In the culture of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it is encouraged for the athletes to train more and more. Athletes are training Jiu-Jitsu every evening, lifting weights every morning or vice versa, and doing two sessions a day at least five to six days a week.

If you are training this way, yet feeling like you are not necessarily progressing because you:

• Have no explosive power
• Your timing is off
• You are always feeling tired.
• Have difficulty retaining the information taught

Then most likely, you are overtraining.

Do You Overtrain?

Many chronically overtrained athletes come my way feeling like this, and to top it all off, they are frustrated because they can’t lose weight even with all the training.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a complex sport that is very taxing on the nervous system.

It involves the constant activation of multiple muscle groups with both significant movements and small, subtle movements.

The rolling around at the gym can be up to eight minutes long, and black belt matches are ten minutes long, so muscular endurance and cardio fitness are necessary to be explosive within that timeframe. Hence, BJJ requires all energy systems to be firing at one stage or another.

Relax and Repair the Central Nervous System

There are methods for increased recovery, such as ice baths, meditation, and good nutrition.

Deep sleep is one of the best ways to deal with overtraining because it allows the central nervous system to relax and begin the repairing process. Many people don’t understand that the nervous system takes much longer to recover than other systems, such as the muscular.

Due to the nervous system affecting slow muscle firing, which then may influence:

1. Reaction time
2. Speed
3. Grip strength
4. Explosive power

Ironically, once our nervous system is fried, it’s hard to sleep, yet it’s what our body needs the most when we continually train to recover.

Even though ice baths, meditation, and good nutrition will help mitigate some adverse effects of chronic overtraining, it will eventually catch up if we do two intense sessions a day.

Structure and Periodization

Bazilian, Jiu-Jitsu training needs to be periodized and structured for long-term success.

• If you want to train on the mat daily, there need to be days selected for hard rounds and other days for more flowing rounds, focusing on the sport’s more technical aspect.
• Strength training should only be performed about twice a week and should be done on the days you are doing flow rolls.
• Make the strength sessions count and perform them with intensity. Then, give your body time to recover.
• Don’t go to the gym and go through the motions just because you think you should—which so many of us do.
• Push yourself to make those gains and make each session count.

Perform with purpose.

Choose Exercises That Mimic Movement Patterns

In the bodybuilding culture (why gyms came about in the first place), lifting started with the purpose of building big muscles.

This way of lifting is not necessarily conducive to performance athletes who need to work the compound movements of multiple muscle groups at one time for coordination or core strength for balance, power, speed, and muscular endurance.

Getting creative is the key, so try and mimic the movement patterns of BJJ as closely as possible. Think outside the box.

Here are some great exercises to perform back to back that will benefit any performance athlete.

Performing the workout in a circuit-based format with little rest is ideal while building muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness.

Aim to do significant full-body movements that activate the core to build overall full-body strength, then spend the remainder of the day resting if you can or doing technique and flow rolls. Limit these effective and intense strength sessions to only about two days per week.

Once a week, allow a full day of rest to allow your muscular system and your nervous system, and joints to recover and recharge.

Start the following week strong and repeat. By adding rest, it reduces your stress levels which will help to keep you lean.

Athletes who chronically overtrain are highly stressed, and as a result, they are holding onto body fat and water.

Train intensely with less overall volume, rest to recover and de-stress, and you will be leaner in the long run.

In It for the Long Haul

For most of us to embark on this beautiful Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey, we want to be in it for the long-haul. You want to keep progressing and keep your body healthy and strong by training smarter and not necessarily harder.

To sum it up, aim for three hard BJJ sessions a week, two intense strength sessions a week, and one full rest day a week.

This schedule will give you the recovery you need to keep working towards your goals without fatigue or burnout. It will also keep you progressing and on track to a black belt.

The post Avoid Burnout On The Way To Your BJJ Black Belt appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

It is tough to figure out exactly what and how much to eat when you embark on a workout or weight loss plan. There is so much conflicting information online and so many different diets around. Having a good idea of what makes up the food we eat and how much energy these foods contain is essential, and I think everyone should know the basics.

I believe basic food education should be covered in schools and would significantly help in health and weight management. Having said that, what I want to focus on in this article are all the athletes and fitness enthusiasts who already know the basics. They know a potato is mostly a carb. They know an egg contains protein and fat. They know white bread is made from refined flour and that an apple has about 25 grams of carbs.

Many people who come my way are already athletes with this basic knowledge but who train and workout every day but still can’t lose weight and they don’t necessarily feel good. More often than not these athletes are sticking religiously to their apps and other methods of calibrating, counting and recording every single calorie they consume and doing what these apps tell them. So why are they still struggling with their weight and why do they feel like crap?

The Dangers of Fixating On a Number

Assuming that we know the basics for good overall education about what we put into our bodies, I find that meticulously counting calories can be very destructive. Counting calories provides a tool for people with disordered eating to limit their calories by skimping on meals or to gorge themselves and then hit the gym later in an attempt to burn it off and balance the scales again, so to speak.

Counting calories can promote disordered eating behaviors such as food denial, gorging, and overexercising—all of which are very detrimental to the body and puts it in a continually stressed state.

Another negative factor of being fixated on numbers means that the overall mindset is more likely about the calories and not about what is healthy. Decisions are more likely to be made on whether to eat that cake based on how many calories it has rather than if that food is actually beneficial from a nutritional or health perspective. I know this first hand.

Growing up as a gymnast and feeling pressured to be thin, my focus around food initially was about calories. Many of my food choices as an athlete were based on how many calories there were rather than if that food was beneficial to my body and if it would help my performance.

With this mindset, I often chose food that wasn’t the best for me and figured I could just “work it off” at the gym. But the bottom line was that I didn’t feel good and that was because I wasn’t listening to my body.

I did not count calories to prepare for this show. Instead, I listened to my body.

Tune In to Your Body

Our bodies are the most amazing machines and they are constantly telling us what they need. We are laced with this intricate array of nerves throughout our bodies and with a constant feedback loop system that sends information back and forth to tell us all about our inside world, our outside world, and what we need in order to maintain homeostasis. The body is finely tuned and it works super hard to maintain a constant equilibrium.

The problem is that we have become so disconnected in this day and age that we don’t actually listen to our bodies—instead, we rely on technology. Rather than our hunger being a cue that we need to eat, or bloating to be a sign that that particular food might not agree with us, we check in with our calorie counter and eat the 300 calories because that is what it says to do, whether our body needs it, wants it, or not.

It’s Not Just About Macros

There is a lot more to weight loss and overall health than just counting calories and sticking to a set of macros. I look at it like baking a cake.

Firstly, all the right ingredients need to be used, and this includes food that works best for you based on how you feel, not just what macros it contains based on an app.

Secondly, all the ingredients, including the food that is right for you and your body, needs to be used in the correct amounts in order to make the perfect cake.

The macros and calorie content of food is just part of the ingredients. There are also other parts of the ingredients that make up that perfect recipe for health and weight loss. This includes our state of mind, stress levels, and our sleep and wake cycles. The human body is so finely tuned and everything affects everything else.

For optimal results, we need to be able to tune in to our bodies or we will forever be disconnected. Are you hungry? Are you not hungry but eating anyway because there is food in front of you? Are you stressed, anxious, and nervous and don’t feel like eating? Does certain food bloat you? Does this meal give you good energy? Do you feel better with a couple more hours of sleep? These are questions that we should be asking ourselves constantly, yet most of us just go about our days accepting how we feel without actually stopping to ask why.

Personally, after being on this health and fitness journey for decades, I now make choices based on health and how I feel because I am so tuned in to what my body needs. My focus is on nourishing my body, mind, and soul for overall health.

I stop eating when I am full. I eat when I need to. I rest when I need to. I move when I need to. I breathe and meditate daily to reduce stress. I work daily on staying positive and as a result, I have never been leaner, more energetic, or healthier.

Listening to Your Body Is the Best Tool

There is no doubt that for optimal health getting educated about food is essential. There are some great apps to use as tools to help learn the basics but don’t get caught up in the numbers.

For optimal health, we need to go to a deeper level that encompasses so much more than just macros. Listen to your body because that is the best tool of all and if you tune in, you’ll have a much more successful health, fitness, and weight loss journey.

The post The Best Tool For Overall Health appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

With more and more focus on body, mind, and soul, more people are focusing on the “experience” of working out and not just the workout itself. Creating environments that make you feel happy and stress-free is important for your peace of mind and if you are happier and feel more at peace, then you are much more likely to stay motivated to continue to workout.

Where is your happy place? For some, it may be a martial arts school where you have a strong social network. For others, it may be a luxurious, state of the art yoga studio, and for others, it may be getting outside with nature.

Get Outside with Nature

Getting outside with nature is my happy place and now that the weather is getting warmer and the sun is shining it is a perfect way to get your daily dose of Vitamin D, too! Because there is usually less equipment outside as opposed to a gym or fitness center, most outdoor workouts are focused on working with your body weight.

I have spent a lot of time getting creative and designing bodyweight workouts that are really challenging and focus on perfect form with focused attention to really work the muscles when heavy weights aren’t available—it’s just a matter of being creative. Outdoor workouts also allow you to focus on building muscular endurance, power, cardiovascular fitness, and stability because there are endless ways that you can move your body.

Changing up the speed, number of reps, order of exercises, and rest periods all contribute to having an awesome, challenging, and inventive workout while being outside and connecting with nature.

Sophia’s Killer Outdoor Workout

I want to share with you a type of workout that I do when I am outside. These workouts challenge all aspects of fitness and burn up loads of energy to help you stay lean. The idea is to perform this workout in a circuit format going from one exercise to the next to the next with no rest so that your heart rate is elevated the whole time.

This challenges your cardiovascular system and helps to build muscular endurance. The fast pace jog or sprint at the start helps to build power and kicks off the pace for your body to work hard in the anaerobic phase before the aerobic phase kicks in. Working this way in both energy systems is taxing on your body and consequently burns loads of calories, not just during the workout, but afterward.

These types of killer workouts only take about 20 mins and will give you a plethora of many more fitness benefits than any slow boring jog or static bicep curls would. Just remember to exercise with mindfulness and focused attention, perform each exercise at a moderate pace, and limit the rest periods to reap the full benefits.

Warm-Up

• 2 minute fast paced walk, jog, or sprint (depending on your level).

1. Step-Ups

1. Keep your weight through the heel of your step-up leg.
2. Keep your chest up.
3. Squeeze your glute when you are performing the step up.
4. Lower yourself down slowly.

Aim to do 20 each leg.

2. Push-Ups on a Bench

1. Maintain a straight shape from your head to your toes.
2. Draw your belly button into your spine to contract your core.
3. Lower yourself to the bench so your chest touches and push back up.

Aim to do 20 reps.

3. Mountain Climbers

1. Start by placing your hands on the floor.
2. Bring one foot in closer to your chest.
3. Replace with the other foot.
4. Keep switching feet while maintaining a static posture in the upper body.

Aim to do 20 reps each leg (40 total).

4. Cycle Sit Ups

1. Start by sitting on the floor with your back off the floor.
2. Prop hands up behind your head and keep elbows back. Be mindful not to crank on your neck.
3. Bring opposite knee to elbow together.
4. Then switch to bring other knee and other elbow together.
5. Do this while always keeping both feet off the floor.
6. Maintain this posture with your back off the floor and your abs activated while you keep switching legs and elbows.

Aim to do 20 reps each leg (40 total).

5. Plank Hold with Toe Taps

1. Maintain a straight shape from head to toe and draw your belly button into your spine
2. just like in the push-up.
3. Bring your leg out and tap the toe.
4. Alternate sides while maintaining square hips and shoulders (no tilting).

Aim for 10 toe taps each side.

Perform each exercise back to back with little or no rest. After completing one circuit, do rest for 2 minutes and then repeat the whole circuit 2 or 3 more times through, depending on your fitness level. Enjoy!

The post Being Zen While You Workout: Killer Outdoor Training appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

At the beginning of each year, I am super busy with writing personalized plans for people who want to start the year off fresh with goals they want to achieve. They are feeling excited and positive for the changes ahead.

It is wonderful that we all have dreams, goals, and visions that give us a true sense of purpose in life, but often progress slows or stops completely as the year goes on and these goals aren’t met.

Basing goals around things like New Year’s resolutions often end up being nothing more than a wish or a fantasy. The intention is there—that burning desire and sense of optimism to look better, to feel better, to learn more, save money, become more zen, or whatever the goal is.

This is why so many gym memberships are sold and self-help books are bought near the end of each year. So, why do so many of us start off goals with vigor but then drop off like flies as the year goes on?

1. Lack of Preparation – For us to meet our goals, we need a well thought out plan that is broken down into achievable steps.
2. Lack of Application – In order for these steps to be carried out on a long term basis, they must be integrated into our lifestyle.

The Power of Your Daily Choices

Focusing on the small steps that need to be taken on a consistent basis is the key to success. In a nutshell, it is the small decisions made daily that have an accumulative and profound effect on our lives over time. Being aware of the steps we need to take (the planning part) and proactively making the choice to act on that plan (the application part) will bring us closer to our goals.

The only way to real and long-lasting success is to integrate these planned out steps into our lives and make it part of our lifestyle.

We look at people who have “made it”–the people who are millionaires, multiple-time world champions, totally zen and at peace, or have the perfect body, relationship, or whatever it may be. It is easy to misconstrue that this happened overnight or that they are genetic freaks or they just “got lucky.”

But more than likely, these people spent years working hard to achieve these levels of awesomeness. Each day these hard-working, driven people get up an hour earlier to go to the gym, or each day they allocate quality time with their children or spouse.

They also make the time for some mindful meditation. That is why they have succeeded. They are aware of the steps that need to be taken to reach their goals and they active make choices day in, day out to bring them closer to those goals.

Regardless of what our goals are, whether it is to be a multi millionaire or just to be healthy and feel good again, hitting those goals all follows the same basic principles, planning, and application. Here are some step by step strategies to help you get there.

Strategies to Meet Your Goals

What is it that you want?

Work backward and lay out your long-term goals. Where do you want to be in five years? Where do you want to be in one year?

• Break down your one-year goal plan into months. By breaking down your goals, it becomes easier to see the smaller actions that need to be taken to achieve bigger goals. This makes things not so overwhelming and therefore more achievable.
• Break down your goals week by week. For example, if your goal is to lose twenty pounds, then your week by week strategy may be to lose one or two pounds a week.
• Break down your goals to day-by-day. This is actually where it all happens and where this concept comes into play through you actively making choices and decisions on a daily basis. If your goal is to lose twenty pounds, then are you going to opt for mac and cheese for dinner or fish and salad? If you choose the fish and salad every day, then you most likely will achieve your weekly goal of losing one or pounds, right?
• Grab a diary or journal. Write it all down and have something available to refer back to and to track.
• Put reminder and motivational notes around your house or workplace where you can see them all the time. A student of mine sent me a photo that she has on her desk. This is a great motivational tool!

Let’s use weight loss as our example for this strategy and for example, your goal for 2019 is to lose 20 pounds and to feel great.

• By breaking your goal down into months means that you aim to lose 8 pounds every month.
• By breaking your goal down into weeks means that you aim to lose 2 pounds every week. You aim to visit the gym 3 times per week, meditate once a week, have a massage once a week and walk with friends once a week and limit yourself to only one dinner out a week.
• By breaking your goals down day-by-day means that you make the decision to go to the gym or go for a walk that day or to skip that ice cream and opt for frozen banana slices instead.
• By writing these activities/actions down in your diary first and then checking it off at the end of the day is a great way of keeping you focused.

Everyone can achieve their dreams with focused intention on a daily basis.

Awareness and Application

Having awareness of the choices we make is super important which is why planning and knowing exactly what steps to take or what choices to make is essential. Now that we know what our goals are and all the steps to get there, we can create a lifestyle that makes these small daily choices easier.

As previously mentioned, it is the small decisions made daily that have an accumulative and profound effect over time. If weight loss is your goal, then arrange a day to go brisk walking with your girlfriends and stick to it every week.

If these steps aren’t part of our lives then the decisions to bring us closer to our goals may be harder or difficult to remember. It is important to note that the small decisions made daily that we don’t make also have an effect.

These, in fact, will take us further away from our goals whether we realize it or not. Because you didn’t set a day once a week to go walking with your friends and make it part of your life, you only ended up walking about ⅓ of the time throughout the year.

Take Consistent Steps

I believe all our dreams can come to fruition if we actively make it happen through conscious choices that bring us closer to our goals at every moment. Don’t let your excitement about setting a goal wear off.

Plan everything out and break your goals down week by week to small achievable steps that you can carry out daily. Create a lifestyle that makes it easier to apply these steps and make your choices easier.

The idea that our small, daily choices matter (and can add up to so much) is so simple yet such an amazing formula to attain the life you want. If it’s all about making small choices, then every one of us has the power to enact profound change and accomplish incredible things.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Meeting Your Goals appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Being in the present moment is a very powerful thing and can help us on so many levels. Aside from dealing with trauma or divorce, being in the present moment can help us deal with the hectic pace of our current lifestyles were we can often feel stressed, over-worked, and overwhelmed. Sometimes it feels like there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. And today with social media and the internet, people expect answers right away. In this day and age it can be very hard to switch off. The constant stress can make us unhappy, frustrated, and can even make us sick.

There are ways to help deal with the stress and being in the present moment is one of the best ways. One way to get there is via meditation.

The Power of Meditation

Meditation is an extremely effective method of training the mind. It calms the mind, allowing it to become more focused. Our brain operates on various different frequencies depending what state we are in. When we are awake, our brains are usually operate in beta waves, and while sleeping low-frequency delta waves are produced.

While we meditate our brains are in a state of predominantly alpha waves and also in theta waves. Studies have shown that alpha and theta brain wave states achieved during meditation make a person more relaxed but also very aware and alert.

How to Meditate

Meditation allows us to to clear our mind by eliminating all the mental chatter, the unnecessary worry, and the stress and to reach a state of stillness and deep peace. There are many different methods of meditation, but the simplest way to reach this peaceful state is to focus entirely on the body and the breath in the present moment which is known as “mindful meditation” (or “focused attention”). Our breath is one of the only things that is autonomous that we can actually control.

1. Start by finding a comfortable place to sit or lie down without being distracted.
2. Close your eyes and inhale slowly for a count of 6-8 and exhale slowly for a count of 6-8.
3. When you inhale imagine that you are breathing in clean, light air/energy and when you are exhaling, you are releasing dark air/energy that your body needs to clear itself of.
4. Keep breathing, focusing on only your breath while trying to relax every part of your body. Visualize moving down your body from the top of your head down to the tips of your toes. As you move through each part of your body, allow for the relaxation to set in.
5. Enjoy the stillness. If a stray thought comes into your mind push it out again and re-focus on your breath.

Benefits of Meditation

Deep, calm, and purposeful breathing has been shown to relax our bodies by slowing down your central nervous systems (which are usually hyper charged from all the stimuli), which reduces stress. Meditation has been shown to repair the central nervous system just like a good, deep night’s sleep. Reduced stress also means lowered cortisol levels and lower blood pressure. By concentrating on your breath, observing each inhalation and exhalation, and without consideration to other thoughts, your mind can become calm. When a stray thought arises be quick to recognize it and then turn your attention back to your breathing.

At the lifestyle camp I recently taught in Sarasota, Florida—all the ladies who attended enjoyed sunrise yoga at the beach.

Discipline Your Mind and Reap the Benefits

Meditation is hard work and it takes a lot of practice to get better, just like training the body. The more you do it, the easier it becomes to stay focused. Progress can be measured by how long a single thought can be focused upon without straying. The benefits of finding time to meditate, even only for 15 minutes a day, are astounding for both the body and the mind. Meditation can assist in feeling peaceful, happy, and healthy, and can train the mind to stay focused, resilient, and strong. Meditation is helpful when dealing with trauma or when you an are athlete and need to push yourself to your physical limit.

There are active forms of meditation that puts your minds into that ‘zen’ state where you are clear of mental chatter, completely focused on the task at hand, and in the present moment.
Yoga is a great example of active meditation. Breathing while moving your body through the poses connects your mind and your body while you are in the present moment.

Some other forms of active meditation are:

• martial arts
• swimming laps
• jogging or walking
• surfing
• tai chi
• weightlifting

You Must Make Time

What is important is that you take time out from your busy schedules and fast paced lives to dedicate some time just for yourself and focus on your mental state. Whether you prefer a still, quiet form of mediation or an active form of meditation through yoga or an intense roll at jiu jitsu class, the aim is to be focused on the present moment, to quiet the mind of all inconsequential mental chatter, and be in a state of peace.

The post Discipline Your Mind and Reap the Benefits appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Too many people around me have experienced this difficult stage in life, and I have seen some channel their pain into positive outlets, and others into not so positive ways. The difference is an understanding of the grieving process, and knowledge of the tools available to address each phase.

The process of grieving is quite universal, whether it involves a divorce, or a death, or diagnosis of a serious, life-changing illness. The overall theme is about loss. When we lose something important in our lives, we tend to experience the myriad of emotions in a certain order:

1. Shock or disbelief
2. Denial
3. Anger
4. Bargaining
5. Guilt
6. Depression
7. Acceptance and hope

Shock and Denial: Find External Motivation

Sometimes when you are in the phases of shock or denial, you tend to freeze like a deer in headlights. Thoughts of ‘why?’ and ‘how?’ consume you, and it can be difficult to carry out a usual day, especially if your significant other was a big part of your daily routine. Depression can make you unmotivated, tired and lethargic. The will to get out and do things is sharply diminished.

It is exactly for these reasons that you should enroll in a fitness class or hire a trainer, so that the instructor or trainer can hold you accountable if you don’t turn up. The other bonus of joining a class is that you are around other people, and hopefully in a joyous and positive environment, which can help lift your spirits.

Anger: Create a Physical Outlet

It is critically important to channel anger into something physical. Punching the crap out of a heavy bag or engaging in martial arts sparring is a wonderful way to release it all. Do something with high intensity that really works your body. Although you may feel tired after the session, you will also feel great, having channeled that anger out, and replacing it with endorphins—your feel-good hormones.

A roll on the BJJ mat might be just the thing to put your mind at ease.

If martial arts are not for you, there are other exercises that you can do in the gym such as sprinting or jumping rope.

Plyo push ups with a medicine ball are another great option. In order to be able to do this exercise, you must be able to perform push ups and have decent core strength to support the spine. Aim to do 10 push ups each side for 3 sets.

Burpees should not be overlooked either, as they are an awesome full-body exercise. They work your upper body, lower body, and your cardiovascular fitness. Remember to bend your legs instead of just bending at the hips when you lower yourself down to the ground. Kick your feet back to create a strong plank shape for the push up. Once you have performed the push up, bring your feet back in and jump from a squat position. Aim for 3 sets of 20 reps each.

Burpees aren’t exactly fun, but they’ll certainly take your mind off of other things.

Channel Your Emotions Into Hard Work

These exercises are high in intensity and require a lot of energy. Jump as high as you can, move as fast as you can, or kick that bag as hard and as fast as you can. These dynamic exercises are exhausting, and that’s the point. They work many different muscle groups, and require balance, power, speed, coordination, and intensity. They are the perfect recipe to channel your emotions in a positive way.

Whether it be divorce or a traumatic event in your life that is causing you to experience grief, adopting some healthy strategies such as these will help you along the process and make it more manageable.

Your body isn’t going to wait for your life to be perfect:

Life Ain’t Easy: Train Anyway

The post Move Your Body to Overcome Grief appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

My ex-husband and I had children together, ran a business together, and owned joint property. We were completely tied together on all levels. My family lives in Australia while I am in the States, which means I have endured this process of divorce mostly on my own. I have become a single mother with two little girls, rebuilding a business from scratch with no family around me and very little support. So how have I gotten through it?

Coping Strategies After a Divorce

Move Forward Every Day

When you are at the lowest of the lows, it is very hard to keep moving forward. Everything sucks. But time keeps on going, so moving forward is the only option. You can choose to create a better future for yourself with your new opportunity, or you can stay stuck in the past and miserable. Take it day by day. Set small goals for yourself. Today, make time to catch up with an old friend. Tomorrow, aim go to the gym. The following day, aim do a meditation.

Seek Positivity

I always tried to put a positive spin on everything when going through this process. Every coin has two sides, so focus on the positive aspect of any given situation to make your life a bit easier. For example, finances might be strained, but that may be a good opportunity for you to embark on a new project. You may have more time on your hands, so instead of moping around feeling lonely, go to the gym or enroll in a martial arts class. Focus on the small things, such as a sunny day or a good meal, and remember to always be thankful for the things that you do have or for the things that are working out.

Process Your Emotions

During a divorce, we go through the process of grieving. They say there are seven stages of grieving after the end of a relationship: disbelief, denial, bargaining, guilt, anger, depression, and finally acceptance. No one wants to feel all of those negative emotions, but these are the reality of dealing with divorce, grief, and loss. Honoring all the emotions that come your way is a much healthier approach than trying to suppress them. Allow yourself to feel everything. Acknowledging all these feelings and working through them allows us to move forward. Repressing emotions is living in a state of denial, which makes it impossible to move forward. Dwelling on emotions and situations leaves you stuck in a sad, angry state that is not healthy for your mind, body, and spirit.

I found that going for long walks with my favorite music was a good way for me to process everything. I dealt with my anger by putting it all out on the mat in my BJJ classes. Doing something physical, whether hiking a very steep mountain, lifting super heavy weights, or punching the crap out of something (ideally a punching bag) is a wonderful outlet for the negative emotions like anger.

Focus on You

Make this the time to focus on yourself. Do all the things you wanted to do, but couldn’t when you were married. Do things that make you happy. Catch up with friends. Go get your hair done. Travel. Go to the gym. Enter a competition. Read a great book. I found it really helpful to write a bucket list and systematically check things off. Once I had done something on my list, the sense of achievement made me feel better.

The Miracle of Exercise and Dealing With Loss

Whether your goal is to take it day by day, do something for yourself, or create an outlet for the negative emotions, a workout is a great solution. When you work out, you are focusing on you. You are putting in the time to make yourself stronger, fitter, more toned, more skilled, or whatever your own personal reasons for working out are.

Exercising also releases endorphins, a.k.a. ‘feel good hormones,’ which will help lift your mood. How many times have you dragged yourself to the gym, only to leave with a spring in your step because you feel so alive?

Exercise, especially more intense exercise, requires focus that puts you in the present moment. You are focused entirely on the task at hand. You can’t think about anything else when you’re trying to not get choked out (for all those BJJ enthusiasts), or pump out those last few reps of heavy squats, or make it to the top of that hill, or perform a particularly challenging movement pattern. You must be in the present moment. The beauty of this state is that there is no past to grieve and no future to worry about. There is only you and the task, for that moment, everything is okay.

The ‘Be Here Now’ Workout

The following are some exercises that are very good to get you in the present moment. They require strength, balance, and coordination. In order to execute them properly, you must focus on them 100%. I have listed them in order of least difficult to the most difficult.

Arm and Leg Extensions

This movement requires balance and core strength to execute without toppling over. Begin on your hands and knees, with your wrists in line with your shoulders and your knees in line with your hips. Raise one arm and raise your leg on the same side. Repeat for 10 reps each side.

See-Saws With Dumbbells

This exercise primarily works the hamstrings, but also the lower back and the glutes. The challenge lies in the balance and the flexibility. A lot of foot stability is required. Try to keep a straight shape from head to toe the whole time. Allow the dumbbells to gently touch the floor before raising your head. Aim for 10-15 reps each leg.

Physio Ball Push Ups

This is a nice variation to standard push ups. Lowering your chest down to the ball requires a lot of upper body stability as well as core strength. For an extra challenge, try raising one leg while you perform the push up. Always try to keep a straight shape from head to toe. Aim to do 10 each leg.

Running Man on Physio Ball

This exercise works primarily the transverse abs and the hip flexors. The lats also are working overtime to balance and support, while the weight distribution is through one leg at a time which requires balance. Keep your shoulders in line with your wrists and your butt down the whole time. When you bring the ball into your chest with one leg, the other leg extends to create a running motion. This also requires co-ordination. Beginners can work with both feet together. Aim to do 10 reps each leg.

Single-Leg Squats

Single-leg squats are one of the most challenging bodyweight exercises around. They not only require a lot of leg strength, but also core strength and balance. Try to squat all the way down with your butt to your heel and a flat foot. Beginners can put their hand on the wall for stability. Aim to do 8-10 each leg.

V Snaps With Physio Ball

This abdominal/hip flexor exercise is very advanced, and requires a lot of concentration in order to balance and effectively transfer the ball from the hands to the feet. When you bring your upper body up, raise your legs and pass the ball to your feet. Lower your body down flat, and then sit up again to pass the ball back to your hands. Beginners can work with bent legs and pass the ball to their knees instead of their feet. Aim to do 10 – 15 reps.

Move Your Body to Heal Your Mind

Divorce is no fun for anyone. It is a particularly testing time since there is loss on so many fronts. But with the right mindset and coping strategies, you can get through it. Remember to take it day by day, stay positive, allow yourself to process the emotions and then let them go. Make time to focus on you.

Exercising is one of the best coping strategies when dealing with divorce. For some, getting outside and power walking to your favorite music is good therapy. For others, getting into an MMA gym and beating the crap out of a punching bag is a better option. Either way, the key is to get your body moving, release those endorphins and be in the present moment. When you are in the present moment and not wondering about the past and worrying about the future, everything is okay. Exercise helps shift your perspective and puts you in a happier place, which is what we are all striving for.

What priorities will you demonstrate to your kids?

Fitness and Fatherhood: Natural Movement for Superhero Dads

The post The Divorce Workout: Coping Through Movement appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

It’s not about arm strength. The power for the pull-up comes from your back and your core.

Strengthening the core is essential for optimal training function and to mitigate the risk of muscular imbalances and injury. Weakness through the upper body in women is generally due to undeveloped core muscles, meaning they can’t maintain posture or base. Women who have had babies in particular are susceptible as the abdominal muscles become stretched during pregnancy. Focusing on strengthening the core increases all aspects of upper and lower body strength.

In my previous articles, I touched on the importance of a strong core for upper body strength used for framing and pushing and for building lower body strength for performing deadlifts and squats. This article is focused on strengthening the core in order to perform pull-ups safely and correctly.

4 Core Exercises for Pull-Up Strength for Women

Most people assume that pull-ups are about all about arm strength, but the power for the pull-up comes from your back and core. The latissimus dorsi (lats) are a big, strong muscle group involved in the initiation of a pull-up. If you get the lats super strong along with your core or transverse abdominis to create a strong frame, then you will be more likely achieve a successful pull-up with awesome form.

The exercises below are simple and extremely effective at building core strength through the transverse abs and the lats. Although the focus of this article is these two muscle groups, the movement of the pull-up also involves other main muscle groups such as the biceps and the rhomboids. Grip strength also cannot be overlooked.

Let’s get started.

1. Medicine Ball Rollouts On Knees

Working from the knees is a good introductory exercise to develop the lat and core strength without putting too much strain on the lower back. Throughout the movement, aim to keep a straight shape, from your head to your knees.

• Start on your knees with the ball on your forearms and your arms tucked into your chest while keeping your transverse abs braced the entire time.
• Avoid a ‘banana back’ as you roll the ball out.
• Avoid sticking your butt out as you roll the ball back in. You will notice maximum pressure on your transverse abs when your shoulders are fully flexed and elbows are fully extended.
• To roll the ball back in, engage your lats in the same way as you would engage them to initiate and perform a pull up.
• Try to maintain the straight shape and aim for 15 repetitions.

2. Medicine Ball Rollouts On Feet

Rollouts on the feet are a more challenging version since the lever is longer and there is more stability required through the core to maintain that straight shape.

• Start on your feet with the ball on your forearms and your arms tucked into your chest.
• Keep a straight shape from your head to your feet and keep your transverse abs braced the entire time to make sure your spine is supported.
• If you are experiencing ‘banana back’ when rolling the ball out, start with small movements and only roll the ball out a little way, maintaining a straight shape through the core.
• Aim for 15 repetitions.

3. Lat Pull-Ins with Medicine Ball

This exercise is the most challenging of this series as it requires a lot of strength through the core and lats. The physio ball creates an unstable surface that requires you to use your transverse abs in order to balance, which will assist in creating a strong frame for a pull-up.

• Brace the core and lats to maintain a straight shape when the shoulders are fully flexed.
• Pull yourself back toward the ball so your shoulders are in line with your wrists.
• Aim for 15 repetitions.

4. Army Drags

These are an additional exercise you can do to help build lat and core strength that will assist in the developing strength for the pull-up.

• Start by bringing your arms stretched out in front of you.
• Brace your abs and pull yourself in by initiating the movement through your lats. This is the same movement through the lats that will help initiate the movement at the start of the pull-up.
• Aim for 15 repetitions.

A Strong, Functional Core is Invaluable

For those of us influenced by a fitness industry packed with images of fitness models with broad shoulders, wide lats, and a tiny waist, the importance of having a strong functional core is often lost. But posture, balance, stability, mobility, and strength is directly related to how strong your core is and how well it is operating.

Having a strong core will not only make pull-ups easier to achieve, it will also ensure correct posture and mitigate the risk of any injuries. By performing pull-ups mostly through the arms with a weak core, you place too much stress on your anterior deltoids, which then work overtime to complete the movement. However, when you pull through your back, you engage your lats and move through to your rhomboids, you’re more likely to have a good hollow position and an open chest at the top of the movement.

My focus is on women and new mothers who may not have the ability to go to a gym on a regular basis, but these exercises can be done at home by anyone in search of their first pull-up. Work your way through the progressions and you’ll get that pull-up in no time.

Looking for specific programs for the perfect pull-up?

2 Programs to Build Up Your Pull-Up

The post 4 Core Exercises for Pull-Up Strength for Women appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Male or female – doing sit-ups is not going to get you greater ab definition.

The rectus abdominis is the “abs” muscle: a paired muscle that runs vertically on each side of the anterior wall of the abdomen, separated by a band of connective tissue. Tendinous intersections run across the muscle horizontally, giving the muscle eight distinct looking muscle bellies. We all refer to the rectus abdominis as a six pack, when in fact, an eight pack is structurally a much more apt description. Sit-ups have become the go-to exercise for training the abs because they work the rectus abdominis. But the reason the full eight-pack isn’t visible on most athletes who do them is because sit-ups over-engage the hip flexors, neglecting the lower abdominal muscles below.

Why Sit-Ups Don’t Work

The rectus abdominis are initially engaged in the sit-up, but as you rise higher throughout the sit-up movement, the hip flexors take over. The movement particularly over-engages the hip flexors when the feet are lodged under something to hold them in place. Another common group of exercises used to target the lower abs are knee-ups and hanging leg raises. More often than not, these exercises also engage the stronger hip flexors, rather than the lower aspects of the rectus abdominis.

5 Exercises for Fully Defined Ab Muscles

The key to engaging the rectus abdominis all the way through to target the lower muscles near your pelvis is to keep your hips isolated. Your lower abdominals need to be contracted the entire time and your transverse abdominis needs to be braced to support your spine. This allows you to focus on performing the crunch movement and engaging your rectus abdominals all the way through.

Perform the five exercises below to fully engage the lower portion of the rectus abdominis, isolate the hips, and get well on your way to achieving fully defined abs.

1. Angry Cat, Happy Cat

This is a great exercise if you’re just getting started.

• Start on your hands and knees with the knees in line with the hips and the hands in line with the shoulders.
• Curl your spine by crunching your abs hard (hold for 3 seconds), then arch your back (hold for another 3 seconds).
• Perform 20 repetitions.

2. Baby Crunches

• Activate your transverse abs by pressing the middle of your back into the floor.
• Perform small crunches and keep your shoulders off the floor or mat. Never allow your abdominals to relax.
• Perform 20 repetitions.

3. Crunches on Medicine Ball

• Roll down the ball until only your upper back is supported.
• Engage your transverse abs and glutes by keeping your hips up.
• Perform small crunches while keeping your hips up the entire time. Don’t drop your hips – if you do, as you crunch up you will not be contracting your lower rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, or your glutes.
• Perform 20 repetitions of each.

4. Floor Crunches with Raised Legs

This is a great exercise to engage the lower abs as they need to work to stabilize the hips since your feet are not resting on the floor.

• Activate your transverse abs by pressing the middle of your back into the floor.
• Perform small crunches and keep your shoulders off the floor or mat. Never allow your abdominals to relax.
• Perform 20 repetitions.

5. Toes to the Ceiling

This is a pretty challenging exercise. The challenge is to be able to elevate your toes towards the ceiling without creating momentum or swinging your legs towards you.

• Activate your transverse abs by pressing the middle of your back into the floor and lift shoulders off the floor or mat.
• By contracting your lower abs, lift your toes towards to ceiling. These movements should be small since you are only engaging your lower abs to perform the movement.
• Never allow your abdominals to relax.
• Perform 20 repetitions.

You’re Risking Muscular Imbalance, Too

Overuse of the hip flexors explains why people who train a lot and work out super hard only ever have the top four sections of their abs showing. In their so-called specific exercises, the lower four sections aren’t being engaged – instead, the hip flexors are doing the work. Over time, this can also cause postural and lower back issues due to muscular strength imbalances.

Don’t let it be you. Incorporate these five exercises into your training routine and you’ll be well on your way to the ab definition you’re looking for.

Want more from your core? Brace yourself for some great lifting:

6 Core Exercises to Strengthen the Squat for Female Athletes

The post 5 Exercises for Fully Defined Ab Muscles appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

In the previous article in this series, we focused on the importance of core strength for the push up and how critical core strength is for posture and framing in a sport setting. We’re going to continue the series with six progressive core strength exercises to perform a barbell squat with excellent form.

If you don’t strengthen your core, you’ll never squat as much as you’re capable of.

2 Ways a Weak Core Sabotages Your Squat

The barbell squat is a fantastic exercise that combines strength, mobility, balance, and explosive power. Squatting regularly with good form has excellent carryover into your sporting performance. However, if your legs are strong but your core is weak, you will not be able to execute a heavy squat safely and effectively.

There’s two ways a weak core can negatively affect your squat.

1. If your core is weak, your lower back muscles will take on this load instead, putting your back under serious strain. This can be seen in curving or rounding of the back at the bottom of a squat. A strong core maintains an upright posture in the eccentric portion of the squat to support the increasing load on the spine.
2. Having a strong core ensures you remain balanced throughout the entire movement of the squat, and keep an upright posture throughout. If your core is weak, the likelihood is that you’ll fall backwards or fold forward as your abdominal muscles come under more pressure in the descent of your squat.

In these progressive exercises, we’re going to focus on the transverse abdominis muscle group. The transverse abs are the primary core muscles you use during the squat. These muscles wrap around your waist like a corset, and are heavily involved in your posture and the support of your spine. The carryover into your squatting ability will be substantial, particularly if you’re a woman returning to training from pregnancy or injury.

6 Core Exercises to Strengthen the Squat for Female Athletes

When performing all of these movements, remember to breathe. These exercises put a lot of pressure on your diaphragm, which can make it difficult to draw breath at times. This is because your transverse abs contract in the middle of the muscle, and expand at the top and bottom of the muscle. Make sure you can perform each exercise with good form for the given number of repetitions and sets before progressing onto the next.

1. Supine Single Leg Extensions

This is a safe abdominal exercise to start these progressions with, as you create the tension yourself by choosing how much to extend your leg and to what degree you press your lower back into the floor. It’s critical to press the middle of your back into the floor to ensure your transverse abs are activated in this exercise.

• Lower your leg down to the count of three.
• Raise your leg for the count of two.
• Aim to do 20 repetitions on each leg.

2. Single Leg and Arm Extension with Crunch

This is another safe abdominal exercise for those new to core work. The movement engages your transverse abdominis whilst balancing your rectus abdominals as you bring your elbow to your knee and perform the crunch. The arm and leg extension is great for strengthening your rear delts and upper back muscles as well as your hamstrings and glutes.

• Round your back and squeeze your abs as much as possible during the crunch.

• Aim to do 3 sets of 20 repetitions on each side.

3. Plank Hold On Knees

The plank hold is one of the best transverse abdominis exercises you can do. But for women who are new to training or returning from pregnancy or injury, starting on your knees is definitely a better option. Your transverse abdominis still engages, but with less pressure as the abdominals support your spine from your head to your knees instead of your feet.

• Keep your head in line with your knees. It is very important to maintain a straight line with your body to ensure the core is switched on.
• Remember to breathe.
• Aim to hold the plank for 30 seconds for 3 sets.

Continue to Page 2 for More Core Exercises to Strengthen Your Squat >>

4. Supine Leg Extension with Legs Together

This variation of the supine leg extension keeps the legs together, which is a lot more challenging. If you feel the load is too intense, bend your legs. For those who are ready for the challenge, perform the extension with your legs completely straight. Again, it is very important that this exercise is performed with the middle of your back pressed into the floor to avoiding straining your lower back.

• Lower your legs down for the count of three.
• Raise your leg for the count of two.
• Aim to do 20 repetitions.

5. Full Plank Hold

The classic plank hold is an unbelievably beneficial exercise for your core and other parts of your body such as the hips, shoulders, and chest. Make sure to keep a straight line from head to toes. If you raise or drop your hips in the plank, you get a “banana back”, removing the pressure from your core and placing undue stress on your lower back.

• Remember to breathe.
• Aim to hold the plank for 30 seconds for 3 sets.

6. Plank Hold with Single Leg Raise

This is a twist on the classic plank hold with added alternating leg raises. The shift in weight as you take your leg off the floor makes your abdominal muscles work extra hard. It also places a lot of force on your supporting leg by putting a heavy load on your quadriceps to keep your supporting knee straight, with your gluteus medius and minimus coming into play to keep the hips straight as well.

• Keep your hips square as you raise your leg.
• Aim to do 3 sets of 15 repetitions on each leg.

Make Steady Progress for the Best Results

Remember, all movement patterns originate at the core or move through it, and core strength is vital for a full-body exercise such as the barbell squat. After a serious injury or pregnancy, many women are eager to get straight back into the gym and start squatting straight away, but it’s a bad idea. Training too much, too soon compounds any existing muscle imbalances and instabilities with those sustained during pregnancy or injury, and this will often lead to increased weakness and lower back, hip, and pelvic pain.

As with the push-up progressions, start slow and work your way up to the more challenging exercises. Continue along the progression to challenge your core and build the ideal posture and balance to squat heavy and squat often.

More Like This:

• 7 Core-Strengthening Push Up Progressions for Female Athletes
• 5 Cutting-Edge Core Training Progressions
• Build a Resilient Spine: Lock Down Core Stability
• New on Breaking Muscle

Photo courtesy of Rx’d Photography.

The post 6 Core Exercises to Strengthen the Squat for Female Athletes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Many women participate in sport, but not all have had an active childhood that has given them the fundamental strength and stability necessary to support their adult training. I have found this to be especially true for women starting Brazilian Jiu JItsu. So many women who take up the sport don’t have the strength in their core and upper body to frame and brace, and so end up getting hurt. Women who take a lot of time off with pregnancies or are recovering from a serious injury also find they have to go back to the basics to redevelop their strength in this area.

Many female athletes don’t have the strength in their core and upper body to frame and brace as they need to.

Movement Starts at the Core

To begin building this strength, you have to start at the core. Your core muscles connect your upper body and lower body, and all movement patterns originate at the core or move through it. The core dictates how well your arms and legs function and is essential for the balance and stability that prevents falls and injuries. I believe it is essential for all female athletes to incorporate some fundamental strengthening exercises for the core into their training program.

This article is the first in a series will give you progressive exercises for each muscle group to do just that. We’ll begin with a focus on the push up. Core-focused pushing movements are essential to create a strong frame. This strong pushing frame is needed in every sport, from grappling in BJJ, to effective bracing in weight training, or ball sports such as volleyball or tennis. For example, a forehand swing requires an enormous amount of stability. This involves framing through the core while you hit the ball with maximum force using the pushing muscles we are working here.

The seven exercises that follow are a step-by-step guide to increase your pushing strength by working the chest, deltoids, and triceps whilst keeping the core engaged and active. The more advanced exercises incorporate the lats and the rhomboids as well.

7 Core-Strengthening Push Up Progressions

For each exercise, aim to do a total of 20 full repetitions with correct posture, keeping the body straight from head to toe (or head to knees). Remember to activate the abdominals and glutes to keep your spine supported. Perform each push up to the full range of motion, with the chest near to the floor, before progressing to the next exercise.

1. Push Up On Knees

Provided there is a straight line from the head to the knees and the core is activated, this is a great place to start developing upper body strength. The pushing motion activates the pectoralis major, minor, triceps, and anterior deltoids. Your transverse abdominis and erector spinae also stabilise your body weight.

• Lower yourself down so your chest nearly touches the floor and push back up again.
• Once you can perform 20 smooth, steady repetitions from your knees, you can safely progress onto the next exercise.

2. Push Up on Bench/Chair with Single Leg Raise

This movement can be progressed by lowering the level on the bench or chair you are using. As the level lowers, more weight is shifted to the upper body, making the movement more difficult. Raising one leg forces the core to work harder to stabilise and keep symmetrical. The quadriceps, the iliopsoas, erector spinae, and transverse abs also switch on to stabilise the spine. By bending the raised leg at the knee, we also engage the gluteus maximus.

• Aim to do 10 repetitions with one leg raised and 10 with the other raised.
• Ensure that you lower your chest to the chair or bench before pushing back up.
• Engage your abs and glutes to make sure your spine is supported.

3. Standard Push Up

A sign of a weak core is a ‘banana back’, where the back arches and the shoulders sag. This means that the abdominal muscles are not being engaged and the spine is not sufficiently supported. Keep the core activated and strong by ensuring there is a straight line from the head to the feet.

• Make sure you can do at least 20 push ups with good form and a straight shape before progressing to the push up movements on unstable surfaces.

Continue to Page 2 for Advanced Push-Up Progressions >>

4. Push Up on Medicine Ball with One Hand

Push ups with one hand on a medicine ball load your arm unilaterally and force the whole shoulder girdle to stabilise. The uneven surface also forces your core to work overtime to keep your body in a plank position.

• Aim to do 10 repetitions each side while keeping your hips square and level on the medicine ball.
• Once you have mastered this exercise, you are ready to progress to push ups on a physio ball.

5. Push Up on Physio Ball with Single Leg Raise

Performing push ups on a physio ball forces your stabiliser muscles into action. As with the chair or bench push up, raising one leg forces the core to work harder to keep the body symmetrical.

• Aim to do 10 repetitions with one leg raised and 10 repetitions with the other leg raised.
• It’s important to lower your chest to the floor with your shoulders in line with your wrists. There is an inclination to drift backward in this variation, which takes the load off the shoulders. Counter this by engaging the lats to ensure the shoulders remain in line.

6. Push Up on Physio Ball with Crunch

This exercise incorporates the rectus abdominus and the hip flexors.

• Aim to do 20 repetitions.
• Keep your shoulders in line with your wrists and use your pecs, delts, triceps, and lats to stabilise and brace as you bring your knees to your chest.
• Keep your hips low to ensure that you are activating your core. Raising your butt disengages your core and means your hip flexors end up doing all the work.

7. Push Up with Single Arm Dumbbell Rows

This challenging variation incorporates the rhomboids, lats, rear delts, and even the biceps. The supporting arm and core have to work super hard to stabilise as the weight is lifted unilaterally.

• Aim to do 20 repetitions, alternating arms for the rows.
• Lower your chest almost to the floor to ensure maximum range of movement when lowering down for the push up.
• The aim is to perform the single arm row while keeping the plank shape and the hips square.

Be Realistic and Build a Foundation

For some women, expecting to pump out 20 plyometric push ups on a medicine ball might be a little unrealistic at first. Start slow and work your way up to the more challenging exercises. Perform the push up with with a full range of motion, which means chest almost to the floor or to the object you are using to push against. When you can perform 3 sets of 20 repetitions with the right posture and controlled breathing, move onto the following exercise.

Work your way through these pushing movement progressions to build a strong and stable upper body, along with a core that supports it.

More Like This:

• 5 Cutting-Edge Core Training Progressions
• Build a Resilient Spine: Lock Down Core Stability
• How to Restore Strength for Sport Post-Pregnancy
• New on Breaking Muscle AU

Photo courtesy of CrossFit Empirical.

The post 7 Core-Strengthening Push Up Progressions for Female Athletes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

If you are a performance athlete, it is likely you are supplementing your sport-specific training with some strength and conditioning in an effort to get stronger and increase your overall fitness. I can guess the type of routine you’re in. You hit the gym, do 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps with a minute or two of rest, then switch to the next exercise. You throw in some bicep curls, possibly shoulder press, and some leg extensions – because that’s what people do, right?

What a lot of people don’t know is that gyms and weight training as we know it do not benefit the typical athlete. The training mentioned above is hypertrophy-style training, and is designed with one end in mind: to build muscle that looks good. Which is fine if you want to be a body builder. However, this type of training won’t necessarily help improve you in your sport. Here’s why.

It’s time to change your concept of sport-specific training.

The First Element: Stimuli

The first step is incorporating appropriate stimuli. The human body only adjusts to the stress it is exposed to, adapting to the movement patterns it is presented with and the amount of force exerted during them. So if you only train a certain movement at a certain weight, at a certain speed for a certain amount of time, your body will only adapt in a certain way, irrespective of numbers, weights or reps.

For example, if you do slow steady hamstring curls in the gym but your sport requires you to do explosive take downs, then that exercise will not translate well to your sport – though you may end up with nice looking hamstrings.

The Second Element: Strength

You need strength exercises that carry over well into your sport. It’s critical to be able to train your body to coordinate multiple muscle groups simultaneously. With their emphasis on pushing and pulling, compound movements are perfect for this. They mimic how your muscles function in competition, and unless you are targeting specific muscular issue or performing rehabilitation, these movements are preferable for athletes over isolation work.

“We need to incorporate movement patterns that are the same or close to those in your discipline.”

The deadlift is a great example: it incorporates the core, upper and lower back, glutes, quads, and hamstrings effectively to help you produce practical strength for your sport. This is favourable over an isolated exercise for the same area such as a leg extension, which provides an environment in which your muscles are trained as separate entities rather than connected parts of a movement machine.

An Opportunity to Get Creative

Outside of movements like the deadlift, we need to incorporate movement patterns that are the same or close to those in your discipline. This is an opportunity to think outside of the box and get creative. You could perform sprints, plyometric jump squats with a weight, or kettle bell swings. Barbells and dumbbells can be used.

Remember – strength training doesn’t need to be done in a gym. Getting outside and tossing around a weighted medicine ball is a great way to build general upper body speed and strength. Make it sport specific. If you are a judo or jiu jitsu athlete like me for example, performing pull ups with a towel is a great option to train your grip strength.

The Third Element: Stability

As well as compound movements, performance athletes must incorporate exercises that challenge balance and engage the core. Sports are not performed in stable environments. Sitting comfortably in a shoulder press machine will develop your shoulders, but won’t develop the core strength to keep your upper body stable while trying to launch a volley ball in the air. A leg press won’t help you maintain your balance as you propel your body forward on a rocky terrain in cross country running.

Consider your discipline carefully. What movement patterns do you need to work on?

Better options exist to build a more holistic strength base. A single arm shoulder press or a push up with single arm dumbbell row both force your core to engage and keep your body straight. These are excellent exercises to build on your upper body strength while activating your stabilizers.

A Systemic Approach to Training

The three elements are simple in implementation. In order to get stronger for your sport, we need to replicate its movement patterns as much as possible, and work compound strength movements incorporating your stabilisers to encourage the body to work systemically. This is the best way to train the body to deal with the unstable environments faced in competition. So the next time you hit the gym to get stronger for your sport – think about exactly what the movements are and what muscles are being used. Try to replicate your sports demands with heightened intensity for maximum adaptation. Work at the speed or range that your body needs on the field.

Remember, the body doesn’t know reps and weights. All it knows is that it needs to adapt to the stimuli it is presented with, so make your training reflect the demands of your sport. When you present the body with the right stimuli, it will directly translate into your sport and increase your overall performance.

More Like This:

• A Proven Method for Building Full-Body Power (Plus a 6-Week Plan)
• Add Variety to Get Results: 3 Next-Level Strength Workouts
• Build Brute Strength for Sports With Rotational Movements
• New on Breaking Muscle AU

Photo 1 courtesy of Sophia Drysdale.

Photo 2 courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Stimuli, Strength, Stability: A 3-Point System for Performance Training appeared first on Breaking Muscle.