Watching people warm-up pretty much anywhere always makes me a little nauseous. You seem to have 2 different extremes of people…
*The spend 5 minutes moving and a few stretches, push-ups, and MAYBE some air squats guy.
* The spend 10 minutes foam rolling, perform every mobility exercises that has ever been printed, bust out a few yoga poses, and then end with every CNS activator type exercise he has ever read about guy.
But this article isn’t about how to warm-up. This article is about how both of these groups no matter what they do still end up warming-up for their first big lift that day the exact same way.
What do I mean?
Let’s take squats for an example (which I know probably doesn’t work, since the guy who would do warm-up A would probably never squat anyways, but hang with me).
If they are typically going to hang out in the 365-405 range for the majority of their work sets, their typical squat specific bar warm-up will probably look like this.
- 135 x 10
- 225 x 6
- 275 x 4
- 315 x 3
- 335 x 3
- 365 x 3
… and then they begin their actual work.
So before it is time to do any sort of real work, they have already performed nearly 30 reps of back squat with a bar…
This is before they even get to the part of the workout that is going to make them better!
What You Didn’t See Was the Lion Performing 10 Warm-Up Laps, 6 Rabbit Chases, & 3 Antelope Chases to Prepare Him for His Actual Work of Getting Food That Day
So is there a better way?
After researching and more importantly testing methods, theories, and ideas out at the facility (on myself first, then my coaches, then finally my athletes), we came up with a system that provides you the same type of movement prep, a good adjustment to preparing for the heavier weights of your work sets, while still leaving plenty of energy and power left in the muscles.
On our board at the facility, we have a basic barbell weight/warm-up guide that all of our athletes follow, no matter how young or old they are (unless they have a specific issue or injury that needs to be handled differently).
For our younger guys, they get extra rep and volume work not during warm-up sets, but instead by performing complexes to have them learn the exercises, learn the movements, and build a little work capacity while doing so.
Genesis Basic Barbell Warm-Up Protocol:
If the majority of your working sets and weights are:
- Under 135lbs – perform 1 set of just the bar
- 135 – 185lbs – perform 1 set at 95lbs
- 185 – 225lbs – perform 1 set at 135lbs
- 225 – 275lbs – perform 1 set at 185lbs
- 275 – 315lbs – perform 1 set at 185lbs and 1 set at 225lbs
- 315 – 365lbs – perform 1 set at 225lbs, and 1 set at 275lbs
- 365 – 405lbs – perform 1 set at 225lbs, and 1 set at 315lbs
- 405 – 455lbs – perform 1 set at 225lbs, 1 set at 315lbs, and 1 set at 365lbs
- 455 – 500lbs – perform 1 set at 275lbs, 1 set at 365lbs, and 1 set at 405lbs
- 500 – 550lbs – perform 1 set at 315lbs, 1 set at 405lbs, and 1 set at 465lbs
- 550 – 600lbs – perform 1 set at 315lbs, 1 set at 405lbs, 1 set at 465lbs, and 1 set at 500lbs
* We allow 30-60 seconds rest between warm-up sets, and all warm-up sets consist of 2 reps.
This is as high as our board goes as we have a few high school and college athletes who can trapbar deadlift and box squat in the high 500’s, but no one has gotten in the 6’s yet.
Now using that same example that we started with (365-405), our squatter has only been squatting for 2 minutes, and only performed 4 reps so he is fresh and ready to crush his actual work sets, but his CNS and body is adjusted and prepared to move heavy weights.
So if you never feel fresh by the time you get around to performing your work sets, or feel like your strength is always lacking, then I recommend you give this protocol a try and let me know how it goes.
I apologize for the lack of updates this week, as it has been a bit of a sad week. On Tuesday night my Grandpa passed away and went to be with the lord. He finally lost his long time battle with cancer, but is now in a much better place.
Here is a pic of my Grandpa this Christmas with my son. I’m so glad that they were able to spend some time together before he passed away.
I hope you spend this weekend around those you love and enjoy every minute of it.
DC
Filed under Fast, Strong, & Jacked, Get Stronger by on Feb 17th, 2012. 2 Comments. 
Hey it’s DC here and I have a HUGE announcement... Well for me it’s huge at least.
Due to the overwhelming amount of athletes that we have training with us in the summer, we will be looking to bring on an intern (or 2) at Genesis Athletic Performance.
I receive resume’s (I hate boring resume’s and cover letters) on a weekly basis inquiring about a position or internship, but I want to make an official announcement to everyone who consistently checks out the blog and website.
Here are the Details:
When: 1st week of June to the last week of August (Monday thru Friday and an occasional Saturday each week)
Where: Genesis Athletic Performance – Houston, TX
What Will You Be Doing: Everything!
You will have the opportunity to do a little bit of everything, and learn more in those 3 months of work than what most strength coaches, trainers, or facility owners do in the first 2-3 years in the business.
Your actual duties will mainly consist of:
- Answering phones & explaining our training system to athletes and parents
- Scheduling appointments
- Keeping the facility clean (taking out trash, putting up and wiping down equipment, cleaning floors or even toilets, plus whatever else is needed to maintain a professional facility) If you think you are better than a little cleaning, then do not apply as I have been doing grunt work for years and still do it this day.
- Training with our athletes to learn the program, and then training athletes from all different backgrounds and levels.Help with video film, pictures, and media of our athletes training.
- Probably making multiple Starbucks runs because our summers are BUSY!!
- Plus much more!
If you are interested, send a short video under 4 minutes (preferred), or a less than 1-page description to David@GenesisStrength.com “Summer Internship” in the subject line.
Video or 1-Page description should include:
- Your name
- Education
- Athletic Background and History
- Biggest influences in the industry
- Professional experience (if any)
- Why you would be an asset and good fit for Genesis Athletic Performance
If you’re interested in this internship, you must:
- Be responsible for your own housing and transportation to/from the gym. (Having your own car is preferred/recommended.)
Exercise Science students are preferred, but it is NOT mandatory. (We would rather have a student or someone craving to learn with an awesome personality and desire to learn, compared to the normal Exercise Science student who lives in a lab and will do nothing but argue what the research says with no personality or actual training experience.)
I am only interested in interns who would like the opportunity to become a member of our team, and it is not for those who own their own gym or are just looking to “learn from us & bail”.
If our intern does a great job and impresses us with his/her knowledge, work ethic, and the ability to learn our business, there is potential for a job offer at the end of the summer.
NOTE: This is NOT a paid internship. We feel that the knowledge & experience that you will gain from your stay at Genesis is invaluable towards your career in strength & conditioning.
Video and 1-page emails must be sent in by Friday March 2nd! Any entries received after this date will not even be opened!
I can’t wait to work with you this summer and am really looking forward to hearing from some extremely motivated people.
DC
Filed under Best At Sports, Business, Fast, Strong, & Jacked, Get Bigger, Motivation by on Feb 16th, 2012. 3 Comments.
DC here and I hope your week is ending in a way that leaves you feeling a sense of accomplishment and success.
The easiest way to enjoy the weekend, is by making sure you totally crushed the week before…
He Crushed It All Week Long, So Now It’s Chill Time
Wanted to get another video out to you that talks about how we train our athletes and CrossFit groups at the facility to make sure they a) get the best results possible, b) stay as healthy as possible, and c) never plateau no matter what their goals are.
Check it out below and let me know what you think.
If you have any comments or ideas on how you increase work capacity please drop them below so we can all learn.
I can’t wait to get more of these out to you… If you like these videos and think they are worth while, then let me know by either sharing it or commenting below. I want to make sure you are learning and enjoying what I’m posting, so if you want to see more of these or like the format, let me know so I can either ditch them or keep them rolling.
Have a great weekend!!
DC
PS: If you are interested in learning even more about how we train our athletes and clients at the facility, and want to grow your business in a way that you always love what you do, then sign up on the link below for the Genesis Strength Seminar that is being put on April 20th and 21st.
I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed…
Hell if you think the seminar wasn’t worth the cost of signing up and travel, I’ll reimburse you for the seminar and travel fee right out of my own pocket!!
Filed under Best At Sports, Business, CrossFit, Fast, Strong, & Jacked, Get Stronger, Motivation by on Feb 10th, 2012. 3 Comments.
It has been an unusually busy past few weeks for me and because of that I haven’t much chance to actually get to sit down and write… For that I apologize, but next week I’m going to have some more time on my hands, and I have a mirror of article ideas that I need to get down on paper/video (I’ll get a post up soon about my mirror).
One thing I definitely want to start doing is shooting more video of exercises, techniques, and workouts at the facility and get it on here so be looking for that.
So let’s kick it off with…
4 Simple Strength Tips
Tip #1: Overhead Squat
Not Just the Only Way to Get it Overhead… Jeez Those Chinese Weight Lifters are Lazy
If you have never done overhead squat, then you are in for a shock. Welcome to the world where you can find and feel nearly every mobility flaw your body has and every weakness that needs to be worked on.
- Lack of ankle mobility? – Check
- Lack of hip mobility? – Check
- Lack of shoulder mobility? – Check
The list could go on and on, but it’s more of a have to try it out (even with just a barbell) and see.
Incorporating the overhead squat into your training program, not only develops insane mobility, but also builds massive amounts of core strength that allows for the force to pass from all the way from your feet to the bar.
Starting off I like to use it as an assistance exercise to my normal lower body days, but it helps so much with core strength, mobility, and keeping things tight, that your normal back squat blows up.
Here is the great Dan John overhead squatting back in his early 40′s
Tip #2: Change Up Your Thought Process
You don’t always have to continually overload the bar to get stronger. Sometimes forcing the body to adapt to a different type of stimulus is going to help keep things progressing.
So trim down rest periods, switch exercise implements (kettlebells for dumbbells, trapbar for straight bar, etc). add or take away sets or reps, or even workout days.
Changing variables often while still increasing weight on the lifts is going to increase your overall strength no matter what lift you are performing.
Tip #3: 100% Full Body Warm-Up
When you perform an upper body training session, does the lower body stay at home? If you lift correctly then it sure doesn’t.
From driving with your legs in a bench, stabilizing your body during overhead presses, or being mobile enough to allow you to maintain a flat back during rows, your lower body is involved in every lift just as much as your upper body is.
When you perform a lower body training day, does your upper body not do anything? Does it not hold the bar during deadlifts, or support the bar when squatting?
Unless your lower body warm-up consists of nothing but a belt around your waist tied to sled, then your upper body is being used during your lower body days as well.
So warm up that way… Thinking that you are warmed up because you cranked out a lot of upper body or lower body exercises for your training day isn’t 100% accurate.
Instead get a good solid full body warm-up routine that you follow every day you train. Then add in a few extra upper or lower body exercises that help prime whatever it is you are training that day.
Tip #4: Stop Lifting Weights
Crazy I know, but you can’t just go 110% in the gym as hard as possible day in day out for years without hitting plateaus, or even worse, having a plateau hit you by way of injury.
Take a day or more off for recovery sessions, mobility work, or lighten your workout up to just hit one or two problem areas you have or learn on teaching certain muscles to activate and fire better. Doing this your body can stay healthy, recover, and get ready to kill it in the gym again.
I have taken up to 6 weeks “off” before where I did nothing but a full body warm-up, mobility work, and muscle activation exercises, to help my body heal, move better, and rest.
Learning & Practicing Some Basic & Advanced Yoga Poses Can Only Benefit Your Training
I’ve always come back recovered not just physically, but also mentally with a new fire. My lifts might have taken a slight hit starting back, but they always feel a ton better, which has always allowed for me to bust through strength plateaus and really push it in the gym.
Also, saying you are taking a recovery day by throwing in a “recovery” workout on what would normally be your off day, and then training the rest of the time like normal does not count.
So change things up, get your entire body warm, learn to overhead squat and incorporate it into your training, and take some time off and your strength will continue to increase and you will be able to utilize and enjoy it in everything you do.
DC
PS: Because I got so busy this week, I decided to push back the contest on the best comment about setting goals. If you are interested in getting a Genesis t-shirt, then click here read and post your goals.
Filed under Best At Sports, Fast, Strong, & Jacked, Get Stronger by on Feb 3rd, 2012. 2 Comments.
Hy it’s DC here…
I hope you are crushing an awesome week.
Now that my training has been bumped back up to full go, it’s time to talk more about some of the actual training and exercises I use at the facility to help make sure our athletes never plateau and turn into freaks.
I took this ab exercise from Barry Ross, because if it is the only one he uses with his sprinters and athletes, then I think it’s worth using in the facility.
Side Note: If you haven’t purchased his book “Underground Secrets to Faster Running” and you train athletes, then you are doing them a disservice!!
In a few interviews he talks about performing what iso static holds and rotations with your upper body off hanging off a bench and your feet tucked under a squat rack safety. Well after tweaking it a tad to accomodate for comfort and shorter athletes, we moved that exercise straight to our GHR.
Needless to say, this exercise is an absolute killer… Especially when done correctly. Your abs aren’t just getting worked, but it forces your entire core to remain engaged, stiff, strong and powerful.
You have 2 variations, the rotation where you remain out and rotate as SLOWLY and in a big of range of motion as possible, and the hold. With the hold you just lay out and hold for a set period of time.
We typically go 2-3 sets of 30 seconds on the rotations, and then we go 2:00 on the hold.
We have yet to have anyone go 2 straight minutes on the hold, so the goal is 2 minutes total as fast as possible. When you come up to take a break, the clock stops. Start it again when you go back down.
Check Out Cushing’s Face… He Was Only 30 Seconds Into The Hold…
So what are some cues for performing and coaching this exercise?
- Set up the GHR so the base of the butt is still touching the outside of the pad. Any shorter than that you aren’t doing enough work, any more than that the lower back gets overworked.
- Lay back until the upper body is slightly above parallel with the ground.
- When rotating, rotate as slowly as possible and as big as possible making sure your shoulders turn. If we go for 30 seconds, we average 25-30 total rotations.
- When holding, remain in that parallel position until you have to take a break.
This is KEY: Make sure you and/or your athletes hips and legs aren’t flexed. If they lock their legs or do nothing but flex their hips and quads during the movement, the abs and core aren’t getting the full amount of work needed.
Here is a short video shot a few days ago of me and one of my coaches performing the exercise. The exercise is very boring to watch, so I only included 1 set of rotations and 1 60 second hold. It appears that I also included one of my coaches thumbs who can’t operate a camera very well.
Check it out and please let me know what you think.
I’ll talk to you guys on Monday, as I’m flying out early tomorrow morning to Phoenix for some awesome business masterminding and won’t be back until late Sunday night.
Enjoy the weekend and feel free to direct all your cuss words when performing this exercise (especially the holds) at either myself or Barry.
DC
Filed under Best At Sports, Bodyweight, Fast, Strong, & Jacked, Get Stronger by on Jan 26th, 2012. 4 Comments.
