Don’t
Be an Idiot Use Proper Progression
By Ty Ferrell
"You
must unlearn what you have learned."
People
typically follow what they are persuaded by most. I can only speak
for myself, but I would imagine everyone at sometime has been swayed
to act on some idea, without smart reasoning. Sad to say, a lot of
things we are swayed to do in fitness are absolutely stupid. A good
example is I had a young guy come to my training facility and ask
about what I would charge to train him to do “Oly” lifts.
Looking at him, I would say he definitely had athletic background,
but why did he need to learn Olympic lifts? So, I talked with him
a little to figure out what Olympic lifts was he talking about specifically
and why did he need to learn them. Now I was hoping he was at a point
in his training that he was ready to move to more advance movements,
such as a snatch or clean and jerk. Oh, how wrong I was. The young
guy started down a road of paraphrasing some of his favorite so called
gurus and friends. He needed to get seriously hardcore and he wanted
to put on some mass. Interesting words my young Skywalker friend used.
Sounded to me like someone had read one too many advertisements from
fitness websites and magazines. So, he just wanted to be cool. He
went on asking if I have more kettlebells and a tire. A tire? What
does that have to do with Olympic lifts? He also wanted to do HIIT
and wanted to know a good place to buy a sled. In my head I’m
just thinking, this kid has got to be kidding me. I listened to a
little more of his recital of extreme fitness marketing campaigns
and I finally walked him towards the middle of my facility. I told
him if he wants to do “Oly lifts” he will need to have
the basics down. I told him how generally guys and gals who can perform
a snatch or clean and jerk could easily squat down below a ninety
degree bend (in their knees). I credit Grey Cook for the overhead
squat assessment. I asked him to take up a squatting position and
gave him an Olympic size barbell to hold in his hands. He did and
held the bar over his head. My eyes caught the first sight of a “leg
presser/ smith-machiner” posture, his butt was held in a partial
seated position, upper torso rounding forward and his weight anchored
in the heels of his feet. I gave him a few cues of what I was looking
for and let him go for the overhead barbell squat. He struggled to
keep his arms above his head and lower his body directly between his
legs without his heels rising off the floor. He already broke out
in a struggling sweat from having lack of motor skill. I stopped the
young Jedi. I let him know what I could do for him and I would not
train him to do Olympic lifts until he progressed and gained the motor
skill to handle them. Like with many other programmed wannabe hardcore
commandos, my de-programming did not work. He sought out Oly lifts
from another trainer who could pull him deeper into the dark side
of the force, which leads to bad form, false plateaus and injuries.
What a shame, but in him I saw my silly young self. Easily swayed
by marketing campaigns to buy supposedly super steroid like supplements
and use a real bad ass training program which is endorsed by some
famous bodybuilder or athlete. I remember even once trying to jump
rope with chains. Yes I was naïve and so are many people who
try “unorthodox” training because they believe in its
marketing. Now I will not say that these methods are useless. I will
state that without proper progression there is more of a chance to
gain injuries, bad habits over proper technique, and a high chance
you’ll just look like an idiot.
So let me lay out a few basic things that you should do before you
do a highly advance circus performer or gymnast routine:
1. Before you attack plyometrics like an elite athlete, make sure
you have a reason for doing it and you have the basic ability to lunge
and squat. Also be able to jump and land in one direction before deciding
to throw as many funky directions as you can in the training.
2. Before you can do snatches you should be able to perform deadlifts
primarily, overhead squats below a ninety degree knee bend, and have
the shoulder ROM (range of motion) to hold a barbell slightly behind
your head. Here’s a tip, if you cannot touch your hands behind
your back, you are not ready.
3. Before
you can perform a clean and jerk you better know how to do a push
press, Deadlift, and front squat very well. If not, don’t play
with the fire unless you want to get burnt.
4. Before you go out lifting logs, tires and kegs, first understand
why the hell you are doing it! Next be able to perform all basic primal
movements (dead, squats, chin-ups etc.) without fail and be able to
hold that spine in a strong neutral position always.
5. Want to jump on inflatable toys such as swiss and bosu balls, be
able to do it on a solid floor first. In fact, be able to do it on
one leg on a solid floor.
Now, please use this easy to follow basic guide so you don’t
make a costly mistake of taking an over-marketed website or magazine
to heart. From here on out always show proper progression in your
training.
