It’s Friday already? I’m not complaining, but being in the Bahamas half the week sure sped things along. I got to do some sweet tubing with sharks. Anyways, upon my return I noticed this hilarious video on Dave Tate’s blog. Readers and Mom beware: there is foul language involved.
On a related note, Mike Boyle just released a short video called The Death of the Conventional Squat? If you’ve been following Mike for awhile you’ve probably already heard or read about this, if not you’ve probably got your head up your a** and one foot on a Bosu ball. Snap out of it, and read more here: Build Bigger Legs, One at a Time .
I’m not convinced yet. We don’t know how closely the athletes he mentioned are to their true 1RM potential in the 2L Back Squat. Boyle admits they don’t even do Back Squats in their program. If so, the strength transfer to the 1L squat may be MUCH higher at this point, so poorly developed as they might be in their max Back Squat strength. The asymmetrical loading of a heavy 1L back squat also makes me wonder how much safer it is for the back, long-term, than a heavier, but symmetrically loaded 2L Back Squat done properly.
Also, by making it a balance-dependent exercise, it takes a lot of the pure strength element out of the movement. To be sure, we want athletes to develop better balance, but if we’re trying to use the exercise to develop max strength, even max usable strength, I wouldn’t want to load up on a balance dependent movement.
yo joe,
Its your cousin Sean. Sweet site, I added the RFESS to my leg routine today with great results. I was expecting to do this exercise with two dumbbells but found just the unloaded variation was punishing enough to start. I am definitely gonna have to start checking the site more often.
Sean,
Glad you like it. Definitely start with body weight(BW) on the RFESS, and make sure to use an airex pad or folded towel for depth consistency. Once you master BW, go hands behind your head. After you can complete 12 perfect reps w/ hands behind your head then you can add some weight.
Wolf,
I like what Boyle is saying, but I’m not eliminating squats. I will however be more prone to progress people to this as I see fit. I do agree that it is safer for the back (less weight on the back, and better spine position). Boyle still teaches/uses squats, hang cleans, and deadlifts (all bilateral lifts). Also, Boyle has stated that he has probably observed 2-3 million squats in his day and now come to this decision. His decisions are always based first and foremost on injury reduction. He also finds this easier to coach with large groups. I believe his statement “Death of Squatting” is bold, but it makes people read, think and discuss – which is great. I don’t think the squat will ever disappear, and it shouldn’t, but the heavy squat might not always be the best answer.
Happy Monday to all. I’m particularly excited this Monday morning as I just completed the registration for Eric Cressey and Mike Reinhold’s seminar, Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder: From Assessment to High Performance. The seminar will be held at Cressy Performance next month, for more info click here. In other awesome news I will also be going to the Bahamas for the first time this Friday. Besides these two events it’s pretty much life as usual, only slightly colder. I didn’t write at all last week, as I was quite busy and quite bummed that I couldn’t squat or deadlift due to a mysterious adductor injury. So, I’m giving my legs a break for the upcoming weeks and focusing more on my diet, which could always use some tuning and will hopefully distract me from the fact that I can’t workout as much. My first goal for the diet is to include vegetables or fruit with every meal. I’ve done this in the past with great results, better body comp and more energy, but have slipped up a little bit in the past weeks. This week if I don’t have veggies in their classical sense, because of time or location I will use this:
or this:
As for my training I will still be showing up everyday and working on my soft tissue, flexibility, and mobility even if I can’t lift. I will also have time to start a series for the blog I’ve been wanting to do for awhile now. It will be a weekly series showcasing things that people do wrong everyday in the gym. And of course, I will show you how to do them right. In closing here’s a similarly themed article by Nick Tuminello, How Not to Warm Up, which features a lot of nasty things that you still see performed everyday in the gym. Until next time.
You are currently browsing the Lift Rest Repeat blog archives for October, 2009.
Nutrition Tip of the Week
Why Choose Oats by Dr. John Berardi
If you're looking to gain mass and have a good carbohydrate tolerance,
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for a breakfast that's hard to beat.
However, if you tend to hold a lot of body fat, just stick with protein,
good fats, and veggies for breakfast. Save the non-fruit and veggie
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Michael Says: 
October 24th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I’m not convinced yet. We don’t know how closely the athletes he mentioned are to their true 1RM potential in the 2L Back Squat. Boyle admits they don’t even do Back Squats in their program. If so, the strength transfer to the 1L squat may be MUCH higher at this point, so poorly developed as they might be in their max Back Squat strength. The asymmetrical loading of a heavy 1L back squat also makes me wonder how much safer it is for the back, long-term, than a heavier, but symmetrically loaded 2L Back Squat done properly.
Also, by making it a balance-dependent exercise, it takes a lot of the pure strength element out of the movement. To be sure, we want athletes to develop better balance, but if we’re trying to use the exercise to develop max strength, even max usable strength, I wouldn’t want to load up on a balance dependent movement.
Do you agree with Coach Boyle on this one?
October 26th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
yo joe,
Its your cousin Sean. Sweet site, I added the RFESS to my leg routine today with great results. I was expecting to do this exercise with two dumbbells but found just the unloaded variation was punishing enough to start. I am definitely gonna have to start checking the site more often.
peace
October 29th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsTbas5NgF0
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Sean,
Glad you like it. Definitely start with body weight(BW) on the RFESS, and make sure to use an airex pad or folded towel for depth consistency. Once you master BW, go hands behind your head. After you can complete 12 perfect reps w/ hands behind your head then you can add some weight.
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Crossfit video is awesome, watched that one the other day.
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Wolf,
I like what Boyle is saying, but I’m not eliminating squats. I will however be more prone to progress people to this as I see fit. I do agree that it is safer for the back (less weight on the back, and better spine position). Boyle still teaches/uses squats, hang cleans, and deadlifts (all bilateral lifts). Also, Boyle has stated that he has probably observed 2-3 million squats in his day and now come to this decision. His decisions are always based first and foremost on injury reduction. He also finds this easier to coach with large groups. I believe his statement “Death of Squatting” is bold, but it makes people read, think and discuss – which is great. I don’t think the squat will ever disappear, and it shouldn’t, but the heavy squat might not always be the best answer.
November 7th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
http://jasonferruggia.com/death-of-the-back-squat/