Good Fitness Reads of the Week (10/26/2014)

Another busy week this week!

This weeks edition is packed with five strength tips, 15 recommended readings and a new episode of The Angry Coaches!

In  the latest episode of The Angry Coaches we discuss a problem that’s facing many coaches and fitness enthusiasts.

A big problem.

A big problem that, despite their hard work and effort, absolutely kills their results because they keep getting in their own way.

The problem?

They think they’re different.

They think they can do more, train more, and handle more stress than they really can.

This mindset leads to a host of problems, not least of which includes a common training modification that halts their progress completely.

In this weeks’ short episode of The Angry Coaches, Jordan Syatt and I discuss this modification in detail, why it’s an issue, and how to avoid it.

Coaches! This Training Modification is Killing Your Results

Strength Tips

Monday

My friend asked me recently, “If you never miss a weight and always go for something you know you are going to hit, how are you getting stronger?”

You don’t get stronger missing weights.

It’s physically taxing and probably worse, mentally. Your confidence gets shaken after you miss an attempt. You begin to doubt yourself, your training, and negative thoughts swirl through your head about your progress.

There’s a lot of ways to PR. The most obvious way is crushing a new max, but you can also hit rep maxes, total volume PR’s, and RPE PR’s.

A volume PR may not be as sexy as hitting a new max, but it is a PR!

I see people get anxious when they aren’t testing their new max each week.

Don’t feel as though you need to be constantly testing your 1RM to increase it. There are plenty of ways to get stronger other than chasing a new max each week.

Regardless of your programming, pick weights you know you will hit. No one got stronger missing all their attempts.

Tuesday

Quick tip for the front squat.

Keep your elbows up and pointed towards the wall in front of you. Try to drive them towards the ceiling.

Start by doing this during your setup. If they start low to begin with, it will be that much harder to get them up once you’ve started the lift. As you perform the squat, fight hard to maintain your elbow position.

Keeping your elbows up will help keep your torso in a nice upright position.

Wednesday

Today’s sample upper body [bench emphasis] workout.

[Sets x Reps]

1) Bench 5 X 5 @ 65-70%
2) DB Floor Press 2 X 12-15
3) Pull ups 4 X 8
4a) Rolling Triceps Extensions 3 X 10-12
4b) Band pull apart 3 X 20
4c) DB Curl 3 X 12

Thursday

Give your athletes some ‘reward’ exercises in their training.

Given that the other 99% of the training is on point and the exercise is safe, let them do something they’ve been wanting to do. Even if the exercise doesn’t specifically translate to their performance, it still has benefits.

It can build team work, self-confidence and can break some of the monotony in their training.

Reward exercises can keep your athletes on track and help them stay motivated.

Friday

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”

Recommended Reading

1)      Kipping Pull-Ups: The Truth via Christian Thibaudeau

2)      SHOULD Athletes Be Eating Junk Food? via Mike Samuels

3)      How I Almost Drowned In Debt and What It Means To Your Fitness via Dean Somerset

4)      Training the Young Athlete via Chad Wesley Smith

5)      The 6 Characteristics of a Good Dynamic Warm-up via Eric Cressey

6)      No Days Off: Speed Trainer Nick Winkelman on What Makes A.J. Green and Julio Jones Unstoppable – The Drop via Nick Winkelman

7)      7 Ways to Make Your Strength Training Programs More Efficient via Eric Cressey

8)      Want to make an amazing transformation? Drop this one word from your vocabulary. via Dick Talens

9)      Weighty Matters: What Actually Reading that Fast vs. Slow Weight Loss Study Taught Me via Yoni Freedhoff

10)  Fitness business success: From personal trainer to business leader. via Nate Green

11)  Stop lying about time. Is your time yours? If it’s not, then neither is your life. via Joy Victoria

12)  Over 35? You’re Screwed. via Bryan Krahn

13)  Easy Fat Loss Template via Pat Koch

14)  3 More Popular Supplements that are a Waste of Money via Examine.com

15) 5 Reasons You’re Not Getting Stronger via Tony Gentilcore

 

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