Deadlift Photos

 

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Every photo above is an example of the exercise referred to as the DEADLIFT (this week’s theme). It’s an exercise that nearly every adult on earth would benefit from because it directly works the muscles involved with posture. Obviously, from the photos, there are plenty of options, even more than I have here. For beginners, whatever object is being lifted can easily be placed a few inches off the ground to make it easier and safer to learn. To do the exercise, just bend down safely to pick up whatever object (the dead weight) and then safely stand back up with it tall and straight. Don’t have any equipment? You don’t need any. Just find a small duffel bag and fill with stuff…water bottles, dirt, bags of dog food or water softener salt pellets. I’ve even used a cinder block which costs around $3 and weighs approximately 35lbs. The main thing to remember is to keep your back straight the entire time. Tighten your stomach muscles to help with this. Use your hips, not just your legs to lift the weight. If the weight is too heavy to allow for this, use something lighter. Stand up tall at the top. Squeeze your butt without leaning backwards. Aim for 10-15 reps. Once comfortable, maybe try going heavier so that 5-10 reps is heavier but still doable. Do this once a week would be my recommendation. Pick which day right now. Commit to it. *The man in the middle photo is Lamar Gant, arguably the strongest pound for pound dead-lifter of all time. He lifted 688lbs in the deadlift at a height of 5’2” and weighing 132lbs. Now that is impressive. He also had scoliosis. #bssbbooks #austinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainer #healthandfitness #heathsndwellness #deadlift #strongwomen #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on May 22, 2019 at 1:52pm PDT

Counteract Sitting with the Deadlift

 

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Let’s look a little deeper at the negative effects of too much sitting. One area that’s not mentioned enough is the effect it has on our Posture, specifically the muscles involved with keeping our posture upright versus hunched over. Understand, sitting is not inherently bad for us. It becomes a problem when done too often and with no effort made to correct any negative effects. It is true that sitting does tend to make some muscles tighter. It would be wise to Google which ones and then do regular stretching and self/massage work for those areas before they become serious problems. But what about exercise? Is there an exercise that can help with the many postural issues caused by too much sitting? Yes, it’s called the DEADLIFT. In the early 19oo’s it was still called the Healthlift. They even do this exercise at the space station. Is it a good exercise for everyone? Maybe not. For various reasons, not all exercises are a good fit for everyone. There are some simple tests that can help identify any potential problems, especially in the hands of qualified professional. Just know that most anyone can learn to do this exercise safely. In fact, there are quite a few different versions of the Deadlift and a variety of equipment can be used. Do some research. Experiment. And yes, always be careful. The point today was to get you to understand that while many of us may have to sit way more than is healthy, there are things we can and should do to keep from ending up permanently hunched over. Why not start today?! #bssbbooks #posture #posturecorrector #posturecorrection #heathsndwellness #healthandfitness #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on May 20, 2019 at 11:48am PDT

Books that help with Posture

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I own a lot books. I find value in each of them. With Posture being this week’s theme, I thought I’d share a few of my favorites books on the subject. Any one of these would be a great read. Each book has ample stretches and exercises to improve posture and flexibility for beginners and beyond. Two of the four books above were written by Katy Bowman. I love her writing. She has a number of books in print, as well as two other eBooks about foot health. If you sit most of the day every day, you do NEED to do some things to help counteract all the inactivity. It doesn’t take too much time or effort. But it does need to happen and happen consistently… Why not do something now instead of waiting till things get really bad? #bssbbooks #posture #posturecorrector #posturecorrection #heathandwellbeing #healthandwellness #healthandfitness #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on May 16, 2019 at 6:59am PDT

Thoughts on Posture

 

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POSTURE. There is good posture and there is bad posture. Most of us would agree what each of these look like. Just look around. There seems to be more slumping and slouching now than ever before. Even children look “bent”. Smart phones, as great as they are, have certainly made this issue worse. If you stay in a “bad posture” too often it can become almost permanent. By “almost permanent” I mean it’s potentially reversible but often very difficult and highly unlikely without regular practice and an astounding awareness. The best thing you can do is limit your time sitting and using your phone. I know that sounds like madness. I also know most folks have to sit while working. Do everything you can to find creative ways to build “good posture” into your every day. It helps all things health and even helps drastically improve appearance. “Pull yourself TALL”. And don’t forget to breathe. #blueskystrongbox #austinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainer #bssbbooks #fundamentalsofhealthyliving #healthandfitness #heathsndwellness #posturecorrection #posturecorrector #posture

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on May 13, 2019 at 7:48am PDT

Strength Training in Space

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The negative effects on the body while in space can be dramatic. The lack of gravity can leave muscles & bones under-stimulated, resulting in a serious decrease in strength and bone density (think… NOT being able to walk.) Nowadays, everyone spending time at the Space Station is required to do exercise, especially Strength Training and Aerobic Training. While they have the option to do a variety of different exercises using a custom resistance setup, the DEADLIFT is an important exercise because it strengthens many of the body’s muscles involved with maintaining upright Posture. Even with the aid of gravity here on Earth, many humans do not get enough weight-bearing activity to maintain optimal levels of Muscular Strength and Bone Density. These are just a few reasons why Resistance Training is so important. In the late 18oo’s/early 19oo’s, the Deadlift exercise was actually called the HEALTH-LIFT because of it’s many known health benefits. Everyone needs to Strength Train. The Deadlift can be a great choice for many. There are many different ways to do a Deadlift that can be safe and effective for most any human, regardless of age, gender, health status, fitness level or experience. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Jan 31, 2019 at 9:03am PST

Workout that only requires a Shoe (Turkish Getup – Part 1 ) – Time Warner News’ ACTIVE NOW

Time Warner News’ (Austin) “Active Now” spot showed me a little love last week. Here, I do my best to demonstrate the main first move of the Turkish Getup using a shoe. It’s like a sit-up but much much more.

http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/lifestyles/2015/10/30/workout-that-only-requires-a-shoe.html

http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/lifestyles/2015/10/30/workout-that-only-requires-a-shoe.html

New Health & Fitness Tipz! Today i talk about “Squatting”. Most people hear that and think: an exercise. But it’s much more than that. Even if you never plan to “workout” again, you still should be able to squat down without it looking like total dogsh*t. The point is, you need to be able to safely squat down fairly low till the day you die. But this requires some knowledge and will take some practice. Today’s video is not about trying to teach anyone how to squat correctly(that would be a much longer video), but more for ideas on where to begin. Start today. Learn to squat again. If you are not an “exerciser” then try getting down and hanging out in the bottom part of the squat, much like a daily stretch. If you have seen the light and do practice movement on a regular basis, include squats in every workout, either as part of your warmup or as a main dish. The point is to move better and squatting is a fundamental part of that huge equation. Enjoy.

Ideas for a better warmup:
THE “Old” WARMUP (5-15min): Most people just hop on a treadmill or stationary bike for anywhere from 5-20 minutes to “warmup”. This works but it’s most likely not as effective as other options. Guys who plan on lifting “heavy” weights often ONLY warmup by doing light warmup-sets of their chosen exercise(s) for the day. Again, this also works but considering the fact that most of us know we need more stretching in our lives, including at least a few simple stretches in the warmup might be more optimal. Often guys are also scared to stretch before they lift because, “rumor has it”, you won’t get as big and strong. While it may be true that doing a marathon stretching session before lifting might be counterproductive for some, including other “types” of stretching has proven to actually increase strength & performance when done correctly. Lastly, some folks do their “cardio” first before lifting “weights”, i would assume in hopes of losing some unwanted body fat. Again, this is probably not the best idea UNLESS you are primarily seeking to increase your endurance for a specific event, competition or occupation. But for everyone else, i don’t recommend it. Ever, really. Normally, too much “cardio” before “lifting weights” interferes with… you guessed it, the weights. (And just to clarify, “weights”, “lifting”, “lifting weights” “strength machines”, “strength training”, “resistance training”, “body weight training”, “calisthenics”, “hard yoga”, “hard pilates”, etc are ALL basically the same thing!) “The primary purpose of resistance training is to get stronger, and for some, also build muscle. Both these things can also indirectly aid with fat loss. But keep in mind, getting stronger and building muscle both require INTENSITY to get the desired results. So don’t empty your fuel tank too early by doing too much in the warmup. If your goal is fat-loss, getting stronger or packing on more muscle, try including a short, intense 10-minute “interval session” after “weights” (aka “a finisher”). I’d also recommend doing your longer “cardio” workouts or group classes on another day, all by themselves, if you have the time available.

THE “New” WARMUP (5-10) So here we go. Here are some new things to try as your “warmup”. First and foremost, correct breathing is essential and often overlooked. This means breathing deeply from your diaphragm, through your nose. Keep this in mind as you warmup and proceed to the rest of your workout. I often tell people to do all movements at a pace that allows you sync your breathing with each repeat of that movement. Start your warmup by massaging some of the major muscles regions (back, legs, hips, calves) with a Foam Roller. (This is what most professional athletes do.)Most gyms have them. Walmart, Target, Amazon, etc all sell them for $30 or less). Then do a few safe Dynamic Stretches (aka “moving stretches”). Google this. Then perform a few easy body-weight warmup movements, focusing on stabilizing your spine and moving your many joints about (especially the hip & arm sockets). To summarize, you could very quickly Foam Roll 2-3 major areas of your body, do 2-3 full body stretches and 2-3 major body-weight movements (easy pushups, easy pulling & easy squatting), and be done in less than 10 minutes. You could even include 1-2 “core” exercises near the end or even devote some of the time to practice a new exercise (with no weight or a light weight) that maybe needs some practice. If you really want to hit everything, perform all the primitive movement patterns every time you warmup. (Check out any of Mark Verstegen’s Books). Research all this stuff! Educate yourself. It’s free. Keep things simple. Many things could work. Just keep this in mind, the purpose of a “warmup” is to get you prepared/ramped-up for the harder work ahead, not beat you done prematurely. The key is always to maximize your time, this should include not wasting any precious time doing useless sh*t during a warmup. You may want extend your warmup longer if you are sore or dealing with an injury, have specific “corrective exercises” you know you need to include, it’s really cold outside or you just woke up. We all know we need to stretch more, etc. Include these type things in your warmup and you can always get a lot done in each session, regardless of time. Density is the key.
– Carlton

p.s. Keep things simple. Always. I know i mentioned a lot of things, and that was just the silly warmup. lol. The reality is that the details of exercise and programming can easily start to bog any mind down. So don’t let it. Start by including just one new thing next time your workout. Build on that over time. The point is to move more, move better. There will probably never be a “perfect” way. And while some will waste time searching tirelessly for that, you should be out there getting work done. Time is of the essence. Ask for help if you need it. Work hard. Play hard. Enjoy.

New Weekly Health/Fitness Tipz! This week i want to remind all of you how important it is to be (relatively) flexible, in life and with our bodies, as well as maintain healthy joints. Even if we don’t exercise regularly, it’s still important to have some range of motion. Nothing can make us feel “old” quite like not being able to bend down, reach overhead or get up & down off the ground. Today i will show you a simple little routine i do to help with all this. It requires no equipment. It takes less than 5 minutes. You can do it anywhere. It might look like yoga to some, but i won’t say that it is. It’s just movement to me. Call it whatever you want. Just do it. Work slowly towards doing this every day, even if you do nothing else. Don’t let them gods of wither take your youthfulness away…

New Weekly Tipz! Today i offer a simple & cheap suggestion (around 10$ on Amazon) that might help with acute back pain for all you out there that have to sit down all day long at your jobs… it’s worth a try. Back pain left unchecked can be debilitating, not to mention expensive. This video is under 3 minutes. You have time :)