Tag: movement

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Ever Day Movement

These are movements or exercises that you should practice every day.

There are literally an infinite amount of these movements out there, so you will eventually have to choose which ones work best for you.

Stick with about 10 different movements for 2 or 3 months. You MUST switch up the movements every quarter in order to sustain progress.

Quick reminder on what to be focusing one while performing these movements

  1. Breathing (synced with movement)
  2. Posture (maintained throughout)
  3. Vision (synced with movement)

Tips

  • choose exercises that balance out your body / daily activities
  • use a Test/Retest protocol to figure out which movements are best for you
  • do 1 rep for each decade you have been alive – for each exercise.
    (ex. if 40 – do 4 QUALITY reps on each exercise)

My Movement Routine consists of:

  • Joint Mobility
  • Spine Mobility
  • Asymmetry correction
  • Full Body Flow Movement / Play
  • Specific Movement Prep (if going into a workout)

I do 3 reps of each exercise with minimal rest. Since I have been doing this for years, I change up the movements every day. Some days my session is only ‘Play’ – using my intuition to do movements that feel good in the moment.

Now it is your turn to give it a try.

Follow my Instragram to see #EveryDayMovements – every, damn, day 🙂

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Every Day Movement

IN THE GYM,

you practice movements that your body will default to when you have to use similar movements in your daily life.

However – you should not categorize ‘exercise’ as something to only to be done in the gym.

Here is why – Evolution: In order to eat, ancient humans had to move. There were certain things they had to do every single day in order to survive: walk, climb, sprint, hide, hunt …. using a whole in the ground as a toilet… All of these activities require mobility & motility.

The Modern World has turned this evolutionary structure on its head, and serious health issues have arisen because of it.

We need a ‘return to nature’ of sorts, to bring us back into balance.

… Return to natural movement … to functional movement !?!

(great segue, I know )

SO, what should I be focusing on when it comes to exercise and functional movement?This first point is also a highly overlooked aspect of coaching:

  • How are you BREATHING, are you maintaining POSTURE / technique and what are your EYES doing. If you involve all 3 of these things into your movement practice then you will be in BALANCE.

Second point:

  • you need to balance out your pushing and your pulling. Train the Lower body and the Upper Body with these pushing and pulling movements
    • The lower body should be trained more than the Upper body
    • Pulling movements should be trained more than Pushing movements

Getting Strong and Mobile is actually quite straight forward once you figure out certain rules and start to follow them. (more on this in a later post)

However it gets tricky when you start to talk about “Asymmetries and Corrective” – because of individual differences. More on this in the next post…

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Strength Challenge 4 Week Prep-Program

LatsOn STRENGTH CHALLENGE
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> The point of this Training Program is to peak one’s performance in the 3 rep Squat, max rep Push Up and timed Farmers Carry.

> An Athlete following this program will do these 3 exercises, 3 times a week.

Here is the program that will have your strength peaking by the end of the month

  • Keep in mind that everybody responds to exercise differently, what may be enough for some may not be enough for others
  • Listen to your body! Use subjective feedback / “Rate of Perceived Exertion” (RPE)  – this is an effective guide for tracking progress.

Week 1

Day 1

1 rep Squat Weight Ladder up to 2nd attempt weight + 5 rep weight ladder up to heaviest (3-4 sets each)

Push Up Ladder up to Max Reps @ 60 sec rest.(5-7 sets)

Carry – Tabata @ lighter than test weight

+ 2-3 sets of ‘Accessory’ work

Day 2

3 rep Squat @ 1st attempt weight  (5 sets)

Push Up Ladder down from Max Reps @ 60 sec rest (5 sets)

Pause Deadlift @ Farmers Carry test weight x 3 reps (5 sets)

+ 2-3 sets of ‘Accessory’ work

Day 3

Squat Weight Ladder up to 2nd attempt weight x 1-3 reps (3-5 sets)
(* if feeling good, try out a maximal attempt)

Push Up sets around Max Reps @ 2-3 minutes rest (3-5 sets)

Light Farmers Carry, use multiple positions x 4 minutes

+ 2-3 sets of ‘Accessory’ work

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Week 2

Day 1

1 rep Squat Weight Ladder up to 1nd attempt weight + 5 rep weight ladder up to heaviest (3-4 sets each)

Push Up Ladder up to Max Reps @ 50 sec rest. (5-6 sets)

Carry – Tabata @ lighter than test weight

+ 2-3 sets of ‘Accessory’ work

Day 2

3 rep Squat @ 1st attempt weight (5 sets)

Push Up Ladder down from Max Reps @ 50 sec rest (5 sets)

Pause Deadlift @ Farmers Carry test weight x 5 reps (3-5 sets)

+ 2-3 sets of ‘Accessory’ work

Day 3

Squat Weight Ladder up to 2nd attempt weight x 1-3 reps (5 sets)

Push Up sets around Max Reps @ 2-3 minutes rest (3-5 sets)

Light Farmers Carry, use multiple positions x 4 minutes

+ 2-3 sets of ‘Accessory’ work

<><><><><>

Week 3

Day 1

2 rep Squat Weight Ladder up to 1nd attempt weight + 5 rep weight ladder up to heaviest (3sets/2sets)

Push Up Ladder up to Max Reps @ 40 sec rest. (5 sets)

Carry – Tabata @ lighter than test weight

– NO Accessory! (Rest / Visualize / reduce fatigue – except if Beginner)

Day 2

3 rep Squat @ 1st attempt weight (5 sets)

Push Up Ladder down from Max Reps @ 40 sec rest (5 sets)

Pause Deadlift @ Farmers Carry test weight x 3 reps (3-5 sets)

– NO Accessory! (Rest / Visualize / reduce fatigue – except if Beginner)

Day 3

Squat Weight Ladder up to 1st attempt weight x 1-3 reps (3-5 sets)

Push Up sets around Max Reps @ 2-3 minutes rest (3-5 sets)

Light Farmers Carry, use multiple positions x 4 minutes

– NO Accessory (Rest / Visualize / reduce fatigue – except if Beginner)

<><><><><>

Week 4

Day 1

1 rep Squat Weight Ladder up to 1nd attempt weight + 3 rep weight ladder up to heaviest 5 rep max (3 sets each)

Push Up sets around Max Reps @ 2-3 minutes rest (3 sets)

Pause Deadlift @ Farmers Carry test weight x 5 reps (3 sets)

– NO Accessory! (Rest / Visualize / reduce fatigue)

Day 2

3 rep Squat @ lighter than 1st attempt weight (3 sets)

Push Up sets around Max Reps @ 2-3 minutes rest (3 sets)

Tabata Plank

– NO Accessory! (Rest / Visualize / reduce fatigue)

>>>>>>>>> At Least 2 days Rest Needed Before Testing <<<<<<<<

Day 3 (2 days later) = TESTING!

3 Rep Max

Push Up Max

Farmer Carry Time

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I encourage everyone to try this out. Tell your friends, see if people at your gym with try it out too. This Challenge is a fantastic workout as well!

Post your Scores in the comments.

Or,

Send them to me directly at colangelo.mart@gmail.com

Question on Testing Protocol and Technique see : http://martincolangelo.com/about-2/latson-training-strength-challenge/

*SPECIAL*
(for those who made it this far) This is an EXCEL version of the program above, as well as my own personal Training Program for the next couple months.  Look back at this link in a couple months, I will update this document as I figure out my programming for 2019 – as well as add many other trial programs I will have going throughout the year.

Looking forward to finishing this year Strong, and starting the New Year with clear intentions.

My best to you all,

Martin Colangelo

“The Better Movement Specialist”

Brought to you by:

 

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‘MEDs’ 4 Movement

MINIMAL EFFECTIVE DOSES that will keep you healthy and happy

1. Movement

2. Nutrition

3. Mindfulness

MOVEMENT

  1. Fasted Workouts
  2. Move More Often
  3. Nasal Breathing
  4. Stay Strong

Before we get into the explanation, a quote from one of our favorite sources – Ben Greenfield:

“exercising and beating up the body with a ton of physical activity is not an ideal way to put yourself into maximum fat burning mode or to shrink your waistline. Instead, light levels of physical activity or mild “discomfort” throughout the day is the true way to maximize activity of fat burning enzymes.”

So the question is, how do you achieve this ‘mild discomfort’? And how do you implement mild discomfort into your daily / weekly routine?

…. First, a quick note on habit formation.

Ever heard the statement that it takes 21 days to form a habit?

Unfortunately, this statement is slightly misleading… In general people overestimate what they can accomplish in one year and underestimate what they can do in 5 years.

In fact, this research states that it ranges between 18 and 254  days to form a habit! (depending on one’s motivation / how much you enjoy the habit you are trying to form) An expert in motivation and habit formation, James Clear, sites this research. He suggests that it actually takes about 66 days to form a new habit.

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Let get back to the topic at hand = “Movement to Maximize Metabolic Function”

How does one use movement to increase their metabolism such that they maintain, or ideally lose, body fat?

…. Enter, ‘mild discomfort’

 

  1. Fasted Morning Movement
  • Minimal Effective Dose = 15 minutes x1/week

The effects of a fasted workout can be increased if:

  • Consume caffeine (coffee, tea) beforehand
  • After your fasted workout; Alternating Hot/Cold shower: 10 seconds cool water, 20 seconds warm water – MED= 5 minutes

 

  1. Increase Activity Throughout Day.
  • Standing workstation / avoid sitting for extended periods <MED= stand up every hour>
  • Walk, or at least stand up after every meal to help control blood sugar levels.
  • MED = get your heart rate up 50% for 15 minutes, everyday.

 

  1. Controlled Diaphragmatic Breathing (Through Your Nose!)
  • Diaphragmatic Breathing is the best and most natural way to improve circulation (without moving), AND it stimulates digestion.
  • Bonus = proven to reduce stress at the same time!
  • MED= 2-4 second inhale / 4-8 second exhale – 10 times everyday (exhale twice as long as inhale).

 

  1. Don’t Stop Strength Training 🙂

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Keep in mind that these suggestions represent the least amount of ‘work’ you have to do in order to stay healthy, and more work is often required to initiate a change. It starts with knowing, but knowledge is only power if you act on it!

If you have questions about this information, set up a consultation with Martin or Tyler,  we are more than happy to help.

Before we finish,

One last thing on habit formation – this goes for all habits ( including New Year resolutions!):

Habits have 3 parts:

  1. Reminder / trigger
  2. Routine / the habit of choice
  3. Reward / every new habit requires a reward for it to stick

In fact, up to 40% of our daily activities are done habitually. They are context dependent and often occur at the level of our subconscious – that is, we don’t even realize it!

If you want to understand more about habits and how they affect our daily life check out this book by Charles Duhigg: The Power of Habit

  • Here is an interview with the author.

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Martin Colangelo : “The Better Movement Specialist”

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Principle Based Training: Strength

1) Safety First (2) Strength has a greater Purpose (3) Tension is Strength (4) Relaxation is Strength

5) Perfect Technique (6) Long Rest (7) Simple (8) Sinister

Strength Principles

If you follow these principles you will ALWAYS progress.

Because you will always have in the back of your head the reason you are training – making motivation a non-issue.

These principles should help construct your notions of how you workout (i.e. hardstyle, long rest),

and also guide you to a more holistic way of training and care taking of your self (relaxation/recovery).

 

1) Safety First

  • This includes personal space, choosing the appropriate weight, location and equipment.
  • It also means not training yourself to a point were the risk of injury becomes greater than the benefit received from the exercise.
  • Pain = NO gain (usually) – I am always reminded at this point of some Paul Chek says : “Train, don’t Drain”

 

2) Strength has a greater purpose

“Sparta, Rome, the knights of Europe, the samurai… worshiped strength.
Because it is strength that makes all other values possible.”
(Enter the Dragon)

  • Strength is a SKILL; that means it can be TAUGHT, and that you are either GOOD at it or BAD at it – you are either strong, or weak. Being GOOD at something is valuable, but aspiring to be better is even greater.
  • Train strength because it carries over into everything else you do in the world : be it physical or mental.

 

3) Tension is Strength

  • This means HARD STYLE : you must learn how to utilize your bodies tension in order to improve your performance. This is achieved through certain tension techniques.
    • including: 1) make a white knuckle fist
      2) drive heels into floor
      3) crush a walnut between your Glutes
      4) squeeze the Abdominals
      5) utilize power breathing
    • the next step is knowing when to use them, that involves some strategy on your part.
  • Without proper abdominal bracing (tension) your risk of injury increases.
  • With proper abdominal bracing you can literally do anything you want (except fly).

 

4) Relaxation is strength

  • The other side of the coin of tension is relaxation and thus also the other side of Strength.
  • This includes proper rest between sets and appropriate recovery between workouts.
  • If you CANNOT relax (if you CANNOT exhale with an audible sigh of relief) you need to figure it out… Without Relaxation you will always have elevated cortisol and low testosterone levels (which is harmful over long periods of time).
  • Relaxation is also a Mobility Principle: along with breathing and patience; if you lack either of these it is now wonder why your strength and mobility goals seem so unattainable no matter how hard you try. You are trying too hard!

 

5) Perfect Technique

  • Every Rep. Every Set. Every Time…. technique, technique, technique : when you start a new training program or learn a new skill the first few weeks of improvements is predominantly NEUROLOGICAL. Only then will muscular adaption starts to occur.
  • Similarly once you train yourself past the stage of muscular adaption, almost ALL progress becomes neurological and technique based again.
  • Attention to technique while training (and having a coach provide correction/feedback) will fast track your road to strength – all the while SAVING YOU FROM INJURY.
  • INJURY PROOF YOURSELF by training with good form. The human body CANNOT perform perfect reps while under a high amount of metabolic fatigue – which brings us nicely to our next point….

 

6) Long Rest

  • Proper rest intervals are critical : serious strength training requires 3-5 minutes and even up to 15 minutes rest between near maximal lifts.
  • I go deeper into this subject in a previous post entitled : ‘Training Considerations: Rest, Set Type and Mental Management’
  • Pavel confirms everything I mention in his article ‘Long Rests: Russian Science to the Rescue’
  • A final reason to rest long and to keep the sets short (20-40sec max), is what Al Ciampa says in the above article, namely :

    “If you let the “burn” in the muscle rise too high, you literally destroy the mitochondria, the very thing you tried to build”

  • the last tip I have for you comes from a source I cannot remember but it goes:  “Don’t confuse Strength and Conditioning with Conditioning and more Conditioning”

 

7) Simple

  • For building impressive strength use the KISS principle.

Check out StrongFirst Simple and Sinister: a strength and endurance program that will prepare you for literally ANYTHING

  • Simple because the exercises themselves are easy to learn
  • Simple because you use only a hand full of exercises and you get really good at them.  Furthermore, as your technique improves, the greater the training effect becomes.

 

8) Sinister

  • Sinister because training for strength is HARD WORK!
  • The individual movements themselves may be ‘simple’ – but the combination of maintaining technique and speed while fatigued (and still using heavy weights) demands that your body adapt.

check out Simple and Sinister at the StrongFirst website:

Kettlebell Simple & Sinister

Remember,

If you follow these principles you will ensure progress.

Have fun with this information and explore what works best for you.

If you get confused or just don’t know where to start / what to do  –  that is when you need to get a coach.

These principles are useless unless there is a goal or end product in mind.

 

> if you enjoyed this post, share it with someone who you think would benefit

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Martin Colangelo

“The Better Movement Specialist”

Stay Strong my friends!