Brad the powerlifter has had to take a back seat as of late. A lingering rib issue in my right posterior rib cage sidelined me from doing my competition squat and deadlift for quite some time. As a result, I’ve had to revamp my training into what I feel is its simplest form. Being at this for 20+ years now, I know I cannot program a linear progression plan like I could 15 years ago. Progression has to be more “observed” and I have to pick my shots when programming. I also can’t train as heavy as I would like and need to build-in “fail safes” that allow me to mentally train lighter and to a definitive stopping point, so as to not dig a hole so deep I can’t get back out. The result is what I would call an “auto-regulated bodybuilding periodization with observed progression”. [Read more…]
On Making a Difference – Sharing my Perspective with Future “Public Fitness Professionals”
I recently had a really great exchange with a young individual who is striving to become a “thought leader” or “public intellectual” in the fitness community. They want to “break into” the industry, have their work recognized and begin making a difference. This is an admirable, but difficult goal.
Many individuals in their late teens or early twenties, at the beginning of a road that leads to a fitness career, feel time pressure and like they are trying to enter a crowded space where it’s hard to stand out. On top of this sense of urgency and fear of obscurity, many up and comers also feel pressure from time and energy constraints, as they try to balance study, work, and the time and energy required to create an online presence. [Read more…]
Emotional Lifting
My intent with every training session is to better my previous session, whether it’s with a singular action of increasing load, sets, reps or a combination of them all. However, the goal is to never sacrifice my form for the sake of doing more volume, as that elevates my risk of injury and diminishes intent on the muscle I’m targeting. When form breaks down, that’s where intent on the targeted muscle gets lost as well and the risk of injury heightens, as no doubt momentum or body English step in to assist in completing the work. The combination of these two factors can surely be counterproductive.
Life Isn’t Always Fun; Commitment Makes It Better
com-mit-ted
feeling dedication and loyalty to a cause, activity, or job; wholeheartedly dedicated.
mo-ti-vate
provide with a motive for doing something.
mo-ti-vated
past tense for mo-ti-vate
Is it common to use these terms interchangeably? All too common if you ask me. However, once you see the actual definition of these terms you can tell they are quite different. Especially when it comes to the application of these terms to our programs or heck, even our lives. [Read more…]
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training: Does Exercise Selection Matter?
Be Sure to Check With a Qualified Healthcare Practitioner Before Trying Any Training Tool, Including BFR.
Blood flow restriction (BFR) training is a concept that has been researched for a quite some time and appears to be a safe and effective tool for the training of strength and physique athletes as well as the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pathologies in physical therapy. Due to the increased popularity of BFR training, more and more questions have arisen about the optimization of its implementation (say that 5 times fast). Today, we’re talking about why exercise selection may be key and, depending on the exercise, can either enhance or hinder the effects of BFR. Let’s get to it! [Read more…]
Blood Flow Restriction – Part 2
Blood flow restriction training, or BFR training, is an incredible tool, and while a bit more common nowadays it’s still very much misunderstood. A few years ago, I couldn’t use blood flow restriction training in a gym without continuous looks of concern or a crowd of people around me asking questions. These days, most people are a bit more familiar with this training modality, or at some point have seen their resident meathead use BFR. [Read more…]
Times I Was Wrong: 7 Things I’ve Changed My Mind About As An Evidence-Based Professional
More and more lately I’ve been writing, speaking and thinking about, well, thinking. As the “evidence based community” has grown in fitness, I’ve been increasingly aware of the disconnect between scientific knowledge and scientific thinking in our little community.
Sometimes we accept logical fallacies in arguments, so long as we think the person being argued against is on the other side of science. [Read more…]
I Am Thankful for the Mistakes of the Past – Part 2
How the weeks have flown! Here we are, back with Part 2 of I Am Thankful for the Mistakes of the Past. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Part 1 right here. Let’s get right into it!
Movement is Not the Same as Progress and Doing Wrong Things Well Won’t Make Them Right.
While dedication, discipline, and passion can allow any goal to be achieved and surpassed, they must be guided, controlled, and channeled correctly. We cannot work hard just for the sake of working hard. [Read more…]
Consistent Peaking – Part Two
After reading part one (Consistent Peaking – Part One) you’ll know I’m not a believer in magical peak weeks, but I do believe in the ground work in the weeks preceding it. It’s there where the magic truly happens, and in those weeks your priority should be on getting in true contest shape before you even enter your peak week. If you’re not in contest shape a week out from your show and you’re relying on voodoo tactics (refer to part one), then you’ll most likely fall short of your true potential no matter how your peak week is set up. Based on my 30+ years of experience, I’ve never seen anyone get in true contest shape where they relied heavily on peak week to make up for what they lacked in the weeks prior. [Read more…]
Grinding Into My 50’s: Seven Things I Do OUTSIDE the Gym
I will be 47 years YOUNG next month. Is it sad that I have to count out the years from my date of birth to figure that out? While my mind might be failing me at times, I don’t plan on having my body do the same. We love training, but it’s worth noting the things that I do outside of the gym are just as important to my success as what I do inside the gym. [Read more…]
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