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7 Great Tips For Better Squats

By Coach Charles Staley

The ability to squat safely and effectively is an important arrow in the lifter’s quiver— properly performed, squats dramatically improve your strength, power, mobility, lean bodymass, and as my friend Father John Peck might add, a big squat also improves your “gym cred.” The downside? Only one: if you’re long of limb, they can be difficult to master. Here then, are 7 tips that have served me well in my 20+ years of teaching the squat:

1) Weightlifting Shoes: Only those with ideal leverages can squat well without proper footwear. My clients are almost uniformly amazed at how much better they can squat with proper lifting shoes. You’ll get more depth and better stability. Instantly.

If you watch any weightlifting meet at the National level or higher, you’ll never see an athlete wearing any other type of shoe— ever. In my experience, about 7 out of 10 “problem squatters” find their cure through better shoe selection alone.

2) Warm-Up With “Wall Balls:” I first discovered this drill through the Cross Fit community, and we use it extensively as a warm-up at Staley Performance Institute. I find it to be not only the least “invasive” way to warm up the whole body, but also a great way to hone squat mechanics prior to getting under the bar.

Your initial reps can/should be shallow— as you start warming up, start sinking the squats deeper and deeper. Try 3 sets of 10 reps using a progressively heavier ball with each set.

Wall Ball Link:
http://youtu.be/zeaHC3CNBrA

3) Overhead Squats: If back squats are currently the most difficult drill you do with a bar, overhead squats might move them down to second place. No need to go heavy with these— a wooden dowel or a 25-pound aluminum bar will be plenty for most people at the beginning.

Overheads are fantastic for thoracic mobility an also for teaching how to “sit between your feet” as opposed to “folding over.”

Try overheads as a secondary warm-up drill, done after wall-balls. If you’ve always had mobility issues on squats, you’d be stunned at the difference proper shoes, wall-balls, and overheads will make. And I’ve still got 4 more tips to go!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/overhead-squat

4) Wall Squats: I learned this drill from my friend Pavel Tsatsouline. It’s a great way to improve hip mobility and to learn how to push the knees outward during the squat— use the wall squat as a warm-up drill or as a discrete practice drill.

5) Front Squats: The primary value of front squats is that they teach you how to stay more upright. Make sure to assume an Olympic style “shelf” which is more stable than crossing your arms. Front squats can be used as a way to incorporate variety into your lower-body program, and/or as a dynamic warm-up for back squats.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/front-barbell-squat

6) The Wet Ice Cube: Here’s the greatest cue for learning low back “set:” Stand normally and vividly imagine how your posture would change if someone came up behind you and touched your low back with a wet ice cube. You’ll find that your low back arches big-time, and simultaneously, your chest pushes forward and up, while your shoulders pull down and back. That’s the position you’re looking for.

7) Box Squats: I’m not referring to the infamous Westside Barbell box squats here, but rather, using a box or a bench as a target that you touch with your glutes at the bottom of your squat. This not only helps beginners to link “the known to the unknown,” it also helps to regulate consistent depth and offers feedback on bilateral symmetry.

Simply descend under full control, touch the box lightly, and ascend back to the starting position. Note: you can also use a box with overhead and front squats.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/box-squat

Now Go Apply These Tips!

If you never thought you could achieve a great squat position, I challenge you to apply all of these tips simultaneously. I promise you’ll surprise yourself.

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Why Your Morning Coffee is Making You FAT

1 Comment / Nutrition

by Joel Marion

If you’ve been following my advice of including a good portion of your daily carbohydrate intake at breakfast, you might want to skip your morning coffee, unless it’s decaf, that is.

Why?

Well, the recommendation to consume ample carbohydrates at breakfast is due to the fact that glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity are at their peak in the morning – basically, your body is primed to “deal” with carbohydrates quite well during the first few hours of the day, and that ability continues to wane as the day goes on.

So where does coffee come in?

Well, quite a few studies have shown that caffeine intake acutely decreases glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, sabbotaging your generally “good” ability to process carbohydrates in the morning.

Here’s just one of many studies:

Caffeinated coffee consumption impairs blood glucose homeostasis in response to high and low glycemic index meals in healthy men.
Moisey LL, Kacker S, Bickerton AC, Robinson LE, Graham TE. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 May;87(5):1254-61.

Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

DESIGN: Ten healthy men underwent 4 trials in a randomized order. They ingested caffeinated (5 mg/kg) coffee (CC) or the same volume of decaffeinated coffee (DC) followed by either a high or low glycemic index (GI) cereal (providing 75 g of carbohydrate) mixed meal tolerance test.

CONCLUSION: The ingestion of caffeinated coffee with either a high or low GI meal significantly impairs acute blood glucose management and insulin sensitivity compared with ingestion of decaffeinated coffee.

In the end, decreased insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance = more insulin, less fat burning, and more fat storage; three things you DON’T want if you’re looking to shed those unwanted pounds.

Suggestions: If you’re going to consume coffee or caffeine in general, it’s best consumed at times in which you are not consuming substantial carbohydrate. This means ditching caffeinated coffee with breakfast in favor of decaf, and also avoiding energy drinks and other caffeine boosters during workouts in which a carbohydrate recovery beverage is being consumed.

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How to Optimize your Training Results with the Right Diet

1 Comment / Nutrition, Training

By Belinda Benn

Developing a great body not only means training right but the correct diet, otherwise your efforts won’t be rewarded by reaching your potential. We need healthy proteins, carbs and fats in order to provide energy, stimulate our hormones and create the perfect environment to repair and grow muscle.

Here are 3 things I find very important:

1. One hour before you train have some complex carbs with lean proteins.

2. Again, have some protein and simple carbohydrates immediately
following exercise to begin the recovery process as soon as possible.
I prefer a protein shake with fruit. The simple carbs will replace glycogen–
muscle sugar–burned during exercise, while the protein signals spent
muscles to begin the rebuilding process.

3. As part of your last meal of the day, a lean protein source like chicken
breast, cottage cheese or lean beef will give your muscles the amino acids
they need to rebuild and grow overnight. Keep your starchy carbs and sugar
to a minimum at night to avoid fat storage. Eat plenty of fibrous vegetables,
which will help the protein digest more slowly and prolong the release of
nutrients to your muscles.

Prepare your food ahead of time and if necessary take a small cooler full of
food with you so that you have everything you need on the go.

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Fast Food Nutrition Facts: 7 Secrets to Healthy Fast Food Choices

1 Comment / Nutrition

Written by Anthony Alayon

As I do realize it is not easy for everyone to prepare meals or eat at certain times of the day due to their schedules, this does not mean that fast food is your enemy. As a matter of fact, if you are able to make the right macronutrient choices when eating at fast food places, you will be just fine and actually have no problem achieving your fat loss goals!

Before I reveal to you some good options when eating at fast food locations or restaurants, always try to follow these basic principles:

• Drink at least 12-16 ounces of water. This will prevent you from overeating as water gives a feeling of fullness and eliminates any feelings of hunger that may be a result from dehydration.

• Make sure you get the right amount of macronutrients and the best possible selection as this is the key to achieving your fat loss goals. So for example, at a place like McDonalds, try to have a chicken sandwich with no mayo, and some extra lettuce and tomato.

• Stay away from any fried foods as they have a lot of bad fats in them.

Now that you understand these important principles, I will give you several options to choose from the next time you go to a fast food restaurant!

7 Great Fast Food Choice Meals

McDonalds: The McChicken, Premium Grilled Classic Sandwich and Honey Mustard Snack Wrap are all great choices. Try to order a side salad with these meals such as the Premium Caesar Salad (without chicken) as the fibrous carbs will help balance your meal. You can also order meals such as the Premium Southwest Chicken Salad which comes with chicken. This way you get your protein with the chicken and carbs with the salad.

Burger King: The RTU Cranberry Walnut Salad with the Tender grill chicken is an excellent choice.

Wendy’s: The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Salad is a great and tasty choice. The Mandarin Chicken Salad or Chicken Caesar Salad both offer a high source of protein with fibrous carbs. Make sure your salad dressing is light or contains low fat as they tend to get up there with calories and the wrong ratio of macronutrients quickly. Another option is the Grilled Chicken Go Wrap which is great if you are in a hurry.

Subway: Just about any sandwich from the 6 grams of fat or less menu is great as they offer a great combination of the right macronutrients needed in order to achieve your fat loss goals. Note: Do not order subs larger than 6 inches.

KFC: A Grilled Chicken Breast (without skin or breading) with a side order of seasoned rice and green beans is an excellent combination of the right macronutrients. The Roasted Chicken BLT Salad or Chicken BLT Salad are both great options to choose from.

Taco Bell: Chicken or Steak Burrito Supreme (no more than two) or Fresco Grilled Steak or Chicken Soft Taco (no more than 3). Depending on your schedule will determine the number you eat as only you can decide when you will have the opportunity to eat again.

Boston Market: A great source of protein is either a turkey or chicken breast. The ¼ White rotisserie chicken is one of my personal favorites. A good choice for side items are the garlic dill potatoes with fresh steamed vegetables or green beans.

These are a few of the food options you will get with the Fat Extinction Program. As a matter of fact, you will get over 50 foods to choose from and customized diet charts specifically tailored to suit your individual fat loss needs!

P.S.: If you enjoyed what you read about today and would like to share it with a friend or family member, feel free to do so. You can email this to them, or post this article on your Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace. All you need to do is copy and paste the link at the top of the address bar to send it to one of these locations.

Written by Anthony Alayon. Anthony Alayon is the creator of The Fat Extinction Program. The reason he decided to create this program was because he was sick and tired of all the myths and lies regarding weight loss.. For more, visit his website.

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Knee Circles — Mobility For The Desk Jockey And Beyond…

Training

by Adam

The Shapeshifter crusade against office aches and pains continues…!

In earlier “desk jockey” installments we introduced exercises to open the shoulders and upper back. We hope you’re already well on your way to banishing the dreaded “office worker hunch.”

The Shapeshifter has also received a pile of requests to film an exercise for the office slave’s aching knees.

At first we thought you said “We kneed you” — our knee-jerk reaction was to assume someone drilled Adam in the private parts. And to be honest, we kinda suspected he’d done something to deserve it…. (Ryan: …it starts with cir- and ends with -cuit…)

And then we thought you said “We knead you” — and gee, Ryan really could use a good massage now that you mention it…

We’re glad you didn’t say “We need ewe” — we don’t want to know your plans for that sheep!

Sorry, our brains do get a little overactive at times. But we finally clued in to the fact that what YOU actually NEED is a movement to free up your knees.

In that case, we can help.

Here’s the problem. When you spend all day sitting at a desk, your legs find it easier to stay in that 90 degree position. All the ergonomic chairs in the world won’t help, because your body will adapt to get better at holding the pose. If you want to “break the mold” so to speak, it all begins with mobility. You must move your knees through their full, healthy range of motion each day.

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