The HammerShed Podcast

On this week's show I welcome back Matt Wenning.  If you have not already listened to my first interview with Matt please be sure to check it out.  We talk about how he has helped our country's military and first responders get stronger and reduce on the job injuries.

On this show we talk about the conjugate method in detail.  How it can be used not only for power lifters but athletes and anyone else looking to get stronger.

Matt shares with us his experience at the Swiss Symposium.  It's a conference where some of the industries brightest thinkers share on a wide variety of topics.  Matt spoke about the sumo deadlift and lower back health.  He also talked about our topic for the week, the conjugate system.

The conjugate system was developed by Soviet Olympic weightlifters as an answer to the system they were using, which is more like the modern Bulgarian system.  The conjugate system came from the variable system that the Dynamo Club was using.  Although olympic weightlifting is only two lifts (Snatch and Clean & Jerk) Dynamo Club was using 70+ variations.  This drastically reduced injury and allowed them to go harder.

This type of training was first used in the the United States by the Louie Simmons at the Westside Barbell Club but Charlie Francis used these methods with Ben Johnson in Canada in the 70's and 80's.  A fun Westside history tidbit is, Matt owns the house Westside got its start in. Matt bought the house from Louie in 2006.

I asked Matt about the practice of box and wide squats exclusively in the Westside method.  He said that the trick is to do what you are bad at.  Typically people are bad/deficient at box and wide squats so generally they should be used more than conventional squats.  Matt says a good program will give more than it takes away.  Meaning if you do the same thing over and over your body will get used to it and your progress will slow.  It's important to constantly change your programing so that we continue to progress.  Matt advises that we need to stop looking for a 10 week fix to a multi year problem. Training with the Westside method is a multi year program.  Matt attributes his use of the Westside method throughout the majority of his career for his ability to achieve world record strength with very few injuries. The real win is getting very very strong with very little wear.  I point out that it's important to note; the whole reason the majority of us train is for health and longevity.  Being able to train in a way that reduces wear and increases strength is very important.

My next question for Matt was the criticism people have of the Westside method and its  lack of competition lifts incorporated in its programing.  He agrees with Louie's contention that Westside's heavy use of accessory lifts does improve technique.  Matt says he mixes in the conventional lifts once every three weeks.

When asked about training large groups Matt says it's impossible to make a perfect program that helps EVERY athlete 100% unless it's one on one training. There are some very common issues that work for most people. That is addressing weak glutes and poor hamstring to quad ratios.  Also rear deltoid and rhomboid weaknesses compared to anterior deltoid and pecs.  When we address these weaknesses with large groups that gets us 90% there, and when we are 90% that's good enough for large groups.

Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!

On this episode Bret and I speak with internet sensation Jujimufu. We talk about his work in tricking, bodybuilding, and keeping fitness fun. Jujimufu shares with us his thoughts on flexibility, his approach to maintaining his size and agility, and he shares stories of some of his most famous videos. Please be sure to check out his website acrobolix.com for his book Legendary Flexibility, clothing, and other great merchandise.

On this week's show I welcome back Matt Wenning.  If you have not already listened to my first interview with Matt please be sure to check it out.  We talk about how he has helped our country's military and first responders get stronger and reduce on the job injuries.

On this show we talk about the conjugate method in detail.  How it can be used not only for power lifters but athletes and anyone else looking to get stronger.

I have also just released a free guide titled "Westside Method: The 5 Keys to Success"  The Westside Method is a sure path to strength and better efficiency, but it’s not always intuitive. This guide breaks down the Westside methodology, making sense of the plan’s mantras and misconceptions to help you achieve habitual success.

Matt shares with us his experience at the Swiss Symposium.  It's a conference where some of the industries brightest thinkers share on a wide variety of topics.  Matt spoke about the sumo deadlift and lower back health.  He also talked about our topic for the week, the conjugate system.

The conjugate system was developed by Soviet Olympic weightlifters as an answer to the system they were using, which is more like the modern Bulgarian system.  The conjugate system came from the variable system that the Dynamo Club was using.  Although olympic weightlifting is only two lifts (Snatch and Clean & Jerk) Dynamo Club was using 70+ variations.  This drastically reduced injury and allowed them to go harder.

This type of training was first used in the the United States by the Louie Simmons at the Westside Barbell Club but Charlie Francis used these methods with Ben Johnson in Canada in the 70's and 80's.  A fun Westside history tidbit is, Matt owns the house Westside got its start in. Matt bought the house from Louie in 2006.

I asked Matt about the practice of box and wide squats exclusively in the Westside method.  He said that the trick is to do what you are bad at.  Typically people are bad/deficient at box and wide squats so generally they should be used more than conventional squats.  Matt says a good program will give more than it takes away.  Meaning if you do the same thing over and over your body will get used to it and your progress will slow.  It's important to constantly change your programing so that we continue to progress.  Matt advises that we need to stop looking for a 10 week fix to a multi year problem. Training with the Westside method is a multi year program.  Matt attributes his use of the Westside method throughout the majority of his career for his ability to achieve world record strength with very few injuries. The real win is getting very very strong with very little wear.  I point out that it's important to note; the whole reason the majority of us train is for health and longevity.  Being able to train in a way that reduces wear and increases strength is very important.

My next question for Matt was the criticism people have of the Westside method and its  lack of competition lifts incorporated in its programing.  He agrees with Louie's contention that Westside's heavy use of accessory lifts does improve technique.  Matt says he mixes in the conventional lifts once every three weeks.

When asked about training large groups Matt says it's impossible to make a perfect program that helps EVERY athlete 100% unless it's one on one training. There are some very common issues that work for most people. That is addressing weak glutes and poor hamstring to quad ratios.  Also rear deltoid and rhomboid weaknesses compared to anterior deltoid and pecs.  When we address these weaknesses with large groups that gets us 90% there,

On this episode Bret from Constant Forward Progress and I do some catching up on our training and talk about our new Facebook Group, HomeGrown Strength.

We start the show talking about how I was able to squat everyday for a year and what my thoughts on the experience were.  I tell Bret that I think this is a practice (Squatting Every Day) that is absolutely doable but does not suite my current goals.  I'm focused on powerlifting goals and need to spend more time deadlifting and doing other leg accessory work.  Squatting everyday takes aways from my ability to do that.

I also talk about how much I enjoy following the Conjugate/Westside method.  I love the diversity of lifts and being able to max out twice a week.  I have recently written a guide to training with the Westside Method called:  "Westside Method: The 5 Keys to Success" You can download it for free by going to: http://www.hammershed.com/go/westside/

Bret says his training has focused more on better pull ups so that he can progress to a muscle up. He also shares some exercises he does to increase shoulder mobility. Bret says back bridge variations are a great exercise for increasing mobility.

I then share the details for our new Facebook group, HomeGrown Strength.   HomeGrown Strength is about pursuing strength at home, in your garage, backyard, or neighborhood park. You don't need a 10,000 SQFT globo gym to be strong. HomeGrown Strength is here to support your strength and fitness goals, we are here to share what we have learned from building our own home gym, and most importantly we are here to make you STRONG.

Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!

HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.

I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.

If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.

HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,

Gregory S. Gottfried

Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions.  Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, and equipment recommendations.  By going through our store you help support the show allow us to keep producing all of this great content. Please follow us on Facebook,

Today Jeron Kerridge welcomes me back to Savage Strength and Conditioning to record an episode.  We talk about training with some of powerliftings best and managing training intensity.

Jeron first shares with us his trip to Boss of Bosses 3, and the Richard Hawthorn seminar that he hosted at Savage Strength and Conditioning.

The days topic was was intensity.  Was talked not only about intensity as a measure of how hard we are working in the gym but also intensity as it pertains to arousal level.

I asked Jeron how he approaches intensity both in his programing and in his training environment.  Jeron says he thinks getting super psyched up for lifts, yelling, screaming, and all the other things that is stereotypical of  some powerlifters can work, but not for everyone, and is very dependent on an individual's personality.

I also make sure to point out that during our conversation we were talking about two different types of intensity.  Arousal level and training difficulty relative to maximum effort.  Jeron says he likes to stay in the 70-85% range for most of his work.  We agree if you go too light you don't get the strength adaptation response. On the other hand if you too heavy technique can break down.  We do agree that it is important to get some reps over 85% because there are some things to be learn about weaknesses and, it allows our body to get use to handling heavy weight.  Finding the balance of proper training intensity for individual athletes is where having a coach can be helpful. Having a coach with an unbiased eye is extremely useful too, even for more experienced athletes. If you are looking for assistance with identifying weaknesses or technique assessment, I invite you to apply to be a part of the HammerShed Team.

Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!

HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.

I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.

If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.

HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,

Gregory S. Gottfried

Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions.  Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, and equipment recommendations.  By going through our store you help support the show allow us to keep producing all of this great content.

On this episode I speak with pilates expert Tracey Katona.  She shares with use the history of pilates, her background as a professional ballerina, and how some of the best athletes in the world like Lebron James and Antonio Brown use pilates to make them better athletes.

Tracey started ballet at the age of 5.  She knew that she wanted to be a professional ballerina so she told her mother that she needed lessons at a performing arts school.  After a 12 year career as a professional ballerina, Tracey retired and began her career as a pilates instructor at the Nike world headquarters.

I asked Tracey if she ever had negative pressures during her  ballet days to look a certain way or to make unhealthy choices.  She said she saw some of it, but also some of that has to do with people who just don't have the genetic makeup to make a career out of it.  She said she loves basketball but no matter how much she wants to be in the NBA she just won't because she doesn't have the physical assets that make it possible. Tracey doesn't deny there are pressures to look a certain way but she feels that is present in many sports.  Tracey feels that people with bad eating disorders probably would have had them if they didn't do ballet and those with a serious eating disorder wouldn't be able to keep up with the physical demands of the sport either.  Tracey says that the ballet industry is much more educated now on the subject of fitness and nutrition and they do a much better job of keeping such issues in check than they have in the past.

I asked Tracey to give us a background of where pilates came from.  She tells us Joseph Pilates born in 1883 created his methods to help himself be more fit.  He also used his methods to help prisoners of WWI develop their fitness.  After the war he came to New York and opened up a studio. He made friends with higher ups of the New York City Ballet and dancers would come to him for rehab.

Pilates is intended to teach you how to acquire complete control of your own body through proper repetitions of the pilates exercises.  You progressively acquire natural rhythm and coordination. Pilates supplements your sport by enhancing movement, power and endurance.

As Tracey describes how a typical session with her is set up I note that the similarities of other philosophies.  The focus on the feet, addressing asymmetries, importance of the core, and  breathing.  Tracey focuses on good human movements and teaches her students to be more efficient movers.  This work translates into everyday life and most certainly will help improve performance in any sport her students compete in.

To learn more about Tracey Katona check out her website http://www.katonapilates.com/.  To find someone in your area that teaches Romana Pilates check out their location directory: http://www.romanaspilates.com/FindLocations.html

On this episode I speak with Brandon Senn, Head Coach of Virtual Coaching at Kabuki Strength.  He and I discuss the use of autoregulation in strength training.  We explain its benefits, different types, and how to incorporate it into your programing.

 

Brandon says he wasn't always a huge fan of the weight room as he found more pleasure in playing sports in high school than preparing for them in the weight room.   He notes that he has always had a love for sport and competition.  To fill that void after high school he found powerlifting.

Brandon says his coaching started at a commercial gym but found his coaching philosophy and their business model just wasn't the right fit.  He met Chris Duffin at a powerlifting meet hosted at Elite Performance Center.  He felt that working there (Elite Performance Center) was a better fit for him and his clients.  Currently the athletes he coaches are powerlifters, strongmen, and a couple crossfit athletes.   Most of his coaching is done online but does some coaching at the Kabuki Strength Lab too.

I then asked Brandon to explain the origins of Kabuki Movement Systems (KMS).  He says that, KMS filled a need for a movement based system for strength sports.  There are always a time and a place for mobility work, rolling, etc... KMS though, addresses common movement issues with athletes, not only to reduce injuries but also to increase performance/strength.  It's a system that helps athletes be more efficient movers, which increase force production.

The main topic of the day is auto regulation.  For those of you who are not familiar with what that is, auto regulation as a concept, is the ability to manage training load based on a series of defined metrics. In general there are two different types of metrics.  Subjective metrics which include rated perceived exertion (RPE), reps in reserve (RIR), or other questions based around describing how difficult a movement felt. Objective metrics are the other type, these include measured bar speed, heart rate, and reps to failure (AMRAP).  The benefit with objective metrics when utilizing autoregulation is it keeps you honest and it's harder to fake.  We talk about how there are times when we FEEL good or FEEL bad but the objective metrics show otherwise.  In those cases an athlete might make adjustments based on a feeling that would not optimize their training.  Brandon does say that there are a time and a place for both methods, and cites work from people like Michael Tuchscherer who uses both methods in tandem.

Brandon talks about how Dr. Brian Mann  in working with some of his athletes has found that when they measured athletes bar velocities at certain prescribed percentages they were actually working in ranges undesired for what the programming called for.  Cases like this show that not everyone is the same and having some hard data to show us what is really happening can be beneficial.

I then asked Brandon to describe the different types of velocity devices. There are two main types, wearable devices and tethered devices.  Brandon tells us that there are also some optical devices but tend to be too inaccurate or cost prohibitive.  Brandon thinks that the future will be in wearable tech but right now tethered devices are far more accurate. Currently Brandon's favorite device is the Squats and Science Open Barbell v2.

I asked Brandon to explain typical usage of a velocity device for auto regulation.  He says that any program that uses percentages for training load can use velocity monitoring to make it even better.

On this episode I am happy to welcome back Dr.Tyna Moore.  She and I talk about strength training, its benefits to our health, and how important it is for our sanity.  Dr. Moore started the show by telling us that she was able to hit her 200lb deadlift goal she talked about last time she was on the show.  Tyna explains that it happened on a day that she stopped  focusing on numbers.  She has recently hired a coach that has been a huge help in systematically addressing weaknesses and helping her get stronger. An issue she was having with her squats was a hip impingement, and she has found that squatting wider and toed out has helped with the impingement problems.  It also is more adductor and glute focused and she appreciates that.

The last time Dr.Moore was on the show we talked about managing pain, so I gave an her an update on how I have been managing pain for me and my family.  We have started using magnesium gel for sore muscles and voodoo floss bands.  For people interested in learning more about voodoo floss be sure to check out Kelly Starrett and Donnie Thompson's YouTube channels.

The topic of the show is strength training and why we ALL need to do it.  Specifically we talk about the conversations we have with people who have not been in the gym for awhile or those who are fit but don't lift weights.  I asked Dr. Moore to explain to us, from a doctors perspective, what are the benefits of strength training.  Two main benefits she talks about is for pain relief and hormonal balance. She warns that a great way to screw up your hormonal balance is through chronic cardio.  It can be inflammatory and fatigue your adrenal glands. Dr.Moore also notes that highly trained lean muscle mass can produce hormones such as testosterone and estrogen, which is a huge win for aging athletes.  When performing heavy compound movements our bodies are put in a stressful situation which causes us to not only produce more hormones such as HGH and testosterone but as a whole is forced to become more robust and stronger. The detoxification benefits that we get from strength training are huge.

I asked Dr. Moore what her strength training journey has been like.  She shares that it was  comment from her daughter that motivated her to get in the gym and build up her glutes.  Once she had been at it for some time she began to start seeing all the benefits we have been talking about.  She saw that this was a major component that was missing from her life and from her patients lives.  She tells us it's a great way for her to prepare for life.  No matter what it throws at her, being stronger and having more muscle mass is always an advantage.  The mental benefits we get from strength training is so important too.  It builds confidence, it helps with depression, and alleviates stress.

We then moved on to talking about recovery.  Although the gym is great and lifting heavy weights makes us feel good, equally important is rest and recovery.  Our exercise stimulates our body to grow when we give it rest.  Eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and reducing our alcohol consumption are all things we can to to help our body recover and grow.  Dr. Moore notes that if we pay attention we can see how our lifestyle choices impact our training.

To learn more about Dr.Tyna Moore and her work please go to: http://drtyna.com

On this episode Bret speaks with Senior PCC  and RKC Level II, Adrienne Harvey.  She shares with us her story in fitness and how she got invloved with the PCC and Dragon Door .

 

Adrienne found kettlebells in 2008 and loved that she could get conditioning/cardio in while strength training.  In 2010 she got her RKC and decided to do kettlebell training professionally instead of her mail order business.  She started her website http://giryagirl.com/ right after her certification.  Her work caught the attention of Dragon Door and she has been conducting interviews for their website.  She speaks with industry leaders on a wide variety of topics.

When convict conditioning came out Adrienne says she was very intrigued by it and loved the progressions in it.  She found it to be very helpful with people she work with.  Using progressions from the book she was able to help people do things they never though they could do.

Adrienne has found she is able to cover just about all her and her clients fitness needs with calisthenics, kettlebell training, and sprints.  She loves that calisthenics scale so great for groups of people with the use of progressions. She and Bret talk about how important it is to manage expectations on how hard calisthenics can be and how long it can take to master some of the more advanced exercises.

When asked what she does when she or a client reaches ad plateau Adrienne says she has been able to avoid them by learning and practicing progressions and regressions.  The key for people who do experience plateaus with exercises is to break it down and address sticking points.  Then drilling those weaknesses until they are strengths.

Adrienne is currently working on a book on general strength.  It will include body weight, kettlebells, and other modalities as well as sections on recovery and recipes. For me details be sure to check out her website: http://giryagirl.com/

On this episode Bret and I talk to Dragon Door Founder John DuCane.  We talk about his background in Thia Chi, how Dragon Door originated, and what is to come from many of Dragon Door authors.

John is a Thia Chi and kettlebell expert, but originally was a Track and Field athlete. He grew up in South Africa and was always playing, running, and jumping outside.  When he attended high school in England, John ran track and played rugby.  John credits his health to a variety of different exercise, movement, and a lifelong practice of rigorous exercise. At age 18 John found the book Light on Yoga, which introduced him to bodyweight exercise.

John goes on to talk about how Dragon Door started the modern kettlebell revolution.  When he met a young Russian man by the name of Pavel Tsatsouline they started training together and came out with a couple books. One of which was Power to the People.  They also  were the first US company to offer kettlebells, which were different from Russian kettlebells because the were solid. Not hollowed out like traditional kettlebells.  Dragon Door was also first to come out with videos, books, and certification in kettlebells.

Another huge breakthrough for Dragon Door came when Paul "Coach " Wade submitted a copy of Convict Conditioning to John.  This turned into the release of a best selling book which sold over 100,000 copies in the US and the development into the Progressive Calisthenics Certification with Al and Danny Kavadlo as lead instructors.

There are several great title coming out from dragon door including, CrossCore® Hardcore by Marty Gallagher, and new material from Wim Hoff.

Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!

HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.

I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.

If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.

HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,

Gregory S. Gottfried

Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions.  Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, and equipment recommendations.  By going through our store you help support the show allow us to keep producing all of this great content.