, that might hurt. Millions of Americans head to the doctor every year for shoulder pain, and spend thousands of hard earned dollars on MRI's and surgeries after things have gone bad. Instead of waiting for the car to run out of gas, let's be a bit more proactive and learn some drills to keep those joints lubed up and happy.
(Do this if you hate your shoulders)
In short, tons of stuff. The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body, and can move in just about every way possible. Compare this to the knee, which can only go forwards and backwards (unless something horrible has happened). What is gained in mobility at the shoulder costs it in stability. The shoulder is a wobbly thing, unless the right muscles are used to lock it in in place. Think of it like building the foundation to the building first. There must be stability before any of the action happens. Here's how to get stable.
The safest and strongest position for the shoulders is back and down. Use this exercise as a warm up to teach those pesky shoulders how to stay stable for 1 set of 30 seconds using between 10-15lbs per hand. You can also flex your Batwings as a burn out set for 3 sets of 30 seconds with the most weight you can handle correctly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqHZIbpkJq8
This is a tough one, but one of the best. I tore my right rotator cuff to varying degrees on 4 separate occasions before I got the message that I needed to move better. I credit the Kettlebell and the Arm Bar for teaching me the position, and how to lock it in. Start light with these, anywhere from 10-25 lbs and use a Kettlebell if possible. The off-centered weight of the bell, will pull your shoulders out of position, its your job to lock it in. The bell will be wobbly up there, so get a spot the first time if you are nervous. Hold for time, and the longer the better, up to 3 minutes. Once you have the position down, don't be afraid to get heavy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddlAM2GxYwo
And there you have it! If you raised your hand earlier (OUCH!) try out these two drills before and after training sessions and see if you don't just feel right as rain.
You have probably noticed that medications come with a particular dosage, or recommended amount to get the desired effect. If you take too little, nothing happens. Too much and you experience unpleasant side effects. Did you get your daily dose of coffee today? If not, you may feel tired or have a headache. In each case you provide your body with an external stimulus, and the effect of that stimulus depends on how much of it you receive.
Exercise also provides us with external stimuli, and if we want to achieve a desired effect, we need to choose the right "dose". If we want to get bigger and stronger, than lifting weights is a great way to do so. When performing particular resistance training exercises, the weight used/reps/sets/rest time are variables that determine the dose of the movement. In order to improve strength and size, we have to progressively change these variables so that they offer a greater and greater stimulus. When we undergo these progressive variable changes, we are building a training program.
The best training programs constantly make each workout progressively harder. This happens when the intensity increases, the rest time goes down, etc. These changes stimulate the body to progressively adapt to these "tougher workouts." This is what leads to results. When evaluating a training program, check to see if these variables change progressively and consistently. If they do, and the "dose" that it creates accurately fits the fitness level of the person doing it, improvements in performance should follow.
Ever feel bloated and lethargic after you eat? It's really a terrible feeling that somehow seems to translate into not wanting to do anything productive. All I personally want to do when I experience the dreaded "food coma" is park myself on the sofa and watch Criminal Minds (my show!). This is exactly how I feel when I have a heavy meal during the holidays.
Why waste the rest of your day and do nothing if you can have a meal that's tasty AND gives you energy? On a weekend getaway with my girlfriends to Rehoboth, I decided to cook up a delicious lunch for us. It's clean and doesn't make you feel like lounging around after eating. You feel energized and ready to walk on the boardwalk, which is exactly what we did!
Roasted Chicken and Vegetables (serves 4)
* One whole chicken
* 2 cups of brussels sprouts
* 2 cups of butternut squash
* 2 cups of cauliflower
* Fresh thyme
* Fresh rosemary
* Olive oil
* Salt
* Black pepper
These are the ingredients I used but you can throw in as much or as little of anything as you want. Adding sweet potatoes or onions is a good choice too. All of the flavors remind you of the holidays and make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. The best part of this meal is that you can still go out and even get in a productive work out! Your body is an amazing machine, so let's fuel it with clean food.
All you need is a deep pan in which to stuff in as many veggies as you want. Throw in olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme and toss thoroughly with the veggies. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and cook for about 15 minutes. While the veggies cook, cut up your chicken and trim any excess fat. I cut my chicken in half and kept some of the skin on because it gets a nice crispy brown color. Yum! Pat the chicken dry with a towel and start to coat it up with all the same ingredients you put into your veggies. Simple! Once your veggies come out, take a large spoon and mix the veggies around. Place the chicken directly on top of your veggies. Then put it back into the oven for another 30-40 minutes (the exact time will depend on the oven). Just be sure to check it. If you have a thermometer it should read 160 degrees. So easy! I hope you guys enjoy this savory dish as much I did.
The articles we write here at TFN are about what TO do. The things to eat, the things to lift, and all the things to make you look and feel awesome. Today we're taking a different approach. It's Opposite Day! I want to tell you what NOT to do.
If I had to pick the one part of the body that stalls progress the most, it would be the BRAIN. People's ideas about their training - and themselves - are the largest limiters to what they can do.
So let's jump into the cranium of someone who's mindset is holding them back. All of the stories below are things I've heard from actual clients, and in my own head from time to time. Every idea underlies a mindset that is enough to kill progress in the gym. If these ideas were dispelled, there would be no more barriers to goals. I don't expect to change anyone's mind on training in just one article, but hopefully you'll recognize your own thoughts in these stories and work toward avoiding these mental pitfalls:
Hire a trainer to do it for you
I don't want to think about fitness so I hired a trainer to do it for me. I already have a job, and a family, and at the end of the day I don't want to think anymore. I did some research and found a good trainer so I can turn my brain off. Going into the gym for 1 or 2 hours a week is all you need to make progress, and you don't need to do anything else. Sometimes my trainer tells me to do things I don't want to do, so I just say 'no'. I know my body better than anybody, and I know what I need. They just want to make me tired sometimes so I veto hard exercises. I'm not really excited about showing up to my sessions, so I usually leave my house when I am supposed to be there. Then I need to go to the bathroom, and roll out before training. Sessions really don't need to be an hour, they should just make them 30 minutes. If I'm not making progress, I blame my trainer because it's their job to make me fit, and if I'm not, it's their fault.
Eat whatever you want
I exercise so I can eat pizza and all the other things I love. I make sure to go to the gym, because I love to eat sweets, and I don't like to feel deprived. I hate when everyone is eating dessert and I can't have any. My parents made me feel bad about food, so I'm not going to live like that anymore. Life is about living, and that means eating things that look good. It's not fair that I eat the same things I did 20 years ago but now my body looks different. It's too hard to think about nutrition, so I'll just exercise and continue eating what I feel like eating. There are plenty of professional athletes who eat poorly, so I can too and still hit my goals.
Be as stressed as possible
I'm so busy all the time. I have a very demanding job that requires all my time. I have a family with kids who play sports as well, so as soon as I get a moment away from work I'm driving off to practices, and music lessons. The weekends are the worst, and are more stressful than the week sometimes. I go through the day, and sometimes forget to eat. I can't be chewing when I'm on conference calls, and I'm not hungry in the morning. If I'm really stressed and just need some time away from it all, I'll text my trainer and cancel at the last minute. I know I'm paying for the session anyway, but sometimes my body just needs rest. I'm stressed out 24 hours a day and never take time for myself.
Don't learn anything new
I know what to do, I just have a hard time making myself do it. I need someone to keep me accountable, and make sure I get to the gym. I know what foods are bad for me, and I don't eat them that often. I know exactly how to perform the exercises, and don't need to learn anymore about fitness. I don't want to anyway, that's why I hired a trainer to do it for me. I was in really great shape in high school, so I just have to do those things again to get back in shape. It's just hard because my life is hard, and no one else in the world is busy.
Try, but not really
Since I hired a trainer, I tell everyone about how hard I work. I usually exaggerate a bit, but I do try during our workouts. Well kind of. My trainer wants me to buy squat shoes, and drink a protein shake afterwards but I'm just not that serious about it. My trainer lives for fitness and I have other things going on in my life. Plus if I don't make progress, I can always justify it to myself because I never really gave it my all.
As you can see, most of these ideas are commonplace in our population, and we probably understand these views for the most part. It's easy to fall into these traps, and each one is enough to get in the way of progress. How we approach fitness, and life, is enough to win the battle before it's even fought.
"The fight is won or lost far away from witness- behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
-Muhammad Ali
So win the fight, and get your mind right.
The pumpkin that's been living on our front porch for two weeks has officially been ravaged by the local wildlife. Squirrels, chipmunks, deer and birds have all had their turn, and now it's time for the gourd to be hurled into the woods for the critters to finish their work. I can't hold the destruction against them, though - pumpkin is nutritious and delicious!
You've no doubt heard by now that pumpkin is a healthy food. Anything that naturally bright orange in color is loaded with beta carotene, and pumpkin flesh is also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and of course FIBER. Their seeds, dry roasted on a cookie sheet, are a trove of the mineral magnesium, among other important minerals.
The internet is bursting with healthy savory recipes for pumpkin, from soups to roasts, salads to stews. Essentially anything you could or would do with a cooked carrot you can do with pumpkin flesh. Pumpkin is especially glorious in curries. It's a high fiber, high vitamin and mineral and low glycemic load vegetable that helps fill out nearly any kind of dish with healthy autumnal flair.
But it gets tricky on the "sweet" side of things. Any way you slice it, pumpkin pie is a treat because the custard part is packed with sugar (don't get me started on the crust). There are some decent low-sugar low-carb pumpkin dessert recipes out there, but I'm not a baker and I find anything with more than a 2-step baking process to be out of my league. So here's an EXTREMELY EASY recipe for adding some pumpkin to your life in a high-protein and low carbohydrate fashion:
You need:
a 1/3 can of pumpkin OR the pureed roasted flesh (skin not included) of your holiday pumpkin. "Sugar" pumpkins are the best. If you're so inclined to make it fresh, here's very good guidance on how: ROASTING/PUREEING A SUGAR PUMPKIN
almond milk
water
1 scoop vanilla or any vanilla variation protein powder, preferably casein powder (creamier than whey)
1 TBS almond butter
pinch of pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 pinch of cinnamon, 1/2 pinch nutmeg)
a cereal bowl or mug
You will:
Combine all ingredients in your bowl or mug and mix with a spoon (a fork works too). I like to put the protein powder in first and add equal splashes of almond milk and water until you have a very thick pudding texture. Then add the pumpkin,
Eat it :) Nutritionally, it beats the heck out of a leftover slice of pumpkin pie on Black Friday.
Happy autumn and bon appétit!
~Jenn
First let me start off by saying that Kalle Beck is a very well known strongman competitor among the community and that you'd be hard-pressed to find somebody out there who doesn't think that he is a beast, myself included. That being said, I found myself disagreeing with a recent video of his that he released in regards to programming squats for a strongman training routine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XflrfPnbGC8&feature=youtu.be
Squat, bench and deadlift should always be your foundation for strongman. Squat to me is the most important exercise for strongman. Back squat in particular. Everyone believes front squats have more carry over into strongman but we are not Olympic lifters. We very rarely see a strongman competitor drop so far under the bar that it is necessary for front squat to be trained. Almost always, strongman competitors are just muscling the bar up to their chests or continental cleaning, which is a technique in strongman where you pull the bar up to your diaphragm and then bump it up into press position. With cleans like this, front squats are rendered obsolete.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3O4rjD5_eA
In the video, Kalle Beck talks about how it is rare that there are not many squat specific events in strongman. In my opinion, I believe that almost every event depends on your ability to back squat, and yes, your single leg work such as lunges. Let's take a look at Circus Dumbbell, one of the many staples in strongman. After loading it onto your back, you're using a traditional squat to push the weight up and catch it at the top. Just watch multiple time World's Strongest Man Brian Shaw rep out the circus dumbbell like a pro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vv6EJBUCbc
As for press, whether the implement is axle or log, your leg drive is everything. Nothing builds more leg drive or force development than back squat. As for maxing out and rep ranges for squat in strongman, I believe they both are important to train. Nothing is better than maxing out on a lift and I do not believe that it is a waste of time. It's a great way to see how much stronger your legs have become and it's big in building mental toughness for the athletes. That said, training for reps is important as well. In strongman we usually have to rep out weights for a certain amount of time, so training muscular endurance is also key. To help max out and build my muscular endurance on squat I love programming in banded work. For strength you can never really go wrong with a banded squat using a 5X5 or a 3X3 program. On the flip side, using them for muscular endurance at high rep ranges such as 3X15 is a great way to help you push through that fatigue you get during competition. For moving implements such as yoke and farmers handles I agree that nothing will help you faster than single leg work. Producing the same amount of force from each leg is extremely important. This will point out any imbalances in your leg drive for your press as well. Think about holding 300 lbs and being ready to press but finding that you're unable to produce the same amount of force from each leg. Things like this can mean the difference between hitting or missing a lift.
Kalle Beck also talks about how front squat is important for stones and log clean and press. I believe stones and log training go hand in hand as well as any rounded implement such as keg clean and press. The movements are all the same. You pick the implement off the ground, lap it, and then get it to your chest like any other press implement. The only difference is that stones don't go over your head. Instead you push them onto a platform or over a bar directly in front of you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U70IxVE9r54
As you can see in the video, yes, he does look like he is front squatting, but look how he leans back towards the top of the lift and his back produces somewhat of an arch. When you front squat this should not happen. As for coming out of the hole with stones, log cleans will help this far more than a front squat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN7HOOJuwb4
Notice how he leans backwards almost to get the weight up to the proper spot. Front squats will not help too much, especially technique wise. Instead of training front squat, I would train all forms of a deadlift. Conventional deadlift will be huge for your atlas stone lift. After all, if you cannot deadlift 300 lbs, you will not lap a 300 lb stone. An 18 inch deadlift will have significant carry over to your log clean and press. Using the same logic, if you can't pull 300 lbs to your hips, you won't pull the log into the correct cleaning position. My advice for improving your cleans on both of those implements is to practice them. Start with light weight and rack them into position as if you were going to load a stone or press a log. Just as you would program squats for max strength and for reps, I would do the same for deadlifts and cleans. That way you're fully prepared if you participate in a competition that requires an even such as "300 lb stone for reps." You can look at it confidently and think to yourself, "My max deadlift is much higher than that so lapping it will not be an issue. Plus my clean on stone is 320 lbs. Now I just have to practice a 300 lbs stone for as many reps as possible for whatever the time limit may be." That in my opinion will go much further than training front squat.
Powerlifting and strongman are different sports and I understand his point in that. Strongman does take more than brute strength. There is a lot of athleticism involved, and yes, it is true that someone might out deadlift you or out squat you but that does not mean they can finish a medley or carry farmers handles or a yoke faster than you. But some of strongman's best competitors have competed in powerlifting before entering the world of strongman. See strongman competitors such as the legendary Bill Kazmaier, who has won 3 World's Strongest Man titles, or the great Jón Páll Sigmarsson, aka "The Viking," who went on to win 4 World's Strongest Man titles, both of whom have competed in powerlifting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOkG8uTAQ6U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXve2NCEAZw
In the end, being a great strongman competitor comes down the three things...
1. Know the implements
2. Train hard
3. Keep squatting
On October 1, 2013, on a dark and misty morning, TFN Training was born. This was 2 years ago - both a second and a lifetime for me. In a lot of ways I'm the same person I was then. I've got the same beard (despite all the hipsters) and I'm still a crazy Redskins fan (despite well...you know). But in a lot of ways I'm a different trainer since launching TFN, and I'm glad I am. I've learned a thing or two along the way from seeing what works, and learned even more by seeing what fails. I use all these pieces when working with clients to get them where they want to be a little bit faster than I could before. I hope I can say the same in another two years. Here's what I've learned:
I can usually tell on the first day if a client will be successful or not. The clients who are successful come in with an attitude that expects to make progress and only needs to be shown the way. They already see the need, the benefits, and the pitfalls, and all they need is some direction of where to thrust their efforts. The biggest difference isn't motivation, it is how they see the world. Successful clients see the world and their bodies as things they can change, and it's within their power to do so.
Clients who aren't successful do not feel the same way. They see the world as something that happens TO them. They cannot lose weight because they don't have time to cook, or their boss is mean, or the gym is too expensive. They see outside forces conspiring against them to prevent them from getting where they want to be. The truth of the matter is that there is NO REASON to not be successful, and the problem is often looking at you in the mirror. As long as someone maintains this idea that outside forces can prevent their success (which isn't true) they'll never lose the weight or gain the strength the way they want to.
There is nothing that can hold you back. All it takes is to realize this to start the process. Disagree? How's your fitness? Bet it's not where you want it to be. Attitude isn't important. It is everything!
We like to think of ourselves as unique little snowflakes. That our perceptions and choices are 100% within our conscious control. This isn't exactly true. We use parts of our brains for a lot of our decisions that don't require any conscious attention. Ever drive home and wonder how you got there? You were on auto-pilot the whole time. That's a habit. You hit the gas, the brake, made the turns, stopped at red lights, and a thousand other things without even needing to pay attention. The cool thing is you learned that habit, and you can create others just like it as often as you like.
When learning how to drive, you practiced, practiced, practiced until all those tiny driving parts became automatic. Getting to the gym, making healthy food, and getting to bed on time are habits as well, and can be learned. But you have to practice first. If a client has never eaten healthfully in their lives, they will make decisions (McDonald's, Protein-free meals, etc) without even thinking about them. First they need awareness, and then repetition. This is why forming habits takes about 2 weeks. This is the amount of repetition necessary to take these habits out of the conscious mind and put them in the part of the brain that can work automatically.
Ever heard someone say that fitness is a lifestyle? They are right. Ever wonder how some people make it look so easy? It's because they've created habits that they literally don't need to think about anymore. Would you ever walk outside without pants on? Of course not, it's a habit that is ingrained as deeply as it can be. Then create more habits and never have a meal without protein, and never go a week without exercise.
Anyone who has worked with a competent trainer knows that there is quite a bit involved to executing proper technique on a compound exercise. The Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press, Overhead Press, and Pull Up involve quite a few cues. "Shoulders packed, knees out, ribs down, glutes on" is just a start and it can be a lot to think about. However, I've learned that almost all of these cues, all designed to incorporate total body tightness and stability, are related to a single component: breathing.
Your average person does not breath correctly and this is a problem. Try it out. Take a deep breath. Now do it again with your hands across your chest. Did your arms move? Then you did it wrong. The breath is supposed to go DOWN into the abdomen and pelvis. This uses the diaphragm and allows stability of the midsection/core/abs/lower back. If this stability is present, all the other joints become more stable as well. If not, then well, they don't. This is the foundation of the body's stability, and there must be stability before there can be movement.
Breathing and bracing this way takes practice, so here is a quick drill to work on the skill. Lie face down on the ground with hands above your head. Take a big deep breath. Focus on pushing the belly out into the ground, and expanding across the obliques. Hold this for about 5 seconds. You should not feel your chest rise at all. Practice for about 5 breaths as often as possible, and see if your technique on everything doesn't get a bit better.
This is natural of course. As humans we act in similar ways in similar situations. One of those common situations occurs when something about our world is changing. We hate it. We have a fierce protection of the status quo. The status quo represents safety, and likely something that 'works'. When we try something new, it might not work out, and could even cause pain and loss. We don't want that, so our brains convince us we don't want change.
Allow me to give an example. Imagine a politician presenting a new tax code. Everyone would pay less tax, and we would still be able to afford all of our social programs. It's the perfect plan, and both Republicans and Democrats would hug and dance in the streets. You're thinking, probably not right? Even if there were such a plan, people would poke holes in it, and bicker and argue and fight because well...we hate change. It scares us, and we have to think about 1,000 ways around an issue before we might, maybe, try to adopt it on a smaller scale.
Our reluctance to change is a good thing as a whole. It's allowed us to succeed as a species by not just jumping into bad ideas. It keeps us safe from the unknown and the unexpected. But this same inclination can prevent us from making positive changes. Eating more vegetables, eating more protein, and lifting heavy weights are all good things. Nothing bad happens from any of these habits when adopted properly. And yet, many rational individuals will fight against these changes. 'Isn't that bad for you?', 'I read an article that said...', 'I just can't do that with my lifestyle', are ways that our brains change the subject to prevent change, and the possible pain that sometimes accompanies it. Nothing bad can happen if you do it right. I promise. All positive growth happens when we release ourselves from our stifling comfort zones and accept the risks of living with both arms.
These are just a few of the conversations I have with clients and trainers here at TFN Training on a weekly basis. I love coming in everyday and wondering what the day will have in store. So cheers to the next two years.
If you were to ask around about different resistance training programs at your local gym, the typical member would likely be following a training template that looks something like the following:
Monday: Chest/Shoulders
Tuesday: Legs
Thursday: Back/Abs
Friday: Arms
Splitting training into muscle groups is the preferred program of choice for advanced bodybuilders, but is it ideal for the average gym-goer? Unfortunately, the answer is no. The vast majority of people lifting weights at the gym will benefit more from programs that train movements, not muscles.
Movements are characterized by utilizing the total body at once while being functional. Functional simply means that these movements are performed naturally during daily activities. These common "movement exercises" are usually categorized in one of the following groups: squats, presses, and pulls. A sample movement program template would look something like this:
Monday: Squat, Bench Press, Row
Wednesday: Front Squat, Press, Pull-Ups
Friday: Squat, Dumbbell Bench Press, Deadlift
Why is training movements superior to training muscle groups for the average lifter? Because most people lack a base level of strength. A movement like the squat trains the entire body at once and builds strength quickly. A base level of strength can be identified through performance in some of the exercises listed above. For example, a guy who can squat and deadlift 2 times his bodyweight and bench 1.5 times his bodyweight has built a solid base level of strength. Following a muscle group routine at that point would now be an appropriate option if his goal is to build muscle.
http://i.imgur.com/ojGKyz6.jpg
When beginning any new activity it is best to identify, develop, and master the fundamentals. Resistance training is no different. Think of total-body movements as the fundamental skill of lifting weights, and strength as the fundamental goal. Someone who masters these basics will maximize their results in both strength gains and body composition. At this point the now-experienced lifter has earned the right to move into the realm of more advanced programming. Take care to be mindful of your journey and not just the destination. With time and energy spent to cement basic tenets of good form and adaptation, the advanced lifter can safely push through what was once a glass ceiling to become fitter and stronger than ever before.
It's high time for a guest post from another of our illustrious internet colleagues, this time from the one and only Foodsman! His website, The Foodsman, A Post-Modern Critique of Modern Cuisine, is one not to miss if you like food, don't like food, or do or don't like humanity.
Without further ado, here is the official review of TFN Training from The Foodsman! Fasten your seatbelts and enjoy.
~TFN
For the first time since the 1970's, we live in an era when lifting weights is becoming cool again. Lucky enough for the millions of people who only train according to the latest fitness-fads, this is a good thing. Unless of course you're into random exercises, chronic injuries, and flopping around like a dying fish while some golf-shirt bro yells at you to hit "one more rep (see: 'Crossfit'). If that's your thing, there's plenty of classes and boot-camps that will gladly rip you off for an overpriced membership, and help you make reverse-progress. However, there is an oasis among the barren wasteland of fitness-fallacy around us today.
As a powerlifter, a true Foodsman, and a wildly successful venture-capitalist, I know a great business when I see one. This brings us to TFN Training, located in McLean, Virginia. TFN is not a health-club, a "box", or a physical therapy facility. It's a private studio staffed only by those who actually walk-the-talk. The staff are as friendly and inviting as they come, but can also probably lift your stupid Smart Car off the ground and out-sprint you in flip flops. I'd consider them to be real coaches, not health-club trainers. As a bonus, they even bring their cute dog, Buffy, to keep an eye on things, along with her silly-looking friend Daisy. Who doesn't like having cute dogs around? It's my professional opinion that the only people who DON'T like cute dogs around are sociopaths (see: 'Crossfit').
(Buffy at great leisure)
Now, more importantly, back to my story. As a life-long Liftsman and Iron-Slinger, the squat is a very important movement to me. However, there came a time, as I began learning how to actually execute the movement and squat more frequently, that I couldn't hit a squat without feeling like there were knives digging into my hips. I chalked it up to "Bad Hips", and a doctor diagnosed it as a possible labrum injury.
I was then referred to a "great physical therapist" (who coincidentally shared a practice with my doctor), and I began seeing him three times a week. For the low price of two-hundred and fifty bucks a visit, billed to my insurance company, this man would have me do some side-steps, stretch me out, put a bag of ice on my hips (which they billed as "cold therapy"), and then tell me that lifting heavy weights is dangerous. Thanks a ton Doc, but if I wanted the Blues Clues version of fitness I'd still be watching Saturday morning cartoons. Maybe I could kick you an extra fifty bucks to suggest I eat more vegetables, and make sure I know that smoking is bad? Needless to say it didn't work. I had to refrain from squatting for months, and started to plan out a surgery for an issue that, turns out, didn't even exist. Luckily I made an appointment with Kim Limon at TFN.
If you don't know her, Kim is a former powerlifter who snapped her shit up really bad over and over, and was told that she could never lift again. She had all kinds of wild treatments done, and was pretty much considered a lost cause. She then proceeded to learn an absurd amount about the human body, and study something called NeuroKinetic Therapy (aka, "Kim Voodoo"). Long story short, she was able to lift again, after getting fixed up with these new-found techniques. Ever since then, she's been putting broken people back together, and successfully stressing herself out by signing up for ten million classes to improve her craft (great for clients, hectic for Kim). I can't really explain NKT, so I'll just tell it through the eyes of a visionary (me).
Kim plopped me down on a table, and started poking around my hips and moving my legs in all sorts of weird ways. She would have me apply pressure and try to resist hers, jab her thumbs deep into my hips (which hurt like hell by the way, because of how jacked-up they were), and had me try to balance in weird ways. I had no idea what was going on (and still don't, in general). By the end of the session, we repeated all of the movements that I couldn't do in the beginning; and it worked. I could squat without pain, and felt like all of the muscles were actually firing again. She sent me going with some homework, and taught me how to "de-compress" my hips (which was causing the chainsaw feeling during a squat), and strengthen the weak areas. A few weeks after that, I squatted 315 for the first time ever (a 75 lb personal record), and then squatted an easy 380 in competition after that. Pain free (no surgery required). PRO TIP: Squatting 380 is really not all that sweet, but considering I couldn't squat 135 without pain 6 months prior, I'll take it.
(Kim Limon)
I'm not one to advocate for anything "new age" or remotely "granola". I can't stand that shit, and I scoff at the thought of "all-natural anything". I don't care about GMO's, I hate Whole Foods, and I won't eat Chinese food unless it has tons of MSG. To this day I have no idea what Kim is doing for NKT, PDTR (her new thing), or XYZ. Whatever. All I know is that when my arms hurt from holding barbells, she smacked the muscles around, jabbed something sharp thing under my armpits, and taught me how to release my diaphragm (W.T.F). I don't know, and I don't care, because I'm a man of results, and it FIXED that problem too. Today she used PDTR on me, because I have this hobby of straining my lower back every few months, while trying something stupid in the gym. She poked around the muscles, whacked some reflexes with a hammer, and literally made it feel better instantly. Apparently it also re-wires the brain (or something), but I'm no physicist.
I could go on and on about the quality of TFN's coaches, and Kim's Voodoo Magic, but I'll hold off for now. Whether you're a yuppie looking to golf better, a broken person, or a soccer mom, TFN is the place to train. Don't waste time with commercial gyms (I can vouch, I used to train people at one), or silly group classes. Even if you're not looking to compete one day, keep in mind that anyone who can squat over five-hundred pounds, without being injured, probably knows how to move better than you. Alternatively, you could keep starving yourself on salads and running twenty-miles a day, and maybe burn enough calories to look like a gross marathon runner one day (do a Google image search of 'marathon runner vs sprinter' if you think I'm bluffing).
Foodsman, out.
Do your actions match your values?
The "5 Whys" is a technique originally used by the Toyota Motor Corporation to explore cause-and-effect relationships. This model is designed to determine the root cause of a problem or concern. Most of the time, our reasons for doing something are far more complicated than we think they are.
When you want to successfully complete something, you state the goal and then ask the first "why":
Why do I want to accomplish this?__
Whatever the answer is, you then ask "why" to that answer. Repeat the process five times.
Let's look at a simple example we might see in everyday life.
I got caught speeding.
1. Why
did I get caught speeding?
Because I was late for work.
2. Why
was I late for work?
Because I woke up late.
3. Why
did I wake up late?
Because my alarm clock didn't work.
4. Why
didn't my alarm clock work?
Because the batteries were dead.
5. Why
were the batteries dead?
Because I didn't replace them after they expired.
Now let's look at how you can use the 5 Why's to give you more insight into your fitness and nutrition goals.
I want to lose fat.
1. Why do I want to lose fat?
Because I want to fit into a smaller jean size.
2. Why do I want to fit into a smaller jean size?
Because I think I'll look better if I'm leaner.
3. Why do I want to look better?
Because when I look better I feel good about myself.
4. Why do I want to feel good about myself?
Because when I feel good about myself, I'm more confident and pleasant to be around.
5. Why do I want to feel more confident and pleasant to be around?
Because when I feel confident I'm better able to handle the demands of life and am able to be a better mother/father/husband/wife.
Ultimately, this person isn't simply trying to lose fat to fit into a smaller jean size. Her real motivation is to improve her self-confidence and to be the best person she can be for her family.
This process can be insightful and exposing. It might even be uncomfortable. Go there. In fact, the more personal your answers to the last couple of "why"s, the better. What's the root cause of your motivation? What are your most important values?
1491 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 100, McLean, VA 22101 | Email: info@TFNtraining.com
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