The bench press is not dangerous for baseball players. It’s not dangerous for pitchers, either. If your goal is to add strength, power and athletic function, the move is highly valuable and should not be pushed to the side by ballplayers (or anyone) brainwashed by dogmatic, antiquated thinking. I can remember a major league trainer telling me that I shouldn’t do traditional … [Read more…]
More is better, right? I used to lift with ferocity daily for hours at a time. As I learned the value of appropriate rest and recovery, as well as having different obligations and priorities (like wanting to spend time with my sons), I was spending about 90 minutes 3 days a week. From jasonferruggia.com: When it comes to workout duration less is more. To build muscle and … [Read more…]
If you read yesterday’s post, you know that I’ve been stretching in an attempt to open my hips and improve the functionality of my squats. You also have heard me riff in the past and mock the practice of static stretching to increase flexibility. I maintain my view that static stretching – that is, stretching and holding a position for several seconds – before workouts or … [Read more…]
I love squats. I truly believe that they are the most important weight training move we can perform. If there was only one lift you could do, I wouldn’t hesitate to make it the squat. Far beyond simply improving your power, squats have a beneficial effect on your hormones. Testosterone levels are also influenced by the amount of muscle mass activated in response to exercise. … [Read more…]
Ideas are a dime a dozen. Execution and action separate the pros from the Joes. To me, ideas are worth nothing unless executed. They are just a multiplier. Execution is worth millions. – Steve Jobs Every business organization has the men and women consistently coming up with a new idea. Of course, those creative thoughts are valuable, but they’re also relatively easy. Sitting … [Read more…]
Jumping is a great way to build power, explosiveness and athleticism.
I’m of Eastern European descent (sounds more interesting than white, right?), but I used to be able to leap. I swear. You don’t believe me and that’s what video is for.
Early in my career, I trained with a Zen master. Okay, he was really just a trainer who didn’t have answers to my questions. He’d blankly stare at me when I asked for evidence regarding our training techniques. I always interpreted that blank stare to mean, “just breathe, young buck.”
I learned a lot about the principles behind my training on my own. My ups came mostly from implementing squats and being 25, but I was also squarely in the midst of an obsession with plyometric training at the time. From Wikipedia:
Plyometrics are exercises based around having muscles exert maximum force in as short of a time as possible, with the goal of increasing both speed and power.
I obsessively desired speed and power as a baseball player. Jumping stairs in conjunction with my leg training was my move of choice. My thought process was simple – build strength through lower half weight training and speed through firing those same muscles as quickly as possible to propel my body through the air. Booya, I’ll be hitting bombs. From bodybuilding.com:
Power output is affected by the speed of movement. By performing movements faster you can increase power, but explosive strength may not necessarily be affected by movement speed. Conversely, explosive strength is affected by the speed of contraction, regardless of movement speed or the type of contraction.
Think about some of your favorite baseball players and how they manage to be quiet and explosive simultaneously. Evan Longoria and Robinson Cano both epitomize this concept, one that is at the core (see?) of plyometric training. Pro ballplayers are performing violent reps every game, whether they recognize it or not. The baseball swing, performed once, is an example of a plyometric move, as is a throw. Any movement, executed as quickly as possible, with as much explosive power as possible, earns the plyometric move label.
My Zen master trainer may not have been able to articulate the philosophy behind plyometric training, but that did not limit his ability to implement some useful techniques. He’s responsible for teaching me how to jump stairs.
Every set of steps is different, but the common denominator is that you can build up to your challenging level by adding a step. I performed these in reps of one to optimize for maximum burst and recovery. My goal wasn’t fatigue; it was max power, one time.
I’m a baseball player. I swing at a 0-0 pitch, then step out of the batters box. I don’t swing again right away. The pitcher walks around the mound (the game is too long, remember?) I may only have one pass in the entire at bat; I want it to count.
Back to the stairs. Let’s not get too technical and over think this. Jump one step, then two, then three until you find your max. Fine, I’ll throw you a tip or two, but hop (see?) over the minutiae.
1) Use your arms (your whole body, really). From sport-fitness-advisor.com:
A muscle that is stretched before a concentric contraction, will contract more forcefully and more rapidly (4,5). A classic example is a dip” just prior to a vertical jump. By lowering the center of gravity quickly, the muscles involved in the jump are momentarily stretched producing a more powerful movement.
2) Try to land on the step above as quietly as possible. From athletesacceleration.com:
Practice landing softly. Absorb each landing with the muscles instead of joints and ligaments. This may mean dropping the hips into a half squat position upon landing. This will allow a soft landing (the feet shouldn’t make a loud noise upon contact).
I wasn’t alone in my stair jumping. At the Metrodome in Minneapolis, there was a long series of steps that lead from the dugout to the clubhouse. There was a rumor that Cal Ripken Jr. had an insane ability to leap ridiculous quantities of said stairs. The thought of Cal airborne at the dome always inspired me. He had pop, first step quickness, balance and, clearly, endurance.
We all grew up running, jumping and playing. The more leap frog we played, the more athletic we became. Ripken never stopped hopping and never left the lineup. Perhaps he was on to something.
I never get sick of saying it. Just take the first step.
Every Thursday and Sunday for the last year, I’ve gone through the same sprint workout. This time, I find myself dreading following that routine. A warm-up followed by four 100s, four 60s and four 40s…I can’t do it today. I need something different. From business2community.com:
Ask anyone who fell off the bandwagon with their New Year’s fitness resolutions: boring workouts that you dread and only do out of obligation will kill all motivation and enthusiasm for health and fitness.
Even though I’m a creature of routine, I buy into this principle. I use the sprint workout to maximize fat burn and build and maintain speed. I know that I need to continue to implement my usual principles of rest, recovery and short bursts of explosiveness. From nerdfitness.com:
The majority of a sprint workout is going to be spent resting in between sets. This is hard for some people to grasp at first (my self included) but is necessary for getting the training benefits. The longer rest periods allow your muscles to replenish the locally stored energy and your nervous system to work efficiently. When you decided to take shorter rest periods between sprints you don’t allow either of these two things to happen. Incomplete rest can cause you to compensate for tired muscles, reinforce bad running mechanics and if you’re very unlucky, cause a muscle pull. These workouts are just as much of a test of patience as they are a test of your speed.
I’m a champion at the patience part; I fire off emails between sets in an all out effort to exercise (see?) efficient behavior. I just need a different flavor today, dig? I’ve always countered monotony with creativity and spontaneity, so I’m going to get up, walk out of my front door and see what I come up with.
Tick, tick, tick.
I’m back and stoked to share my workout with you over a giant salad, a block of grass fed blue cheese and a lamb burger, all prepared yesterday. Give it a shot, add your seasoning, and let me know how it goes.
First, the warmup:
10 minute walk.
2 sets of high knee marches for 10 yards
2 sets side shuffles, 85% intensity for 15 yards
2 sets butt kickers, focused on form, 15 yards
2 sets high skips, full intensity, 5 reps each leg
2 50 yard dashes at 75%, full recovery
The following sprints were performed from a “starting block position” at 100% intensity in this exact order:
30 yards x 1
40 yards x 1
50 yards x 1
60 yards x 1
70 yards x 1
90 yards x 1
100 yards x 1
80 yards x 1
20 yards x 1
I wanted more variety and realized that the track has a neighbor, the football field. I performed at full intensity:
1 10 yard dig
1 10 yard out
1 15 yard post
1 15 yard corner
Not fully satisfied, I did some stair jumping and built up with single reps of a stair at a time with full recovery until I skipped six.
As I walked through some light hills home, I added 3 sets of 15 yard back pedals at full intensity. There is nothing better than getting my workout in while soaking up the Malibu sun.
There are no rules to this fitness game, folks. Create and make your own workout spice rack.
I wasn’t a great baseball player. But in 2008 with the Brewers and 2009 with the Rays, I had my niche. I was an objectively good offensive player versus left handed pitching. I put up a 161 wRC+ versus L in 08. In 09, it was 144 wRC+ with more walks than strikeouts.In 2010, my wRC+ against L was 58.What changed? I was just as physically healthy. I was eating as well. I was … [Read more…]
We’re a polarized country. When I joined the call of many in encouraging everyone, and in my case, especially baseball players, to use their platform to speak up this summer on racism and inequality, and then to vote this November, it was not without controversy. Many feel that athletes should stay quiet on political matters and particularly on topics that tend to be the most … [Read more…]
My dad died about 10 days ago. He died of Parkinson’s and very aggressive Lewy Body dementia. He took his last breaths in the home where I grew up and where my mom still lives. He came home from the hospital to rest peacefully, and though he wasn’t able to be responsive at the end, my immediate family was able to say our goodbyes. Some extended family saw him through open doors … [Read more…]
Many of you may be aware of the recent accusations made against the Dodgers and me. I thought that the best thing I could do to explain my actions in this situation would be to walk everyone through my involvement in these events from start to finish. Before we begin, I want to make one thing clear: There is an allegation that I concealed or otherwise mishandled a … [Read more…]
Respect is a powerful force. What is considered societally aware and respectful, however, may not be the same in every culture – even our own. I recently spent a few hours in my childhood home rapping with my mother and father. I found myself fascinated by observing them interact with each other (and by the additional dynamic created by my presence). More specifically, their … [Read more…]
Let’s kick this off with a question from Mike: What’s your opinion on using a hex bar for your deadlifts? Hey, brother. I don’t use the hex bar at all. The straight bar is more difficult and allows you to move more freely and easily. From AZcentral.com: Hex bar deadlifts require less mobility than regular deadlifts. As most hex bars have elevated handles, you don’t have … [Read more…]
Welcome back to our open thread. Today’s question is brought by John Lofflin: Gabe my question is about fun vs logic. I notice ballplayers perform better when they have fun even if what they are doing isn’t logical. Billy Butler hits better, with more spirit, when he plays first base rather than DH. Zack Greinke will never go back to the American League because he enjoys … [Read more…]
You know the drill; Saturdays are for addressing open questions. Jill writes: Gabe, are 5x5s beneficial for women as well? All the workouts for women seem to be geared toward light weight and tons of reps. If I want to build muscle, shouldn’t I be lifting heavy just like the guys? Thanks! Jill, I’ll answer your question with a few rhetorical questions of my own. Do … [Read more…]
Charlie: Kap in researching a previous post you said, My 5 x 5s take roughly 90 minutes, including warm ups, the sprint workouts are about 75 minutes”, what take so long? Could you please break this down, trying to emulate your workouts but not sure what I am missing. Thanks! Charlie, This is a solid question. I dig the attention to detail. Much respect. Our focus at … [Read more…]
You know the drill by now. Regular commenter Curtis: I’ve got a question I would love to see you explore, Gabe: I hate sprints. I don’t know if I’m doing them right, I feel goofy when I am doing them, etc. My question; can I sub a couple hours of Ultimate Frisbee or an hour or two of 21 (basketball) for sprints once a week to once every 10 days and reap the same … [Read more…]
At dawn for the last three weeks, I’ve devoted time to “mindful meditation.” We’ve spoken previously about the potential benefits of “traditional meditation” on stress levels (and subsequently performance), but the practice has several other benefits to us as we aim to become better communicators, leaders, friends and family members. From the APA:
The term “mindfulness” has been used to refer to a psychological state of awareness, the practices that promote this awareness, a mode of processing information and a character trait. To be consistent with most of the research reviewed in this article, we define mindfulness as a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment.
When we originally brought up the topic, I suggested merely engaging in thoughtful, controlled breathing. I still advocate this practice during times of stress or simply when we need a little additional focus. It’s undoubtedly difficult to argue that there is downside in focusing on breathing deeply. Recently, however, I have been experimenting with an iPhone app which claims to help us build a powerful habit. Its aim is to inspire us to spend 10 minutes engaged in a “guided” meditation. It’s been a solid experience thus far. If the returns continue to be positive, I’ll make a more formal recommendation in an upcoming post.
I’ve shared in the past that I work too much. So do most of you (sorry, some projection happening here). While productive at times, it’s the equivalent of overtraining. Particularly when we overtrain as athletes, we need to optimize for recovery through effective tissue repair techniques like sleep, and habitually consuming nutritionally dense foods. Similarly, we overtrain our minds with endless stimulation. During busy moments, dedicating 10 minutes to anything that doesn’t affirmatively check off a task on our agendas is a difficult sell.
Recently, I was connected with Jason Ferruggia. Like all great leaders, he left our crew (myself and the group of men and women he addressed) with a simple message. “Get up earlier.” Don’t ponder it. Just f’ing make the commitment. Rising earlier to squeeze in meditation has clear, unequivocal benefits. Studies have demonstrated positive impact in the areas of stress reduction, mood elevation, emotional regulation, memory and focus.
Perhaps most interestingly, studies have also illuminated a benefit to mental flexibility.
Another line of research suggests that in addition to helping people become less reactive, mindfulness meditation may also give them greater cognitive flexibility. One study found that people who practice mindfulness meditation appear to develop the skill of self-observation, which neurologically disengages the automatic pathways that were created by prior learning and enables present-moment input to be integrated in a new way (Siegel, 2007a). Meditation also activates the brain region associated with more adaptive responses to stressful or negative situations (Cahn & Polich, 2006; Davidson et al., 2003). Activation of this region corresponds with faster recovery to baseline after being negatively provoked (Davidson, 2000; Davidson, Jackson, & Kalin, 2000).
A strong sense of self-awareness, the ability to accurately evaluate oneself critically but not judgmentally, is crucially important for everyone and particularly for those of us charged with managing and guiding other individuals. As we’ve previously discussed, that basically includes all of us. Being able to thoughtfully consider our decisions, especially in emotionally charged situations leaves us in a place of being able to respond in a measured, reasoned way instead of reacting savagely.
These benefits alone would be enough to support the breathing practice. A 10 minute investment to be stronger for the rest of the day (and overall) is the optimal choice.
Taking this a step further, the app I’m flirting with (it’s courting me) asked me to consider the effect my new practice was having on those around me. At its heart, mindful meditation is about being present in the moment. “Being present” is seemingly overused and nebulous. It can come off as annoyingly new-agey. We can all define it for ourselves to strip out the buzzword feel. Essentially, we’re discussing being engaged in our current activity instead of skipping ahead (or back) to everything else that seemingly needs to be accomplished or considered at this moment.
Last week, we discussed the need to be flexible in our use of different mediums to communicate and connect with others. What isn’t questionable is the need for us to be engaged and invested during those moments of connection.
Here’s what sometimes happens.
Before we’ve effectively discovered what’s going on right now, we’re analyzing and plotting. Before we know what our senses are telling us, or what our needs are, we’re planning and conquering. Instead of really absorbing another person, our own ideas are bouncing around in our heads and popping out of our mouths. When we do this, we communicate without having the long (or at least the 30,000 foot) view. That’s when our words are least likely to impact another.
The commonality between hitting coach and hitter, performance coach and athlete, those engaged in negotiations, sibling and sibling and spouse and spouse is that these are all relationships that require mental and emotional engagement. Imagine a pitcher, coming off a strong outing, who wants to share with his pitching coach an adjustment he feels helped him. The pitching coach, who noticed a delivery tweak he wants to make, is locked into the desire to share that information. Both end up talking around each other and walk away frustrated and with needs unmet. The pitching coach dismisses the pitcher as “uncoachable” and the pitcher writes off the coach as unsupportive at best, entirely unaware at worst. From the University of Missouri:
Mindfulness increases the ability to both communicate emotions and understand the emotions of others. Mindfulness also helps you think twice about reacting to another person’s anger or stress–being able to access a sense of ease even in the midst of difficulties that often arise in relationships, be they marital or work… “more mindful partners literally see each other more clearly, regard each other more nonjudgmentally, [and] behave more responsively toward each other…
Interactions simply don’t feel as valuable when our conversational partner is absorbed in formulating what they’re going to say next or just distracted. It’s certainly frustrating to want to be invested in our partners’ message and to have our mental muscles fail us. It’s amazing how analogous with weight training mental training is. Intently exercising our minds absolutely impacts our strength in relationships, both professional and personal.
Last year, I began weight training with my two sons.
My family often makes friendly wagers on football games. In this case, I had a bet with my older son, Chase, about Peyton Manning’s performance with the Denver Broncos when he returned from neck surgery. My terms were simple. For two months, Chase would accompany me to my weight lifting sessions.
I won the bet. Three times a week, Chase and I (along with my younger son, who came along for moral support) awoke at the crack of dawn and worked on the major power lifts. Chase was 13 and Dane 11, so they used very little weight to start, barely enough to challenge them, as we worked on squats, dead lifts and bench presses.
At the end of two months, they absolutely hated it – and me, when I woke them with a hug before dawn. Chase fulfilled his payoff of the bet and I retuned to doing the early morning routines solo.
Several days ago he asked me if we could get some weights for the house. I tried to contain my smile, but it burst through. The introduction to lifting didn’t land at the time of my introduction, but that’s what being the leader of men is about. He believes it’s his brainchild to start weight training now, about a year later, and I love that.
For eons, people have believed that weight training for children was a bad idea. A study in the 1970s of Japanese child laborers found them to be shorter than their peers; researchers assumed that moving heavy objects day after day had stunted normal growth.
New research shows the exact opposite. From the New York Times:
But a major new review just published in Pediatrics, together with a growing body of other scientific reports, suggest that, in fact, weight training can be not only safe for young people, it can also be beneficial, even essential.
In the Pediatrics review, researchers with the Institute of Training Science and Sports Informatics in Cologne, Germany, analyzed 60 years’ worth of studies of children and weightlifting. The studies covered boys and girls from age 6 to 18. The researchers found that, almost without exception, children and adolescents benefited from weight training.
Children in the studies didn’t bulk up the same way that adults do. Instead, the changes happen on the neurological level. Children who participate in strength training are able to use their muscles more efficiently, a benefit that does not occur when beginning weight training later in life.
The studies also discovered that children who participate in sports and also do strength training exercises are at a lower risk of injury, due to strengthening their muscles, tendons and ligaments.
This doesn’t mean we load up the bar and throw it on their back; quite the contrary. Nor do I think we should force children into massive workout regimes for which they are not ready or interested. However, by introducing the process safely and sensibly, they will often begin to make healthy lifestyle choices on their own that will benefit them for years to come.
Fridays can drag, but I’m here to assist. To vibe with you through these last few hours before the weekend begins, I’m going to hit you with my top five quotes.
A quality quotation has always inspired me to think, to smile, to laugh. Sometimes provocative words make me want to sprint through a wall. Very occasionally, I’m inspired to sit still.
I’ve become fascinated by folks based on a single line or two they uttered or penned. One can comprehend oodles about a man or woman based on the poignant words they share.
Professional sports locker rooms are notorious for having quotations plastered about and for good reason. The seasons are arduous and players are consistently clamoring for motivation. Joe Maddon displays a powerful example for young, impressionable ballplayers in his clubhouse in Tampa Bay. From Albert Camus:
Integrity has no need of rules.
When I was with the Red Sox, I placed a reminder above my locker.
This moment is exactly as it should be.
I looked at it every day to remember not to fight the flow of the season. Kevin Millar and I would remind each other of this mantra whenever the seas became rough.
These two quotations inspired me throughout my playing days, but don’t crack my top five.
You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step
Whenever I’m starting a new project, workout or task that feels overwhelming, I close my eyes and picture Dr. King’s image and hear his voice. Simply move forward, I tell myself. I do.
Be the Change you wish to see in the World.
How often do we complain about the foul characteristics of society, then turn around and contribute more unpleasantness? I’m guilty, we all are. The power of Gandhi’s words paled in comparison to his actions. I’m proud to follow his lead.
A man’s character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.
Twain seemed to have the perfect words for every situation; picking a single quote to represent him seems a near impossibility. This, however, is my top dog. Listen, then listen some more. You’ll know everything in a matter of moments.
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
The Zen quote above my locker is inspired by Tzu’s brilliance regarding resistance. This quote isn’t about sitting still while the world moves around us or an avoidance of personal responsibility. Instead, it’s a reminder that some of life’s happenstances are beyond our control. Attempting to stop the inevitable sabotages our ability to enjoy life moment to moment.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
These days, we tear open packages to shovel food down while driving, text in line at the market and tweet while we pump gas. We compete with one another to prove how busy we are and how little time we have. This quote reminds us that if we slow down and become present, our lives will remain squarely intact.
Please share your favorites in the comments section below.
