Feedback To Keep On Track

No matter the vocation feedback is an important aspect of competency. We are constantly receiving feedback from our bodies, and should be training to improve the quality and perception of that feedback loop so that we move better.

When training another person I may ask for feedback to supplement what I see in how the person moves so that I can more effectively improve their performance and thus the results.

But once in awhile it's the clients that provide feedback on my performance, and more often than not it makes me feel pretty damn good about what I do. Over the first few days of this year I've gotten a couple of gems worth sharing.

The first is a person that had to go in for some intestinal surgery. This person's nurses were impressed that after only a couple of days she could sit up and roll over without pain, which the nurses attributed to the function and development of core musculature.

The surgeon further complimented her on a lack of visceral fat, which we all know to be the more dangerous sort, and which probably complicates the surgeon's job when digging around in there.

Made me feel pretty good about the real world benefits of the training we have been doing in the gym.

Another client is two weeks out from her due date for her first child, but you would never know it by how she is still kicking ass in the gym. Another person much earlier in her pregnancy that just joined our pre-natal small group training program couldn't keep up with her in Tuesday's training session.

I have expected her and the other women now in their third trimesters to start coming in complaining about back, shoulder, and neck pain, but that hasn't happened. I haven't seen any of their strength levels drop off either, which seems to help in making their pregnancies easier to get through.

Just goes to show the benefits of showing up and being consistant.

Another person had joined the Movement Program in order to address pain he was having while training for a marathon. All the typical symptoms - knee pain, IT tightness, hip/lumbar discomfort. We spent a couple of months improving his movement quality through getting his hips, ankles, and thoracic spine more mobile while improving glute function, core strength, and scapular function.

Funny thing. About the time he could do a respectable squat without compromising his lumbar spine, and when his scapula were properly moving his shoulder in a good range of motion he noticed that the pains had disappeared and he no longer became as fatigued on his runs.

That's not to say there isn't much room for improvement in our training at Edge, but I hope to be fortunate enough to receive more feedback like that in 2011. I know that I'll put in the many hours of continuing education to help make that happen.

As you move into the new year take a few minutes to review your progress over the past year, and consider what that tells you about what to change or improve concerning strategies to hit your goals.

One more shameless plug. We will be holding a workshop on smart goal setting and developing strategies to reach those goals on Saturday, Jan. 22nd, from 11am-1pm. See the Edge site for more information.

New Rules of Lifting for Abs

Lou Schuler & Alwyn Cosgrove are soon releasing the third book in their New Rules series, and since Lou was kind enough to provide me a copy I gladly read it and think it worthy of review.

But first Lou would like to explain the inclusion of 'abs" in the title on this Fitcast podcast.

For your benefit listen to the entire podcast. Some nuggets of knowledge are within.

Right away I loved this book that for no other reason it proclaims no more situps or crunches. Seriously though, Lou pulled in some great research from luminaries such as Dr. Stuart McGill regarding core and back health.

For the lay person that does not dig into research from the Journal of Strength & Conditioning and other such sources (even I find some of it quite boring) much of the material regarding what the "core" is, it's many roles, and how it functions will be quite eye opening.

I read this kind of material all the time and yet got a lot out of the informational chapters. Lou has a knack for connecting the dots and entertaining us along the way.

One part I would quibble with is spinal flexion for fighters. Yes, fighters do need ab armor and do alot of spinal flexion in sport specific training, but according to Dr. McGill that doesn't mean fighters should use flexion movements in the gym. Rather he says they should save those lumbar bends for competition. But I doubt any of you are pro-MMA fighters anyway so lets carry on.

The title of Part 3 "All Training Is Core Training" says it all.

Everything we do affects our core, and so it makes sense to be aware and utilize that fact in every movement we do. Within this framework Lou & Alwyn put together a great library of static, dynamic, and integrated core stabilization exercises, then set them in the context of three phases of strength training programs.

For most people it would take many months to get through these programs, and they should see a good bit of progress along the way. Even for the experienced lifter there are some serious challenges.

The programs are organized so that one can go back and repeat them with heavier loads or other changes such as doing ladder sets, density circuits, or other methods of causing adaptation so that progress will continue.

And as any experienced trainer knows the basics never go out of style.

My favorite part of the book is the last third which deals with lifestyle issues, nutrition, and strategies for developing a healthier lifestyle.

We all know that without adopting better lifestyle and nutritional habits change will not happen, and Lou presents some interesting studies showing how hours spent in front of the computer (yes you may stop reading now and go outside), TV, video games, and other sedentary forms of entertainment kill your abs.

Yep. They shoot them dead.

I tell my clients this everyday but sometimes it takes reading it in print to accept it, which is why I've already been using some of Lou's material to help my own clients. And it works.

So if you are a trainer don't hesitate to recommend this book to clients, as it will help you help them. And if you are a person working out on your own, then you have an excellent guide at your side.

The book is now available for pre-sale on Amazon for $16, and ships out Dec. 30th. Check it out.

Ab Fixes

A short article I wrote for Men's Health UK regarding correcting perceived abdominal imbalance is now online. For your convenience here it is:

When three should be six

Every body is different and, even if you’re following an intense training plan and flawless dietary regime, six abs popping out from your midriff with West End-worthy choreography isn’t guaranteed. A little variation in the size of your six (or, if you’ve really been gunning your core, eight) is nothing to worry about, of course. But if you find your rectus abdominis developing in a noticeably lopsided way there may be other issues afoot. Personal trainer Chris Bathke explains how to deal with abdominal imbalance.

A question of posture

“Perceived imbalances in the abdominals are complicated, and there may not be one magic movement to fix a three-pack,” explains Bathke. “Your six-pack is made up of one muscle separated by tendons, so it’s doubtful what you see as a deviation has anything to do with the size of the rectus abdominis.” (And you can’t isolate half a muscle, anyway, so don’t go trying acrobatic sit-up variations in the hope of shoring up your symmetry.)

If the problem is with your abs, often the underlying cause will be postural. “It might be an issue in your hips that is causing your torso to compensate with a slight twist, or it might be tightness in one side of your back resulting in a similar postural misalignment – but you’ll need to consult a physical therapist to be certain,” says Bathke.

Not so bleak

If, on the other hand, your imbalance is down to your obliques, there are practical training steps you can take to fix it. “If you feel one side of your stomach is more muscular than the other then first measure how long you can hold a side plank on each side,” says Bathke. “If one side is noticeably weaker then add woodchops into your program and do a 2:1 ratio of reps from the weaker to the stronger side.”

How to do the side plank

Lie on your side with your forearm on the floor under your shoulder. Push your hip up off the floor and hold for as long as you can. People often stick their bum out to take some of the load off the obliques. Don’t. “Your body should form a straight line from your feet through the hips to your head,” says Bathke.

How to do woodchops

For our purposes you will want to do anti-rotation woodchops so that the hips are not working, only the core. To do this grab a cable as in a regular woodchop but resist the twisting of your torso as you bring your arms across your body and back.

In other ab-related news yesterday I received an advance copy of The New Rules of Lifting for Abs from my friend Lou Schuler. This is Lou and Alwyn Cosgrove's third book in the phenomenally successful New Rules series. If you haven't read the other two I highly suggest buying them. As a trainer I still refer back to those books for useful bits of information, and the programs are great for everyone from newbies to people that have been training for years.

I won't reveal too many details about the new book yet other than to say Lou does a fantastic job at presenting core training in a way consistent with the most current and advanced research on the matter. In other words no crunches, sit-ups, or leg lifts, but lots of full body movements that remind us that the core is not just the abdominals, but is really all the muscles that attach to your his, pelvis, and lower back.

So yes, your "core" training should include exercises that work the glutes, adductors, hip flexors, and lats in addition to the usual abdominal muscles.

No more Cap'n Crunch

Gratuitous self-promoting time here on EFL. Have a look at my latest mini-article on Men's Health UK site. But I have to admit it was the MH editor that came up with the Cap'n crunch line. Why are those damn guys always so much better at writing than me...

This article was informed partly from a Dr. Stuart McGill article aimed at personal trainers that I wrote about previously. The subject of core training, while important, is ridiculously hyped (What? Say it ain't so!). McGill often points out that what should seek to achieve in training is "super stiffness" in the core. And while most people haven't a clue what that really means, nor do most care, at least about stiffness there, I'll break it down a little.

Dr. Lenny Parracino, a much smarter person than I could hope to be, said in a talk that the structure of our core serves to not only stabilize the spine, which is crucial for survival, but in order to act as a mechanism to transfer energy between the lower and upper body.

In other words, when you throw a punch or run you are transferring energy between your lower and upper body. If some of that force is lost through it's journey through the core due to lack of tension the your punch will be weaker or you'll run slower.

Or if you are in the gym deadlifting and your core is able to maintain a stiff, stable back then not only will you not be able to lift as much as your legs or upper back might allow, but the lack of stability puts excess stress on other structures such as your lumbar vertebrae, resulting in injury. Same thing for runners or cyclists, although it may take more time for dysfunction to develop.

So without further ado:

• Don't do crunches, do Swiss ball planks

• Avoid because... "The rectus abdominis – commonly known as your six pack – does not function primarily to bend the torso, but rather to brace the spine and transfer power from the hips to the upper torso," explains personal trainer Chris Bathke. What's more, he adds, a recent article by one of the foremost researchers on core and back health, Dr Stuart McGill, outlined how our lumbar discs can only take so many repetitions of flexion (such as a crunch) before injury and pain occur. Cap'n Crunch is a breakfast cereal. Not an aspirational nickname.
  
  Do instead... Swiss ball planks
  
  Why? They work the core the way nature intended – with little to no strain on your back. And they work it hard.
  
  Form Assume a plank position with your elbows on a Swiss ball and feet on the ground. Tighten your glutes and brace your core as if about to get punched. Now push your elbows against the Swiss ball while maintaining a stable torso. Three sets of 30 seconds should suffice.
  
  Progression Take the same position on the ball but this time move your elbows in a circular pattern (likethis chap). Again, make sure there is as little movement in your torso as possible. Do 15 seconds one way then switch directions for two or three sets.

Read This and Get Stiff

Dr. Stuart McGill, professor of spine biomechanics and one of the world's foremost researchers into matters of core and back health recently published an article aimed at personal trainers that breaks down the hows and whys of core training and back health.

This week I'm using this topic for my last educational forum at Equinox, because it never ceases to amaze me the number of trainers I see having clients do set after set of crunches when I know damn well those trainers know better than that.

Yes I know people may demand "cut abs" and still buy into the broscience regarding core work. But we as fitness professionals are supposed to educate our clients, not acquiesce to something we know is counterproductive.

Back to Dr. McGill's article, he states that repeated spine flexion (crunches) are commonly believed to be a good way to train the abs. However the rectus abdominis and abdominal wall do not function optimally to bend the torso, but rather to brace the spine and transfer power from the hips to the upper torso. Or as he puts it a "elastic storage and recovery device."

In other words your six pack is used to stabilize and stiffen the spine, not flex it.

Further, Dr. McGill says that our lumbar discs can only take so many reps of flexion before injury and pain happen, so you'd better save them for tying your shoes rather than endless reps of crunches that do literally nothing for developing a strong, healthy core.

As to why some people can tolerate crunches and some can't blame your parents. We all know people that are naturally lean or strong, or those that have done crunches for 20 years with no problem. Those are the lucky few. Why keep rolling the dice and wasting your time?

This is only the tip of the informational iceberg regarding McGill's work on intelligent core training. For more info consult his latest article in the June 2010 issue of the Strength & Conditioning Journal. Also check out an audio interview and video clips here.

Core Training Article

An article I contributed was published this week on TMUSCLE.com.

There are some cool embedded videos of exercises you probably haven't tried so check those out.

In it is some advice on building a strong midsection from the perspective's of myself, a bodybuilding coach, and guys such as Mike Robertson that trains some athletes.

The real keys lie in the commonalities of our approaches: Nobody uses crunches, and we all understand the importance of train the anterior core to develop core stability, strength in torso extension, rotation, and anti-rotation functions.

Of course anything with firing neurons realizes that nutrition plays a huge part in being able to see the fruits of your labor, and so bodybuilding coach Scott Abel drops a good line:

Diet plays the biggest role here, and it's a deal-breaker. "No one can out-train an inconsistent or improper diet," Abel says. "And if your own metabolic set point is such that having quilted abs is not your genetically natural predisposition, then you'd better have expert help in achieving that look."

As for aerobic training,

Abel says to practice caution here. Hours a day of steady-state aerobics can lead to a suppressed metabolism, burned-out adrenals, and even an unexpected weight gain. "As I always say, force the body and it reacts. Coax the body and it responds."

To sum it up be on point with your nutrition, then skip the aerobics classes and crunches, and instead train your core in ways top trainers in various sub-fields of fitness know work.

Back Off, Make Progress

Yesterday T-Nation ran an article I contributed to called Get Bigger By Doing Less.

My part was to write a sample week-long program as an example of what to do on a back off (deload) week.

Over the past few years I've really come to appreciate the importance of periodically decreasing volume in order to give our bodies and nervous systems a break so that we can keep making progress and keep from getting injured. Of course that means you have to be training hard in the first place, but that's another discussion.

Most all my programs have some sort of deload built into them, depending on the training status of the person. If it's a 25 year old guy that new to training then he'll be able to go longer without backing off, but for a 50 year old person that has joint issues they'll obviously need to be careful with training volume and intensity.

In other words a person cannot keep doing the same thing and expect to remain healthy, nevermind make progress.

On to the article. Bryan Krahn drops some good knowledge.

1) Going hard all the time never, ever, works

If you try to go hard every single workout, week after week and month after month, you'll end up with a mix of serious and half-assed workouts, and if you don't get hurt, you'll probably burn out completely at some point.

By the end of any given training year, you'll discover you would've been better off taking planned breaks, rather than letting your body and brain decide when you're ready to push toward a peak and when you're not.

2) Your muscles and joints need a break

Not every part of your body recovers at the same pace. You can restore energy substrates in your muscles faster than you can remodel tissue that's been damaged from serious training. Muscles repair themselves faster than connective tissues. And connective tissues might be ready for a serious workout before your central nervous system has fully recovered.

3) Sometimes you get stronger by not training

With full recovery comes supercompensation. With supercompensation come greater gains in size and strength and higher levels of fitness and conditioning. This is why swimmers and runners taper before major competitions in which they hope to break records, and why a lot of serious lifters will describe how they hit PRs right after a deloading phase.

A review published in the NSCA's Strength and Conditioning Journal compiled this amazing list of benefits that research has attributed to tapering:

• Up to 20% increases in strength and power
• Increases in muscle cross-sectional area of 10 to 25%
• Lower levels of stress hormones
• Higher levels of Testosterone
• Better moods during the day, and better sleep at night

4) Training is a marathon, not a sprint

Finally, unloading is just plain healthy, no matter what your age. Along with pampering the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, a phase of relatively easy training is also good for the immune system. Train too hard for too long, and you'll not only feel tired and unmotivated, but you'll also increase your risk of catching a cold or flu.

But if nothing else just watch the technique of that guy doing kettlebell clean and jerks... ;)

Finally EVERYONE should watch this video of Dr. Stuart McGill demonstrating effective core training movements for a healthy back and strong core.