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Q&A: Push-ups

10/16/2019

Question: In order coach push-ups correctly with elbows somewhat tucked in, is it okay to place something under someone's chest if they're unable to go all the way to the floor? I can't think of another way to each the push-up, which I like to use as an accessory for people learning the bench press.

Answer: I think that's fine as one approach to use.

An option that I would also use and would generally prioritize would be barbell push-ups. To do this, place a bar on the pins (safety bars) of the power rack and braced against the uprights. Have your trainee perform push-ups against the elevated barbell. The barbell can be set at various heights simply by adjusting the height of the pins. The lower the pins are set the more difficult the exercise.

The benefit of doing barbell push-ups instead of doing push-ups to a block under the chest is that they will allow a greater range of motion while still allowing the difficulty to be adapted to your trainee's current abilities.

Race Report: 2019 Whistler Alpine Meadows Ascent Race. "that time a pickle chased me up a mountain."

10/4/2019

Scott Robarts photo

report by Christina Matheson
photos by Scott Robarts

On Friday September 20th I completed the Whistler Alpine Meadows Ascent Race. Looking at the stats you think, “a race under 6km? I got this! Easy peasey”. Then you look at the ascent. 1,200m, that’s 3,938ft up Blackcomb Mountain. Gulp.

RACE ROUTE & STRATEGY
Distance: ~6km
Ascent: ~1,200m
The race starts at Merlin's at the base of the Blackcomb Gondola in beautiful Whistler, BC. It then follows the Blackcomb Ascent Trail straight up the mountain to the Rendezvous Lodge at  an elevation of 1,860m.

I had mentally broken down the race into two sections
1. Base to mid-station (2.9km and ~550m elevation gain)
2. Mid-station to Rendezvous Lodge  (3.0km and ~610m elevation gain)

I’d only done the first half of this race course back in June and it took me 50 minutes. My goal for this race was to keep chill on the first half, take 50 minutes to get to mid-station and then an additional 1hr 10 minutes to get from mid-station to the top (based on my best Grouse Grind time of the season). Goal time 2 hours total for the race.

PRE RACE
The morning of the race I was very pleased at the 12pm start time. It gave me lots of time to get up, eat a leisurely breakfast and calmly prepare for the task ahead.  Or so I thought. I was about to leave for the start line when I realized:

1. There was mould growing in the tube of my hydration vest and
2. The zipper wouldn't zip up on my hydration vest

Okay people, this is where we say “don’t try anything new on race day” and “part of training is training with all the gear & food you’ll use on race day”. These are things I know, yet, I thought they were not applicable to me. I had decided at the last minute to pack my winter hydration vest which I hadn’t used since, well, winter and therefore, I ended up with a few problems.

No matter.

Solution to #1 - My trusty mate lent me his 2L bladder from his mountain biking kit. It didn’t fit my pack well but at least I wouldn’t get dehydrated during the race.

Solution to #2 - Body glide to the rescue!  My hydration vest is old and I refuse to retire it since I wore it during a marathon in Antarctica. I’ve been using lead from a lead pencil to lubricate the zipper so it will zip. Since I had not packed a pencil up to Whistler, I used body glide to lubricate the zipper and then hoped I wouldn’t have to take the pack off during the race.

I’m all set, but now I might be late for the race so I jog to the start line of the race.

3, 2, 1 AND THEY ARE OFF…

Within a minute of starting we’re on a path in the forest heading up Blackcomb Mountain. It’s a beautiful trail, hard packed and non-technical, that takes us up the mountain.

I’m taking it easy and conserving my energy for the second half of the race. I get to mid-station in 53 minutes. I’m a little disappointed that it’s 3 minutes past my goal time. But there’s nothing I can do about that. I focus on the second half and keep telling myself I’m going to finish the second half in 1:10. (Note: I later check my stats from training and it had taken me 58 minutes to complete the first section in June, not 50 minutes, so a time of 53 minutes ain’t that bad).

Every once in a while the trail leaves the forest and we get a beautiful view of the valley below and Whistler Mountain on our right. It’s exciting to see how high we’ve climbed.

On one clear section above mid-station, I look back and see a racer in a pickle costume emerging from the forest. I think it’s the race sweep.  A pickle is chasing me up the mountain.

Scott Robarts photo

On big climbs,I find it easier to mark my progress by checking my watch for my altitude, and not distance completed. I set my watch to display current altitude, knowing that the finish line is at 1,860m. The metres continue to tick over; 1,500, 1,550, higher and higher.

My watch hits 1,800m, at this point it’s time to go as fast as I can. I can’t see the finish yet, but it’s close. I pop out over a hill and a volunteer points the way to the finish line, it’s not far and it’s runnable. I high five the volunteer and run to the finish line. (Thank you Coast Mountain Trail Series for the runnable finish line as there is nothing worse than an uphill finish line - I’m looking at you BMO Vancouver Marathon).

I cross the finish line at 2:02.

LESSONS LEARNED and notes for next time
1. Poles - Next time I will train with poles. The terrain was more hard packed than I expected and poles would help me set a faster cadence to get myself up that mountain. I primarily trained on the Grouse Grind for this race. While the Grind is great for elevation training, the Grind trail is significantly different than the Blackcomb Ascent Trail. The Grind is all stairs, the Blackcomb Ascent Trail is hard packed. Next time I will add in weekly training sessions on Old Buck in North Vancouver with poles.

2. Train with the gear you’re going to use on race day - Next time I’ll train with all the gear I’ll use on race day and hopefully avoid the morning of panic to change water bladders etc.

Will there be a next time?

Heck yeah! Can’t wait for the Whistler Ascent Race in 2020 when I finish in under 2 hours.

Scott Robarts photo

Terminal City note: Thanks to Scott Robarts for the photos. Visit scottrobarts.ca for more photographs from this race and many other local running and bike races.

Q&A: Coming Back to Training After Hiatus

9/3/2019

This question comes from Casey, who does weekly strength coaching in between his jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and strength practice.

Q: What is your approach to a trainee who's coming back after a long hiatus? Are there certain exercises you like or any you try to avoid?

A: Was there an injury?

Q:General aches and pains from lack of activity and being a construction worker.

A: My general approach would be to reintroduce them to a linear progression. Day 1 - work them up to 3 sets of 5 in bench and squat. Day 2- week up same way in overhead press and deadlift.

Over the coming weeks drop deadlift to 2 work sets and then 1 work set as it gets heavy. This will allow them enough repetitions to regain some proficiency without getting into excessive strain.

Introduce rows and chins when there is time left in the session.

Maybe get them on the rower for very easy mileage. Encourage walking or very light running if appropriate.

This is more or less the same approach I tend to use when a lifter is brand new.

Choosing a linear progression model with a self-correcting mechanism such as the Greyskull LP will allow the proper intensity to get sorted quickly enough.

Residual strength will bring the numbers up more quickly than in a true newbie.

Q: Thanks!

Common Problems in the Overhead Press

8/18/2019

Lack of full body tension
It is best not to think of the overhead press as a “shoulder press” because when done well it is a full body lift. By taking the attitude that you are about to perform a full body lift you will be more likely to cultivate full body tension. Full body tension demands that one start with their feet and either grip the floor or corkscrew the feet outwards without moving the feet themselves. This begins the ground connection and the chain of tension which will be taken up into the glutes, the belly, the lats, the upper back, and then completed by squeezing the bar with the hands.

Elbows behind the bar
For those who have the requisite flexibility, try and begin each rep with the elbows just slightly forward of the bar as it rests near the collarbone.This can help with lat tension and also will help with keeping the bar close to the face. Keep the bar close to the face and ensure that the bar travels in a path which ends locked out over the base of the neck. When elbows drift behind the bar during set-up or at the initiation of the press then it is much more likely that the bar will then drift away from the face and the body, thereby making the lift much more difficult to lockout and hold overhead.

Not putting the head through
For those with the flexibility, it is easier to lock the bar out and stabilize it by slightly bringing the head forward as the bar passes the face. At the end point of the movement the bar comes to it’s final stop above the base of the neck. Pressing this way has several advantages. It can take stress off the low back. It allows the skeletal structure to support the bar while at the same time allowing the traps to support more of the weight. Take care to not shove the head through too much thus putting the bar behind the neck and stressing it and the shoulder joint.

Too much use of stretch reflex
There is a time to use the stretch reflex, for example when doing some kind of challenge for number of reps. If the goal is to get strong, however, then a strict approach, pausing the bar in the bottom for each rep as one refills their breathe and resets their body tension, is best.

Too much knee bend
Keep the legs straight, unless deliberately doing a push press. Pay close attention to this on heavy sets and final reps. If you are doing a strict press then be strict.

Common Problems in the Bench Press

7/29/2019

Baby bump power.

Passive Legs
The importance of the leg drive seems counter-intuitive in the bench press. When setting up we start with planting the heels, pushing out the knees , and then take tension all the way up through the body to the hands. We are trying to make the longest kinetic chain possible, working against the positional shortcomings of the movement. If we keep in mind the primary importance of tension, then we can see how pre-tensing the largest and most powerful muscles of the body, those of the legs and hips, can contribute a great deal to the irradiation effect. Every part of the body needs to be tight and the lower body is very significant to this.

Overly-wide Grip
During competition it makes sense to use the most advantageous grip allowed within the rules. During the bulk of training, however, we want to use grip widths that promote strength development in the triceps and the health of the shoulders. For these purposes a moderate to narrowish grip is preferred.

Lack of Tension
Before the bar is unracked, the body is already tightened and prepared from the feet all the way up the body through to the hands. Be methodical by starting with how you plant your feet and then work step by step upwards through the body: knees pushed out, glutes engaged, belly full and hard, lats engaged, squeeze a fist between the shoulder blades, and finally crush the bar with the hands.

As the bar is lowered, think to yourself: “break the bar in half” or “pull.” Though you start off the set-up being as tight as possible, there is always room for more tension.

As the bar is pushed off the chest it is important to keep tightness in the rear shoulders and upper back.

Bent Arms While Unracking and Re-racking

Safety while benching is of the utmost importance. When unracking the bar, after getting tight keep the arms completely locked out while moving the bar over the face and throat to your starting position. When finishing your last repetition it is very important to lock it out to completion and then, with arms still locked out, return the bar to the rack. The general rule: the arms should be locked out anytime that the bar is passing over the face and throat.

Success Stories: Su

6/12/2019

Terminal City gym has helped me get stronger and feel more energetic. I am a 60 year old female who has been active my whole life. I have commuted by bicycle and practised yoga in Vancouver for over 30 years. The weight lifting at Terminal City has improved my yoga practise by having much more upper body strength and cycling is easier through increased leg strength from doing squats. The comfortable atmosphere at Terminal City is relaxed, yet focused and fun with no pressure. I feel a lot more confident in my body and moving the couch when vacuuming is a breeze!

Dave and Raquel

5/9/2019

Running: Questions Answered

4/4/2019

I received some questions after last week's post, Introduction to Distance Running For Lifters.

Question: For distance running, I like the minimalist shoes, but they’re kind of out of fashion now. What do you think? -Erin

Answer: Some of the arguments about minimalist shoes make sense. The problem comes in the way that people actually use them.
Small-bodied and lightly framed runners with excellent foot mechanics and running technique might do a lot better with minimalist shoes than large-bodied runners with heavy frames, or runners with inefficient foot mechanics or running technique. It’s a case-by-case situation.

Before one even considers running in minimalist shoes they should start to integrate them into their lives by wearing them while walking and in their day-to-day lives. It is probably best to start with a small amount of minimalism and increase the use of the shoes over an extended time-frame. After an extended period of adaptation and familiarization wherein you pay attention to how you feel then, if everything is going well with the shoes, it might be appropriate to slowly and methodically start running with them.
Be thoughtful about the types of surfaces you choose to run on. Seek professional guidance if you have pre-existing issues with your feet or lower body mechanics or if the experiment doesn’t feel good.
As with all things, a measured and thoughtful approach is best. Does that sound boring? You’re probably right. Sometimes boring is better.

Question: What are your thoughts on foot strike in running? -Susan

Answer: Keeping it simple, sprinters tend to run on the balls of their feet and this is most efficient for very short efforts. Efficient distance runners tend to strike midfoot. This allows for a quick turnover of the legs, which is desired. It allows allows shock attenuation upon impact with the ground, also important. Most recreational distance runners heel strike. A heel strike suggests over-striding, and thus a reduced rate of turnover for the legs. Heel striking is thought put on “the brakes” with each stride which not only slows the runner down but also sends more shock than necessary through the body with each landing.

Recreational distance runners would do well to pattern their foot strike towards the midfoot. The first easy method that I would recommend is to learn to listen to your feet. A heavy heel strike is louder than a lighter midfoot strike. Strive to run quietly. The follow-up method is to work on your turnover. Many moderate strides will make for more efficient running than fewer long clamorous strides. Focus on driving your arms quickly and frequently and your legs will reciprocate. A fast turnover will favour a moderate stride length and you will find it easier to land midfoot with your foot more or less directly under your body at the time of impact.

Introduction to Distance Running for Lifters

3/26/2019

Running can make you healthier and a more well-rounded athlete. And, though it won’t make you stronger it might help your recovery during and after lifting. It also provides a chance to suffer for long periods which must be good for your mind, right?
Running for a lifter or non-competitor can be kept pretty simple. I will lay out a few principles to follow. The nitty gritty details can be worked out based on your lifestyle and with a little bit of accumulated experience. The important things are to stay injury free and to be consistent.

Pacing

How do you go about pacing yourself? Hard intervals sound cool and look good on the internet. They are not the way to get started. You will want to build an aerobic base. Building this base requires a pace that allows you to carry on a full conversation. If you are by yourself, or don’t feel like talking, maintain a pace that allows you to breathe through your nose and run with your mouth closed. For the novice or non-competitive runner this is the most important pace at which to do most and maybe even all of your distance running. It will allow you to recover quickly, thereby allowing more consistent training. It may help you prevent injury. It will contribute to the development of the capillaries in your legs so that you become more efficient at doing endurance.
A note about running with your mouth closed: when I first tried the nose-breathing approach I felt panicky, right from the first few steps of the run. It kind of reminded me of when I first tried on a mouthguard during boxing or jiujitsu. I stayed committed to it and after a few weeks I adapted and relaxed. Even after you get used to it you may find it hard to keep your mouth closed at the beginning of any run or while going uphill. Not to worry. Just find your groove and try your best to breathe through your nose as much as possible and slow down when you need to.
In the spirit of keeping training simple I will close with three methods to keep you healthy i.e. prevent injury.

The Ten Percent Rule

There’s an old adage in running: do not increase your mileage by more than ten percent each week. This Ten Percent Rule is intended to protect the runner from injuries to connective tissue and to other parts of the body that are slower to adapt to training. While lungs and major muscles may adapt fairly quickly, supportive structures can adapt quite slowly to the stresses of running. You do not need a GPS watch and you do not need to track your kilometres or mileage. With just an analog watch you can track time on your feet and that is enough information to follow the ten percent rule. I prefer a simple analog approach to training using minimal or no wearable tech apart from my analog dive watch. If you find such slow increases in weekly volume to be unbearable then you might want to consider jumping on a rower, a bike, swimming, or finding another no or low impact style of aerobic training as a supplement your running. Remember when you are first starting that ten percent of zero is zero. If you have not been running recently then you cannot start slowly enough.

Rollback Monthly

For many of the same reasons for which I advocate the Ten Percent Rule, I recommend that you reduce your volume once every month or five weeks. For one week, cut your overall mileage, kilometres, or time on your feet by half. The following week, continue with your usual mileage increase as if the rollback never happened.

As an example:

Week 1 - 50 mins
Week 2 - 55 mins
Week 3 - 60 mins
Week 4 - 66 mins
Week 5 - 33 min (rollback)
Week 6 - 73 mins

Run on soft surfaces

Whenever possible run on grass or other soft surfaces. Yes, you may be more likely to roll your ankle so be careful. Your ankles will become stronger and, more to the point, you will take less of a pounding on a forgiving surface. If you do not have access to a park or trail then look for safe boulevards and grass verges if running during the day where you can see potential hazards. If you are wanting to race on roads in the near future then it is important to condition your body to running on that type of surface. I would try and keep it to a minimum however.
If lifting is your priority then keep it the main thing and structure your running around your strength and technical work. Try running right after lifting to give yourself maximum recovery time before you lift again. Also see how running on your off days from lifting works for you. Keep training simple, let your body adapt at its own rate, and remain consistent. Avoid all the distractions, learn to listen, and then do what your body tells you.
Al Heinemann

Early Morning Training Coming Soon

3/4/2019

Early morning training coming soon. Times to be determined based on demand. Contact us if you're interested.