A Philosophy of Strength and Health

Pressing Strength

2012-05-25T10:25:00.001-07:00

Dr. Atul Gawande on Healing Medicine

2012-04-16T11:14:00.002-07:00

This is a very thoughtful approach to changing medicine. We need more thinkers who value humility, discipline and teamwork--and who understand how to implement these values into our broken "system" of health care. It's not about the "stuff" or technology; it's about communication, time, patience, education and mastery of the very basics.

Friday Fun with Nat and Fun!

2012-03-09T11:38:00.003-08:00

Thought I'd share this little montage of Natalie and Cheryl with everyone to celebrate a happy Friday. Some classic lifts from 2006-2008.

A Tribute to the Most Fabulous Natalie Burgener: Part 2

2012-03-08T10:57:00.002-08:00

After working up to a personal best in the snatch, Natalie prepared to do clean & jerks with Doreen.

She stayed in the zone and finished with a strong 120 kg lift. This was a 2 kg improvement from her recent American record of 118 kg in August. It was a remarkable ending to the session and the training week. During my 4 days at the course, I saw Nat miss one lift in training: a 90 kg push press. She made the 85 kg push press look easy. Like butta. Every last lift.

Maximal snatches and CJs. Second training session of the day after squatting in the AM session. Training session late in the week. No misses. Every lift just like the lift before.

This is what an elite athlete looks like.

A Tribute to the Most Fabulous Natalie Burgener: Part 1

2012-03-06T19:19:00.008-08:00

Went to the Arnold Championships this weekend in Columbus, OH to see some old friends and watch great athletes compete in the 2012 USA Weightlifting National Championships and Women's Olympic Trials.

Had a great time seeing everyone. Even made some new friends and visited the Expo for the first time. I'm sure the new friends will last much longer than my trip to the Expo--6 minutes. Yuck. But that's for another blog.

I was very excited to see my friend Natalie Burgener and her family this weekend. A 2008 Olympian in the 63 kg class, Nat was attempting to make her second Olympic team after taking most of 2009 off and then having knee and hip surgery. We knew it would be a tough comeback as her weight class is one of the most competitive at the international level.

It was not to be. And now Nat has decided to retire from the sport. I am sad and excited for her at the same time. Weightlifting is losing a class act and a tremendous athlete. Natalie will be starting an exciting new chapter in her life with her husband Casey Burgener. They will do well wherever life takes them and I wish them both the very best.

As a tribute to Natalie and her exceptional talent, I would like to share some special video from a very special day back in September of 2006. This video was shot in the OTC gym during my Senior Coach course with Rodger DeGarmo, who graciously allowed me to set up my camera during the second training session of the day on Friday September 8, 2006. Natalie and her training partner Doreen Fullhart were going to snatch and then clean & jerk that day, in preparation for the 2006 World Championships that were just 4 weeks away. Natalie had just recently set a new US record in the clean & jerk with a 118 kg lift at the Nationals a few weeks prior in August.

She was in the zone. And I mean zone.

This video shows all of her lifts, after warm up, in order. She did not miss one lift and worked up to a personal best of 103 kg. This sequence of lifting is one of the most impressive training sessions I have ever personally witnessed. The only people who have seen this video are people who have taken coach Mike Burgener's Crossfit Olympic Lifting clinic as I gave him a copy of it to use. And now I would like to share it with everyone so we can all see the beautiful athleticism and technical precision of the most fabulous Natalie Burgener.

That Was Easy

2012-01-31T21:20:00.000-08:00

Here is a 6'6" high school senior building vertical stability, lower body power, upper body strength and bringing some balance to those shoulders. My job is to have her ready to step into the collegiate volleyball setting with a solid physical foundation and a respect and understanding of how to use the many implements in a weight room.

The push press, in front of and behind the neck, is a staple in my programming. It is a total body movement and can be combined with squatting for some great complexes. We press, incline barbell press, dumbbell press and incline dumbbell press for foundational strength. Dumbbell bench press is also added in for variety at times.

Traditional bench press is not normally included in my volleyball athlete programming. It may be included in my basketball athlete programming for general strength and mass.

For all of my athletes, the push press is our bench press.

Look Who's Back?

2011-12-19T14:07:00.001-08:00

Dedicated to Tall Ones

2011-12-04T10:55:00.001-08:00

I just finished reading about Derek Boogaard in the New York Times. They have a great 3-part article and multimedia piece on his life. There are many issues in this story, but the one that jumped out at me was the story of the tall kid who reluctantly became a hockey enforcer.

The tall kids. They are pushed early to specialize in certain sports and positions. Assumptions are made about their personality--that they automatically like to and want to physically intimidate people. More often than not, they tend to be more like the stereotype of the gentle giant. Trust me, most of these kids have the same insecurities we all do as young people and the pressure they have upon them to be "large & in charge" in their sport weighs heavily on them.

People gawk. Referees don't give them a break. Coaches are frustrated that their big kids lack confidence and the ability to use their size effectively.

They are referred to as "soft" or "lacking mental toughness" when preventable overuse injuries and pain from unnecessary over-training forces them to sit out. Or they quietly push through the pain to keep up with smaller teammates and put themselves at risk for career-ending injuries because they don't want to appear weak in front of their coaches or parents. The adults in charge don't understand that these tall bodies cannot handle the same volume of pounding that smaller frames easily tolerate in practice.

They are not given the time to become comfortable in their bodies--to become physically competent and develop fundamental movement skills.

They are not given the opportunity and tools to develop all-around fundamental sport-related movements that will allow them to move smoothly & skillfully like their smaller teammates. They are pigeon-holed into standing at the net as the middle blocker or on the low block with their back to the basket.

They are expected and allowed to get by year after year on their height alone.

Who needs to work on the foundations of running, jumping, landing, playing defense? Who needs good body awareness, good postural alignment, good flexibility and appropriate strength? Who needs to be taught how to move with aggressive speed and power? Who needs to be educated about the importance of taking care of your joints now so that you can walk, sit and sleep without spending the majority of your adult years in constant pain and/or addicted to pain medication from the pursuit of elite sport?

These kids do.

Most of all, someone who cares needs to stop and ask these kids if they are having fun and if this is really what they want to be doing with their life and time.

Kind of by accident, I've started to do something about it over the last 4 years with my small stable of giraffes. They have taught me so much. I love working with them and showing their coaches and parents what is possible with patience, time and purposeful work on the basics. I love helping them blossom and find their place in pursuit of elite sport; or figure out that their place is somewhere other than elite sport.

It is my passion and my mission to be the resource for tall athletes, their parents and their coaches in the Midwest and wherever help is needed.

Everybody Squats

2011-11-28T19:57:00.000-08:00

Everybody squats. Well, except in this country. We forget how to squat as we move into adolescence. Then we hurt our knee, hip or back and the therapist teaches us to do wall slides with a Swiss ball against the wall.

Who is responsible for starting and perpetuating this worthless facade of leg and core strengthening? I'd like to have a word with you, whoever you are.

To preserve and maintain back health, we must learn to use our legs; triple flexion then triple extension. We must be aware of our body in space and how our spine is positioned in relation to our hips.

It's not about static core strength for me. It's about awareness, alignment, mobility and dynamic strength of the lower extremities.

This guy is learning how to use his legs to support his bodyweight in space. He is learning to be confident with his legs after herniating two discs over the summer. He can now pick up stuff from the ground without assistance. He now has freedom and mobility. And in his particular situation, the squatting movement helps relieve long-standing radicular pain that once dominated his day.

This is the type of functional strength a physical therapist should teach a patient. This is how we need to use our legs. The ability to squat is a physical competency everyone should master.

No we don't need to squat a house, but we do need to learn how to lower & raise our bodies, within the context of gravity, in an effective manner. Start with a sit to stand from a chair, then progress to a med ball squat. Learn to hold the bottom position and feel it. Feel the floor; learn to push it away. Then if appropriate, use a Hexlite bar, weighted vest or barbell to increase the resistance. Teach the basics and then give the patient movement problems to lift and solve.

Growing Up - Peter Gabriel

2011-11-27T09:29:00.000-08:00

This song is in my head these days. 2011 has been a year of growing up.

RIP Uncle Vasily

2011-11-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

How most American's remember Alexseyev

The man who was weightlifting for so many years has passed away. Vasily Alexseyev died this past Friday in Germany of heart issues. He was 69.

I was fortunate to meet the man in person at the 2003 World Championships in Vancouver. Harvey Newton and I were in the walking through the venue when this famous wall of a man came toward us. (That's the very cool thing about going to an Olympics or World Championship--you will see so many former greats strolling the venue or having a drink in the hotel lobby!)

Harvey was kind enough to introduce me to him. Alexseyev was very much a gentleman. I am not sure what came over me, but I had the irresistible urge to pat him on that enormous belly. As I did, Vasily Alexseyev winked and put his index finger to his lips to say "shhhh, don't tell anyone" and then he smiled.

The world's most famous weightlifter had, arguably, the world's most famous belly to ever tumble out of a tiny red singlet.

He set 80 world records during his career and was the first man to clean & jerk over 500 lbs in competition. For more information about Vasily Alexseyev and his career, check out this 44 min documentary.

What are methods without principles?

2011-11-22T05:29:00.001-08:00

Sorry I've been away for quite awhile. Things have been busy and to be honest, I just haven't felt like writing. The business has been growing and most of my energy has been put toward my athletes and patients. I have certainly had lots of thoughts and I hope to share them and write on a more consistent basis in 2012. For today, I'd like to share a blog I stumbled upon via Twitter. Nick Grantham has some words of wisdom for everyone. Check out his post and blog here. It is based on this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Athlete-Centered Preparation

2011-10-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

Don't fall for the ads shouting about sport specific training. It's really about athlete-centered preparation.

It's not about playing more tournaments and more games. It's about the developing the physical abilities and fundamental movement skills essential to a variety of sports and health.

They need foundations, not hype. They need variety, not early specialization. They need to be adaptable, not pigeon-holed into a single position in a single sport.

Young people shouldn't be trained like small adult athletes. They deserve time, patience, structure and mentoring. They need to learn what it means to be an athlete and the importance of taking care of their physical health, whether or not they become professional/elite athletes.

The Power of the Mind via a Placebo

2011-10-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

via BoingBoing

Let There Be Signage

2011-10-03T11:55:00.001-07:00

Open House Next Saturday, September 17!

2011-09-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

I will be hosting an open house at my new facility next Saturday, September 17 from 11 am to 4 pm. Please stop by and say hello!

Iron Maven Physical Health & Performance
10772 Indian Head Industrial Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63132

Raghava KK: Shake up your story | Video on TED.com

2011-09-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

Raghava KK: Shake up your story | Video on TED.com

A Personal History of Strength As It Relates to Sport

2011-09-08T07:34:00.001-07:00

Vern Gambetta has a great 3-part blog series on the evolution of his understanding and integration of strength training. I encourage everyone to read it, as he points out some of the pivotal people, ideas and events in the history of strength training in the US and abroad.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Many of you newbies out there do not have a good grasp of the history of strength training in the US, particularly before the evolution of the internet and currently popular web-based resources. Do yourself a favor and look up some of the original resources Vern lists.

As for me, I am lucky enough to have a new gem to peruse this week. Carl Miller sent me a copy of his new book The Sport of Olympic Style Weightlifting: Training for the Connoisseur.

OT: Johnny Quest Awesomeness

2011-09-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Jonny Quest Opening Titles from Roger D. Evans on Vimeo.

Thanks to BoingBoing for pointing out this sweet stop-motion ode to a classic cartoon. I wasn't around for the original prime time airing of Johnny Quest, but I sure did enjoy the Saturday morning reruns in the 70s.

There are days when I could use Race Bannon's help.

Seeing is Believing

2011-08-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

From a parent of one of my high school boys this morning:

Yeah those eyes are slowly opening. In his gym class he has really noticed the difference between his technique you have taught him and the others. I think that was a major milestone for him. He is seeing the benefits and rationale behind proper body position and technique. You have his ear right now. He is trusting you.

There is a method to my madness. They just have to have the patience and persistence to do what the others often don't have the will to do. But first they have to trust and believe in what we are doing.

Being a Good Role Model & Mentor

2011-08-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things is when my athletes send me pictures of the dinners they have cooked or their grocery carts.

It usually takes a while--especially with high school boys. They have to first care about eating and then learn to accept responsibility for preparing their own food. The first step for many guys is making scrambled eggs or their own peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for their lunch or after school snack. This is the fist step in their evolution.

Food shopping and real cooking are not usually high on their list of fun things to do, especially when mom and dad are still around. Not even close to being on the radar.

But then something changes--usually is it going away to college--and WHAMMO, whole foods, lean meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts suddenly become part of their vocabulary and shopping list. They send me pictures of giant salads and stirfrys.

They very excitedly tell me they start to feel the benefits of eating better and they embrace the opportunity to make nutrition part of their training program. They brag about the junk food they've left behind.

I cannot tell you how happy this makes me! If I don't do anything else for these kids, I can at least help them discover the joy in shopping for and cooking their own food and life-long value in eating well.

Earning the Right

2011-08-16T05:46:00.000-07:00

My friend Kelvin Giles likes to emphasize that athletes must earn the right to progress. I am in full agreement with him.

My kids have to earn the right to progress, especially with the squat. And with very tall, thin athletes, I need to be even more patient to develop the mobility and infrastructure needed to squat with quality movement. I teach my athletes to have respect for the movement, as it is one of the more important things they can do to develop total body strength and power.

We don't chase numbers on the barbell when squatting. We always thoroughly warm up and work up to the work set. Just like 6' 10" Eric Moeller is doing in the picture above.

Every weightlifting coach I have worked with emphasizes the same thing. There is a purpose and a context to the intensity and volume of each set within a training session and within that particular training cycle.

Unfortunately, many others chase numbers on the barbell in the weightroom. You can see their follies all over YouTube. But there are also some very good examples of squat technique and warm up. One of the most impressive is this video of Caleb Williams, former powerlifter-turned-weightlifter, training for the 2006 IPF World Championships in Norway. In weightlifting, Caleb competes in the 69 kg weight class (152 lbs), so I assume in this video he is competing at 67.5. The dude squats 500 lbs x 6 weighing around 150 lbs, with only neoprene knee sleeves, weightlifting shoes and a belt. And he only puts on the belt at 405 lbs.

No macho bullshit necessary. No equipment. No screaming. Just workman-like focus, good form, speed and depth. College and high school football strength coaches, this is what real squatting looks like! You can read more about Caleb on his website.

From the Vault: Melanie Roach 2008 Olympic Prep

2011-08-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

Four years ago this week, I recorded Mel's Tuesday morning training session of cleans and clean pulls. From the vaults, August 16, 2007.

This cycle of training is just after her bronze medal performance at the 2007 Pan Am Games.

Beautiful Mobility

2011-08-15T06:09:00.001-07:00

You used to be able to do this when you were 2. If you can do it when you are 20, you are ahead of the game.

This is the kind of mobility a weightlifter works toward. It is the kind of sagittal plane mobility that is part of good joint health and good back health. See how the shin and torso are parallel?

Squatting should be part of your movement vocabulary. Find someone to help you learn how to squat.

Start here and work your way into the frontal and transverse planes. Be patient. Be consistent.

Personal & Professional Satisfaction

2011-08-11T09:21:00.001-07:00

"Thank you so much for all your help. I thought I was going to have to have surgery."

These are the words from a young patient I discharged yesterday. I saw him 6 times over an 8 week period. He came to me with osteolysis of the R AC joint. Pain with sleeping and any R UE activity. An avid bench presser and upper body lifter, I knew we had to change his mindset and exercise habits if he was going to heal.

He paid for every visit out of his own pocket.

I spent 1 hour with him each session. We talked about the importance of muscular balance and flexibility about the shoulder joint. I stressed that tight lats and pecs weren't going to be beneficial for long term shoulder health.

I taught him a variety of overhead and multi-planar moments, starting initially with basic flexion and limited ROM ab/adduction. Each week we progressed a bit, adding UE exercises in weight-bearing and dumbbell pressing movements. I never once used a modality. The first few visits I did a few joint mobs and some PNF work. The final 4 visits were all movement and lifting-based.

Who knew behind the neck pressing with a barbell could be so therapeutic? Not heavy at all; just quality movement about the shoulder girdle.

No surgery; no meds; no modalities. I just assisted the body in healing itself. More importantly, I earned the trust and respect of the patient in the process. The impetus was on him to follow my direction and take responsibility for doing the necessary work outside of the clinic--not too much, not too little; quality was key. I worked with him, not on him.

This is the type of practice I have dreamed of building for the last 10 years. Not high volume; not high tech. Just the thoughtful, progressive application of movement to alleviate musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction.