Sunday, May 31, 2009

Thursday Blowout






I love it when the new folks come to town.
Don't get me wrong, you regulars out there absolutely make my day week after week. And those of you who fell off recently, it's time to get your butts back to class!



But there's somethign about the journey a first timer goes through. "Here's your goal."
"What the...?!?"
"Ready? "
"Um...wait"
"Set""Hold on!"
"GO!!!"

....and then they do. shortly there after, usually panting as hard as they ever have and more drenched than they're used to being in their own sweat, they've accomplished something they never would have thought possible, like lifting a cumulative 5,000lbs in less than 10 minutes for example.

Green button, red button. Re-read last Sunday's post. Treat your body as if it were binary for once. Turn it on, all the way on and see what you can accomplish. Stand up off the machines, step off the treadmill belt, move your body through space and see where you end 
up.

We ran into another "Barbarian" routine out in the courts. Barbarians rely, in part, on the work your partner does to determine how much work you have to do for how long. How does another's dependence on you shape your outlook on the workout when your partner is hurtling further and further past their lactic threshold? Or are you looking for a little payback because they made you travel a little too far past yours?
Awesome showing guys. It was a pleasure working with you. I look forward to having the same pleasure again soon. As for the rest of you...time to get back to work!

MOVE.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Tip & Technique: Squat

Back in February we went over the squat pretty extensively, but I never gave a video demo. Keeping the sternum and elbows up on the front squat are a couple of particularly important points, so I wanted to go back and make sure we got a good look at it.

Have fun. Now move!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Check Please

I think I'm about to be sick. No really. I might actually be seconds away from having to purchase a new keyboard. Clean up on aisle 4 man.

I just received this season's copy of a so called fitness trade journal in the mail at my club. I say "so called" because there are all sorts of trade journals in the fitness industry. This one rates as a thinly veiled advertisement vehicle for anyone who wants to pay enough to get a feature length article published about their, usually shoddy, product. The cover story on this one....all about how gym memberships are up....because "vanity is a recession industry."

How should you, the clever, trendy, yet ever so thrifty club owner/operator capitalize on this? Well son, by purchasing some of our low cost, highly indestructible mirrors, so everyone can get the best view of any angle while they toil away in your dungeon of torture and sorrow they'd likely never set foot in if they couldn't stare at their own abs while they work.

Actual quote here "With ______ mirrors, you can go completely off the wall....You can hang them from the ceiling so members can check their form on flat bench presses, or proper body positioning in supine exercises...." I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if your back is supported by a full length flat bench, or THE FLOOR, you've probably got good form.

Or let's look at another one here. "With vanity on the rise, your members will be grateful to be able to monitor their progress towards physical and economic recovery." The economic part comes in earlier in the article as the author equates joining a gym and staring at your @ss to bettering your ability to land a job in a recession.

Are you freaking kidding me? I know you're trying to hawk a product here. But seriously? This single author somehow encapsulates every last thing in the fitness world that keeps America fat.

Get out of the mirror. Forget about the aesthetics. Focus on the movement. Focus on moving your body through space with as much efficiency as possible. Create a strong machine capable of performing under increasing load or intensity. Your beach body will follow. I promise. And you will have created the functionality in your body that lends its self to sustained results.

You know what? Go ahead. Get into the mirror. Watch those biceps curl that dumbbell. Watch those pecs push that bar. How long are those results going to last? How long have you been trying to break through to that next heavier bench press or into that next size smaller jean? It's time to try something else.

Aesthetics are a consequence of fitness.

Get fit, learn to move first. Everything else you want will follow.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Workout of the Week

5 Rounds. Windmills remain constant while SumoDeadliftHighPull (SDHP) decrease by 10 each rnd.

5 windmill each side*
50 SDHP

*Spend some time to find the weight that makes the 5 per side possible, but very challenging. Remember, the goal is to push yourself!

Sunday, May 24, 2009


Green button. Red button. Go or stop. Digital. 1 or 0. On or off.  All or nothing.

We associate these ideas and images with machines. Creations of industry and technology. We strive and reach to create the next, more refined, higher quality machine that's one step closer to perfection. Everywhere we look there's new technology.  Experimental machines and devices conceived in laboratories and constructed in Chinese factories. We turn it on, life gets better. When we don't need it any more, we turn it off.

What about one of the oldest pieces of technology in the world. Technology that predates carbon fiber, plastic polymers, steel, iron and even bronze tools. What happens when we apply green button/red button thinking to the human body, one of the most advanced, complex, powerful, reliable and beautiful machines the world has ever known? Not on, a little. Not off on a progressive gentle little bunny slope cool down.

 On and GO!

On and go until the immediate power supply, the fuel tank is pumped dry. Have you ever trained your body to think like your laptop? Task. Complete task. NOW. Task completed. Stop. It's about putting all of our energy and strength into one singular job. No multitasking thinking about the office, kid's soccer practice, your TPS report and walking the dog all at one time. Singular vision. Imagine taking the energy you exert in one hour on a multitude of static and focusing it one one thing, one job, one task to be accomplished as fast and efficiently as possible. What are the potential heights you could reach? What is the true potential of your machine?

Show up Thursday at 8pm and find out. 

Post to comments or contact me at jtnett@gmail.com to reserve your spot.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Tip & Technique: Windmill

2 days to Memorial Day and 2 days left to take advantage of the countdown to summer training package.

This is one of those you can take as far as you want. Besides the rotational (rotation around the spine) training, hip strengthening, core stability & posterior chain development, this movement can provide the basis for so many advanced lifting techniques.

Think of this as a one arm deadlift and you've already got a good base of understanding.

Stand so the left leg is slightly in front of the right. Hold a weight over your head in the right hand.

  1. Rotate from the waist to the right
  2. look at the weight & don't take your eyes off it!!
  3. begin to push your hips out behind you and allow your torso to start moving towards parallel with the ground.
  4. Trace down the inside of your left leg with your left arm
  5. Look at the weight!!
  6. The right leg may bend. Keep the left leg straight.
  7. Get as close to touching the ground with a flat palm as possible.
  8. Keep a neutral spine.
  9. Begin pulling your hips back towards neutral (full extension).
  10. When your hips are fully extended rotate back to the front.
  11. Rinse and repeat.
Enough talk. Move!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Kids Are Alright

4 Days to Memorial Day


There was an article on the CBS morning show a couple of weeks ago that centered around the fact that Target and Forever 21, among other large retailers, have added plus sizes to their kids and teens clothing lines. It pitted plus size fashion model Emmy against MeMe Roth, an anti obesity activist I’ve mentioned here a couple of times. The question was whether it’s a good idea to offer these size clothes to this market, or does it send the wrong message to our youth?


I’m sure I don’t have to get into it too much without you already being able to see where the whole thing ended up. As with so many other examples, the anti obesity camp comes off looking judgmental and cold while the main stream “you’re perfect the way you are” camp looks like they just finished the spit shine on their halo.


Of course children, of any age or measurement, should have clothes that fit and that make them feel good. The message that was yet again drowned out by the religiously politically correct is that by the sheer fact that there is a wide spread need for such a product offering means that we have failed this generation of children. They look to us for guidance and behavioral cues. We lead them to Burger King.


Remember, this isn’t about the kids themselves. It’s about a sickness that is quickly taking hold of a majority of Americans and our children. The kids are fine. Love the patient. Hate the disease. No one is preaching to change our children, just to improve their health.


“But my child is overweight and perfectly happy.” Ok, great. But how is his/her heart keeping up with the extra weight? How healthy is that body going to be in 5, 10, 15 or 20 years? Of if that’s too abstract, try this. If your child is happy just the way they are being 15 or so pounds over weight, how much better are they going to feel when they’ve lost the weight and aren’t being picked last for kickball? How happy and confident is your 12 year old going to feel when they can walk into any store they want and not have to wonder if this is one of the ones that started selling size 22 in the junior section?

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Workout of the Week

6 days to Memorial Day.

4 rounds with 2 minutes rest in between. Time each round.

40 Wallball
30 situps
20 pushups
10 pullups*


* substitute a body weight row if you are unable to perform pullups

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Thursday Blowout

It's a bit of a departure, but I'm going to devote this week's Blowout space to someone else's post.


A mentor and friend of mine that I've mentioned before, Geralyn Coopersmith, was just quoted in a Newsweek article about the 5 worst machines in your gym. Now I really don't make any secret about my feelings towards most of the machines blocking up valuable OPEN SPACE on the gym floor, but this article does a great job of backing up why one really should just get up and move. And in the end, that's what Thursday Blowouts are all bout. Enjoy the article.


Everybody's invited to the next blowout. It's a perfect opportunity to test your body in an open space. Post to comments or contact me to resrve your spot.


http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/05/13/worst-workout-machines-trainer-tips.aspx


Also check down in my links box for the Geralyn's blog.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Tip & Technique: Wall Ball

9 days to Memorial Day.

Ok, here we go. Once again, when this is performed right, this is an explosive, plyometric, and powerful movement.

Your goal. Drop into a full squat and use all the force of your body jumping back up to standing to help throw a medicine ball as far into the air and against a wall as possible. Catch & repeat. Guys, start with about 15 and work your way up. Ladies, start with about 10 and work your own way up. If you've been training regularly with the workouts here on the blog and employing a similar style in the gym, then I encourage men and women to just jump out of the gate with the 20# ball. Go for it. Why save it?

Remember, while in the squat, keep those heels down, keep the spine neutral and spot the point on the wall you're throwing to. Do not start to throw the ball until the knees and hips have come to full extension. You'll break your own chain of momentum if you do and make things harder. If you don't have a good full squat, go to your deepest safe range of motion.

If you use or remember the thruster, it's just like that. Only here, we're typically working with a lighter load that allows for a dramatically increased velocity.

Enough talk. Move!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

New Buzz About Caffeine


Being a fan of particularly high intensity training in my own program, I am more than aware that muscle pain and discomfort can be major limiting factors to high intensity exercise efforts. An interesting little study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism suggests that caffeine may provide a solution.

Twenty-five college-aged men with a variety of regular caffeine usage levels ingested caffeine or a placebo followed by 30 minutes of cycling one hour later. The experimental beverage contained the equivalent of 3 to 4 cups of coffee or Red Bulls. The researchers assessed the participants perceived level of quadriceps muscle pain along with exercise oxygen consumption, heart rate, and cycling work rate.Now, I'm not suggesting you go out and drink four Red Bulls for any reason, but the results are interesting.

Following testing, participants in the caffeine group reported a moderately significant reduction in quadriceps muscle pain. The effects were consistent for both habitually high and low-caffeine consumers. So, apparently caffeine remains effective as an analgesic even in persons with a tolerance for caffeine.

We know from past research that caffeine has performance enhancing effects, but the effect of caffeine on the perception of pain have never been studied before. These results indicate that pre-exercise ingestion of caffeine might reduce the soreness associated with a particularly intense training session or a change in the routine. Now, remember, I'm not telling you to go out and drink excess amounts of caffeine at any time for any reason. Anyone consuming caffeine is advised to use caution as the possible negative side effects of caffeine in any size dosage have been well documented (trying to put up my best pharmaceutical disclaimer here. How am I doing?).

It's kind of neat to know though!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Workout of the Week

13 Days to Memorial Day.

Man maker breath ladder to 10 reps.

1 man maker
1 breath
2 man makers
2 breaths
3 man makers
3 breaths
and so on until 10.

Mark your time.

You're going to have to be very careful to control your breaths. If you start panting when you get tired, those quick little breaths are going to eat up your rest awfully quick.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Thursday Blowout


Blowout took a break last week. We'll see everyone this coming Thursday at 8pm. Post to comments to reserve your space.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Tip & Technique: Man Makers

16 Days to Memorial Day.


Ok kids, time to put some hair on your chest. It's lower body power & range of motion, rotational training, back strengthening rowing and pushing weight away from your body with as much force and speed as possible. It's like a burpee on it's worst day, waking up on the wrong side of the bed with a bad attitude and a penchant for trouble.

Start with two dumbbells hanging at your side. Drop into a push up position and perform one pushup. Perform one renegade row with the right arm. Do another pushup. Renegade row with the left arm. Jump the feet in and transition into an overhead press. That's one repetition.

Hurts so good.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Retraining

18 days to Memorial Day.


On the web there's the article about the worst kids' menus in the country. "They should get the mac & cheese, not the turkey burger." In health food stores, there are the magic 3 horsepower blenders to unlock greater nutritional value of foods to compensate for a lack of veggies in our diets. On tv there's the FDA approved weight loss drug that makes us crap ourselves & lose weight all while "enjoying the foods you love."

Then there's all the research that comes out on almost a monthly basis that says, "You know what? We're going to reap much better long term results just by eating sensible portions of sensible foods and by being just a little more active." Eat right & exercise regularly.

Remember our new year's agreement? Just make one better decision for yourself every day. Baked instead of fries. Stairs instead of elevator. Brown rice instead of white. The choice you make doesn't have to be the perfect or the best one. Just simply better than the choice you would have made.

We have to retrain ourselves one choice at a time. If we don't do it, our kids will have to. And the way things are going, they'll have 2 years less life expectancy than we do to get it done.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Workout of the Week

20 days to Memorial Day.

Happy Cinco de Mayo folks. I highly suggest attempting this
before you start drinking.

3 Rounds: 5 minutes of each, then 3 minutes of each, then 1 minute of each. No rest between rounds.

High Pull*
Thruster *
Jump Rope


* Loads should be approximately the weight you can do 15-20 times in a row without stopping.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Thursday Blowout



We explored a new aspect of group training this week. What happens when the amount of work your fellow team members have to do depends solely on you? What happens when they can’t rest until you finish your assigned task? What if your partner took too long taking care of his/her end of the bargain, making you work longer than you originally thought you could?

Kind of mean? Yeah. A little tricky and devious in design? Absolutely. We’re looking for those things that allow each person to draw deeper and find more within themselves than they suspected possible.

Push, push, push. And then push some more. We’re more capable than 

we think. The catch is that we either have to already have faith in that, or we have to be pushed to the point that the only thing we see is the next rep, the task before us. That’s when we look up 

and understand that we broke through our own expectations without even realizing it.

You are more capable than you think. Do you have the faith to find out for yourself?

Great job guys. You’re getting stronger every week.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Tip & Technique: High Pull


23 days to Memorial Day

On March 28th, we talked about the SumoDeadliftHighPull. Today we're looking at a very close relative, The High Pull.

Here we're taking the kettlebell or the barbell and substituting in a set of dumbbells. I'd shy away from using kettlebells for this. As you get to the top of the movement, they're going to want to rotate on you and in this case, that's not so much a good thing.

So, as opposed to the SDHP, your feet can start in a narrower more comfortable stance. Start with the bells hanging straight down on front of you. Throw your hips out as far behind you as possible, allowing the knees to passively bend and keeping your spine neutral. With power, pull your hips back into alignment. When your hips and knees are fully extended row the dumbbells all the way up and back to your shoulders. Elbows travel up and out to the side of your body. Do not hold them at the top. Allow the weights to travel back down ad pull you into the bent over / deadlift position. Rinse and repeat. No rest in between. This is a highly plyometric exercise, explosive, fast, powerful.

What are we training? Posterior chain (legs, butt, back), shoulders, your posture!!, anaerobic endurance and coordination to name a few.