Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance

Some Coaching Moments BTS 🗣️ and Thoughts 💭

I go into my coaching day thinking about how every client or group I train, if I can help them:

✔️ Get a little better at a skill
✔️ Push through a mental limitation and overcome it
✔️ Improve their form a bit
✔️ Learn something that helps support a new behavior that helps THEM
✔️ Plant a seed for a belief that will serve them
✔️ Get a PR in some form
✔️ Cast votes for the person they want to become
✔️ Have a great experience and enjoy fitness
✔️ Connect and feel appreciated

Then that’s a great day. Because if that person comes in 3x a week for the year, they’ll get one or more of the above 156 times and they’ll cast that many votes for a new identity, one that will serve them on the highest level.

That’s my mission, day in and day out, it has been for 20 years and it will continue to be.

Your frame of how you approach your day and coaching is everything! Don’t be a mercenary, be a missionary! Your mission is helping your clients with sustainable change that will serve all areas of their life.

I check a note I’ve written to myself every morning as I set an intent in my day as I go on my mission to show up the best I can (no matter how I’m feeling) for our clients!

Full Body Semi-Private Training Session

As of today we had 1,400+ coaches watch the semi-private programming and coaching workshop. I enjoy doing deeper dives even though 2.5 hours feels short when going into all the components I covered.

The sessions I share here make more sense if you watched that workshop or my Athlete For Life Program Design workshop.

I’ll keep sharing my programming whether semi-private, group training, athletes, beginners (I’ll share more of all the above).

day 2 below ⬇️

▶️ Trap Bar DL Hovers
▶️ Twitchy Skater Jumps

▶️ Offset Moving Side Lunge
▶️ 2 Up 1 Down Inverted Row

▶️ KB Goblet Squat (Pulse, Full ROM, ISO)
▶️ DB Shoulder Raise - ISO to reps

Let me know what else you’d like to see when it comes to workshops and deeper dives as well here in shorter format.

React - Stop 🛑- React Drill

Working with to react, put the breaks on, then react to where I throw the ball.

We’re working on speed (multi-directional), power, strength, mobility, but we’re also working on reacting to visual, verbal, kinesthetic cues and transfer that speed and power to that.

New Group Strength Program 🔥

I’ll throw in the rep scheme for the new small group program today too :)

You know everyone “loves” Bulgarians!

Block 1 - Strength/Power (14 mins)

▶️ Bulgarian Split Squat x 5/side
▶️ Seated Single Leg Jump x 4/side
▶️ DB Bench Press x 5

Block 2 - Muscle Building (12 mins)

▶️ Bridge Hamstring Walkouts x 40 seconds
▶️ KB Side Lunge x 8/side
▶️ 1 Arm Row Hold x 20 seconds/side

Block 3 - Conditioning (15 seconds on 15 seconds off intervals)

▶️ Mountain Climbers
▶️ High Knees

When you’ve hired a coach, you’ll probably push harder. Said and done.

Not only will you put in greater effort, but you’ll also be more likely to do it at the right way at the right time. Not every session is about pushing high RPEs and throwing more weight on the bar, but some are, and in either situation, your coach is there to tell you.

When you’ve got someone else writing your program, you’ll inherently do things you wouldn’t necessarily program or consider for yourself. You’ll be challenged to follow it, execute the intention of each movement, remain consistent, know what’s next, and mentally prepare yourself to get there.

When you’ve got someone spotting you, showing up for you week after week, keeping the energy and engagement high, and encouraging a hardworking environment, you’ll be more inclined to push out a few extra reps, accept the request for more weight, break your barriers and self-imposed limits.

Your coach can help increase your self-efficacy. By having you slowly strip away the walls that you’ve perceived around your fitness and strength journey, increasing your intensity and proximity to new numbers over time, and changing your frequency/volume as you progress, you’ll begin to realize what you can really do.

A good coach looks at where you want to go & helps guide you there.

With this mentality, every training day, week, & block is strategic in merging you into your future self, the one you aspire to. It’s not the same as going to failure on a random Tuesday by yourself. You’ve got someone with your best interest in mind- who can see the larger perspective and meet you with that goal ahead.

Your training is more meaningful.

Your reps have more effort & focus.

Your brain must reshape its old patterns, undoing the ones that are no longer helpful- because you’re constantly approaching new experiences, put under the exact challenges that you require at this moment, face-to-face with your shortcomings & your strengths, addressing both simultaneously. That’s what it is like when someone else takes leadership over your training.

Here’s to all the coaches helping and challenging their clients!

7 Effective Hamstring Exercises You Must Try
-----------
There's no such thing as too much hamstrings or hamstring exercises :)

We switch things up often in our programs to develop the hamstrings. Here's 7 exercises you may not be using that are great to develop hamstrings and you're probably not using right now.

1. Valslide Eccentric Hamstring Curl
2. Foam Roller Hamstring Walk
3. Prone Banded Hamstring Curl
4. Single Leg RDL Landmine Variations
5. Hip Banded RDL
6. Band Resisted RDL
7. Triple Threat Hamstring Bridge

I give some coaching tips as well as rep and set recommendations, and where you can fit this into your training session.

Thursday Small Group Strength 🚀

On Thursday we (trap bar) deadlift. New program is on point and the whole crew putting in work.

I’ll post all three sessions for SG so you can see the full 4-week program we’ll go through (I already posted Tuesdays).

Block 1 - Strength/Power

▶️ Trap Bar DL
▶️ TRX Assisted Squat Jumps
▶️ DB Bench Press Alt.

Block 2 - Muscle Building

▶️ KB Offset Reverse Lunge
▶️ Pike Pull Up
▶️ Wide Stance Band Cross Pull

Block 3 - Finisher (5 mins density)

▶️ Squats x 10
▶️ Reverse Lunges x 8/s
▶️ Side Lunge Glide x 6/s
▶️ Single Leg Bridge x 4/s

Adductor Mobility Exercise

I love this drill combining some methods and implements.

I’ll start by going to end range and then pushing into the ground for 5-10 seconds, relaxing, then taking the slider through the full range of motion (this is where it’s very helpful to get that smooth motion, while keeping your leg locked out and not compensating).

Once I get back to starting point I’ll repeat it and try to get a bit more range of motion, adding the 5-10 seconds of push into the ground.

Repeat for 5 reps on each side.

This has been one of my drills in my dynamic warm ups. Working on getting back to the Van Damme splits :)

Triple Threat Hamstring Bridge 🔥

Finished the last superset of training session with this great exercise I got from a while ago.

With this mechanical drop-set you’ll begin at your weakest position at longer hamstring length, with toes pointed. Then the next two positions are slightly shorter and more traditional hamstring bridge pulling with your heels.

We did 8-10 reps in each position, as we progress through the weeks, we’ll also add a 5-10 sec ISO hold at the end of each drop set.

You don’t need a lot of load for your hamstrings to get lit 🔥 up on these. Try it out…

Full Body Strength & Performance Program

This is day 2 of the full body program for with some deceleration and power to start it off (after dynamic warm ups) and then getting the muscle building on as part of this next phase.

▶️ KB Lunge Drops
▶️ Bulgarian Split Squat Jumps

▶️ Trap Bar Deadlift

▶️ Elevated KB Side Lunge
▶️ Wall Push Back Push Ups

▶️ Single Leg DB Hip Thrust
▶️ Calf Raise Landmine Squats
▶️ Landmine Bent Over Rows

▶️ KB Single Arm Swing Countdown Ladder

Join Team Athlete For Life and train like my clients 👇🏼

Few people give their adductors and groin area the love it deserves and it becomes a culprit for many issues whether it’s groin issues, knee issues, low back issues.

The steps we go through to improve it is:

1️⃣ 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 (with some form of soft tissue work, manual therapy, etc).

2️⃣ 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 (create new ranges of motion you can also control).

3️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 through new range of motion.

While there’s many exercises to strengthen adductors and the groin, many of them being quality movements such as single leg DLs, squats, deadlifts, etc, many times we first have to create a training window by improving tissue quality, mobility, motor control.

Here are just some exercises to mobilize and strengthen your adductors/groin, that can be used as part of the warm up, fillers, or actual strengthening exercises.

1️⃣ Kneeling Adductor Stretch into Hamstring Glide
2️⃣ Side Lunge Low Glide
3️⃣ Valslide Frog Stretch w/ PAILs & RAILs
4️⃣ Adductor Open Book (added Thoracic Rotations)
5️⃣ Adductor Rockbacks w/ Hip Swivel
6️⃣ Adductor Raise on Elevated BB
7️⃣ Elevated Bridge + Band Psoas March
8️⃣ Copenhagen Plank Variations
9️⃣ KB Side Lunge w/ Valslide
🔟 KB Thai Sit w/ Switch
1️⃣1️⃣ Iso Hip Adduction MB Squeeze Hip Thrust
1️⃣2️⃣ Side Lying Hip Adduction ISO
1️⃣3️⃣ Elevated KB Side Lunge

Remember, it’s not just what you do but HOW you do it, making sure you focus on pristine form. You have to practice quality reps or it defeats the purpose.

Like I mentioned above, there’s plenty of other exercises and a key is also strengthening your hip flexors and core if you want to avoid adductor/groin issues.

Implement some of these and let me know how you feel 👇🏼

I wanna be I wanna be like Linda… 😉

Two things I wanna do. One is give a shout out to for working so hard and developing strength, muscle, and power at a crazy level at age 65 🤯 throughout her training at

She can deadlift for reps in the 200’s, can sprint, jump, and hike for hours and hours. Here she is doing 2 x 70lb RDL’s for reps (at a bodyweight of 120 lbs). She’s completely transformed herself and is an inspiration.

We have so many amazing clients here at Vigor, I’ll show more of them doing cool stuff :)

The second thing I wanted to share is this…

Keep a “Never Peak” mindset! Consistent work on your health and fitness from exercise, nutrition, mindset, and recovery compounds and you can feel your best at any age. It’s never too late to start.

The key is to take the “next step” and not worry about “all the steps.” You keep taking the next step, and a year from now your life is completely different (for the better).

Absolute Crazy 😜 Quad Finisher, Apply At Your Own Risk ⚠️

I tend to finish my max effort lower body days with something horrible and I decided to upgrade this mechanical dropset and add some walking lunges to it.

Not a great idea 😂

I rested until I could feel my legs again and did if for another round.

▶️ Double Kettlebell Squat x 10
▶️ KB Offset Squat - Right x 10
▶️ KB Offset Squat - Left x 10
▶️ KB Goblet Squat x 10
▶️ Bodyweight Squats x 10
▶️ Squat Hold x 20 seconds
▶️ Bodyweight Walking Lunges x 10/side

And quads ⚰️

Enjoy if you’re into that type of stuff 😂

We put speed, power, elasticity, rate of force development exercises in just about every program for our clients and groups.

While the exercises may differ with regressions and lateralizations that fit the client, we make sure there’s something “Reactive” in the program.

Why?

Regardless if it’s an athlete or not, people enjoy developing athleticism and it helps to focus on performance even with body composition goals. It also allows clients to be able to play sports with their kids, friends, and transfers over to real world activities.

Also, the first thing that goes with age is speed, reaction, and power. After the age of 50, almost 1 out of 3 people that take a fall break their hip; and developing the above can prevent that.

Keep people bouncy, reactive, fast, for life and good things will happen!

(Small) Group Strength & Performance 👇🏼

Brand new program for the crew and every block everyone is getting stronger, more athletic, leaner, and more fit (regardless of their age, ability, injury and training history).

That’s the beauty of a structure program adjusted to levels, a supportive community and constant coaching.

Every time we finishing a program, I share with the group that they’ve “earned” a new one! :)

Love this crew, their energy, the support, and the consistency they bring to the sessions!

Block 1 - Strength/Power

▶️ BB Reverse Lunge
▶️ Single Leg Broad Jump
▶️ DB Chest Supported Row

Block 2 - Muscle Building

▶️ Goblet Step Offs
▶️ Stretch Push Ups
▶️ TRX Fall Outs

Block 3 - Conditioning

▶️ Sled Push Density

fitnesstips

Try These Box Step-Offs To Build Your Legs
----------

I first found this variation through my friend Jon Chaimberg many years ago and it has become a staple in out training programs to spice things up and get clients moving in the frontal plane more.

There's plenty of variations, some that I didn't show, such as using a landmine (could be squatty or hingey), using sandbags, offset loads, and so much more.

We like to keep it in the 6-12 rep range for these.

Implement and try one of the variations out in your new program and let me know how it goes.

4 Coaching Cues & Tweaks To Improve Your Lunges

Lunges are a great exercise and something we use in just about every program. While I see lunges programmed a lot, I also see the form being 😬

While there’s coaching cues and tweaks for each individual, here’s 4 that we use a lot to improve clients lunges 👇🏼

1️⃣ “Railroad Tracks NOT Tight Rope”

Many people crossover on their lunge which makes them lose stability and also put their hips in a wacky position. Many times just the cue of stepping in a different position and showing them the railroad 🛤️ tracks vs tightrope analogy helps.

2️⃣ Use Constraints and Load One Side To Align Hips.

You’ll see hips “falling out” for a lot of clients and rather than coaching and cueing, hand them a weight on the side they’re falling out to and it will push their hip back in place. This way you’re using a constraint to improve form.

3️⃣ Use “RNT” To Fix The Knee Collapsing.

This does a great job of using a tool to push further into the “unwanted movement” which makes us resist that movement and usually cleans up and improves that knee collapse.

4️⃣ Add Stability To Improve Quality Of Movement & ROM

Many times it could be as simple as adding some stability to help someone have a good looking lunge and add range of motion. As they ingrain the pattern and get stronger we can start taking some of that stability away.

Remember: “If it looks right it flies right.”

You could also combine some of these (also remember, too many cues make coaching worse, say less 😉).

Try some of these and let me know how it goes and if you’d like to see more tips like this.

The Most Notorious Fitness & Business Summit In The Industry Is Back….

Vigor Ground Fitness & Business Summit 2024 locked and loaded for October 10-12 at both Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance, and the Hyatt Regency at Southport on Lake Washington.

You’ll learn how to become a better coach and how to grow your business, brand, and career.

The speakers are the best of the best, have been there, done that, and are still doing it! 🚀

Sneak peak of the event line up (more speakers announced soon)…

You won’t be want to miss this as it will be the best one yet.

Early bird ticket 🎫 sales start second week of April….

5 Tips For Smarter Training, Getting Results & Not Beating Your Body Up

This year will be year 30 of my own strength training journey, while I’m also close to 20 years into coaching and training my first client (I was still playing pro ball).

1. Do Daily Mobility, Flexibility, “Movement Hygiene”

Whatever method you wanna use, go for it, but the key is taking time to make sure the joints are functioning well, and that you maintain (or develop it it’s lacking) your mobility. Remember, quality strength training work on mobility too.

2. Don’t Lift All Out Hard & Heavy On Back To Back Days

While I used to do this, experience has taught me that it’s not the best approach especially if you’re in it for the long run. I like the idea of “stimulate” and “develop” days, so if you’re lifting back to back, one day would be a stimulate and another a develop day.

3. Do Cardio 2-3 Days A Week Regardless Of Goal

One higher intensity and two lower intensity is a good recommendation. Sure we individualize for the person, but most people don’t do this so it’s something I apply for every client, that transfers to better recovery, health, and performance.

4. Know Your Body and Body Type & Adjust Accordingly

Whether it’s how your anatomy is and adjusting lifts (or eliminating them) or you’ve had injuries that make you adjust, make sure you listen to the “whisper” before it becomes a “scream”, make adjustments and continue progressing.

5. Don’t Be Afraid To Switch Things Up

Ditch the straight bar deadlift? Or bench press? Go to single leg for a while? There’s ways to progress without having to do any “mandatory” exercises.

I don’t have much more text lol, but these are some that I believe will help you stay healthy, perform, build your body for the long run.

How To Build The Athletic Muscle - Be Fast, Strong & Muscular
------------

If you want to be stronger, faster, AND bigger, you want a higher ratio of fast-twitch muscle fibers: athletic muscle.

Some of the benefits of having a higher ratio of fast-twitch muscle fibers:

- More speed, power, strength, and development potential of all three
- Higher degree of muscle growth and muscle tone/definition
- Shorter time to reach maximal muscle tension
- Requires less training volume to get a maximal training effect
- Better carb tolerance (less likely to store carbs as fat)
- Quicker adjustments to sudden changes of direction
- Better force absorption

Here are ways I explain to add more fast twitch muscle fibers...

1. Get Explosive to Increase Fast-Twitch Fibers
By themselves, plyometric or stretch-shortening cycle exercises increase the ratio of fast-twitch fibers (2). The same was found with sprint training (3). So, right off the bat, we can say that anything done explosively will help increase your fast-twitch fiber ratio. Examples:

Jumps
Throws
Plyometrics
Loaded Jumps
Olympic Lifting Variations
Dynamic Effort Lifting (40-60% of your 1RM for 2-3 reps done explosively)
Anaerobic Power Work (like 10-15 seconds all-out on an air bike)
Drop and Catch Method
Overspeed Work

2. Go (Really) Heavy to Increase Fast-Twitch Fibers
Strategy #1 - Do heavy sets of 1-2 reps while dominating the weight. This means using a load that’s roughly 90 to 92.5% of your maximum. Go as heavy as you can while still dominating the weight

Strategy #2 - Do heavy partials for 2-3 reps. Obey the same rule as above, but instead of using a full range of motion, use roughly half – from the middle to completion.

Strategy #3 - Use the eccentric overshoot method. You load the bar with a moderate load, one that you can accelerate. It’ll be anywhere between 60 and 80% depending on your level of explosiveness.

Strategy #4 - Do accelerative strength-skill work. Do 2-3 reps with 80-85% with an intent to accelerate. Move as explosively as possible during the concentric. Do 4-5 work sets.

3. Use Isometric Work to Increase Fast-Twitch Fibers
Isometrics mean you’re producing force with no movement. On the surface, such methods seem counterproductive for increasing fast-twitch fibers. But three applications of isometrics can increase the recruitment, stimulation, development, and possibly the ratio of fast-twitch fibers:

Strategy #1 - Use maximal effort overcoming isometrics. “Overcoming” means you’re trying to move an immovable resistance. For example, pushing or pulling against pins with an empty bar.

Strategy #2 - Do functional isometrics. You need two sets of safety pins. The highest pins would be 8-10 inches above the lowest ones. Press the bar into the highest set of pins and push as hard as possible for 6 seconds. The difference here? The bar is loaded.

Strategy #3 - Do loaded stretching. Loaded stretching 12 is an anomaly. Even though there’s no movement and the duration is fairly long, it emphasizes fast-twitch fibers.