Message from the Founder...

I had a chance to contact Coach Mike Boyle and ask him for a quick interview. If there is anyone that has influenced me more than anyone else in my professional career, it has been Coach Boyle. I first heard him speak in Boston back in 2001--which I understand was his first invite on the Perform Better "circuit" of seminars. He was clever and witty...and actually more reserved back then. Today, he's a bit more "direct" and unapologetic for his methods--and not that he should be. He has trained thousands of elite athletes over his 25+ years in the business and established the first for-profit training facility back in the 1990's. He has written two books that are widely accepted as testaments in the strength & conditioning field, one being the popular "Functional Training for Sports" which should be a staple in every trainer's bookcase and the other is "Designing Strength Training Programs and Facilities". He has put out countless DVD's and presented all over the country, and he is constantly referenced as a positive force in the conditioning field.

I have heard him speak five times my whole career. And before spending money on seminars was the new buzz word to give you "validity" in the field, I was spending hundreds of dollars every year since 2000. I have never met Mike in person because every year I get close enough to introduce myself to him, he is bombarded by so many others asking him individual questions. All I wanted to do is say "Hello, I'm John Izzo. I have been adapting most of you methodologies since 2001. Thank you."

Enjoy the interview with Coach Boyle here.

The push up is widely accepted as the most common and popular upperbody exercise in most fitness texts and gyms around the world. However, as bodyweight training programs and bootcamps become widely popular, this basic strength builder becomes more and more of a key component in programs and should be given the attention that it deserves. Let's take a look at why the push-up is frequently used:

1.) Can be performed anywhere (bedroom, hotel room, prison, playground, gym, etc)

2.) Exemplifies strength and basic conditioning

3.) Reputation for its use in military training

4.) Gives a 'measure' of upperbody strength

5.) "Macho" exercise

With the popularity of bootcamps and the "pressure" to perform this and many other exercises utilizing bodyweight, many repetitions become wasted on poor form due to dysfunction and muscular imbalances that are not addressed properly. Think about this: when exercisers (beginners & intermediates) are in a group training atnmosphere, they feel compelled to do whatever the instructor tells them. Chances are the instructor is a "fit & able" person and can perform the suggested exercises flawlessly. However, a small group of the class attendees may execute the push-up with a number of flaws that although, get you through the exercise, they don't give you the best benefit of the exercise.

Lets look at some poor patterns we can observe while a push-up is being performed.

1.) The cervical spine will usually fall down and mis-align with the rest of the column. This can be due to weak cervical  muscles and tight rear erectors. Nonetheless, this is a example of tightness/weakness. Most people perform this have a tendency to be desk jockies that develop tightness in the neck. As the weight of the skull perpetuates forward with the change in bodyweight distribution (static prone), the cervical flexors of the neck overactivate and draw the chin down. The erectors behind are too weak or under-active to do anything about it and what you have is a "chin to floor push-up."

2.) Excessive lumbar curve - I admit, this is not thebest picture for this example. Usually when people have an excessive lumbar curve, they have a tendency to "look up" as they push. This photo is not too bad. However, it can be due to failure to brace the abdominals and "tighten" the region. Most beginners and intermediates will not know how to "do" that.

3.) No scapular retraction is simply due to poor scapular recruitment as a stabilizer. Most people will be able to do this when they are standing upright, but when you lay them on all fours, and their bodyweight becomes the load...its a whole different story. Usually this dysfunction is combined with the head jutting down towards the floor. The scapular stabilzers/retractors/depressors are rarely trained in individuals that demonstrate this and usually complain of shoulder discomfort.

4.) Again, this is not the best picture for "sagging abs", but if someone is having trouble bracing the core and holding their bodyweight up, they will have a tendency to let the torso protrude down. The power of gravity is too much for these people and they lack overall core strength.

5.) Lack of range of motion (ROM) is simply due to weakness. Pinpointing the weakness is something else. Usually, the scapular muscles need to be strengthened and the hip region needs isometric work (planks, side planks). Once those are addressed and noticeably improved, then upperbody work (including anterior delts, triceps, and chest) should be focused on. Because the push-up is a closed chain exercise, one should practice it from a modified stance (on knees or against a smith bar). This will help individuals understand the transfer of bodyweight and concentrate on core activation, bracing, and stabilization. Lots of stuff goes on in a push-up.

So which exercises help to improve these 5 common dysfunctions?

Using auxillary exercises to assist another (convergence training) is a great way to help correct imbalances and improve posture, lifting technique, and overall strength. The push up is only one of the exercises touched upon in the Eye of the Trainer DVD, and can be incorporated into any exercise program that your presently performing.

This is unequivocally the best compilation of experts put together to provide information on improving your vertical jump. I have had the opportunity to contribute to this project and it has helped so many athletes, weekend warriors, and students elevate their game to another level. Here is part of my contribution:

How the Feet Can Affect the Vertical Jump

By John Izzo, BSc, NASM-CPT

Founder: Athletic Performance Applied Resistance Training

www.standAPARTfitness.com

This article will examine the effects of the foot/ankle joint on the vertical jump and what things we can do for our athletes (or ourselves) to improve this often overlooked link in the kinetic chain.

The most commonly overlooked area of the body and that of training is the feet. While general sport is taxing on the foot/ankle joint, not many coaches glance down and examine the feet of their athletes. Most examinations of the foot are left for podiatrists once a problem exists (i.e.: plantar fascitis, ankle sprain, shin splints, etc). The vertical jump is a complex multi-joint movement that requires muscle coordination best improved by specific skill development. Vertical jump performance is determined by a complex interaction among numerous factors, including the maximal force that the involved muscle can develop how fast that can produce force, and the neural coordination of the movement.

A portion of the power developed during a vertical jump is derived from the stretch-shortening cycle that enhances muscular force by evoking the stretch-reflex, and utilizes elastic energy stored in the stretched tissues. Therefore, ankle mobility is very important during an initial jump stance. All movement is based on the level of efficiency of joint recruitment, so feet become a crucial player. The fewer number of joints that are utilized during movement, the lower the quality of that specific movement (i.e. jump).

Why the Ankle?

During the vertical jump, the muscles of the hip, knees, and ankles act rapidly and with great force in an attempt to produce the greatest possible velocity of the body as it leaves the ground.  Ultimately, the jump height is determined by the velocity. Eighty percent of the force is produced by the muscles around the hips; therefore, if the ankle is restricted, there will be some loss of force. The force will then be applied at the knee and will generate solely from the hips resulting in a poor jump. Conversely, if the ankle joint has excessive mobility, there is no rigid lever to produce force during the vertical jump or jumping.

So it makes sense to address the point of the kinetic chain that is closest to the object of force production (ground) when observing ways to improve vertical jump.  In this case, we will look at the ankle and the fascia of the foot to determine what methods are helpful to increase mobility of in the ankle and provide enough force production to increase jump heights.

 The height of a jump is initiated by a crouch or squat performed slowly (static) or rapidly (ballistic). During the initial squat, the feet are in total contact with the ground as the hips extend closer to the ground. In persons with poor ankle mobility and lower body tightness, this initial set-up is faltered and will result in a weak jump.  In the past, coaches have looked at the height of the jump—meaning they always looked up.  No one ever looked down. It is obvious that the ability to generate force is a major contributor to vertical jumping and the feet are the first place to start observing.

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