Power Training last night

Last night I did some all-body velocity following a long day in front of the computer. I love the power training!

1. 15 minutes dynamic warm-up;
2. 8 sets of 3 vertical jumps onto box;
3. 8 sets of 3 MedBall slams into the ground;
4. 8 sets of three speed bench presses @135 lbs;
5. 3 sets of 10 pull-ups (not a power exercise)
6. 10 minutes of static stretching with focus on hip adductors and calves.

Velocity training is fun and obviously functional if you are an athlete. I always get thoroughly warmed up and feel like a million dollars after the sessions!

Yesterday's Training Session-Upper Strength

10-15 minutes of dynamic upper-body warm-up with shoulder emphasis

Several barbell warm-up sets building up to:

5 sets of Barbell Bench Press-295 lbs. x 3 reps

3 sets of Barbell Bench Press-295 lbs. x 2 reps

Lots of rest between sets-3 or 4 minutes.

A simple little abdominal bracing exercise

I was reading several articles today addressing abdominal bracing exercises.

As I was doing a little recovery walk tonight, I would brace my abs and hold them for five seconds while walking. I did this about every ten seconds.

I found this to be more challenging than I anticipated! It did not knock me over, but it made the little walk a little more interesting and became pretty fatiguing after a short time.

Next time you are out for a stroll, try this little technique for a quick little ab workout. I expect it will add a little challenge to your walk!

2-12 Upper Power/Lower Strength Training Session

MOBILITY and WARM-UP

1. 10 minutes various dynamic mobility

LOWER STRENGTH

2.Work up to 365 lb parallel squats

6 sets of 2 rep. 365 lb. parallel squats

1 set of 1 rep. 385 lb. parallel squats

UPPER POWER

3. Shoulder-specific warm up

4. 8 sets of 3 reps. 135 lb. speed bench (38% 1RM)

5. 15 lb. Overhead Med Ball Power-6 sets of 5 reps.

6. Speed seated rows-90 lbs. x 3 reps x 8 sets

ABS

7. Standing Rope Crunches (Abs) 4 sets of 8

Progression and Proper Instruction Matter!

Dr. Stuart McGill is considered one of the top back experts in the world. Dr. McGill recently published a study illustrating the importance of instruction when performing spinal stabilization exercises.

Dr. McGill coins the bird-dog, curl-up, and side bridge moves the "Big 3" for spinal stabilization. Spinal stabilization exercises are used in many, but not all, cases of back pain.

One of the main thrusts of the article was small changes from an instructor can produce much higher muscle activation levels. Dr. McGill used mechanical tests to determine whether small changes in an exercise could change the amount of muscle activation, and his study showed the changes did this was the case.

As Dr. McGill noted, research studies do not generally account for differing levels of skill by the instructor. McGill also noted how the progressions changed the muscle activation levels of the Big 3.

For example, McGill discusses simple bird-dog progressions:

"The challenge according to the activity in various muscles appears to progress as follows: just arm elevation, just leg elevation, both arm and leg (full birddog), then the addition of a conscious abdominal brace, and finally a deliberate slight
abduction of the shoulder with further elevation (fig 11). This final maneuver elevates the left upper back extensors from 23% to 35% MVC."

McGill SM, Karpowicz A. Exercises for spine stabilization: motion/motor patterns, stability progressions, and clinical technique. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2009;90:118-26.