Motivation Monday: Derek Poundstone Huge Squats and Deadlifts for Reps

Some more crazy stuff from Derek!

I love watching this video below as it is in a commercial looking gym again.

The people on the stairmasters must think he is completely insane!

Keep in mind that Derek is a strongman competitor, so the form used in his training will be a bit different and is specialized to HIS body and HIS structure.   This is built up over YEARS of training, so don’t think you can go to the gym and do this on day 1.

If you have ever even tried to deadlift with an axle, which is 2 inches in diameter vs a standard 1 inch diameter; you are in for a rude awakening with both palms down (double overhand).  I found out recently at the Grip Competition at the Movement Minneapolis.

If you missed Adam’s Grip series, check it out below

Gonzo Grip Strength with Adam T Glass

If you want to hear more from Derek, check out episode 50 of Iron Radio which is my favorite fitness podcast!

Thanks to my buddy Steve Reishus for posting the first two videos awhile back.

Summary and Comments

Let me know what you think of this!  Hopefully it motivated you to get to the gym today and get better.

The goal is not perfection or to even lift weight comparable to Derek today.

The goal is to just be better than yesterday and last week, last year.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Sign up to my RSS feed and any time I update a post, you will know about it instantly!

You can also help out by hitting this  

Research and New Information, What to Do?

I get the question all the time “Where do you get new information related to health and fitness?”

I’ve recieved it so much lately, I figured it would make a good blog post and was inspired by Mark Young and Bret Contreras talking about how they learn.

Confession Time

I have a confession to make.

I have had to put my general reading on the back burner a bit.

Gasp!

I know, I know, I should be reading more, but the key question to ask is “Is that the best way to learn?”

I also probably read more research than most still though. Most don’t read research and I am fine with that as long as you don’t try to state that “research shows….” and you are pulling it out of your butt!

Since I am working on a project (book chapter) on protein, I have about 40 studies sitting in front of me on it at any point in time. Other topics are energy drinks and metabolic flexiblity; so I tend to read everything on those topics.

I can’t read on a computer screen for long, so I keep studies printed out and in my backpack or at my desk (aka kitchen table) which normally has a huge pile at all times of fun stuff to read.

I read a few blogs and other sites for fun on occasion as a break.

Resources

Alan Aragon’s Research Review (AARR) is a must!  For like 10 clams a month you get some great article and breakdowns of research.   I have written research reviews and it takes more time than people realize, so I will cheerfully pay a 10 spot for it.

The Valencia mediacasts from Carl Valle are great too.  You can find him at Elitetrack.com and send him a note if you want to sign up to them.   They are dirt cheap and awesome info. I make zero money from promoting either one.

Research Journals

I have subscriptions to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning and Medicine & Science in Sport and Exercise from ACSM. Since I am still a student, I can get access to almost any full study which is great.

I use Evernote through my phone to snap pictures of printed studies, upload then and pull the full study. I can use Ref Works to add in abstracts to Ref Works database.

As of today I have over 1,360 studies in there. Looks like I will buying a subscription to ref works for the rest of my life once I graduate!   They got me.

Facebook/Twitter

I do find great research on there from time to time too. It is also a great way to connect with people using the ole interwebz.

Podcasts

I love listening to podcasts and my ipod is great for it.

My top 2 favs are  Ironradio and Super Human Radio and not just because I’ve been a guest on both shows in the past, but top notch information in an entertaining format too.

Other good ones are  The Fitcast,  the Strength Coach Podcast and Sports Rehab Expert podcast.    I have to confess that I generally listen to these for some good nuggets and to also see what most people are into.  I am working on seeing things from the other person’s perspective, so I can understand how they think and view things.  I feel this will make it easier for me to communicate with them.

Action Time!

Collection is not the goal. Action/results are the goal. Frankie has a great post below on it

Are you a collector or connector?

I always look to see what ACTION I need to take to test the new info I learn. My goal is not to just collect info, it is to see what is useful and how does it change what I do.

I think ACTON is a missing link many times.

Webinars/Ebooks/Products

I am one of those old school people that does not download music for free. At last count I have about 1,400 CDs. Yes, the old silver looking platters. I still love getting all the art work and listening to it how the final mix was supposed to sound, not compressed to hell and back on MP3s.

I do love my ipod since you can put so many track on there, but I prefer to buy CDs still and support the artists themselves directly.

Similar to electronic products, if you like the product and the person who purchased it, just buy it. The people that I know who put out products are doing it for the love it and yes they want to make some money from it too. They are not doing it just to pump up their bank account.  They are doing it to make a living yes, but primarily to help others.

Comments!

How do you learn? What are some good resources that you use?
Let me know by placing a comment below!

Rock on

Mike T Nelson

3 Things for Thursday: Adaptation to Strength Training, Iron Radio and the Winner Is….

Adaptation:  How Much Do We Need to Train?

Adaptation happens. I don’t think we can even stop it.

As my buddy Frankie says “adaptation has no off switch”

The Adam T Glass corallary is “………but we can slow it way the F down”

End stage heart failure patients that sleep with 4 pillows at night because their heart is so bad and their lungs are filling with fluid still show acute adaptations (but with a long term consequence).  It is a horrible disease and my uncle actually died from it years ago.  Even in this patients, the heart is still adapting, despite all the other stuff in their body has gone awry.  The body is still trying to adapt as best it can.

Injury your right ankle (as I have done from a snowboarding incident several years ago) and watch it swell up to the size of a large grapefruit  (no joke) and you WILL walk funny for several months (even when the cast comes off and you ditch the crutches).   The body is adapting.  Long term you don’t want to walk funny, but you can still walk.

The key questions is

“How much do we need to do to trigger adaptation?”

I think it is only 5-10% more each session. This is an educated guess and I am interested in your feedback on that number.

Adaptation results from overload.

In general, overload in the gym is from 3 things

1) % 1RM (intensity, wt on the bar)

2) volume (sets x reps)

3) density (volume /time).

Add 5-10% to any one of these (the one that is best for your body on that day via Gym Movements biofeedback) and adaptation WILL happen.
It HAS to happen.

Thoughts?  What has worked for you?  Let me know in the comments

Iron Radio this Friday: Supplement Insider Blows the Whistle

Dr Lonnie Lowery gave me a heads up that this Friday’s show is going to be a good one.

I have had Brad Pilon of Intermittent Fasting fame on the blog here about supplements in the past and how most are not useful.

The show below will give us another insider look.

Event: Iron Radio With Guest Jeff McCarrell

Start Time: Friday July 9 at 2:00pm
More info at http://www.ironradio.org/

I  listen to Iron Radio all the time and you should too!  Good stuff each week and it is FREE!

And the Winner Is………

Thanks for all the feedback!  I was hoping to get to the comments by now, but I may not get to them tomorrow.  Awesome feedback!!

And the winner of the 30 min phone consultation to solve your fitness problems is…………

darius sohei

You should have an email from me in your inbox and if your spam filter ate it, email me at the contact page above!

Thanks again to everyone!

Comments!

Any comments, let me know!

Rock on

Mike T Nelson

PS

Just a heads up that some time next week I will have a super special deal on the Grip n Rip DVDs.  This is your advance notice, so stay tuned here for the details coming soon!

Mike T Nelson on Iron Radio this Friday!

Just a heads up that I will be on Iron Radio this coming Friday with Charles Staley, Phil, Fortress, Dr Lowery and the gang to discuss the impact of blogs and fitness and other random fitness topics.

Be sure to tune in this coming Friday 2-3pm EST and submit your questions at the site too

http://ironradio.org/

If you have not checked out the back issues of Iron Radio, I would encourage you to give them a listen and best of all they are totally FREE!

Talk to you all then!

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

If you liked this post, please subscribe to the RSS feed by clicking HERE

Nutrition Chat : Cholesterol, Protein, Muscle Growth and More!

Here I talk about the latest research on how to maximize muscle growth through nutrition based on a phone chat I had with Dr. Lonnie Lowery.

You probably know Dr. Lowery from his writings at TMuscle.com (may not be uber work friendly and also Iron Radio.  I encourage you to check out both.

Here we go!

Here I yap about

• Cholesterol -  Is it that Evil?

• mTOR – What the heck is that?  Why do I give a crap?

• Calories Are King!

• How Much Protein?

• Diabetics and Carbs

• Metabolic Flexibility

Let me know what you think and what questions you have!  Post away in the comments!

Rock on
Mike T Nelson