No mind blowing stuff here…. this is simply just the workout myself and some of my guys did this morning. Normally I would have some video for you but we just didn’t get around to it for some reason. I skipped out on plyo’s and Oly lifts due to an irritated achilles from...

Here is a clip of a little finisher after...

I want to hang out with this guy. I would buy him endless amounts of beer to perform tricks for me on...

Stretching is one of those things that people tend to not think about much. They simple just go through the motions trying to look as flexible as they can. What ends up happening is they end up moving through the wrong areas and not stretching the muscles that they are supposed to be...

Q: I am an MMA fighter and was wondering what you think of wrestling neck bridges for building strength in the neck? A: A strong neck is VERY important for MMA and grappling sports but I would never use the traditional bridges that you see in wrestling. They place tremendous stress on the...

This is for the MMA folks who are being “good boys and girls” and are all ready doing soft-tissue work on themselves. Typically, the areas of focus tend to be the larger muscles like the quads, hip rotators and lats. But their are a few areas that MMA guys are commonly tight and...

In general, warming up for 5-10 minutes on a piece of cardio equipment is a waste of time (unless it is for special populations, injured client, overweight, etc). If this is your warm-up, stop now. If your trainer warms you up this way, find a new trainer. If you are a trainer warming up your...

Let me first say that Eddie Bravo’s jiu-jitsu is amazing. It is second to none. This is not a bash on Eddie but more of a warning to NOT listen to his advice on flexibility. Eddie is what we would categorize as hypermobile……. Think of the far opposite of being really tight...

Can you touch your toes? It should be a simple task, yet so many people fail the ability to simply bend over and touch their toes. First off, let be clear that bending over and touching your toes is not a stretch that I recommend but it SHOULD be something that someone CAN do. I just want to...

Plyometric High Intensity Interval Training? Huh?? Plyometric training and HIIT are two very opposing concepts. Using plyos as a conditioning tool is one reason they get such a bad rap. It’s the same thing I wrote about with Olympic Lifts. Repetitive jumping is a great way to develop...

For those of you who have done any hydrotherapy like a cold plunge, I am sure you are aware of the benefits. There are not many things that make you feel better or recover faster from a hard training session than a cold plunge. It can be a bit shocking the first time you hop into 50 degree...

This is in response to a handful of my clients recently being told that static stretching before their workout is detrimental. Hop on the “Logic Train” and enjoy the ride!! A constantly debated topic in the fitness industry is the use of static stretching. The popular statement...

The way these kids move is simply amazing!! Talk about body awareness and...

Aerobics suck!! There I said it. If you are doing 30 minutes to an hour of aerobic training to lose fat, you are wasting your time. If your goal is fat loss, high intensity interval training (HIIT) is your go to weapon. The downside to HIIT is…….well, it friggin’ sucks because it’s...

Q: I recently pulled my quad while sprinting. This is a re-occurring problem. Along with my quad, last year I also pulled my hamstring twice. Is there anything I can do to hopefully prevent it happening again? A: With any injury, one of the first things we do is look for a weak synergist. When...

Q: I am a powerlifter and have recently had to stop squatting because of severe shoulder pain. What can I do to train around the pain? A: When someone’s shoulder is hurting during a back squat, it is usually a sign of shoulder impingement (external rotation + abduction). Depending on the...

As promised, here is part 2. Enjoy!! 5. Lift light weights – Well, if you are going to lift weights. Make sure you lift light weights so that you don’t add any muscle. Because as you know now, muscle burns fat and we need to hold on to that fat. Fat Burning Solution: I have written this...

Yes, I realize nobody wants to get fat and stay fat. Hopefully the sarcasm will make it a fun read. I will post Part 2 tomorrow. 1. Eat 1-2 meals per day – By only eating 1-2 times per day, your body can really go after that lean muscle for fuel and hold on to more fat. One pound of fat...

Okay, more like 8 but 10 sounds cooler 1. The draw-in method (belly button towards the spine, TA activation) is not a good method to support spinal stability. In fact it de-stabilizes the spine. Your spine will buckle if you choose to draw-in while your body is under significant load. People...

Every day, sciatic nerve pain debilitates thousands of people. Many people just deal with the nagging pain in their butt (literally) and push on through their day. There can be several reasons for sciatic nerve pain (many of which we will not discuss here) and finding relief can sometimes be...

I’m sorry, I just had to post this. I was reading an article on back pain on the Internet. It started out pretty good and was citing Stuart McGill’s work. Then it took a turn for the worse. Half way through, I have a feeling the author started to consume illegal drugs, prescription...

I get many pre-knee surgery and post-knee rehab clients. For the most part these people come to me in order to still get a training effect around the existing injury. The things we first look at are: 1. Eliminating knee dominant exercises that present ANY discomfort. Many times this is all of...

Q:One of your recent posts about crunches said, “Can you think of anything in sport that emulates a crunch”? I know that you are a BJJ/MMA coach and practitioner, so wouldn’t you say that BJJ requires an athlete to constantly be in a flexed spinal position, especially in the guard...

1. Its amazing that so many trainers and coaches don’t asses their clients and athletes. Assuming, is a HUGE mistake!! Get educated at the Function Movement Screen so that your clients get what they deserve. 2. Get off machines….better yet get your clients off machines. This is red handed...

Jogging, or as it should be called “Speed Limping” does not make much sense. First off, there is no research supporting any benefits to speed limping. Lets look at the “Real Science” vs. the “Gym Science” (or Limper’s Science). Gym Science says: Speed...

Q: My neck seems to always feel tight. What are some good stretches for me to do? A: I really don’t have any of my clients do neck stretches. As trainers, it is out of our job description and can be very dangerous. Definitely have a “Qualified” physical therapist check it...

It’s time to kick that morning ritual yoga or stretching routine! Spinal flexion (bending) exercises first thing in the morning puts a lot of stress on the discs in your back. Here’s why: You’re taller when you wake up in the morning than when you go to bed at night. The discs in your...

Got pain? Take a look at the type of footwear you have. Check out the heels. You too guys!! It’s not only women that wear high heels (well, drag queens too). Men also wear them. Look at all of the crazy so called athletic shoes like Shox!! One of the first things that I do with my clients...

This is that age old myth that you must do a half hour to an hour of that stuff they call cardio. Not only is this a waste of time but it hardly yields a significant calorie burn (don’t even try to give me the old, “it burns more fat calories”! That is BS and a half truth). If you want...

You always hear Coaches and Trainers talking about posture with their athletes and clients. You here them cueing to keep your chest up during a squat, pull the shoulder blades back during a row or to stand up tall during the day. It is well known what slouching and being in a seated position...

It is all to common to hear individuals complaining of consistent knee pain. Medial, lateral and anterior knee pain can be the result of many things, contact and non-contact injury related. But two commonalities among 95% of the athletes and clients that I work with is the lack of mobility in...