The Age of the 'cop-out"

The Age of the 'cop-out"

starts with the word can't.

Personally I hate the word can't, and hate is a strong word. I hate it when I use it accidentally, when my athletes use it and especially when they are using it reference to an obstacle like a lift. It burns me up. It makes me hurt inside hearing people say they can't. It means they've shut down and given up before they even tried. It's an easy cop-out, and I hear it all the time. If they fail after they say that "they can't" do something it's not a big deal cause in their minds that couldn't do it anyway. It's much more scary to tackle an obstacle with "the best that you have" than it is to sit back and not believe you can in the first place.

In 1969 a man went to the moon. I wonder how many people said it couldn't be done. People used to say no one would be able to break past the 4 min mile mark. Roger Bannister ran a 3:59.4s mile in 1954 and many others have done it since. In fact just 46 days later John Landy broke that record with 3:57.9s. Within that year close to a dozen others would run under 4 minutes. A time that was said to be impossible. Belief is a powerful deal.

People used to say that no man will ever be able to run 100m in less than 10sec. People said the body could not withstand such a feat. As if it would just fall apart. Well, Usain Bolt just did in 9.58s, and he thinks he can break 9.5s, of which may be true. How about that?

Can't.....Such a terrible word. Such a defeated attitude. Such an easy way out. There is no victory in 'can't' because you're already done, out, beat.

The interesting thing is, I also secretly love the word can't. When other people are trying to use it against me. It drives me. I remember a few instances where I heard people say I couldn't do something and I was very young. They said "He can't....". You know what it did? It pissed me off. Looking back it's amazing the people that said these things. But it motivated me in a way that's stronger than anything I've ever felt.

You know what it led to? It lead me to find what I could and could not control and use what I had. I could control my attitude, my presence, my tenacity and I could be resilient. It lead to some great things and taught me a lot along the way. One of which is that, if you have any one of those things, then you are going to do well. You may not be the best in the game but you'll go far, and you'll be proud of it. If you attack every moment with everything that you have.

This one word is powerful. It can destroy and build great things. Be careful how you use it.

Diesel Crew worthy Core Training

Just to let you all know. Yours' truly was just featured by Diesel Crew and more specifically Jim Smith (author of Combat Core). For those of you that don't know this is a group of guys made up of some of the best minds in the nation as pertains to Strength and Conditioning but they also practice what they preach. They're all strong as hell. But this it.

A New Look at Planks

May 12th, 2009

My boy Adam Rees just posted a very important new video.  Adam takes a unique new look at planks.  It is something I explored in great detail with my Chaos Training manual.

If you consider the conventional execution of a plank there are 4 stability points, both feet and both hands.  Adam performs a conventional plank BUT takes away one stability point.

In doing so, his body must transfer the “even” tension that was distributed through each point to the remaining three.  This shift requires muscular coordination, an adjustment in breathing and a forceful bracing of the abdominals and back musculature.

In addition to this modification, Adam is performing full range side rows (pulls).  This increases the tension and improves coordination, ie. one side of his body is rigid and the other side is engaging movement.

Great job Adam, great innovation!

For more “out of the box”, innovative strength training check out my Chaos Training manual.  It is over 700 pages and took me over 2 years to write, and 15 years to discover.

High Impact Tshirts

Putting in a note about shirts. Not to be given or easily bought, but to be earned. Get through a class with me and you'll have earned it. The only investment for your first class is sweat and effort. 

Cast Iron Balls Long Sleeved T: 

$20, If you can make it through

(these are a really nice quality fabric and fit that I really enjoy. Plus it'll mean something to wear this around.)

Training short sleeve T:

$15, same deal, gotta make it through. Good luck.

Here's one in Action:

Nice moves

Some Kettlebell Basics

Today I'm throwing out some kettlebell basics. This is a video of yours truly performing some very basic Kettlebell exercises. Kettlebells are great for the training affect you can get from them and versatility of how you can use them. 

First is the High Pull, then Cleans, and last is called a snatch. 

Notice the way the kettlebell travels back between the legs eccentrically (muscle lengthening) loading the hips and how you'd need to produce force in the opposite direction concentrically (muscle shortening) to overcome this. Perfect for corrective exercise and speed and strength development. Especially of the musculature through the core, which should include the hips, and the development of the posterior chain (low back, glutes, hamstrings).

I've written about the benefits of training the hips and the rest of the posterior chain before. But as far as tools to use this may be the most beneficial when it comes to hip and back health and posterior chain development. When I see an athlete performing a swing I see a ton of glute function, I see him/her building stability of the entire back but especially through the low back, I see the feet having to grip the ground, I see grip strength building through the hands as well, and I see a strong development of movement that they will actually use everyday as well as in competition.  

I usually explain it in terms of jumping. When you watch the profile of an athlete jumping, especially during broad jumps, their arm action and hip action is incredibly similar to the swing. Coincidence? Not even close. 

This type of movement is unlike the affect you can experience with a barbell or even a dumbbell. The offset center of gravity being lower than your hand allows you to perform exercises differently than these other devices. Not that barbells are dumbbells don't have their place. They most certainly do, and they are used in almost every program I write, but so are the good old KB's and anything else that will be effective and useful. 

I'll get some more information on how to make these tools more versatile in the future and how you can incorporate them to get more specific to your goals. Until then thanks for reading.