The Essence of Training - by Fred Fornicola

Many of us who own computers and have access to the Internet will visit websites on many topics of personal interest - which I’m sure training is one of them. There are an infinite number of sites geared toward all types of resistance training, as well as information on conditioning, nutrition, grip training, bodyweight only training, strands, kettlebells and so on. Upon finding these many areas of interest within the dynamics of the field of health and fitness however comes a common theme that always emerges – one that seems to have done more harm than good. I am always very intrigued when I read or hear someone recommending advice on any topic. I often wonder what the basis is for their response and if they really, truly understand what it is they are commenting on. This, of course, happens quite frequently in the field of health and fitness with the barrage of books, magazines, Internet sites and publications - just like this one. Amazingly enough though, even with the all the information that is available, most individuals still remain in the dark as to why it is they “do what they do”. Maybe that’s the problem – too much information to sift through, especially on an ongoing basis. Month after month, year after year people blindly and without question follow the latest diets, workouts of the stars and trends in fitness to be aimlessly led like sheep to slaughter. The best part is they highly recommend whatever it is they are doing -- or better yet, heard about -- to all their friends and family based on the foundation that either 1) Johnny Guru is using it, 2) some Hollywood hunk looked ripped in a movie or 3) some chicks ass looks hot now from some four hour workout she does with her soon-to-be-famous (and overpaid) trainer. In either case, no one has the slightest clue as to whether it works or is even worth mentioning.

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” - Benjamin Franklin

Too often in today’s fitness world there is an overabundance of misleading information that seems to reek more havoc than good - actually failing miserably at providing some sense of solution. Most individuals who are searching to find what is “best” or “optimal” are given guidance by those who merely regurgitate what someone else prescribed, or will echo advice based on what they think they know to be right – albeit way off base. This industry has become one that is 90% opinion and 10% science, and because of these off-base recommendations espoused by “those-in-the-know” many will become caught up in experimenting with the latest fads, trends, “new magical discoveries” and labor endlessly over all the little intricate reasons of “why” a particular lifting strategy may or may not work. Because of this direction, it has made it more and more difficult for anyone to truly understand what is and isn’t an effective means of training, usually because they fail to have a true understanding of what an effective approach to fitness entails. Unfortunately, the so-called magical discovery becomes the focal point for many trainers and trainees alike, and usually causing one to lose sight of what is truly important: the actual training itself. If this kind of thing happens to these “experienced” individuals, just imagine how devastating and paralyzing all this information is to the beginner? Regardless of age or experience, we are all beginners in some capacity every time we undergo a new endeavor. The challenge, however, is in knowing how to circumvent your way through all the crazy turns based on what experience has taught us by using our noggins for more than a hat rack. If people took the time to use their intellect to evaluate information instead of being lured in by the many people or groups who claim to have the answers to all the important questions, there would be less time wasted laboring over what will produce the best results.

“The desire to know is natural to good men.” - Leonardo da Vinci

Now, my personality is such that I like to understand why things happen. I don’t necessarily need to get down to the last nut and bolt, but I do strive to have as good a comprehension about things as my gray matter will allow. I ask many questions (too many at times which many of my peers can attest to) with the goal of learning “why” – not mimicking what is told to me. I have had the great fortune of speaking with many individuals who truly understand and know training. The funny thing is, none of them ever get caught up too much in the science and research or what they think may work, they just tell you what they know to be true – straight forward, like it is, no bullshit. These guys understand “the essence” of high intensity training which, when you get right down to it, is simple to comprehend yet missed by many. Our discussions are often about how so many individuals are misguided and confused about such a simple concept for training safely, efficiently and effectively. It has become unfortunate but the industry of strength has been so polluted by money whores, cult followers and an endless line of ignorant know-it-alls that few can filter out what is a productive approach to health and fitness. Neither I nor anyone else can give the exact specifics of how someone should train, however I do believe that there are certain criteria that needs to be met such as consistency of effort, proper form, hard work, ample rest and solid nutrition. When these principles are met they will produce gains in strength as well as conditioning while maintaining integrity to ones health - both short and long term. A simple concept of using an intense level of effort on a handful of basic exercises along with some recreational/cardiovascular activity, eating wholesome foods and having adequate rest -- all of which should be done on a routine basis -- has been a mainstay for hundreds of years. But this philosophy surprisingly is still vehemently opposed. There are no perfect routines, exercises, repetition ranges, diets, or miraculous findings that are “best” and anyone claiming otherwise is a flat out liar.

Training isn’t just about the X’s and O’s; it’s about a true understanding of the process. It’s about what takes place in the body and mind when you exercise and what benefits you receive – not how much you squat while wrapped up in a suit and knee wraps and shoving ammonia up your snoot to “get psyched”. When you bring training down to its purist form, it is as simple as putting one foot in front of the other. The problem is that most are frozen in one place – deathly afraid to take a step for it might not be the “perfect” approach.

“The maxim "Nothing avails but perfection" may be spelled "Paralysis." - Winston Churchill

Training for strength and fitness should be an individual journey that needs to be discovered on one’s own. Making mistakes are a part of life, let alone in your training so trying to have a flawless approach will only provide time wasted which could be better spent learning from doing. Discover the “essence of training”; realize that “necessity is the mother of invention” and that there are no restrictions when you set your mind on your goals. Uncover the freedom of training that enables you to enjoy “the process” and the benefits of your efforts. Recognize and learn that “simple” is the solution to a healthy and strong life – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Fred Fornicola


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The Way I See It! - By Tom Kelso

Used with permission from the editor of High Performance Training Newsletter

The way I see it is there are 10 hard and fast rules of strength training and they are:

1) Be compliant and work hard.

Provided the “X’s” and “O’s” are in place, simply making a concerted effort to “do something,” do it on a regular schedule, and do it as hard as you can at the time will go a long way to maximizing your potential. It’s 80% of the battle and the first requisite if anything is to be gained. Yes, there are specifics (type of exercises, number of reps, rep
speed, weight loads, nutritional intake, etc.), but they are secondary to showing up and exuding effort as there are literally numerous ways to train.

2) Train with intensity (of effort).

Relative to the hard work aspect of point number one, its strength training! You’re trying to create overload in the muscles, and proper overload means forcing the muscles to work
beyond their existing capacity. This is not easy and manifests itself in temporary pain, discomfort, heavy breathing, lightheadedness, etc. due to the intense effort put forth.
High reps, low reps, dumbbells, machines, one set or 3 sets, somewhere in the endeavor a high degree of effort must be expended so the recruited muscle fibers adapt and improve
their quality if maximum gains are to be obtained.

3) Be safe.

The manner by which you train is a controllable variable in your long-term health and well-being. Exercise stresses the muscles, joints, and energy systems to create a positive
adaptation to these stresses. Using proper exercise form is mandatory if one desires to train over the longterm. Proper body alignment/posture and controlled speed of movement through a safe range of motion makes the exercise safe not only during individual training sessions, but over all sessions year after year. The whole bouncing, yanking, and ballistic/explosive lifting debate ends abruptly here. Likewise, training loads, session volume, and number of training session per period need to fit so they do not over-stress and lead to chronic injuries and regression.

4) Use basic exercise movements.

One does not need to perform any complicated exercises nor a multitude of any exercise each and every workout. The “Big Four” can go a long way for the upper body: a chest push, a seated/bent-over row, an overhead push, and a pull down/pull up. Throw in another pushing and pulling angle (i.e., incline press and upright row) -- or a direct triceps and biceps exercise – and it’s still simple and time efficient. For the legs, a
multi-joint glute/quad exercise and a hamstring exercise are the bare minimum such as a squat, dead lift, or leg press and a prone/seated leg curl or stiff-leg dead lift (RDL).
A second multi-joint glute/quad exercise (i.e., lunge, single-leg squat/leg press) and direct calf work can also be added provided the total workout volume is not overly taxing.

5) If in doubt, SLOW DOWN!

Lift fast or lift slow? Who is right? The optimal speed-of-exercise camps are out there, and each espouses its own recommendations. The truth is, working to achieve a maximum number of repetitions in a set is the key to achieving optimal overload, regardless of exercise speed. In both cases – moving intentionally fast and slow,
significant recruitment of muscle fibers will occur if one simply attempts to achieve maximum repetitions in the set. But here’s the key point of this issue: too fast creates too much momentum and lessens the tension on the muscles and increases the risk of muscle/joint trauma due to the excessive acceleration (and consequent deceleration). So, if in doubt, SLOW DOWN! You will not SAFELY recruit the higher threshold fiber types any better when moving a resistance fast as compared to moving it slower. Move fast outside the weight room if you’re a an athlete practicing a sport (which by the way can result in injury, and often times does, but it is a risk you take when you play
sports!).

6) Use a reasonable volume of training.

As mentioned in point number 4 above, there is no need to perform a high volume of exercises per session. This holds true for exercise sets. A 1 to 3 sets/exercise protocol is within reason and should be the guiding rule to create muscle overload. It’s effective, time-efficient, and also facilitates recovery because the body doesn’t have to deal with
unnecessary stress bouts and energy depletion. Similarly, very intense training sessions require a few days to fully recover from, therefore two to three sessions per week should be the limit. If more people trained harder and took an extra day of recovery between these more intense sessions, there would be more muscle visible in the world.

7) Vary the number of repetitions.

Proper strength training should involve significant resistance to recruit and fatigue targeted muscle fibers. It is not advisable to perform hundreds of repetitions in an exercise set as the resistance needed for this would be too light and inadequate for creating muscle tension and overload. Because research is mixed on the exact number of repetitions needed for specific types of development (i.e., maximum strength, quick strength [explosion], increased muscle size, and extended force output [muscular endurance]), a wide range of repetitions can be used. A reasonable range of repetitions
would be from four to twenty five, used systematically to enhance muscle capacity over the course of individual training period segments and the training year.

8) Vary exercises and workout day formats.

Proper strength training can be a grind due to its stressful nature, therefore to add variety to training, rotate exercises between workouts and alter the workout day formats throughout the training year. Examples: leg presses for workout A, barbell or
machine squats for workout B, and dead lifts for workout C. Wide grip pulldowns for the upper back on workout 1, chin ups on workout 2, and close grip pulldowns on workout 3. Train ten weeks doing total body on Monday, upper body on Thursday, and lower body on Friday. For the next 8 weeks, switch to a total body workout every fourth day.
Bottom line: use a variety of exercises and training day formats, but maintain consistency and progression.

9) Use sensible nutritional intake.

The good ole days of recommending fresh fruits, vegetables, low-fat proteins, complex
carbohydrates, and adequate hydration seem to have been be lost as there are a gazillion ergogenic aids and supplements are on the market. All are purported to enhance some elusive quality, namely increased muscle mass, strength, energy and/or leanness. They cost money, but so do trips to the local supermarket to obtain regular food products
which we all have to do anyway. No one wants to hear this because it’s boring, but if a person eats sensibly – that is, eats balanced meals derived from the four food groups obtainable at the supermarket and gets enough calories to support whatever is desired (i.e., weight gain, loss, maintenance) – that in itself should be sufficient to reach their goal.

10) Accept your body type and genetic limitations.

Last but not least is the genetic issue. I saved this for the end purposely as it is the greatest reality check of them all: you’re stuck with your body type and genetic endowment no matter how much you wish it could change. Thirty years ago I was 5’-9”,
weighed approximately 155 to 160 pounds, and could maybe do 185 pounds for 10 repetitions in the bench press before I started serious strength training. Fifteen years ago, I was 5’-9”, weighed approximately 193 to 197 pounds, and could do 225 pounds for 9 repetitions in the bench press due to hard, consistent, and progressive training. Currently, I’m 5’-9”, weigh approximately 185 to 190 pounds, and can do 225 pounds for 6 repetitions due to the fact I’m 47 years old and trying to hang on to continued consistent, progressive training. I hate to admit it, but I’m on the down-side. My shoulder bone/ligament structure isn’t going to change, I’m stuck with a 5’-9” frame, but my body composition and strength levels can vary depending on how I train. My point is you’re not going to make any major transformations in your strength and physique once you make the initial commitment and tap into your genetic potential. The key is to accept what you have and train intelligently within its confines.


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A New Book by Matt Brzycki and Fred Fornicola

Youth Fitness: An Action Plan for Shaping America’s Kids

An interview with co-author, Fred Fornicola

By Rick Rignell

Fred Fornicola contacted me recently with some very exciting news about a new book project he and Matt Brzycki have in the works. With their first collaboration, Dumbbell Training for Strength and Fitness hitting 10,000 copies sold in just a little over two years, Matt and Fred are teaming up again, but this time their focus is on the fitness of America’s youth. Fred wanted to discuss their latest project with me, Youth Fitness: An Action Plan for Shaping America’s Kids so I put together a little interview to pick Fred’s brain about the many different aspects that he and Matt tackle in their book. There is probably no better way to glean insight into Fred’s thoughts and feelings about the health of America’s kids and what this new book is about than discussing specific aspects of youth fitness with Fred. The following is my interview with co-author, Fred Fornicola.

Rick: There are few, if any, books out there that address the topic of youth fitness. What inspired you and Matt to write this book?

Fred: This book has been something Matt and I have been discussing off and on for a couple of years now. It’s a topic that is important to us for several reasons. First and foremost, we each have a kid (my daughter Alexa is 13 and Matt’s son Ryan is 11) and as parents, we both feel it’s important for our kid’s to be physically active so they can experience good healthy physically, mentally and emotionally. Secondly, as individuals in the field of fitness, we understand the value of what a well-rounded fitness program can offer a youth and we hope to help influence parents, coaches and teachers that there is a need for youth fitness to be taken more seriously. That is why we cover topics such as strength training, cardiovascular exercise, nutrition, flexibility, childhood diabetes and obesity, as well as other issues that are related to youth health and fitness.

Rick: I’m a High School Physical Education teacher, working with students ages 14-18. One disturbing trend that I’ve seen over the years is what I call a “fitness gap.” On one end of the spectrum, you’ve got kids who are athletic and very fit, and on the other end, you have kids that are very unfit and inactive. There seems to be little in between. Have you noticed this trend also?

Fred: Absolutely Rick and it’s a disturbing observation for sure. When I was a kid I played outside all the time, participated in organized and informal sports and stayed active. Kids today are very sedentary. They spend way too much time watching TV, staring at a computer screen and “texting”. It seems as though only kids that are serious about sports participate in an exercise program. These kids seem to understand the value of what a fitness program can provide; not only for their health but their athletic career as well. Then you have the other end of the spectrum where kids think “why bother, I’m not involved in sports” so they don’t think they need to stay with a formalized program and end up do nothing remotely physical. This, of course, is a huge mistake and is now becoming a major problem for today’s kids. Every kid needs to exercise to promote overall good health. And we can’t turn a blind eye to the rising rate of child obesity and diabetes. It’s a very sad state of affairs and it’s increasing to epidemic proportions and it needs to be addressed on many levels – and right now!

Rick: Because so many kids are in such poor shape, it can be challenging to get them involved in a fitness program without turning them off. Do you have any strategies for dealing with this challenge?

Fred: It’s been my experience Rick that in dealing with young kids (and adults as well), a fitness program needs to meet a kids needs physically, mentally and emotionally. In doing so, we as parents and fitness professionals need to do our “due diligence” and learn as much as we can so we can offer our kids every opportunity to make their fitness program one that can be enjoyable, challenging and rewarding. Most importantly, we need to make it so a kid will want to be consistent in performing their exercise. There are several things you can do to get a kid moving. Something as simple as having them go for walks or getting involved in organized activities can be a start. A great way to get them going is to have them get an “exercise buddy”. Having a training partner makes working out more fun and can offer some friendly competition. Also, there’s a tendency for each participant to feel a sense of obligation to the other and therefore there is a greater likelihood of each staying with the program. If a friend isn’t available, it’s a great time for a parent, teacher or coach to step in and participate in the youth’s fitness program.
A good way to get a kid to stay with an exercise program is to offer a condensed plan that is simple and straight forward. When it comes to strength training, I often use a simple approach that has been quite successful over the years. I subscribe to what I have found to be an effective philosophy which requires a youth to perform two or three full-body workouts each week. Each of these sessions generally last no more than 30 minutes. In recommending this approach, most kids can squeeze exercise into their academic, personal and social lives and they can mentally handle training for 30 minutes or less a couple times each week. It’s important to recognize that although the training sessions are brief, they can be very effective for improving strength, cardiovascular health and flexibility if done correctly. Matt and I have spent many years training people and getting young individuals involved in fitness and we discuss in our book, in detail, our concepts along with additional ideas of how to use various types of equipment, training protocols and much more so kids will want to exercise – and stick with it.

Rick: One thing that I’ve noticed with my Physical Education classes is that the majority of the student’s, fit or unfit, seem to enjoy strength training. Do we emphasize strength training enough as a youth fitness activity?

Fred: I believe there are more efforts being made to expose young people to strength training, but as you know, there is a lot more to it than just walking into a gym and picking up a weight. There are many aspects of strength training that need to be considered. Initially, a kid needs to be taught proper form so they don’t become injured and since there are many takes or opinions on what proper form entails, Matt and I prescribe specifics that have worked for us over several decades of training ourselves and others – especially the kids. In addition, a program needs to be devised that will be effective for that particular youth along with determining what equipment is suitable to their structure and their needs. In conjunction, they also need appropriate supervision.
As you know Rick, there are countless philosophies and methodologies when it comes to fitness –strength training in particular – and therefore there are some confusing issues. It’s unfortunate, but there are many myths and misconceptions propagated in the field of fitness and the various information that is disseminated can be paralyzing to parents, coaches and kids. There are many different approaches to strength training as you know - some being very good and others being downright dangerous – and when we’re dealing with young people especially, safety is the number one consideration. We must keep in mind as well that strength training is just one aspect of becoming physically fit. There are other components that need to be addressed on an ongoing basis for a kid to have a well-balanced action plan.

Rick: Many kids seem to have developed the mentality that “if it’s uncomfortable, I have to stop.” Obviously, we don’t want to injure kids, but productive training can involve some discomfort. How do we work around that mentality?

Fred: Great question Rick and I agree completely, productive training is challenging, but anything worth while usually is. As you accurately pointed out, we certainly don’t want anyone getting injured and as we both know, strength training is a great way of helping to prevent injury. But hard and productive training can be performed safely and is a learned process that can take some time. Being “uncomfortable” is one of the by-products, if you will, of training and when inhibitors like discomfort come into play, a youth has a choice to get past it or not – to improve or not. For some it may come easy, and for others it may be insurmountable for a while, either way, it can be done. A couple of years ago, Kim Wood, a 28 year veteran NFL strength coach shared with me a very valuable lesson. He told me that teaching someone to "train hard on their own" (along with using proper form) was one of the most important things I could teach. After tens of thousands of applications, I couldn’t agree more. Having a kid work hard for themselves can be a struggle at times so what I usually encourage kids to do is draw and imaginary line in the sand to represent their “comfort level”. Since getting past discomfort is more a mental aspect of exercise than a physical one, they can now focus on getting past a specific point mentally instead of physically. Now when they approach their comfort level I encourage them to cross over the line by doing just a little more than they did last time....just giving a little more of themselves than they normally would. This “crossing over the line” is a very important step for a youth to make. A kid will see that they can get past these hurdles and they experience a new-found sense of accomplishment. Having a kid do this time and time again over subsequent workouts will encourage them to work harder on their own because they’ve found the value in what they are accomplishing. Not only will they become stronger and more fit, they will also develop what we refer to as “mental toughness” and that goes far beyond the weight room in daily life.Rick: Do you see one gender as becoming less fit than the other?

Fred: That’s an interesting question, but I’d have to say no. Unfortunately, I think both genders are far from being remotely fit and therefore need to step it up with regards to their fitness. On the flip side, there are those who participate in sports and seem to focus on their fitness – at least for their “in-season” and there too it seems to be balanced between the girls and guys. I just so happen to work with more girls than boys and the girls I work with really get at it when they train – usually more so than the guys. Hey, I’m not trying to take a cheap shot at the guys here but the girls are far less hung-up on bench pressing and doing curls and just do what needs to get done.

Rick: Does exercise have to be fun, or do kids get enough of that with video games, computers, etc.?

Fred: I think exercise should be enjoyable in the sense that a kid isn’t exercising reluctantly. Making a kid do something that isn’t fun won’t build a positive or long-lasting approach to fitness and raises the chances of them becoming injured because they are less focused. There are many ways for kids to be fit and athletic and we need to expose kids to as many aspects of safe, efficient and effective fitness practices as possible. This way, a kid can develop his or her own means of staying in shape and have it be a part of their life forever.

Rick: I remember having teachers and coaches who were not only great role models, but great fitness role models. Do kids today have enough good fitness role models?

Fred: That’s a tough question to answer. Honestly, I don’t know. There is no one of notoriety that I can think of but I do feel that ideally, it should be the parents who are the role models. Like everything else that’s involved with raising a kid, education starts in the home. Teaching kids about exercise and eating right can’t be a “do as I say, not as I do” philosophy that will work. Keep in mind it’s the parents who are the ones that go to the food stores and the drive-thru’s. They have the choice of buying healthy, wholesome foods or foods that aren’t nutritious. In conjunction, those responsible on the school level may need to address physical fitness with more “oomph”. Gym and health classes don’t seem to have the same positive impact they did years back. Kids nowadays seem to view gym as a “break between classes” and I think that P.E. and Health deserve the same respect as any other subject in school. Kids just don’t seem to see the value in what is being offered and are suffering because of it.

Rick: What can parents do to help their kids become more fit?

Fred: Like I mentioned, parents need to “lead by example.” I believe that if parents are exercising and eating nutritious foods they are exemplifying good habits and it is a great way to help their kids become more involved in a healthy fitness regimen. Seeking out a qualified fitness professional is another step in the right direction as well. Parents can also become more informed about what is involved in planning a sound fitness program by reading, but as I stated earlier, there is a lot of information out there and a lot of it can be contradictory. Matt and I wanted to share what we’ve learned over several decades of being involved in physical fitness and feel we put our best foot forward in doing this book. We cover the many aspects of what is involved in developing a well-rounded fitness program and offer insight and recommendations on what it takes to help shape America’s kids.
Rick: Thanks for the interview, Fred. Thanks for the work that you and Matt are doing to promote fitness in general, and youth fitness in particular. Best of luck with the new book!
Fred: Rick, it was my pleasure.

Rick Rignell, MA, CSCS
Physical Education Teacher and Strength Coach
Anoka High School – Anoka, Minnesota

Youth Fitness: An Action Plan for Shaping America’s Kids is being sold at Barnes & Noble and Border’s book stores as well as on-line at NaturalStrength.com, Barnes and Noble.com and other fine stores. Orders through Premiere Personal Fitness will be autographed by the authors.


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START YOUR ENGINES: The ABC's of Sports Nutrition - by Nancy Clark

THE ATHLETE'S KITCHEN
Copyright: Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD July 2008


START YOUR ENGINES: The ABC's of Sports Nutrition

Eating a performance-enhancing diet isn't easy, and for many athletes and active people, nutrition is their missing link. If that's your case, here are a few ABC’s to get you started on the path to winning with good nutrition.Always eat breakfast; it's the meal of champions! Within three hours of waking, fuel-up for a high-energy day. Not hungry in the morning?

Trade evening snacks for a nice breakfast the next day.Breakfast of champions? I vote for whole grain cereal + milk + fruit—an easy, wholesome, carb-protein combination. Carbohydrates are essential to fuel-up and refuel your muscles. Do not “stay away from” pasta, potato, bread, bagels and other carbs that have wrongly been deemed “fattening.” Excess fat gets easily converted into body fat, but not carbs.Dehydration needlessly slows you down, so plan to drink extra fluids before you exercise. The kidneys require about 45 to 90 minutes to process fluids. Allow time to tank up, eliminate the excess, and then drink again pre-workout. Energy bars are more about convenience than necessity. Bananas, yogurt, fig cookies and granola bars offer convenient fuel at a fraction of the price. But if you prefer the convenience of bars, try Zing Bars (www.ZingBar.com). Yum! Food is fuel--not the "fattening enemy" as some weight-conscious athletes believe. If you obsess about food and weight, find a local sports dietitian at www.SCANdpg.org.

Gatorade and other sports drinks are designed to be used by athletes during extended exercise, not as a lunch or snack beverage.Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, as characterized by light-headedness, fatigue, and inability to concentrate) is preventable. To eliminate an afternoon energy lag/drop in blood sugar, enjoy a hearty snack between lunch and dinner. Iron-rich foods, needed to prevent anemia, include beef and dark meat chicken (thigh, leg). If you eat neither of those, choose iron-fortified breakfast cereals (Raisin Bran, Wheaties). Read the cereal label, and note all natural brands (Kashi, granola) offer little iron.Junk food can fit into your sports diet in small amounts. That is, you don't have to have a “perfect diet” to have a good diet.

Target a diet that is 90% quality foods and, if desired, 10% foods with marginal nutritional value—sports drinks (refined sugar), birthday cake, chips, etc..Keep track of calories if you want to lose weight. You'll reduce body fat only if you create a calorie deficit. A popular website for tracking food intake is www.fitday.com. Adding on exercise can help with fat loss IF the exercise contributes to a calorie deficit. (But the more you exercise, the more you might eat…)Lifting weights is the key to building muscles. For energy to lift weights, you need extra carbohydrates. To support muscular growth, eat adequate (but not excessive) protein. Each muscle-building meal should be mostly carbs, with a side of protein, as opposed to mostly protein with minimal carbs. Muscles store carbs as glycogen; glycogen depletion is associated with fatigue. Along with each one ounce of glycogen, muscles store about 3 ounces of water. Expect to gain 2 to 4 pounds of (water) weight when you carb-load. Never eat an untried engineered sports food before an important competition. You may discover it settles poorly and hurts your performance. The website of competitive events indicate what foods and fluids will be available on the course. Find out in advance, so you can experiment during training!

Olive oil is heart-healthy, reduces inflammation, and helps absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K. Although excess calories from oil (and other fats) are fattening, a little bit of olive oil on salads and with cooking adds taste and health benefits. Protein is an important part of a sports diet, needed for recovery from hard workouts. But protein should be the accompaniment and carbs the foundation of the recovery meal. Make that a carb shake with a little protein (not a protein shake with a little carb).

Quality nutrition is found in natural foods. Be sure there are some apple cores and banana peels mixed in with the litter from your engineered foods and energy bar wrappers...Rest is an important part of a training program; your muscles need time to heal. Plan one or two days with little or no exercise per week. Expect to feel just as hungry on days with no exercise; depleted muscles require extra food to refuel. Sweet cravings are a sign you've gotten too hungry. Experiment with doubling your breakfast and lunch (and halving your dinner). You'll have more energy, better workouts—and far less desire for sweets. Thinner does not equate to being a better athlete—if the cost of being thin is skimpy meals and poorly fueled muscles. Focus on being fit and healthy--not just sleek and slim (but starving). Urine that is dark colored and smelly indicates you need to drink more fluid. If you are well hydrated, you will eliminate pale-colored urine every 2 to 4 hours.

Vegetarian athletes who do not eat meat need to include a substantial portion of plant protein at each meal. Peanut butter on a bagel, hummus with pita, and beans in chili are just a few suggestions.Weight is more than a matter of will power; genetics plays a role. Forcing your body to be too thin is abusive.Xtra vitamins are best found the "all natural" way: in dark colorful vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, peppers, tomatoes and carrots, or in fresh fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, cantaloupe, strawberries and kiwi. Chow down! Yes, even you can optimally fuel your engines. The trick is: Don't get too hungry. When too hungry, you'll likely grab the handiest (but not the healthiest) food around. Zippy and zingy--that's how you'll feel when you fuel with premium nutrition. Eat well and enjoy your energy!

For personalized nutrition help, consult with a registered dietitian (RD) who is a board certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD). Use the referral network at www.SCANdpg.org to find your local food coach.

Nancy Clark MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) counsels casual exercisers
and competitive athletes at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill, MA (617-383-6100).

Her NEW 2008 Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook 4th Edition, and her Food Guide for Marathoners and Cyclist’s Food Guide are available via www.nancyclarkrd.com. See also www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com for online education.

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD
Sports Nutrition Services

www.nancyclarkrd.com (books, powerpoint, handouts)
www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com (Chicago, Indy, Detroit)

NEW 2008 Edition-Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook
Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions
Cyclist's Food Guide: Fueling for the Distance

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Hard Work Revisited: Strength and Power Points - By Ken Mannie

Ken Mannie is the Head Strength/Conditioning Coach at Michigan State University



There were so many positive responses and follow-up questions to the article Hard Work: Tough Strength training Strategies, I thought it would be a good idea to expound on the rationale for this concept and offer further perspectives.

For the sake of a quick recap, it is my opinion that even in the current maelstrom of fitness industry methodologies, there will always be that corner of sanity known as hard work. It is a corner that we like to visit frequently and consider to be a mainstay in our training paradigm.

This segment is not about specific exercises, sets, reps, volume, or any other traditional training topics. This time out I will simply discuss the intrinsic, extrinsic, mental, and physical benefits of hard work. And while the meaning of hard work tends to get lost in translation, our definition is branded with a tough mind-set and an aggressive physical approach.

Basically, this is about occasionally deviating from the aforementioned rigid, albeit necessary, training playbook to grind-out a truly demanding workout. It’s about being more concerned about the effort put forth within a set, and moving on to the next set with the same mental approach, than just about any other aspect of the workout. The theme of the training session is displayed by its aggressive nature and the fact that – in the case of strength training -- each work set is taken to fatigue (i.e., the inability to perform another rep with proper form), or just short of that point in cases where safety might be compromised.

Or, if the workout is in a setting where a challenging activity is being executed to develop mental toughness as much as any physical components (e.g., the pictured tire flip) it is done with intensity, passion, and purpose – in addition to proper technique.

Simply put, this is gut-wrenching work that tests the body, mind, and soul. It is the type of work that is designed by and for people who love to train for sake of the training itself.

Why? Because they are cut from the cloth of hard work!

Note: Remember that this discussion has absolutely nothing to do with making a wholesale change in your current system. Most of what we do readily adapts to this format, as we train very closely to this manner on a consistent basis. Therefore, the transition to an “all-out” effort on every set/activity is relatively seamless for us. In your case, maybe it will require more of an orientation period to get the point across.

And don’t be concerned with unsubstantiated comments such as, “That’s bodybuilding stuff, and it’s not conducive to power development.” Actually, this is “building the body stuff,” and it has everything to do with power development from every cellular, neural, and histological standpoint. Therefore, this is not so much a training philosophy as it is a researched, proven, highly efficient, and relatively safe approach to training. And, in the end, it is about constructing strong, powerful, durable, and mentally tough athletes. The take-home point here is that even if you normally perform workouts that are the polar opposite of what is being described here because you believe in what you’re doing and have had great success with it, then by all means stay with the status quo. If you’re more open to intermittent change-ups, then this might be an option. And here are some reasons why.

Improving Raw Material

A key component of strength training is the positive effect it has on body composition and adaptations in the nervous system. Enhancing muscle size (again, “building the body”) exponentially heightens strength and power, thus enabling greater efficiency in the execution of athletic skills. Of course, the rate and level of these skill improvements will ultimately depend upon the quality of the teaching and learning processes.

The groundwork for these improvements in the body’s raw material are initiated through the increases in actin and myosin (the tension generating units of muscle tissue), which are major constituents in force and power production. Strength training initiates the proliferation of actin and myosin, while concurrently magnifying the stability of tendons, ligaments, and other cellular variants of connective tissue.

Running parallel with these histological upgrades are the neural adaptations that, especially in the early phase of resistance training, are key components in both the strength and lifting skill improvements. This aggregate of neuromuscular implications is vast, but the elements of “excitory” and “inhibitory” messages are the ones deserving mention here. Excitory messages, as the word implies, force our muscles into action. Inhibitory messages act to hold us back and, in some cases, serve to protect us.

Example: If we are not physically capable or prepared to lift a heavy object, a neural message is sent to the involved musculature to relax, thus prohibiting the continuation of the action and risking injury.

As the athlete becomes stronger and more neurologically efficient, these inhibitory messages are gradually abated. The results include a higher proficiency in recruiting muscle fibers and eventually mastering the specific lifting skill. The latter point is critical, as the immediate improvements that are noted in the early phase of the training program – especially with novice trainees – is due in large part to lifting skill improvements.

Gradual stimulation of the musculature with progressively more difficult workloads reduces the inhibitory impulses picked-up by the sensory receptors that monitor changes in muscle length. The result: An improved economy of muscle fiber firing and greater power output. This is known as motor unit “synchronization,” and it is a major player in the strength and power game plan. Motor unit synchronization enhances the rate of force development, i.e., the speed with which a lifting movement or athletic skill is performed.

Slow Twitch, Fast Twitch, and Power Output

Our muscle tissue is comprised of a spectrum of fibers that have varying endurance and force generating characteristics.
There is ongoing discussion, research, and speculation on the extent of this spectrum and in defining a compartmentalized classification of fiber types.

For this discussion, we will simply refer to them as slow twitch (ST) or fast twitch (FT) fibers.

Muscle fibers are recruited (i.e., called upon from a cadre of neural pathways to perform a task) according to what is known as the “size principle of motor unit recruitment.” The activation is initiated with the ST fibers, which are smaller, and incrementally advanced to the FT fibers, which are larger.

Initially, if the force requirements are low, the ST fibers are more than capable of handling the load, regardless of the speed of movement (i.e., “explosive,” or more controlled).

As the force requirements are heightened to a level where the ST fibers can no longer sustain the effort, the FT fibers are activated to continue the task.

FT fibers generate more force and can do so in a shorter period of time than ST fibers. However, keep in mind that the key precept in FT activation is the force requirement, not necessarily the speed of movement.

In terms of strength training movements, it may be your preference to lift relatively light to moderate loads in a fast manner due to your background or as predicated by the chosen exercises. Even so, you would be well-served, in my opinion, to insert workouts now and then that require moderate to heavy loads performed with the “intent” to move fast on the raising (positive) phase, and purposely controlled on the lowering (negative) phase.

The fact that the load is “moderate to heavy” will usually inhibit a rapid external rep. However, because there is an inverse relationship between movement speed and muscle force production (known as the force/velocity curve), it’s a good bet that the targeted musculature will generate a high grade of force.

Additionally, if possible and within the parameters of safety, execute the set to the point of fatigue for fiber recruitment purposes. Obviously, there are movements and equipment modes where this method would be contraindicated, but those are fairly evident and can be identified with good judgment.

Final Rep

The donnybrook over training issues including movements vs. muscles, free weights vs. machines, fast vs. controlled speeds, ad nauseam, has no end in sight. That’s a good thing, however, as the differences in opinion stimulate discussion and encourage further research. Hard work, on the other hand, has few detractors and infinite benefactors!

TIP FROM THE TRENCHES

Coaches, kick-start your metabolism! OK, all of you coaches 30 and over, let’s skip the stages of denial and anger regarding your plummeting metabolism and go immediately to being pro-active in doing something about it. The fact is that after age 30, our body’s metabolism slows down by about 2% per decade, due in large part to a loss of muscle mass. Unfortunately, it is possible to lose as much as 50% of our muscle mass between ages 20-90, with an exceptionally high rate of loss from ages 50-70. This dilemma leads to fewer calories burned and more stored body fat. For women in menopause, the metabolism is slowed even further. While there is no one sure-fire answer to reverse this process, there is a battle plan that, if followed with consistency and perseverance, can be a great help:

Note: Since individual differences are certainly prime considerations in any health prescription, consultation with your primary care physician is a must in order to eliminate the possibility of any underlying problem.

• Eat breakfast every day – This will ignite your metabolism and rev it up for burning calories. When you skip meals – especially breakfast – your body has a tendency to store more calories as fat. Also, there is a tendency to overeat at other meals when you skip the ones that should have preceded them.

• Eat frequently (“graze”) – As crazy as it may sound, eating small amounts of food every 2-3 hours helps to keep you metabolic fire lit. Therefore, you will burn calories at a fairly constant rate throughout the day. Just an asterisk, here: Remember the term “small amounts” of food when proceeding with this suggestion.

• Eat “lean” protein – Lean protein sources (e.g., skinless poultry, fish, non-fat dairy products, beans, certain nuts, and the leaner, less-marbled beef cuts) can boost metabolism when eaten in moderation. The recommendation here is to consume no more than about 1/3 of your daily calories from these sources.

• Exercise frequently – Most recommendations here are in the 30-60 minute range of moderate to vigorous physical activity (primarily of an aerobic nature) on most days of the week.

• Strength train at least 2-3 days per week – Remember that one of the primary reasons for a lower metabolism is muscle loss. Resistance training can counter this loss and is especially important as we age. Heavy weights and competitive style lifts are not necessary, just a good total body plan that addresses all of the major muscle groups.

• Get adequate sleep – Being too tired to exercise and binging on snack foods as a “pick-me-up” are two pitfalls of inadequate sleep. More research must be done in this area, but some experts are concerned that a lack of sleep may affect appetite-regulating hormones. The bottom line: Stay as well-rested as possible.

Ken Mannie mannie@ath.msu.edu


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Bob Whelan's Expert Q & A

With permission of Hardgainer.

What do you think of the book Muscletown USA, by John D. Fair?

In my opinion, although it unfairly treated Hoffman too negatively, Fair's book is excellent. It's full of historical information and is a fascinating read. The facts in it can't be disputed, but some of the negative things about Hoffman were unfairly portrayed. The same effort wasn't made to dig in detail into the personal lives of other major characters in Iron Game history.

I don't know of any new book coming out with a more positive spin on the York/Hoffman side, but I'd love to see it. The problem is that Fair seems to go out of his way to show Hoffman's bad side. He seemed biased towards Joe Weider and cynical/negative about Hoffman. Factual information can still be unfair.

People usually dig deeper into personal negative things if they don't like you, and omit some of the positive things. (The opposite applies if they like you). If you can keep that in mind, Muscletown USA is a great book.

I love Hoffman. His influence got me started in all this when I bought my first copies of MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT and STRENGTH AND HEALTH, in 1964, when I was ten years old. I admire the man and won't let Fair's book change my admiration for Hoffman. I'd like to see the same dirt-digging effort put into a book about other leading Iron Game figures, past and present, to help balance things.

Past Training Beliefs

What's the best description of how the old-timers really trained?

The only real absolute about the oldtimers is that they trained naturally, hard and progressively. They may have had crude equipment and limited information, but they made the most of what they had. If you take a close look at old Iron Game literature, you'll find a common theme: health, strength, vigor and longevity.

Cosmetic results, although mentioned, were clearly secondary. The cosmetic results were believed to be the end result of "doing the right thing," and were a reward for effort, discipline and a lifestyle commitment. The titles of the popular books and magazines reflected these values. There were STRENGTH AND HEALTH, HEALTH AND STRENGTH, PHYSICAL CULTURE, STRENGTH, THE STRONG MAN, and numerous other titles.

Compare these titles to the best-selling training books and magazines of today-the difference is astounding. The pioneers of Physical Culture were not just body beautiful posers. They were strong! Eugene Sandow and others competed in various feats of strength. They had to make do with crude training facilities and equipment, but they made the most of what they had. They had to endure the wrath of society, as attaining health and strength was not a trendy thing to do in those days.

This is how the term health nut got started (they were definitely not called buff!) Even though they had far less information available, they swore by the information they did have. How many of us truly can say we're using the information we have? Jack LaLanne was so dedicated that he trained his mind to visualize disgusting images at the very thought of junk food. Cosmetic results were seen as the reward for correct living and hard training.

Many of our Physical Culture forefathers went beyond physical health and were concerned with mental and spiritual health as well. Peary Rader frequently wrote articles about spiritual health; and Bob Hoffman and Bernarr MacFadden, in addition to writing about training, wrote about practically everything dealing with health and happiness, including moral issues.

We now have much better overall equipment, gyms, and nutritional and health knowledge. But we also have the horrendous mess of drug abuse. Public acceptance/involvement of training is much higher now. But most of the training principles have been around a long time.

There's nothing really new as far as strength-training principles are concerned. It just gets re-packaged. Read the "Letters from Chas" on NaturalStrength.com, and his articles in old issues of HARDGAINER, as he repeatedly covers this topic. There's no single training philosophy that defines the old-timers. Klein, Maxick, Cyr and Grimek trained differently, just as individuals today train differently. Chas stated that none of today's training principles are really new. The only exception I can think of that may be considered new is the concept of very slow speed training.

Arthur Jones - Methods & Writing

I'm curious as to what you think about Arthur Jones, his writing and strength training methods. Also, do you consider yourself an advocate of HIT?

I have a great deal of respect for Jones, and consider him to be one of the brightest minds in the history of strength training. I didn't discover him right away though. My early influences were mainly from York (Hoffman and Grimek), Brad Steiner and later from the original IRON MAN from Peary Rader.

In the late 1970s I was temporarily influenced a great deal by Heavy Duty from Mike Mentzer, but later realized that he just paraphrased and repackaged Arthur Jones' theories, so it was really Jones I was influenced by. I don't agree with everything Jones says, but most of it. He definitely had a big impact on my beliefs.

I frequently use multiple sets, low reps and barbells. I believe how you train depends on the goal of your training. A powerlifter has to do low reps, multiple sets and use a barbell. A basketball player doesn't. I don't believe you have to go to failure to get good results so long as you train progressively. It depends on the goal of your training and your circumstances.

When it comes to training stimulus, I'm mainly a poundage guy. A lot of HIT guys never talk about poundage, it's always only about going to failure. I always put poundage (in good form) first, ahead of going to failure or anything else as far as training stimulus goes. Although I'm a big supporter of going to failure, and controlled speed of motion training (for some trainees), for me they are clearly secondary to load progression.

I have a broad view of strength training and can see many ways that work. I don't feel the need to try to persuade people to do exactly what I do, nor do I get personally offended by differences in training philosophy other than those which use drug support. The most important thing is that you're natural and trying to train hard and lift heavier. If so, we're brothers, and there's no need to argue about minor details.

Conclusion

In strength training, it's all good as long as you follow the sensible rules of safety, progression and recovery as expressed in HARDGAINER. If you do power cleans or don't do them, I don't care so long as you don't get hurt. Same with odd objects, going to failure, etc. Just don't get injured!

I see the various modes and methods of strength training as tools in a tool chest. A craftsman can collect and use many tools to perform his art. Only a fool would throw useful tools away and insist on using just a few tools. Different tools can be used for different people. Some need low reps and multiple sets due to their goals, and some need one set to failure.

Regardless of the method used in strength training, I always put the greatest emphasis on load or poundage progression. Effort without progression is no better than calisthenics or manual labor.

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JOHN GRIMEK WAS THE MAN

By Bob Whelan
Reprinted with permission from HARDGAINER magazine issue #59, March-April 1999

For all of my training life I've had the quiet comfort of knowing John Grimek was around to inspire and motivate me. He was my all-time Iron Game hero, a legend of unparalleled achievements, but who was universally described as a "good guy" by everyone who had the honor of meeting him. He was a guy you could really admire, look up to and respect not only for his titles or measurements, but as a man.

His pictures have always been on the walls of my gym, even if it happened to be my bedroom or garage. I have several of his pictures on the walls at Whelan Strength Training, from various decades of his life starting with the Mark Berry posters showing John in his early twenties, until several decades later showing his body even more muscular and better, with only his face showing signs of age. For my money, he was the best, a legend-the man! This greatest chapter in Iron Game history came to a close on November 20, 1998 when John C. Grimek passed on at age 88.

Vic Boff summed it up well when he stated, "For over five decades, John C. Grimek has been heralded as the Monarch of Muscledom throughout the world. He was the greatest combination Iron Game athlete-physique star, bodybuilder and strength performer-of all time and certainly the most popular, inspiring millions. He was a major influence in the lives of every top bodybuilder. He was the only bodybuilder in history who was never defeated in a contest. His charisma was so outstanding that everyone in the Iron Game wanted to meet him, shake his hand or get an autograph. His obliging patience was endless."

Grimek was also the only man to win the Mr. America title twice, and was also a member of the 1936 US Olympic weightlifting team. He won the Mr. Universe in 1948 and the Mr. USA in 1949. He was also an expert swimmer, diver, acrobat and muscle control expert. He was also very strong, and capable of a 400-pound jerk.

John probably did more to advance strength training in academia, teaching and coaching than anyone-especially as a legitimate method for training and preparing athletes. The all-prevalent musclebound myths of the day were largely dispelled and reversed by his awesome demonstrations of flexibility, grace and speed while working with Bob Hoffman and other members of the York Barbell Club. Modern strength and conditioning coaches may not have had a profession if not for John C. Grimek.

I began to train, involuntarily at first, at age 10. I was a good baseball player and was batting around 600 in little league. I just came home from a game and as soon as I got in the door, my father asked me, "How many hits ya get, ya bastard?" He had his usual beer in hand and was in his typical semi-intoxicated state.

"Three!" I proudly replied.

"How many home runs?"

"None," I replied.

My introduction to training was when my father responded, "You weak son of a bitch. Get on the floor and do pushups."

I did only three, and he really tore into me for that. I usually managed to make a positive out of most of the negative childhood situations with my father. He made me do pushups every night before bed, and soon I began to love the exercise because I felt stronger, which in turn raised my confidence and self-esteem; and I began hitting some home runs. Soon I was doing 90 pushups in a row.

I put up a chinning bar in the basement and was up to 18 in no time. I made a wrist roller. I walked around constantly squeezing rubber balls to strengthen my wrists because that was what Ted Williams did. I was hooked on training at an early age.

It was during this time that I bought my first copies of STRENGTH AND HEALTH and MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT magazines. I was buying baseball cards near a magazine rack and a cover caught my eye. MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT was a new magazine at that time (1964), and John Grimek was the editor. From my first glance of him, I was in awe, but greatly inspired. I always read every word in MD a liked it even more than S&H because of Grimek's influence. (I didn't even know about iron man till a few years later.)

I continued to lift cement blocks and copper tubing stored in the cellar, and did pushups, chins, dips between chairs, wrist roller work, situps and other calisthenics until I got my first York 110-pound barbell set for my birthday at age 13.

I was a fanatic and devoured everything related to training I could get my hands on. I was sad when I'd read all the articles in a new issue. I couldn't wait till the next month so I could ride my bike to the apothecary in Sherborn, Massachusetts, and buy the next issue.

I can remember the smell of the ink in the new issues. I had to hide the magazines because my father thought all the bodybuilders were "musclebound," but I knew better. My biggest heroes were Bob Hoffman and, especially, John Grimek. I still have a deep affection for and loyalty to the tradition of the York Barbell Company, and tremendous respect for its pivotal role, since the thirties, in the development of the Iron Game. To this day I will only buy York weights.

This background information is important because it should help you to understand the magnitude of the thrill I had in April 1976 when I drove to York, Pennsylvania, and met John Grimek. For an Iron Game/Physical Culture enthusiast, this was the equivalent of a baseball fan meeting Babe Ruth. I'd hoped to meet Bob Hoffman too.

I remember looking at all of Hoffman's medals and spending an hour or so in the museum section downstairs. I finally got the nerve up to ask if I could meet Bob Hoffman, but was told he was not in that day. I still regret not meeting him. But Grimek was upstairs in his office, and I was told that he would be happy to see me. My heart raced as I walked up a creaky staircase to his office. I sheepishly knocked on the office door and politely referred to him as Mr. Grimek.

Mr. Grimek invited me in and was extremely friendly. I was only 21 at the time and was completely in awe. At first I was surprised because he was well into his sixties at the time, but most of the photos I'd seen of him were not recent. He was in great shape, though, and I could tell that he still trained hard and regularly. He had his shirt sleeves rolled up, and I could see his huge biceps in full glory. He looked at least 20 years younger than most men of his age.

He asked me as many questions about my training, and my life in general, as I asked him. He seemed genuinely interested in me and I was impressed at how approachable and kind-hearted he was. He answered every question I had and was in no rush to have me leave. He signed an autograph for me that I guard with my life and proudly display on a wall of my gym. After asking every possible question I could think of, and spending about 30 minutes in his office, I felt I might start to be a pest. I thanked Mr. Grimek for his time, shook his hand, and let him get back to his work.

Dispelling myths

It wasn't until fairly recently that the term "musclebound" has finally been put to rest. You may hear it once in a while now, but mainly by ignorant people. Most people today believe that strength training is beneficial. It wasn't always that way, and as a kid growing up I would always hear about it and be discouraged from lifting. I never believed it was true, mainly because of the hard work and courage of John Grimek and Bob Hoffman, who told me the truth.

On April 4, 1940 Bob Hoffman brought several members of the York Barbell Club, including John Grimek, to Springfield College. Dr. Karpovich, of Springfield College, had been influential in pushing "musclebound" theories throughout academia, and was making most athletic coaches shy away from training with weights. Strength training was being seriously threatened, and John Grimek was instrumental in turning this around. After Grimek was introduced to the panel, the pompous academics sneered at him and seemed to mock him at first, believing he was nothing but a big clumsy oaf with limited movement and "bound" muscles.

Grimek went right up to each of them and said, "Can you do this?" He then proceeded to contort his body into every stretch and bend possible, and reportedly could come close to touching his elbows to the floor while keeping his knees straight! Each of the academics gave a pitiful performance of flexibility when responding to his challenge, to which Grimek replied, something to the effect of, "You're musclebound, not me!"

Hoffman then had Grimek and others perform all kinds of feats including one-arm chins, handstands, backbends, jumping splits and numerous stretches. After Karpovich had witnessed this, he was stunned. By the time Hoffman and Grimek got through with Karpovich, he changed his position to, "There's no such thing as musclebound."

Hoffman went further and challenged any athlete in any sport to compete against his York Barbell Club in any physical test outside of their own specific sport. The challenge was widely publicized. There were no takers, mostly because of the larger-than-life image of Grimek and the fear that he would humiliate any challenger.

Our responsibility

John Grimek was larger than life, much like John Wayne was. John was what the Iron Game and Physical Culture are really all about. He was the essence of how things were and how things should still be. When you think of John Grimek, you think of the glory days of the Iron Game before drugs ruined the honest competition, and the brotherhood.

The "good guys" in the Iron Game today have a sacred duty to carry on the tradition that John Grimek stood for and which Vic Boff and others still represent. Give no respect to steroid users-they are scum. Take down their pictures. Always keep your focus on good health as the primary motivation for your toil, and build muscle the old fashioned way-earn it by hard work and dedication, like John Grimek did.

"Maximum" Bob Whelan runs Whelan Strength Training in Washington, DC.


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Training Truths That Should Be Said - By Bradley J. Steiner

I'd just like to make some points that I hope will benefit some of the newer and less experienced visitors to your site. This is very basic, but it's also rarely emphasized today. Because it's true, it should be said:

• The turn off that bodybuilding took a few decades ago, when it went the "steroid/size/nut route" was truly tragic. Just look at how it has, literally, made the word "bodybuilding" an emotive one! Mention "bodybuilder" and the majority of those sane people under the age of 40 who hear it will conjure an image of a gender-challenged, overbloated, grotesque, drug-consuming freak, and they will likely be gripped with nausea. And who can blame them for having such a reaction? Gone is Grimek, Eifferman, Stanko, Park, Jowett, Sipes, Abele, etc. etc. and so forth. And the REAL Masters of the Iron Game (ie men like Rader, Hoffman, Paschall, and McCallum) have been replaced by goons.

It seems to me that one of the greatest services that can be rendered by those of us who love the healthy activity of bodybuilding — as it was in the 1920's, 30's, 40's, 50's, and throughout most of the 1960's — when the goal was genuine strength, vigorous good health, and physical efficiency and fitness, is to do what YOUR SITE (ie Bob Whelan's) is doing; so POWER TO YOU, BROTHER!

• If I may put in a recommendation (for which I do not receive compensation!) that is a sincere one, purely for the benefit of those who are looking for the real deal in training information: Check into Bill Hinbern's marvelous enterprise. Bill has reprinted many of the priceless classics of physical training, and anyone who wants to experience the kind of joy that we who were fortunate enough to get started RIGHT in this field knew, when we first picked up a barbell, should buy those old books and study them. Cancel the magazine subscriptions to those damn pharmaceutical catalogs and gay rights propaganda rags, and purchase the wisdom that once was "mainstream" — a long time ago, when this Country and the bodybuilding we love were both a helluva lot saner and healthier!

• Don't make training too complicated for yourself. Don't keep looking for miracle programs, special routines, super diet plans, or supplements and other gimmicks that are simply conning you, if you are a confused beginner. Just map out a good all round routine of six to ten exercises, and train hard on them, three times a week for between 40 and 90 minutes. The squat, press, rowing, dead lift, bench press, curl, simple calf work, shrugs, abdominal work, and perhaps some dabbling (judiciously!) on one or two other odd exercises from time to time as interest suggests, will do it for you. Honestly — that's all you need. Two or three sets is plenty.

• Be realistic. The late genius Arthur Jones always pointed out that those few who become "world class musclemen" are "genetic freaks". This is not an insult. It simply acknowledges how unusual it really is for a person to possess the genetics that is required to become world class in physical development. THAT'S NOTHING BAD! It's not cause for discouragement! Use the Greats as inspiration; and then become whatever YOUR genetic potential allows.

• Always come back to SOUND TRAINING PRINCIPLES, basic equipment and exercises, a good diet, rest and recreation, and a healthy attitude as the royal road to physica excellence. It isn't "secret", it isn't "mysterious", it isn't anything that YOU CAN'T HAVE FOR YOURSELF, AND FOLLOW AND BENEFIT TREMENDOUSLY FROM IN YOUR OWN LIFE.

• If for whatever reason you haven't yet settled into a serious program of training, do it now. There will never be a "right time" or a "better moment" to begin. Just get started. The biggest hurdles in this game are all mental, not physical. Heck, bodybuilding isn't even expensive to pursue; it's affordable by anyone.

If you ever "once trained" and are reproaching yourself and feeling regretful, just realize that everyone makes mistakes and has regrets. GET BACK INTO IT NOW. In three weeks you'll be congratulating yourself for your wisdom!


This Article Was Written By Bradley J. Steiner

Professor Steiner's American Combato Site




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Welcome and Introduction - By Bob Whelan

First, some news about my websites. NaturalStrength.com was attacked by hackers in March. They inserted a virus that destroys information into the site. We are working to get it repaired. The old store and inner circle were also destroyed. We are now two thirds back and will be better than ever soon. We have a new inner circle at www.NaturalStrength.Net and a new store at www.BobWhelan.com. Both are better than the previous products but are still a work in progress to get re-established. The main site, NaturalStrength.com had well over a thousand articles on it and was a 9 year compilation of work and money. It had a lengthy "page one ranking" on Google for "strength training" and it took thousands of dollars of webmaster fees to build it. I also paid a typist to type out all of those old classic books and put them online. I believe we were able to save most of the data on back up.

Over the summer we'll be converting the old site to an ARCHIVES site and get it back up and running . This new blog can be seen as the beginning of the NS.com comeback. This will probably serve as the temporary NaturalStrength.com but could also be the permanent home page with the ARCHIVES of the old site attached to it (once repaired.) We'll see how it goes. Thanks for all your support!


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Spartan Strength - Ken Mannie - Bio

Ken Mannie enters his 20th year as Michigan State's head strength and conditioning coach for football, while additionally directing and overseeing the strength and conditioning programs for all men's and women's sports. A 40-year coaching veteran, Mannie is the longest-tenured head football strength and conditioning coach in the Big Ten Conference. Mannie's "Fourth Quarter" and "Bottom Line" offseason conditioning programs have been a significant reason for Michigan State's success in the Coach Mark Dantonio era, as the Spartans have earned a school-record seven consecutive bowl bids, including a victory in the 2014 Rose Bowl Game over No. 5 Stanford. Mannie is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa), the National Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (NSCA) and holds an honorary certification with the International Association of Resistance Trainers (IART). In May 2002 at its annual conference in Salt Lake City, the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association awarded Mannie the title of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC). Mannie is also a professional member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), and the American Association for Health Education (AAHE). He has been a keynote speaker and roundtable participant at several national conventions and seminars. In both 2006 and 2007, Mannie was named to Who's Who Among America's Teachers in recognition for his numerous and ongoing educational efforts in the field of strength and conditioning and in bringing awareness to the anabolic drug abuse problem in sports. He has been recognized and is widely-published on his adamant stance against performance-enhancing drugs. In June 2007, the Varsity S Club inducted him as an honorary member. He has written more than 300 articles and four book chapters on the various aspects of strength/conditioning, speed/power development, sports nutrition, motivation, athletics, and the anabolic drug abuse issue. Since 2000, Mannie has written the monthly column "Powerline" for Coach and Athletic Director, the nation's oldest and most prestigious coaching publication. He is also a frequent contributor to the Championship Performance newsletter. He also serves on the advisory boards for the National Strength Professionals Association (NSPA), the information-based Athletic Strength and Power (ASAP) website, and the Ultimate Strength and Conditioning website. Mannie has coached numerous All-Americans, as well as a host of players who went on to have highly successful NFL careers. Additionally, he has served as a consultant to several NFL teams on training equipment, program design, and the organization and administration of testing protocols. Two of Mannie's former graduate assistants are currently strength and conditioning assistants in the NFL: Mondray Gee (Seattle Seahawks) and Aaron McLaurin (New York Jets). Prior to his arrival at Michigan State, Mannie spent nine years in a similar capacity at the University of Toledo (1985-94). He worked for Nick Saban in 1990 when the Rockets won a share of the Mid-American Conference title and finished 9-2. He served as a graduate assistant along with Mark Dantonio at Ohio State in 1984, working with the Buckeyes' Big Ten championship football team. A native of Steubenville, Ohio, Mannie taught and coached on the high school level for 10 years (1975-84). He spent nine of those years at his alma mater Steubenville Catholic Central where he coached football, wrestling and track. He began his coaching career as a student assistant at Akron in 1974, working with the offensive guards and centers. A former walk-on, Mannie became a three-year letterman and two-year starter at offensive guard for Akron from 1971-73. He played on the 1971 Zips' team that finished 8-2 and ranked eighth nationally in the Division II polls. He earned his bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Akron in 1974 and received a master's degree in physical education and health education with an emphasis in exercise science from Ohio State in 1985. Married to the former Marianne Saccoccia, he and his wife have a daughter, Alaina
Prior to his arrival at Michigan State, Mannie spent nine years in a similar capacity at the University of Toledo (1985-94). He worked for Nick Saban in 1990 when the Rockets won a share of the Mid-American Conference title and finished 9-2.

He served as a graduate assistant alongside Mark Dantonio at Ohio State in 1984, working with the Buckeyes' Big Ten championship football team.

A native of Steubenville, Ohio, Mannie taught and coached on the high school level for 10 years (1975-84). He spent nine of those years at his alma mater Steubenville Catholic Central where he coached football, wrestling and track.

He began his coaching career as a student assistant at Akron in 1974, working with the offensive guards and centers.

A former walk-on, Mannie became a three-year letterman and two-year starter at offensive guard for Akron from 1971-73. He played on the 1971 Zips' team that finished 8-2 and ranked eighth nationally in the Division II polls.

He earned his bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Akron in 1974 and received a master's degree in physical education and health education with an emphasis in exercise science from Ohio State in 1985.

Married to the former Marianne Saccoccia, he and his wife have a daughter, Alaina Antoinette (19), who is a student at Michigan State.

THE MANNIE FILE

YEARS AT MICHIGAN STATE: 20th. Joined staff on Dec. 8, 1994, from Toledo.

PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE: College -- Graduate assistant at Ohio State (1984); head strength and conditioning coach at Toledo (1985-94). Also coached and taught at the high school level for 10 years.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Akron in 1974; master's degree in health and physical education with an emphasis in exercise science from Ohio State in 1985.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE: College -- Three-year letterman and two-year starter at offensive guard at Akron (1971-73).

BOWL EXPERIENCE: Coach -- 1985 Rose Bowl, 1995 Independence Bowl, 1996 Sun Bowl, 1997 Aloha Bowl, 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl, 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic, 2003 Alamo Bowl, 2007 Champs Sports.

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