Barbell Shrugged will soon be selling exercise programs in WALMART!
It’s a passion project that Anders, Doug Larson, and I have been working on for months now. And I’m so excited because I think this could really help bring a new level of fitness and health to communities that need it the most.
We’re not talking about people who regularly snatch at their local box. We’re talking about Walmart customers who don’t know what a calorie is, who have never worked out, who are obese and on their way to all sorts of health issues.
I think this could change the world.
So listen in to hear about it – plus HOW Anders got into Walmart in the first place… and what he’s learned along the way.
THE POWER OF THE CLEAN
Travis Mash's guide to the mighty clean... the most valuable lift for Strength and Conditioning Coaches
Learn to understand the clean on a deep level so you can easily and confidently correct movement flaws, assess athletes, write programs, and coach them to athletic success.
First, let me say that I am enjoying Human Movement and Biomechanics class that I am taking this semester at Lenoir-Rhyne University with Dr. Keith Leiting.
After taking a brief look at compression, tension, shear, and torsion forces and their effects on the body, we dove straight into assessment. Our first look at assessment was postural alignment. I have to admit that working with my chiropractor extraordinaire, Dr. Lawrence Gray, helped to prepare me for this section of biomechanics. However, this class has taken me even deeper, which I am applying to my athletes as we speak.
Posture
Here’s what I have noticed even with some of my top weightlifters. The majority of college students demonstrate varying levels of upper cross syndrome, which is what you see with people who have their heads forward, rounded shoulders, concave chests, and a rounded back. Now to be clear, my athletes have not become the Hunch Back of Notre Dame yet, but they are on their way.
I decided to address these issues now for two reasons: to protect the future of their postural health and to make them better weightlifters. You are also going to help avoid unnecessary injury by addressing each athlete’s individual postural alignment.
For example, if an athlete has a rounded thoracic spine with their shoulders rounded and most likely internal rotation of the humerus, they are going to have a tough time getting the bar overhead in an optimal position. If they can get the bar overhead, it’s most likely going to cause injury somewhere down the road. When the scapula elevates and rotates forwards, the acromion process and coracoid process (parts of the scapula that muscle tendons are connected to) roll forward and down.
Normally there is lots of space for the rotator cuff tendons to move around (subscapularis, supraspinatus, and to the posterior the infraspinatus) freely – at least that’s the way God designed us. There are also bursae sacs that lend help with lubrication and cushioning, labrums that line the actual rim of the glenoid cavity, and a synovial membrane that lines the joint capsule for added lubrication and cushioning. When the scapulae wing and rotate, the space for the tendons, bursae, labrum, synovial membranes, and muscles becomes limited. When space becomes limited, friction is sure to take place. With friction, you can guarantee that inflammation and tears are soon to follow.
In Athletes
In the sport of weightlifting, when the scapula deviates from its intended resting place, movement is going to be impaired. In the sport of weightlifting, optimal movement is absolutely required. Powerlifters can get away with bad posture for a bit longer, but they shouldn’t. When I was a powerlifter at the highest of levels, 90% of my fellow athletes had experienced shoulder surgery. The rest were on their way, and the sad part is they could easily avoid this injury by reading this article and applying the information.
I put some of my athletes through a quick biomechanical assessment, and I found the following four malalignments frighteningly common. I am going to explain each of them, tell you how to easily assess, and what to do about each.
Kyphosis
Normally it is accompanied by forward head syndrome and internal rotation of the humerus. It’s sometimes called upper cross syndrome because it has a cross-section of weak muscles that are lengthened and a section that is tight from being shortened and compressed. The tight muscles include the pecs, subscapularis, and muscles of the thoracic spine. The weak (lengthened) muscles include rhomboids, lower/mid trapezius, and weak external rotators.
How to assess: look for over development of the thoracic curve, which is normally accompanied by excessive lumbar curving and either no curve of the cervical spine or excessive curve due to the head forward and the athlete excessively extending to see in front of them.
Exercise to strengthen the weakened scapula while encouraging improved posture:
Prone Y Rotations
Soft tissue work:
Peanut Drive the Bus
Foam roll the thoracic spine with scapula protracted
Exercises to strengthen weak muscles:
Band Pull-a-parts and external rotation for the rhomboids and external rotators
Blackburns for the lower/mid trapezius
Face Pulls with external rotation
Exercises to lengthen tight muscles:
Band Distractions
Pitcher stretch
Here’s a video that will explain each exercise:
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Normally this comes with kyphosis, but it can exist without being a hunchback. It’s easy to assess as well. You will want to have your athlete turn to the side, so you can view them in the frontal plane (aka from the side). You should be able to hang up a plumb line that perfectly runs though the ears, ac joint, greater trochanter, mid-knee, and the lateral malleolus. If the ears are in front of the ac joint, you have some degree of forward head syndrome. You might not have full-blown kyphosis, but you can rest assured that it’s coming as well.
Weak muscles include:
Deep cervical neck flexors
Deep cervical neck extensors
Rhomboids
Mid and lower traps
Tight/Shortened Muscles:
Sub occipital Muscles
SCM (sternocleidomastoid)
Levator Scapula
Upper Traps
Pecs
Manual work:
Levator Scapula lacrosse ball
SCM
Strengthen and stretch
Wall exercise for forward head syndrome Sub-occipital muscle stretch w deep inner 3 minute hold neck extensor strengthen
Band Pull-a-parts
Angels against wall
Humerus Internal Rotation
This one is common amongst not only my college athletes but also with my powerlifting brethren. Bench pressing is all internal rotation. If you focus on bench pressing without any regard for external rotators, you can be assured that your humerus will start to be frozen with internal rotation. You can also rest assured that shoulder surgery is inevitable unless you address the issue. This one is easy to assess.
Assessment: simply look at the athlete’s hands and see if they are neutral (palm facing in to the body or facing towards the posterior of the athlete (thumbs turn in). If the palms are facing behind an athlete, that athlete has internal rotation.
Tight muscles:
Subscapularis
Lats
Pecs
Soft Tissue Work:
Lacrosse Ball pecs and subscap
Band work distractions
Stretches:
Baseball pitch stretch against wall (arm externally rotate)
Pec minor against rack w unilateral wall slides
Wall Slides
Strengthen:
Pull-a-parts w external rotation
Prone Y’s on Bench
Lying DB External Rotation
Wall slide
Anterior Pelvic Tilt
This is very common from the sitting that is so common in society right now. It’s easy to spot because it looks like the person is sticking out their butt and stomach on purpose. However lower cross syndrome is actually the culprit.
Weak muscles:
Lower lumbar extensors
Abdominals
Tight muscles:
Hamstrings
Psoas
Illiacus
Rectus Femoris
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I hope these exercises help to correct your athletes’ postural alignments. I am using them right now with my guys, and we are noticing daily changes in the positive. Remember, you won’t just be making them better athletes. You will also be affecting their long-term health and wellness. Don’t forget that is your job as well. Their parents trust you for that very thing. Let me know in the comments if you would like any other videos on correcting exercises.
He’s a trainer for wrestlers and fighters, a business partner with none other than Cory G, an owner of Old School Gym, and the founder of a supplement company.
So of course we had a TON to talk about. Listen in!
THE POWER OF THE CLEAN
Travis Mash's guide to the mighty clean... the most valuable lift for Strength and Conditioning Coaches
Learn to understand the clean on a deep level so you can easily and confidently correct movement flaws, assess athletes, write programs, and coach them to athletic success.
I know I always say it – but that’s because it’s true.
I LOVE these podcasts where we answer listener questions.
And we have some great ones today on all areas from nutrition to programming to coaching insight to dealing with aches and pains.
THE POWER OF THE CLEAN
Travis Mash's guide to the mighty clean... the most valuable lift for Strength and Conditioning Coaches
Learn to understand the clean on a deep level so you can easily and confidently correct movement flaws, assess athletes, write programs, and coach them to athletic success.
Dalas Santavy comes from a long line of weightlifters.
He lifted well enough to compete in the Pan Ams, representing Canada.
And now his son, Boady Santavy, is ranked number one in Canada and fifth in the world.
So we talk about all that Dalas has seen change in weightlifting over the years, what his training protocols are, and how he trains his kids to have killer mindsets on the competition platform.
World champion and world-class coach Travis Mash boils down decades of experience to give you the tools and knowledge you need to crush your next meet.
Coach Mike Starke started his new role with Wake Forest University Basketball during the middle of the COVID pandemic.
And now that sports are slowly starting to get going again, he’s had to get his athletes into shape quickly and effectively.
So listen in to this podcast to hear about that plus his thoughts on the art and science of coaching, instilling culture and identity into athletes, and much more.
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