My second 5/3/1 cycle is coming to a close. Ill be doing a write up on that towards the end of the week, when all the lifts are done. For now I have some more videos to share:
This is Swings paired with Non Counter Movement Squat Jumps. Usually on Fridays I will snatch from the floor. Last couple of weeks my left shoulder has been bothering me so I opted for something different. I came up with this power complex to help compliment the movements seen in the dead lift. We start with the swing which a very ballistic movement involving a hip hinge to lock out. Immediately after we pair it with non counter movement squat jumps. Doing these with out a counter movement( starting at the bottom), mimics the start of a dead lift, which is a concentric motion that builds starting strength. I feel primed and ready for dead lifts after doing these. I want to improve my neck position on the swings, just noticed that when I filmed myself.
Today I wanted to get a rough idea of where my 1RM was on the clean. I was a little distracted because right behind my phone was a 250lb pound body builder who decided take off everything but a loin cloth and pose in the mirror. Getting ready for a competition. Needless to say it was crowded in that area and trying to set up the camera took forever because he was in the only spot that I could place it. I know i can make the clean even crisper. Pretty happy though considering I have only been pulling from the ground for a couple months consistently.
This was the final week in my second cycle of 5/3/1. 5 pounds more than last cycle for the same number of reps. I'm pretty happy with that, making progress. I'm having Tim (spotter), put his hands right under my elbows. Hes not pressing them up, what he is doing is giving a tactile que for me to keep my elbows up. The upper back will wear out faster than the legs in a front squat for most people. This is where form starts to break down. Tim's hands are a physical reminder for me to keep the elbows up. It actually works, he is not providing any assistance as far as traditional "spotting" is concerned. Very effective for keeping good form.
Most people don't spot the front squat and I can understand. If something goes wrong you can just dump the weight forward. However I don't want to start to ingrain that pattern of leaning forward when things get heavy. Since 5/3/1 is working at sub maximal loads and is more about reps I think being able to grind them out with good form is very important. Hence why Tim is queing my elbows up.
I started working with the Push Jerk a couple weeks ago. Not using a lot of weight yet because the pattern is still new.
Ill be uploading more videos of 5/3/1 as the week progresses. Hope everyone has a good training week.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Take Care of your Feet
Today I want to share a simple way to help open up the feet and get better proprioception .
Toe stretches or Yoga toes are a small gel frame that allows your toes to seperate independently of each other. Doing this will help activate the intrinsic muscles that can be come dormant from sedentary life, as well as very restrict footwear. Separating the toes gives more proprioception to the feet allowing improved feed back for the ground. This can improve joint centration all the way up the chain.
If we stick with the joint by joint paradigm, alternating mobility and stability as the primary roles as we go up the chain. The toes are meant to be mobile. They should be subtle and able to wiggle independently of each other. The mid foot should be a point of stability it is the bridge between the toes and the ankle. It is responsible for having a strong and reactive arch as well as being a base of contact, on which we stand. The ankle should be a mobile joint that has stable roots through the mid foot.
When I was working my 4 month internship at Athletes' Performance last year, I was on my feet for 45-50 hours a week. Add into that training and trying to have a plyometric program and my feet took a huge beating. I had to wear Adidas shoes as part of the rules.Keep in mind, until that point I was either in vibrams for barefoot for the last 2 years. Never had foot problems. These shoes might as well have been ski boots. Restrictive and to much of a heel lift. A couple months in, my feet were so sore and it got to the point where I had to stop sprinting and jumping just so I could work. This flared caused the Left ankle which I injured 6 months before to become sore and tight. About midway through I bought these toe stretches from safeway in the foot care section for 8 bucks. I started wearing them when I would get home. I could only wear them for about 10-15 minutes before they became uncomfortable. Within a few days my feet started to loosen up and ache less. After a couple weeks, my feet felt great through out the day and I added sprinting back into the program. I was able to wear them for longer stretches. I noticed that my toes would become more spread out naturally without wearing them.
The following are three pictures;
Before I put on the toe stretchers:
Toes in the stretches;
After having them on for a couple hours , at this point I forget they are on sometimes.
Toe stretches or Yoga toes are a small gel frame that allows your toes to seperate independently of each other. Doing this will help activate the intrinsic muscles that can be come dormant from sedentary life, as well as very restrict footwear. Separating the toes gives more proprioception to the feet allowing improved feed back for the ground. This can improve joint centration all the way up the chain.
If we stick with the joint by joint paradigm, alternating mobility and stability as the primary roles as we go up the chain. The toes are meant to be mobile. They should be subtle and able to wiggle independently of each other. The mid foot should be a point of stability it is the bridge between the toes and the ankle. It is responsible for having a strong and reactive arch as well as being a base of contact, on which we stand. The ankle should be a mobile joint that has stable roots through the mid foot.
When I was working my 4 month internship at Athletes' Performance last year, I was on my feet for 45-50 hours a week. Add into that training and trying to have a plyometric program and my feet took a huge beating. I had to wear Adidas shoes as part of the rules.Keep in mind, until that point I was either in vibrams for barefoot for the last 2 years. Never had foot problems. These shoes might as well have been ski boots. Restrictive and to much of a heel lift. A couple months in, my feet were so sore and it got to the point where I had to stop sprinting and jumping just so I could work. This flared caused the Left ankle which I injured 6 months before to become sore and tight. About midway through I bought these toe stretches from safeway in the foot care section for 8 bucks. I started wearing them when I would get home. I could only wear them for about 10-15 minutes before they became uncomfortable. Within a few days my feet started to loosen up and ache less. After a couple weeks, my feet felt great through out the day and I added sprinting back into the program. I was able to wear them for longer stretches. I noticed that my toes would become more spread out naturally without wearing them.
The following are three pictures;
Before I put on the toe stretchers:
After having them on for a couple hours , at this point I forget they are on sometimes.
Now if you notice from the first one to the third one, their is way more space between my toes. Yes they look like hobbit feet no matter what, but they are more evenly space out hobbit feet. I think my pinky toe is forever jacked from being in western footware most of my life. I have wide feet and always had a hard time finding wide enough shoes. It looks like it doesn't even belong and I wouldn't be surprised if in a 100 years industrialized societies will "evolve" to the point where they "lose" the pinky toe.
Until then take care of your feet. Also use strategies I laid out in My Ankle Rehab program.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Mindful Practice
This is more a collection of my thoughts on Mindfulness, how to practice mindfulness and the immediate benefits I think it can have.
This idea started with me thinking about how focused I am during my training session. "How present am I while doing "x" exercise?". I like to put esoteric concepts into quantifiable terms and eventually I asked myself, "Percentage-wise, How many reps am I mindful for?". It had me thinking for a while and I ended up with low 80% - high 90%. Either way I still have room for improvement. How long would it take for one to improve 10 from 20%. Do I get 100% in with all of my reps one day and the next day get 75% because I get distracted?
Definition for mindfulness:
the trait of staying aware of (paying close attention to) your responsibilities.
Definition of Practice - prac·tice/ˈpraktəs/
Noun: The actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories about such application or use.
Verb: Perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency
Here is a skill that will make you gain more out of your exercise routine, set new personal records and can be implemented easily. It doesn't take weeks to be able to reap the benefits of this kind of skill. Mindful Practice in this context is being aware of your body and giving each rep in each exercise complete concentration. It requires constant attention to detail. If one can become mindful in each repetition they will get more out of their training.
Let's start with mindset.
In my opinion, mindful practice is a consequence of the right mindset. It is a mindset that commands focus and dedication. I think people need to have a mindset that is more conducive to them reaching their goals. The first step in this is deconstructing ones intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for exercise training. This requires a critical lens put on ones self to rationalize and derive logic from a behavior. "Why do I train?"
For me exercise has always been an outlet since I could remember. My grandfather tells me I was picking up small logs to help him throw in the fire when I was 2. I started martial arts when I was 6 and it gave me an emotional outlet and a vehicle for self improvement. Exercise and just being plain physical active has been one of oldest and constant themes in my life. Now I am setting up a foundation to create a career for myself doing something I am passionate about. I want to be the "strongest" version of myself I can be physically, mentally and spiritually. So I need to make sure I get the most out of my time spent in my own training program.
Now I don't think everyone has to go so deep, about why they lift weights. However I encourage people to challenge themselves on why they train. Keep revisiting that idea, as time passes it is likely to change and evolve as you do(hopefully). To get started in a good direction:
What are you goals?
Why do you train?
Who are you training for?
How will this improve your life?
Are you having fun?
I think possessing a motivation that is well thought out, personalized and intentional gives root to a great mindset. Having the right balance of intrinsic and extrinsic mindset will help foster greater probability of Mindful Practice.
Now that you know why you are here lets working on ways of actually being mindful during exercise reps.One thing I like to do is have little checklist in my head. A lot of the items on the list are shared through multiple exercises. I try to have anywhere from 1-3 self cues. They are put in a hierarchy of importance. These are based on how I move in certain exercises .I have different checklists for the people I work with as they may have different things to focus on in a particular exercise. The good news is if you can practice some of these mental techniques eventually they will become ingrained and intrinsic. Not just going through a check list but the actual lists itself. Things like brace core, keep knees out, pack the neck will become automatic and eventually all you have to do is make sure the auto pilot is working with selective awareness.
Front Squat:
Elbows up
Braced Core
Finish with hip thrust
Single Leg Squat:
Good alignment ( ankle, knee, hip)
Control
Finish with hip thrust
Trap Bar DL:
Straight back
Braced core
Shoulders back
Single Leg Hops:
stick it
Good alignment
Brace
Hip Flxr stretch:
tuck pelvis
Squeeze glute
Trx Row:
Pack the neck
pinch shoulder blades
3 Dimensional Breathing:
Spare tire (when breathing in if you had a spare tire around your diaphragm make sure to touch all sides of it)
No second boobs ( make sure the lower rips aren't poking out with a partial brace)
This is just top give you a logistical idea of what I am talking about. Not everyone exercise requires a check list, but it should be performed correctly. From stretching to Olympic lifting. Mindfulness needs to be practiced in order to ingrain good patterns and to avoid injury.
Make sure every aspect in your program has a clear and legitimate purpose for being their. Being able to confidently believe that will give you more stock in your training program, naturally increasing a need for awareness.
Distractions:
Distractions while training can be one of the biggest roadblocks for progress. We are all guilty of it. They can be internal distractions coming from our own mind or they can be external distractions coming from our environment.
This is where mindset and motivation keeps us on a steady course of concentration. If you're training for a metabolic demand and want to keep rest intervals short, is talking to someone for 5 minutes in between sets really going keep that metabolic demand up enough to make the session optimally effective? Probably not.
Music- This is a very interesting subject for me because I have recently had a change of heart when it comes to listening to my head phones while I train. I use to be all about it, putting on my gym playlist and going to town. However I started talking to people way smarter than me about exercise and was introduced to some good points about how it can take away from lifting. Noise is just another thing your brain has to process and deal with. So mental resources are diverted into dealing with this other stimulus you have added to the equation. IF strength is a skill than it requires as much focus as possible.
Nick Winkleman at Athletes' Performance brought up a great point about why chimps are so strong. Excluding the obvious reasons of more muscle fibers and a better cns. They are so strong because they can focus immediately on the task at hand. They don't have all these other thoughts rushing in taking away mental concentration. He then did a demonstration. He asked me to raise my arms at my sides( lateral raise) , he tried to push them down at my sides and could not. He then ask me to relax and focus on his hand. He brought his hand to my face and started wiggling his fingers. About 10 seconds later they asked me to raise my arms up again and was able to push them down to my sides with out ease. Its all about FOCUS.
If you ever look at the west side barbell guys or any other lift who is going for a max pr that is near or beyond world records. They have this dead stare where it almost looks like they are staring right though what is in front of them. They aren't listening to Mos Def on their ipod, they are entering a temporary trance of hyper focus.
So for Music I listen to what I want in between sets, I turn it off and keep the headphones in while i'm lifting. Lifting becomes easier and I'm more mindful during the set. I don't have to worry about finding the right song. In Bulgarian weightlifting gyms there would be no music. It would be grunts and weights flying for the sound track. Talk about cutting out distractions.
Other strategies for helping develop focus and intent
Have an event to prepare for - In my own training having a grappling tournament or power lifting meet always gave my programs intention and I've had some of the best training sessions preparing for a competition or specific event.
Get a training partner who is as serious if not more serious then you. Someone who will hold you accountable and will be the first to start the next set.
Make sure your training program flows. If you have to fly from one side of the gym to the next over and over then you're going to be preoccupied and more likely to get off task. It is also time wasted running back and forth.
To Wrap Up:
Mindfulness during training has one of the biggest bank for buck ratios when it comes to improving training, results and overall the outcome of what you are trying to accomplish. This needs to be fueled by a thoroughly charted mindset that is sustainable and comes from who you are.
Distractions are everywhere and they need to be minimized as much as possible to elevate and maintain concentration. Keep things simple, the more variables involved the more likely things are to fall out of sync and focus.
Always remind yourself why you are doing what you do.
This idea started with me thinking about how focused I am during my training session. "How present am I while doing "x" exercise?". I like to put esoteric concepts into quantifiable terms and eventually I asked myself, "Percentage-wise, How many reps am I mindful for?". It had me thinking for a while and I ended up with low 80% - high 90%. Either way I still have room for improvement. How long would it take for one to improve 10 from 20%. Do I get 100% in with all of my reps one day and the next day get 75% because I get distracted?
Definition for mindfulness:
the trait of staying aware of (paying close attention to) your responsibilities.
Definition of Practice - prac·tice/ˈpraktəs/
Noun: The actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories about such application or use.
Verb: Perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency
Here is a skill that will make you gain more out of your exercise routine, set new personal records and can be implemented easily. It doesn't take weeks to be able to reap the benefits of this kind of skill. Mindful Practice in this context is being aware of your body and giving each rep in each exercise complete concentration. It requires constant attention to detail. If one can become mindful in each repetition they will get more out of their training.
Let's start with mindset.
In my opinion, mindful practice is a consequence of the right mindset. It is a mindset that commands focus and dedication. I think people need to have a mindset that is more conducive to them reaching their goals. The first step in this is deconstructing ones intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for exercise training. This requires a critical lens put on ones self to rationalize and derive logic from a behavior. "Why do I train?"
For me exercise has always been an outlet since I could remember. My grandfather tells me I was picking up small logs to help him throw in the fire when I was 2. I started martial arts when I was 6 and it gave me an emotional outlet and a vehicle for self improvement. Exercise and just being plain physical active has been one of oldest and constant themes in my life. Now I am setting up a foundation to create a career for myself doing something I am passionate about. I want to be the "strongest" version of myself I can be physically, mentally and spiritually. So I need to make sure I get the most out of my time spent in my own training program.
Now I don't think everyone has to go so deep, about why they lift weights. However I encourage people to challenge themselves on why they train. Keep revisiting that idea, as time passes it is likely to change and evolve as you do(hopefully). To get started in a good direction:
What are you goals?
Why do you train?
Who are you training for?
How will this improve your life?
Are you having fun?
I think possessing a motivation that is well thought out, personalized and intentional gives root to a great mindset. Having the right balance of intrinsic and extrinsic mindset will help foster greater probability of Mindful Practice.
Now that you know why you are here lets working on ways of actually being mindful during exercise reps.One thing I like to do is have little checklist in my head. A lot of the items on the list are shared through multiple exercises. I try to have anywhere from 1-3 self cues. They are put in a hierarchy of importance. These are based on how I move in certain exercises .I have different checklists for the people I work with as they may have different things to focus on in a particular exercise. The good news is if you can practice some of these mental techniques eventually they will become ingrained and intrinsic. Not just going through a check list but the actual lists itself. Things like brace core, keep knees out, pack the neck will become automatic and eventually all you have to do is make sure the auto pilot is working with selective awareness.
Front Squat:
Elbows up
Braced Core
Finish with hip thrust
Single Leg Squat:
Good alignment ( ankle, knee, hip)
Control
Finish with hip thrust
Trap Bar DL:
Straight back
Braced core
Shoulders back
Single Leg Hops:
stick it
Good alignment
Brace
Hip Flxr stretch:
tuck pelvis
Squeeze glute
Trx Row:
Pack the neck
pinch shoulder blades
3 Dimensional Breathing:
Spare tire (when breathing in if you had a spare tire around your diaphragm make sure to touch all sides of it)
No second boobs ( make sure the lower rips aren't poking out with a partial brace)
This is just top give you a logistical idea of what I am talking about. Not everyone exercise requires a check list, but it should be performed correctly. From stretching to Olympic lifting. Mindfulness needs to be practiced in order to ingrain good patterns and to avoid injury.
Make sure every aspect in your program has a clear and legitimate purpose for being their. Being able to confidently believe that will give you more stock in your training program, naturally increasing a need for awareness.
Distractions:
Distractions while training can be one of the biggest roadblocks for progress. We are all guilty of it. They can be internal distractions coming from our own mind or they can be external distractions coming from our environment.
This is where mindset and motivation keeps us on a steady course of concentration. If you're training for a metabolic demand and want to keep rest intervals short, is talking to someone for 5 minutes in between sets really going keep that metabolic demand up enough to make the session optimally effective? Probably not.
Music- This is a very interesting subject for me because I have recently had a change of heart when it comes to listening to my head phones while I train. I use to be all about it, putting on my gym playlist and going to town. However I started talking to people way smarter than me about exercise and was introduced to some good points about how it can take away from lifting. Noise is just another thing your brain has to process and deal with. So mental resources are diverted into dealing with this other stimulus you have added to the equation. IF strength is a skill than it requires as much focus as possible.
Nick Winkleman at Athletes' Performance brought up a great point about why chimps are so strong. Excluding the obvious reasons of more muscle fibers and a better cns. They are so strong because they can focus immediately on the task at hand. They don't have all these other thoughts rushing in taking away mental concentration. He then did a demonstration. He asked me to raise my arms at my sides( lateral raise) , he tried to push them down at my sides and could not. He then ask me to relax and focus on his hand. He brought his hand to my face and started wiggling his fingers. About 10 seconds later they asked me to raise my arms up again and was able to push them down to my sides with out ease. Its all about FOCUS.
If you ever look at the west side barbell guys or any other lift who is going for a max pr that is near or beyond world records. They have this dead stare where it almost looks like they are staring right though what is in front of them. They aren't listening to Mos Def on their ipod, they are entering a temporary trance of hyper focus.
Other strategies for helping develop focus and intent
Have an event to prepare for - In my own training having a grappling tournament or power lifting meet always gave my programs intention and I've had some of the best training sessions preparing for a competition or specific event.
Get a training partner who is as serious if not more serious then you. Someone who will hold you accountable and will be the first to start the next set.
Make sure your training program flows. If you have to fly from one side of the gym to the next over and over then you're going to be preoccupied and more likely to get off task. It is also time wasted running back and forth.
To Wrap Up:
Mindfulness during training has one of the biggest bank for buck ratios when it comes to improving training, results and overall the outcome of what you are trying to accomplish. This needs to be fueled by a thoroughly charted mindset that is sustainable and comes from who you are.
Distractions are everywhere and they need to be minimized as much as possible to elevate and maintain concentration. Keep things simple, the more variables involved the more likely things are to fall out of sync and focus.
Always remind yourself why you are doing what you do.
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