I’m going to be covering some stuff on various injuries in MMA, as I’ve been experiencing a few injuries myself lately.
Recently, I’ve experienced a concussion (non-MMA related) and a hand injury (boxing).
I also just attended a workshop where I learned some new stuff for shoulder injuries.
So I just want to know what injuries you have currently or you’re recovering from?
Vote below and it will help me help you!
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If you’ve got any other Comments or questions, leave them below.
The other day I walked into the new big-box gym that I’ve been working out at and witnessed a ghastly sight…
A 30-something guy who looked to be in reasonable shape but was probably a fat loss client was working with one of the Stock Trainers at the gym. You know, the beefy guy who makes workouts up as he goes and who’s only jobs are to count your reps, provide an occasional motivational quote (“ALL YOU”) and maybe a spot or two.
Anyway these guys were chatting and then started doing something more ridiculous than Chael Sonnen calling himself the champ and carrying around a replica UFC belt.
Now picture this: the Stock Trainer instructed his client to get up on a BOSU ball (uh oh), handed him a set of dumbbells (come on) and made him do a simulataneous squat and side raise (please god stop the madness)!
Why? Why!?! WHY!!!!
What the hell are you trying to do with this exercise?
Let me play devil’s advocate for a second and consider the possibilities:
POSSIBLE REASONING #1: increase fat burning by increasing the metabolic load due to the combination of 2 exercises with standing on a BOSU ball which activates more stabilizer muscles
WHY THIS IS RETARDED: the limiting strength factor here is the amount of weight you can side raise, so the legs and hips (the much bigger muscles) aren’t stimulated at all. While standing on a BOSU does increase stabilizer muscle activation, doing so also decreases prime mover muscle activation and the prime movers (quads, glutes) are much bigger and will burn much more fat than the teensy-weensy little stabilizers.
BETTER WAY: do a set of heavy squats supersetted with side raises. Then stand on 1 leg with your eyes closed during your rest time. Some things aren’t better combined, like blending together your dinner of steak, potatoes and broccoli.
POSSIBLE REASONING #2: standing on a BOSU while performing different moves will improve balance and what’s wrong with working on balance once in a while?
WHY THIS IS RETARDED: unless you’re training to be the seal who balances on a ball while balancing a ball on his nose, or you are a surfer or skateboarder, this is completely non-functional for your task.
BETTER WAY: look at the needs of the individual and choose the balance exercises most appropriate for those needs.
Now here’s where we get into some meat…
Balance is specific to the environment and is a reaction or reflex that keeps you still.
Unless you’re trying to play a statue, balance is a dynamic event.
It’s like trying to drive straight – when you’re first learning, you take the grip of death on the wheel and try to lock it in straight. But once you learn to relax, you realize that it’s about making little adjustments as you go.
That’s what balance is all about – your ability to make little adjustments to stay on track.
There are 2 main types of balance to train: righting reflexes and tilting reflexes.
A righting reflex is what you need when standing on one foot with your eyes closed.
A tilting reflex is what you need when the ground is moving under you and you’ve got to adjust to it to stay balanced, like in surfing or skateboarding (or being a circus seal).
In MMA and most sports, righting reflexes are what you need to be balanced.
Now when you want to work on balance, you can focus on your specific needs and in the case of MMA: righting reflexes. So that means you have no need ever to stand on a BOSU ball or wobble board (unless it’s a rehab type situation).
There are also 2 types of righting reflexes you can train: static and dynamic.
A static righting reflex is when you’re standing in one place and have to keep your balance, like if you’re standing over a guy on his back trying to ground and pound him out while he’s trying to throw you off balance and get you to the ground.
Here’s an example of a good exercise to train your static righting reflex (I can’t believe how old this video seems LOL):
Here’s a drill that you can do that will help with your dynamic righting reflex, and possibly help you be a little quicker and more nimble on your feet:
[flv:http://ericwongmma.com/videos/x-drill-2-foot-180.flv 640 360]
[More Info on the 6 Components of Quickness for MMA Here]
So there you have the “Truth about Balance” training…
Unless you’re a surfer, skateboarder, or circus seal in training, stay off the BOSU and focus on the specific exercises and drills that will improve your skills where it matters – in the cage and on the mats.
PEACE
Eric
P.S. Please hit “Like” to stop the madness and spread the good word.
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So after going through all of the Comments, I’ve decided to award the free copy of the Dessert Angel books to the following 3 people…
Drum roll please…
.
.
Special shout out goes to Greg and his (white-boy) rap. Made me laugh!
I’ll be contacting all winners via email to send you your books.
And if you didn’t win, don’t fret, because I’ve got another opportunity for you to get the Dessert Angel books for FREE:
My friend Dave Ruel is having a sale ($40 off!) on the New Edition of his book Anabolic Cooking, which is a solid cookbook filled with recipes great for athletes (high protein, moderate carb, good fats).
Best of all – the recipes actually taste great.
So, you can not only get this book for a cool $40 off, but after you buy, I’ll give you the Dessert Angel books for FREE ($39.95 value).
Let’s do the math (sorry, Chinese genes kicking in, I CAN’T STOP!)…
Anabolic CookingĀ is on sale right now for $37.
The regular price for the Dessert Angel books is $39.95.Ā
Divide it by 2 and you’re getting Anabolic Cooking for $18.50 ($58.50 off the regular price of $77) and the Dessert Angel books for $18.50 ($21.45 off).
So your total savings is $58.50 + $21.45 = $79.95!
Pretty good deal, but Dave’s sale expires in:
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Don’t miss out on this chance to save 80 bucks, click here to grab Anabolic Cooking now!
Eric
P.S. After you grab the program, visit this link to and enter your Receipt # to claim your FREE bonus:
My wife LOVES baking desserts.
One night this past summer I gave her the nickname “The Dessert Angel” and it kinda stuck…
She makes desserts like these:
And I LOVE eating healthy and everything that comesĀ along with it, like ENERGY in the TANK.
So she’d ask me nutrition questions and about healthyĀ ingredients and then she’d go work her magic in theĀ kitchen and whip something up for me to try.
Then, back in September I had a bit of an “a-ha” momentĀ and figured I could help her put something together forĀ anyone who loves eating treats, but doesn’t want toĀ look like they do.
I saw it as something that a lot of people could benefit from, specifically theĀ people who “know what to eat, but have trouble doingĀ it”.
Because let’s face it, most diets are strict. And strictĀ diets work.
But if you can’t stick to the diet, it’s worthless.
Now imagine for a moment that you could eat healthy desserts designed to burn fat, give you energy, and keep you healthy.
Wouldn’t that make it a heck of a lot easier to stick to your diet?
Because then, it wouldn’t feel like a diet at all!
Well we just finished putting together the product:
Go read the page… It’s here:
==> http://TheDessertAngel.com
But don’t buy it (yet). š
GIVEAWAY TIME
Because you can come back here and tell me WHY you think this will help you in 300 words or less and win a copy for FREE.
I’ll pay special attention to those who show me they actually read the page.
So go check out TheDessertAngel.com and come back here and tell me why you think this will help you out and I’ll pick 3 winnersĀ on Wednesday January 25th at 2pm EST.
It’s a bit of a pain to type right now seeing as the index finger on my right hand is about double its normal size…
I sprained it (the metacarpalphalangeal joint to be specific) a week ago sparring not because my right cross is overly powerful but because the sparring gloves I was using were a piece of crap. They seem to channel all force through the one knuckle.
Therefore, I highly recommend against cheap (Title Platinum) sparring gloves unless you enjoy typing with a bag of peas secured to your finger to keep the swelling down.
That’s what I get for being cheap – damn you Chinese genetics!
A couple of days ago I picked up a pair of Top Ten Superfight gloves before my last sparring session. Even though my finger was already in pain, I was no worse for wear afterwards. Highly recommended!
Anyway, I’d been meaning to write this post up but have put it off due to the finger and also because I’ve been very busy dealing with Amanda who just won her first fight at the Canadian Nationals tournament – 2 more to go!
Now, what I want to talk to you today is about fat loss nutrition science.
I haven’t talked a lot about nutrition lately, focusing more on training, but nutrition is at least 50% of the performance puzzle.
When you’re in your 20’s, you can get away with eating like crap and your body might not show much for it and it might not even impact your performance that much.
With that being said, if you were to clean up your eating, who knows how explosive and energetic you’d be…
The thing is, as you age, nutrition becomes more and more important.
Our bodies simply can’t deal with crap all day long and will rebel, just like your girlfriend would if all you ever did was go hang out with your buddies. Trust me, I’ve been there. š
Now the reason why I’m talking about fat loss specifically here is because your body tells me how you’re doing with your nutrition.
You can talk all day about how well you eat but if you’ve got a thick layer of insulation covering your abs or you’ve been considering getting fitted for a sports bra (manzeer or BRO for you Seinfeld fans), then it’s time to listen up and clean it up.
Before we continue, I’ve got one question…
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Thanks for voting…
Now, there’s a lot of hype and hoopla surrounding fat loss on the net, in magazines, on TV and even in the academic world, too.
Because of this, I want to clear up one of the most popular myths that is still hanging around today about fat loss: the myth that FAT makes you FAT.
Yes, it’s true – fat DOES NOT make you fat.
Nor does it negatively impact your cholesterol.
Real, natural fat, that is.
But trans fat will make you fat. Or kill you. Probably both.
Read those 4 sentences above again, just to make sure you get this important point.
.
.
Need actual proof?
Well I say good for you!
Don’t just believe whatever some guy behind a keyboard typing with a bag of peas elastic banded to his finger says.
That would be stupid.
So let’s talk scientific proof.
This study compared obese women separated into 2 groups:
“One group of dieters was instructed to follow anĀ ad libitumĀ diet with a maximum intake of 20 g carbohydrate/d… After 2 wk of dieting, subjects were permitted to increase their intake of carbohydrate to 40ā60 g/d only if self-testing of urinary ketones continued to indicate ketosis… The other group of dieters was instructed on a calorie-restricted, moderately low fat diet with a recommended macronutrient distribution of 55% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 30% fat.”
The important point is that those following the low carb diet could eat as much of whatever else they wanted, as long as they kept their carb intake to certain levels.
The study lasted for 6 months and here’s a graph showing the results:
You can also see that from 3 to 6 months, the low calorie/low fat group started gaining weight again.
Speaks for itself, doesn’t it?
Now, that’s great, we’ve got some scientific proof showing fat doesn’t make you fat.
“Sure, fat might not make me fat, but won’t it give me a heart attack?”
Good question.
I’m sick of science. I want to look at something more interesting. Let’s look at some trends.
Just remember that when looking at these trends, I’m not implying causation, but you can make your own conclusions based on the facts.
Before 1920, heart disease was rare in America.
From 1910 ā 1970, butter consumption declined from 18 pounds per person per year to 4 pounds.
If saturated fat were the cause of heart disease, reducing butter this much shouldāve made a big difference, right?
But in that same time period, heart disease went from being rare to the leading cause of death among Americans!
Oh and in that same period, the consumption of vegetable oils in the form of margarine and refined oils increased 400% and sugar and processed foods increased 60%. Overall fat intake declined.
In reading this, what are your conclusions?
I know what mine are: natural fat from things like butter are OK while refined oils, sugar and processed foods will kill me.
There’s a ton of science backing this up, like this study, and this one, but like I said, sometimes I just get sick of the science.
Because the only studies that really matter are the studies you perform on yourself.
No matter what the research study is, it doesn’t take into account the differences of each and every individual.
You, my friend, are a unique individual with unique needs.
So my recommendation, despite everything I’ve said here, is to drop any dogma and instead, be your own lab rat.
Make your best educated guess as to what might work for your goals.
If fat loss is your goal, you’ve got a simple blueprint to follow up above.
Then, make a plan and stick to it. Observe the results. If it worked, keep going. If not, try something else.
Easy peasy!
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Got a plan?
Feedback?
Questions?
Hate mail?
I’d love to hear it. Even the hate mail. Let’s chat.
Leave it below:
Ahhhā¦ A New Year, a fresh start. 2012 is upon us and itās up to us to make it a big one.
I woke up bright and early today with an agenda packed full of little tasks. Go to the walk-in clinic to get my medicals to submit to Boxing Ontario. Work on this blog post. Train Bocek. Get some writing done for a new project. Spar.
When I left the condo this morning, my wife and my dog were both still sleeping. Got on my bike, hit up the clinic. Closed. Rode to the next one. Talked to the receptionist. Itās an hour wait. I flashed her my biggest smile. Usually when I do this women instantly begin tearing their clothes off. Still an hour wait.
No way Iām waiting in the lobby of a walk-in clinic for an hour. Iād be likely to come out worse than I went in. Defeated, I chose to move on to task #2, writing this blog post.
As I contemplate the coffee Iām going to brew once I lose my writing āflowā, Iām thinking about how I can go about helping you get off to a good start to help you achieve your goals this year.
I think back to what Iāve done that has helped me achieve my goals, and what I did wrong when I didnāt. Thinking about both of these things is important, not just focusing on what we did right and forgetting about our failures. Do that and you render the failure useless. Discover why you failed and the failure becomes education and an opportunity for growth.
For me, one of the reasons why I’ve failed to achieve goals in the past is that I have too many goals at one time.
We only have so much mental and physical energy to direct each day. If weāre spreading it out over 10 different goals or projects, each one only gets a tenth of the energy it could get if we had 1 project. Simple math.
Thatās one of the biggest things Iāll be working on this year. Iāve got a zillion ideas of programs and projects to work on for myself and to make available to you. For example, Iāve wanted to release my eXplosive Muscle Building Blueprint for months; same with the Olympic Lifting Mastery Course.
But something else has always taken priority. Finally I got them done and I’m proud of what they’ve become.
So one of my resolutions is to narrow my focus. Not put too much on plate. Target those goals that would really make me proud of myself for achieving. The goals that would make a significant impact on my life and those around me.
As Master Bruce said, mastery isnāt about adding more and more, itās about hacking away at the unessential.
In simplicity lies efficiency. Efficiency is one of my core principles. Others I’ve shared in this video.
Iāve been thinking about my goals for a few weeks now. I still havenāt narrowed them all down. But when I do, those are going to be the main focus for the year.
One of them as you mightāve guessed is having a boxing match. That one has been on my plate for a while. Iām embarrassed that it hasnāt happened yet. But I set the date, now Iām doing what I have to do to make it happen. January 28th baby!
The second tip Iāll give you is to set your goal, then at that moment, create some type of action list or plan.
This takes your goal from your mind into reality.
When I set my boxing fight date, I printed up a calendar for January and wrote in each and every workout Iām going to do. Now, Iām on autopilot. All Iāve got to do is look at the calendar and follow the plan. Easy.
To make it even easier, I signed up at a big box gym around the corner. I even gave the devils my credit card info. I mainly signed up because they have a heavy bag. And Iām not just getting the convenience, Iām also getting entertainment.
I like watching the Stock Trainers put their clients through random and often ridiculous workouts. It seems like the gym taught all of their Stock Trainers the power pose: stand behind client with arms crossed chewing gum more rapidly than a cow on speed chews cud while spending more time looking at yourself in the mirror than watching your clientās exercise technique. I’m going to have to work on that.
If it’s anything like, “To get in the best shape of my life and have the body of my dreams” then now, you’ve got to boil it down…
Whatās the one thing you want to focus on first that will get you to your ultimate goal?
To help you, hereās a poll that shows the most common objectives, choose the ONE that you want to start with:
[poll id=”9″]
Now that youāve got your focus, think about your plan. While your focus should be narrow, your plan is more broad, including things like exercise, diet, stress reduction, accountability, assessment, etc.
To make this official, write down a couple of your next action steps in the Comments section below. That way you can come back to this post and assess your progress. Hereās a list of possibilities to help you get started:
Can you think of any others to add to this list? If so, let me know in the Comments section.
The last tip Iāll give you is this: donāt be a PROGRAM FLOOZY.
A Program Floozy is just like a normal floozy who jumps whoeverās bones they find interesting at that particular (drunken) time, without any commitment. Just looking for a good time. Thatās a surefire way to not getting any long-term, lasting results. Once youāve found a program that looks like itāll work for you, see it to the end.
Even if itās not the ābestā program out there, if you stick to it, chances are itāll get you closer to your goals, even if it doesnāt get you all the way there. When youāre done with it, if it didnāt give you everything you wanted, get a new one.
So those are my 2 tips to achieving your goals in 2012: narrow your focus and stick to a plan.
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Now leave your next couple of action steps below and letās kill it in 2012:
Like I talked about last post, one of the ways to force your body to make continued progress is to increase the complexity of exercises you throw at it.
By doing so, you’ll build new neural pathways and become more efficient and coordinated on a neuromuscular level.
The Snatch and Clean and Jerk are 2 exercises that are at the height of technical complexity.
Master these exercises and you’ve mastered the most efficient and powerful tools in your exercise toolbox.
Today, I’m going to be talking about some technical stuff and for the not real bright in the room who don’t care about technique it won’t really have any lasting effect.
But for the intelligent MMA fighters and fitness enthusiasts here who understand that progression from white to black belt in all disciplines is the goal of all training including strength and conditioning, today we’ll go through how you can start using the Olympic lifts to continue making progress in your performance and fitness for life.
As I’ve worked with fighters at all levels over the past 6 years, I’ve come across very few who were using the Olympic lifts.
Some have even displayed absolutely horrible form.
But if you’re in this boat, I’ve come to realize that it’s not your fault.
A few months ago, when I first started training with a high level fighter, I asked him all about his exercise history.
We talked for a while and then I asked, “Have you ever done the Olympic lifts?”
“Yeah, a few times, but I’ve never really been taught them properly.”
“OK, show me your form.”
He went on to perform a few reps of the Power Clean and it was clear that it wasn’t an exercise we’d be using until I taught him proper technique.
I then asked, “How were you taught the lifts?”
He replied, “They were usually in the middle of a circuit, so…”
BINGO.
Running groups of guys through circuits, spending 20 seconds explaining each station, with stations that include technical exercises like the Cleanis NOT the proper way to teach or learn the Olympic lifts.
Brutal.
Dangerous.
And completely unacceptable!
These lifts are not meant to be taken lightly and doing so will crush any who show this level of disrespect.
When watching these guys and other beginners execute the Olympic lifts, I’ve been able to observe common problems.
Knowing these points and how to fix them will help you know what to look out for when you start training with the O-lifts.
One aspect of the old Soviet system of churning out Olympic athletes that I greatly respect is the time they took to educate their athletes in the science behind what they had them do on a biomechanical and physiological level.
For the athlete, this leads to a deeper level of understanding of their craft and helps them execute more successfully.
Understanding both the technical aspects of the Olympic lifts as well as why each element is there will go a long way towards your safe and effective use of these powerful exercises.
What I’ve done is my BIOMECH Breakdown of the lifts so you understand each phase and its importance, giving you the foundation you need for proper execution.
The areas where mobility is most needed is in the ankles, hips and/or shoulders, which is pretty much everywhere. š
Unfortunately, the latter 2 are areas where regular MMA training (fight stance, guard, getting your neck cranked, etc) and modern society (sitting and driving) cause restrictions.
Addressing these areas is necessary for being able to properly do the Clean and Jerk and especially the Snatch.
I’ve personally had to spend a great deal of time on my hips and shoulders.
My hips from years growing up playing hockey without performing any compensatory stretches or exercises, and my shoulders from the first couple of years of weight training where all I did was Bench press and Bicep curl. [Which way to the beach?]
From my personal tightness and experience, static stretching just didn’t work for me.
But I’ve uncovered a few critical dynamic mobility exercises for quickly fixing these troublesome areas up that I’m going to guide you through.
Incorrect training in the past has to be broken down, deconstructed and re-programmed for correct technique.
You start by stopping the full lift that you’re trying to fix and start performing component parts of it properly.
This allows you to develop the proper patterns while avoiding the old, inefficient movements you used to do.
Then, you progressively put the movements together until you end up with the full lift in flawless technique.
I’ve used the BIOMECH Breakdown of the Snatch and Clean and Jerk to create a step-by-step program that starts from the ground up.
I call it the “Rapid Mastery Training Sequence” (RMTS) and it involves 4 levels:
Once you complete Level 2 Integration, you’re ready to put it all together and start banging out quality lifts.
I’ve put all this together in a program designed specifically for guys who have never done the lifts or guys who have done them before but know they need to improve their technique.
If you’re in this group, the Olympic Lifting Mastery Course is for you.
The Olympic Lifting Mastery Course is now LIVE: check it out here.
We had some great answers to the little “quiz” I gave you in my last post.
If you haven’t read the answers, check them out as you’re sure to pick something up, especially from the doctoral thesis Danavir posted… š
In today’s article, I’m going to present some of the factors you must take into consideration when designing “Energizer” programs.
What’s an Energizer program?
Just like the Energizer Bunny, it’s a program that keeps getting results without stopping.
Hahahaha I’m so clever.
I’m also going to give you some of the thought processes behind it instead of memorizing “rules”, you can think things through on your own to choose the best method for your situation.
That old “teach a man to fish” thing…
Now it’s important to understand that nothing I’m talking about here exists in isolation – each factor overlaps and interacts with the others.
So it’s something you’ve got to read carefully, digest and synthesize into something practical in your own mind.
These are at the heart of strength training program design (PD) and are the first factors to learn to manipulate.
When manipulating these variables, it’s necessary to consider your overall PD.
Here’s a simple table you can refer to based on variables I use when designing programs:
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These aren’t necessarily all straight from the textbook, but guidelines I’ve found effective when training my athletes.
The key to manipulating these variables is knowing your goal and understanding how the different goals build on one another:
Hypertrophy -> Strength -> Power ->Speed -> Endurance
Follow this simple template and you’ll take a lot of the guesswork out of designing your programs.
What you’ve got to ask yourself is, “What’s the ultimate result I want to achieve?” then you can assess and see what factor to work on first to achieve that goal.
NOTE: we’re talking about the neuromuscular system here; we’re not even going to touch the cardiovascular system in this article, we’ll get to that in the future.
Now, I’ve got some additional tricks up my sleeve to take it up a notch…
Now, one of the big guns – periodization.
It basically means how you plan your PD out.
If you ever decide to hire a trainer and he doesn’t lay out a plan that’s at least 4 weeks long in front of you, save your money, say, “Thanks but no thanks” and quickly walk away.
Unfortunately, most trainers are like this.
But it’s not always their fault – I used to be a trainer at a big-box gym making $20 per client and training 11 clients per day.
That doesn’t leave you a lot of energy or desire to write out 4-12 week periodized programs.
I quickly realized I would either burn myself out and stop caring, doing it just for money, or I’d have to leave.
I chose the latter and it was one of the best decisions of my life.
Anyway, a monster tip is to think backwards… Ask yourself, “What is the end result I’m looking for?”
Then plan backwards from that result and design the program accordingly.
Training fighters makes this convenient as the obvious goal is to be a beast in the octagon, so I can easily count the weeks backwards from there and put a plan into place.
If you’re not a fighter but you train MMA, train yourself like you’re going to fight and you’ll feel the power of this method.
If you’re into general fitness, set a goal, whether it be a body comp goal like dropping 10 lbs of fat in 6 weeks (or 20-30 lbs in 8 weeks like many of my MMA Ripped members) or a fitness goal like increasing your Back squat strength by 30 lbs in 4 weeks.
Whatever your situation, you can create a periodized program based on it to get the best results.
Manipulate the acute variables as mentioned in 1 every 3-5 weeks (more advanced guys need to change things up more frequently) and you’re good to go.
It’s also vital to include lower volume/intensity weeks (deload) as you cannot simply push and push your body into making progress.
Rest and recovery are when your body adapts, so schedule them in and prioritize them.
That was a quick run-through of the basics.
Now, let’s get to a few of the tweaks that can take you from good to great…
The order with which you perform exercises plays a big role in how much an exercise can cause adaptation.
The basic rule is that exercises performed early in the routine will have more of an effect than exercises later.
This is obvious as later on in your routine you’re going to have less energy to give.
HOWEVER, there are some non-obvious factors that you can manipulate to your advantage:
These are very powerful tools in your program toolbox that can be used depending on what you need to do.
For example, if you, like many, have sleepy glutes, doing a pre-activation exercise like a Hip extension before doing Squats will help you fire your glutes better when squatting.
Or doing a power exercise before a strength exercise can help recruit more muscle for your strength exercise, as long as you don’t drain yourself too much with the power exercise.
This is topic that can get a little “science-y”, but I’ll do must best to keep it understandable.
There are 2 types of neuromuscular coordination: INTERmuscular and INTRAmuscular.
INTERmuscular coordination happens between different muscle groups – for example, coordination all of the different muscle groups involved in the Squat.
INTRAmuscular coordination is the coordination within a muscle group, for example, how advanced lifters activate a higher % of their muscle fibres than beginners during a simple exercise like a Biceps curl.
Now, to enhance both of these types of coordination, it’s necessary that you repeat an exercise over and over as opposed to changing it too often.
This is the problem with the theory of “muscle confusion” – change a program too much and you’ll never improve your coordination.
If you don’t improve your neuromuscular coordination, you’ll never develop long-term performance improvements or changes to your body.
Even with hypertrophy training, which is more muscular than neuro driven, improving coordination through repeated exposure to the same exercise improves the % of muscle fibres firing, which increases the # of fibres that have the potential for growth, helping you get bigger.
When it comes to INTRAmuscular coordination, greatest improvements will be made when you’re fresh, so early on in your workout and taking lots of rest will give you the best results.
With respect to INTERmuscular coordination, the same rules apply, but the improvements you make will depend on the complexity of the exercises you perform.
A simple exercise like a Bicep curl requires a lot less INTERmuscular coordination than a more complex movement such as a Back Squat.
But if you’ve been Squatting for years, then you may be ready to take it to the next level.
That’s where the Snatch and Clean and Jerk – the Olympic Lifts – come into play.
These exercises require POWER (you can’t perform them slowly) AND concentration on proper technique, building new neuromuscular pathways in the process.
A month or so ago, I conducted a poll where I asked, “What is your experience with Olympic Weightlifting?” with the following results:
86% of respondents wanted to learn how to safely and effectively perform the Olympic lifts.
So if you’re reading this, you’re probably in that boat.
I even ran a webinar where I broke down the Snatch, but I knew that for most, that wasn’t enough to go out and start hammering out the O-lifts with confidence.
That’s why I’ve gone ahead and created a program designed to take the raw beginner to confident execution of the Snatch and Clean and Jerk in as little as 3 weeks.
I gives the peoples what the peoples wants. š
Just like how I summarized program design in this post in a way that will have all you trainers and guys who write your own programs designing better programs than the majority of trainers who make $60 per hour.
TOMORROW, I’m going to show you how to simplify the complex and learn the Olympic lifts even if you’ve got no experience OR confidence.
So if you’re like the confused monkey above when it comes to the Olympic lifts, you’re in for a treat.
And if you’re the intelligent type who knows when a little guidance and coaching is beneficial (like when trying to learn highly technical exercises like the O-lifts), this will be perfect for you…
… especially if you’re not ready to shell out a few hundred bucks or even a thousand bucks for personal training sessions.
Again, that’s coming tomorrow, so stay tuned if you’re ready to learn how to properly perform the most eXplosive exercises on the planet.
JUST RELEASED:
Got a short quiz for you this weekend, so it’s not all about ruining brain cells and vegging out.
Gotta keep the ol’ noggin’ working!
Plus, it’s your chance to synthesize and integrate some of the knowledge you’ve picked up from reading the articles and studying what I’ve been posting for you here on the blog.
Watch the short 87 second video for the little quiz of your training knowledge:
LEAVE YOUR ANSWERS BELOW >>>
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Before waxing all poetic on you, let me say it point blank:
Now, let’s begin…
Although the sauna is generally viewed as a tool for ultimate relaxation, conjuring images of a good sweat and feeling loose…
I’ve been involved in a few weight cuts in my years as a strength and conditioning coach and can tell you that the mere thought of one can make some of the toughest guys start sweating.
If you’ve ever been through a tough cut in the sauna, you’re probably sweating right now!
But there have definitely been some funny ones in there, though.
The funniest stories involve guys who are cutting weight for the first time.
I remember flying out to Vancouver with a fighter I was training named Joe Khamou. He was cutting to 170 lbs. It was his first MMA fight.
He was following my weight cuttingĀ guidelines and he was close, but it’d been about 24 hours since he last weighed in.
When we landed in Vancouver, we went for a walk to find supplies for the re-hydration phase. And hopefully a scale to check where he was at.
The whole time we were walking around, he was trying to spit, but nothing was coming out.
He kept doing it and I was like, “What the fuck man, stop already.”
“Sorry. It’s just so weird spitting and having no spit.”
Hahaha Khamou.
It was like walking around with a dog that you just fed a box of crackers to.
We did end up finding a scale. Joe weighed in at 168.7 lbs, so I had him start drinking again to maintain as close to 170 lbs as possible until the weigh-in a few hours later. The good thing for him was that he didn’t need the sauna.
There was another cut I was a part of Ā in Vancouver. I was with Claude at UFC 115 for his UFC debut. Him, myself and Kru Alin were all hanging out in the sauna. Well Kru and I were hanging out, Claude was doing his best to shed every last bit of H2O out of his body.
I like saunas, but like I said, I don’t like cutting weight.
So I was sitting near the bottom. Heat rises, so it was a heck of a lot cooler down there.
Claude started making fun of me.
He snickered to Kru Alin, “Notice where E’s sitting??”
I didn’t care. What I did care about was keeping my organs as far from failure as possible.
And that’s just one reason why cutting weight is such a ridiculous concept. The risk of organ failure.
But because of what it brings in, it may never go away… However, I think I may have a solution.
Now, some argue that cutting is a skill and show of toughness.
I don’t argue about the skill or mental toughness involved at all.
To be able to lose 15-30 lbs in a short period of time and put it all back on within 24 hours…
… THEN have to go out and fight some beast like Junior Dos Santos or Cain Velasquez is undoubtedly one of the most impressive skills known to mankind. I kneel before you.
But wouldn’t it be more impressive if a fighter knew he had to be at a certain weight. And, he knew he didn’t have the ability to cut more than 5 lbs because he had to be that weight 6 hours before his fight?
I think so.
I think once everyone got used to the idea, we’d all realize the madness of doing it any other way.
There’s just this resistance to change. And it’s this resistance and insistence on traditionalism that blocks true progress.
And one of the driving forces behind this resistance is obviously the almighty dollar.
Have you ever been to a UFC weigh-in before?
It’s insane.Ā Thousands of people packed in a loud stadium. Drinking beer. Snapping pictures. Soaking it all up.
It’s a huge spectacle and I’ll admit, gets you hyped up.
But my argument is to leave all of an athlete’s skill…
All of an athlete’s mental toughness…
And all of an athlete’s abundant amounts of energy, energy that he’s worked so damn hard for…
To leave it for him to use in his fight.
It’s a shame for this energy to be wasted on making weight. A real shame. That’s why I say that cutting weight is the most ridiculous concept in sport.
Yes, out of concern for the health risks to athletes, fighters and friends.
And because of the waste of energy that could be used to give us fight of the night after fight of the night.
Instead of a week dedicated to a low-calorie, low-carb diet, he could be nourishing his body properly, with delicious, nutritious food.Ā He would stay well hydrated on pure and clean water.Ā The good food and water would give him clarity of thought to mentally prepare for the task at hand.Ā His body would have the building blocks to heal from the beating it took during a grueling training camp.
And because of these things, he would generate a store of energy that could accomplish amazing things inside the Octagon. Things that would make people accuse him of taking drugs.
Things that would make everyone watching <gasp> and SCREAM Ā in excitement!
The UFC could still hold the weigh-in event… They’d still make their few hundred thousand or million doing so. People would still attend and enjoy Joe Rogan screaming at them.
All the UFC would have to do is have another weigh-in 5 or 6 hours before the fight.Ā
Then, the fighters wouldn’t be able to cut much weight, because they’d have to enter the fight soon. It wouldn’t be worth it.
Athletes would then have to choose what weight they wanted to fight at and optimize their bodies and keep it that way.
There would be no more fights where it looked like a Grade 10 kid was beating up a Grade 4.
That would be a real show of skill.
Having the right amount of muscle mass for your frame and being able to scientifically manipulate it to such a precise degree and KEEP it long term is a greater show of skill than simply going on a no-carb, low-calorie, salt-free diet for a week.
Being able to gain or lose muscle mass strategically and keep it that way is no simple task.
What do you think?
Am I way off base here?
Or does this make sense to you too?
Let’s have a discussion in the Comments section.Ā I want to hear your thoughts on this controversial topic!
[NOTE: This post is dedicated to Claude Patrick, who I hope one day will finally believe in the power of JC! And I’m not talking the man on the cross]
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