Hybrid Fitness Solutions

Link Live: YouTube Edition

2011-10-03T18:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a short excerpt from "Fat Head," a documentary about fat: Big Fat Lies

Gillian Mounsey shares Handstand Progressions

Ross Enamait shares the Triple Clap Pushup

APEX Movement's Parkour Competition (last year)

Link Love!

2011-09-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

Dr. William Davis answers some questions about the evils of wheat and why it's addictive.

Here are some almond milk recipes.

Here are some Primal substitutes for non-Primal foods.

Lifehacker celebrates National Coffee Day, which happens to be today!

Ross Enamait found an interesting use for furniture gliders.

Link Love!

2011-09-23T22:40:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought you might be able to trust the food industry a little bit...

While we're talking about food, here's a good starter guide for going Primal.

To round things out, an interesting piece on potatoes, from Primal Wisdom.

We Were All Born Barefoot

2011-09-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

No. Really.

We all reminisce those days, even if it's only a moment...those days when we were children, running barefoot in the cool, damp grass. Running across the hard, hot blacktop. Running anywhere, feet completely free. To quote Mark Sisson, author of the Primal Blueprint, "It turns out we were all born barefoot. No, really. As hard as it is to believe, no one came strolling into this world pre-packaged with a pair of loafers or Nike's latest cross-trainers."

Nowadays walking around barefoot is seen as "irresponsible." People who are caught doing it are "setting themselves up for foot/ankle injuries." Some even think it isn't hygienic. At least the store and restaurant owners do. There is some merit to that, but not much.

In this article I will discuss the many benefits (and even some possible drawbacks) to barefooting, and I will also provide information on alternative, "minimalist" footwear for those occasions where going totally foot-naked just isn't acceptable. I will do my best to cite studies and make sure everything I present is at least evidence-based, if not evidence-proven.

Foot Mechanics and All that Technical Stuff

"The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art." ~Leonardo da Vinci

Hard to believe, but the human foot actually consists of 28 bones. There are a total of 33 joints and the foot contains 20 muscles. There are also 11 muscles that originate above the ankle and attach in the foot. The way these joints and muscles interact during the foot strike and push-off of any walking/running movement is generally explained in a very complicated manner. Since my aim isn't to put you to sleep, I'll try to explain it in as simplified terms as I can.

Let's address the joints in the foot first. The most important one is the joint below the ankle, the subtalur joint (STJ). When the foot strikes the surface, the bones in this joint rotate inward, decelerating both the downward force of the step and the upward force from the ground (called a "ground-force reaction"). This winds the tendons and muscles connecting to the bones in the STJ, preparing them for the push-off.

When we take a step, our heel hits the ground. The STJ pronates (rolls inward), which has a direct effect on the Midtarsal Joint (MTJ). The pronation of the STJ basically "unlocks" the MTJ, which then allows your forefoot (via the MTJ) the freedom and the ability to adapt to almost any ground surface. "This is how humans are different from the rest of the animals in the world," says Ryan Crandall, PTA.

Okay, still with me? It gets less technical from here.

Now, before we move on I'd like to throw in one more tidbit about foot mechanics. The feet themselves don't provide a very wide, stable base. They do fairly well, but not as well as when they have the help of the toes. The toes of a baby are spread, and if you watch them learning walk their toes are spread as far as they can go. This is because the toes provide adjustment, control, and stability to our feet. They are the balancers.

The Folly of Modern Shoes

Today, the market is full of almost every kind of shoe imaginable. From shoes that are barely there (which we will cover in more detail shortly) to the shoes that have more support than an AA meeting. What's wrong with support, you ask? Well, think about a person who's had a cast (maybe a childhood friend, or even yourself if you've ever broken anything). The cast is there to prevent unwanted movement and protect a healing bone. When that cast is removed, generally the muscles in that limb are significantly weaker than before. Now let's compare this with someone who wear supportive shoes. People nowadays typically wear their shoes all day, everyday. What does this do to the foot? First, it crams the toes in a tiny box, over time forcing them to grow in a pattern that looks very different than that of an infant's. I can bet your toes all look like they've been squished together, even when your shoes are off, don't they? (Yogis and current barefoot enthusiasts not included)

What else gets squished? Well, the bones in the STJ for one thing. If those bones are smashed together they tend to not want to rotate as well, which leads to decreased ability to decelerate on impact. This leads to the other joints in the leg stepping in, which can lead to joint pain over the long-term.

Running shoes are one of the worst culprits. The premise is to protect the foot from the dangers of any running surface (or whichever the shoe is specifically designed for). The problem is, not only is it preventing essential movement within the foot, it also has an elevated heel to "cushion impact." This is actually just an attempt to fix something that is not broken! Truth is, the foot is not designed to strike on the heel. The foot is designed to land somewhere between the forefoot and the midfoot (generally on the ball of the foot). This helps the joints in the foot to decelerate and store energy for the push-off, and reduces the amount of energy that makes it up to the knees and hips. When runners who wear traditional running shoes land on their heels, the force of the landing plus the ground-reaction force, jars straight up to the knees and hips (regardless of how padded the heel happens to be). In order to decelerate, the dorsiflexors (the muscles in the fronts of your shins) have to work extra hard, which leads to shin splints (a very common problem among runners).

Barefooting "Grounds" Us

Another problem with footwear is the lack of contact with the earth. We are literally separated from the earth. Going shoeless can bring us back into connection with the planet. It can "ground" us. Clinton Ober, Martin Zucker and Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra, authors of the book "Earthing," propose that direct contact with the ground actually improves our health! Call it earth energy, or a placebo effect...it still works! Don't believe me? Here's some homework then: Take your shoes off and go walk around in the grass. Really feel the coolness of the grass. Feel the tickle of the blades between your feet. Do this once a day for a week. Really pay attention to your feet. Then come back and tell me whether or not you feel better. If nothing else, you gain a stronger connection with your feet.

Out feet are possibly the hardest working appendages on our bodies. They are the Great Ambulators. They get us where we want to go. They support the weight of our entire bodies. We've lost that essential mutual respect with our feet, though. They still do all the work, but we treat them like gross parts of us that we should hide. Blame "proper" society for that. I personally like the way the Zen Buddhist monks think. When you first walk in, you are instructed to remove your shoes (if you haven't started barefooting yet). When you're in a new place (or any other time, really) you tend to want to look around and see where everything is, who else is there, who is looking at you, etc...but when you begin to walk in, you are given one instruction: pay attention to your feet. Why? Because your feet are important.

Exercising Barefoot

Exercising barefoot can be an exceptional experience. Not only does it give us better contact with the ground (a much more stable base, especially since our toes get a chance to do their jobs!), it also give us a connection to the movement. This is especially beneficial when it comes to weightlifting. Unless you wear hard-sole weightlifting shoes, there is a squishy piece of rubber between your feet and the floor (yes, even you Converse wearers. I still wear them in gyms that require shoes). This rubber reduces stability. Lifters, here's some more homework for you: next time you squat, wear shoes and watch your knees. Unless you have super-strict form, they will probably at least quiver a bit. Now try the same weight without shoes on the next set. You should notice a good deal less quivering in your knees. The combination of rubber soles and confined toes can greatly reduce your knee (and ankle) stability when under a load.

Calisthenics and any kind of movement exercise can benefit from barefootedness as well. You get a lot more sensory feedback and you're training the muscles in your feet along with everything else. When I do my regular workouts, I always do them barefoot!

How to Join the Movement
(sans shoes, of course)

It's quite easy, actually. Start walking around more with your shoes off! Start slowly and gradually increase the amount of time you spend unshod. For those who run or sprint regularly, go especially slow. For most it's self-limiting due to the sensitivity of the sole, but I still feel I should caution my dear readers. It hurts when you try to jump in too quickly. This is especially important for sprinters.

If you sprint, start to add a short jog without shoes. Then progress to a run. I wouldn't start to sprint before you're used to running a decent distance barefoot. It's especially uncomfortable to try to sprint before your feet are ready. Trust me, I learned this the hard way. First time I ever experienced a foot injury was barefoot. Somehow I managed to pull a muscle in my arch and couldn't run for three weeks.

Also, I would recommend acclimating your feet and ankles to running completely barefoot before using barefoot alternatives. Many people make the mistake of buying a pair of Vibram FiveFingers or Merrells and think they can go on a run or do a sprint workout at the same intensity as usual. This tends to lead to a lot of injuries. Your feet will still be weak from being in their "casts" for so long and will need to be strengthened. Wearing minimalist footwear before you're ready will give you a false sense of security. Because true barefooting is a self-limiting activity, you progress at a safe pace. When you add the protection of a rubber sole, no matter how thin, it won't provide that natural limitation that helps to prevent injuries.

Now, I feel I should add a bit of a disclaimer: if you lack proprioceptive capabilities or protective sensations in your feet, or you have been prescribed orthotic or motion control footwear, make sure to consult your physician before trying barefooting. If you are cleared for it, take it VERY slowly.

Train Smart, Sans Shoes!

Convict Conditioning 2 Is On Its Way!

2011-09-21T12:37:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not know, I've been using the progressions for bodyweight strength set forth in Paul Wade's book, Convict Conditioning. The book's purpose is to help people progress their strength using six bodyweight exercise progressions. The program is very effective and the movements cover all the major muscle groups....but it's missing something.

This is where its first sequel comes in: Convict Conditioning 2 is on its way! It covers auxiliary exercises for grip strength, neck strength and calves, along with flexibility and mobility and a lot of other goodies. There is no official release date yet, but it looks like it'll be here by December!

Here's an in-depth review by Robert Drucker of Muscles of Iron.

Train Smart!

Midweek Motivation

2011-09-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

Today, we look at the Bar-Barians. These guys definitely motivate me! It takes years of training to reach the level each of their members have achieved...and it's that dedication that we need if we want to reach our goals. Doesn't matter the goal, the dedication is the same!

Cardio...Best Idea For Fat Loss?

2011-09-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have heard parts of this spiel already, but due to the mass amount of misinformation out there, it still bears repeating.

Aerobic training (a.k.a. CARDIO...an ugly word around me) has long been thought of as the end-all, be-all of weight loss and body recomposition. I'm here to tell you that this is simply not true! Yes, you will lose weight on a calorie-restricted diet. Yes, you will also lose weight doing cardio. No, that doesn't mean cardio is good (here's some insight into my disdain for cardio). No, you won't end up with the body you want...unless you approach it from a slightly different angle.

Here's why: Cardio and calorie restriction do, indeed, create a caloric deficit, but the cost is a little higher than most people believe. Instead of just shedding fat and getting lean, you lose muscle and bone mass also. If you don't use it, you lose it. So, how do we prevent this from happening? Enter resistance training.

Resistance training can be anything from bodyweight to resistance band training to weightlifting. There are so many options out there, your choices are practically infinite. Depending on your goals, you can use resistance training as part of an interval program, or you can train specifically for strength. Or you can do both. The point is, you need to at least maintain your lean mass if you want your body composition to change in a good way...and resistance training can get you there. As an added bonus, increasing (or, at least, maintaining) lean mass will increase your resting metabolic rate (a.k.a. how many calories you burn when you aren't being active).

Now let's take a step back and look at the big picture. I already mentioned my dislike of "chronic cardio"...so what should you do instead? My current favorite set of guidelines are from Mark Sisson's "The Primal Blueprint." There are three rules regarding fitness in the Primal Blueprint:

1: Move Frequently at a Slow Pace. It strengthens the cardiovascular and immune systems and promotes efficient metabolism. It's also less damaging on the joints. Try to get up to 55-75% max heart rate for 2-5 hours a week. Here's Mark's take.

2: Lift Heavy Things. This one has some obvious benefits, such as muscle growth and increased strength. It also strengthens the tendons so your joints stay healthy. I already mentioned that it increases resting metabolic rate. It also increases spacial awareness and proprioception. The bottom line is this: you want to increase (or maintain) your strength so you can live without fear of injury, even into old age. Keep the workouts short and intense, focusing on functional movement. 1-3x per week, shooting for 7-60 minutes per workout. (These recommendations are for general fitness. Change it however you see fit if you're working toward specific goals like I am)

3: Sprint Once in a While. Once every week or so is sufficient. Here's what I have to say about sprinting.

A fourth and often misunderstood rule that I would like to add is to play! It's fun, it's physical (that means video games don't count!), and it burns calories! Many types of play (like sports) also help with coordination and proprioception. You should give it a try sometime.

Let's recap...dieting and cardio alone won't give you the best results. Cardio is bad. Resistance training is good. Do lots of low level aerobic activity. Lift heavy things (but make sure it's intense!). Sprint once in a while.

Train Smart!

Workout of the Week: Climber's Core

2011-09-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the lack of activity this last week, there's been a lot going on and I've been suffering from some serious writer's block.

Today's workout is all about core control. It was designed for climbers to develop their ability to transfer force from their lower bodies to their upper bodies and to stay tight for long periods of time. Training on the ground simulates being close to the rock.

This workout accomplishes a few things: First, it challenges the core in all three planes of movement. Second, it trains acceleration, deceleration, and stabilization of the core muscles. Third, it develops shoulder stability and multi-planar strength, endurance and mobility. Fourth, it balances the pulling of climbing with pushing motions. Finally, it helps to develop functional flexibility.

This workout can be used on its own or as part of a warm-up. If it's used as a warm-up, only do one or two rounds so you don't fatigue your shoulders and core before your regular workout.

The Workout

Frequency: 1-3 times per week
Rounds: 1-3 (or more, if you find three no longer challenging)
Reps: 5-10 per side
You can do the exercises one of three ways. Either run straight through on one side, repeating on the other; do each side before moving on to the next; or alternate sides (do one rep on one side, one on the other, etc.). I like to keep it interesting so I do this workout all three ways.

The Exercises

1. Start position: Downward Dog position
End position: Reach to opposite foot

2. Start position: Pushup position (arms fully extended)
End position: One arm extended forward. Really reach for it!

3. Start: Pushup down position
End: Same-side knee drive to elbow

4. Start: Side plank "down" position
End: Side plank "T" position with hip abduction

5. Start: Pushup down position
End: Knee drive to opposite elbow

Train Smart!

Parkour Training And Joint Actions

2011-09-07T14:27:00.000-07:00

Recently my attention was turned to training specific joint actions (I'll describe those in a minute) by one of my instructors. He asked me what I thought would be the best functional opposite to an overhead press (shoulder flexion). I thought for a minute and came up with the answer he was looking for: a wall climb! It's (in my opinion) the perfect expression of shoulder extension. So what are these words I'm starting to throw around? They're pretty much anatomical jargon for the ways the shoulders move in a specific plane of motion. This plane is called the Saggital plane and is one of three planes of motion the body can move in.

Here are the two joint actions of the shoulder in the saggital plane:

Shoulder Flexion


Ignore the funny face...my photographer caused it!

Shoulder Extension

Flexion and extension are exact opposites when it comes to joint actions, and training opposing muscles using joint actions trains functionality much better than you standard push-pull workouts.

This also go me thinking about the possibility of combining strength training/calisthenics with parkour training to make a complete, functional workout, both for the parkour enthusiast and for the average person wanting to be more functional and efficient (or just move better).

I had my first opportunity to test this idea (which ended up being quite successful) during my jam with NorCal Parkour.

Needless to say, there will be many more experiments like this one! Now let's get down to the nitty-gritty:

The Handstand Pushup

Please excuse the quality...I only had my phone on me.

The Handstand pushup is considered one of the best exercises for the upper body. It's a difficult one, though, and I'm not saying everyone should start here. If you can't do a handstand pushup quite yet, you can do dumbbell or kettlebell presses at whatever weight you can handle for 5-6 reps without going to failure. You can also do pike pushups (put your hands on the floor and your feet on a chair or bench with your hips high and your back straight). Combine with handstand practice against a wall (try to do timed holds...every time you practice try to stay up longer than last time). Here's a great handstand tutorial.

The Wall Climb

Didn't get a shot of the pull-up portion, I'll have to do a video tutorial.

The wall climb is one of the most complete expressions of shoulder extension, especially if, instead of doing the standard parkour climb, you transition to a dip and press up instead of going all the way up with straight arms. Here is a great tutorial for the standard wall climb. If you watch the last couple minutes of the NorCal Parkour jam video, we all do a wall climb. The way we do it in the video involves the dip and is the best demonstration I have (at the moment) of the wall climb as an exercise. I would recommend starting to practice the wall climb with a wall about shoulder height to get the right mechanics, then try it on progressively higher walls. You get extra credit if it's a wall you need a running start to get up. It adds an extra level of intensity to the workout!

Flexion/Extension Workout:

Try this one out for size. 3 rounds, 60-90 seconds of rest between rounds, no rest between exercises.

Handstand Pushup (or any of its regressions), stopping 2-3 reps before failure
5-10x Wall Climb, stopping 2-3 reps before failure
10x Burpee

It's technically full body, but it has a strong flexion/extension focus. Try it out! If you have a kettlebell, you can substitute swings or snatches for the burpees, or just add them to the workout for an added challenge.

Just Got "The 4-Hour Body"

2011-09-06T15:55:00.000-07:00

I've been reading the reviews and summaries of this book for about a month now. I generally don't spend money on things that turn out to be useless. This one had me skeptical. Among the many claims in this book, the author, Tim Ferriss, says his ten years of experiments have yielded the secrets to losing 20 pounds in 30 days, increase fat-loss 300% with bags of ice, gain 34 pounds of muscle in 28 days, sleep 2 hours a day and feel fully rested, increase running distance from 5 kilometers to 50 kilometers in 12 weeks, and many more, just by making small adjustments in one's daily life. You can see why I'm skeptical.

On the other hand, he has access to both the greatest scientific minds and the greatest athletes in the world...and as many test subjects as he wants. The premise of the book is intriguing, and so I decided to go ahead and spend the money to see what it's all about. Tim Ferriss has already developed quite the reputation with his book, "The 4-Hour Workweek", which happens to share the title of "#1 New York Times Bestseller" with this latest work. This adds to his credibility, but whether or not these theories work for others remains to be seen. I have no connection with Ferriss or his publishers, so my opinion is only my own. I will be reading the book and using the techniques that are relevant to my goals. As soon as I see the results (or lack of), I'll report them for your reading pleasure!

My First Parkour Experience...A Lesson In Graceful And Efficient Movement

2011-09-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday, September 4th, was my first true parkour experience! I had a blast with my friends Bryan and Brandon (and some new friends!) from NorCal Parkour. I also learned quite a bit about efficient movement and got to act out a few training ideas I have related to parkour. That will be in an upcoming article. For now, I'll focus on what happened at the jam.

We started with a very thorough warmup (Bryan teaches parkour class in a gym, so he's got the warmup down to a science), focusing on leg and hip mobility and dynamic flexibility. Then we learned basic shoulder rolls to protect our spines and reduce impact when we land from higher jumps, or forward dives. I'm not ready to try dives yet, but I'll get there soon.

Next we moved on to speed vaults, kong vaults (I used to be afraid of these...always thought I would catch my toes and smash my face. I'm glad I got over that fear! Now I just need to learn to keep running once I land), lazy vault, precision jumps, and kip-ups. I also learned the mechanics of a front handspring, which I'll be trying very soon. I was also inspired to start my handstand practice again. I'll have to write about hand balancing soon!

This form of efficient movement was originally developed by Georges Hébert, a member of the French Marines. He wrote the book, La methode Naturelle, his treatise on efficient movement in both urban and natural environments. Now it seems to be split into two separate methods...one called Parkour, which means "the sport of moving along a route, typically in a city, trying to get around or through various obstacles in the quickest and most efficient manner possible, as by jumping, climbing, or running: his amazing parkour skills." The other method, MovNat (Movement Naturelle), named and made popular by Erwan Le Corre, is based on efficient movement in a natural environment.

Anyway, my experience was an awesome one. I plan on going to as many jams as I can from now on and working on my skills when I can't! It's definitely something to check out. We can all benefit from the ability to move better in our environments.

Check out NorCal Parkour's website.

Here's MovNat's website.

Here's American Parkour's definition of Parkour.

Here's the video of my first parkour adventure...and there will be many more!

Train Smart!

Quick Check-In Before I'm Off For Today's Events!

2011-09-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

Today, I will be joining my friends from NorCal Parkour for my first jam! There is much planned for today: learning some awesome parkour skills, possibly teaching some awesome kettlebell skills, testing some training ideas I have (and collaborating with one of my friends). Oh, and I'll be testing the Portable Power Jumper, by LifelineUSA. I'll be writing a review on it soon. I don't want to give too much away just yet, but I'll write a full report when I get back!

The Angle and Lever Principle

2011-09-02T21:25:00.000-07:00

Today, we'll be talking about body position. Being a bodyweight exercise enthusiast, I've often run into problems of how to make things harder...or how to make a really hard exercise easier so I can progress toward it. I've found that there are two important factors when it comes to the difficulty of exercises: body angle and lever length. Let's look at these in detail:

Body Angle

This determines how you are loading whatever exercise you're progressing (making harder) or regressing (making easier). Say you're doing a pushup: a standard pushup distributes your weight fairly evenly on your hands and feet. Now, say you want to make it easier. All you have to do is change your body angle so less weight is on your arms. You can do this by doing incline pushups on a bench, or wall pushups. Same goes for making them harder, just reversed. Elevate your feet and you suddenly have a lot more weight on your arms.

Another angle example is the use of a ramp. Say you're doing lunges. If you want to make them more challenging do them down a ramp. If you want to make them easier, just turn around and do them with the leading leg up on the ramp (stationary lunges, anyway. Walking lunges would be opposite).

The angle of the body (or the surface you're on) directly effects the amount of weight on the part of the body you're working. Play around with it!

Lever Principle

This one is a little more complex in the explanation, but it's easy in application. I'm no expert on levers, but I do know how to use them to progress or regress a workout.

Let's go straight to examples for this one. I present to you the sledgehammer. It has a fairly long handle with a hardened steel head on it. It comes in a variety of weights, but they all serve the same purpose - to create force on one end. Now, the hammer is actually designed to create force without as much effort from the user, but here we want to look at it from another perspective: try to hold the hammer parallel to the ground by the end (as far from the head as you can get). Even the measly six pound hammer is challenging (if not impossible) for most people. Now hold the hammer vertical, arm still straightened. Easier, right? Want to make it easier? bring your arm in - you're shortening the lever. You're bringing the weight closer to your center so your body doesn't have to work as hard.

Now let's look at a couple exercise examples:

Say you're doing a flat knee raise. You lie on the floor with your knees bent and your hands by your hips. You lift your legs, keeping that knee angle. Too easy? Try this: Keep your knees bent on the way up, then straighten them on the way down. Much harder, right? You just lengthened your lever. Knee raise too hard? Make your knee angle smaller. You just shortened your lever.

One more lever example before we wrap up: Look at a gymnast doing a lever on the rings (I know, right? It's a perfect example!). His lever is quite long during the lever. If you were to learn it, you would most likely start with your knees tucked, shortening your lever. The progressions are basically incrementally lengthening your lever.

Here's a great example of both principles together: the hanging straight leg raise. This changes the angle so none of the weight of the legs is supported. The straight legs also lengthen the lever as far as it can go, ensuring the abdominals and hip flexors have to do all the work, which is the ultimate goal of the leg raise.

As you can see, these principles can be used either together or on their own. They can add whole new levels to your bodyweight training, and beyond! Try using this principle during a weight session. You'd be amazed at where you can apply it!

Train Smart!

Workout of the Week: Core Killer

2011-09-02T20:09:00.000-07:00

I had to design a core workout for my Group Exercise class at school. It had to last 12-15 minutes, and I hit the nail on the head. Many of you know that I love to focus on functional movements - and just plain useful exercises - so this one's all about functionality and usefulness. There are eight movements. They're done in a circuit with no rest between - 3-5 rounds (3 rounds met the 15-minute requirement...5 rounds is just for extra fun). It could be done on its own if you're pressed for time, or it could be added to another workout (e.g. a sprint workout). I'll give you the number of reps (or the length of the hold), the description of each exercise, along with a few progression and regression ideas (based on the angle and lever principle). The workout should be done at a fairly vigorous pace.

3-2-1 GO! (Sorry, had to say that at least once)

1. 10 reps per side - Standing side bend w/ medicine ball* (I used a 10lb. med ball)

Description - Stand with the med ball overhead. Bend to the side, as far as you can go, while keeping control, and slowly return to the start position. Repeat.

Progression - Heavier medicine ball or deeper side bend.

Regression - Lighter med ball, or empty-handed. If empty-handed, simply clasp your hands together overhead.

*You could also use a dumbbell. Just hold it by the bells. Or do it one-handed by holding a light dumbbell and reach one arm overhead toward the side you're leaning.

2. 30 seconds, once each side - Straight-arm side plank

Description - Lay on one side, stack your feet directly on top of each other, press up onto one hand, making sure your wrist and elbow are directly below your shoulder. Keep your hips aligned with your shoulders, and head and neck in line. Your body should form a straight line.

Progression - T-side plank (raise other arm to form a "T"), or a hip abduction (raise the leg your weight isn't supported on), or (for a real challenge) both! Remember, though, you're holding this for 30 seconds.

Regression - You can hold yourself up on your elbow, just make sure your elbow is still right below your shoulder. You can regress further by putting your other hand on the floor in front of you to support some of your weight. To regress there, bend your knees, feet still stacked, and lift only your hips off the floor. Make sure to still keep your hips in line.

3. 10 reps per side - Medicine ball chop (10# med ball again)

Description - Stand with the med ball in front of you. Lower it to one side (the ball should be outside your knee), pushing your hips back and bending your knees until you get to about a quarter squat position. Make sure you keep your knee from collapsing inward. Hips should stay squared forward. Raise the ball up and across the body, finishing either next to your head or above it on the opposite side (either way, it should be above your shoulder). Let your shoulders turn some to twist the thoracic spine (upper back). Return to the start position and repeat.

Progression - Heavier ball, med ball figure eights.

Regression - Lighter ball, no ball (just clasp your hands together).

4. 30 seconds - Plank

Description - Get into a pushup position, and get down onto your elbows (again, make sure your elbows are directly below your shoulders. If you're out of alignment you'll be loading the shoulders too much. If you want to get a little shoulder stabilization, push your elbows forward a little). Look straight forward at the ground, lift your hips, and keep your spine neutral. Brace your abdominals, but don't forget to breathe!

Progression - Get back into pushup position and go halfway (or almost all the way) down. You can also lift on leg or reach one arm forward. Or both. You can lift your leg and the opposite arm, or do same-side for Pilates-style balance work.

Regression - Straight-arm plank (top of a pushup position). From there, you can do it on your knees, hips forward. Imagine you're going to do a pushup on your knees: that's how your knees and hips should be aligned.

5. 20 reps, alternating sides - Seated medicine ball twist

Description - Sit on the floor with your legs bent, feet also on the floor. Hold the ball in front of you and twist to one side, touching the ball to the floor before returning to the start and repeating on the other side. Keep your back straight, spine neutral, twisting from your upper spine (try not to twist from the lower back. It's not designed to rotate very far).

Progression - Straighten your arms and hold the ball as far out as possible; lift the feet off the ground; heavier ball.

Regression - Hold the ball closer to the body; lighter medicine ball, or no medicine ball (again, with clasped hands).

6. 10 reps per side, alternating - Pushup position same-side knee touch (for lack of a fancier name)

Description - Start in a standard pushup position, lower yourself about halfway down, and bring your same-side knee to your elbow. Your hips may try to rotate as soon as you take your foot off the ground, so try to keep your hips squared.

Progression - Go further down (to about an inch from the ground). You can also straighten your leg (as far as you can, anyway).

Regression - You can either stay at half-down position and just push your knee out to the side far enough to contract your obliques, or, if that's too hard, you can do the same thing with straight arms. Mountain climbers are a decent substitution for this exercise, but they don't activate the obliques the same way.

7. 30 seconds - Bridge hold

Description - Lie on your back, knees bend and feet on the floor. Bring your heels as close to your butt as you can, hands by your hips and shoulders down and back. Using your glutes, press your hips upward until you feel a contraction in your abs. Squeeze both your glutes and your abs. Don't forget to breathe!

Progression - Lift your upper body toward your hips, essentially doing a mini-crunch. To make it even harder, hold your arms above your head during the crunch. For the final progression, lift one leg off the floor and straighten it (hold for about 15 seconds, then switch legs). Extra credit if you do all three in one!

Regression - There isn't much by way of regression for this one. Just lift as far as you can go.

8. 10 reps - Flat knee raise

Description - Return to the start position of the bridge. From here, keeping the same knee angle through the entire movement, raise your knees toward your chest until your lower back starts to round and your hips start to come off the floor. Hold and squeeze your abs for 1-2 seconds, then return to the start. Rinse and repeat.

Progression - Keep your knees bent as you raise, then straighten them and lower. Or you can keep them straight (either way, make sure only to come down until your lower back starts to arch. If you keep going, you can strain your back).

Regression -You can use a smaller knee angle, or only lift as far as you can go.

Well, there you have it! It's effective and kind of fun. Since I'm on a core kick right now, I'll give you a hint about the next Workout of the Week: it's all about climbing! Well, it's all about the core, but you know what I mean!

Train Smart!

Until I Finish My Next Article...More Link Love!

2011-09-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

Natural cleaning at Everyday Paleo.

Dr. Mercola talks about eggs and cholesterol...and the fact that it isn't actually bad for you!

Beer Today - Gone Tomorrow - Are You At Risk?

Dan John talks about some things that are good for you.

Conditioning Research talks about strength as a skill.

Train Smart!

An Insight Into My Training

2011-08-31T14:25:00.000-07:00

I've started a second blog, all about the training that I'm doing. My ultimate goal is to reach superhuman abilities...much like the strongmen of old. I want strength, speed, agility, and mobility at ridiculous levels. I want to reach my genetic potential (which most people don't get even close to, due to bad programming and inconsistency). This is my quest, and this blog is aptly named:

Superhuman Quest - A record of my quest.

Come check it out! I'll be adding lots of content! Not only will I be recording my usual daily workouts, I have many ideas I'll be testing on myself and others that will also be recorded.

Train Smart!

New Research On Training Anatomy

2011-08-31T01:11:00.000-07:00

Recent Studies May Revolutionize The Way We Train

Though it isn't very well-known to the public, there has been quite a bit of research that has been consistently pointing further and further away from the "isolation training" mindset. It's been well-known that no muscle operates in pure isolation, but there has been another element at work in our bodies that we had no idea existed until fairly recently.

This "new" element is, in fact, an organ. It's called Fascia, and it turns out it's an integral part of our musculature. Consider it like the casing of a sausage. It covers our muscles and connects to them in way we're still discovering. The reason it's so new is that until recently researchers would just cut through it on their way to study muscles.

The way it connects our muscles together is intricate and complex, and is even more proof that our bodies are indeed designed to work as a whole unit, instead of working with individual muscles. I've yet to read all the studies, but this new research may very well revolutionize our ideas of functional and movement-based training...possibly even training in its entirety!

We now know that all of our muscles are interconnected through this fascia, so there is truly no such thing as isolation. Thomas Myers' book, Anatomy Trains, is now considered THE text regarding anatomy, including fascia and all its interconnectedness. As I continue to research this area and discover findings on training the fascial system, I will let you know!

Train Smart!

(Anatomy Trains, by Thomas Myers)

Link Love!

2011-08-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

Are Vibrams the Great Unifier? MyFiveFingers thinks so!

Dr. Mercola talks about radiated produce.

Low DHA levels have been linked to increased suicide risk. The solution? Take your fish oil!

Steve Cooksey (a.k.a. the Diabetes Warrior) shares with us his grilled bacon and egg meatwich.

Art of Manliness talks about the Rise of Spectatoritis.

Train Smart!

Link Love!

2011-08-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

New research suggests that 3,500 calories may not always equal a pound of fat.

Everyone knows taking the stairs is better for health than taking an elevator. That doesn't stop most people from taking the easy way up. Mizzou research has found how alarmingly quick inactivity can effect your health.

One of Mark Sisson's worker bees spent the day at MovNat's one day fundamentals class. Read about his experience here.

Diane at Balanced Bites speaks with Bill Staley and Hayley Mason, authors of the recently-released book "Make It Paleo." Here's the full scoop.

Train Smart!

A Couple Things I'd Like To Share...

2011-08-26T22:18:00.000-07:00

First, my friends at NorCal Parkour were just recently featured in an article about Parkour in Davis, a college town just west of Sacramento. It's a great read! (Click Here For Article)

Second, for those of you who enjoy barefooting, here is a site dedicated to the art of barefoot running.

Third, here is a fantastically thorough how-to guide on deadlifting. Don't lift another dead thing until you read this article!

Train Smart!

There Is No One True Way

2011-08-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't some religious statement. This is a training statement!

I've heard and read many claims that say things like "If you want [insert desired result here], then you HAVE to do it this way." In class, not too long ago, we had a natural bodybuilder as a guest speaker (don't get me wrong, he's a great guy...just misled). He spent a great deal of time telling us that if we wanted to build muscle we HAVE to eat a ton of calories and take weight gain supplements. He also added that we HAVE to do bodybuilding splits with light weights and high reps, always to failure, 5 days a week if we wanted to really build muscle.

That just never sits well with me. If an approach like that worked for everyone, all muscle mag readers would be stacked! Even Arnold Schwarzeneggar, one of the fathers of bodybuilding, gained a majority of his muscle doing the polar opposite to the "Standard Bodybuilding Crap." His mentor, Reg Park (who also happened to be the first Mr. Olympia), strictly used a 5x5 program to build massive amounts of both muscle and strength!

My point? Find what works for you! Don't just train a certain way because the big guy in the gym says you "gotta do it like this if you wanna get big, bro."

This applies to more than just building muscle.

Bruce Lee used this philosophy extensively in his attempt to continually progress not only his physical abilities, but also his fighting system. A good summary of his philosophy would be: Find and use what works, no matter what the source, and discard what doesn't work.

This applies to everything from building muscle and strength to losing weight, developing conditioning, etc. No matter what the destination or goal, there is never one single path to get there. This even goes for nutrition. Even though I like the Primal/Paleo nutrition philosophies, I wouldn't recommend it to every person or client out there. I believe there are quite a few options that would work, depending on the person.

Each person is different.

Our physiologies and hormones are all different. I'm currently very interested in Mike Mahler's hormone optimization. The point is, each person is different and needs to take a slightly different approach, even if they use similar methods to someone else. What works for me may not work for you. It may also take a while for you to find the perfect formula, but never fear! It's out there! Settling for a sub-par personal fitness or nutrition formula will give you sub-par results. I only just recently found the formula that works best for me, and I'm seeing better results now than ever before! You can too! Take it from me: it's all about trial and correction. No, that wasn't a typo...trial and correction is much more powerful than trial and error. We must not qualify anything as a failure or error, just a part of the learning process. We analyze and make corrections where they are needed, then keep moving forward!

So just remember: use what works, don't try to rush it, and NEVER TREAT ANYTHING AS A FAILURE!

Train Smart!

5 Weight Loss and Muscle Gain Myths Debunked

2011-08-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

We all see them. In fact we are all bombarded by them.

"Lose 20 Pounds In One Month!"

"Eat Whatever You Want And Lose A Ton Of Weight!"

"Melt Away That Stubborn Belly Fat!"

"Trim Those Love Handles!"

"5 Exercises That Guarantee Rapid Weight Loss!"

"Do This One Workout To Add Pounds Of Muscle In A Matter Of Weeks!"

Now let's look at a few of these recurring themes:

Fad Diets - The "Hollywood Miracle Drink" diet, the cookie diet, the "sprinkle this on your food" diet. Don't even get me started on all the countless prepackaged, preservative-filled, premium-priced ready made meals out there, none of which I have ever enjoyed eating. Yet with all these claims, you can still "eat all your favorite foods." If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it!

Rapid Weight Loss - We are all familiar with this claim. Some say you can lose up to 50 pounds in less than two months using their plan or supplement. I've even seen one claim, by a man I used to respect, that using a particular training style could remove up to 5 inches from your waist in the first month! These claims are absolutely outlandish and are not based on a healthy approach. A vast majority of people who have seen success on these diets end up re-gaining the weight, often adding even more pounds than they lost.

Body Fat Spot Reduction - This myth has existed since Jane Fonda popularized Aerobics in the early 80's. It has been proven by quite a few studies. The body uses fat stores from all over to fuel itself, but don't get discouraged! Michael Jensen, MD, a Mayo Clinic endocrinology specialist and obesity researcher says "There is no magic bullet, diet plan, specific food, or type of exercise that specifically targets belly fat. But the good news is belly fat is the first kind of fat you tend to lose when you lose weight." (WebMD - I personally don't agree with the rest of the article, but the quote is definitely a good one!)

Secret Workout/Set Of Specific Exercises - While it's true that if you're going for a purely aesthetic look, specific exercises may have their place. But for weight loss and pure muscle gain, there are no "ultimate techniques." Truth is, it takes hard work and smart planning for either.

Rapid Muscle Gains - Yes, it is possible to gain 10 lbs. of muscle in a month. Here's what you do: Eat 4500+ calories a day, sleep at least 10 hours, lift heavy 4 days a week, and shoot steroids (you know, just to be sure). This may work for some. If it does and that's what you want, don't let me stop you. For the rest of us, though, it takes more dedication and progressive loading. A more realistic time frame for that kind of muscle gain is 3-6 months, depending on diet and training method.

Well, there you have it, 5 weight loss and muscle gain myths debunked.

So, Josh, What Should We Do?

There are books upon book and blogs upon blogs dedicated to answering this question. I will go over the basics here, to be expanded upon at a later date.

For weight loss, it all boils down to four words: Eat Less. Move More.

Simple, no? The most important part of eating right for weight loss is creating a caloric deficit. The best way to do so is to calculate your daily caloric expenditure (don't worry, there's a tool for that!)You burn quite a few calories just staying alive and doing basic daily activities, which is your baseline caloric expenditure. Everything extra is either used as energy or stored as fat.

Moving more is almost as important as creating a caloric deficit. Move around at a moderate pace. Take up a recreational sport like tennis, basketball, cycling, parkour, etc. (I love the outdoors, so I do a lot of hiking, mountain biking, and climbing. Soon I will add kayaking to the list. First I need to get over my dread of ice-cold water). It's also useful to add resistance training (weightlifting or bodyweight training) in order to build muscle. Muscle burns more calories (not a ton, like many say, but still...every little bit helps!), and strength benefits many other areas of life. This is true for both men and women (women, you don't get out of this! There is another myth I will expand on in the future about women and strength training).

What About Building Muscle?

Like above, I will give a brief overview for the moment and expand on it in a future article.

I'll simplify this one for you also: Eat More. Lift Heavy. I'll add a third one to this though: Sprint and Squat.

The first one is most important. Your body needs a lot more calories to build a good amount of muscle. Make sure you keep those calories clean though! More on that in the future.

Next, lift heavy. For pure size and strength, I recommend a 5x5 heavy weightlifting program. The two best programs are Starting Strength and StrongLifts.

It is also possible to gain weight on bodyweight/calisthenics/gymnastics and kettlebell programs, but the results will not come as quickly. Whichever method you choose, if you are new to exercise, have injuries, or are overweight I recommend starting with calisthenics to develop joint stability and strengthen the tendons before starting a weightlifting program. No matter what your level, the most important thing to keep in mind is train progressively! For more information on the importance of progressive loading, check out this article from Eat. Move. Improve.

The third element is equally as important as the first two. Out of all exercises, sprinting and squatting cause the body to release the highest amounts of growth hormone. They are also important positive stressors on the CNS (central nervous system). They also both have powerful aerobic effects.

Final Notes

There is a massive amount of misinformation that advertisers spread in order to sell their products, and it has made the worlds of weight loss and muscle gain near impossible to navigate. I hope more people will stand up with information intended to truly help those who need guidance instead of leaving them at the mercy of money-hungry advertisers and salespeople. The tide is beginning to turn, but I fear it may not be turning fast enough. We must all do our part to help spread the truth!

Train Smart!

Calisthenics for Strength?

2011-08-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

We're talking tremendous amounts of strength, too. Not just the ability to do more reps (which is strength endurance), but the ability to move more weight. How is this possible? It's the same principle as any other form of resistance training. You have to make the movements more difficult. Now, this can often take more creativity than just loading more weight on a barbell or grabbing a heavier dumbbell or kettlebell. We'll cover some ways to make movements more difficult, but first a little history.

The Early Days...

The first known account of calisthenics comes from Herotodus' well-known account of the Battle of Thermoplylae. A scouting party reported to the "God King" Xerxes that King Leonidas and his Spartan warriors were doing bodyweight movements, as though they were limbering up for battle. Xerxes did not know what to make of this. Based on their performance during said battle, I can confidently say they didn't become so powerful and capable doing push-ups (at least the kind most are used to), jumping jacks, crunches, and squat thrusts. No doubt they used easy movements such as those for warm-ups and conditioning, but they used much more advanced movements for strength.

The Spartans were not the only Greeks to use calisthenics for strength. The early Olympic competitors also used calisthenics extensively in their training. Greek wrestlers are my favorite example. They did not use weights other than occasionally lifting stones and regular practice with training partners. Everything else involved nothing but their own bodies. Their physiques were so impressive, sculptors used them as models for their statues of the Gods.

In Rome, the Gladiators were the pinnacle of strength and power. They were known to perform extremely advanced bodyweight movements. Of course, Roman soldiers were also known to use similar methods.

In China, at around the same time, Shaolin monks were also training in calisthenics and were some of the first to be seen doing handstands and handstand push-ups.

More Recently...

By recent, of course, we are talking about the turn of the century. In Prussia, the former military commander Friedrich Ludwig Jahn started to formalize training methods using minimal equipment. The equipment he did use were the parallel bars, hanging rings, horizontal bars, vaulting horse, and balancing beam. Thus gymnastics were born. During this time, many incredible strength athletes existed, known as the Strongmen. These men traveled and performed for audiences. Thomas Inch, Arthur Saxon, Rolandow, and many others who used calisthenics as a major part of their strength training. Bert Assirati was able to do full standing bridges and one-arm hand balancing at an excess of 240 lbs!

My personal favorite was Eugen Sandow, whose figure is used to this day for the Mr. Olympia statue. His feats included hoisting 300 lb dumbbells overhead with ease, breaking chains wrapped around his midsection by merely flexing, lifting a 1,500 lb stone with one hand, and taking on 3 wrestlers at a time with ease! His career began with gymnastics and he never lost his respect for bodyweight strength training. Later in his career he made attempts to build machines, such as a push-up machine, but he ultimately gave up, believing that the traditional push-up was far more effective. For more information on Sandow, his story can be found here.

The Current State of Calisthenics

Strength-focused calisthenics today are very under-appreciated and have almost disappeared entirely from the mainstream fitness world. When you ask the average gym rat or fitness buff what calisthenics are, the most common response is "Cali...what?" Those who do know what calisthenics are generally believe that they are the basic push-ups, sit-ups or crunches, bodyweight squats, and pull-ups. They believe that calisthenics are merely endurance exercises.

I say nay! They most certainly are not! You can achieve tremendous amounts of strength if you do calisthenics correctly, progressively loading them (by loading, I mean making more difficult, not adding external sources of weight). Progression is the key word here, but we'll get into that a little later. First, a quick, improved overview of the benefits of calisthenics:

1. You don't need any equipment.

2. You can progress all the way to your genetic limits. Your body is genetically designed with limitations. There is a healthy weight range, and once you reach a certain level of strength it's not always effective or advised to continue further. There are, of course, ways to progress further, but it's something you should approach with great care. Same goes with weight, for those who are looking to add mass. Adding too much would be counterproductive to your attempts to master your own body.

3. Calisthenics can be used for conditioning, by using high-rep schemes.

4. Plyometrics are another option for bodyweight training.

5. Bodyweight training regulates body composition and fat storage. I'll expand on this in a moment.

6. It's the most functional way to train.

Now, to expand (just like I promised)...

Now, I would normally present information that is evidence-based (derived from studies and research and whatnot), but this rarely-mentioned benefit of calisthenics (especially for strength) is only experience-based. Considering its age, one would think there would be piles of studies regarding changes in the body's composition due to adaptations to calisthenics. Alas, there are not. So instead I will refer to the SAID principle: Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands.

Let's look at the theory of body recomposition based on this principle: You are a bit overweight, but you have started doing bodyweight progressions. You have made it to the point where the workouts are getting more difficult and you're having to move more of your body's weight. Yes, we can assume that you will get stronger doing this, but there's another adaptation - you start to shed the excess body fat. Your body is an efficient machine and will try whatever it can to adapt to regular demands. If you're doing pull-ups, your body will drop fat in order to do them easier!

The Key to Strength is Progression

Progression is something of a lost art since the dawning of the "Age of False Muscle." Bodybuilders nowadays often use the same weight every workout. There will be no progress that way! Progression is absolutely needed. My favorite progressive calisthenics program at the moment is called Convict Conditioning, by Paul "Coach" Wade. His book has been endorsed by some of the biggest names in training: John Du Cane (Dragon Door), Gray Cook, and Loren Christensen.

The basic premise of the book (beyond the whole prison part, which is not at all what the bulk of the book is about) is that incredible bodyweight feats can be accomplished by following a progressive, methodical approach. He focuses on six movements and the progressions to reach them: the one-arm push-up, the one-leg squat (a.k.a. the Pistol), the hanging straight leg raise, the stand-to-stand bridge, and the one-arm handstand push-up. He recommends starting at the bottom, progressing from the easiest steps and slowly building the "training momentum" in order to build tendon strength along with muscular strength. I agree with every part of his method.

The progressions start with the easiest movements possible, often used in rehabilitation and physical therapy. For the push-up you would start with 1 set of 10 reps of wall push-ups, and you would progress to Intermediate (2 sets of 25), and then to the Progression Standard (3 sets of 30). From there you progress to the next step, which is a slightly more difficult form of the exercise. In the case of push-ups it would be incline push-ups, and you would start back at 1 set of 10 reps.

This kind of progression will take much longer than most people in our "instant gratification" world are used to, but patience pays off! You're much less likely to plateau when you start from the bottom and work your way up. It also helps to shore up weaknesses and imbalances.

For more information about Convict Conditioning, check out the book!

For more information and bodyweight strength-building techniques, check out Pavel's Naked Warrior:

Name Change

2011-08-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, I have changed the name of this blog. The URL is still the same and will remain so until I am prepared to change it permanently. This is my first step toward my new, self-hosted blog with my own domain name. Gettin' the ball rolling!

A Little Diversion and the Future

2011-08-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

Today, we divert from our regularly-scheduled program. Today, I will be talking a little about what I have been up to elsewhere in the internet world, the changes that have happened here and will continue to happen, and then I will provide some links for current interesting reading.

First off, what I've been up to:

I've been busy writing "lenses" (a.k.a. blog articles on standalone pages) on Squidoo. Some of the content there will not be published here, but I will be sure to provide a link every time something new is up.

I'm also using Tumblr to help more potential readers find me here. The articles that I post there, however, will not be unique from the ones here. If you're still curious, here's the link.

As you may or may not have noticed, I now have a Twitter account, which I already use quite regularly. I've added a button so you can follow me.

I've also added a "Donate" button. I am accepting donations in order to be able to create a more complete, interactive, and professional blog (which I will get into in just a moment).

What I have planned for the future:

In the near future, I will be switching over to a fully-hosted blog with my own domain name on a WordPress platform.This costs money, though, so I have to wait until I can afford it.

No matter when I actually get the new version of the blog started, I have decided to start using a couple recurring themes. For now, because of my schedule, there won't be daily content and the themes won't always be recurring on the same days, but I'll be moving toward that level of regularity.

As many have noticed, and some already knew, I use ads to support this blog and my efforts. I will be working on getting some affiliates that are more relevant to the things my readers are interested in, so that way I can provide quality resources to the people who need them! To help me in this process, you can leave a comment telling me what you want!

Along the same lines, I would like to publish content that is more relative to my readers. If you could give me feedback on what you would like to read about (remaining in the realm of fitness, of course), I would greatly appreciate it. It's all about benefiting you, the reader!

Last thing on the agenda...

Here are some links with interesting reading!

Oldtime Strongman has some new books, all about one of my favorite topics: training like the turn of the century strongmen.

Mark's Daily Apple is always a great source of information! Check it his current Workout of the Week...it's a killer!

Mike Mahler has a lot of useful information regarding kettlebells and hormone optimization. I'll be doing a review of his book, Aggressive Strength, in the near future.

Want to learn how to make money blogging? Blogging Your Passion takes out the guesswork and provides solid information.

Evolutionary Psychiatry has an interesting piece called "Neuroregulation of Appetite"

Beast Skills has a new, improved layout.

Last, but certainly not least, check out Eat. Move. Improve. They are currently featuring a piece on understanding pain when dealing with injuries and are also featuring articles on the fundamentals of exercise concepts and how to construct your own workout routine.

Train Smart!