Sunday, August 30, 2009

Max Muscle Event



In these photos: 1. Tucker, Kids CrossFit Challenge 2. Tony Deleo, Strongman Challenge, Tire Flip 3. Tony Deleo, Tire battle wounds.

Chris and I want to thank Clint and Whitney Lundell for hosting this great event yesterday. We were honored to be a part of it. Also, thanks to everyone who helped us make this event a success; Tony, Karen, Lea, Ron and Crystal. Thank you to everyone who came out and participated in the two challenges.

Strongman 70ft. 1/2 ton Truckpull/ 70ft. 500lb Tire Flip for time:
Chris Lupo 1:21
Chris B 1:39
Ron L 2:12
Chris K 2:19
Tony D 4:30
Andy G ????? (there was some tire ROLLING going on here but I think the Judges were eating Pizza or Ice Cream by that point. Pretty fun to watch & Great Job Andy!)

CrossFit "Power Up II" 3 rounds for time
men/women
95/48 Deadlift x10
65/30 Push-press x10
44/26 Kettlebell Swing x10
Push up x10
20"/15" Box Jump x10

Kids
Tucker 2:40 (this 9 yr old stud smoked the challenge, we scaled it down for him but he still completed 3 rounds, awesome job buddy!)

Mens
Tony D 3:54
Jim C 4:13
Mark M 4:43
Mindy E 4:56 (she competed in the mens class with 2 modifications, 26lb Kettlebell Swing & her push press for rounds 2 and 3 were scaled down to a 30lb military press)
Andy G 4:58

Womens
Lea L 9:14 (the only female to do the women's challenge. Great job Leah!)

Please go to Power Up CrossFit Bozeman's Facebook page to view the photos from this event.




Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Why do Runners (joggers) run run run Like Forrest?

I have trained many runners over the last 15yrs and the most common mistake I see is, they simply do TOOO much running, not enough cross training, strength training (to improve Relative Strength) and do little outside of running to increase their work capacity and exercise tolerance (except work on improving their VO2Max on the treadmill). Runners who train for a 5k, 10k, half marathon and/or a full marathon typically ramp up their running mileage progressively as the race approaches, they then peak, and typically taper off on their mileage in the weeks before the race. I understand this methodology, BUT what I don't understand is, while they focus on running till the cows come home they DON'T work on things that I know for sure will improve their ability to run. The average runner most likely spends 85-90% of their training on running itself, does trivial levels of legitimate strength training, and if they do workout with weights, its typically the fluffy, "sexy" type of isolation exercises and/or unstable surface training rehab exercises that yield little carryover if any to the activity of running itself. Most runners NEED to improve upon their Relative Strength, and for the sake of their joints they need to cross train to prevent overuse and impact injuries. Unfortunately, most do not.

If a runner has poor or less than optimal Relative Strength, Poor Running Mechanics, Right vs Left discrepancy in Strength, and Low Work Capacity, why in the world should they run more and more and more to get better at running?? They shouldn't!!! If a runner has poor Relative Strength they have no business running, PERIOD!! Why would you abuse your joints in that way? The weaker one is, relative to what they weigh, the greater the impact on the joints. When you run, up to 6 times your body weight is impacted with the ground. Furthermore, the body's alignment can be compared to that of a car, if it is off slightly, the car will pull to one side, and excessive wear and tear will show itself on the tires, front end, brakes, etc. The same can be said for a runner. If a runner has a Right/Left Strength Discrepancy (If your right leg is much stronger than your left) you're gonna have some orthopedic issues somewhere up the kinetic chain eventually, AND obviously running efficiency would be greatly compromised as well. Finally, there are many people who choose to use running as THE only means to get fit, and I feel as though this is a bad idea simply from the standpoint of conditioning. If you are not in shape, why would you choose an activity as High Impacting as running to get in shape? Fatigue and being out of shape and/or deconditioned can cause compensation patterns to worsen, and ultimately the body may break down and an impact injury may occur whether it is "Shin Splints", Plantar Fasciitis, Runners Knee, Ilio-tibial band Tendinitis, and even back issues.

To me it does not make sense to ramp up your miles, and focus on pace without addressing more important issues that SHOULD take priority over running itself. Running is a great form of exercise when implemented appropriately, but the issue is MOST runners are simply not ready to run competitively from a bio-mechanical standpoint. It would be like constantly "red-lining" a car at max speed, when you know it wont go any faster. Many runners are obsessed with working on pace, well let me say that training to run for pace will probably help you in the first 5-15 miles of a race, but after that it comes down to shear Mental Toughness, and the ability to convince yourself that you are going to finish the race. Sure if you have optimal ratios of bio-mechanical balance in strength between right/left and optimal Relative Strength, then focusing on running to a greater extent makes "some" sense, the problem is, the average runner does not and most runners lack adequate strength training in their routines.....

Now I am not an endurance runner, in fact the longest I ever ran was 10 miles when I was around 12 years old, but that is not to say that I don't know how to help runners be better at running WITHOUT running.....Many runners go to "Running Coaches", or even Running Camps or Schools to learn how to be better runners, but no matter how you slice it, if you have any of the above imbalances don't expect a significant improvement. UNLESS the coach focuses on improving the imbalances BEFORE (Key Word) ramping up mileage, and training for pace. Additionally, what makes some better than others is, some people are genetically better built to run in terms of limb length and muscle fiber type composition. But that is a whole other topic of discussion. In conclusion, I do not intend on offending runners in anyway, I understand that running is as much a passion and a positive outlet to many as Weightlifting is to me. I am simply stating that from my experience runners should focus on their bio mechanical weaknesses first, then focus on running itself. Otherwise they are putting the cart before the horse.....

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

THIS SATURDAY!! Max Muscle Grand Opening


This Saturday, Aug 29th we will be at the Max Muscle Grand Opening event from 11am-6pm. The 9am CrossFit class will still take place, however, the 10:30am fundamentals class will not. We apologize to anyone who was planning to attend this Saturday. Please come out and see us in the Hastings shopping center in front of Max Muscle. We will have a CrossFit competition as well as a Strongman Truck pull competition. Hope to see you there!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Push Ups....The Forgotten Exercise

Anyone who has seen me train clients, trained with me and/or seen me workout knows that I love Push Ups....WHY??? Because they work! Push ups work your Chest, Arms, Shoulders, "Core", Legs, you name it. What you can accomplish with a couple sets of Push Ups cannot be matched by ANY one Exercise Machine. Secondly, Push ups are a great diagnostic tool to reveal weakness, tightness, instability, as well as compensation. Push ups can be modified to accommodate any level of Strength and Fitness level, and they can be made progressively more difficult very simply with the help of a Power Rack, a weighted vest, Power Bands, Medicine Ball, or even plain old free weight plates.

Additionally, Push Ups are safer for the shoulder joint as they allow the scapulae to move freely as one ascends and descends during the exercise. In contrast, during machine chest exercises, the scapulae are pinned or trapped against a bench which can cause damage to the shoulder capsule, and/or the many tendons that sprawl thru the shoulder joint. Go into any High School Weight Room and the daily question of the day would be, "how much do you bench"? This is a problem that should be addressed but probably won't be due to lack of Knowledgeable Strength Coaching at many High Schools.

Finally, Push Ups have a much greater functional carryover to movements or actions exhibited in many Sports (namely Football). In "many" sports (not including Powerlifting) how strong you are strong while lying on your back is irrelevant because if you are on your back it is likely that you got knocked on your butt and a strong bench press did not help in this example. I am not saying to not do Bench Press, but there seems to be TOOO much emphasis on this exercise in many Strength & Conditioning programs, and not enough attention to Push Up progressions.

To me it would be a far more impressive expression of Explosive Power to observe a 200lb+ athlete bang out 5-10 Plyo Push Ups, than Bench Press 300lbs....

Saturday, August 15, 2009

WOD: "HOLY $@&%"

10 Reps Per Exercise (Unless Noted otherwise): 2 Rounds For Time
*Use 25lb Weighted Vest If Possible


Plyo Push Ups
Front Walking Lunges (25/50lbs)
Pull Ups
Splits Squat Jumps*
Military Press (50/95lbs)
Alt. Lunges with reach in Place*
Pull Ups (YEP AGAIN)
Step Ups*
Push Press (65/135lbs)
Box Jumps*
Dips
Tire Flips*
Body Weight Inverted Row*
Rower 10 Calories
Walking Bear Hug Sandbag Carry (50/100lbs) x 30 sec

Friday, August 14, 2009

Weight lifting benefits breast cancer survivors

Occupational therapist Cathy Kleinman-Barnett works with breast cancer patients, but she has never encouraged women with lymphedema, a breast cancer-related swelling of the arm, to lift weights. However, she may be changing her tune, thanks to a new study in the August 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. It turns out that breast cancer survivors with lymphedema who engage in a progressive, supervised weight-lifting program fare better than their counterparts who do not lift weights.

Lymphedema occurs in as many as 70 percent of women who have breast cancer surgery. Sometimes lymph nodes in the armpit are removed for cancer testing, which can cause the clear fluid (lymph) that circulates in the body to build up in the affected limb. As a result, women must wear a compression sleeve and glove during waking hours.

"For so long, we were taught no heavy lifting and no resistance for our patients, but this article is shouting out yes to resistance and weight," says Kleinman-Barnett, who is a lymphedema specialist at Northwest Medical Center in Margate, Florida. "The benefits seem to outweigh the risks, and a weight-lifting program may help these women prevent injuries from everyday tasks by boosting strength in the affected limbs.

Read the rest of the article at: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/13/weight.lifting.breast.cancer/


Biomechanics/ROM & Loss of ROM

The Body is a very adaptable organism, and this can be both a good thing and a bad thing. It can be a bad thing if one chronically puts the joints through partial, repetitive, shortened or fixed Range of Motion (ROM) Exercises and/or Movements on a Daily basis. A perfect example of this can be seen in adults who spend a great amount of time driving. I have seen MANY adults, myself included, who have a slightly externally rotated Right leg. How does this happen? Well, if you drive to and from work 5+ days per week, and you have a fairly long commute there is a good chance that over the course of several years your right foot/leg will adapt to being slightly externally rotated due to having your foot placed on or near the Accelerator.

Another example can be seen in people who have desk jobs, sit all day and/or work at computers. In this case people often have a slightly Kyphotic Thoracic Spine, Internally rotated Humerus (Gleno-Humeral Joint), and often lose their natural Lordotic curve in their Lumbar Spine because when people sit often their lower and upper back rounds, and their shoulders are internally rotated, as are mine as I type this post..... Sitting all day can cause you to have tight hip flexors, AND lengthened lumbar extensors as well and this combination is exceptionally problematic if not addressed or corrected.

As far as the Knee goes, people who frequently use an Elliptical type cardio machine with no Elevated Cross Ramp option, run or walk on a Treadmill for 30-60+min per day (as many cardio Kings and Queens do at your average commercial gym) AND/OR who are scared beyond recognition to Squat to 90 degrees or below, are in essence shortening his or her Quadriceps muscles because they are never taking the knee joint though a ROM greater than 15-20 Degrees under load. If you perform a partial repetitive motion on a chronic basis it is a good way to lose optimal ROM. The irony about this is that MANY people are led to believe that these partial ROM cardio modes of exercise are "safer" for the knee because it does not "hurt" when they do it. Unfortunately, that is because they are only utilizing a limited ROM in the knee joint thereby shortening the Quadriceps. While these things may not hurt when they DO cardio on an Elliptical with no cross ramp, or walk on a Treadmill with minimal knee flexion, their knees scream in pain if they were do perform a Body Weight Squat going down to at least 90 Degrees flexion. WHY? Because your body will adapt to whatever Bio mechanical ROM and/or Chronic Postural position that you place it in on a daily basis. If you shorten your Quad or other muscles, then it is likely that performing a Full ROM or Optimal ROM will cause some pain or discomfort. It's really not "Rocket Science" it is very much common sense if you critically analyze it...

I have personally been guilty of over correcting Bio mechanical ROM and/or Postural Alignment at least twice in my fitness career. My first experience was when I was certified by an organization that really overemphasized "Core" and Abdominal work and ignorantly cringed at any sort of lordotic extension as if it was absolute Taboo. How did I do it? Well I was instructed to keep a "neutral lumbar spine" (which was really more straight than neutral) and "draw in" my Transverse abdominal muscle (TVA) while performing EVERY SINGLE EXERCISE THAT I DID, whether it was Bench Press, Squats, Performing Myofascial Release on a Foam Roller, whatever. I never had so much back pain in my life, as my abs and anterior "core" muscles were so damn fired up from being constantly contracted it was ridiculous! I ended up losing my natural Lumbar curve which was not good because the spine has a Natural Anterior/Posterior curve which serves the purpose of acting like a spring so when you load it, it flexes like a shock absorber to yield to forces placed on the body. By losing my normal Lumbar curve, my spine would abnormally flex laterally when forces were placed on it such as doing a Squat , Push Press, Overhead Press, etc. This would cause my Quadratus Lumborum to go into Spasm frequently, and one time I really jacked up my back when I attempted to do Hang Clean and Press with 275 for 5 reps, on the 4th rep I felt my Lumbar spine slip laterally and I was in intense pain. This happened NOT because I was doing heavy Olympic Lifts, but because I had chronically placed my spine in a position where it lost it's normal curve, and it was unable to do its job as a shock absorber.

The second time I experienced a Bio mechanical issue due to over correction, OR less than optimal habitual movement patterns, was when I overtrained Shoulder External Rotation to a point where I lost Shoulder Internal Rotation. If you perform an Upright Row, when you complete the movement and the bar is lifted to neck height, this would be an example of putting the shoulder in internal rotation. The Upright Row has been given such a bad rap that you would think it was Convicted of some sort of Felony Criminal act. Why? Because if you lack the ability to place your shoulder into Internal Rotation (such as when performing an Upright Row) it may hurt like hell to perform an Upright Row, or your shoulder may "pop" and "crack" leading MANY Physical Therapists, Orthopedic Doctors, as well as Personal Trainers to label the Upright Row Exercise as a very bad exercise for shoulder health, and nothing could be further from the truth. Additionally, lack of flexibility in internal rotation at the shoulder joint can be a major reason as to why people suffer shoulder impingement in the Acromio-clavicular joint. Ironically to many, I actually used the Upright Row to Rehabilitate my shoulder problem. In addition to some Myofascial work on the shoulder external rotators, and some stretching techniques, the Upright Row exercise helped me to regain lost motion in my shoulder joint. The same could be said for the Full Squat, another exercise given a sentence of "Life in Prison" with no chance of parole.......

Many in the Fitness industry LOVE to place negative labels on certain exercises and movements (Yes I did myself regarding the use of Machines, but I think I validated my point). Unfortunately this is really due to misinformation, lack of experience, and the inability to critically analyze Optimal ROM for the body's joints, etc. I have learned from experience that there is MUCH misinformation in the Fitness Industry, and focusing on attaining complete and optimal ROM and/or Posture throughout the body is THE BEST way to ensure pain free activity and motion. It is not always the exercise itself that causes pain, but more likely the loss of optimal ROM, and therefore the goal should be to strive to maintain a balanced ROM throughout the body.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

UPPER BODY EXTRAVAPALOOZA

Warm up:

ARC Trainer x 3 min
Rower x 1 min

Standing Military
Press:

95/5
115/4
135/3
155/2
185/2
205/1
225/1

Workout:

8 Rounds:
Standing Military Press 225/2
Pull ups x2
Dips x2
Pull ups x2

1 Round:
Muscle Clean & Press 185/5
Dips x5

Did someone say.... Bicep Curls, Triceps Ext, Decline Shoulder Raises, Shrugs, Wrist Curls, & 45min of Moderate intensity cardio ???? WHY?? Why would I waste my time with inefficient Sexy Fluff?
Bang for your BUCK BABY!!!!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Cody & Wyatt Football Speed Test Day

Today was the final day of Speed and Conditioning Training for Football with Cody & Wyatt David. In roughly 1-2 Sessions per week from May 31st thru Today August 11th their times went as follows in the 20 yard dash, 40 yard dash and 20 yard shuttle:

Cody:
5/31/09:
20yd Dash: 2.89 sec
40yd Dash: 5.22 sec
20yd Shuttle: 4.59 sec
8/11/09:
20yd Dash: 2.63 sec
40yd Dash: 4.88 sec
20yd Shuttle: 4.39 sec
Improvement:
20yd Dash: (-.26 sec)
40yd Dash: (-.34 sec)
20yd Shuttle: (-.20 sec)

Wyatt:
5/31/09:
20yd Dash: 2.94 sec
40yd Dash: 5.38 sec
20yd Shuttle: 4.74 sec
8/11/09:
20yd Dash: 2.66 sec
40yd Dash: 5.07 sec
20yd Shuttle: 4.48 sec
Improvement:
20yd Dash: (-.28 sec)
40yd Dash: (-.31 sec)
20yd Shuttle: (-.26 sec)
They both did a great job, and worked VERY hard in hot weather ALL SUMMER LONG!!
We mainly focused on Short Speed, 20 Yard Acceleration, Lateral Speed/Agility, Plyometrics, Explosiveness and Relative Strength. We did not run many 40 yard dashes, DESPITE the fact that many football players do. Football is a game of Explosive Acceleration/Rapid Deceleration and change of direction. Our objective was to train them to reach Top End Speed as Quickly as possible, and be able to cut on a dime. We used the 40 yard Dash as a Measurement of speed, NOT a means of developing it, a common mistake made by many in Football specific speed training. We certainly did not do ANY Plyometrics on the BOSU as there is ZERO carryover to the Football field....In fact recent research suggests an actual decrease in Speed/Strength/Power performance using unstable surface training tools.

In Football, plays are made within 2-4 seconds and that is where MOST of the training time should be spent. Running 40 yards straight ahead will make you a better Track Athlete, but not always a better Football Player. For Anaerobic Conditioning we did 20 and 60 yard shuttles at the end of training for 1-2 sets. Great Job guys! I look forward to training you next Summer!!

"If it hurts, it must be good for me"






Chris took Bret through a brutal myofascial release session followed by "Fighters GPP #1".
3 sets
Pushups x 20
Body weight row x 20
Tire Flips x 5-10
Cable PNF shoulder extension x 10-20
DB Row x 15-20
Dips x 10-15
Pullups x 8-12
Single leg squats x 6-10

Barbell Complex
Muscle Clean & Press x 5
Front Squat x 5
Back Squat x 5
Good mornings x 5
Deadlifts x 5
Romanian Deadlifts x 5
Bent Row x 5

Band Tricep extensions x 15-20
Farmers Walk

"Nuff Said"



W.O.D "Nuff Said" 3 Rounds

Deadlifts x 10
Pushups x 10
Kettlebell swings x 10
Pullups x 10
Goblet squats x 10
Dips x 10
Box Jumps x 10
Military Press x 10

Time:
Matt 23:45

Spontaneous Combustion Squat "Mythology"



Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, I just couldn't get my knees to Spontaneously Combust. I tried 315lbs, 365lbs, 405lbs all with a 3 second pause at the bottom (not intentional, just waiting for my camera's Auto Timer to take a snap shot). Then I tried adding 100lbs of chains, then 225 for 15 reps...DAMN NOTHING WORKED!! I know, next time I'll try doing Pulsing Split Lunges with my front foot on one BOSU and my back foot on another BOSU....That ought to do it...OR I got it... Split Squat Jumps from one BOSU to another...Now that's SEXY!! I could try loading up the Leg Press and try to get my knees to touch my chest with my Lumbar Spine curled up like a scared cat....OR that Leg Extension machine that starts at 110 degrees knee flexion, that would definitely do it!

Sorry, I have bit my lip for too long, received TOO many "gas face" looks from other trainers (some wearing denim blue jeans, some wielding swords) who load up the Squat Bar (if they squat at all) and go down to 70 degrees flexion... I have been Personal Training since 1992, and have had AFAA, ACSM-HFI, NASM-PES and NSCA-CSCS Certifications, and in my personal experience as well as with many of my clients, I have been able to sort through much misinformation as well as learn a significant amount from each. Yes, each organization does bring some very good valid points and guidelines into the Fitness Industry BUT, some also bring bogus, unsubstantiated, unfounded myths, most notably Squat Depth.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH FULL SQUATS!!! Once and for all!! I'm trying to prove a point. If you look at my Squat Pics, the proof is in the pudding. At the bottom end of the Squat I am below 90 degrees flexion in the knee joint. If you were to draw a "plum line" from the distal end of the bar straight down to the floor and look where the weight on my back is, relative to where my joints are lined up, you would notice that my Tibialis Anterior and Posterior at the lower leg, Hamstrings, Glutes, Quads that crossover my Knee and Hip Joints, as well as my Obliques, Hip Flexors, Abdominals and Spinal Erectors are all in optimal biomechanical positions to stabilize unwanted forces AND produce enough force to get out of the bottom of the Squat. WOW... a long but necessary explanation.

Until yesterday, I had not Squatted over 255 in about a month and a half and when I woke up this morning, what was the sore?? MY HAMSTRINGS, GLUTES AND OBLIQUES!!! Why? Because they were doing what they are "Functionally" supposed to do, check anterior tibial translation at the knee joint (Hamstrings), and stabilize the "Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip Complex" (Hip Flexors, Glutes, Obliques, Quadratus Lumborum, Spinal Erectors, and Lats, etc). But wait... I thought squatting below parallel was bad for the knees and back... As I've been told by many organizations, and Orthopedic Doctors. Maybe they have that misconception because THEY ARE TOO WEAK AT THE BOTTOM OF A SQUAT and lack the necessary strength AND Flexibility (if they Squat at all) to stabilize the Knee, Hip and Low Back. I think the latter is more likely!!

Yes, if you have tight Glutes, Hamstrings, calves, etc. getting into the bottom of a squat would be challenging BUT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN DON'T DO IT!!! To me it says you need to gain the flexibility in that ROM. Lets say you are a Skier who LOVES to hit a couple jumps here and there, lets say you do squat, and when you do, you intentionally do not go below parallel.... what happens when you forcefully land after jumping and hit the ground SO hard that you go below 90 degrees in the knee? I would say that there is a good chance either you rupture a Patella Tendon, ACL or PCL.... However, if you typically do Squat below 90 degrees with good control then there is less of a chance of injury because your knee has been there before and has the strength and flexibility to come out of the hard landing without injury.

Absolutely preposterous the whole Squat Depth Mythology is...Full Squats are safer for your knee very simply because there is much greater CO-contraction of Hamstrings, Glutes, Quads, Obliques, Hip Flexors, Abs and Spinal Erectors. Oh and by the way, I have a torn ACL, Meniscus, and Osteoarthritis from 2 ACL reconstructions, and many subluxations, so why should I not do Full Squats??? I NEED TO, So that my muscles can collectively, and functionally stabilize my Knee and "Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip Complex".

I am not advocating loading up a bar with maximal weight and seeing if a client gets crushed or can maintain mid-line stability performing a full squat. I am, however, suggesting to start with Body Weight Squats and progress to a bar, then adding weight accordingly with the ultimate goal of being able to Squat past parallel, provided there is no contraindicated Knee or Back issues that would prevent someone from doing so. The Body is a very adaptable organism, do nothing or do things incompletely and that's what you will yield. Train it correctly and you will function at an optimal level of performance and reduce injury.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Wyatt & Cole





Today I trained Wyatt and Cole Fairchild. Their Father, Guy, drives them 50+ miles to Bozeman from Shields Valley 2 days per week to train. Both Wyatt and Cole will be playing Football this Fall for Shields Valley. Wyatt has improved significantly on his Deadlift, Squat, Power Clean, Box Jumps, as well as Military Press and Pull ups. Cole is younger and therefore we are primarliy focusing on Technique and form with Body Weight and/or very light weight. BUT this little guy does Push ups and Box Jumps BETTER than most kids who are older than him, as well as many adults!! Keep it up bud!!

They work hard, listen VERY WELL, and have been a pleasure to work with. They get up VERY early to train at a time most kids are either still sleeping, or getting ready to play video games. They are working on becoming as Fit as they can be and it will show when they start playing whatever Sport they are involved in. Keep working hard as it will pay off in the future!!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Lisa Lupo's new Deadlift PR



Lisa hit a new PR on the Deadlift today. At 108lbs, Lisa Deadlifted 195lbs, which is pretty damn good relative strength!!!!

GOOD JOB BABY!!!

Functional Training

What is Functional Training?? Functional Training has been a "buzzword" in Fitness for the last 10-15 years. It has been defined as, "The total chain operating together to initiate movement in several planes of motion". Speed, Reaction, Proprioception, Multi-Plane, Multi Directional, Adaptability, Efficiency, Stability, Endurance and Skill have all been associated by many in the fitness community to coincide with Function, and I conditionally agree with this. That being said, two very important components of Functional training that are often overlooked and brushed aside by many are Strength and all the facets of strength as well as Power. They too should be included in the definition of Functional Training as well and it is very unfortunate that some ignore the importance of these essential components of functional training.

Many in the "Endurance" Arena, Runners and Cyclists to name a few, often fail to incorporate an appropriate level of "True" Strength Training into their training routines. Failure to do this can and does typically lead to overuse as well as "impact" injuries that can be seen in many runners and additionally does not enable one to attain an optimal level of performance. Doing hi rep low weight leg curls, leg extensions as well as calf raises and even leg presses does little to enhance ones Functional Strength. Moreover, Relative Strength which is probably one of the most important facets of strength that can minimize injury as well as increase exercise performance, especially for Endurance Athletes is frequently overlooked. Ask a runner what he or she does to enhance their Relative Strength and it is likely that they don't even know what it is. But yes they do balance work on a soft forgiving surface....

There are some who promote injury prevention that get "up in Arms" about Squatting below parallel, yet few point the finger at how damaging running/jogging itself can be for the body, up to 6 times or more of one's body weight can be impacted upon foot strike with the ground when running, especially downhill. Not to mention, many of the Isolated Leg Extension Machines seen in most commercial gyms have a seat angle that places the knee beyond a 90 degree angle, and if any instance where a angle greater than 90 degrees of knee flexion is potentially harmful, this would be it!

In addition, because the Hip and Knee joints are only partially flexed when jogging much more force is transferred directly through the knee joint itself. This leads me to what I call "The Spontaneous Combustion Principle", this is when the Knee Joint suddenly bursts into smoke & dust as one squats below 90 degrees at the knee joint (this is fictional and really does not occur but according to some it very well could...). In reality, in the world of physics, it would be far less of an exaggeration to say that if a runner cannot squat at least his or her own body weight to parallel and if a runner cannot perform at least 5-10 Single Leg Squats each leg that he or she has no business running a 5k, 10k or marathon. If you weigh 125lbs as a female and you run 5 to 10 miles a couple days per week don't you think your knees and other joints would appreciate it if you trained your body to better absorb and dissipate the forces that impact your joints when running? If you do the math that is a great amount of pounding on the joints if one is not as strong pound for pound as they can be.

More importantly, if ALL you do is Jog to stay in shape or for recreation there is a good chance that you are shortening your quad muscles which typically will lead to patellar tendinitis, or other types of overuse injuries, such as plantar fasciitis. I have trained so many runners who run run run, but ask them to do a Single Leg Squat to at least 90 degrees at the knee, and they crumble, lose balance, and basically "plop" right onto the bench or step or box behind them. Yet these people think that they are ok to go out and run run run, several days per week, mile after mile absorbing impact through ankle, knee, and hip joints with forces several times their body weight.

True Functional Strength training can help improve performance and reduce risk of injury regardless of your sport or activity. There are 4 main components of Strength that exist, they are: Absolute Strength, Explosive Strength, Starting Strength, and Reactive Strength. However, Relative strength (how strong a person is pound for pound) should very much be included as an essential component of strength. How important each of the components of strength are to a given athlete depends entirely on the demands of his or her activities that they may encounter in their job, sport, everyday life, or recreational activity. That being said, there are some current trends in Fitness that claim to be Functional Training but in reality are simply Rehabilitation exercises that have somehow been included in the definition of what Functional Training is, and this is unfortunate because it is a "stretch" to say the least. I have no issues with Rehab and/or Corrective Exercises but they should remain as such and not be linked to Functional Training.

For instance, many people assume that the BOSU Ball is some sort of God sent training apparatus that HAS to be included in peoples fitness routines because it has been touted as a way to work your "core", improve balance, proprioception, and thereby reduce the risk of injuries. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true and it really is more like a wolf in sheep's clothing if misused. This method as well as other similar methods of rehab have been brought into the fitness community by people preaching injury prevention, etc. An Overhead Squat, Goblet Squat, and Deadlift work your "core" to a MUCH greater extent than any BOSU Balance or "core" exercise, and they all have a greater functional carryover to performance enhancement.

In reality, if you are a healthy injury free runner and/or even a Power Athlete, such as a football player, using the BOSU to train for core & balance can actually "de-train" the Stretch Reflex Mechanism, which is extremely important for explosive muscle action as well as a force reduction. If you de-train the Stretch Reflex Mechanism you actually are reducing how explosive you are, as well as how well you can reduce force, which in no way would be of benefit. Going from training on a cushioned, buffered surface that yields to ground reaction forces compared to running on pavement, trails or playing on basketball and tennis courts, etc. is a sure fired way to actually increase your chances of injury. The contrast in surface hardness' are drastically different in terms of shock absorption and therefore the specificity of training principle holds true here. Typically when one sprains an ankle or tears an ACL it was not due to the ground being soft, squishy and bouncy, in fact the ground or surface is typically rigid and thus not cause or mechanism of injury. Yes playing Soccer on a field that is very uneven and has many divots can definitely cause an ankle or knee injury, but just because you train for balance on a BOSU it probably won't prevent an injury from occurring.

Although it goes without saying that there are certain times in ones training cycle when it is appropriate to "deload" (in terms of intensity, force, impact, etc.) thereby allowing the body's recovery abilities to super compensate and thereby ensure peak performance and recovery to the imposed demands. The problem, however, is when the fitness professional incorporates this type of training frequently (if not daily) with otherwise healthy people. Yes the BOSU can be a fun way to change things up a bit provided you don't fall off getting on or off of it. There is no graceful way to fall off of a BOSU!

Balance training on the BOSU, as well as Half Foam Rollers, Dyna Discs, etc. do have a place in rehab but, their importation into the realm of fitness has been grossly over emphasized and it's promotion as a fitness tool has somewhat misled many into thinking they are less susceptible to injury when in fact the opposite is entirely feasible. If you are rehabbing from an ACL injury, somewhere in the rehab program the Physical Therapist will reintroduce plyometric type exercises into the program. INITIALLY it would be appropriate for a patient to use the BOSU or other types of springy trampoline like training tools to help dampen the severity of impact on the newly reconstructed joint. ULTIMATELY though, a progression towards higher intensity plyometric exercises to specifically train the Stretch reflex mechanism without the use of these (buffers) tools would be in the patients best interest as they make their way back to full function as far as performance and restrictions go. These "balance" and "core" tools are better left in the Rehab world as that is where they truly have a purpose.

Functional Training, as touted and promoted by many in the Fitness community, really can be more dysfunctional than it is functional, simply from the principle of specificity. If the surface one typically ran on is hard and the surface he or she performs plyos or "balance" training on is too forgiving ,then how can any benefit be carried over to the desired activity of running? The same can be said for those who think of Strength Training for runners as being a set or 2 of calf raises, leg ext and leg curls followed by some triceps kickbacks. Runners should be able to do Single Leg Squats well, and be able to squat his or her body weight to at LEAST parallel in order for their training to be considered functional. Many people who shun True Strength training are simply just not very good at displaying or exhibiting it in the first place. So they stick to what they are good at, and not what they NEED to be good at. The bottom line is that EVERY athlete needs some form of strength (as outlined above) to be able to compete at an optimal level, reduce risk of injury and be as functional as they can be.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

BIG ALEX

I have been working with Alex for 5 months, and he has made tremendous improvements in his Strength, Balance, Coordination, Power, as well as Work Capacity. Alex will be a Freshman this Fall at Bozeman High School where he will be playing Football. He is around 6' tall and is a BIG kid for his age. It is very important for optimal growth and development for kids to work on general physical skills of Fitness outside of any Sport he or she may be involved in. These physical skills are cardio/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy. Not all are developed during club or team sports and most certainly are not trained when playing video games.....

When I train Alex we primarily use Body Weight Exercises. The carryover to most sports and overall physical benefit of these exercises far exceeds that of machines, and/or regular Bench Press movements due to the engagement of the core as well as the upper and lower extremities.

Keep up the good work buddy!!


Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Kim-tastic!



Kim has been working with Chris for over a year now and has lost over 30 lbs. Thank you for your hard work and dedication, you look great Kim, keep it up!!

Iron Cross


Toby Beck... the only 325lb man who can do the Iron Cross. NICE!!!

Ed-itor doing Deads



Ed is doing 7 sets of 3 coming down from maxing out at 500lbs!
Go Ed... you're catching up to Lupo!

Support Fight Gone Bad

On September 26th, CrossFitters across the nation will unite for the fourth consecutive year to honor and support our injured service men and women and the thousands of people fighting and living with prostate cancer:

Fight Gone Bad IV. One day. One workout. One Purpose.

CrossFit Bozeman is putting together a team and will be participating in this event on Sept 26th here at Power Up & CrossFit Bozeman. Anyone in the Bozeman area interested in joining our team is welcome!

The CrossFit workout is "Fight Gone Bad". In this workout you spend one minute at each of five stations, resulting in a five-minute round after which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. This event calls for three rounds. The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of 'rotate' the athletes must move to the next station immediately. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower, where each calorie is one point. The stations are:

Wall Ball, 10ft target (reps)

Sumo deadlift high-pull (reps)

Box jumps (reps)

Push-press (reps)

Row (calories)

Fight Gone Bad IV benefits Athletes for a Cure and the Wounded Warrior Project. There's no stopping us from making a difference and we hope you will support our efforts with any contribution you see fit. Last year his event raised $627,000. This year, we are going for 1 million.

Please take a moment to give what you can to this important event, every dollar counts!

Click on the link below to connect to CrossFit Bozeman's fundraising page

http://www.rapidreghost.com/fgb/php/frpage.php?frID=26040

New Equipment




Power Rack came today! So, all you squat happy folks... come on down! Our competition flat bench (with band attachments) came in as well. We will be hosting our first bench press competition on Friday night August 14th at 7pm. Also, those of you who have been dying to do Fight Gone Bad... medballs are here too!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Chris's Active Recovery/Restoration Workout/Sh. & Knee Rehab

1) ARC Trainer:
1min @50 resistance & 10 Elevation
1min @75 resistance & 10 Elevation
3min @100 resistance & 10 Elevation

2) Rower:
1min burned 30cals

3) Lat Hang Stretch: 30 sec
4)Push ups x 25

5a)Shoulder Complex:
1st Set @ 45lb Bar x 5 reps ea. exercise
2nd Set @ 75lbs x 3 reps ea. exercise
Muscle Clean & Press
BTN Press
Muscle Snatch
Snatch Grip BTN Press
5b)Lat Hang Stretch: 30 sec

6a)Plate Pullovers*: 25lbs x 20 reps with pause at ext.
6b)Shoulder Cable PNF Crossovers*: 20lbs x 20 reps
6c)Lat Hang Stretch*:30 sec
*2 times thru 6a,6b,6c

7a)Muscle Snatch: 45lb Bar x 10 reps right into Snatch Grip BTN Press x 5
7b)Shoulder Dislocates: x 10 pass thru's
7c)Foam Roll: Lats, Posterior shoulder capsules, ITB, Quads.

8)PNF/Reciprocal Inhibition Stretch on Shoulder External Rotators due to loss of internal rotator ROM: x 5-10 min.

9)Contrast Hot/Cold Russian Shower x 15 min

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Chris's Sunday Olympic Lift Workout

Warm up: Almost 40yrs old....Kind of like a 69 Impala in the winter...I take a while to warm up....
Arc Trainer x 3min easy
Rower x 1min moderate intensity (20 cals)
Push ups x 10
Lat Hang Stretch x 30 sec
Body Weight Squats x 10
Muscle Clean & Press @ 45 x 3
BTN Press @ 45 x 3
Muscle Snatch @ 45 x 3
OH Squat @ 45 x 3
Shoulder Dislocates x 5 pass thru's
Muscle Clean & Press @ 65 x 2
BTN Press@ 65 x 2
Muscle Snatch @ 65 x 2
OH Squat @ 65 x 2
Shoulder Disclocates x 5 pass thru's
Lat Hang Stretch x 30 sec
Muscle Clean & Press @ 95 x 2
BTN Press @ 95 x 2
Muscle Snatch @ 95 x 2
OH Squat @ 95 x 2

Warm Up Complex** X 6 sets: Still Warming up....see ya in the Hospital...
135/3 155/3 185/2 195/2 225/1 235/1:
Power Clean & Press**
Thruster**
Back Squat to press**

Then right into....
Dips x 3*
Pull ups x 3*
Glute/Ham Raises x 4*
Sit ups on GHD x 4*
*Only on first 4 sets immediately following each of the above Complexes

Power Clean & Press: All weights are in lbs., of which I left a couple in the bank...
245 x 1
255 x 1
265 x 1
245 x 3
225 x 5

Power Snatch: All weights are in lbs. Have not done Snatch in over a year due to shoulder injury...
135 x 3
155 x 3
165 x 3

Saturday, August 1, 2009

We are officially open!


Today our pull up station arrived!! It is beautiful and STURDY, Chris tested it out. A huge thank you to Ron for referring us to his buddy Marty who welded this awesome structure for us.

Our First Barbell Club Member...



Our first official member, Ed McKenna is performing a hang clean and jerk, exhibiting the finest triple extension this side of the Madison River. Ed was unfortunately required to pay an initiation fee of $50 because he is a Red Sox fan, sorry Ed!
Thanks for joining buddy, we look forward to seeing your beautiful, perfect deadlift form every week.

Train Movements Not Muscles

Train movements, not muscles by isolating them, UNLESS it is for rehab/corrective/restoration purposes. Most bodybuilding techniques are minimally used here as we are generally trying to increase GPP, relative strength, work capacity, and thus are trying to increase parameters of physical performance and improve athletic potential. Bodybuilders tend to isolate body parts by using "piece meal" split routines that are extremely inefficient, lead to muscle imbalances, loss of range of motion and actually create more work for you in the long run, and more days and hours in the gym. Loss of ROM can be seen very simply by observing the average bodybuilder perform a Standing Military Press, Overhead Squat, or Pull up. The lack of ability to complete a full ROM on these exercises clearly demonstrates how certain Bodybuilding techniques, as well as training in isolation can significantly impair optimal biomechanics, which can and will ultimately lead to dysfunction and injury.

However, if you go to your typical commercial gym, you will see many people working out this way. WHY? Because that is what many of the "Fitness" magazines show the top bodybuilders and fitness models, etc. doing. Bodybuilding has very much grossly distorted "True Fitness", in that they look fit on the outside, but really do not exhibit many general physical skills of fitness. These skills are cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy.

Most commercial gyms also have 100's of selectorized machines, that slice, dice and isolate muscles all while you are sitting down comfortably. How functional to basic human movements and athletic skills are machines if one is sitting while performing an exercise during which all of the stabilization is done for you by the machine itself?? Not very functional at all! Machines have far less neuromuscular stimulation and do not teach skill, balance, proprioception and stabilization. In addition, they require far less effort to do the exercise when compared to a compound, full body, weight bearing multi-joint exercise. More importantly, machines and isolated training do not exhibit a large metabolic, or neuroendocrine response to exercise. Yes, using machines for exercise is better then sitting on the couch and watching TV. However, my point here is, if you are in the gym to get the most out of your workouts for your time spent, why would you not use a more effective means of accomplishing your goals?

In my experience machines create far more dysfunction, as the body works in an integrated synergistic way where many muscles act together to create movement and/or to stabilize joints. Furthermore, many machines have a fixed axis of rotation and repetitive motion on a fixed axis of rotation on a machine that may not match your body's own bio mechanical range of motion can cause pattern overload syndrome. This causes connective tissue to break down due to excessive wear and tear by moving through the same fixed pattern on a machine.

I don't have a problem with the sport of bodybuilding, I have many friends who are bodybuilders and I very much respect their discipline and determination. I simply don't agree with the way the majority of them choose to approach their training. Often it is due to misinformation from fitness magazines and/or advice from one dimensional "bodybuilding" coaches. One can still achieve an increase in muscle size, strength, and aesthetic appearance and be a bodybuilder by training movements WITHOUT training like a typical bodybuilder (i.e Forearms on Day 1, Biceps Femoris on Day 2, Clavicular Head of the Pectorals on Day 3, Forearm Extensors on Day 4, etc.....) Not to mention doing an hour of low intensity steady state cardio on the recumbent bike is like watching grass grow in terms of attaining Fat loss, AND does nothing for work capacity. At one point in my training I too was guilty of slicing, dicing, and walking on a treadmill for an hour.....

My point is bodybuilders aren't judged on physical performance when they step on stage, yes some do LOOK physically strong, etc. but, they really don't move fast, jump high, move heavy weights explosively or run fast at all, etc. So if you are an athlete make sure you train like one, and train basic functional human movements that have a carryover to everyday life and/or whatever sport or activity you may encounter in your job, competition or recreational activity. If you are a bodybuilder why would you not want to use a more effective, efficient, and functional method of training? Looking fit doesn't always mean being fit however, you can attain both if you train and eat appropriately.

To quote CrossFit, "You can't train the parts and pieces and be good at the whole, but you can train the whole and be good at the parts and pieces".