Back in 2005, Nike ran an unprecedented ad campaign demonstrating to the world that it’s A-okay to have a badonkadonk; and, what’s more, anyone who happened to disagree, should kiss said badonkadonk (raises hand: yes please).  I thought it was brilliant, and exactly the type of message that women need to hear and see.

Well, it’s back - bigger and better than ever.  Just this week, Nike released their 2010 version, and it’s freakin glorious.

I’m not gonna call this the best ad campaign ever, but it pretty much is.  Whoever walked into Nike headquarters and pitched this idea needs to be handed a Medal of Honor or something.  Whoever he or she is, they’re an American hero.  At a time when women are constantly told by mainstream media and douchehole celebrity trainers that lifting anything heavier than three lbs will turn them into Chewbacca, and that eating celery sticks is a treat, this is definitely a breath of fresh air.  I mean, I’m so sick and tired of seeing models with no ass, no muscle, and no shape being touted as the ideal “look” for women to aspire for.  Why not just get a 2×4 and put a dress on it?

Nevertheless, kudos to Nike for an awesome job.  Here’s hoping that it catches on……..

I have to admit it, I’m oftentimes really embarrassed about the profession I’m in.  All in all, though, I guess the same can be said for any industry whether we’re talking about retail, Wall Street , public office, or Lady Gaga - but it’s amazing to me just how many personal trainers, flat out suck!

Here’s a perfect example.  Not too long ago a female client of mine asked me advice on how her sister should go about finding a “good” personal trainer.  I gave her some pointers, like:

1.  Are they certified through a reputable (and recognized) organization?
2.  Do they actually take their clients through an assessment?  Or, as is the case 90% of the time, do they just take them through the Cybex circuit?
3.  Are they personable?  Do they take time to listen to the needs and wants of the client?
4.  Do they actually coach?  Or, do they stand there like most clipboard cowboys and cowgirls, and just count reps?
5.  Do they understand functional anatomy?  Sadly, I’m willing to bet that if you asked 70% of trainers to name the rotator cuff muscles, they wouldn’t be able to do it.
6.  Do they have any testimonials from current (or past) clients?
7.  Do they actually look like they train?  Not necessarily mandatory, but who’s going to want to listen to a fat trainer?
8.  Do they refer to themselves in the 3rd person?  Can they actually write a coherent sentence?
9.  And, most important of all, do their clients actually train with proper form and technique?  If not, don’t bother.

Nevertheless, I did the best I could, and given my client has been training with me for well over a year and knows what it’s like to train around smart people who know what they’re talking about, I assumed her sister would be in good hands.

That is, of course, until I received this email yesterday:

So my sister did her first free session with a trainer - she went in prepared with the articles I sent her, and very aware of her own current physical condition.  She said he was out of a movie screaming in her face “GOOOO. MOOOVE. YOU CAN DO IT”.

This didn’t bother her until she realized she was not going to be able to continue.  She told him she needed a quick break, and instead he made her do treadmill sprints.  She is 230lbs. Day 1. End result: she passed out.

I understand that people need to be motivated, and I’m certainly not one to hold back on giving people a little “tough love” when they need it, but is this guy serious?  Making someone who, already has a phobia about training in the first place, pass out on her first day is a sure fire way to turn her off from exercise altogether. What’s the likelihood that she’s ever going to come back?  Probably not high.  Nice job, dude!

Conversely, I have another client who’s been trying to get her mother to train for quite some time now.  After some prodding, she was finally able to convince her mother to attend a few kettlebell classes with her (on my client’s dime).  All told, she agreed to four sessions before deciding whether or not to quit.

Not surprisingly, the first session was miserable.  The second, third, and fourth sessions, however, were less vomit-in-the-mouthish; and as my client noted, this past week was the first time her mother attended a class free of choice.

Much the same, when she started, her mother was every bit as out-of-shape and deconditioned as the girl above.  Yet, unlike the girl who passed out on her first session, she’s probably going to stick with this for the long-haul because her trainer, you know, doesn’t suck at life.

Rather than taking a Biggest Loser approach with her (which is borderline criminal in my mind), this trainer “gets it.”  Despite being a kettlebell studio, this trainer had her doing nothing but a ton of mobility stuff, some body weight work, as well as some very introductory resistance training like farmer walks, rows, and kettlebell deadlifts.  It wasn’t until this past week (week #5) where she started doing kettlebell specific work.  Namely, the swing.

.

Nonetheless, whoever this trainer is, I want to give him (or her) a internet high five, because I LOVE hearing stories like this. It gives me hope that the industry is getting better, and that there are less doucheholes like the other guy walking around hurting people.

That said, here are some things to leave you with.  What makes a trainer not sucky?

1.  Understands that beginners are just that - beginners. It’s often comical when I work with someone new and they’re caught off guard when I don’t beat them to a pulp on their first day.  Listen, anyone can make someone tired.  That doesn’t mean they’re getting anything out of it, and it certainly doesn’t mean that because they’re still able to walk on two feet, the training session was any less beneficial.

2.  Progressions, progressions, progressions. More to the point from above, a good trainer understands what it means to progress people.  I’ve heard stories of trainers taking clients who can’t even perform a proper body-weight lunge, over to the squat rack to perform heavy barbell goodmornings.  That’s just a back surgery waiting to happen.

Likewise, I also remember hearing a story of a trainer taking a woman who had a double mastectomy through a 20 set chest workout. HUH?

All in all, a good trainer recognizes that people have different ability levels and have different wants and needs.  What applies to one individual, won’t necessarily work with someone else.  Again, progressions.

3.  Technique reigns supreme - you can tell a lot of a trainer by how well their clients execute their movements.  Sorry, but if a trainer has his or her client doing 1-arm DB rows with a rounded back (and they don’t correct it), they lose all credibility in my book.  The same can be said for how they perform, squats, deadlifts, push-ups, you name it.  If their form sucks, most likely their trainer does too.

4.  Why - as a trainer, you should have a rationale for WHY you’re having your client do what they’re doing.  Why trap bar deadlifts and not conventional?  Why front squats instead of back squats?  Why 4×3, and not 117×11?  If you don’t know why you’re programming what you’re programming, you shouldn’t be programming in the first place.

5. Understand that your shit doesn’t stink - I think I may have mentioned this in passing before, but I once worked with this trainer who flat out said, “I’ve learned everything I need to learn in this industry.” What an a-hole.  I’m sorry, but if a guy like Mike Boyle - who’s been coaching for close to 30 years -can readily admit when he’s wrong, not to mention is constantly learning and changing his approach to training athletes, I can’t fathom how anyone could possibly think they know all there is to know.

6.  Is this a career or a hobby? - this is a hyyyyooooge point.  I think for many, they become trainers because they like to train or they look the part, and someone told them they should be a trainer.  They treat it more as a hobby than a career.  Would you hire a doctor to perform open heart surgery if it was just, you know, something they did on the side to make a little extra cash?

I think this is where the problem lies, and where we can draw the line between good trainers and bad trainers.  The bad ones are the ones that do this for shits and giggles.  They want to hang out in the gym for a few hours every day, hit on girls, and give each other high fives after each set of leg curls.

Contrarily, the ones who “get it,” are the trainers who go out of their way to attend weekend seminars and conferences.  They read books, articles, blogs ,and they make an effort to establish networks with other fitness professionals.  In short, this isn’t a hobby, it’s a career.

All told, I could easily keep going, but this post has gotten long enough and I think the above traits are a good start.  Before I leave, in closing, let me just say that I am by no means stating that I’m perfect.  Far from it.  But I’d like to think that I have a firm grasp on being able to differentiate between trainers who make my eyes bleed and those who go out of their way to do it the right way.  For those who are reading, feel free to share your stories below (good or bad), or give your two cents on what makes a good trainer.

Not long ago I wrote a blog outlining my thoughts on all those “toning shoes” that seem to be latest fitness craze that people are falling prey to.

The basic premise is this:  spend anywhere from $100-$245 on a pair of shoes that, due to their unstable sole design, forces the wearer to struggle with finding her equilibrium and balance point, which then results in a butt that could crack walnuts.  No gym required!

Of course, as with any other fitness fad, the truth isn’t quite so truthful, and I basically went all First Blood on their asses and cut their claims to shreds.

Fast forward to last week. I’m coaching the ladies in my women’s group when I notice something peculiar.  Something odd.  Nope, it wasn’t the the fact that I was actually engaged in conversation about pedicures (pedi’s as they’re often called) and gingerbread recipes - that’s actually par for the course.  What can I say? I’m powerless when I’m surrounded by that much estrogen.  No, instead, I notice that one of the ladies was wearing a pair of……a pair of……I can’t say it…………………………..Reebok Easy Tones!11!11!!

[cue dramatic chipmunk response]

All kidding aside, while a little piece of my soul died, I was still able to keep my composure and explain to Lisa #2 why I’m not such a huge fan of those shoes.  And, as luck would have it, ACE (yep, that ACE) just released a fantastic article helping to dispel many of the same myths titled, Will Toning Shoes Really Give You a Better Body?**

Cliff Notes version:

1.  No.

2.  The claims that these shoes will help you burn more calories and “shape” your butt are unfounded, and suspect at best.

3.  EMG analysis showed that there was no discernible difference in muscle activation (or exercise response) between “toning” shoes and regular shoes.

4.  You’re an ass for spending that much money on a pair of shoes.

** Thanks to Bret Contreras for the link.  And for being so brotastic.

I came across an interesting article over the weekend (actually, our soft-tissue guy, Nate Tiplady sent it to me) demonstrating how for those suffering from chronic low back pain, using the elliptical trainer might be more detrimental than good.

Click HERE to read the article.

As noted in the article, the research was part of a larger study looking at the effect of hip mobility on the low back, which is something many of us in the industry (Mike Boyle and Gray Cook most notably) have been drilling into people’s heads with regards to the joint-by-joint approach to training.

Simply put, some joints need to be trained with mobility in mind, while others, need to be trained with stability in mind.  Starting at the ankles and working our way up, we see an alternating pattern of mobility/stability needs:

Ankles = mobility
Knees = stability
Hips = mobility
Lumbar Spine = stability
Thoracic Spine = mobility
Scapulae = stabillty

As such, whenever someone complains of joint pain (in this case, the lumbar spine), more often than not, we can look at the joint either above or below (or both) as being the culprit.  And, as the study linked above showed, many of the subjects tested had less than stellar hip mobility.  Ding, ding, ding.  Take a joint that normally has a lot of amplitude and lock it up tighter than a camel’s ass in a sandstorm, and you’re bound to see some issues elsewhere in the kinetic chain.

As far as the elliptical is concerned, while I like the fact that it does provide a low-impact modality of exercise, again, it’s a form of exercise that doesn’t necessarily provide a lot of range of motion - and for someone with limited hip mobility as it is, this can be a recipe for disaster.

What’s more, as noted in the article, people tend to flex forward more while using the elliptical machine (hello tight hip flexors!!).  And, even worse still, the elliptical forces people to twist in their lumbar spine, which if we’re speaking from a biomechanical standpoint, isn’t ideal given there’s only 13 degrees (roughly) of “acceptable” rotation in that area in the first place.

All in all, the point of the article wasn’t to bastardize the elliptical.  Rather, it was just to shed some light on the fact that it may not be the most ideal form exercise for those suffering from certain types of low back pain.  Lets not throw the baby out with the bathwater!

I will say, however, as I wrote HERE, I’d much rather have people spend their time doing low-grade activation/dynamic flexibility, mobility circuits than get on an elliptical trainer anyways.  Some food for thought.

It wasn’t long ago that Brian St. Pierre and I were discussing, among other things, food…and the lack of variety that many people get in their daily diets.  It’s often amazing to me just how “set in our ways” we are when it comes to the food we stuff down our pie holes.

Sure, we like what we like - but given that for many people out there that usually entails: coffee and a bagel in the morning, a PowerBar for lunch, McDonalds drive-thru for dinner**, and some other highly processed garbage right before bed, that’s not saying much.

Now I’m certainly not one to talk.  Like everyone else, I’m a creature of habit and I tend to gravitate towards the same foods every day.  That being the case, I remember reading somewhere (I think it was Johnny Bowden) that the average American eats roughly eleven (ELEVEN!!!) different food items per day.  That’s it.

Now, this shouldn’t be confused with eating say, eleven potato chips or eleven almonds - anyone can do that.   Rather, what I’m referring to is eleven separate food items.  Math wasn’t my best subject back in school, but I’m pretty sure that’s not a lot of variety at all.

Sure, people can eat a lot of volume of any one food, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re getting ample variety, which in effect allows for one to get in multitude of nutrients, vitamins, minerals on a day to day basis.

More to the point, and as a great example, I have a client who, when she first started with me, admitted to eating nothing but plain, broiled chicken breasts, egg whites, broccoli, oatmeal, and the occasional piece of fruit on a daily basis.  For over ten years!  Ten.  Freakin. Years.

In all that time, she could never figure out why she couldn’t lose those last few lbs of stubborn fat.  To her credit, it takes an immense amount of self discipline to pull that off, but after a while (and a few close calls with a mack truck from wanting to throw myself in front of one), I was able to convince her to expand her food repertoire.  As such, she’s seen great results.

Nevertheless, while I generally get my balls busted for eating the same things every day, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I DO get a lot of variety in my diet.  Well, at least more than the average person.   Here’s what I had for breakfast this morning:

• Pastured whole eggs (five in all)
• Multi-colored peppers (green, yellow, orange, red)
• Hummus
• Salsa
• Spices (Redmond Real Salt, Oregano, Pepper, Turmeric)

• Ezekiel bread (two slices)
• All natural peanut butter
• Banana

By my count, that’s 14 different food items in one meal alone.  15 if you count the liter of smog I swallowed on my way to work this morning.  Moreover, my next meal (which I’m dominating as I write this post) includes seven separate food items: Mango, blueberries, raw coconut, ground flax seeds, cinnamon, chocolate whey protein powder, and almond “milk.”

That’s a grand total of 21 food items in my first two meals alone.  REAL food, too.  Well, mostly.

I’m certainly not insinuating that my diet is perfect, and that I don’t eat frozen pizza occasionally.  Really, all I’m trying to say is that is it really going to kill you to broaden your horizons and eat a pear or something?  Also, since we’re on the topic, do you think those dishes in the sink are going to clean themselves?  Goddammit, I have to do everything around here.

** don’t forget the diet Coke, of course.  And the triple bypass surgery.

Inception Explained:  Unraveling the Dream Within the Dream - by a bunch of film geeks

If you’re like me, you’re still trying to wrap your brain around the ending of Inception.  To say it was by far the best movie I’ve seen this year is an understatement.  It’s like director Christopher Nolan took The Matrix and Memento and made a love child out of them.

To that end, if you haven’t seen the movie, you suck.  Secondly, don’t read the link above because it has some major spoilers.  For those who have seen the movie, enjoy.  I think it may help explain a few things.

How To Find a Good Personal Trainer - Moi

In light of an email I received from a friend who asked advice on how to go about looking for a trainer for her sister, I thought I’d re-post this older blog I wrote a while back.  As well, I came across two fantastic articles written by Lyle McDonald and Leigh Peele that go into a lot more detail than I do and might be of some benefit to others out there in same boat as my friend.

2 Lessons on Success - Mike Robertson

I think this is one of the better blog posts I have read in a looooooooong time.  Mike has been on a role lately with incredible content on his blog, and this one is no different.  Hello man crush!

Epicondylitis and Cervical Radiculopathy - Mike Reinold

While the title might sound a little intimidating, Mike shares some interesting research showcasing a really strong correlation between cervical radiculopathy and lateral/medial elbow pain.  In short, as Mike notes in the post:

If muscle weakness or imbalance occurs to the wrist extensors and flexors, which are innervated by C6 and C7, overuse and eventual tendonopathy are likely to occur.

This has huge implications for those suffering from chronic elbow pain, and demonstrates that many therapist may be missing the boat entirely if they’re not making a concerted effort to clear the neck while treating clients with epicondylitits.

Also, on an aside, I found an apartment!  Now I have every reason in the world to walk around and say, “this is where the magic happens.”  BOOM SHAKA BOM BOM.

Kate walked into Cressey Performance last weekend literally hugging her copy of The New Rules of Lifting for Women.  “You HAVE to make this required reading for any woman who trains here,” she said.  “Tony, everything you tell us not to do, is right here in this book - it’s amazing.”

In all honesty, Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove, and Cassandra Forsythe did me a huge favor when they wrote that book.  Now, instead of resisting the urge to want to swallow a grenade every time a woman states that she’ll get “big-n-bulky” if she lifts anything over ten pounds, or asks me why I don’t like slow, drawn-out, steady state cardio for fat loss, I can just tell them to go to their local bookstore or log onto amazon.com and buy the book.

Likewise, whenever I’m at a party or a get together, and someone finds out what I do for a living (cue theme music from Jaws playing in my head), and they ask, “so um, yeah, how do I get into shape?” I just tell them to go buy the book, and I move on with my life.

All kidding aside (even though I’m not really kidding), when it comes to training women, they’re usually caught off guard when I basically tell them to do the exact OPPOSITE of what they’ve been doing for the past 5-15 years.  Which is:

• Pick up heavy things off the floor.
• Sometimes, lift said heavy things over your head.
• Eat more calories
• Get off the treadmill.  Seriously, get off.

Of course, it’s not quite as simple as that, but I don’t think I’m that far off.  I had a really great conversation with Experience Life Magazine editor, Jen Sinkler, last week about women and training, and one of the questions she asked me was, “why do you advocate for women to lift heavier weights in order to get that more “toned look.”

Jen’s smart - she knows that there really is no such thing as “toned.”  Really, all we’re talking about when someone says the word toned, is improved body composition.  Or, as I like to call it, being less fat.  Sorry, it’s true.  But for the sake of argument, and because “toned” is the buzz word that most magazines use (and most women recognize), we’ll roll with it.

In short, what makes muscle, keeps muscle.  The amount of muscle needed to lift a weight that allows you to perform 20-100 reps (think pink dumbbells, and Tracy Anderson) is so insignificant compared to the amount of muscle needed to lift a weight that limits you to say, eight reps - that it’s no wonder many women end up spinning their wheels for years on end.

Seriously, stop and think about it.  For many, it’s not uncommon to carry around a purse that weighs more than a tank on a daily basis.  Likewise, they carry groceries, move furniture around, carry their children, or any number of daily “life” stuff that requires them to lift heavy things.  However, when asked to lift a barbell, and label it “exercise,” they immediately drop down in the fetal position and think they’re going to turn into some she-man.  It’s absurd.

Lifting appreciable weights, in essence, “signals” the body to KEEP muscle.  This point alone is crucial considering that many women have been chronically dieting since 1994.  This is why I feel lifting heavier weights is the key to the look that most women are after.  They start to lose some body fat, MAINTAIN lean body mass, and PRESTO MAGICO - muscle appears.

In the end, it comes down to this:  continue what you’ve always done, and you’ll continue to get what you’ve always gotten.  In other words, if performing endless repetitions of pink dumbbells and spending an inordinate amount of time on the cardio machines and taking step aerobics classes hasn’t done anything for you in five years, why would doing MORE OF THE SAME change anything?

Which brings us back to Kate.  Kate first started with us a few months ago after a male friend of hers finally convinced her to step outside her comfort zone and give us a try.

Understandably, she was a little reluctant at first.  Here I was telling her to lift this, flip that, throw those - all in an effort to get her in tip top shape for her wedding this Fall.  It rocked her world to be told that she didn’t have to spend an entire day on an elliptical trainer (and that she could actually eat a carb).  As the weeks have passed, she’s addicted, and states how training at CP is the highlight of her week.  Well that, and my uncanny wit and charm, of course.

As such, she’s seen a dramatic difference in her appearance - she’s leaner, stronger, and no one will dare bring a +1 to her wedding and live to tell about it!

Above is a video taken last weekend of her “finisher” circuit she completed after her regular training session:

• Sloshpipe Carry - 80 yds (PVC pipe filled 3/4 with water)
• Overhead Sledgehammer Hits  x 8/side
• Tire Flips  x 10

Awesome.  I love to see women getting after it!  Nice work Kate!

Q. Hey Tony, what do you feel are the best resources out there when it comes to strength/hypertrophy training with regards to program design?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

A: I probably get one of these emails once a week from upcoming trainers and strength coaches.  As it is, I see a lot of other well known and respected (why not, I’ll throw myself into the same mix) coaches tossing out their top lists on stuff, so I figured I might as well throw my two cents in as well.

I’m going to get to the books/DVDs in a second, but first I just wanted to give some props to people who are a lot smarter than myself who consistently put out top notch content every day.  To me, blogs, articles, etc have a bit more face value since they’re relevant to what’s happening now.

Books on the other hand, can oftentimes take 1-2 years to come out.  By the time the author does the research, writes the book, goes through revisions/copy-editing, wants to drop kick their publisher into a volcano, and finally witnesses a consumer actually holding a copy in his or her’s hand, the information could actually be out-dated.

As such, you never have this issue with blogs and articles.  The idea or concept is what they’re thinking about today, not 2008.

In any case, here are some of the blogs that I read on a daily basis:

Eric Cressey

Brian St. Pierre

Mike Robertson

Bret Contreras

Nick Tumminello

Alwyn Cosgrove

Leigh Peele

Cassandra Forsythe

Bill Hartman

Mark Young

Carson Boddicker

Jen Sinkler

Mike Reinold

And a few others that I’m probably forgetting at the moment.  Needless to say, just reading those alone will  pay huge dividends in terms of the quality of information you’ll read, which will undoubtedly make you more proficient at program design.

Additionally, websites like tmuscle.com, wannabebig.com, as well as strengthcoach.com (albeit, there’s a fee) are awesome sources of information and will expose you to a plethora of different topics ranging from program design, corrective exercise, functional anatomy, and how to make girls want to hang out with you.

Nevertheless, below are a few of the top resources I often recommend when it comes to program design for strength/hypertrophy

MIke Boyle’s Functional Strength Coach Series - you’d be hard pressed to find any product(s) more thorough on program design than these.

While Volume III is the most recent and up-to-date, Mike’s earlier installments (ONE and TWO) are just as valuable now as they were when they first came out.  What’s equally impressive is the fact that between volume II (which was taped in 2006) and volume III (which was taped in 2009), you can see me in the background and notice just how more “gunny” I’ve gotten as the years have passed.

Advances in Functional Training - Mike Boyle

Again, Mike is the Jedi-master when it comes to program design.  This book is easily one of the best I’ve read in the past three years.  The sports hernia section alone is well worth the price.

Gray Cook is One Smart Mofo - as far as DVDs are concerned, Gray’s “Secrets” series:

Secrets of the Shoulder

Secrets of Core Training

Secrets of the Hips and Knee

Primitive Patterns

…are some of the most comprehensive around in terms of assessment, corrective exercise, as well as showcasing progressions one can follow.  If I had to choose, I’d pick the hips and knees - but that’s only because I have the knees of a 70 year old man.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - David Eggers

One of the most poignant and funny memoirs I have ever read.  It’s awesome, just read it.

No-Bull Muscle Building Plan - Kelly Baggett

I know he’s not quite as well known as many of the others I’ve mentioned above, but Kelly has written a lot of phenomenal stuff throughout the years, and this is one his best.

Essentials of Strength and Conditioning -  my “Captain Obvious” choice of the bunch, this book should be a staple on anyone’s book shelf who’s considering training athletes.

Assess and Correct - Eric Cressey, Mike Robertson, Bill Hartman

You can’t say the term “program design” without first talking about assessment.  Having the ability to assess someone and to better ascertain what it is they need to work on from a postural/movement quality standpoint is crucial.

You need to learn to add/subtract before you learn division, right?  Well, the same can be said about program design.  You need to know how the body functions and have a fairly good grasp on functional anatomy before you start haphazardly writing programs.

Muscles: Testing and Function, with Posture and Pain - Kendall and Kendall

Granted, you may have to read the same page 17 times before you understand it; but again, having a better understanding of how the body works will definitely help you become more proficient at designing programs on an individuals to individual basis.

Yeah, yeah, yeah….I’m sure I’ve left a lot of good books/DVDs off the list.  Relax!  This isn’t an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination, but I feel it’s a great starting point for anyone looking to expand their fitness library.  By all means, though, feel free to share your thoughts/recommendations below in the comments section!

Alright, I want to apologize in advance for the less than great content that’s been posted recently.  While I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it’s been complete foo-foo nonsense, it’s been close.  I promise, with chocolate covered cherries on top, that once I get this apartment situation is settled, I’ll be back on track providing awesome content with an occasional picture of Alyssa Milano.

Thanks for understanding/kill me now.

That said, I had to share a quick story.  I left CP a little early yesterday because myself, Eric, and Pete (along with our significant others) had dinner plans in the North End at 7 PM to celebrate our 3-Year Anniversary of pissing excellence.  As such, I had to run a few errands beforehand, one of which entailed me stopping by the bank, as well as the grocery store.

There’s a bank and a Whole Foods within the same parking lot on the way home, so I figured I’d kill two bird with one stone and park at the bank and walk over to the store - roughly 50 yards away.

I walk into the bank to use the ATM, but had to wait a few minutes to wait for this older gentleman to complete his transaction.  Easy peezy.  He leaves, and it takes me, I don’t know, 57 seconds to do what I have to do (again, mind out of the gutter people).  I leave the bank and start walking over to the Whole Foods, which as I mentioned before, is no more than half a football field away.

Wouldn’t you know it, guess who I see parking his car?  Yep, the same man whom I saw no more than two minutes prior in the bank.   The guy literally got back into his car in order to drive a few hundred feet.  Wow.

Later on, I inadvertently crossed paths with him in the store and watched as he ordered a few slices of pizza with a side of heart attack.

It brought to light a lot of what’s said in THIS article, which was forwarded to me from a reader of my blog (thanks Chris!).   Namely just how god-awful lazy we’ve become.  And, more importantly, the fact that we get very little exercise outside of the time we spend in the gym.  Sure, you head to the gym 3-4 times per week, and that’s definitely better than nothing.  But when that’s your only form of exercise on any given week, is it any wonder why you haven’t lost those last 20 pounds, have chronic back pain, feel fatigued all…..the……time, and have the mobility of a pregnant whale?

I get it, we’re all busy. But would it kill you to take the stairs from time to time?  Personally, I refuse to take escalators, and take the stairs whenever possible.  How about turning off the television and going for a walk?  As an example, last weekend my girlfriend and I wanted to go watch Toy Story 3 (yes I got teary eyed) in downtown Boston.  We ended up walking 50 minutes to the theater and then back again.  Of course, it helped that it was a beautiful day, but it was great to get outside and spend time together.

The point is, you don’t HAVE to be in a gym in order to get some form of exercise in.  MOVE….for the love of all that’s holy!

There’s a mentality, albeit a small one, amongst some fitness enthusiasts that the only way to gauge the effectiveness of a training session is whether or not they’re able to walk on two feet at the end of it.  That is, unless they’re close to vomiting their breakfast up, they feel the session was a complete failure and that they must have not worked hard enough.

Likewise, there are many personal trainers and coaches who feel that the only way to train their clients/athletes is to beat them to the ground and make them beg for mercy.  I don’t agree with this.

The way I see it, any nimrod can write a workout that will make someone tired.  I mean, if that was all it took to be successful in this industry, I’d just have my clients push the Prowler for an entire hour, and call it a day.

Don’t get me wrong, I think there’s something to be said about pushing people to their limits and getting them out of their “comfort zones,” but to say that some people take it to the extreme would be an understatement.

As an example, I just started working with a new female client who, due to some unfortunate circumstances, had to leave her trainer of close to one year.  She explained to me that in the past, her trainer would write workouts (not programs) that would literally leave her in a mental daze.  There was one instance, she noted, where she was walking home one day after a session, and didn’t realize till three blocks after the fact that she had walked past her apartment!

All she knows up until now, is that training = I hate life.  Mind you, she loves training, but as of now she feels that the only way to get results is to make her kidneys bleed.  I had to explain to her that just because something is hard, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better.

And this, I think, is a point that many trainees can benefit from.  Far too often I see people jumping into some advanced fat loss program thinking that by doing so, they’ll get 2x or even 4x the results.

Their thinking is that if three sets of ten is good, 14 sets of infinity is waaaaay better.  Meanwhile, while their intentions are good, all they’re really doing is placing fitness on top of dysfunction, which as physical therapist Gray Cook has said on numerous occasions, is the worst thing one can do.  In short, they’re using horrible form and it’s only a matter of time before something breaks down.

What’s more, we see guys come into CP all the time asking advanced questions like, “should I be doing more speed work?” or “when can I start using chains with my bench press?”  Yet, for many, they can’t do a proper push-up, or walking lunge for that matter.

All in all, the point I’m trying to make is that a lot of trainees would be better served taking a step back and understanding that QUALITY of training is so much more important than QUANTITY of training.  More doesn’t necessarily mean better.

UPDATE: For those interested in my on-going apartment search (Mom) - I checked out a place this morning that smelled like old person fart passing through an onion.   Jesus, I feel like Frodo trekking through Mordor trying to find this place.  There can only be one.  The search continues…..