Tendinitis & The Kinetic Chain

Jamie W.

What do you recommend for knees plagued with tendinitis?

Seth Estrada ‎

The three basic steps for tendinitis are:
1. Rest/recover [ibuprofin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help, if you can take them- ask your doctor]
2. Reintroduce exercise carefully
3. STRENGTHEN

Allow me to expand on that last point:

Tendinitis in the knees is a pain very dear to my heart. You see, I suffered from Osgood-Schlatter disease as a kid, and had to deal with pain in my knees all throughout high school. What I've discovered through personal experience is that returning to a 'normal' level of activity after resting and recovering is simply not enough. Not by a long shot. 

Strengthening the affected area beyond it's original capacity is of the utmost importance. It offers your body a respite from the pain by building up all of the tissues in the area. So coming back stronger is not just a quaint idea that people in Hollywood dreamed up to sell tickets to movies about boxing, it's a reality. A necessity.

'Where do I start?' you ask.

Understanding how the entire kinetic chain works is paramount to your long term success.

'What's the kinetic chain?'

Toes, ankles, knees, hips, core, trunk, [neck], shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, and all the corresponding levers/motors.

You must learn how your body derives power from the ground up, literally. Then you must teach your body, through practice, to move in bio-mechanically correct patterns, to keep from straining any one lever/motor too much. Then you must add progressive resistance to all of these patterns in order to reinforce the habit.

Is all of this a little abstract? Sorry. It'll make more sense in our video series: ABC3D We created ABC3D specifically to answer the needs of people who are recovering from injury or pain, using equipment that can be found at any apartment fitness center or YMCA.

So if you got to this point, obviously you read the whole post- Thanks! I've kept this blog 100% ad-free, so if you found any part of it useful, all I ask in return is that you please hit that Facebook Share button, or maybe share it on Google+, Twitter or Digg- it's really easy, and it helps more people benefit from the tips, tricks, and fun we're having over here. Thanks again!

Turbo Fired? Stop The Insanity!

Nathan M.

I did Insanity and really liked it. I did some of p-90x and kinda liked it. I want to get turbo fire. What do you think. I'm getting lazy and working too much I need to get motivated again.

Seth Estrada 

Nathan, once an athlete, always an athlete ‎[Nathan was previously a very highly-trained athlete, and is also a bit of an endo-morph]. You've built up certain types of internal resistance to training stimulus that can only be overcome with more intense training, i.e.; olympic lifts, fartleks, etc. While videos such as p-90x and Insanity are a decent holdover for you, I'm of the opinion that you'll enjoy the benefits of a more rigorous resistance training routine a little more in the long run.

The key to unlocking athletic conditioning from shorter, at-home workouts is to incorporate as much of your bodyweight as possible, from as many angles as possible. In your case, without a pull up bar, glute-ham-developer machine, or hyper-extension bench, you'll never give your upper body the focused attention it deserves.

Here's what I suggest if you need to train from home, but want to bring up the resistance:

AMRAPS + Power Tower + Kettlebell

1. An affordable power tower will cost you between $90-$175, depending on where you buy it, and will last for about one year of continuous, one-person use. 
2. A good, heavy kettlebell will cost about $120 and will outlive you, provided you don't drop it off a very tall cliff. [Even then, it might just wreck the canyon wall on its descent and still be usable]
3. AMRAPS are a form of high intensity training we use a lot at Atomic Boot Camp- in fact, we love AMRAPS so much, we use it for nearly every workout. AMRAPS is a training style, a form of knowledge. And knowledge is, of course, always trying to be free.

AMRAPS = As Many Rounds As Possible [in a given amount of time]

So if you know you have only 15 minutes to do a workout, set up a challenging circuit that you know is within your reach [never set a rep-goal outside of known limits when doing AMRAPS, as you'll gas out and ruin the rest of the work out] And hammer it for the full 15 minutes.

For example; 25 full range sit ups, 15 bar dips, 5 pull ups, 100 meters sprint, 15 heavy kettlebell swings- done for quality, As Many Rounds As Possible for 15 minutes straight, with no rest.

So now you've completed your workout in record time, with no driving, no parking, no waiting for machines, and no goofy-looking fitness models in the background of the video. Even if it took you an additional 15 minutes to decide what you want the workout to consist of, you would still spend less time than watching a boot-camp style calisthenics video, and get a lot more muscular development in the fast twitch fibers, [the ones your body, as an athlete, is dying to revive] while still breaking the same sweat and burning a metric tonne of calories.

Good luck my friend!

So if you got to this point, obviously you read the whole post- Thanks! I've kept this blog 100% ad-free, so if you found any part of it useful, all I ask in return is that you please hit that Facebook Share button, or maybe share it on Google+, Twitter or Digg- it's really easy, and it helps more people benefit from the tips, tricks, and fun we're having over here. Thanks again!

What About Paleo?

Aaron E.
What do you think of "paleo-like" diets? What exercise style do you recommend?

Seth Estrada 
I think Paleo type diets are great. Of course, The Zone diet is also great, in that it now has numerous studies linked to it's core principles. Either way, the case each school makes is very similar. That said, numerous generations have lived very healthy lives in agrarian societies with diets based primarily on fruit, grain, and lacto-ovo protein, with a smattering of red meat for the special occasion.

For exercise style, again, it totally depends on the end goals of the person. High Intensity interval style training, AMRAPS, Tabata, and Fartleks are all extremely effective, but so is rest-based density training and Olympic style lifting. For most people, more important than style is consistency. My reasoning for saying so is as follows:

If you are consistent in your workouts over many many months or years, you become less of a 'flight risk' on the nutritional side. You won't want to willingly jeopardize your results for the momentary pleasure a doughnut might give, for example.

Also, the longer one stays consistent, the better he'll understand which is the most effective program, training partner, exercise location, long-term exercise modality, and injury-prevention technique for his own body.

So as a rule, you can always work out [even in captivity], but you can't always control what you eat. So focus on the workouts, and sort out the nutrition as you go.

So if you got to this point, obviously you read the whole post- Thanks! I've kept this blog 100% ad-free, so if you found any part of it useful, all I ask in return is that you please hit that Facebook Share button, or maybe share it on Google+, Twitter or Digg- it's really easy, and it helps more people benefit from the tips, tricks, and fun we're having over here. Thanks again!

Diabetics Need FaceMelting Love Too!

Michelena B.

Any suggestions for insulin dependent diabetics....like weight training?.....more protein? .. I don't know what I'm doing.

Seth Estrada ‎

Michelena, the basics don't change much for diabetics: get the ok from your doctor, and then find a program that will keep you accountable to a regular exercise routine. As far as the specifics, cardio should be your top priority. Getting to a consistent 5 days a week of relatively vigorous 'metcon' [ or 'metabolic conditioning'] can be done through slowly progressing from 10-20 minutes a day of moderate stationary bike, treadmill [maybe on a mild incline], or walking outside. Moving the amount of time up to 30-40 minutes daily, and then bringing up the intensity of the exercise as weight comes off is the safest approach, as attempting to jog or run with any excess weight poses a risk to the knees.

As for Strength training, it's totally safe for diabetics, totally effective [according to all available literature], and is essential to shaping the physique and burning fat. Resistance training 2-3 times a week should be considered the minimum, and the goal is to do between 15-30 minutes 5 times a week.

Ideally, you would work your way up to a full hour of vigorous exercise daily, with about 40 minutes coming from cardio, and 20 minutes coming from intense resistance.

So if you got to this point, obviously you read the whole post- Thanks! I've kept this blog 100% ad-free, so if you found any part of it useful, all I ask in return is that you please hit that Facebook Share button, or maybe share it on Google+, Twitter or Digg- it's really easy, and it helps more people benefit from the tips, tricks, and fun we're having over here. Thanks again!

Enter the Crow

Linette J:
I want some mean abs / core!!! How do I do that?! Goal is to do crow pose by July!

Seth 'Le Idiot Savant' Estrada

Awesome! Crow pose is going to require as much overall core strength and flexibility as you can get, so be sure to add back exercises to your ab workouts. A great overall abdominal exercise is the bicycle crunch. It tends to place more resistance against the rectus abdominis [the 'six pack'] than any other type of basic crunch for a more consistent burn over time, and incorporates many other stabilizing muscles.

Lie on your back. Place your hands behind your head, and move your knees up and down, as though you're pumping the pedals of a bicycle. Move your shoulders from left to right, as though you are trying to crunch your right shoulder down to your left hip, and vice versa. [Your elbows and knees might cross over and touch, which is ok, but that's not necessarily the objective] You want to squeeze forward just a little as well, so that only your lower back is touching the ground at all times. Count every other crunch so that a left and a right = one rep. Try 25 reps to start, and do 3 sets, with 30 seconds of rest [or less] between. Do this daily. Add one more set each week for two weeks. [2nd week = 4 sets, 3rd week = 5 sets] Add 5-10 reps per set each week thereafter, till you are doing 5 sets of 50.

Again, you should be complimenting this exercise with something for your back, such as hyper-extensions, or supermans.

Best of luck with your goal. Let me know how it goes!

So if you got to this point, obviously you read the whole post- Thanks! I've kept this blog 100% ad-free, so if you found any part of it useful, all I ask in return is that you please hit that Facebook Share button, or maybe share it on Google+, Twitter or Digg- it's really easy, and it helps more people benefit from the tips, tricks, and fun we're having over here. Thanks again!

¿Esteroides?

Anonymous:

Anavar? Not legal.
But from what I've heard from the guys at the gym, it's legit with no side effects.
Do you know anything about this?

Seth 'Best Smile 1996' Estrada

I am lifetime 'natural', meaning I have never used compounds banned by Olympic or Collegiate testing bodies. In fact I have no personal experience with any hormonal treatment of any kind, not even natural herbs like Tribulus. Nothing other than strict diet, and stricter exercise. That said, I understand the science very well.

Anavar is a 17alpha alkylated oral steroid. Alkylated steroids can be tough on the liver, even though Anavar is considered one of the more 'clean' products out there. Once in the system, it is not aromatized, so there's no need for any sort of aromatase blocker or additional cycle. It's not usually used for bulking, unless stacked with something more anabolic, like a test booster, a la Dianabol. Anavar is a bit pricey by itself, which makes it an unlikely candidate to start with. If, however, you already had an MD's prescription for some sort of test product, Anavar would really compliment it well, as it tends to help you stay lean. Some things to be aware of - possible side effects include acne, oily skin, restlessness, ridiculous libido [if it ain't broke, don't fix it], and increased B.O. Despite what the guys at the gym say, these are well-documented side effects, just not as frequent or severe as with other substances.

IMHO, for steroids in general - it's a very expensive road, with many potholes. You might be better off using the same money on a really good trainer who does really good nutrition. Who knows, you might learn some things about your training that you use for the rest of your life. It's worth taking an objective look, however, at the various arguments for and against their use.

So if you got to this point, obviously you read the whole post- Thanks! I've kept this blog 100% ad-free, so if you found any part of it useful, all I ask in return is that you please hit that Facebook Share button, or maybe share it on Google+, Twitter or Digg- it's really easy, and it helps more people benefit from the tips, tricks, and fun we're having over here. Thanks again!

Ex-Rogue Day 2: "Leg-Splosion"

50 Precision Jumps - 10" hurdle
50 Lateral Hops - 10" hurdle
50 Uneven Squats w/ weights - 10" curb
50 K-bell Swings
50 Reverse Leap -no hurdle
100 Low Lateral Plyos - 2 feet jump, 1 foot land, 10" curb
50 Walking lunges w/weights

So if you got to this point, obviously you read the whole post- Thanks! I've kept this blog 100% ad-free, so if you found any part of it useful, all I ask in return is that you please hit that Facebook Share button, or maybe share it on Google+, Twitter or Digg- it's really easy, and it helps more people benefit from the tips, tricks, and fun we're having over here. Thanks again!

Ex-Rogue Day 1: "Rule of Twos"

2 min push ups
2 min L-Sit repeated attempts
2 min kettle bell swings
2 min 20" step ups, right leg
2 min 20" step ups, left leg

2 min recovery

rinse, repeat.

Way to handle it, friends!

So if you got to this point, obviously you read the whole post- Thanks! I've kept this blog 100% ad-free, so if you found any part of it useful, all I ask in return is that you please hit that Facebook Share button, or maybe share it on Google+, Twitter or Digg- it's really easy, and it helps more people benefit from the tips, tricks, and fun we're having over here. Thanks again!

"Girl" Push Ups?

Stacy C. :

"Which is better a) push-ups on the knees going all the way down to the ground? or b) push-ups on the toes going only half way down?"

 

Seth Estrada :

"There is technically only one kind of push up: from the toes. [The other one is a gimmick created by someone evil who will remain nameless]. Doing push-ups from the toes increases leverage against your abdomen, so even when you are not bending your elbows at all, you are getting a far better, posture-correcting, back-pain relieving, shoulder strengthening workout than doing 'girl push-ups'. It makes me feel evil just writing those words. I am not sexist. Your abs aren't either."

 

So if you got to this point, obviously you read the whole post- Thanks! I've kept this blog 100% ad-free, so if you found any part of it useful, all I ask in return is that you please hit that Facebook Share button, or maybe share it on Google+, Twitter or Digg- it's really easy, and it helps more people benefit from the tips, tricks, and fun we're having over here. Thanks again!