Better Training Results with This Technique

Jedd Johnson — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:40:50 +0000

I have a confession to make.

For years, I thought warming up was a joke – a waste of time. DUMB.

Trainers like Guy Razy would come to train with us and show us cool warm-up drills, and I would ignore them. DUMB.

Guys like Coach Mike wrote me emails telling me I needed to improve my flexibility and mobility and I put it off. DUMB.

Smitty and Brad told me how much better they felt after incorporating more of this stuff into their training and I ignored them. DUMB.

It wasn’t until more than a year later when Smitty and Brad actually ran me through a battery of intense warming up that I realized what I was missing. Now I warm-up intensely every single workout.

In addition to warm-up and dynamic flexibility strategies to get ready to WREAK HAVOC, I’ve also found that I respond well to jumping exercises before hitting the weights.

I’ve always loved jumping, but unfortunately my ceiling is too low for me to leap up on top of jump boxes, so that’s out of the question.

But I recently found something just as good. You’ve probably heard them called Kneeling Jumps, but I call them Up Downs.

Up Downs spark the Central Nervous System BIG TIME.

After doing these, I am ready to DROP BOMBS. I feel more aware, more focused, and I have hit several PR’s since including them. I want you to try these out.

How to Perform Up Downs

You may have seen these done differently elsewhere, but this is how I do them. This way actually makes it harder to perform them, causing you to work just a bit harder, focus more deeply, and as a result, pushing you to a better warm-up finisher.

Starting Position:

Kneel down on the gym floor, placing your entire shin flat on the ground, plantar flexing the foot. This position takes your ankles out of the movement and forces you to engage everything else more intensely.

Power Transfer:

It is imperative to get the arms involved in the movement in order to generate the power to get up off the ground and to the landing position. Swing them back to engage a sretch reflex, then fire your leg and glute power to drive yourself upwards.

Recovery Position:

Once airborne, you must pull your feet out from under you to stick the landing. Try to land as quietly as possible to absorb the energy, and get into an athletic position, like a puma ready to pounce on its prey.

Here’s a quick video demo showing some of the stuff I have done to modify Up Downs even more.

If you’re like me and have hated and dreaded warm-up, you should try this out.

Go through some dynamic warm-up and mobility stuff and then finish it off with some Up Downs or something similar to really prime the CNS. I think you’ll be surprised how good you feel.

Try them and let me know what you think. I think you’ll have a KICK-ASS workout setting MONSTER PR’s.

All the best,

Jedd

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Exposing the Matrix

Jedd Johnson — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:34:15 +0000

I can’t hold back any longer! I am here to expose the Matrix.

Have you ever seen Keanu Reeves? Yes, he rides a motorcycle. Yes he has a band. And yes, he has a very substantial beard. I mean he could either be the 4th dude from ZZ Top, or rent the space in his beard for a butterfly or sparrow retreat.

This post is AWESOME!

I think I actually saw a biscuit fall out of it once. But that is not the point.

The point is, this dude really expects us to believe that he was actually strong enough and limber enough to pull off those bullet dodging stunts?

Well sir, you haven’t fooled me!

I have recently uncovered this never-before-seen, undoctored pic of Keanu on the set of the matrix. It clearly shows that Mr. Reeves was in fact performing these very mobile stunts while on a swiss ball!

Ah ha! I caught you!

After this really cool intro, let’s really get into it.

Real Swiss Ball Training

I have recently done a ton of research on how to improve the mobility of my athletes. In fact, I think I have some pretty important ideas that I will document over the course of the upcoming months.

My biggest influences have been in no particular order:

- Frank Shamrock

- Mike Robertson and Eric Cressey

- Scott Sonnon

_____________________________________________________________

Mike and Eric for their important work with Magnificent Mobility. Mobility was an essential part of the AMD structure and it all started with them opening my eyes to how important mobility is.

Definition of Mobility (my informal definition, yes you can quote me) - ability to freely move through the intended motion for all movements or exercise without restrictions and have strength and stability throughout this range of motion.

What is the difference between mobility and flexibility? Flexibility implies range of motion. But it does not imply strength in this extended range of motion.

Flexibility can be enhanced with static stretching. But mobility exercises not only improve range of motion of a joint, but also activates the engaged musculature during the movement.

A win-win.

Both static stretching and mobility drills have their place in a strength program. And therefore both should be used.

Prior to a workout, the CNS must be charged and excited and your core temperature must be increased. Mobility drills can accomplish this very effectively when used in conjunction with SMR and activation work. All of these are an essential part of a thorough warm-up.

That is why Mike and Eric’s product is so important.

Now on to Scott and Shamrock.

A while ago I came across a video of Shamrock using a swiss ball for his mobility drills. I really loved the concept for many reasons.

The swiss ball used in this manner will:

improve full body mobility; ankles, hips, thoracic spine, shoulders, elbows, wrists
improve proprioception and kinesthetic awareness
promote fascial raking and effective “sensory” activation
become ONE part of a great warm-up (SMR, Mobility, Activation, Warm-up) that is relaxing and fun
be great for transitioning for combat athletes

This led into my ongoing discovery of Scott Sonnon’s work. All of these “mentors” have shaped and are continuing to shape my ever changing view of movement.

Enjoy.

Post your comments about your own mobility work AND how you felt after trying this new drill.


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