10 Random Thoughts
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 robbery! People need to move through real ranges of motion not sit and exercise through fixed ranges of motion.
3. My wife and I like Hawaii better than Oregon.
4. Lunges are an advanced exercise. Beginners shouldn’t touch them.
5. People still do body-part training………I swear, I know, I thought it wasn’t true either!! Monday: Chest – Tuesday: Back – Wednesday: Legs – Thursday: Arms – Friday: Shoulders – Saturday: Toes & Eye lids. SCARY!! Dinosaurs aren’t extinct!!
6. Deadlifts rock!! That’s read “Deadlifts done right, rock!!”
7. Foam roll before you stretch. Decrease tissue density before you increase tissue length.
8. Valgus knees are sometimes not a hip issue. Don’t just look at the hip. Your body could be trying to put the big toe on the ground.
9. Wear shoes less. Go barefoot more.
10. Want to thrash your knees? Do leg extensions.
DN
In regards to comment #5…what would your suggestions be? For those who want to gain strength/power doesn’t it make sense to concentrate on specific body parts to enact those gains? Or, are you suggesting to mix lifting specific parts for a more well-rounded experience. For instance: Chest, Shoulders and Triceps — all pushing variations?
First we need to find a definition for strength and power that we can agree with. Strength is the maximum amount of external resistance that one can move. Power is the rate of force production. They are both components of “Strength” but should be somewhat differently.
Second, I would ask “what sport are you trying to increase power for?” And “how old is the athlete?”
In the goal of increasing strength and power there are many ways to improve these components. Bodybuilding templates show little success. What you suggested is a little better. But I would go more along the lines of total body training every workout (not everyday) or a lower/upper body split. Take a look at a westside barbell template. That is similar to what I would do but not exact.
I hope this helps
DN
Additionally, I never look at the the body in terms of “body parts” but rather as “movements”. Think Movements not Muscles. To look at the body as a bunch of isolated parts rather than an integrated machine is a HUGE mistake to put it lightly. Here is what we break the movements into:
Horizontal Pushing
Horizontal Pulling
Vertical Pushing
Vertical Pulling
Knee Dominant
Hip Dominant
Rotary