Category Archives: Life Lessons

Sour grapes, Crossfit, tabatas, and an exercise program that really helps you

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I posted some articles on Facebook recently dealing with Crossfit (in particular this one, this one, and this one), and just yesterday posted an article asking “What the #$%^ is MetCon?!”

Met-Con is a term frequently used by Crossfit and people who do Crossfit to describe the Crossfit-style workout. It’s also occasionally used as a blanket term for what could better be described as “General Physical Preparedness” – a program that achieves a general level of aerobic endurance, muscular strength, and some muscular power.

As mentioned in the post above, the term is actually useless, since literally anything and everything a person does qualifies as “metabolic conditioning.” That’s the definition of metabolism. “Met-Con” sounds cool, but doesn’t help anyone to understand what is being described or promoted.

I also recently re-posted this article by a fitness guru about Tabata training. He doesn’t go into much depth, so let me explain.

Tabata (named after Japanese researcher Izumi Tabata) intervals consist of 20 seconds of maximal effort work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for 7-10 total sets. Tabata developed this working on highly trained athletes, who would get close to total failure in that 20 second period.

The results are amazing. Over time the Tabata athletes’ VO2max (max oxygen volume/uptake) increased to levels beyond those achieved through any other recorded training protocol.

Crossfit began using Tabata intervals, and then a lot of other trainers jumped on board. Here’s the problem – Tabata intervals demand 7+ rounds of 20-second effort to exhaustion.

Most trainees do not have the capacity to exert an all-out effort period, let alone for multiple rounds of 20-second stints. This is not a knock against the average trainee, it’s simply a fact. New trainees don’t have the neuromuscular coordination or power-endurance to perform this protocol in any meaningful way, let alone to adequately control complex movements (like Olympic lifts) in this fatigued state.

Will it exhaust you? Yes. Will it make you feel like you are experiencing “tabata death?” Yes. Will it improve your performance over time? Maybe. As long as you don’t fry your central nervous system, or experience some sort of acute or repetitive-strain injury. And as long as your body can adapt between “Tabata” workouts.

That said, the reason for this post is something slightly different.

One of the people who commented on my Facebook posting of the articles above said that it seemed like “sour grapes.”

She’s an amateur competitive runner. She’s invested in her health and fitness. And I’m sure she knows at least one person who does Crossfit.

So I understand her reaction.

And that reaction itself is the reason for this post.

As long as the lay-public has no way to discern the deeper aspects of physical conditioning – as long as health and fitness experts continue to post articles that simply praise or blame, but offer no true education – those types of articles and posts are just sour grapes.

It is up to the competent health and fitness professionals out there to begin to educate their public about the principles of physical health (as far as we can understand them) in concrete and useful terms, that rely on accepted standards of reproducibility and logic (“science”).

Our technology has advanced to the point where – now more than ever before – it is possible for anyone to understand and interact with the deepest structures and functions of their bodies in ways that allow for feedback and meaningful correction over time.

This is the method that I use in my training, and seek to refine, constantly, and I call for all of the other health and fitness professionals out there to use the same principles in their programming – to tailor their work to each individual based on the principles of life – and to become proper educators of their client base, rather than just fad-producers or -promoters, cool-name-slingers, and/or disconnected, herd-mentality “workout” generators.

I’ve hit my limit on this post. I’ll post the best workout for you in the next entry!

What the #$%^ is “met-con?”

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Met-Con – Metabolic Conditioning

Metabolic – having to do with metabolism, which is the sum-total of chemical actions that take place within the body at any given moment.

Conditioning – the state of something, or the process of changing that state.

Okay, so that’s it eh?

Well…yes, that IS it.

Sit on the couch and eat potato chips and watch TV/play video games/wait for the paleocalypse = MetCon.

Workout till you puke = MetCon.

Go on vacation and hike/bike/swim/have fun every day = MetCon.

So can I ask a favor of you folks out there in the reading-world?

Please stop calling your workout session or methodology MET-CON!

We know it’s MetCon.

EVERYTHING IS METCON.

If someone is selling you “Met-Con,” and they’re not telling you specifically what aspect of your MET their going to CON (other than you wall-met…eh…alright that’s bad, but you get my point), take your money elsewhere!

Bodyweight Training – why, what, when, where, and how?

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Local Parkour facility Parkour Visions posted this talk of Charlie Moreland discussing bodyweight training.

Great talk!

AND…

I agree with his early assertion – “We can do what you can do, but you can’t do what we can do.”

This is often true, because movement is a skill.

So, if you practice doing the bench press often (laying on your back), you get very good at that movement-skill.

If you practice the progressions Charlie recommends, your nervous system gets much more greatly enriched.

That said, weight training still has its place. I just prefer to limit it.

Weight training has become popular in the past few decades as a way to rapidly change physique.

It also matches up with a cultural tendency to isolate things – we do “isolation” exercises like biceps curls, triceps pushdowns, etc., in much the same way that we isolate ourselves in other ways…

Free weights offer an easy way to “progress.” And, being less demanding on supporting muscles than bodyweight only training can be, it’s often easier to “bulk up” on free-weight programs than on bodyweight programs.

So what’s the best?

For the average person, the best is – diversity of movement.

Yes, I know I’ve discussed the SAID principle at length in this blog. The fact is, that’s true. You get what you train for.

But the average person wants to train for LIFE itself. There’s no “competition” date…or rather, every day is a competition…to feel good, to stay exuberant, to be healthy, to have energy.

There are a zillion ways to approach this, but at this point in life, my favorite is this:

Pick one “classic” barbell exercise: Squat, Deadlift, Clean and Jerk, Snatch, Overhead Press
Pick a few full-range-of-motion bodyweight movements.
Pick one movement practice – dance, martial arts, walking or hiking, climbing, etc.

Do your classic lift twice a week. Day one work up to a 1-3 rep max. Back off and do 2 or 3 sets of 3-6. Wait 72 hours. Do that lift again but do 60% of your 1-rep max, and go for 4 sets of 3 explosive (or, preferably, ballistic) reps.

Do your bodyweight training every day. Mix it up if you want. Stop with gas in the tank.

Do your movement practice every day.

In other words, use weights for “strength training.”

Use your body to move better.

The one secret to fitness motivation

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I’ve read the psychology books. I’ve read the sports psychology books. I’ve worked with clients, friends, and family who want to start or continue an exercise program.

And I’m here to share my secrets with you.

So first, a question – what is motivation?

What does it mean to you?

When you think about something you’re motivated to do, what comes immediately to mind?

I guarantee you it most likely has something to do with one of the following four things:

  • Sex – need I explain?
  • Status – affiliation, being “in,” etc.
  • Safety – shelter, food, water, etc.
  • Risk – danger, fun, excitement

And that it’s one or more of the following:

  • Comfortable
  • Easy
  • Tasty (especially fatty, sweet, and/or salty)
  • Fast
  • Cheap
  • Orgasmic

What’s “motivating” is usuallly hitting your evolutionary-behavioral necessities (to have sex/reproduce, to be safe, and to have and understand some sort of status in your group); AND your dopamine receptors – fast, easy, cheap, fun, tasty, comfortable, orgasmic, etc.

For most people “fitness” or working out doesn’t satisfy any of those needs.

Let’s face it, you are perfectly fit enough to “live” and/or “survive” in today’s world.

If you get too fat or broken-down, there’s always the Rascal!

If you get diabetes, there’s insulin shots for the rest of your life. And even those have been automated into a monitor/pump that automatically injects you with insulin.

Cardiovascular system burnt out from too little exercise and/or too much smoking? Get an oxygen tank and mask.

 

What I’m saying here is that motivation has nothing at all to do with necessity.

In today’s world, you don’t need the things you’re motivated to do, and you aren’t motivated to do the things you “need” to do.

I know a lot of people who like to read and/or talk about fitness and health stuff, but who never seem to do anything. For them, thinking, talking, and any “mental” activity is used as a replacement for actually doing something.

Another aspect of motivation that makes it really difficult for people to harness is that it’s almost entirely individual. It’s one of those rare places in life where we can’t just go along with the rest of the pack. If you’re motivated to work out (i.e., exert effort, which is not cheap, easy, fast, etc.) – it’s your motivation.

It’s not like buying the new pair of jeans that you saw in your favorite fashion magazine. There’s a reason they’re in the magazine. There’s a reason 100 or 1000 stores across the country are carrying those jeans in every size imaginable.

Because it’s not about you as an individual. That’s about you conforming (i.e., wanting to fit in  – status/safety), and about you caving in to the addictive dopamine rush you get when you buy something new.

So what’s the secret to being motivated to work out?

The secret is this – To find the one reason that turns fitness into a necessity for you.

Whatever the “reason” is doesn’t really matter. Create one.

For instance, some people want a “deeper connection” to their body. Some people want to hang out with friends. Some want to look like a certain celebrity. Others want to be able to move a certain way (dance, sports, martial arts).

It doesn’t matter. That reason is up to you. It’s all yours.

If you can’t find a reason, that’s okay. You don’t have to. Medicine is advancing at a rate that you should be fine in your Rascal with your oxygen tank and mask…as long as the power doesn’t go out.

When you do find that reason, ride it for all its worth.

After that, “hard” doesn’t matter anymore. You want it to be hard, or it isn’t a good workout. The meaning of the word “hard” changes. “Hard” becomes pleasurable, enjoyable. And yes, you can get your dopamine fix from it instead of those $300 jeans.

If someone else’s reason works for you, for now, that’s okay too, but realize that that will wear off soon enough. Recovering addicts of yo-yo diets and DVD fitness workouts pay attention – You need your own reason.

I’ll tell you this – if you have your reason, everything else falls into place and nothing else matters.

If you don’t, nothing falls into place, and everything else matters.

Simple as that.

NOTE – This post is NOT an attack against people who enjoy participating in culture, who have diabetes and are consciously engaged with it, who are incapacitated, or who have to use oxygen masks. It IS a demand for accountability and self-responsibility.

Pain is not a disease – the causes of dis-ease

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Pain is dis-ease, or un-ease – not feeling good – but pain is not a disease.  The disease is what is causing the pain.  In the human body, disease is often caused by dysfunctional movement:

  • poor structural alignment
  • repetitive movement(s) (in one plane/direction only)
  • lack of movement generally
  • lack of progressive or increasing challenge to the body

What causes these things?

  1. Social and cultural upbringing/environment.
  2. Individual “personality” – including individual genetic profile, and personal emotional capacities.
  3. Personal history – motor-development/-use history, trauma(s), recovery(ies) and interventions.

Address these in your exercise program and succeed!  Ignore them at your own risk!

Want to train in these areas?  CONTACT LIFT

The Best Way to Workout – Without a Personal Trainer

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I often have people contact me asking what the “best” way to achieve a certain goal is.

I feel like I know what they’re looking for. I think it’s a quick-fix. A simple answer. “Just eat more broccoli.” Or something like that.

The truth of the matter is that the people who are in the best shape are the ones who do some sort of exercise all the time. Every day, they put forth some sort of effort with their body.

Consistency is the first key.

The most fit people are the ones who not only do something every day, but actually push it a little bit now and then. Pushing it too much leads to overtraining/overuse and injury. Pushing it too little leads to stagnation. With a little practice, you’ll know when it’s “just right.”

Exploration – of movement and ability – is the second key.

So here’s one way to do both of those things – without a personal trainer!

Go out to the bookstore and check out the health and fitness magazines. Flip through and see which ones resonate with you the most. Find the one that you think is the best fit for you – it has the types of content you’re interested in, you like the ads and the products in them, etc.

Only one thing – make sure it offers a regular workout routine. Most of them do these days.

Buy that issue, take it home, and get a subscription to that magazine for one year.

Starting immediately, do the workout in the magazine for that month. The next month, when you get the next issue of the magazine, do the new workout.

Each month, change workouts, doing the workout in the most recent issue of your magazine of choice.

As long as you’re exploring your level of ability – pushing it a little bit – and you’re using good form/technique in your movement, this is a perfect way to stay fit and motivated while getting a good amount of diverse movement in your training.

So you must be thinking – why is he writing this? He’s a personal trainer. Does he not want to work?

The answer is simple – beyond anything else, I want to help people. The truth is, there is only one “best” way to get in shape – the one you’ll stick with.

Personal training is a great way to stay motivated for a certain amount of time, and specific focus on your goals can help you to get there faster.

And there’s nothing wrong with going to a personal trainer for a few sessions just to get some new ideas. I’ve had plenty of clients like this.

The biggest thing I usually do in that type of situation is to make sure that the person’s form/technique are as perfect as possible. Then we can get into all the different modalities and try to find a good match.

But if you’re confident about those things, and just need to stick with it – try the method above. It might help.

The Secret to Being Fit, Strong, Slim, or Whatever Else You Want

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Before I get to the proof, I’ll throw this big secret right out there. Ready?

PERSISTENCE

That’s it. That’s the secret to success in any endeavor. Of course, you might want to persist intelligently, but it isn’t necessary. Many highly unintelligent and poorly-thought-out plans resulted in success due to sheer persistence.

Now the proof? You mean, you won’t just take my word for it.

Ok, if you insist.

The “scientific” proof is very simple – nothing changes without change over duration. There is no such thing as “immediate” change. Even being cut with a knife takes time (though it might be rather short).

The body adapts to stressors over time. To PERSIST is to do something over the course of a period of time (and, usually, with the connotation that you are persisting against or in spite of certain odds or difficulties).

So, by definition, success requires persistence.

But yes, Josh, I see that…but what about six-pack abs?! What about biceps made of fighter jets?! What about my J-Lo booty?!

Again, all of those things require consistent effort over time. The more effort you can give over time, the greater the results you’ll see. It’s a simple formula.

Something’s gone awry in our culture, though. We tend to think that we should be able to change the results of 30, 40, or 50 years of a bad habit overnight, or in eight weeks, or twelve, or even in only one year.

But it isn’t always the case.

In fact, you were persisting that long at your bad habit, that one that got you that nagging knee injury, the one that got you whatever ailment you’ve got now, that you stay sitting in.

Steve Maxwell posted a great post about this recently, as did Frank Forencich over at Exuberant Animal.

How do you perfect the skill of persistence? The same way you perfect any skill – PRACTICE!

Practice persistence daily for best results. Doing something good for yourself (any one thing will do, to start) regardless of any other circumstances.

DeFranco’s Football Training Critique

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Joe DeFranco is a coach, trainer, and businessman whom I admire very much. What’s best about Joe is that his business started because of his passion for football. He wanted to play at the collegiate level, but a back injury prevented him from ever playing again. Joe decided that if he couldn’t play, he’d help everyone he could get to the highest levels possible.

Even better, he’s been incredibly successful because of his devotion to conditioning, which has led to incredible results from the athletes who train at his facility.

Joe’s most recent blog post is about sport-specific conditioning – specifically, no surprise here, for football.

I’ve mentioned the SAID (specific adaptation to imposed demand) principle many times in this blog. If you want to have a crystal clear appreciation for what SAID means, and how specific you have to be in training the body, read Joe’s post.

“Supersalmon”

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This MSNBC article asks whether or not the enormous genetically-altered salmon crafted by the company, AquaBounty, should pass FDA approval.

First, this approval, if it happens, would open the door for other genetically engineered animals on the shelves.

Second, it’s an abomination.

The enormous fish would eventually make its way into natural populations, potentially mating with them, creating a strain of half-breed fish that may not be able to reproduce.

The danger of genetic modification of foods is just that – we cannot (and often times are incentivized not to) control the spread of those foods into natural populations/strains.

The potential threat is similar to what occurs when you create a mule. A donkey is bred with a horse, to create a larger, stronger, docile, donkey-type animal. The only problem is, the animal cannot reproduce.

While it’s not a problem as long as you have horses and donkeys around, it does become a problem in things like plants, where interbreeding occurs without human intervention. When the wind spreads the genetically engineered pollen will intermingle with non-genetically engineered plants, potentially creating “mule-plants.”

At that point, we have a big problem.

A good friend asked me what I thought of it, especially considering that genetically altered foods can “solve” “world hunger.”

First, let me say that I know there are people who go hungry in the world. There are quite a few of them here in the city I live in. So, I do not dispute that hunger is an issue.

I do, however, dispute that a shortage of food is the cause of hunger in the world.

Most studies that I’ve seen on this issue report that there is an overabundance of food in the world right now, but that governmental, capitalist, and social negotiations keep food from poor and/or starving populations.

Think about yourself for a second. Are there people starving where you live? Most likely there is someone. Do you have extra food sitting in your house right now, while they starve?

What keeps that food in your house, instead of out in their stomachs, helping to sustain them?