Monday, March 3rd, 2008...5:14 pm
Dance for me
Workout:
Overhead squats with kettlebells on bands. 4 sets of 5 reps. Slap yourself if you haven’t tried this yet. Whatever you hang from the bar better be pretty darn light. Here’s what it looks like.
Speed deads/pullups. 6 sets, 3 reps each, short rest. I prefer bands on my bar for these, but that isn’t gospel. Keep these pullups kip-free, and if ya got the explosion, throw a clap in there.
Burpee-run. 10-1 countdown with 30 yard run between each. Time yourselves, kids, and see how fast you can get through this fun. 10-9-8 etc with a 30 yard run between each set. In Bodytribe terms, that means running across the gym, smacking whoever is sitting on the couch, and then running back.
Overheard at Bodytribe this weekend:
“I’ve never had to be coordinated at the gym before coming here.”
That’s the legacy of modern commercial gyms and fitness programs. Skill is not coveted, taught or required. Bummer.
Stay strong, my fellow iron heads, and that means keep coordinated, mobile and capable!
5 Comments
March 4th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I’m wondering who is most at fault for this unfortunate outcome… Is it the manufacturers of gym equipment? Is it Nautilus and Mentzer for popularizing such equipment? Is something happening in certification courses for trainers? Is it the McGym managers who approach it all from a business angle? But then let’s not forget that thousands of trainees out there could do themselves a world of good by taking it upon themselves to educate themselves.
Beyond this, I am frustrated by the growth of “functional” training that’s not very functional or not very intense. Case in point: A friend of mine who is a trainer at a high-falutin’ McGym up in BC took it upon himself to give me training advise for our upcoming attempt on Mt. Shasta. He thinks I need “core strength.” He *knows* I’ve been doing powerlifting training, but somehow he thinks that “front bridges, side bridges, ninja kicks, back extensions” will do more for my “core” than good mornings, squats, deads, TGUs, and windmills (granted, I could do a LOT to grow in my athleticism in terms of flexibility, balance, and relative strength). When I mentioned TGUs and windmills to him he seemed concerned about shoulder injury from KBs. What’s happening to trainers that they are paralyzed with fear of injuries? I know my friend means well, but it’s honestly getting awkward trying to respond to what I feel is bad training advice.
March 4th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
The list of ‘dangerous’ exercises started exceeding the list of ’safe’ exercises back when I was certifying other trainers for a corporate paycheck. Telling people what they ’shouldn’t’ be doing seemed antithetical to empowering people, and then learning that most of these ‘contraindicative’ exercises were simply poison because the training establishment was too scared to learn them and teach them properly started me on a quest or education that continues to this day.
I agree that much of what is considered ‘functional’ falls into my category of marshmallow fitness. There is nothing more functional than a deadlift, being able to pick something up with proper form.
Tell your friend to practice a deep overhead squat, and then ask him if his back extensions can top that for spinal stability.
March 7th, 2008 at 3:51 am
I always tell clients that each move is a skill and liken it to a tennis shot or a golf shot (which many of them play). I find it interesting when they look quizzical many of them being suprised by this. When they say “you make that look easy” and I say “it’s because I practise a lot” they are again suprised. Their view is “what will this do for me?” sometimes I say “nothing” which is always fun.
The gym culture as outlined on this site doesn’t see exercise as skill. If an exercise demands skill it is immediately sidelined as “potentially dangerous.” I trained 1000 trainers in London and a smaller percentage of them had truly good, studied technique.
“Core” training and “functional training” are differing paradigms depending who you talk to. Rehab hijacked personal training a while ago and bred many pseudo therapists in my view.
You need skill, control and appropriate range to move, that’s my view.
Dan
March 7th, 2008 at 3:56 am
When do you guys (if at all) focus on a hypertrophy phase and if you do, what’s your experience of how that affects your performance along your spectrum of strength?
Dan
March 7th, 2008 at 11:28 am
If I’m prepping for a meet, I have a hypertrophy phase early on with occasional 3 week cycles woven in during the program. Plus a good dose of classic repetition method is almost always added to the workouts for both skill-practice and hypertrophy.
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