Unwired and Uncensored Part II

Last week I posted up a story about Pat, who broke both his jaws (plus more impact injuries) and was back hitting the weights in a couple days.  Almost therapeutic to get back to normal that quickly - Unwired and Uncensored Part I .

However, I left you guys hanging without putting out the workout that Pat had dreamt up during the 3 weeks he was wired. 

First Day Back On The Rolling Pull Up Bar

I can only imagine how hard it is to bench, squat, deadlift, etc, without being able to set your air.  I already get light headed enough after a big set! 

Pat came up with some serious training.  Of course there is going to be more volume and some crazy stuff, it was his “release into the wild.”  Here it is, the first workout back:

Unwired and Uncensored Training

1.  Bench Press – 5, 3, 3, 3, 2, 1, 1 – Dropoff set of 225 x 20+
2a. Pull ups on rope – 4 x 6
3b. Dynamic Push ups onto boxes – 4 x 8
4a. Log Press (overhead press) – 4 x 3
5b. Supine Rows – 4 x 8
6. “Gun Show” for his “Mirror Muscles”

Finished up with lots of random grip feats.

Now unfortunately, Pat will have to have braces for awhile in an attempt to straight out his teeth from the fall.

**Update** On this Monday, Pat had a root canal on one of his front teeth. He called shortly after with the message “As soon as I stop drooling (from the Novocaine)….we’re deadlifting.” A few hours later we were back to hitting it.

Thanks for reading, it has been a eye opening time!  After this, I don’t think there are many good excuses to miss a workout.

- Joe Hashey, CSCS -

PS. Make sure to get on the Synergy Athletics newsletter below for some more crazy stuff that Pat is up to!

Innovative Burpee Variation for Work Capacity

With the fall sports season coming up, it is time to increase the athlete’s conditioning and work capacity.  I am currently tapering down the repetitions for muscle building and utilizing some lighter weight for conditioning and work capacity. 

Many of these athletes already do plenty of running during their summer practices, so it is time for something different to gain the best conditioning results.  I would prefer to avoid fatiguing their legs and hurting their strength numbers.

So, I use primarily full or upper body movements for conditioning during this phase.  Here is one where many of my clients exclaimed “Man, you know its tough when the burpee is the easy part!”

Burpee into Ball Grip Pull Ups

Some of the Benefits:
- Increased work capacity
- Improved conditioning
- Increased Upper body strength
- Added grip aspect

I can see a lot of uses for this when training combat athletes (any athletes that have physical contact as part of their sport: football, wrestling, MMA to name a few.

- Joe Hashey, CSCS -

PS.  This post came out of a request from the survey that you responded to in big numbers!  Feedback is always welcome – Synergy Athletics Survey.   I was actually hesitant posting this because I didn’t want to bury the survey, I just posted it a few hours ago.  However I wanted to get started putting out more content ASAP!

Double PS.  To the 227 votes that were cast already – Thanks to the  people that took time out of their day to vote on that poll. I greatly appreciate it! 

Triple PS.  For the people that voted for more homemade training equipment, I have 2 new videos for you guys coming soon!  Including my new top secret weapon in making homemade equiment, the same thing Pete is doing pull ups from in the video.  Any guesses?

I need your help with this one

I love running the Synergy Athletics site.  As my wife can attest, I spend numerous hours each day working on content and coming up with new and interesting posts.  376 strength training and muscle building posts up already!

I realize that I am going about it the hard way!  Instead of devising all this new content hoping you like it, why don’t I just ask you what you want!  Sometimes I have lapses in thinking like that!

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So instead of posting about what I want to post about, I want to talk about what YOU want to talk about.  I would love to hear your opinions.

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Obsviously I’m into a lot of strength training topics, so chances are those two things overlap.  Please take just a second to click on this survey.  This is only the second time I have used this survey function, since way pack in the Kelly Pavlik Post.    Sometimes the graph bars get a little long, but I’m going to ride it out!

YOU MAY CHOOSE UP TO THREE RESPONSES!

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Write ins or further explanations are welcome and encouraged.  Please post them in the comments!

Thank you for taking the time to improve Synergy Athletics.  This is much appreciated and very important since I will be following your recommendations!

- Joe Hashey, CSCS -

PS. **UPDATE**

I ALMOST FORGOT!  For you that are looking for some quality free content, I will be doing a “Twitter Chat” tonight at 9 pm EST with StraightToTheBar.com’s Scott Bird on running a Garage Gym. 

So for those that checked that, friend me up over on twitter (free accounts).  Here is the link to my user account – http://www.twitter.com/jhashey. 

Here’s a summary of what a twitter chat is, if you are like me and don’t get into computers very much.  I get on and answer people’s questions for about an hour live.  Pretty simple if I can figure it out! 

Hope to see you there!

Up Your Bench Insider Video

I posted yesterday’s great debate – Atheltes and Bench Press up on my Facebook account to poll my friends.  The general consensus between the responses and personal messages:

Yes they should, but nearly all of them screw it up and have poor form.

Here’s the thing.  I thought I could bench press.  Heck, I went through a Division 1AA strength program and I thought I had all my form down right!  I was sadly mistaken. 

After meeting guys like Jim Smith, AJ Roberts, and many others, I had my form critiqued every time I went to train with them.  In a matter of weeks my bench numbers went up AND my shoulders felt great.  I wish I knew that stuff years ago!

Last time I was with AJ Roberts was down in NJ during a FastTrack seminar.  After the seminar was over a bunch of us went to train at John Alvinos (I have lots of videos up of this on my Youtube, tons of action).  I started to hound AJ to just turn all of his knowledge into a video series or manual so I could get it in front of me every day. 

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Apparently a lot of other people did the same, and he finally created his “Up Your Bench” manual.  Now I know what many of you are thinking “a product just on bench, I’m not a competing powerlifter, so what does it matter??” 

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That’s not the case, the manual and videos are written towards your non geared competitors (no bench shirts, just gym lifting!)  Also there is a lower body program written by Jim Smith of the Diesel Crew, a sandbag training bonus from Zach Even Esh, and a really cool core training add on (you’ll see why when you check out the program!)

Enough talk I’m going to let you on the inside.  AJ sent me the manual, and I give you a look that NO ONE ELSE HAS into the Up Your Bench Program.  I take you right into the PLATNIUM PACKAGE and show you around!

CHECK THIS OUT NOW! AJ just told me today the homepage will change, and I don’t want you to miss out on the free videos!!!

Insiders Look At Up Your Bench Program

**UPDATE** AJ just told me the site will be changing today as of 2 PM (that’s when his product goes live)!  Make sure you check out the videos before then!  Sorry for the late notice!

Here is the link to ======> Up Your Bench

I know I posted about this program once last week, and I received great feedback from the people that watched AJ’s free videos!  I wanted to make sure I gave the readers at Synergy something unique even during a friends product launch!  Enjoy

Check Out This EFFECTIVE Manual NOW!

UP YOUR BENCH!!!

Joe Hashey, CSCS

Should Athletes Bench Press? Great Debate Series

Should athletes bench press?  This is a huge question that I get asked by a lot of coaches (not strength coaches usually but sport coaches.

Sooo, for you long time Synergy Athletics readers, I’m finally bringing back the great debate series (check out older entried here - The Great Debates) !  It has been nearly 3 months since we have had one of these discussions, and that’s my fault.  Let’s get right to it.

The Debate:  Should Athletes Bench Press (please post your thoughts in the comments!)

My opinion:  Yes.

Reasoning:  Before I get into my reasoning, I need to outline a few assumptions that need to be made in order to rule on this case. 

1. This is a generally healthy athlete
2. The athlete has no lingering shoulder issues
3. The bench is PART of a well balanced program
4. The person has good form (ie, arm angle, breathing, full ROM, etc)

If those 4 factors are in place, then I think the bench press is a great upper body strength and mass builder.  The bench utilizes the chest, shoulders, and triceps while activating musce fibers in the delts as well. 

Bench Variation – Shoulder Rehabd - From Our Trip To Westside Barbell

I’ll qualify this statement by conceding that the bench press is hugely overused.  I’ve seen high school athletes that bench every other day all week….pyramid style (12, 10, 8, 5, 3, 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 for reps).  That is poor use of the bench press, and probably a real posture killer. 

Here’s my bone to pick.  Coaches who usually recommend against the bench press, push for either the incline bench – stating that is how a football lineman is more realistically going to push someone – or for just pushups. 

I enjoy both of those exercises, but they have their limitations as well.  Pushups are a closed kenetic chain exercise, meaning that your hands are fixed to the floor.  When you lower yourself to the floor, the hands cannot move to adjust to the pressure of your body.  Therefore if you have a bad set up, you’re screwed. 

With the bench, the bar can be moved to a certain path that can be adjusted based on the angles.  The only true factor that makes a pushup “safer” is that it is much lighter.  If  someone would just bench with a very light weight they would be just as safe.  Again, I love pushups, but I want to put this argument in perspective.

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The sticking point (in the argument, not the bench) is that bench press does not necessarily mean sport success.  Actually, it is a very poor indicator of success in athletics.  HOWEVER, so is most other upper body exercises.  The squat, hang clean, tire flip, and deadlift are all better indicators.

What does that tell us?  In order to be successful in sports, the athlete has to have rock solid legs. 

Post Your Thoughts In the Comments! 

- Joe Hashey, CSCS -

PS.  If you could tell, I’ve fallen out of the 30 videos in 30 days.  It looks like I am going to come up with 23.  I’ve been flooded with mantaining and upgrading the site (which I truly enjoy doing) and haven’t had time to edit 7 more.  However, I’ll be passing a big video bonus your way to make up for it!