Mid-Point Goals
I want to give a few personal updates on my training these days. I am just over the half-way point with this pregnancy (21 weeks) and last week we found out we're having a boy (yay!). Since I've already been through this process once before I know that the next 20 or so weeks can become quite physically trying. So, I've reassessed my progress to this point and have created some new goals.
First 20-weeks goals:
- Build a solid aerobic base ahead of time - ACCOMPLISHED. With Arabella I had NO IDEA how important aerobic exercise would be for my day-to-day tasks. I ended up having to play "catch-up." You'd think this would happen late in the pregnancy when you've gained a bunch of weight... surprise! It doesn't! It happens very quickly as the result of increased blood volume. The aerobic training helps your body adapt more quickly. For Baby #2 I began a conditioning program (geared towards 800m runners) about 1 month before we started trying to "get pregnant" - it has worked wonders. Weight gain has been slower and I've felt much better.
- Address my body's areas of breakdown ahead of time - ACCOMPLISHED. I've learned that, while pregnant, I need to take special care of my lower back via simple strength movements like the bird-dog, address calf weakness and overall foot health, and can train with more vigor than I did with Arabella (again, I realized this about half-way through with her). The result is that while my back flares up from time-to-time, it is under control and overall I feel much more like myself in terms of strength and health. Regarding foot health, I won't know if I've been successful until after the baby is born.
Second 20-week Goals:
- Continue to prioritize low- to moderate-level conditioning but without laying the foundation for wicked plantar fasciitis. I'm shifting towards Prowler sled pushes 2x/week, stepper or bike or smililar low impact activity 2x/week, and 1 or 2x/week of actual running. Believe it or not, with Arabella I ran 3-4x/week (with low impact on off days) up until I was 38 weeks pregnant. For my Prowler pushes I will do a "trip" for every week pregnant I am - today I did 21. Took about 30 min.
- Keep up with lower leg pre-hab to keep my feet and calves strong enough to safely continue to propel my heavy(er) body when I'm running.
- Maintain pullups and chinups in my training regime. Sadly, these will not be body weight. BUT, on the upside, they can be called "Banded + 25lbs Pullups" by the due date - I'm sure somewhere in there things even out. With Arabella the stretch placed on my torso from the hang position was too uncomfortable/borderline painful to keep in (even banded). So, I'm hoping to keep them in throughout, if possible. Same approach as the Prowler: 1 rep for every week pregnant.
- Lastly - and, okay, I recognize this borders on the ridiculous - but, if everything goes smoothly and all the variables line up in the best possible way. Then my goal is to beat my time in "active" labor. Arabella took 55 minutes. I'm after a PR with this little guy.
One final note is that I'm not entirely a crazy person, I do certainly understand the limits of my body and the safety of the baby comes first. So, as with #1, I know when to dial things down if my body isn't feeling quite right. And, the above is by NO MEANS my recommendation to pregnant women looking to stay active throughout their pregnancies. Rather, this is the by-product of a body (mine) which has been trained consistently at a very high level for about a decade.
I categorized this post under "Awesome" and "Chest Thumping" because, well, staying active throughout a pregnancy is really, really tough. So, anyone who manages that feat should feel it is both awesome and a serious point of pride!
10 Rules to Keep Your Man Card
In the short time I’ve been a strength coach I’ve learned a number of lessons from mentors and co-workers.; one of those lessons being how to lose your “man card”. It’s important for us to understand that our man card is not a right, but a privilege. And trust me, if you’re not careful yours will get snatched away! Hence the reason for writing this post; follow these simple rules and I promise your man card won’t be going anywhere. Rule 1: Do not wear your clothes so tight that your girlfriend mistakes them for hers. Guys, there’s no excuse for this, either buy some bigger clothes or get bigger yourself.
Rule 2: Do not comment on how vascular another man is/don’t talk about how vascular you are. Is this something I really need to explain? Just don’t do it, it’s weird.
Rule 3: If your 140lbs soaking wet do not talk about wanting to gain mass and then complain about not wanting to lose your “six-pack”. MAN UP! Start pounding whole milk and peanut butter and start MOVING WEIGHT!
Rule 4: Do not lip sync to your awful music in the mirror at the gym in between sets with an angry look on your face. When I was in college I saw this entirely too often. Let’s keep that nonsense to yourself guy in the tiny Affliction t-shirt and Euro Puma shoes.
Rule 5: Bringing this back to the beginning, do not wear skinny jeans so tight that your girlfriend asks if she can borrow them. Much to my dismay, I feel like this happens more than it ought to. As a matter of fact just don’t wear skinny jeans.
Rule 6: Do not begin every sentence with the word “Bro”. Usually the sentence that follows goes something like; “Bro, can I get a spot on these Preacher Curls?”
Rule 7: Do not lift your shirt up to check out your abs in the mirror while at the gym. Put your shirt down and get back to your Smith Machine quarter squats.
Rule 8: Do not use a foam pad on the barbell when squatting or front squatting. Again, MAN UP! Get used to the bar, get some bigger shoulders, and get a bigger yoke!
Rule 9: Do not update your status on Facebook to “gettin’ swole at the gym”. Newsflash, no one cares that you’re at the gym. Unless your status is “attempting a 600lbs deadlift today” we don’t want to hear about your adventures on the elliptical machine.
Rule 10: Do not be the guy five years out of high school at the local gym telling everyone about the glory days and how “strong” you used to be. This is what I like to call the Uncle Rico syndrome. It’s over man, move on. And chances are you weren’t as strong as you thought you were.
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I know what you’re saying to yourself, “Ryan, you’ve never been guilty of any of these things?” And my answer would be nope, not a one. Come on, you seriously think I’d admit to any of these things? Anyway, be sure to follow these rules in order to keep doing those manly things we like to do such as, chopping wood, going on river boat gambling trips, making beef jerky, hunting bears with our bare hands, and wearing flannel.
The Best Mobility Series You're Not (Yet) Doing
This series is from Grey Cook and I absolutely LOVE it. It's a staple mobility movement for all my teams at Mason, especially while they're in-season. The very first and very last portion that gets cut off is simply an overhead stretch (lift your chest and straighten out your arms).
The sequence is very time efficient and takes care of mobilizing everything you need to prior to a squat session like these NAAAASTY speed squats I did a couple years ago: ...I used to be able to move some weight.
This mobility series also works great at home should you find yourself monitoring a small child's breakfast and not actually eating yourself: Okay, I know that was a reach, but I really wanted to post an Arabella video - it's Friday, after all!!
Give the Squat Mobility Series a go - your entire posterior chain and your hips will thank you!
A shoulder saver, and some training footage...
What’s up folks! Today I bring you yet another awesome “shoulder saver” exercise. I’ve been programming these suckers with reckless abandon over the past month. Ladies and Gents, I give you the “Standing W”. This footage was taken from our comprehensive online database of exercises used to coach our distance coaching clientele.
Why is this a great exercise? Not only does it smoke the external rotators, but it forces the individual into scapular retraction as well. Also, if performed correctly, this movement will recruit lower trap with minimal upper trap activation.
From a coaching standpoint, I find the movement to be “Dumby-Proof,” meaning it’s extremely easy to learn (and coach) as it puts the individual in an advantageous position to move and execute correctly. The ol’ “pinch my finger” cue comes in handy if the individual isn’t retracting and depressing appropriately. Anyone can benefit from a “Standing W,” especially overhead athletes (baseball, softball, etc.).
I’ve also been getting some inquiries regarding our Buttkamp classes. You know, our bootcamp styled classes that are scientifically designed to kick your butt? Well here’s some footage from last week. These ladies are getting strong!
Chris (Romo) Romanow
Auditory cuing, switch words, and a 14 year-old girl who can probably do more chin-ups than you…
I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of coordinating and teaching some strength and conditioning drills at the George Mason University Baseball and Softball summer camps throughout the week. It’s been a welcomed challenge attempting to coordinate 60-70 baseball and softball players through 45 minutes of drills in about 100 degree heat. As with any coaching scenario I immerse myself in, it is always my goal to elicit a positive response in the athlete that I’m coaching; in short, when they leave my guidance I want them to have learned something, and I want them to have gotten better, no matter the circumstances. Now, 100 degree heat, 7-7min stations of 10, 8-12 year-olds, may not be the most conducive situation, or my most comfortable setting, for eliciting the responses I’ve mentioned above. However, that just meant I had to get a little more creative, concise, and entertaining with my delivery. What I found to be most helpful was the usage of auditory cuing and switch words (I learned these techniques from Brian Grasso, so there, I’m not passing these ideas off as my own).
Auditory cuing is helpful for many reasons. One, it forces everyone in the group to be quite and attentive as they listen for the cue (a moment of solace amongst a pack of 10 year old girls is hard to come by). Two, it excites the athlete as it becomes a game to see who can react to the cue the fastest, thus yielding a more focused athlete.
Switch words come in handy as you try to elicit the effort in which you want the drill executed. Remember, 100 degree heat…who really wants to jump high or run fast. Switch words, and I’ll quote Brian Grasso, “are one-word declarations that enable the subconscious minds to literally “flip a switch’ thereby causing a particular behavior pattern or thought process to ensue.”
Below is how I ran a drill the other afternoon, auditory cues and switch words are labeled:
“Ladies, good afternoon, when I clap twice, I need you to clap twice and give me your attention. (Practice the clap response, and BAM you have their undivided attention).
Our first drill will begin on our stomach, when I say ‘ready’ (cue/switch) we’ll get to the half-kneeling position as fast as we can. When I say ‘hit’ (switch) you’ll run as fast as you can through me (repeat ‘hit’ loudly as they run to elicit the effort you want). Let me hear you clap twice if you understand the drill.”
These simple little techniques will allow your message to be less muddled and better received amongst your younger athletes. Being creative, but concise, with your instructions will make a world of difference.
And now, I give you a 14 year old girl that’s probably stronger than you…she could barely do one of these when she first started with us about 19-weeks ago…
When you see the word "click," the next time in this sentence, click it and you'll be on your way to getting stronger...clap twice if you hear me.
Romo
Random, I'll give you random...
Happy Thursday to you! In the midst of the summer rush so please forgive my scatter-brained post! Check-out the 600lbs Amberjack...okay maybe it was only 60lbs that I caught last weekend. This sucker was a real fighter...took me about 35 minutes to get in the boat. Honestly, for a second I thought I had Moby Dick on the end of my line. I'd reel-in, pull-up on the line, and he'd just take back all the drag. Anyhow, having a strong grip (and caluses) certainly helped in this situation...I may have cried a little though...
Buttkampers, Suzanne and Bonnie (in picture below flanking the sides) competed in, and completed, the Warrior Dash a couple weeks back. They reported that all the glute work performed at Buttkamp really helped them plow through the course. Nice job ladies!
For more information regarding Buttkamp, our bootcamp styled classes designed to improve strength and conditioning, click HERE. Unsure, watch the video below to get a better feel for what we do in class.
Finally, distance coaching client Frank, is still making awesome progress. Progressive overload is working just fine right now. He just pulled another 10lbs PR (335lbs), and below is the picture to prove it.
Don't let a busy schedule, or a long commute prevent you from from experiencing our individualized strength and conditioning programs. For more informatin about our distance coaching training options click HERE!
Chris
