Weight Lifting for Kids

Growth plates be damned! Here is my 10 year old daughter lifting the 900lb dumbbell.

Our gym is located in the suburbs so naturally, the bulk of our clients have kids. Now that summer is here we see several of these youngsters for general fitness or sports performance training. Parents seem to be on side or another when it comes to weight training.

Parent A wants little Jimmy to squat 800lbs by September because his middle school coach (who is also the music teacher) makes them train this way at school.

Parent B doesn't want Jimmy even looking at a weight for fear that his growth plates may explode just due to his proximity to iron.

Actually, they are both right- and wrong. There is nothing wrong with kids lifting as long as the load and form are appropriate for the individual. Some of the loads and form that we see from the school training is seriously disturbing and these poor kids are just buying their time before getting injured. Conversely, most of the kids we see are not nearly stable enough to perform at their best so they definitely need more strength.

The question then is this- What is the definition of strength training? If you stick to a few simple rules, you can stay on track.

1. Body weight before external resistance- I can't even remember last time we had a 12-16 year old come to the gym who could initially perform 20 perfect push-ups.Yet, this same guy/girl is writhing around under the bar on the bench press three days a week. Do not add weight until you can control your own body weight.

2. Do it correctly or don't do it- Once kids reach the tween years they can entertain adding some resistance to their movements. But, form has to be the number one priority. If you do squats and dead lifts with a rounded back, you are going to get hurt! It's just a matter of when not if.

Here are a few exercises that are very effective for any age group. They will establish strength, balance and stability. Once kids can master a few sets of 15-20 of each of these moves, it is time to consider adding a little weight to the routine. Otherwise, don't bother.





Rick Mayo

Do Tight Hamstrings Cause Back Pain? You might be surprised.

I have mentioned Dr Stuart McGill in two recent posts regarding back health. Spinal health is a hot topic as some 85% of us will experience back pain at some point in our lives.

One of the more common beliefs is that tight hamstrings cause lower back pain by somehow pulling on the hip complex and changing the motion/function of the lumbar spine. According to Dr McGill, his extensive research and thousands of case studies show no connection between hamstring flexibility and back pain!

In most cases the pain is caused by tight nerves (due to disc bulges and other spinal dysfunction). What happens when you stretch a tight nerve? It gets irritated. In our quest to relieve our pain we are actually exacerbating the problem by stretching our "tight hamstrings".

In response to his findings on hamstring flexibility and back pain Dr McGill states:

I don't know if they're particularly unique. Our science is usually only confirming what the great lifters and coaches already know. I've mentioned neural tension, which too many perceive as muscle tension. This should never be stretched

So how do you know if you have tight muscles or tight nerves? It is really hard to self diagnose, but you can use some common sense when searching for answers. I'll use one of our clients as an example. We'll call him Bill.

Bill travels extensively on business and therefore spends many hours sitting (now considered a dynamic activity). He has bulging discs in his lumbar spine and is flexion (bending forward) intolerant. When we look at Bill's back pain patterns, they always seem to follow periods of abnormally heavy travel. This pain is typically accompanied by perceived hamstring tightness. Regardless of his efforts to stretch or treat his tight hamstrings with massage, his back pain does not subside. Now, during periods when Bill is not traveling, he demonstrates no back discomfort with no change in hamstring flexibility.

Would you say that Bill's hamstrings are causing his back pain or is his spinal hygiene causing him some nerve problems that could be misconceived as hamstring tightness? Exactly.

How about you? Think about when and why your back hurts and if that follows the sensation of hamstring tightness or its it the other way around? Hmm. Chicken or the egg?

If you are experiencing regular back discomfort, seek professional help. Just do yourself a favor and don't accept tight hamstrings as the universal cause of your back pain.


Rick Mayo

The True Meaning of Memorial Day

As we enjoy our friends, family and freedom, let us not forget the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Please, no more Crunches!

Yes, these abs belong to our very own Anthony and no, he didn't get them by doing crunches.







I mentioned in the previous post that I was lucky enough to see Dr Stuart McGill, a professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo (Waterloo, ON, Canada), speak at the Performbetter conference a few weeks ago.

Dr McGill reiterated what he stated in his book, Ultimate Back Health, that we should avoid repeated spinal flexion and extension (crunches and sit-ups). He used the analogy of placing a credit card between your thumb and forefinger and repeatedly bending it until it develops a weak spot and then eventually breaks. This is essentially what we are doing to our backs when we repeatedly flex our spines over and over again. He actually stated, "If you want to do crunches on a stability ball, go ahead. You are breaking backs." Yikes!

Dr McGill then went on to explain that your rectus abdominus (six pack muscles) aren't designed to flex forward (crunching). The connective tissue between the muscles that gives you that separation between each muscle is actually designed to hold together all of your more important core muscles. These muscles wrap around your body like a natural weight belt. They connect in the front at the "six pack". The true function of your abs is to hold in your guts in when you brace against force. Interestingly, in the quest for a strong back/core, crunching actually forces your abs to do something that they are not primarily built to do. Doh!

What should be be doing to train your core?

Not moving! That's right- the function of your core is to prevent movement, not create it. Here are a few examples:





Will these exercises have you ready for the beach? Absolutely- and your back will thank you.

Let's not forget THE most important exercise for beach ready abs.

Push-Backs

Never heard of this exercise? It can be tough, as it involves pushing back from the table a little earlier than normal. It is the only exercise that I guarantee will expose those raging six pack abs that lie beneath that layer of winter fat.

Rick Mayo

Rise and Shine- Just Don't Stretch!

The Performbetter summit in Providence was outstanding. It's great to see that our industry has evolved beyond fanny packs, mullets and baggy American flag pants. There is no better indicator of the evolution than the unbelievable lineup of presenters.

One such presenter was Dr Stuart McGill, a professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo (Waterloo, ON, Canada). His advice is often sought by governments, corporations, legal experts and elite athletes and teams from around the world. Dr McGill is THE foremost expert on spinal health and performance. Stuart contradicts what 90% of academia and clinicians feel is true. He, however has the science to back it up.

While I plan on giving you more info from the summit over the next few weeks, I'll start with some basic back saving advice.


















When you are lying down (sleeping) your discs are relieved of pressure- think no gravity. This allows fluid to seep back into your spine- rehydration. When you first wake you are just a little taller than you are later in the day due to the extra fluid in your spine. This rehydration is very important for spinal health, which is why sleep deprived individuals often exhibit back pain.

While a hydrated, longer spine is critical to back health, you must take a few precautions immediately after you rise. Your spine is more flexible in this hyper-hydrated state. That may sound good, but your back also less considerably less stable at this time. Imagine a slinky, if you will. When you stretch it out it is much less stable than it is when it is in it's contracted position. The same goes for your spine. You are at much higher risk of injury in the first 30 minutes after rising from bed.

What does this mean? Don't stretch or flex your spine under load (lift heavy from the floor) for 30 minutes after waking. This will allow the fluid to "squeeze" out of your spine, thus making it more stable. If you like to train early in the am, give yourself back some time to stabilize before you begin dead lifting etc.

Eric Cressey, told the story of a friend of his that squatted over 800 lbs then injured his back the next morning by picking up his cat from the floor. I know what you're thinking- a guy that squats 800 lbs has a cat? Anyway, it demonstrates how we must be very careful to protect our spines first thing in the morning.

According to Dr McGill, we shouldn't be stretching or flexing our spines anyway, but we will cover that topic at another time.


Rick Mayo

15/15 Workout

I am headed off to Providence tomorrow for the Performbetter summit. They have put together what looks to be one of the best conferences I have seen on paper. It is a virtual who's who of top notch experts in the field of fitness, performance and rehabilitation. Couple that with a visit to Eric Cressey's facility and a workout at Punch Gym and I am psyched!

I'll fill you in on the details next week.

One of our signature workouts for this month at NPPT is the 15/15 workout. It involves choosing two movements (push-pull) and performing one move for 15 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest. Immediately perform the next movement for 15 seconds and repeat. This lasts for 10 minutes, which is 10 sets of each exercise. A good goal is 100 reps of each exercise. I really like this workout because it allows enough rest between exercises to really work hard (heavy), but the structure still gives you a great cardio response with the high volume. Below is a video of just one of many exercise combos you can choose for this workout.



Have a great weekend!

RM

The Best Fat Loss Routine

One of our new offerings at the gym for 2009 are circuits. These circuits involve kettlebells, ropes, body weight and suspension training. The latter involves a suspension tool (we currently use the Jungle Gym, Olympic rings, TRX and Bandit Loops) hung from the ceiling and used to perform a wide variety of body weight exercises.







The goal of our circuits is to maximize fat loss and time efficiency. The science is really leaning towards making our cardio more like weight training and our weight training more like cardio. While I hate the term "cardio" because it implies slogging away for 30 or more minutes at a moderate pace, it is easy for most people to understand the definition when explaining training protocols. The idea is simple- perform your strength exercises with little to no rest in between sets to maximize your time and produce the benefits of an intense cardio workout.

You can do this in a number of ways. Here is a basic example:

1. KB Swings x 6
2. Push-ups x 8
3. Pull-ups x 6
4. KB Front Squats x 8

Perform theses 4 exercises as a circuit (4x) with as little rest between exercises as possible. Rest 60 -90 seconds between circuits. You don't have to use light loads on the exercises because you are alternating upper and lower body movements. While the various muscles involved are getting their much needed rest between sets, you are producing a very high heart rate- Alas, cardio!

Two highly respected men in the fitness field, Alwyn Cosgrove and John Berardi, are currently conducting a study. The study is to determine which of three training protocols will produce the greatest fat loss/muscle retention results. The three programs are:

1. 2 days of strength training/2 days of steady-state cardio
2. 2 days strength training/2 days interval cardio
3. 2 days strength training/2 days circuit training

Group 3 will be using the TRX suspension trainer exclusively for their circuit training.

You want to know the outcome before the study is over? I can tell you without a doubt that our clients have seen incredible results in fat loss and GC with the weight training/circuits combo. We aren't talking about just beginners who tend to respond positively to any training stimulus. These folks have been training with us for a while and have been very diligent in their efforts to consistently perform at least 2 weight training sessions in addition to interval cardio 2-3 times a week. Once we replaced the clients interval cardio with the circuits, we noticed near immediate fat loss and strength gain results (this is with experienced trainees).

So while I am anxiously awaiting the mathematical differences between the 3 groups, I already know the outcome. The weight training/circuit group is going to see the best results.

For some great ideas on how to put together circuits for your own program, check out our new site. It should be up and running within a few weeks and it will include exercise videos and the opportunity to train with us online.

To purchase any of the suspensions tools we use at NPPT, just click on the name of the product in the above text.


Rick Mayo