Progressive Overload
Do you want to lift more weight? Do you want to run farther, faster? Then applying progressive overload (PO) to your training is vital. PO is the incremental increase in stress placed upon the body. Once adequate stress has been put on the system, and after recovery has taken place, you are ready for more volume or a greater intensity of work. This is how you improve.
Something to remember: often overlooked is the importance of safety and overall health relating to PO. Just as PO allows you to “do more” from a performance standpoint, it also enables your body to work longer or harder without exacerbating the risk of injury. When we PO the system, our joints and bodily health become stronger and are better able to withstand the demands of harder training.
Think of it like this: if you haven’t run in a year and then suddenly decide to run 3 miles in a single bout, odds are you’ll end up incredibly sore or even injured. However, if you start out with a 1-mile jog on week 1, then over the course of the next month and a half progress to the 3-mile mark, your odds of successfully completing the run without severe soreness or injury are greatly increased.
Deadlift Grip Q&A
Question: when should I switch to the alternate grip in the Deadlift?
Answer: when the weight becomes too heavy for overhand grip.
I see a number of people execute all of their deadlifts via the alternate grip (mixed grip) -- where one hand is supinated and the other is pronated. The contrasting forces, one pulling and one pushing, allow the hands to hold more weight.
Why do I say wait to switch your grip until the weight becomes too heavy? In many cases, one's potential in the deadlift is limited by grip strength. If you switch your grip too early, you'll fail to reap the benefits that come from overhand grip; practicing this method will only prove beneficial after you switch grips and begin to pull really heavy weight.
Note: I don't recommend learning to pull with the alternate grip once you hit your big numbers. If you think you're ready to make a switch, deload and practice the alternate grip with lighter weight. Progressively work up in poundage so that you feel comfortable pulling via this method. After time, the movement will become more natural, even normal. But, even at this point, don't neglect the more conventional overhand grip; incorporate both pulls into your routine.
My Calves!
Question: can you recommend a good calf workout? I run, squat, and lift, but nothing really works my calves. If I want to make them bigger, what should I do?
Answer: first, don’t feel too bad about your lack of calf growth; many people have this problem. Why? The all-powerful G word: genetics. Even more so than most other muscle groups, calves are impacted by the tissue you’re born with. Calves, in particular the soleus — one of the two primary muscles that make up the calves, with the gastrocnemius being the other — are largely comprised of slow-twitch muscle fibers. Slow-twitch, unlike its sibling the fast-twitch muscle fiber, has less of a propensity for growth. The proportion of these fibers differ in each person.
Before addressing your question, I’ll highlight two exercises you listed: running and squatting. Both can help build the calves, but each have limitations. Running is a high-volume, low-intensity exercise; therefore, it’s not designed to fully build the calves, or the other leg muscles. Now, if you sprint or run hills, your likelihood of growth increases some; sprinting allows for more of an explosive, power-based movement, and running hills allows for more eccentric contraction. These two scenarios can aid in growth. Squatting relies on the calves for stability, namely around the ankle. Although heavy loads can be applied in the squat, the calves remain mainly stationary; due to a lack of movement, less muscle damage occurs, and therefore, growth is limited.
Getting to your question: a number of exercises you see from us hit the calves. For example, box jumps and jumping rope. If you’re a novice to these movements, you’ll most likely be sore after the first few times performing them. As we’ve said a number of times on our page, our approach is that of an athletic look, one built on performance. This routine differs from that of a bodybuilding format, which hinges on building large muscles. So what I’m recommending next is less of a Farmer Gym approach and more of a traditional bodybuilding approach: perform weighted calf raises, then take the calves to failure. When executing the raises be sure to take your muscles through a full range of motion; all the way down, all the way up. By doing so, you’re enabling the maximum eccentric contraction. Why is this important? It best tears down the muscle fibers. With proper nutrition and recovery, the muscles can then build themselves up to become a bigger, better size.
Here’s a sample routine:
Perform 5 sets:
12 weighted calf raises (rep 12 should be tough), then immediately go into weightless calf raises — full range of motion! — until it hurts. Rest 1 minute and then repeat.
So, there you have it! (Sorry for being long-winded.) Yes, it will take some time, but growth can happen. Just stay diligent! And #dowork!
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FAT LOSS Q&A
Question: I want to shed a few lbs. before summer and trim away the fat around my stomach. Is it safe to perform sit-ups and crunches every day in an effort to accomplish my goals?
Answer: Unfortunately, you're asking the wrong question. But the origin for the question is great! You could do a million sit-ups and still be left with accumulated fat around your abdominal area. There is no such thing as spot reduction (at least the research is incredibly sparse and questionable in this area); stated differently, you can't target a specific area, work it to death, and then expect to see that area's fat magically slip away.
What you should do instead: (1) eat better, and consume calories less excessively. Moderation is key. (Perhaps you're already doing this. I don't know.) (2) Incorporate weight training and conditioning into your routine. Many people think that steady state running -- or fill in your exercise of choice -- is the best way to accomplish "trimming". Is it a good means by which to do so? Yes. Is it the best? No. With only steady state exercise, you are apt to lose valuable muscle. Muscle is incredibly important for metabolism. You need it! And, muscle makes the body look more proportional and more fit. It is suggested by us, and a plethora of other personal trainers and researchers, that you add weights to your aerobic work.
My typical routine:
20-ish minutes of strength work. Depending on the day, week, and month, this could look like a number of things. This week, I am performing 5 sets x 5 reps of the "big lifts" -- the Deadlift, Bench Press, Squat, and Overhead Press.
20-30 minutes of conditioning work. The design targets muscles used in the above strength routine. However, with this portion of the work, the goal is to elevate the heart rate throughout the duration. If I were to have performed Deadlifts, above, a conditioning workout might look like this:
(5 Rounds)
15 Pull-ups
25 45# Plate Squat Presses
800-meter Run
This hits the posterior muscles of the body, which the Deadlift nailed, and it elevates the HR throughout. I am torching calories throughout the workout, and due to a cool little acronym called EPOC (Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption), I am burning calories throughout the day as my body attempts to return itself to homeostasis, or baseline.
I realize I just gave you *a lot* of information, but just know this: lifting weights is your friend. Aerobic training is your friend. Combining weights and conditioning is your best friend!
So there your have it! Now, #dowork in the kitchen and in the weight room!
P.S. Can you do sit-ups every day? Surprisingly, you can do abs more regularly than most muscle groups! Would I do them every day? No. However, this area of the body has been shown to withstand multiple bouts of weekly work and it keeps on ticking! (If you have incredibly sore abs, I would stay away from direct work, though.)
BE YOU
Earlier this morning when researching fitness topics I came across a video of an insanely fit guy lifting a ridiculous amount of weight. 405# power clean, no problem! 495# back squat for reps, no problem. As I sat in amazement, I realized this: no matter how hard I train and no matter how well I eat, I will never be be able to do what this guy can. And guess what. That's ok. Yes, that's ok!
I am not that particular individual; I am me. I mean, props to this man. Really. He, without a doubt, got the most out of what God gave him. And it's apparent he works for everything he has. Salute! I can't choose to dwell on what he has or is capable of, or I can focus on and use the gifts God gave me... I am me, and that's awesome.
The older I get, the more I recognize the following: there will always be someone stronger than me; there will always be someone smarter than me; there will always be someone with more money than me; etc., etc., etc... If I were to let one of these drag me down, jealously and bitterness would seep in; I would then be left with being a jealous, bitter person missing out on *my* potential. I would also spend countless hours chasing false passions and succumbing to insecurities.
I am me, and that's pretty dope! Every waking day I will do the best I can with what I have ... getting the most out of my potential! No, I won't ever make the Crossfit Games or become Mr. Olympia, but I will strive to get the most from my genes!
It's all about the mind
Your mind will quit well before your body!
250 Consecutive Kettlebell Swings With a 55# KB...
Brain: 50 reps. Ok, stop.
Body: You got this!
Brain: 100 reps. Ok, that's enough.
Body: You got this!
Brain: 150 reps. You're done. Your forearms are on fire!
Body: You got this!
Brain: 200 reps. This REALLY hurts. Put the KB down!
Body: You got this!
Baby: *Waking up from nap*
Body: Ok, you're done...
(Maybe. MAYBE I could have gone to 300.)
Farmer Gym, Fitness, Rocky 4, and College Football
Before going into a turkey coma, check out the latest Half Room podcast! We talk Farmer Gym, fitness, Rocky 4, and college football. What’s not to love?! And if you’re searching for a great podcast, catch these two crazy-good hosts and put HR on your to-watch/to-listen list!
LOSE FAT, NOT MUSCLE
Is your end-game weight loss? Yes? Then pace yourself; don't try to lose it all at once.
You may have heard that losing weight too quickly tends to cause relapse; a person normally cannot withstand the demands of harsh "dieting", and he or she goes back to his or her ways after a few weeks or months. Or maybe you've been taught that heightened calorie restriction is unhealthy; hormonal levels and bodily chemistry go whack, and your body basically goes into survival mode... There are a ton of other dieting truths out there, but the purpose of this post takes a slightly different angle: muscle preservation.
Losing weight too quickly decreases muscle mass. Yep! When you lose weight, you do so by stripping fat or by stripping lean body mass; there is nowhere else to decrease poundage. When you strip too much weight too quickly, the ratio tips more so to the side of lean body tissue. Why is this less than ideal? Well, if you're stripping away muscle, you're essentially affecting your physique, functionality, and unfortunately, metabolism. Weight loss needs to be a marathon, a fat-losing muscle-preserving marathon!
What's the best weight-loss range? 1-2 pounds per week; 2 actually being on the higher end, in our opinion. Pace yourself; #dowork and eat healthy. If you create a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day, you would run a 3,500 caloric deficit during a week; 3,500 calories equals 1 pound. (Just as with everything, there are nuances to this rule, and some people have different responses, but the calculation holds.) Find a fit that best works for you, and stay diligent! No, it won't be easy, and yes, it may be frustrating — but stay the course. You got this!
Fight fat! Embrace muscle!
"If you lose weight too fast, you lose more muscle than when you shed excess pounds more slowly, a small study says." (WebMD)
"After all, when you lose weight too fast, you risk losing weight not just from fat, but also from lean tissue such as muscle." (USNews)
Muscle-centric vs. Joint-centric
Be a muscle-centric lifter, not a joint-centric lifter. A quick biology lesson:
Our muscles are the contractile units within our bodies that create movement; in other words, they are the engines that drive motion. When contracted, muscles pull on the various levers of the body -- a muscle pulls on an attached tendon, which in turn pulls on an attached bone -- to make us run, jump, and lift.
Our tendons and ligaments, on the other hand, are the fibrous tissues within our bodies that help hold everything together. Ligaments attach bone to bone, and tendons attach muscle to bone. These connective tissues help transfer energy from the muscles throughout the body.
So what do we mean by muscle-centric vs. joint-centric? Although we don't particularly care for the bicep curl, we'll use it as an example. You've seen Mr. Bro Science swinging his body while executing bicep curls, right? That's what we're talking about! He's using a weight that's too heavy, and he needs to contort his body and use momentum to lift the weights. Mr. Bro Science is relying on the leverage created from his joints to propel the weight. Not good!
One way to test and make sure you're being a muscle-centic lifter is to keep your joints stationary so that the only joint movement is the hinge. Being a muscle-centric lifter is better for performance, results, and longevity. Properly executing a lift, without swaying and improperly moving the bodies' joints, allows us to maximize potential and enables us to work out later on in life.
Use your muscles to control the weight, don't let the weight control you!
Train Up A Child
“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he’s old he will not depart from it.”
Why The Bale?
Recently, we were asked, “What’s the advantage of The Bale?” We broke our answer into three easy parts: (1) VERSATILE. The Bale is a single piece of equipment that can change in weight, and it allows you to execute virtually any exercise you can think of! It can be pulled, pushed, tossed, tugged, pressed, and carried. (2) PORTABLE. You can take The Bale with you anywhere, allowing you to #dowork on *your* time. Take it on vacation, use it at home, tote it to work. It can also be easily stored out of sight — you won’t have any pesky equipment lying around. (3) ECONOMICAL. At under $100, you have a gym at your fingertips!
