We are excited as hell today! And it's not because it's the holidays and xmas rocked again like usual, but because we have a special interview for you today.
We are lucky to have Bret Contreras aka the Glute Guy with us today. Bret is known as the Glute Guy because he popularized the Hip Thrust exercise and is an expert on all things glutes.
But that title sells him short because Bret is one of the hardest working dudes in the industry. I swear he must have a time machine with all of the projects he's a part of. He continually puts out epic blog articles on a weekly basis, has a number of fantastic books, is working on his doctorate, made a piece of exercise equipment, and puts out a monthly research resource (I've been part of it since day 1, and if you're not subscribed to it, you're missing out on the BEST and CHEAPEST resource to stay on top of current research).
Bret's knowledge of biomechanics, physiology, and research is outstanding, but he's also a coach and lifter himself. So he's in the trenches putting things to work. Enjoy this awesome interview and be prepared to take notes!
1. Hey Bret thanks for doing this interview! Could you first describe what you do and what projects you're currently working on?
Hi Michael! I’m a personal trainer working on my PhD in sports science and biomechanics. I have a CSCS from the NSCA and a master’s degree from ASU. As for projects, I have around 9 studies I’m going to conduct this year, all involving various hip strengthening exercises. I have a lab that is equipped with strength training equipment, EMG, force plate, and video capture.
2. You have performed a lot of EMG research. Could you describe what EMG is?
EMG stands for electromyography and it measures the electrical drive to the muscles during exercise. It’s not perfectly representative of the tension that is developed in the muscle, but with large surface muscles like the gluteus maximus, it’s pretty close. Out of all the common sports science tools such as EMG, force plate, linear position transducer, accelerometer, isokinetic dynamometer, motion capture, and force treadmill, EMG is my favorite. It can be used for so many purposes and provides insight to help answer critical questions in strength training.
3. You've done a lot of research on sprinting and there seems to be a division between the vertical forces group and horizontal forces group. Do you see the research favoring one over the other or might a lot of what is seen just a combination of both?
Yes, the research heavily favors horizontal force. Anyone who doesn’t agree with that hasn’t read the entire body of research. This isn’t to say that vertical force isn’t important, just that horizontal is more critical. Moreover, power is more important than force when it comes to sprinting, so horizontal power is key for rapid sprinting.
(photo credit: trainoutpain.blogspot.com)
4. A goal of many athletes and people looking to get stronger is hypertrophy. This is a loaded question, but what is the ultimate environment for hypertrophy considering - muscle/tissue damage, mechanical tension, time under tension, low-medium reps vs high reps vs going to failure, and rest periods.
I rely heavily on the work of Brad Schoenfeld in this regard. We both believe that tension is the most important factor in hypertrophy training, with metabolic stress being similarly important. Muscle damage is another factor but less important than mechanical tension or metabolic stress. We believe that there is a “sweet spot,” or optimal combination of these factors that maximizes the hypertrophic response, and that it probably differs from one individual to the next due to genetic variation.
Due to these beliefs, Brad and I feel that lifters should employ all popular rep ranges (low reps, medium reps, and high reps) and utilize a variety of set/rep schemes and techniques in their training.
5. Different exercises target different parts of the glutes to higher degrees, for example you've stated the Quadruped Straight Leg Extension hits the upper glutes while the Quadruped Bent Leg Extension hits the mid-glutes. Do these different parts play different roles in athletic success? For example do different parts of the glutes play bigger roles in sprinting, jumping, or change of direction?
In general, training hip extension will give you the most bang for your buck. Many people can “visualize” the importance of hip extension in jumping and sprinting, but fail to realize the role of hip extension in cutting and rotating.
For example, the hip extension component to lateral agility drills is more important than the hip abduction component, and in a golf swing, hip extension power in the rear leg is vital. However, sound training for sports will incorporate training in multiple vectors such as the lateral and rotational vectors (think lateral slides on the slideboard, medball rotational throws, and various sled, plyo, and agility drills). Similarly, supplementary exercises can easily be included in the weightroom to develop the entire gluteal region such as band and cable hip strengthening exercises (think x-band walks, cable hip abduction, and band seated abductions).
6. If a 12-week study were performed looking at the effects of the back squat vs Deadlift vs hip thrust on performance numbers like the vertical jump, broad jump, 10-yard acceleration, and flying 30; while also looking at physical changes like body composition, postural/pelvic alignment, and hip/glute hypertrophy, what would you predict would happen? (This all assumes volume, load, and periodization is kept identical)
This might be the best question I’ve ever been asked! Let’s just focus on the squat versus the hip thrust for a minute. My hypothesis is that the squat would trump the hip thrust for vertical jump, while the hip thrust would trump the squat for the flying 30, postural/pelvic alignment, and glute hypertrophy. The broad jump and 10-yard acceleration would be a toss-up between the two. If we add the deadlifts into the mix, now it’s even more complicated! The deadlift might maximize every performance test (with the hip thrust still outperforming the others in glute hypertrophy and pelvic posture alterations). This is a fascinating question, and nobody really has the answer.
What I’m fairly certain of, however, is that if you had a 4th group that did all three exercises (still with volume equated), they’d see the best results. In other words, the best approach to strength training for athletes is to incorporate some sort of squatting, hip-hinging, and hip-thrusting movements. This is why research is so important though, as theories are nothing if they don’t match experiments. I could be spot on with my hypothesis, or dead wrong. Time will tell.
7. Training for power output is another tricky area for coaches. Some recommend 30% of max, while others recommend 45%, 55%, 80%, and body weight; it's really all over the place. Does the load depend on the movement used and is there an ideal percentage or should we just hit the whole force-velocity spectrum?
Another great question! Each exercise has it’s own load that maximizes power output.
For example, with the jump squat, no load (just bodyweight) maximizes power output. With power cleans, around 85% of 1RM maximizes power output. With deadlifts, the optimal load for maximizing power output is around 30-40% of 1RM. While there is indeed some good research showing that you get better training results by using the “optimal load” compared to other loads, nearly every strength coach in the world would argue that “combined training” elicits the best results (and research shows this too). So train a variety of loads – in order to maximize performance, do plyometrics, heavy lifting, dynamic effort, and explosive lifts.
(photo credit: articles.elitefts.com)
8. You recently came out with the Hip Thruster! This is a big step towards continuing the impact of the hip thrust. Overall how do you feel the implementation and use of the hip thrust has been? Are there tendencies you tend to see (low weight-high reps vs high weight-low reps) and do you think it could be implemented better? In your opinion what is the best way to program the hip thrust?
While “my people” have really embraced the hip thrust, if I take a step back and look at the way the entire world trains, hip thrusts are still highly underutilized. Go to most commercial gyms and you won’t see anyone hip thrusting. If Arnold thought these up in the 80’s and popularized them back then, the entire world would be performing them. But in this day and age, there’s so much information out there, so it’s hard to make a big impact. Therefore, making an impact takes time and a lot of energy. I’m going to keep plugging away by promoting the hip thrust and teaching people how to incorporate it into their programming, and hopefully it continues to build steam. I’m a huge fan of squats, lunges, and deadlifts, but the hip thrust also has a primary place in strength and conditioning. For women seeking optimal glute development, I believe it’s the best lift out there. But the theme of this interview is that a multi-faceted approach always works best.
In general, I see too many people sacrificing form in order to move heavier weights with hip thrusts (the same is true for every popular lift though). Also, lifters tend to gravitate towards either heavy-weight for low reps or light-weight for high reps due to their training preferences. I think it’s important to include all rep ranges throughout the month. It’s not always fun to perform 3 sets of 5 reps or 2 sets of 20 reps, but the different rep ranges are synergistic for maximizing results. Personally, I think hip thrusting twice per week with a pyramid approach (a few progressively heavier sets followed up by a high rep back-off set) makes the most sense for most lifters.
(photo credit: bretcontreras.com)
Rapid Fire Round!
Squat vs Deadlift
My two favorite lifts! Squats for quads and for keeping form on deadlifts in check. Deadlifts for hamstrings, grip, and maximizing “real world” functional strength.
Reading Articles/Blogs vs Video Articles/Blogs
Both! Reading goes much quicker if you skim/speed-read like me, while videos allow you to gauge the tone of the expert and see demonstrations.
Olympics Lifts vs Other Means of Power Development
If you’re a strength coach who has access to the athletes year-round, then Oly lifts. If you only have athletes for a short-term or you’re a personal trainer who doesn’t know how long the athlete will be around, then hex bar jump squats and heavy kettlebell swings.
Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Love Hewitt, or Jennifer Lawrence
My fiancée Diana! Okay who am I kidding? She’d slap me if I didn’t go with Jennifer Aniston. And if we’re talking about the Jessica’s, we’d have to go with Alba then Beal.
(Note from MZ: I'll take my girlfriend Jennifer over all of them! (suck up points!))
Favorite Sport
I’m an MMA guy through and through. Then American football.
Coffee vs Energy Drinks vs Soda
Xyience energy drinks are best! Then diet soda, then coffee. I actually hate the taste of water (or the lack of taste of water).
Like what you're reading? Then sign-up for BBA updates here ----------------------------->
We've collected some random thoughts for you again. Every couple of weeks we sit down and discuss things we're thinking about or have been seeing in our clients. Now we bring them to you!
Better Sports Performance
On Tuesday the 19th we releasing our Ebook, Better Sports Performance. Take a look at the outline
- Exercise Physiology
- Definitions
- Muscle Physiology
- Energy Systems
- Biomechanics/Anatomy
- Definitions
- Ankle/Foot
- Knee
- Hip/Pelvis
- Spine
- Shoulder/Scapula
- Joint-by-Joint Theory
- Planes, Movements,
- Lever Systems
- Sport Performance Analysis
- Program Evaluation
- Athlete Evaluation
- Common Dysfunctions
- Exercise Technique Errors/Corrections
- EMG
- Performance Fundamentals
- Mobility vs Flexibility
- Rest/Recovery Methods
- Landing and Change of Direction Mechanics
- Acceleration and Sprint Mechanics
- Nutrition
- Training Youth and Girls
- Program Design
- Program Dynamics
- Periodization
- Warm-Up
- Structure
- Movement Development
- Finishers
- Books, Tools, Extra's
It's only going to be $4.99, and we feel strongly that you won't be able to find anything out there for this value. Be sure to grab a copy when it comes out!
Go Get 'Em Challenge
On December 14th we are putting on our 1st Annual Go Get 'Em Challenge. Come test your physical abilities in this fun, intense event. Here are the events
- Reverse Med Ball Throw for Distance (12lb for females, 16lb for males)
- Max Sumo DL
- Max Pull-Ups
- Kettlebell Swing + Burpee Complex - 10min
- Number Crunch - For Time
- Obstacle Course - For Time
There will be a BBQ and social afterwards, and all participants will receive a t-shirt. The entry fee is only $10, so come and compete, have fun, and see how you stack up in this Go Get 'Em Challenge! Email us at buildingbetterathletes.bba@gmail.com to get more info and sign-up! SLJ vs 3-Bound
One of the assessment tools we use is the standing long jump and repeated 3-bound. We use these tests to help determine lower body power and elastic properties. The traditional way of testing these qualities has been using the vertical jump and comparing that with a depth jump. The problem with this is logistics. Unless you have a jump mat, testing these numbers on a Vertec can be very time consuming and you need to adjust for each individual athlete.
To accommodate these issues, we use the broad jump, because it's easier to test and may actually be a better indicator to acceleration and speed (check out our NFL Combine reports below for more on that topic).
What we are trying to see is if they are more of a static athlete or elastic athlete. One ratio we look for is their 3-bound compared to their standing long jump. We are looking for athletes to have their 3-bound between 3.1-3.3x more than their standing long jump. If the athlete is at this level or above, then we know that have pretty good elastic qualities and may benefit from adding more strength while keeping these elastic properties. If an athlete doesn't exhibit these numbers, we know they need some elastic work.
One thing to look for is how smooth the transitions are between each jump. The athlete should "roll" into each jump in a smooth, efficient manner; not an abrupt, slow manner. Just by watching the athlete you can get a pretty good idea of which end of the strength/static - speed/elastic spectrum they are on.
Here at BBA we like use VooDoo bands with our clients, and see many benefits. The VooDoo band is popularized by Kelly Starrett and his usage in his Moblity Wod. The only problem with VooDoo bands is they don't have any literature to support their benefits, hence their name VooDoo. The ideas behind VooDoo bands are all speculative, but to be honest, we don't care, it works for us and our athletes.
(photo: allthingsgym.com)
Here's some of the ideas behind the use of VooDoo bands
Myofascial benefits
Compression, shearing of tissues to help reduce swelling, improve tissue health, and ROM
Restrict blood flow, and then pump fresh, nutrient rich blood back in
Proprioception
Involves various systems - skin, connective tissue, muscles, joint capsule, nerves, blood vessels
Shoulder Movement
We train a lot of baseball players here at BBA, and part of our assessment is to see how their whole upper body work together during OH movements. To ensure we get a good look at all the intricacies of this we have the athlete take their shirt-off and look at a few things
One of the biggest areas that we feel most athletes need to learn to do, is to learn how to land and stop. We all want to build bigger engines and go faster and faster. But if you don't have good breaks, then injury is inevitable. We take a lot of time developing correct landing and deceleration mechanics in our athletes.
We also do this in a number of different positions. Athletics require eccentric control in a wide variety of positions, and we try to put athletes in as many different positions as possible so they can learn how to control their bodies no matter what.
Landing and deceleration is where most non-contact injuries occur, and it's because athletes don't possess the control and/or correct postures/positions in these positions. So while we often see ACL prevention program work on landing mechanics, it's often just linear, and don't often involve lateral, rotational, single leg, split stance positions that are so prevalent in athletics.
Take a look at some ways we do this here at BBA.
Grandma Power Lifter
Down Syndrome Power Lifter
Prezi's
Check out our Prezi outlines we deliver to various organizations on various topics
Derrick Rose claims to have added 5 inches to his vertical during his ACL rehab. He already possessed an incredible vert before hand, and now 5 inches higher!? Mike Robertson breaks down how this might be possible and how he would approach D-Rose's rehab.
Get more great interviews by signing-up for BBA updates here ------------------------>
We are extremely lucky today to have Daniel Coyle, best selling author, to talk to us about talent and how we really get better at things. Dan is the author of many books, his most known being the Talent Code and the Little Book of Talent.
In these books he breaks down what makes people successful. The story behind their success and the often believed "natural" ability. Short story - hard work, dedication, effort, and years of practice is what makes people successful. We often see the end-product and think WOW they were born to do that, but we don't appreciate the process, the progressions, the sacrifice, the set-backs, and the hours upon hours of practice.
I think believing that genetics are the key determinate in how well you perform in any given field is a cop-out. It's taking the easy way out for reasoning why someone may be better than you. Ask anyone who is successful why they are successful and a common response will be work. When others sleeping, they were working; when others were partying, they were working; when others were watching TV, they were working. All that extra time starts to add up over the years, and this is what Dan has brought to the forefront.
We'll let Dan take it from here, so enjoy the wise words from this great researcher and writer!
1.First off thank-you so much for doing this Daniel. I know you're a very busy guy, so thanks for taking the time to do this. With the popularity of your books, The Talent Code and The Little Book of Talent, could you give an overview of what contributes to talent and why these contributions can be more important than ones genes.
It's truly my pleasure, Michael -- thank you for having me!
The overview is pretty simple, and it consists of seven words: Your genes matter less than you think.
Historically, we've given a lot of influence to the idea that talented people possess some special twist of DNA that the rest of us lack. But science is showing us that this is largely a mistake. Science is showing us that talents -- especially when it comes to cognitively demanding skills -- aren't doled out at birth. They are grown in the brain through intensive practice. The only exception to this is raw athletic skills. So if you want to be a high jumper or a marathon runner, you definitely have to pick the right parents. But for most everything else, it's less about who you are, and more about what you do. Specifically, how you are motivated, coached, and above all, how effectively you practice.
2.The 10,000 hour rule of mastery has gained a lot of recognition over the years. For athletic or sport performance, do you feel these hours have to be specific (example basketball) - or do broad, general skills and movement/motor learning such as playing other sports also help contribute towards the 10,000 hours?
Great question, because one of the most common reactions to the 10,000-hour rule is the strong desire to practice narrowly -- for tennis players to focus ferociously on tennis, for instance, or chess players on chess. This instinct makes sense, but it's often the wrong thing to do. The reason is that, like any structure, skills are built on other skills. A broad base -- whether it's chess or tennis or anything else -- has been shown to lead to better performance. Think of Federer (soccer player until 13); Kobe Bryant (same), Steve Nash (same). They succeeded in part because the skills of one sport (recognizing patterns, anticipation, body control) gave them an advantage over players who just trained narrowly in one sport.
3.What steps do you recommend to learning skills, techniques, movements?
First of all, stare. Find a way to watch someone who's good -- watch them closely, and over and over, until you can feel yourself making the movement.
Then break it down into chunks. Small pieces that you learn over and over, and combine into bigger chunks.
All high-quality practice consists of three moves: you reach for a target. Then you evaluate the distance between your reach and the target -- what worked? What didn't? Then you reach again. Repeat.
4.What role does the brain play in skill acquisition?
It's gigantic. We talk of "muscle memory" but the truth is that your muscles don't have any memory. They're just doing what the brain tells them to do. So whenever you see an act of great coordination -- whether it's Jordan driving to the hoop or Tiger Woods hitting a perfect shot -- what your'e really seeing is beautiful brains. Circuits that have been built, refined, and made accurate and fast through deep practice.
5.What are some traits great coaches have in common?
A couple things come to mind. First, they're able to form strong connections very quickly. They connect to the heart. Second, they don't give long inspiring speeches -- rather, they deliver vivid short bites of information in a memorable way. Third, they spend lots of time designing the practice space, and planning.
6.Tell us the importance of cues and cueing and how to make cueing more effective?
The most important cue a person can get is when they see a vision of their future self. When they meet someone that they don't just admire and respect, but someone that they want to become. That causes a cascade of motivation energy that some scientists have actually measured. We're social animals, and we're driven by our sense of identity. When we see a vision of our future selves, our brains light up and we have a lot of energy that we can use to (you guessed it!) practice.
7.You've talked about having your own scoreboard, can you explain this a little further?
This comes from addressing a common problem in youth sports and in business. The problem is that the scoreboard we use doesn't reflect the qualities we want to grow -- and the solution is to create your own scoreboard. For example, a soccer coach who wants to improve passing should track the number of successful passes each game, and post it -- so that that number becomes the metric the team cares about.
8.What traits/qualities should parents and coaches strive to promote and instil in children?
Grit. Resilience. Resourcefulness. Love of learning. Which happens to be precisely the same traits they should promote in themselves. Because learning is not like waving some magical wand. It's more like a cross-country hike. It takes time, lots of energy, stubbornness, flexibility, and above all togetherness.
Thanks again Dan! Some great information was dished out there and for even more in-depth analysis of these topics and more be sure to check out Dan's books below. Trust me, you won't be disappointed and they will change the way your live your life and work towards your goals. The Talent Code The Little Book of Talent Lance Armstrong's War Hardball
Stay updated with current research and sign-up for BBA updates here ---------------------->
Core Muscle Activation and Activity Throughout the Different Phases of the Golf Swing: A Literature Review
This great study dove deep into the research pertaining to muscle activation during the golf swing. It looked at different phases of the swing - back swing, down swing, contact, and follow through - and the muscles active and dominant during those phases.
They found a couple of things, some obvious, some other pretty interesting
1. Sequence Holds True - All high level golfers use the same sequence - Hips, torso, shoulder, arms, club. Lesser golfers don't take advantage of this sequence to the degree high level golfers do.
photo credit: ketteringfitness.com
2. Glutes and Core - Overall key to golf power and club velocity is strong glutes and a strong core. The researchers noted that improving strength in these areas can improve club distance by 6% or more. That's pretty dang significant when we're talking about 150-250+ yards with many clubs.
3. Importance of Rotator Cuff and Scapular control and synchronization - I found this pretty interesting and probably not something a lot of golfers think about, the importance of a strong and stable shoulder. Here's a quote from the study
"while golf does not require an extremely demanding
arm action, it does, however, entail highly synchronized rotator
cuff muscle activity so as to protect the shoulder complex, especially during
the downswing. These findings agree with research that also
considered the activity of the scapular muscles in the upper back region
(levator scapulae, rhomboid, trapezius, serratus anterior) throughout the golf
swing. These data indicate that the upper, middle, and lower
trapezius muscles work collectively, assisting in the retraction of the scapula
throughout different sections of the swing"
4. Professionals Don't Use DIFFERENT Muscle Activations - This should be encouraging for most golfers, to know that they guys you're watching on TV are using the same muscle activations as you - they just use them better. They are stronger, more mobile, more efficient, and more consistent with these activation patterns. This just reinforces the need for golfers to get into a strength and conditioning program that focuses on building the ranges of motions need, and then adding strength and stability on those patterns.
2. Stretch and Activation of the Human Biarticular Hamstrings Across a Range of Running Speeds
The hamstring complex is an extremely important group for athletic performance. The hamstrings help to extend the hip, and this hip extension is key to running speed and jumping height. The hamstrings are made up of 3 muscles - biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus. The study looked into the amount of activation and different stretch lengths of each hamstring muscle during slow and fast running.
The researchers found the stretch of each hamstring muscle was very similar. This means that all 3 muscles were put through similar muscle-tendon unit stretch during all the speeds.
The researchers also noted that muscle tendon lengthening velocities were fairly similar, but as the running velocities increased especially at 6.9m/s, the biceps femoris lengthened at a velocity higher than the others. This points to why the bicep femoris may be the most commonly injured hamstring muscle. On the other hand, the muscle tendon unit shortening velocities were also very similar with the semitendinosus having the largest peak shortening velocity.
When looking at the EMG of the hamstring during the sprint cycle, 2 periods peaked on the activation scale
- First was the portion of the stride from foot-strike to terminal stance
- Second was from terminal swing to foot-strike
Both of these instances make sense as this is the hip extension portion of the gait and the hamstrings act as a key hip extensor. Another interesting point was the medial hamstrings (semimembranosus and semitendinosus) were activated longer and more pronounced than the lateral hamstrings (biceps femoris). What was also very important was to note that as speed increased, so did hamstring activation levels. It's been said for a long time, the hamstring group is the most important muscle group for building speed.
This study is very interesting and may help shed some light on how to train the posterior chain specifically for sprinting. We know certain exercises can stress the medial and lateral hamstrings more heavily and we can approach our training to mirror the same tendencies seen during actual sprinting.
For example supine leg curls (stability ball, towel, valslide) and glute/ham raises target the lateral hamstrings more, and possibly training these more eccentrically may combat the risk of injury and better simulate the action during running. Kettlebell swings and RDL's target the medial hamstrings more and making sure we perform dynamic efforts in both of these lifts may help simulate how they perform on the track. These are ideas, nothing concrete, just thinking aloud. Also "primetime's" or straight-leg bounds could simulate the actions of the posterior chain without the pounding and CNS intensiveness of sprinting.
Never Miss a Beat. Subscribe to our Newsletter here -------------------------------->
When we walk, jog, jump, kick, swim, bike, or sprint, our hips have to perform two very different movements. One side of the hip is going through flexion while the other side is going through extension. This is what I call hip dissociation—the separation of the two legs and their movements at the hip joint.
When you sprint, each leg cycle consists of one leg dynamically performing hip flexion (knee drive) while the opposite leg simultaneously performs dynamic hip extension (leg extending toward the ground). The two legs are performing separate and simultaneous actions at the hip joint. When we train, we typically perform movements where both sides of the hips are performing the same movements. In typical squats, deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, kettlebell swings, glute ham raises, and hip thrusts, the legs and hips are working together on the same movement in the same plane.
Yuri Verkhoshansky (quit possibly the smartest coach ever!) was the first coach to realize these two opposite movements and he tried to implement a way to train them. He came up with some pretty innovative exercises to train both of these simultaneous movements. However, for some reason, they never really stuck, and you’d be hard pressed to find any program that trains this quality.
You might be thinking that I’m advocating switching bilateral exercises for single-leg movements, but in reality, almost all single leg work doesn’t attack this hip dissociation fully. Take a single-leg squat. One leg is performing the squat, so it’s going through hip flexion and subsequent hip extension. But the other leg is just statically staying put, not going through any range of movement. It’s performing a low intensity, isometric contraction at an almost neutral position.
While split squats, lunges, and RFESS do stress the opposite actions of extension and flexion in each leg, they don’t stress full range of motion or dynamic movement in the back leg. Think about it—the hips are in two different positions, but the back leg doesn’t go through a full range of motion, dynamic movement, or resistance, which is seen in actual movements. Most of these movements consist of one leg performing the movement while the other doesn’t move and contracts isometrically or performs only a small range of motion without any resistance.
The purpose of hip dissociation exercises is to stress, load, and mimic these movement patterns. Instead of training these qualities separately, you kill two birds with one stone. Not only that, but as Pavel Tsatsouline has been known to say, you’re “greasing the groove.” You’re teaching this separation and developing this movement pattern while in the weight room.
On top of the added mechanics and loading of a specific movement pattern, you also get a great contralateral core stabilization exercise. These movements won’t only stress your hips, but they present contralateral forces on the body in which the torso will be forced to stabilize. Your torso will be forced to act as an anti-rotator to keep the body positioned.
So overall, these exercises:
Provide simultaneous strengthening of hip extension and flexion
Develop hip and leg coordination and dissociation
Develop sprint/jumping mechanics
Allow you to engrave this very important movement pattern
Stress contralateral core stabilization
Allow loading from all different planes, vectors, and positions
Again, I’m not advocating that you drop bilateral movements in favor of these exercises. I firmly believe that the big, bilateral exercises should be at the base of a training program. What I’m saying is that maybe you should throw these in for accessory/auxiliary work, during a warm up, or in between sets.
I’m not claiming that these movements will change the way you train, but they could be of great use if you train athletes who need great movement skills. Experiment with them and see if you find some carryover into your movements. Hell, if Dr. Verkhoshansky thought to train these qualities, that right there is enough for me to think that they must be important. So let’s get to the good stuff and see what I’m talking about.
Glute bridge with isometric hip flexor:
I like to start with this progression because it helps to learn how to create simultaneous tension of hip flexion and hip extension in a more controlled, static position rather than jumping right into dynamic movements.
Band-resisted leg “scissors”:
We pick up the speed of the movement a little bit. But again, it’s still in a controlled state to engrain and stabilize the movement pattern.
Isometric glute bridge with hip flexion:
Hip extension stays under tension, and we pick up the velocity of hip flexion. This is really going to stress the posterior muscle sling to stay stable.
Single-leg glute bridge with hip flexion:
Now we fully piece together dynamic flexion and extension. An easy way to load hip extension is to use chains, sand bags, or dumbbells/kettlebells.
Single-leg hip thrust with hip flexion:
Now we progress to a greater range of motion, which will require more coordination and allow for more velocity. You can always add chains, sand bags, or dumbbells/kettlebells to the hips to further load hip extension.
Step-up with hip flexion:
Now, we move up to our feet to load more vertically rather than horizontally like in the previous movements. I find that a band is the best way to load the back leg (hip flexion), but ankle weights are another option. Adding a vest or increasing the speed or box height of the step-up will enhance the hip extension portion.
Reverse lunge with hip flexion:
Finally, another option is to use a reverse lunge into hip flexion. This hybrid loads both the horizontal and vertical vectors. Make sure the band has tension on the reverse lunge aspect. Otherwise, the band has a tendency to slip off the foot (or you could always wrap it around your ankle a couple of times to keep it tight). Again, using a vest is an easy way to load the reverse lunge.
Conclusion
There you have it—hip dissociation. I really feel that these exercises have a lot of bang for your buck and do have a place in a program (at least in mine). I really like using these during my warm up for activation or between sets or as auxiliary exercises.
Never Miss a Beat; Sign-Up for BBA Updates Here ---------------------------------------------->
We have put a lot time researching and
piecing together the information we are presenting and feel this
information is extremely beneficial for golfers of all levels. Last
week we talked about how we approach our training for
baseball/softball players, but what's nice is there is a lot of
carryover and similarities between the two sports.
They both live in the transverse plane
and need adequate rotational training principles. In that same
regard they both require very similar mobility and stability demands,
so the training aspects are very similar.
One major difference between the two is
usually the population we work with. With my baseball athletes it's
typically youth through college athletes; while the golfers we work with are
typically between ages 35-60. While many of the principles are the
same, how we approach this population and how aggressive we train
will differ.
So let's take a quick look at 3
strategies for approaching training for golf.
1. Earn the Right to Rotate – This is
something that we really try to emphasize to everybody, and it's not
everybody has earned the right to go golfing. This may sound tough
to choke down for many, but it's the simple truth. The golf swing is
a very fast, intense, and explosive movement that requires tremendous
amounts of mobility, stability, and strength. If a person cannot
exhibit set standards of these qualities, they should NOT be golfing.
Instead they should spend time (usually 3-4 weeks) making sure they
bring up these levels of achievement before they begin golfing again.
If a person golfs but isn't able to exhibit these baseline
standards; it's not whether they'll get hurt, it's when will they get
hurt. It's a progression, and people need to earn the physical right
to golf because if they don't they're putting their body at risk.
2. Physical Restrictions WILL Effect
Your Golf Game – This may seem obvious, but when we look at golfers
this tends NOT to be applied. Golfers are usually quick to see a
Golf Pro, Swing Coach, or watch a Pro's technique, but all of this
might be a wasted effort if they have physical limitations. No
matter how much technique work you do, or how much you work on your
swing mechanics, if you lack thing such as hip internal/external
rotation, thoracic extension and rotation, core stability, shoulder
rotation, or overall strength and control, it won't matter – you
physically don't meet the standards of what you're trying to
accomplish. It's easy to understand why most Pro's now have Strength
and Performance coaches who work personally with them. They can help
attack these restrictions, imbalances, asymmetries and allow the body
to meet the demands of the golf swing. Strength training is now the
norm for serious golfers, and it's effect on one's golf game is
immense.
3. Sequence is of Utmost Importance –
All rotational movements require this specific pattern – hips,
torso, shoulders, arms, club/implement. It doesn't matter if we're
talking about golf, baseball, discus, or tennis – this sequence is
what separates the best from the rest. Now the part that most
golfers might not like to hear is that swinging a golf club is NOT
the best way to learn and cement this pattern. The swing is just too
fast and complex for it to be the best way to learn proper
sequencing. This is where a strength/performance coach comes in. In
a training setting we can breakdown the rotational movement into
simpler parts, we can slow it down, we can manipulate body position,
we can add resistance, and then piece is back together with the club
in the hand. All of these tools allow us to better develop and learn
how to pattern the rotational sequence far more effectively than just
trying with a golf club alone.
Overall what we work to accomplish, as
with any athlete, is attack specific mobility that golf demands; then
add stability on those patterns/movements; and finally add strength,
power, and speed. We do this with appropriate progressions,
fundamental training methods, and programming for the unique needs of
each golfer based on their assessment and evaluation. This allows us
to get the best possible results and give the biggest benefit for our
golfers.
For more info check out our Prezi
slides we use when presenting.
Remember to sign-up for BBA Updates and never miss an article. Sign-up here ------------------->
It's been a while since we've posted a good eats, so thought we'd give a this superwonderfulawesome recipe. If you love fruit and love dipping that fruit into a delicious concoction, then this is for you. Humans, cats, dogs, ewoks, robots, the whole lot love this creation and so will you.
Now to get started, let's dive into this easy recipe
- 1/4C - Greek Yogurt
- 2 Spoon Fulls - Natural Peanut Butter
- Scoop of Chocolate Whey Protein (Optional but recommended)
- Dash Cinnamon
The steps are easy, just put everything in a bowl, and start mixing until everything is smoothly blended. Can't get much easier than that! Slice up some apples, pineapple, or grab some grapes and start dippin'.
This easy recipe packs a big nutritional punch to go along with the benefits of the fruit. Plus we get complete protein sources, healthy fats, quality carbs, fiber, and a good spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Check out more in these articles (Top 10 Fruits; Top 10 Herbs/Spices).
A typical serving of this fruit dip will provide the following.
1. CSCS Certification and School Enrollment Impacts Upon High School Strength Facilities, Equipment, and Safety
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a High School Strength Program under the leadership and supervision of a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. The researchers sent out surveys asking details of their S&C Program, athlete safety, weight room set-up, quality of equipment, number of athletes that use the weight room, and overall supervision.
The researchers heard back from 108 Midwestern high schools, and interpreted the results. From these results the following numbers popped up
- Only 50 of the 108 schools had a hired S&C Coach
- Of those 50, only 21 of those S&C Coaches had a CSCS
- The Schools with a CSCS Professional had more "functional" equipment. Free weight, squat racks, Olympic bars, bumper plates, less single-jointed machines
- The Schools with a CSCS Professional had larger weight room space (4283 sq/ft vs 2434 sq/ft)
- Schools with a CSCS Professional has a "safe capacity" of 75.7 vs 47.7 per student-athlete
There are some sort comings to this study as it's based off survey, and while 108 schools replied, the survey was sent out to 390 schools (27.7% response rate). What we can take away from this study is that it appears to be appropriate for High Schools to hire a CSCS Professional. The quality of the program, efficiency of the weight room, safety of the athletes, and facility use all benefit from having a qualified professional that understands not only human movement and physiology, but also athlete development, safety, and facility layout. I hope this can help increase the trend for High Schools to hire qualified S&C professionals to run their facility and athlete programs.
2. Influence of Sprint Acceleration Stance Kinetics on Velocity and Step Kinematics in Field Sport Athletes
Acceleration is king in team sports, it dominates over top-end speed and is a much better indicator of sport success. The researchers of this study looked at stride frequency, stride length, and ground reaction forces as they relate to acceleration performance.
What they found is that stride length during the 0-10m is correlated to speed. This has been shown time and time again, and is the reason why when coaching athletes we give them these ques
- Push the ground behind you
- Drive!
- Each step is like a leg press, full extension!
- Don't be the road runner (don't spin your wheels)
The researchers also found that shorter ground contact times equated to faster acceleration speeds. On that same note, faster athletes applied more force. These two go hand-in-hand. The more force you apply will equate to less time on the ground, just like Newtons 3rd law. Bring in a higher force (action) and have a higher reaction. Overall this leads to how we get faster - apply more force in less time.
This Sunday night, Dr. Dan Johnson from Spine and Sport and myself will be giving a presentation on the Principles of Training for Baseball/Softball. Since I do most of my work out of a baseball academy I think it's only fitting to share how to approach training for this unique sport.
The biggest I problem I see with preparing for this sport, whether it's youth through college, is a cookie cutter approach. Youth often over-throw and play too many games, while never prepare physically even though it is probably the most important thing they could do. High schools mostly follow a football type of workout that has no specificity to the sport nor the athlete, it's just bench, squat, and clean. And many colleges still use general workouts with no specific programming for different positions or each individual athlete.
This is a problem, as baseball is unique in many different ways and requires a good grasp on the biomechanics and stresses baseball puts on the body. A generic rotator cuff complex is short-sided and will yield limited results, the bench press, back squat, or military press probably isn't wise for most of the baseball population, and the scapula is the culprit behind about 95% of shoulder injuries, but does the average program really attack this area?
The joint speed of the shoulder during throwing is the single fastest movement in the human body. Pretty incredible, and requires some pretty incredibly smart training. Let's take a look at the 3 biggest areas training programs can improve.
Assessment - If you're not assessing you're just guessing. Every sport needs and in-depth, thorough assessment, but this holds especially true in baseball/softball. With all the parts involved in this game, joint ROM, stability, strength, coordination, bone structure, tissue quality, and biomechanics all need to be evaluated. Every athlete is different and require a different approach to their training and recovery process. A 5'8 pitcher will need different training than a 6'4 pitcher; just as a centerfielder will need different training than a first basemen.
Training the Transverse Plane - The transverse plane in simple terms is rotational movements. Take one look at baseball/softball and it's obvious they live on rotational movements - throwing, swinging, stealing bases. These rotations come with a specific sequence and is a movement pattern that can be trained and improved. But take one look at many training programs, and there is virtually no rotational movements, it's mostly up and down or lateral (which is a good start, but still need more). Using med balls, bands, sleds, and kettlebells can all be used to train in the transverse plane and build strength and power in this essential movement.
Long Distance Running - I don't know why this lives on, but why do baseball players run for distance? To build a base is not a valid answer, as there are many other methods that can achieve mobility, stability, and strength gains while working to increasing a "base". Baseball is an explosive, power sport; one that lives in the alactic energy system. This means you need to be able to be powerful for multiple reps with close to max recovery between those reps. No where does distance running fit into this realm. Along those same lines is when I hear, "Some of those guys need to get into shape." What shape? Running repeat 300's, running gassers, or running poles? Look at most major league players, you probably wouldn't classify them as being in what we think of as shape. But what they can do is produce huge amounts of force and power, rest 20 seconds and repeat. That's baseball shape. Being able to run repeat 300's has no bearing on whether a guy can pitch 7 innings. Just as football shape is different than basketball shape is different than swimming shape. Baseball is a different type of shape and preparation.
So if you're in the Dubuque area Sunday night, come on down to Bases Loaded (3185 Hughes Ct.) at 6:30pm for a great presentation on this information and more.
Check out the PRESENTATION HERE for a look at the notes, but come on Sunday to get the in-depth stuff.
