The Single most important quality to possess to get the results you desire is intensity.   There is NOTHING that will amplify your results more or help you achieve them faster than having an insane amount of intensity.  Perhaps you are thinking, what about steroids?  I can pump you with all of the steroids you want, but if you don’t train, you won’t achieve results.  Intensity is directly connected to mindset and while both can be worked on, having them from the start will help you achieve any goal you desire.

Arnold trained with INTENSITY!!!

I have 2 clients which are the epitome of the word Intensity.  In their own words, client A was “at death’s door”.  They had bone cancer and had been declared cancer free a year ago.  When they train with me, I have never had to tell them to “push through” or “dig deep”.  I actually have to tell them to stop b/c they will keep going if I don’t.  When you have seen your life flash before your eyes, you will live with a level of intensity like no other.  Client B has achieved tremendous results and it is all do to their intensity.  They actually told me that going through childbirth was easier than training with me, now THAT is intensity.  The funny thing is that THEY determine the intensity, not me.  I can only do so much though, intensity comes from within.  I can tell the client to push through and dig deep, I can refer them to their goal which they want to achieve, but without the intensity, we are wasting each other’s time.

Do YOU live life with intensity?

Player Profile from Senior Year at Boston College in 2006.

1) At what age did you begin weight training and what type of regimen did you do?

AV: I guess I started using weights at 17 during my junior year in High Sschool.  I went to a Private Boarding School in Massachusetts called Governor Dummer Academy.  We had a decent gym and we also had Athletic Trainers, but no strength coaches.

2) What sports did you play in High School and what was the training like for them?  Did you have a Strength Coach?

AV: Basketball was my primary sport so I had the misconception that it was not good to lift weights as a basketball player.  I used to only do lunges and work my shoulders because somehow I understood the importance of having strong shoulders for impact and lunges to develop first step quickness.  I also ran track and field 100m, 200m and 400m.  I only started playing football my senior year of HS, and only then did I start to do traditional barbell exercises like the bench press and back squat.  I did start doing plyometric training at a young age.  I was infatuated with jumping high.  I remember using Air Alert Plyometric program and I actually used a pair of Strength Shoes too.

3) You red-shirted at Rutgers and trained with their strength coach, what did that routine consist of?

AV: I redshirted my freshman year at Rutgers, so I got a chance to be more involved with development under Strength & Conditioning Coach Jay Butler.  I arrived on campus really early in the summer and worked out with the upper classmen.  Everything was very new to me so, I had a chance to learn Olympic lifts (Cleans and Snatches) which I loved.  We did a lot of strong man, strength work in the gym, benching, back squats, tire lifts etc. On the field, we did speed and agility work.  Our conditioning test consisted of 110 yards sprints for 16 reps.  I transferred to Boston College and worked with a good Strength & Conditioning coach Todd Rice who was very good with Olympic lifting and sprinting Technique and form.  He really stressed the importance of flexibility and injury prevention. I don’t think too many players were injured during his tenure there unless it was one of those freak accidents which no one could have prevented.

4) What was the difference when you trained under Coach Boyle?  What did you find most effective?

AV: Probably the biggest difference when I trained with Coach Boyle was the focus on developing single leg strength.  The key takeaway was being able to perform our lifts and movements without jeopardizing our bodies and causing injuries.  We would always incorporate auxiliary lifts and movements.  There was also a lot of emphasis on strengthening the shoulder girdle and joint stabilization.  I also ran my fastest times since High School in the 40 yard dash and the other standard testing for a football combine.  Coach Boyle, Jonas Beauchemin (now an assistant with the Atlanta Falcons) and his entire staff definitely helped me develop a lot and improve my overall athleticism.  Most importantly, training under Coach Boyle and his staff allowed me to gain a great deal of knowledge through application by doing the things he was teaching and getting a real feel and knowledge for how things should work, which I apply to my current career in fitness.  

5) How did you find his single leg training versus traditional bilateral leg training?  Was it helpful / more effective?

AV: I found the single leg training protocol to be very beneficial and effective in the development of my speed.  IF you think about it, we do not run on both legs simultaneously.  We run on one foot / leg at a time.  If we strengthen individually strength both legs to be as equal as possible, we can go ahead and assume that we will improve bilateral strength.  With single leg work, we strengthen our legs while developing ankle mobility, knee stability and hip mobility.  I know that my first step coming out of a three-point stance is very important because the knee and hip have to absorb the shock of the step and be able to produce the cycle of the second leg.  If my push-off leg is not strong then, I would just collapse or it would take me more time to cycle through the movement because it would take more energy to withhold the eccentric movement.  Basically, I am trying to say that the 1^st step is critical and you need to have enough strength in one leg to absorb such a powerful impact and generate maximum force.

6) Do you focus on single leg training when you train clients or do you do bilateral work as well?

AV: I focus on training my clients in both realms.  I train them unilaterally to address any imbalance issues.  Most clients are not professional athletes so, most of their movements are going to be bilateral.  Sitting on, and getting up from, an office chair is a box squat.  They need to be able to squat properly in order to get out of their chair effectively thousands of times throughout the work year.  But, if they are favoring one side over the other then, they are placing more stress on one side and will compensate over time.  Addressing an imbalance unilaterally will improve their bilateral movements.

7) As a trainer at Peak Performance in NYC, you have a variety of clients but most are from the corporate world.  How do you incorporate what you learned though training as an athlete into your clients’ routines?

AV: Clients love to be pushed, they want to be challenged and I want to push and challenge them.  They face challenges everyday in sales, in the financial markets and in delivering results for their companies.  So, they are athletes not on a field, but in an office.  Most importantly, I do not want them to get hurt.  If they get hurt, they cannot work.  Just like athletes, if we get hurt in the gym we cannot play on the field.  Clients want to feel what it is like to be an athlete at a high level.  I believe everyone is an athlete in their own sense, and can be trained like an athlete at their own individual pace and capacity.  I believe that a lot of my training success comes from the fact that I love all my clients and I want to see them succeed, almost to the point where they actually do not need me anymore.  It may sound funny in our field, but to me that is a great thing.  I have been able to teach someone and get them to a point where they feel comfortable enough to go out and try the things that I have taught them successfully without injuring themselves. 

’8) Antonio, thank you so much for this interview.  There is a tremendous amount of value in the information you provided and the knowledge you gained from your unique experiences as a Division 1 College Football player.  Any final thoughts?

AV:  I want to thank Joe Dowdell, owner of Peak Performance.  In the summer of 2006, he introduced me to dynamic warm up, activation, pre and post workout foam rolling and was very helpful in program design.  These are major keys for a proper Strength and Conditioning program and I incorporate these techniques with all of my clients.  Continue training and learning; this is a field of never-ending education.  Thanks for having me.  

If you are in New York City and want to train with Antonio: click here

Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a cup of coffee

Do NOT sleep on these!!!

Then, the next morning came…I opened my eyes and went to go roll over and I whispered some lovely expletive (can’t remember now), but I felt like I had just slept on a set of billiard balls.  It was not my bones, ligaments, tendons or discs, it was very distinctly my Lats.  I did some foam rolling right away to work through this and when I did, I was seeing stars!  I was fine the rest of the day, when I was not doing anything, but I was reminded of my slow eccentric Chin Ups whenever I turned or lifted anything.  The next day was my day to train, but I still felt like my back was 50/50 at best.  Should I fight through the pain?  Be a man?  I chose to be SMART and know when to let my body heal. 

I don’t think you should have an absolute rule in place, it is a case by case basis.  I don’t advocate giving up on a tough rep b/c you are sore and I don’t think a little soreness should be a reason to not go to the gym.  BUT, the human mind is an amazing machine and if you have an intuition that if you push something, you might really mess yourself up then, DON’T DO IT!!!  I would rather be in the gym at 80 or 90% than being at 40 to 50% and some active recovery with foam rolling, stretching or a massage can make that difference.  Not only that, but when you are in real pain, your lifts are going to suffer, you will have a sub-par training session and you will feel even worse both physically and mentally.  So, know when to push through and know when it is time to back off. 

As you become more advanced in training experience and you become wiser, you will learn how to read yourself very accurately.  When I began training hard and consistently, I went to go do some wide grip pull ups and after a few sets, I felt like someone was trying to hammer a nail into my left shoulder.  Well, rather than let it heal, I decided to FIGHT THROUGH THE PAIN!  The next day when I was doing pullovers, I felt my shoulder go out of whack.  In my idiocy of “fighting through the pain”, I ended up suffering a painful subluxation of my left shoulder.  Thank God I didn’t dislocate it or tear up my Supraspinatus, Subscapularis Teres Minor or Infraspinatus, but I had learned my lesson the hard way.  It’s better to be lucky than good and I was pretty damn lucky when that happened. 

Please heed my advice and know when to heal, you will be happy you did

Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a cup of coffee

If you answered “A lot more money than me!”, you are correct, but the answer I am looking for is, “They are all trained by Todd Durkin.”  Not a bad group of guys to have on your resume

Who Dat? 2009 NFL MVP Drew Brees performs a TRX plank with Todd Durkin

What is Todd Durkin’s “secret”?
A:  It goes beyond knowledge and has everything to do with I.M.P.A.C.T.  IMPACT is the combination of a philosophy on life and training.

IMPACT is an acronym that Todd created; the following is an explanation:
I = Live INSPIRED –
Talk from your heart and soul
Stay inspired by writing down goals and planning ways to achieve them
Inspire others by giving more and acknowledging those around you

M = MASTER YOUR CRAFT –
Become great at what you do and the money will come
Hone in on your niche
Continue to invest in yourself

P = PLAY at World Class Levels –
Be persistent and mentally tough
Always have faith and believe in yourself
Surround yourself by the best and it will make you better

A = ACTION -
Every day have a “To Do List” and DO IT!
Have a daily, weekly and long-term list of 5 things you are going to do

C = CONDITIONING –
The way you train is the way you live
Your 2 most precious resources are 1) Your physical energy and 2) Your mental focus

T = Be TENACIOUS

I can tell you firsthand that Todd practices what he preaches.  When you talk to him, you feel like you are the only person in the room and Todd is the kind of guy that could motivate you to be excited about raking a pile of leaves!  The ability to listen and motivate are KEY elements of success in coaching and Todd has both.

I experienced the “C” in IMPACT when I went through Todd’s “Impact Challenge” Metabolic Circuit and it is BEASTLY!!!

IMPACT CHALLENGE – as many reps as possible for 60 seconds then rest 60 seconds
1) Jam Ball Slams
2) Bosu Release Pushups
3) Rows with the TRX Suspension Trainer
4) Jump Rope with a Heavy Rope (pretty sure it was a 10 LB rope)
5) Heavy Rope Slams

The Impact Challenge Metabolic Circuit utilizes the same philosophy as High Intensity Interval Training to increase metabolic stress through incomplete recovery.  Bouts of high intensity exercise (i.e. above lactate threshold) results in an increase in growth hormone secretion⁽¹⁾.  Growth hormone is lipolytic (i.e. burns fat) hence, high intensity exercise helps burn fat⁽²⁾.

To learn more about Todd Durkin: click here
Check out Todd’s book, “The IMPACT! Body Plan”:
The IMPACT! Body Plan: Build New Muscle, Flatten Your Belly & Get Your Mind Right!

Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a cup of coffee

References:

(1) Nancy E. Felsing, Jo Anne Brasel, and Dan M. Cooper, Effect of Low and High Intensity Exercise on Circulating Growth Hormone in Men, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 1992; Vol. 75, No. 1: pg. 160.
(2) Malin Ottosson, Peter Lonnroth, Per Bjorntorp, and Staffan Eden, Effects of Cortisol and Growth Hormone on Lipolysis in Human Adipose Tissue, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2000; Vol. 85, No. 2: pgs. 801-802.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mike Boyle at the Perform Better Seminar at the Parisi Speed School in Fair Lawn, NJ on 12/4.  Fortunately, I had the opportunity to learn more about his hallmark single leg training protocol.

Coach Boyle started out by telling us that he has all of his athletes and clients start out by doing bilateral squats.  Interestingly, he said, “Once you can squat right with 2 legs, I will never have you do it again.  That is when we get into single leg work.”

Coach Boyle started us out with the Goblet squat, which he said that he learned about from another great strength coach, Dan John.  He told us to hold a kettlebell with the horns down, like a goblet, as if you were going to drink from it.

The progressions were:
1) Bilateral Goblet Squat
2) Single Leg Reverse Lunge (KB in Goblet position)
3) Split Squat, (KB in Goblet position)
4) Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (KB in Goblet position)

Coach Boyle also showed us the Reverse Slide Lunge and the Reach out hip extension.

When he finished, I asked him if the goal were maximum hypertrophy, would he still advocate single leg work and he said, “Of course, for overall leg development, single leg work is superior.”

Let’s dig a bit deeper…

What is the weakest link in doing a standard barbell bilateral back squat?
A: Your Back.

How do you remove the weakest link?
A: Do single leg work where you don’t load the back (hold a single dumbbell in the goblet position or 2 dumbbells at the sides with arms extended down)

Coach Mike Boyle demonstrates the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat for his staff.

The king of all single-leg exercises is the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (RFESS)

In regards to the rear-foot-elevated split squat, Coach Boyle says, “The RFESS has numerous benefits. Beginners, for example, will develop balance and hip flexibility, along with strength, size, and the all-important ability to endure a high level of discomfort while training. But the really dramatic results come when more advanced lifters load up the exercise. You can apply huge weights to your leg muscles with limited spinal compression”⁽¹⁾

A few years ago, Coach Boyle decided to look at RFESS versus the traditional back squat.  His athletes’ 1RM (One-Rep Max) for the Back Squat ranged from 290 to 460 pounds.  The test weights for the single leg work were half that or 145 and 230 pounds, respectively.  After 6 weeks, the weakest and strongest guys both were able to do 14 reps on each leg with the 145 and 230 pounds!!!  The implied new 1RM, by Coach Boyle’s estimation, would be about 675LBS in the stronger lifter.  To improve a back squat in 6 weeks from 460 to 675 LBS is unheard of.  His 2 conclusions were: 1) If he focused on the back squat for 6 weeks, there is no way he would be able to achieve the level of improvement which he did with single leg work AND 2) An athletes’ legs can handle far more weight than the back is capable of transmitting.⁽¹⁾

So, should you never do front and back squats again?  I wouldn’t go that far, but it is hard to argue with these results.  Personally, the light bulb went on for me when I was asked, “When you run, are you ever pushing off on both legs at the same?”  Nope, you are not.

Try it out for yourself and see what you think.  If you don’t have the luxury of spotters or a squat rack, single leg work can be done successfully alone so, it is even more relevant / applicable for those of us without a training partner or if you prefer to train alone.

Learn more about Coach Mike Boyle here: click here

Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a cup of coffee

References:

(1) “Build Bigger Legs, One at a Time” by Michael Boyle, published on www.T-Nation.com on 8/3/09.

Shortly after introducing himself, Josh said, “It is not a question of IF you will get injured, but WHEN.”  Josh found this out first-hand as a basketball player in college.  After recuperating from an injured ankle, he ended up injuring his back, which ended his basketball career.  As someone who trained with weights since he was young, traditional barbell exercises which loaded the back were no longer an option.  Josh needed to figure out a way to continue to train, but without putting undue stress on his back.  Enter the Ultimate Sandbag ™!!!

Unlike a barbell which loads the back, a sandbag can be held in a bear hug position relieving compression which is normally experienced when squatting with a barbell.  The load varies based on the position of the sandbag.  The easiest is the bear hug position and the most difficult is the overhead position.  Because it doesn’t take up much space, the Ultimate Sandbag ™ can travel with you and, unlike a barbell which needs to be loaded and unloaded, the Ultimate Sandbag ™ allows you to perform maximum work in minimal time.  It can be used by novices all the way up to advanced lifters and it can be used in conjunction with TRX Suspension Trainer for added challenge.

Josh Henkin performs a Bear Hug Good Morning with the Ultimate Sandbag™

So, what’s so great about this Sandbag?  Anyone can create a sandbag with minimal cost by using an Army duffle bag, play sand and duct tape.  While this is an option, it is only a temporary solution.  For anyone who has tried this, myself included, sand ends up finding its way through the bag and when it eventually gives way, the cleanup is not pretty.  Furthermore, a homemade sandbag does not have handles so, you are limited in the number of exercises you can perform.  What makes the Ultimate Sandbag ™ different?  It has an air-tight Velcro sealed bag on the inside so sand doesn’t go everywhere, it is made of durable waterproof nylon, it has rubber grip handles which are easy to grasp and allow for a variety of explosive exercises to be performed AND it is made in the USA!

The grips on the Ultimate Sandbag ™ allow for the performance of various rotational & explosive exercises and because the weight is centered, between your hands rather than outside your shoulders (like a barbell), Olympic lifts and other technical exercises are much easier to perform (snatch, cleans, etc.).  Should you throw away your squat rack and barbell set? NO!  If you want to perform a lot of work in a short period of time, I would highly recommend the Ultimate Sandbag ™.  It is great for working the Core and building Trunk stabilization.  I like utilizing it to perform complexes or circuits because I don’t have to run back and forth b/w weights or machines and I can easily transition from one exercise to the next.

To learn about / purchase the Ultimate Sandbag ™: click here

Josh Henkin is a graduate of Arizona State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science/Physical Education and was a member of the Men’s Basketball Team. Coach Henkin is the owner of Innovative Fitness Solutions in Scottsdale, Arizona and is the creator of the Ultimate Sandbag ™.

Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a cup of coffee