Post 35: Second Article for strong-athlete.com - My 5 Best Leg Exercises

|By Alex Carnall|

Before I dive into what my five best leg exercises let me make a bit of a disclaimer. Understand that this article is written from my own perspective. I work with athletes who need a holistic, more functional (vs. structural) approach to their training. That’s not to say they won’t develop rippling quads and lofty glutes as a byproduct of working with me – but it isn’t the primary objective. In fewer words, I’m looking to develop movement-based strength.


#1. Lunge

The lunge is money. It’s what’s on the menu for our Knee-Dominant Single Leg Exercise. Single leg work will always make the juice worth the squeeze in athletic strength development. Lunges, by nature include a split stance and a nice deceleration component as well. The split stance develops ankle, knee, and hip stability by engaging adductors, abductors, quads, and peroneals. In addition, we become the beneficiaries of deceleration training. If you’ve ever done a lunge without losing teeth, you’ve used your hamstrings to decelerate the movement. Fun fact: eccentric hamstring work will also save your life when it comes to agility. Starting, stopping and cutting are a lot for primarily quad-dominant knee complexes to handle. Without the hamstring there to pull your tibias back where they ought to be, you’d be in a world of hurt and MRI machines.Variations of the lunge include lateral, diagonal, and different ways of extending the range of motion. Elevating the front or back foot is the simplest way to do this. You might also choose to change the COM (Center of Mass) by using a barbell or even going overhead if you’re that ambitious. By extending the range of motion, we are enhancing the ability of our muscles to produce force at different joint angles. This is useful in competition because we deal with both positive and negative shin angles, as well as being often called on to produce force without both feet fixed to the ground. Lunges are well-suited for a prep or transition phase to re-establish neuromuscular efficiency, coordination, and re-groove sound patterns. Your ass will never be so sore. 

#2. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

The Single Leg Romanian Deadlift will be henceforth referred to as the SLRDL, for your comfort as well as my own. This is my first overall pick for the Hip Dominant Single Leg Exercises.  The SLRDL is a gem for developing unilateral glute, adductor, and hamstring strength. When done correctly, the SLRDL will have a quicker concentric action than most would anticipate. I prefer to hold the weight contralaterally to the working leg, but it could also be done with a barbell in more advanced progressions. By slowly hinging at the hip to feel a long hamstring, the implement (if in hand) should reach to the lower third of the tibia. Then, the glutes and hamstrings should quickly snap the athlete back into the starting position.
As with the lunge, the SLRDL can be progressed by using a greater range of motion and performing the exercise from a box. This is more commonly known as deadlifting from a deficit. You may also choose to use a barbell to change the COM as mentioned earlier. Again, extending the range of motion is of great value to athletic strength development (see above,) and fits prep and transition blocks nicely. Side Note: Single leg exercise also helps to maintain and establish functional hip, and ankle mobility as well as knee stability.

#3. Glute-Ham Raise

The GHR should be an absolute staple in all training programs, even if you’re just after aesthetics. An inverted hinge pattern that engages the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and the postural lumbar erectors is too good to pass up. If you’ve never done or seen one of these (there’s something wrong with you) it’s like a backward hamstring curl. The posterior chain is the number one source of athletic power by producing strong coordinated hip extension. Jumping, accelerating, and maintaining top speed – while the product of many things working together – are all hip extension based movements. Strong hip extension is executed via co-contraction of the glutes and hamstrings; therefore it should come as no surprise that an exercise with Glute-Ham in the name is the ideal tool for the job.

Since it could be argued that the GHR is a bodyweight exercise (we use ~60% BW to quantify intensity for the unloaded GHR,) there are a number of modifications that can be made to progress the exercise if you have mastered it. Using a weight held to the chest, or a light band from the base of the machine as a form of accommodating resistance is a great place to start. You may also eventually progress to using an unloaded barbell across the back – and then loaded if you’re nuts or have a few friends that want to help. I’ve also heard of single leg GHR’s but haven’t encountered that stage of manliness yet.

#2. Deadlift (Conventional

When it comes to separating man from boy, and boss from bro, nothing partitions athletes like the ability to pull big weight – fast. Although pulling from the floor is one of the most taxing things you can do to your nervous system, conventional deadlifting has a huge place in programming strength and power phases. This is the Hip Hinge movement from the introduction, and as such helps develop the all-important hip extension, as well as strong local stabilization of the TVA and lumbar erectors. Plus – it gives you monster upper back and traps, in addition to helping you keep your first pulls grooved for cleans and snatches.
In the interest of keeping this article from becoming too redundant, I want to talk about the psychological benefits of deadlifting. Athletes understand that once you reach a certain point in development, gains don’t come too easily, and small victories along the way are always motivating. There’s nothing like that about-to-black-out feeling you get after pulling a 3RM PR off the platform. Although I agree that heavy pulling should be in relatively low volume in your programming it’s a huge bang for buck exercise. Pure strength development from deadlifting and squatting set a stronger base for speed-strength conversion during power and pre-competition phases.

Later progressions of this exercise may include speed deadlifts, with 60-70% max pulled for singles and doubles, and can include the reverse band set-up for those who need it. You may also consider doing elevated deads to extend range of motion. Remembering to finish strong in the top half of the range with hamstring and glute contraction is the bread and butter of this movement.

#1. Squat

How predictable – another advocate of squatting. What type of squat is most effective though? First of all, it’s important to rotate your core movement variations to facilitate continuing adaptations, but I have to pick one. While I agree that high-bar Olympic or “traditional” squats and front squats have their place in structural balance and maintenance of good hip/ankle mobility, there is one I feel goes under-used by athletes. The powerlifting, or wide stance squat is phenomenally useful in strength blocks. This is because of the higher levels of activation in the hamstrings, adductors, and forcedly greater involvement of the glutes to finish. Mark Rippetoe makes a great point about the inverse nature of hip and knee angles (and consequent instantaneous torques) in Starting Strength. The more open the knee angle, the more closed the hip angle and vice versa. In the powerlifting (wide stance) squat, there is less opportunity for the knee angle to close up because your ass is pushed back during the eccentric phase, creating a smaller hip angle. A greater knee angle means less anterior displacement of the patella and therefore greater pre-stretch in the hamstrings. If you’re still following me, it should start to make sense why I love the wide stance (and implicitly love the box squat.) - See my interpretation below. Left: Wide stance squat joint angles. Right: Olympic/Front squat type joint angles.

Post 34: First Article for www.strong-athlete.com

5 Signs of a Bad Personal Trainer

|By Alex Carnall|

If I could master time travel and talk to the 18 year old version of me about training, I’d probably save myself the trip.  Like any other young lifter, I was convinced I held the key to untold success under the bar.  I watched others with a critical eye and wouldn’t dare admit to being wrong.  Additionally, most of my supporting evidence was anecdotal and I thought programming was something for geeks.

Five years later, I’ve found that there is still no shortage of people like that.  And, some of them have been hired as fitness professionals.  In response, I feel compelled to shed light on a few things your trainer may be doing that could hinder your advancement into the realm of physical greatness.

#5. Your trainer has no idea what you’re talking about.

But isn’t the trainer supposed to do the talking?  Bear with me.  I’ve worked with teams, individual athletes, and one-on-one with regular fitness enthusiasts.  The common denominator is that they all do their own “research” and come armed with information.  In an industry that’s as polluted as a kiddie pool with bad information, it’s up to the trainer to be selectively well-read.  Having said that, I would actually encourage you to challenge your trainer frequently with questions and solicit them for answers and opinions.

Maybe you’ve read articles in mainstream print like Muscle and Fitness (hers) or Men’s/Women’s Health and you want to know what your trainer thinks about them.  A good trainer will usually have at least heard about what you read, and be able to provide insight regarding it’s pertinence to you and your goals.  A great trainer will impart further knowledge to you so you may understand more clearly the “why” of everything in your sessions, and give you the knowledge you need to train yourself!

#4. Your Trainer doesn’t have a niche.

Anybody who markets themselves asa fitness professional should have well-founded beliefs and practices.  In other words, not only talk the talk but walk the walk.  Trainers range from powerlifters to yoga enthusiasts and everything in between.  The bottom line is: trainers with specializations tend to have greater passion for something besides taking your money.  Of particular importance is that trainers who have goals themselves will likely be more motivated to squeeze every ounce from YOU as well.  If you want it to be easy, you’re better off “training” yourself so you can quit when you want to.

Ask your trainer about their personal gains; have they been able to accomplish their own goals?  You won’t need a polygraph to be able to tell whether or not they’re giving you the run-around.  Pay attention to the way they talk about training too; are they passionate and particular, or are they waiting for the end of their shift?

#3. Your trainer never talks about other clients.

I don’t mean that your trainer should talk at length about how bad their earlier client smelled, or about how another one is actually getting fatter.  I mean they should have success stories, TRUE ONES.  A good trainer should not only be encouraging to you and your endeavors, but also provide examples of people just like you whom they have personally helped achieve similar goals.  This not only demonstrates that they have been doing their job longer than a week, but that there is more than hope for you if you are able to adhere to the training plan.

If your trainer never brings up past success stories, or relates you to other clients they have had, don’t just assume they’re being humble.  Ask them if they’ve worked with people like you before and what kind of results they were able to achieve.  A good trainer will be happy to talk about when they created positive changes in others’ strength, body composition or lifestyle. They may even show you evaluations of other clients that were recorded before and after their time with them (more on this in #2.)

#2. Your trainer isn’t interested in your training history or where you currently stand.

A trainer who is interested in optimizing success for their clients will be very curious about what type of experience they have under their belt already.  A pre-training interview about medical and injury history, a movement or athletic evaluation, and simple anthropometric measurements are all useful pieces of information to the right person.  Safe to say, if your trainer takes no interest in any or all of these, your time (and money) could probably be better spent elsewhere.

These types of things give your trainer a better picture of where you can start safely.  Biomechanical inefficiencies may be exposed through movement evaluations so that your trainer can decide what type of training limitations might be present, and further facilitate the development of seamless training plans.  Speaking from experience, there is nothing I want to do less with someone than to present them with a challenge that they cannot overcome with sheer willpower.  Exposing and making limitations apparent can be VERY demotivational, and should be avoided at all costs.

#1. Your trainer doesn’t demonstrate the qualities they demand of you.

A hypocritical trainer is the number one thing that massively peeves me.  Three things: A) Trainers should never prescribe exercises they themselves have never performed. B) Trainers should demonstrate character in the form of diligence and accountability. C) Trainers should keep themselves in good physical condition, and (particularly in a commercial gym setting) be well groomed.

There is nothing more detrimental to credibility and reputation than being wrong.  That’s obvious, but believe it or not, it happens – a lot.  If I may be permitted to get a little sentimental, it is your right as a client to feel like you are in careful, well-intentioned and knowledgeable hands during your experience.  If this is not the case 100% of the time, you should probably think about other options.

There are my top five things to watch for during your undertaking as a developing superhero in the gym.  Keep in mind that these are only five of many indicators for a less than fulfilling experience.  Success and adherence for clients is best conducted through creation of a consistently positive experience by the trainer.  If you ever have doubt in your trainer or what they are having you do, don’t be afraid to raise concern and talk to them.  If they are offended, chances are it isn’t a good fit anyways.

Post 33: The Best Diet for All Athletes

          Whether you're a bodybuilder/physique athlete, strength athlete, individual or team sport athlete, or a weekend warrior; you should consider that diet is the most important aspect of your training. End of story. I tell people all the time - as much as it pains me to say this - that your training plan is only going to account for (optimistically) about 20% of your progress. No matter what your goal is. Whether you're aiming to bulk up, lean out, or just get stronger, what you eat is going to be the rate-limiting step in your progress. Your training planning and methods have the potential to accelerate the process, but only if you're providing the right "fuel" for it to work magic. I will talk briefly about a few of the common "diet" plans people ask me about here on a regular basis, expose their premises and shortcomings, and deliver the key to successful dieting at the end.

You should eat 6 or 7 small meals per day right?

If you want to do this, and it makes you feel stronger and look better in the mirror, then by all means do it. The belief behind this is that six or seven small meals per day, or eating every two hours, liquid-solid-liquid-solid etc. will speed up the metabolic process and keep your muscles busy consuming nutrients so fat starves. Remember: Muscles need to be made hungry before they will eat. While I have mixed feelings about this, it still takes a unique lifestyle to accommodate 6+ feedings per day, and it can be stressful preparing food to go for the whole day - every day. I know some people personally who have seen great results using this type of plan and swear by it. I also know some people who have been more than diligent about it and seen nothing in terms of progress. Again, the "logic" (and I use that term loosely,) is that increasing the number of meals you consume daily increases your basal metabolic rate. In other words, BMR is the amount of energy you use up to continue to exist, Basal = Base. I don't wear a lab coat, but I'm pretty confident that the only thing that truly increases your energy expenditure - and therefore - requirements, is exercise.

Carb Loading the night before a big game or race.

Muscle glycogen is the stored form of glucose that provides readily available energy to the working muscle. There is also liver glycogen, but for now let's stay basic. Muscle glycogen exists in the myocyte (muscle cell/fiber) and is used in acute response to glycolytic exercise like full sessions of resistance training, sprinting and mid distance running practices, etc. Anything that is relatively short (about 45s - 1m:30s) in duration, repetitive, and intense in nature. In this case, the "answer" to the question is that carb loading starting a few days/nights before competing will result in topped up muscle glycogen levels. Simple in concept, but not necessarily in practice. When glucose enters the blood, there is a process that takes place where all tissues are equally prepared to reach out and grab it as needed. Readiness of tissue-regulated blood glucose clearance is dependent on the state of the tissue. Most relevant to this discussion is that unless the muscular system is taxed before the carb feeding, it will not only be muscles that are clearing the glucose and storing glycogen. Fat cells will also be prepared to clear the glucose and store it as... fat. Remember what I said earlier: muscles need to be hungry before they will eat. So, unless you're carb loading right after practice - you might not be carb-loading at all.

I should take protein right after I work out.

Sure, knock yourself out. Protein is always a good thing, but is not necessarily the first thing you need right after you lift. As I said in the last paragraph - muscle glycogen is the first thing that gets depleted during shorter, more intense bouts of exercise. With this earth-shattering news in mind, it's important to consider that your closest meals before and after training should be a higher carb:protein ratio than people typically assume. I said "closest" instead of "immediate" for a reason, carbs are great preworkout, you would be safe to go for a 70% carb, 30% protein meal about 90 minutes before training, and almost a 100% carb meal acutely following. In actuality, protein resynthesis isn't going to be mitigated to any appreciable degree by lack of protein ingestion for at least an hour after training.

So what is the best diet advice?

          You're going to absolutely hate me. I've talked about three of the most common nutrition-related notions I hear on a regular basis, and haven't given you the key to amazing body composition yet. So here it is: The best diet is the one that YOU can stick to. I'm not joking. I would wager that probably 90% of failed diets are due to a lack of compliance from the people using them. Sure there are other ones like ketogenic diets, paleo, etc. and for the most part, they have a sound premise. The question you need to ask yourself is: which one of them fits MY lifestyle best? 

          In a world where people can get what they want quickly - adherence and compliance are lost in the mix. This is one thing that drives me absolutely mental. I've seen people give a diet or a program about a week trial period and say "I'm not seeing any results." The problem with this is they didn't even give it enough time!!

          Seriously people, give yourself time to adjust to a diet. Your decision should not be based on whether you see results in the first 20 minutes, but if it coincides nicely with your schedule, lifestyle, and goals. I've seen people shape their lives around their diets, and shape their diets around their lives. The number one goal should be adherence and discipline. THAT is going to get you results.

-Alex