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First of all, if you’re a regular reader of this blog and have been wondering where I’ve been since my last post a little over a month ago I want to welcome you back.  During this time I decided to take a small break from writing to focus on getting caught up with reading and watching all of the fitness and business products I’ve received over the past few months.  I’ve also decided to go back to defend my Masters in the New Year so I’ve been plowing through research papers like J-Lo goes through husbands.

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Of course, you’d probably know all this if you followed me on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ as I tend to update my accounts daily…but I digress.  The long and short of this post is that my buddy Mike Robertson has just released a product called Complete Core Fitness and this product is LEGIT!  If you want to build a bulletproof, rock solid, and indestructible core then this may be one of the most critical products you’ll ever own.

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In fact, most people – even the experts – can’t agree on how to train the core for strength, stability, and performance.  Some say you don’t need to do any core training at all because the big lifts will take care of it for you.  Others suggest that isolated core training is necessary.  And still others debate about whether crunches should or shouldn’t be used due to potential hazards to the spine.

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And guess what?

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Almost everyone is completely confused about how to properly train the core for strength, stability, and performance!

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It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or advanced.  It doesn’t matter whether you think you’re a core training expert or a complete novice…Mike’s product has something to offer you and I promise you’ll learn something.  Mike is NOT confused and his core training knowledge is immense.

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In 7 video modules he covers everything including his philosophy on core training, the functional anatomy of the core (for those who are new to this stuff), and how to properly assess the core so you’ll know where to start and how to progress your training.  *Note – I am big on assessments so I pretty much LOVE this part*

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From there Mike delves into building the foundations of a strong core, isolative training, integrative training, and finally training for sport and athletic performance.  In short, it is a step by step breakdown of the theory, anatomy, and applications of Mike’s extensively geektastic knowledge of the core.

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And that is just within the 7 modules the comprise over THREE HOURS of incredible material without even mentioning the fast action bonuses Mike is offering for picking up the product right now.

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On top of the product itself you get:

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- A two hour webinar by uber smart fitness pro Evan Osar

- A completely sick underground core training webinar Jim Smith

- Spice Up Your Core Training E-manual by Nick Rosencutter

- Exercises to Prevent Hip Injuries E-manual by Rick Kaselj

- Audio core training Q&A with Mike Robertson

- Powerpoints for all of the video seminars in the product

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Frankly, I think that this product is possibly the most comprehensive core training product on the market right now.  And currently it is on sale at an introductory price that is almost 25% off!  However, I’m a little late to the party on this one as I actually had to finish reviewing the product before I could tell you about it so you actually only have one day to purchase this product and save yourself $30 before the price goes up.

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To be super clear, if you want to get this product at an incredible discount you have to purchase it before midnight TONIGHT.

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That said, I don’t want you to feel pressured to purchase with no way out so it is good that Mike is offering a full 60 day 100% money back refund if you decide you don’t like the product.  Ultimately, there is no risk to you.  Just go pick up the product before midnight tonight and if over the next 8 weeks you decide the product isn’t for you then you can just email Mike and get a full refund with no questions asked.

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Of course, I don’t think that will happen as everything Mike touches pretty much turns to gold and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him disappoint on a product (and I think I have all of them).  But just in case, the offer is there.

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If you want a strong, sexy, functional core then Complete Core Fitness is absolutely worth picking up!

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Complete Core Fitness  <== Get it now before the price goes up!

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Okay…so I’ve been going a little nuts lately with my busy schedule and so much stuff on my mind, but I wanted to drop a quick Monday update.

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1.  Measure Your Movement

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It is pretty well known that people under report what they’re eating and over report their exercise.  On the exercise front, often I’ll use an Omron Pedometer to get an objective measure of physical activity for people.  While they aren’t perfect (and the BodyMedia FIT is probably better) they are relatively accurate and less expensive.  More importantly though, it will give you something to go on when you think you are moving a lot…and you really aren’t.  With the colder months coming I think people will be shocked at how little they actually move. 

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I usually recommend that people record track their daily steps for a week (good models of the Omron brand will store 7 days worth of data) and then calculate a daily average.  Each week thereafter I have them attempt to add 500 steps per day.  And just so we don’t get confused here, I’m not saying that increasing your steps will necessarily result in more fat loss.

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What I am saying is:

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- Greater physical activity improves health markers (you don’t look very good if you’re dead).

- Increased activity decreases waist circumference even if you don’t lose fat (yep…smaller waist…not even dieting).

- 5 hours of physical activity per week doesn’t necessarily mean more fat loss, but better long term weight maintenance (i.e., you’ll keep off what you’ve lost).

-You probably think you move more than you do.

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2.  Arm Ergometers Are Awesome!

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In terms of cardiovascular activity, most people are used to the standard stuff like treadmill, bikes, and ellipticals.  Sleds and other circuit stuff have also become trendy as of late as well.  However, I’ve recently stumbled upon another really cool method for upper body cardiovascular training that is exceptionally badass.  If you’ve never tried and arm ergometer (basically an upper body bicycle), I’d highly suggest you give it a try.

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Although most people would associate this primarily with a rehab setting, these are great for warming up the upper body prior to a workout, finishing up an upper body workout (your delts, biceps and triceps will be on fire), or for people who have knee or lower back issues the limit regular cardiovascular training.  More to the point, they are frigging HARD!

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While commercial models (Monark being the most popular) can cost over $1500, you can often pick one of these up from a ”home health” type of store for anywhere between $50 and $150 depending on the gadgets attached.  I think these are awesome and would make a great addition to any home gym or studio where people are dealing with clients with knee and back issues.  Simply turn up the tension and crank it like a mofo!

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3.  This Psoas IS Fillet Mignon

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Just in case you missed it, someone commented on my previous psoas post stating that the psoas is actually the cut of meat we adore called fillet mignon.  I very scientifically checked this out (okay…I acutally looked it up on Wikipedia) and this appears to be true.  Go figure.  If you ever get into a plane crash and have to eat the flesh of another human at least you know where to start.

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4.  FREE Core Interviews

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A while back I had the opportunity to interview a whole bunch of really smart industry experts about everything to do with creating a strong and sexy core.  Check out this list:

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Mike Robertson

Nick Tumminello

Jim “Smitty” Smith

Leigh Peele

Lyle McDonald

Martin Berkhan

Jimmy Smith

Scott Abel

John Paul Catanzaro

Brendan Fox

Thomas Myers

And last but not least…Dr. Stuart McGill!

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You want these interviews don’t you?  Yeah…thought so.  I figured that since I’m in such a giving mood lately I’d just throw these down for FREE too.  Go get ‘em!

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5.  Reminder – Get Your FREE Glute Training Ebook

Don’t forget to score yourself the most excellent glute training ebook in the world by my buddy Bret Contreras by leaving a comment on this page.  Comments are closed for the drawing at the end of day today.

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That’s it for me today.  Go get your free stuff!

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In Part I of this series I dissected a pig spine to demonstrate the effects of rotational movements like Russian Twists on the lumbar spine.  Today I’m going to continue on my quest to eliminate crunches from the mind of anyone who thinks they’re a valuable addition to core training.

Thoughts?  Comments?  Leave them below.

As many of you may know, I believe that reading for an hour per day is paramount if you hope to become a leader in any field.  Fitness and nutrition are no different.  Here are a few things to get you started for today.

Fasting for Fat Loss?

If you’ve ever heard that going without food for a long time results in some sort of “starvation response” or “severe muscle loss” you’re going to want to check out these pics on Martin Berkhan’s blog.  Definitely not what you’d expect to see of someone who fasts for up to 16 hours per day.

Martin is a huge source of knowledge when it comes to intermittent fasting and will be part of the free audio interview series coming soon.  Spend a little time on his blog and soak up some knowledge.

Is Your Ab Workout Hurting Your Back?

In this New York Times article, Dr Stuart McGill discusses the transversus abdominis and core training in general.  Also included is a short video where recommended exercises are show.  Worth a quick read.  Oh yeah, Dr McGill is also part of the audio interview series.  Keep your eyes peeled.

Enjoy the reading and have a great week!

Recently I received an email asking me if there was a difinitive test for core stability.  The very real truth is that I think there is no single test, but a combination of tests should reveal a lot about what we want to know.

Personally, I’ve been heavily influenced by Stuart McGill and Shirley Sahrmann.   I’ve also taken some great ideas from bright guys like Mike Robertson,  Bill Hartman, and Gray Cook to formulate some of my core testing tools.

To start let’s just address the fundamentals.  Strength is the ability to produce force and stability is the ability to control it.  So doing crunches on a stability ball with a hundred pound dumbbell on your chest might make you strong (although I think it makes you look ridiculous), it isn’t going to improve your core stability.  To be stable you must be able to RESIST the applied force without movement.

Going hand in hand with this notion is the idea that is currently being promoted by many educated coaches and trainers that repeated spinal flexion is a bad idea because it increases the risk of spinal disc injury.  In other words, crunches suck!

Finally, lets remember that the core doesn’t just include the rectus abdominus or the anterior core muscles.  It essentially forms a belt around us and includes more muscles than I’d like to count at this very moment.  Knowing this, it is essential to investigate the muscles all around the core to determine stability.  More importantly, we are not going to test the strength of these muscles, but the ability of them to support the core under load.  In the case of the lower back, endurance is actually far more important than strength for injury prevention.

Here is a quick little protocol that I like to use as a starting point:

1. Front Plank

While doing this movement I like to place a dowel on the person’s back and have them maintain 3 points of contact.  The dowel should remain in contact with the glutes, upper back, and head.  If one of those points is lost then the timer stops.  (Note: I swiped this tip from Mike Robertson)

You should be able to hold this position for 2 minutes.

2. Side Plank – Should be able to hold for 90 seconds

This is as easy as it sounds.  The body should be held straight in a full side plank position for 90 seconds per side.  Note any assymetry between the sides as this is a strong predictor on injury risk.  Work on bringing the weaker side up to match the stronger side before trying to increase the overall time.

You should be able to hold this position for 90 seconds.

3. Back Extension Hold

Set up at though you’re going to do a back extension and hold yourself in the extended position.  As with the front plank, use the dowel along the spine to ensure proper alignment by maintaing 3 points of contact.

You should be able to hold this position for 2 minutes.

4. Double Leg Lower

To perform this test you want to lie on your back and raise both legs straight up into the air.  From here, I’d suggest placing your hands on your external obliques or crossed over your chest.  They cannot be on the floor.  Now slowly begin to lower your legs while concentrating on keeping your lower back flat on the floor.  (Note: a hard floor is more effective than a mat for determining success on this test)

If your feet hit the floor before your lower back raises you have passed.  If not, you suck and you should check yourself into the wimp hall of fame.  Just kidding, but your ability to control your core is probably lacking in this respect.

5.  Rotational Stability

I also like to assess rotational stability by using a test from the functional movement screen.  If you’re going to fail only one of these tests, this will probably be it.  You can check it out HERE.

Again, these only serve at starting points and there are obviously other factors affecting stability of the core, but these tests should be enough to get you rolling.

In the coming weeks I’ll be releasing an audio interview series that will detail how some of the world’s leading experts test and train the core for performance and just plain looking sexy.  Keep your eyes peeled for that.

In the meantime, drop me a note in the comments to let me know how you make out on the tests above.