Death of the conventional squat

I received an advertisement email with a video of Coach Mike Boyle talking about why he feels the traditional barbell back squat is no longer a cornerstone of an athlete's strength and conditioning program.
Coach Boyle explains it...

http://www.functionalstrengthcoach3.com/squats.html

Two things I've always appreciated about Coach Boyle are his honesty and his inquisitiveness. He is always questioning why he has his athletes do what they do, and he will change methods if they don't produce the desired result.

Folks like powerlifters, Olympic lifters, people that want "tree-trunk thighs", and all athletes would do well to include single leg work in their training but not abandon the conventional lifts.

The benefit of squatting is in doing the squat. Everyone should practice it. It is a basic, foundational, human movement. Non-athletes and non-weight lifters should practice without a load. Weight trainers should include single-leg work in their training.

Personally, I train pistols 90% of the time, and front squats 10% of the time. My competitive athlete days and heavy weight training days are past. I do bodyweight squats for as many reps as my age daily.

Is fish a staple of your "healthy" diet and lifestyle?

"The supreme reality of our time is...the vulnerability of our planet"
John F. Kennedy

"We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came."
John F. Kennedy

If you eat fish regularly or if you think eating fish is an "environmentally friendly" food choice, think again! Please listen or read the transcript:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120174322

Take home message:

• At least 70% of the oxygen used by living things on this planet comes from the ocean.
• The tuna population is 90% depleted...90%! Think about that the next time you eat tuna.
• Think about what you eat and where it comes from.
• Eat low on the food chain. Plants and plant eating animals are low on the food chain. Animals that eat other animals are higher on the food chain.

My suggestion: If you really like eating fish, seek out local, fresh water fish. i.e. trout, perch, catfish, etc.

Today's training

My back has been aching for about a month. As I reviewed my exercise notebook, I realized it's too much exercise and not enough rest/recovery.

I also noticed I had stopped practicing the TGU as a skill, so I'll start doing that on off days with the 24kg kb for 5 min.

Today I chose a back friendly strength workout.

joint mobility, and movement prep/warm up including Indian clubs

Alternating sets, 3x of:

• alternating pistols x10
• 16kg BUP: 1 min ea. side

pull up ladders: 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4, 15 sec. rest
push up ladder: 3-6-9-12-3-6-9-12, 15 sec. rest

for 5 minutes, alternating every 30 seconds:

• squat thrusts
• jumping jacks

for 5 minutes: skipping rope

Finish with about 7 minutes of passive stretching for hamstrings, glutes, quads, adductors, the million dollar stretch, and the "brettzel". The lower body passive stretching seems to be very helpful with my back.

More thoughts on nutrition

Here's the link to a good article by Nancy Clark. Enjoy.

http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Reforming-Your-Healthcare-Policy.htm?act=EMC-Active&Vehicle=Nutrition&Date=10_15_09&Edition=1&Sections=Articles&Creative=Reforming__em_Your__em__Healthcare_Policy__Food_for_Thought&TextName=Reforming__em_Your__em__Healthcare_Policy__Food_for_Thought&ArtText=Txt&Placement=1&Dy=Thu&lyrisid=20201063&dart=

Kettlebell classes forming in Coolidge Corner

Kettlebell training classes are forming in Coolidge Corner, Brookline, MA. at Coolidge Corner Strength and Fitness, 318 Harvard St. Arcade Building, room 32.

A technique/demonstration class will be held on Wed. October 21, at 6:15 p.m.
Classes will begin the following week.

The primary focus of classes will be fitness, i.e. long cycle clean and jerk, snatches, jerks, timed sets, etc.

The secondary emphasis will be strength and feats of strength, i.e. Turkish Get-ups, presses, single leg deadlifts, two hands anyhow, etc.

If you know anybody in the area that is interested, please pass along the information and ask them to contact me. Thanks.

Yesterday's training

joint mobility and movement prep with indian club swinging

Romanian DL: bar x20, 135 x10, 185 x5 (2 min rest between all sets)
DL: 285 x2, 285 x2, 285 x2, 265 x2
Stiff leg DL: 145 x10
push ups, 1 x44
hanging leg raises, 3 x6
stretching: mostly hips, especially hip flexors*

*I noticed my hip flexors are unusually tight thus inhibiting good execution in my KB training. So I'm taking some extra time in pre and post workout to open them up.

seeds

Seeds are packed with nutrition and make an easy snack. Read the short article here:

http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=16995&news_iv_ctrl=2303

Joints and running

As you know, I'm not a big fan of running as exercise, but here's a link to some new information about joint wear and tear and running. It may surprise you.

http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC274/35320/75768/1343938.html?d=dmtHMSContent#top

Some additional thoughts...

In my opinion, using running or any other form of cardiovascular exercise as a means of weight control is a form of self-abuse. Pay more attention to what and how much you eat. Weight loss and sustained weight loss begins with good nutrition and portion control. Exercise is one part of the equation. It's not the whole solution.

There is a right way and a wrong way to run. Do you have good running mechanics? Probably not.* Did you ever notice how all the runners in the Olympics run the same way. There is a reason. Good mechanics equal efficiency. I bet all the Jane and John Doe's in your neighborhood run in their own "style".

Walking is under-rated!

• Does it elevate your heart rate? Yes!
• Will you gradually and safely increase your fitness level with a well thought out walking program? Yes!
• Can walking help improve your posture? Yes!
• Can anybody walk? Yes!
• Do you need any special equipment to walk? No.
• Do you need to pay for a gym membership to walk? No.

*For the record, I had poor running mechanics throughout high school, when I went to college a coach corrected my mechanics. I speak from experience.

Pavel Tsatsouline and RKC

You can see I associate myself with the AKC and IKFF, and I've said good things about Kenneth Jay's VO2 Max snatch protocol and Art of Strength on this blog. Kettlebell training is their common denominator, but some people have asked me what I think about RKC and Pavel Tsatsouline.

I've never met Pavel Tsatsouline, and I've never attended RKC training.

I own seven books authored by Tsatsouline. In my opinion The Naked Warrior is the most informative. I re-read it and refer back to it often. If you lift weights seriously, train with a kettlebell, or are serious about getting strong and staying that way, read this book.

Along the same line, I have yet to find a better or simpler plan for the average person wanting to build strength than Power to the People.

Pavel Tsatsouline is one of the two authorities on training that have most recently influenced my training habits and professional growth. (Gray Cook* is the other.) After reading Tsatsouline's books, I was challenged to re-think what I thought I knew about human movement, strength development, and my training methods for myself and my clients. As a result, I asked more of myself in my training and I became a better trainer. Priceless.

Some folks like to argue about the modern origins of kettlebell training in the United States. I don't care who gets credit for it. Tsatsouline's book The Russian Kettlebell Challenge was my introduction to all things kettlebell over eight years ago.

Some folks like to argue over which method is the "right" way. I'm not going to enter that argument. Personally, I like the AKC protocols, but I use Tsatsouline's techniques every day with my clients. Furthermore, my understanding of the AKC method (GS style) is deeper because of my exposure to Pavel's methods.

Here's the take home message: Pavel Tsatsouline's methods work. They are effective. Plain and simple.

If you want to argue about it, don't argue with me, because I've been using them for eight years with success.

*I had the pleasure of speaking to Gray Cook at the annual Perform Better seminar in Boston before he attended an RKC weekend. We talked kettlebells. His influence on me as a trainer pre-dates the conversation, so it was pretty cool for me to be explaining why I liked training with kettlebells to him.

Will aerobic exercise makes you smarter?

Now, this is an interesting article!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/what-sort-of-exercise-can-make-you-smarter/?scp=1&sq=exercise%20make%20you%20smarter&st=cse

"Creating new neurons and brain connections..." is the part that really caught my attention. That's amazing!

Of course, the anti-strength training folks are going to read this with an "I told you so" smile. So here is where we search for the middle path, again.

Truth 1 : You need to do both aerobic and anaerobic exercise for health.

Remember, exercise is deemed aerobic or anaerobic because the body's demand for and use of oxygen while performing that activity.

Endurance style activities like running, cycling, swimming, skipping rope, and walking are examples of aerobic exercise.

These are not your only choices. For example, I've talked at length about Kenneth Jay's VO2 max kettlebell protocol whereby you use a weight, a kettlebell, but this is aerobic exercise.

One method I like and use with my clients is aerobic circuit training. You will perform a strength circuit with movements that require multi-joint movements and some form of aerobic exercise. We use an airdyne bike, but jumping jacks, or skipping rope work well.

For example:
A

• 1 min on airdyne: RPE 4
• DB squat to press
• 1 min on airdyne: RPE 6
• chin ups
• 1 min on airdyne: RPE 7
• DB 1LDL
• 1 min on airdyne: RPE 7
• alternating DB bench press
• 1 min on airdyne: RPE 7
• repeat with the RPE 7 on the airdyne

B

• jumping jacks 1 minute
• pull up
• jumping jacks 1 minute
• push up
• jumping jacks 1 minute
• lunge
• jumping jacks 1 minute
• chin up
• jumping jacks 1 minute
• dips
• jumping jacks 1 minute
• bw squat
• jumping jacks 1 minute
• repeat 3 to 5 times