For the purpose of this blog I’d like to highlight what I would consider a missing link within most people’s training plans, that being accessory work. Firstly, let’s define what accessory work actually is. To me it is supplemental work which aims to increase the strength of the supportive structures within the body. These supportive structures help to stabilise joints and improve strength and endurance when performing movements with the larger muscle groups.
Increasing tissue tolerance:
Within this blog post I am going to identify a few great loading strategies to be aware of when attempting to increase strength and overall tissue tolerance. The more tolerant a joint and muscle group are to strain, the more you will get out of that muscle over time, increasing your potential for gains.
Technique takes priority:
In order to fully grasp your potential within the weight room, you need to be relentless with your technique. Be critical of where you could be better and address the flaws within your program. Quite often people see programming as a chance to create an improved version of themselves with their strength or body image, but fail to use the gym as a way to improve the function or the body and minimise injury risk.
Empowered through data:
If we measure it, we can change it. It we monitor it, we can ensure we achieve it. Within this blog I am going to highlight meaningful measures which will keep you away from the reflection in the mirror, and persevering towards your goals with certainty.
Improving hip function:
The area I’d like to focus on today will be the hips and all of the things associated with this often troublesome area. I feel as though there is a large disconnect with why working through the hips in isolation is so important and I hope to shed some light on this often problematic area.
Train like an athlete:
A common flaw I see with a lot of training programs is their lack of intent and structure. Whilst most programs are fundamentally written well enough, their desire is aimless or narrow minded. Quite often programs are designed for nothing more than weight loss, for example. With a design like this, we open ourselves up to a world of extrinsic pressure as well as unwarranted negativity. We are already looking at ourselves as though there is something wrong and somehow this over the top, cardio focused sweat fest is going to solve all of the problems. This is flawed from the get go and serves no purpose long term.
Improving trunk integrity
An area in which I’d like to touch upon today is the idea behind your “trunk integrity”. The concept is multi-faceted but in short means your strength, stability and mobility of your entire trunk. Your trunk comprises of a multi-layered slab of muscle which is primarily responsible (along with the help of bones) in protecting your vital organs. The secondary responsibility of the trunk muscles is ensuring that your spine remains protected and healthy in its own right. Within this blog post I am going to highlight the common functions and dysfunctions of the trunk, as well as ways to ensure you have adequate trunk integrity.
Lockdown 2.0
In the blink of an eye, our freedom we have grown extremely comfortable with here in Western Australia was taken away at 6pm Sunday night. This hard 5 day lockdown was put into place in response to a community transmission recorded the day before, through a hotel quarantine incident. As a result, most businesses including gyms and fitness centres were instructed to close immediately. In light of this, myself, colleagues and fellow industry professionals have all been working from home as of Monday. I feel as though we are all a lot better prepared for this one, as most of the trainers around Perth have online offers, people have gym equipment at home and most importantly, this is only meant to last for 5 days. With this being said, I have seen some awesome but also some not so awesome approaches to training from home. I’d like to take this time to offer some practical advice in response to the gym from home situation and give you some frame work to structure the rest of your week around.
Exercise complexity: weightlifting:
Whilst exercise complexity is a great way to advance a program, we must consider how important the fundamentals are first. Within this blog I am going to break down the prerequisites required to take programming from a basic to more complex plan. Whilst it’s important to have some form of weightlifting in mind, it’s more important not to jump the gun and end up trying to do something you are not ready for.
Injury series – lower back:
Recently I published a blog looking deep into the causes and potential treatment approaches for the shoulder. I was pleased with the response from that posting, and am here to now take a look at another problem area; the lower back.