Diesel Crew - Muscle Building, Athletic Development, Strength Training, Grip Strength » get stronger

Trying to Do it ALL…Safely and Wisely

Jedd Johnson — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 02:01:50 +0000

I don’t think you know how bad this hurts…

Let’s Talk about Goals

I’m sure during January you were assaulted by people talking about setting goals. I know I was. I may have even hit you with an email about getting your head right.

Today I want to talk about how my goals have changed over the years and then I want to hear about yours.

Like many of you that visit the site, the purpose of my training involves four main goal areas:

1. Build Strong Muscle

2. Burn Fat

3. Stay Healthy

4. Compete at a High Level

I took up serious training in the gym because I wanted to be strong. I wanted to be like my grandfather who everyone has always told me was a very big and strong individual with a real “presence,” although I never got the chance to meet him. I wanted to grow to a very old age and always be in good health and never have to walk around with a cane.

I started out on the right foot, thinking about injury prevention and health just as much as the effort I was putting into getting bigger and stronger.

Then there came a time where Competing at a High Level ruled my training. I constantly trained balls to the walls with very little consideration to my joints, connective tissues, etc. It became more important to me to constantly put up more weight, burn more calories, and stick in extra training time to get ahead of other individuals, especially when I was doing Strongman competitions routinely.

Unfortunately, this savage determination to constantly improve and get stronger began taking a toll on me and I started having more and more injuries. That is when I had to take a step back from Strongman, although I definitely loved the sport and am glad for everything I have experienced with the sport.

These days, my approach to training is much more like what it was when I first started training and I design my workouts to meet all four of the goals mentioned above.

One of the things I am trying to stay much more aware of in my training is Contra-Specific Training, or Antagonistic Balance. Essentially what I do is try to select exercises that will compliment one another by training opposing movement patterns.

For instance, because I have sat at desks and other workstations for my work over the course of the last 10 years or so, I now have a wonderful set of tight hip flexors and questionable posture. I don’t want my training to worsen the situation, so I choose my lifts wisely.

I am including a lot more conditioning in my workouts lately, and have found a pretty damn intense combination that is freaking awesome.

Contra Specific Hybrid Cardio – Sledge Hammer Slams with Kettlebell Snatches

As you will see, this combination hits all four of my goals.

1. Build Strong Muscle – Sledge Hammer Slams with the 20-lb Sledge (20 Reps) followed by Kettlebell Snatches with my 53-lber (20 Reps) – fairly heavy for the combination selected.

2. Burn Fat – The movements are done back to back with very little rest. Right-hand dominant Sledge Hammer Slams onto the tire followed by snatches for a set of 20 with the righthand. After a short rest, the same is done with the left hand.

3. Stay Healthy – Not withstanding the health benefits of the cardiovascular demands of the movement, these two movements are also contra specific (opposite movement patterns). The Snatches involve ankle, knee, and hip extension with shoulder flexion. Sledge Hammer Slams work the antagonistic movements of hip flexion, shoulder extension, etc. They compliment one another very well.

4. Compete at a High Level - This is also naturally a very Grip-dependent combination, plus I wear gloves which make the implement handles seem even thicker than normal. This is a great finisher to an otherwise already solid workout, but if you’re looking for a way to work the grip for endurance, this might be just what the doctor ordered for you.

Incidentally, this combination also helps me accomplish another goal, which is to spend more time outside in the fresh air. I tend to spend a lot of time stuck inside.

Going outside in the dark is NOT something I am working on, but when you are as busy as I am sometimes you don’t get the chance to train until night time when the only light available is from the old and sickly 2001 Explorer in the driveway.

I love this combination and think you should try it out as well.

I will be bringing more combinations like this to you in the future as well as other beneficial resources.

So, speaking of goals what are your top 3 or 4 goals that surround your training? I’d be interested in hearing more from you guys about what makes you train the way you do.

Heck, when it comes right down to it, I haven’t heard from many of you in a long long time and I would like an update.

Drop a comment below and let me know what is motivating you in your training. I know your going to the gym and hitting the weights for some reason other than to pass time.

Now, leave a comment below and update me, or I’ll come after you with this chain-decked anvil, brother!!!!

Jedd

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Explosive Medicine Ball Training for Speed and Power Development

Jedd Johnson — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:36:53 +0000

Explosive Medicine Ball Training for Speed and Power Development

By: John Cortese

http://CortesePerformance.com

Medicine ball throws are an excellent way to develop explosive power. I learned of these throws a few years ago from the late, world-renown speed coach, Charlie Francis; and world-famous Olympic sprint coach, Dan Pfaff.
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP

Benefits:

Great for teaching proper acceleration mechanics for novice and youth athletes.
Can be done outdoors on grass or sand.
Teaches triple extension of the foot, knee, and ankle in body positions specific to horizontal/vertical jumping and sprint starts.
Teaching time is minimal- just throw the ball as fast and far/high as possible!
Activates CNS prior to speed/strength training.

When To Do Them:
Because of the intense nature of these throws, they should be done on days when you plan to incorporate some sprints and heavy lifting. I like to do them in the warm-up to make sure the throws are done with maximal effort. Doing them tired would be pointless if you’re after speed and power development. Start with once a week, 5-10 throws per session, then work your way up to twice a week with 10-20 throws per session.

Throws:

1.) OHB Throw
a. Start with a light (4-6 lb women, 8-12 lb men) medicine ball.

b. Arms straight, squat down and back and let chest go forward; you should be in an athletic starting position.

c. Initiate movement by forcefully extending hips and throwing arms up and back to throw the ball over and behind the head.

d. You should jump off of the ground if you do these correctly.
e. Aim to throw bar as far as possible. Shoot for 5-10 quality throws, rest as needed between throws to ensure each throw is given maximal effort.
2.) Squat Throw
a. Squat down and back.

b. Lean forward and begin to feel like you are falling forward.

c. Explode/jump OUT and push medicine ball away as fast and far as possible.

d. Fall forward into push up position.

e. *Optional: Scramble up out of the push-up position and sprint 5-10 yards.
3.) Coil Throw (*Squat throw from knees)
a. This throw is almost identical to the squat throw, except it is done from your knees instead of on your feet.

b. This version should be mastered first before moving onto the squat throw to develop the strength and confidence to land in the push-up position.
Wrap Up
These throws are fun and easy to do/teach. Remember the goal for these is speed, so move that ball as fast and explosive as possible. To ensure competiveness in your training and continued progress, measure the distances on throws when you aren’t adding the sprint at the end. These can be done on sand or grass and flat or hilly surfaces.

Do these for a while and say hello to your new-found speed and power!

About The Author:
John Cortese is the owner of http://CortesePerformance.com and Cortese Training Systems LLC in Napa, CA. He works with athletes from youth to pro to get faster and stronger for their sport. For more information on how to develop into a dominant, freaky, explosive athlete, visit http://CortesePerformance.com Similar Posts:

Foam Rolling 101 With Advanced Techniques

Jedd Johnson — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:19:41 +0000

Foam rolling is an essential part of any good muscle building / strength training program. It must be done before, during or after your workout. In fact, it should be done on your off days too to help get ready for the next workout or sporting event.

When it is time to get real, it is time to get real.

Nothing is more real than foam rolling.

I’m not talking about the white fluffy foam rollers, I’m talking about the black foam rollers or even a PVC pipe son. The real stuff. Just the right tools to get a brother’s soft-tissue right while bring a tear to your eye.

Nothing is tougher than fighting a dragon-man-beast with a wooden spear in full armor.

Foam Rolling 101

Foam rolling is an essential piece of every workout AND every off day when you don’t go to the gym. You should be doing it everyday.

Why is Foam Rolling Important?

Excerpted from the ACS Manual (just one part of the AMD system)

Improve ROM (and subsequently execution of movement patterns) of a joint by lengthening and flattening scar tissue, removing adhesions (remodeling fascia), reducing tension / tightness and neurological inefficiencies
Use in conjunction with your static, dynamic, ballistic and PNF stretching protocols to improve muscle length, flexibility and mobility
Improved recovery and diminishing the effect of DOMS
Should be utilized along with other restorative soft-tissue therapies usually grouped as self-myofascial release (SMR): trigger point therapy (golf balls, tennis balls), trigger point therapy, active release technique (ART), the Stick

How Foam Rolling is Changing?

Recently I’ve been incorporating more flowing movements not only to our workout, but our pre-workout routine for not only my athletes, but for myself as well. And it is paying off big time. I can now full squat (after battling a knee injury from high school and a subsequent botched surgery for 20 years), jump, lunge and many other movements.

What we are doing is, in addition to our conventional foam rolling, using a small, dense medicine ball to roll on.

It is denser and has a more focused application to the massage (exactly like tennis ball and lacrosse ball applications). But that is not the coolest thing!

Linear movements on a conventional foam roller now become flowing movements across your cross the body and multiple muscle groups and kinetic segments. If we attack tension and inefficiencies at multiple angles across each joint.

This is very important because we don’t not absorb impact, decelerate or even accelerate linearly. Our bodies act in 3D and we move treat them and improve the function of them in 3D.

Remember, slay the dragon don’t play with Barbies.

Smitty

Advanced Foam Rolling


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Essential Hip Mobility – How to Warm-up Correctly

Jedd Johnson — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:12:32 +0000

You Are Going to Get Injured.

Yes, you will.

Sooner or later, the choices you make in the weight room will lead to injury. A severe injury or something minor is in your future, trust me on that!!

But you have a choice and if you act on it, you will see immediate results.

And you must make it immediately! You must take action right now without hesitation!

Change your workout. Change it NOW!

Because I know what you’ve been doing.

DO NOT MISS THIS POST

You haven’t been warming up. You haven’t been doing full range of motion movements. You haven’t been raising your core temperature before touching ANY weights.

This stops now!

I am here to make your workouts better and make you feel better.

What does training do to your body?

The SAID Principle and The Principle of Progressive Overload is based upon the foundation of tension. The more tension, the more adaptation. Good or bad. You are constantly striving to create more tension and more time under tension (TUT).

Good adaptations include building muscle and strength (combination of increasing cross sectional area of the muscle fiber – sarcoplasmic hypertrophy AND an increase in the number of myosin/actin filaments (sarcomeres) inside the cell – myofibrillar hypertrophy ), improved neural efficiency, tendon / ligament density, greater work capacity, development of specific physiological qualities (dependent upon volume, load, speed, tempo, implement, application), and so on…

Bad adaptations include the consequences of the recovery from heavy and prolonged strength training. Shortening of soft-tissues, adhesions and inhibition in movement is increased dependent upon % of tension (vs. current capacity), restricted range of motion movements coupled with current mobility limitations.

What does this mean?

If you load up a ton of freaking weight, day in and day out, and only perform short range of motion movements, you’ll be walking like Frankenstein and get injured from tying your shoe and farting at the same time.

Solution? Comprehensive, systematic, consistent application of a thorough, complete and all-encompassing warm-up and mobility drills prior to and after your strength training sessions.

Think I’m lying? Think I don’t know what I’m talking about? Think you don’t have time?

Bullshit.

I have been applying these techniques this year with not only myself, but all of my athletes. We’ve gotten stronger and my chronic injuries and limitations have gone away.

Now, if your goal is to lift heavy, lift often and lift hard for a few years, then screw it – who needs mobility work. But if you want to lift for a lifetime, then you better start doing these movements.

NOW.

You don’t want to be like this dude.

Essential Hip Mobility Movements

I just posted a new video of some really good hip mobility movements. These will get your heart pumping, open up your hips, improve your flexibility and get you moving again quick.

But you have to do them on a consistent basis. I’m not just talking about before lower body day, I’m talking about all the time.

Remember the previous post I put up about hip mobility and knee rehab? It showed how to open up the hips and activate the glutes. How about the lower back rehab post? With each post we are learning more and more and building more comprehensive workouts.

Right now we are concentrating on hip mobility.

Hip Mobility Exercises in the Video

Glute Stretch into Cossack
Wall Squats
Hip Flexor Stretch (Back Leg Elevated)
Hip Flexor / Quad Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch and Reach
Bulgarian Split Squats
Striders into Rotational Lunges
Striders into Seated Glute Stretch
Fire Hydrants
Downward Dog into Quad Squat
Cobra into Dynamic Plough
Dynamic Adductors – Level 1 (Narrow)
Dynamic Adductors – Level 2 (Wide)
Dynamic Adductors – Level 3 (Horizontal Squat)

The Essential Hip


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