Exercise of the Week – Barbell Rollouts… Plus Some Thoughts On Training the “Abs”
December 12, 2012 by danny · 2 Comments
First of all, sorry that I haven’t posted in awhile. We’ve been of the process of packing up boxes and moving into a new house. As you know, moving is not easy! I’ve moved too many times in my life, and I’m hoping this will be my last house ever!
We’re very excited to call this place home… beautiful house, and a great location! It’s only a couple blocks from where I work; only a couple blocks away from a bunch of restaurants/bars; and only a couple blocks away from the Rockton pool… the same pool my brothers, sister, and our friends used to hang out at as kids. So I’m very happy to be raising my babies here!!!
Our New House!
Moving on to the exercise of the week…
Barbell Rollouts
Barbell rollouts can be classified as an “anti-extension” exercise. When performed properly, they do a great job of working the “anterior core,” (rectus abdominis). One of the keys with this exercise (as is the case with any exercise), is knowing the progressions and regressions. In the video below, you’ll see me performing a barbell rollout with a weighted vest, to make it extra challenging. This is a tough progression and I would never start a new client off with this variation. Exercises like planks need to be mastered before moving up to this variation…
Once a trainee is able to get in proper plank position, the first variation of rollouts that I’ll teach is usually the kneeling stability ball rollout as Eric Cressey talks about in this video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Gg4o745td04
I don’t know why I can’t embed this video!?! Computers – 2,766 vs Me – ZERO… they’re undefeated against me. Anyway, just click on the above link to check out stability ball rollouts and their tougher variation, ab wheel rollouts.
Below, you’ll see another anti-extension variation, TRX Fallouts…
To make this one more difficult, just walk your feet lower and extend your arms further out.
Now, if you’ve never tried any of these rollout/fallout variations, be prepared for some extreme ab soreness the next day or two. I recommend staying away from funny people for at least 48 hours following a rollout/fallout session, as laughing will kill your abs! 
“Abs Are Made In The Kitchen”
That is a common quote you’ll hear when people talk about how to get better looking abs. While I think it’s mostly true, I don’t think it’s completely true. Mostly true in this sense: it doesn’t matter how strong you get your core, or how often you work your core, if you have a big layer of fat covering it, it will not look any better no matter how many crunches, rollouts, planks, knee raises, etc that you do. So nutrition IS a key component to getting sexy abs.
NOT completely true in this sense: IF you are lean enough, working your core with some of the previously mentioned exercises will help develop a better looking “six-pack.” But again, ONLY if you are lean enough.
Bottom Line: Core work can help strengthen the core and help build a “bullet proof” back (if done properly), which is great! But will not do much, if anything, from an appearance perspective if you don’t use NUTRITION, weight training, and cardio to drop body fat.
How often do you “directly” work your core? If you have performed rollout/fallout variations, which is your favorite?
Exercise of the Week: Gironda Curls
November 20, 2012 by danny · Leave a Comment
It has been awhile since I’ve done an “Exercise of the Week” blogpost. Maybe I should change the name of this series to “Exercise of the Quarter,” since I’ve been doing this about once every 3 months. Anywho…
Today’s exercise is called “Gironda Curls.” Also known as the Gironda Perfect Curl. You can perform these using either a barbell or dumbbells. They’re named after legendary bodybuilding coach, Vince Gironda. I throw these bad boys into my training once or twice a year. When working any body part, variety is a good thing. But variety without effectiveness is a waste of time. When changing around exercises, make sure the exercise selection is done for the right reasons… variety AND effective exercise selection = smart and fun training. That’s a good recipe for success.
Vince Gironda
The Gironda Curl
Here’s a video of me performing Gironda Curls during a recent training session…
You can read the notes going across the bottom of the screen to get a few tips on how to keep the exercise safe and effective.
What I like about Gironda Curls
-Like I mentioned above, they provide good variety.
-It is a unique exercise because you are changing angles throughout the course of the set. In the bottom portion your biceps are in a stretched position… kind of like an include curl. In the top position your are leaning forward and this helps you get a good squeeze… kinda like a preacher curl.
-You don’t need a lot of weight to make this exercise difficult. Sometimes it’s good to get in some quality exercises without ALWAYS loading up the bar and over-stressing your joints.
When you are working a muscle, quite often more weights = more effectiveness. But like bodybuilders discovered years and years ago, sometimes it’s just as effective to lighten the load and get a good pump.
As I’ve mentioned previously, if you’re a newbie, don’t worry about this kind of stuff. Just get stronger at the basic lifts (squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, push-ups, etc).
Ah, go find the squat rack. Oh, and a LARGE cheeseburger... you need it!
After you’ve put in a couple years adding weight to the bar, THEN you have “earned the right” to perform some of these more unique exercises that require you to lighten the load.
If you have any favorite “unique exercises,” what are they?
Until next time…
Sample “Finisher” For Your Quads
November 14, 2012 by danny · Leave a Comment
There is more than one way to a skin a cat, when trying to improve a body part. And I’ve found the quads have the most room for “mixing it up.” For example, a couple years ago I went to a bodybuilding show back in California. Branch Warren was the guest poser, and when he got asked the question, “what is your secret to such massive legs?” he looked out to the audience and said with authority, “HEAVY SQUATS.”
I’ve also heard stories of some of the legendary bodybuilders crediting high rep work to bring up their quads (i.e. sets of 25-50 reps). I’ve found that a combination of high and low reps are optimal for maximal quad development.
And as I’ve gotten older, I now tend to shift my focus towards high(er) rep work for the quadzillas. Now, that doesn’t mean ALL I DO is pump out sets of 20-25 reps. But theses days I DO tend to do more sets consisting of 10 + rep sets, compared to sets under 10 reps.
The Two Main Reasons For This?
#1) My quads are as big, or bigger now than they’ve ever been, so high(er) rep sets are working better.
#2) Higher reps sets are generally safer than sets closer to your 1 RM (Rep Max). For example, if you perform a set of 15 reps squats, it is safer than performing a much heavier set of 3 reps.
And more to point #2, I’m no longer a competing athlete, and performance (as far jumping higher and running faster) has taken a back seat to aesthetics and general health as my main focus.
An important note: If you are looking to build your quads in this fashion (higher rep sets and/or finishers like you’re about to see below), it won’t work very well if you haven’t FIRST spent years building up a decent level of strength. So, if you’re an 18 year old newbie and looking to better develop your quads, simply work on getting stronger in lifts such as back squats, front squats, bulgarian split squats, etc. Building a base of strength gives you way more options as your “training career” evolves. So, don’t skip steps.
Below is how I finished my leg workout the other day…
3 words… Quads. On. Fire!
So, in the end, I get to keep my joints healthy (because I’m not always going heavy), keep and even build leg size, and get some great conditioning work in.
So, IF you have already put in your time building a good level of strength, be sure to include some high rep sets and/or finishers for those quads!
3 Things I’m Liking Right Now – Fat Gripz, Hip Thrusts, Basketball Season is Here
October 30, 2012 by danny · Leave a Comment
3 Things I’m Liking Right Now
Hip Thrusts
Not bad for a 3rd Grader!
Everyone have a safe and healthy week. I’ll talk to you soon…
Quick Tips: Training and Nutrition – Episode II
October 15, 2012 by danny · Leave a Comment
If you missed Episode I of this series, be sure to go back and check it out. You can find it HERE.
My buds Marci Nevin Curtis and Michelle Adams both made great contributions to the previous Quick Tips post. Today it will be just Michelle and I. Marci just got married, so she gets the week off.
Marci showing off the guns!
My boy Jason, looking smooth!
I will admit, I was a little hurt that she put her wedding day over my blog. But whatever.
Tips from Michelle…
#1) Remove all tempting foods from the house. Or hide them! Peanut butter is a major trigger food for me. But, I like to have it for when I need to give my dog her supplements. I put it in the back of the fridge so that I don’t see it every time I go in there. It really helps.
#2) Deal with your emotions another way other than eating. Anger, loneliness, boredom, etc., all make people want to eat. One of my clients was reading 50 Shades of Grey and she stopped binging! Seriously! Find what works for you.
#3) Always have food pre-cooked. I regularly have chicken and ground turkey cooked and ready to go. I am hooked on Rosie’s organic free range chicken at Costco.
#4) Get clear on what your goal is. Then, attach a strong reason for wanting to reach that goal. So many people say they want to lose fat but ultimately they are really happier staying where they are. It’s got to be something that gets you outside of your comfort zone. Raise the bar! I said Yes to doing a fashion show benefit. The idea of walking down a runway in front of people is scary. I want to look good! But on a day to day basis, my mentality is I expect myself to be a role model for my clients. Change your mindset and your expectation of who you are and your behavior will change. Remind yourself daily of the expectation of the new you. Write it down!
Tips from Danny …
#1) Set up for success! This means something different for everyone. Maybe this means you set your breakfast food out on the kitchen table the night before so when you wake up, it is sitting there calling your name. Don’t do this, and it may mean that you throw a quick and convenient (but so not so healthy) food in the toaster – like a pop tart.
This is what’s often waiting for me on the kitchen table…
-Oats
-Bowl
-Spoon
-Protein Powder
-Walnuts
And then I grab some blueberries and natural peanut butter (or almond butter) out of the fridge while the oats are cooking. And I’m good to go. The day has begun on a good note!
#2) Find ways to succeed. A little slip up here. A little mess up there. It all adds up! For example, have you ever done a great job of packing leftovers in the fridge that you planned on grabbing before heading off to work… only to walk out the door, hop in the car and not realize that they are still sitting back in your fridge ’til you get 1/2 way to work? Well, I have – and PISSES ME OFF! So, to make sure I avoid this, quite often I’ll put my keys on top of my fridge so I can’t help but remember to ALSO grab my food before I walk out the door.
It works for me! This may seem dumb to you (but it’s not, so if you think it’s dumb, you’re wrong! ), but we all have little flaky things that we do in life. So, if you find some of these little things are holding you back from reaching your goals, adjust accordingly.
Alright, that’s all I have for today. Thanks for the great tips again, Michelle! And Marci, I’ll let it slide this time, but don’t let it happen again. Just playin’! You looked lovely at the wedding! The weights, cardio, and clean eating definitely paid off!
October Training Videos Inside – A Look at My Clients and I Getting After It!
October 9, 2012 by danny · Leave a Comment
Hola friends. Today I’m going to share some videos of my clients and I working hard to build stronger, healthier, and more bad ass bodies. So, let’s get to it…
This first video is me getting my cardio in. If you’ve read much of my work, you’ll recall that “traditional cardio” (i.e. jogging on the treadmill) is mind-numbing to me. So I prefer to get my fat loss on in non-traditional ways. Plus, as I often mention, I try to keep my cardio low(er) impact whenever possible. Sure, if you are currently competing in sports like cross country, basketball, and football, high impact is a part of the sport – nothing you can do about it. BUT, if you no longer compete, try to choose exercises that are more joint-friendly. Burn some fat WHILE being nice to your joints… sounds like a win-win to me!
Here, Bryan performs cheated barbell curls to make his gunz look even more gunny! And yes, there IS a time and place to use a little body english on some exercises. As long as it is planned and not the norm. And YES, there is a time and place to perform curls in the squat rack… like when you train at a semi-private training facility when there is no one “in line” waiting to squat.
And here is Bryan’s wife Mandy, performing Rack RDLs with chains. Work those hams and glutes, Mandy!
Joie working her glutes with some hip thrusts…
Amy performing feet elevated push-ups with FULL range of motion…
Me, torturing myself with high rep trap bar deadlifts to finish off my leg session. Torture… nah, more like fun. Yeah, I feel like I’m about to die on those last couple reps, but it builds character. 
Savanna performing ass-to-grass goblet squats. And Chris in the background learning how to goblet squat to the box. Chris has since “graduated” to barbell box squats. She performed them last night for the first and her form was flawless!
Capri and Daxton learning two very important words… “hi Daddy.”
How does this one relate to training? Well, it makes me laugh. And laughter is good for our health. It reduces stress and helps us build a better, healthier body. So, remember to laugh/smile as much as possible on a daily basis!
I think it’s always cool to see what goes on in the walls of different gyms. So, there is your little sneak peak of what’s-a-happenin’ in the walls of my gym.
I’ll try to make this a monthly thing where I include videos of my clients and I killing it!
See you soon…
Guest Post by Jamie Vanderheyden: “It’s All About Performance”
October 2, 2012 by danny · Leave a Comment
Today’s article comes from my good buddy, Jamie Vanderheyden. This is a great article, and I have to say that I definitely agree with him. Enjoy…
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On the V-tip.
At a strength and conditioning clinic, I had the rare opportunity to sit down and talk with Charles Staley. Charles is perhaps one of the most respected voices of reason, and his knowledge seems so logical and profound. He has the ability to see the answers, and sift through all the information overload/confusion many of us experience (Internet forums, bodybuilding magazines, locker room babble, and TERRIBLE advice from random YouTube and Google searches).
Coach Staley knows a thing or two about performance!
After speaking with him, I began to inside out my thinking, and almost go against the grain in some cases. His philosophies were very unique. Then, I had an AH HA moment.
Performance. It’s ALL about Performance. Who cares if I’m not a competing athlete anymore.
Let’s be honest, most women go to the gym because they want to lose X pounds, or fit into size X. I understand the goal, but it is ultimately a pass/fail system. It burns people out, and it makes women ecstatic in success, or it makes them irate in failure. So they lunge, squat, take step classes, diet, and then hop on the scale. All their efforts come back to that one… dreaded… moment. No offense, but that system sucks for long term commitments and a healthy lifestyle. That is very short term thinking and halts people again and again. It may have merits, but I have a new way of thinking for the long haul.
Let’s ask our female Olympic athletes why their bodies are so incredibly fit. Lean mid sections, tight glutes, and their firm and lean shoulders are often reflecting in the sun. Their answer will simply revolve around the fact that their PERFORMANCE in their event is the ULTIMATE goal, not their jean size.
Their rocking bodies are a side effect of wanting to increase and better their PERFORMANCES. So their goal is not to look good, that just happens as a side result of perusing goals in PERFORMANCE. In addition, drinking dollar drafts and eating takeout food 3 days a week would hurt their PERFORMANCE as well. They are not thinking about getting fat, they are thinking about getting slower, or less efficient in their event.
Yes, but none of us are competitive athletes, and certainly not an Olympic one, Jamie.
Correct, but does that mean that you cannot set PERFORMANCE GOALS, or set them with your trainer.
Imagine if you said,
“I can’t wait to get to the gym today because I want to do 8 push-ups this time instead of the 5 I did last workout.”
“I just know I can hold my plank for 15 more seconds, and I’m not wimping out this time.”
“I am not going to let that battling rope control me, I will slam that thing relentlessly.”
“I am going to lunge down and back with a 25 pound plate this time.”
That is having a “Performance Mindset”, and it certainly more motivating than getting on an elliptical, and seeing the total calories burned was equal to the coke and pop tart you ate for breakfast.
Then you say,
“I have to go to the stinking gym and ride the elliptical for 30 minutes so I can lose 2 pounds.”
If you are on the V-Tip, start thinking about pursuing and crushing some performance goals that are appropriate for you.
Trust me, shoot for achieving performance goals in the gym, eat so that the performance is possible, enjoy your workouts, and then strut your stuff!
Best of Luck,
Jamie Vanderheyden
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Boom! You nailed it, Jamie! Nice job. Are you all setting performance goals for yourself? If not, as you can see from Jamie’s article, it’s time to start!
Quick Tips: Training and Nutrition – Episode I
September 25, 2012 by danny · Leave a Comment
Throughout the course of each week, I make sure to find time to read nutrition/training related articles/blogs. However I only have so much time in my day, so reading long article after long article can become too time consuming or just start to get old after awhile. Therefore, I really like articles that can provide quick, easy to apply information… kind of like this blog post I made a few months back. Or, like the series Eric Cressey has going over on his blog.
My good friends from back in Cali are here to drop some quality tips that can help you get one step closer to reaching your health and fitness goals. Both Michelle Adams and Marci Nevin have already made some great contributions (found HERE and HERE and HERE), and today they’re back for more…
Tips From Michelle…
#1) Stay busy! Don’t plop down on the couch at night and eat in front of the TV. Eat with the TV off. Clean up. Move on. One of my clients gave me a tip. She schedules something to do right after she eats, like fold the laundry. (Note from Danny: Oh, me likey! Great idea… Michelle be sure to give your client props for me. What a great idea!
2) Keep your list of food choices small. Stick to foods you like and don’t force yourself to eat foods you don’t like. I love oatmeal. When I was dieting for a show it was my carb of choice. Are sweet potatoes better? Yes. But when I was dieting it satisfied me. Feeling deprived just leads to overeating. I enjoy more food options now but I go back to my narrow food list when I need to tighten up. Caveat is #3.
#3) Get obsessed with vegetables. Explore new veggies and see how many colors you can eat it one day.
#4) Have tea at night after dinner. That is a tough time for me. I make a doctored up lemon ginseng tea, heating up a 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk and water and adding some liquid vanilla stevia. It’s very satisfying and hits my sweet tooth.
#5) Follow someone on Facebook that inspires you. I love Jamie Eason. Who doesn’t?! Just going to her page, reading her posts and looking at her awesome pics motivates me to stay on track.
Jamie Eason
Tips from Marci…
#1) In the wise words of Dr. John Berardi, “If it’s in your house, eventually you will eat it.” This is a simple way of saying, dont bring your trigger foods into your home. There are certain foods that I just cant buy, even healthy ones, as I know I have the ability to eat the entire box/jar in one sitting. There is bound to be a time when you lose your self control and cave to these foods, which often sets off a cascade of negative emotions and can cause you to blow your diet for the rest of the day.
#2) Some of my best workouts have come on the days when I felt the worst or was the least motivated. If a time comes when you really don’t feel like training, just get yourself to the gym (or where ever you train) and at least go through your warm up and a few sets. 99% of the time you will get into the zone and end up completing your whole workout.
#3) Stop program hopping if you don’t see the results you want within the first week. There is no perfect diet or training plan. The results you get are determined by how well you execute it. Find a plan and stick to it. Just make sure it is one that you enjoy and will be consistent with, as you will be much more likely to succeed.
Tips from Danny…
#1) Similar to tip #4 from Michelle above…
When I start to get a craving that I know I have no control over (i.e. my hand reaches for my phone to dial up some pepperoni pizza from the local pizza joint even though my brain is yelling, “PUT THE PHONE DOWN!”), I have 3 things that have worked for me to beat these STONG cravings..
A) Brush my teeth. Because who feels like eating after getting that “clean mouth feel?”
B) Chew a piece of gum.
C) Drink tea (like Michelle mentioned).
Those incredibly strong cravings aren’t going to last that long, so if you can get rid of them for even a few minutes, they usually don’t come back.
#2) Make sure you have regressions and progressions for every exercise that you perform. For example, let’s look at some single leg exercises, going from easiest to hardest…
Static Lunges with dumbbells (DBs) < Reverse Lunges with DBs < Walking Lunges with DBs < Static Lunges with a barbell (BB) < Bulgarian Split Squats with DBs < Reverse Lunges with a BB < Walking Lunges with a BB < Bulgarian Split Squats with a BB.
Barbell Bulgarian Split Squats
Now, I know I didn’t list EVERY POSSIBLE single exercise imaginable. And you may disagree with the order in which I ranked the difficulty level of each. But I hope you get the point. And that is, if you are struggling to keep good form on one exercise, regress and master another one before “moving up the ladder” to a move difficult one.
Alright, that’ll wrap it up for now. I’ll be back with some more great and easy (in theory) to apply tips from some of my friends in the fitness biz.
Now get out of here and go stock up on some tea and colored veggies. Now!
If you think these tips can help a family or friend out, be sure to share it on FB and/or twitter…
Saying Good Bye To The Old Gym and Hello To The New Gym (videos inside)
September 4, 2012 by danny · Leave a Comment
In my last blog post, I mentioned that my gym has changed to a new location. Well, I thought I’d give you some videos to show some of my peeps working hard. I don’t have a whole lot on video yet at the new facility, so this is just a sneak peak. But, before I get to the videos at the new space, I thought I’d include a video of me training at the old place (my old basement). This was my last training session there. Thanks basement, you we’re good to us, but it was time to move on.
I recently learned about this RDL variation in an article that Ben Bruno wrote. I’m definitely a fan… great ham/glute exercise. My hams were sore for days! Not that soreness is an indication of whether an exercise is effective or not, I’m just saying, walking for the next couple days was not fun!
Perform these like regular RDLs, but with this variation, rest the bar on the pins for a second and “re-start” each rep with a pause. Tough and effective!
NOTE: Regular Rack Pulls are performed with more knee flexion (like a deadlift) while Rack RDLs are performed with very little knee flexion (i.e. the legs are almost straight).
Next video is of Paityn performing Rack Pulls with chains. I’ve talked about “accomodating resistance” previously, but in case you missed it – basically we can use bands and/or chains to make the top portion (in the case of a rack pull/deadlift) of the lift harder than usual. When Paityn nears the top of this lift, notice that the majority of the chain leaves the floor. This makes the lift heavier at top than on the bottom (the chains are 30 pounds when completely off the floor). Paityn is getting good with “finishing with her glutes” at the top of movements that involve hip extension (RDLs, Deadlifts, Pull Throughs, Kettlebell Swings, Hip Thrusts, etc.). This is important for a few reasons…
1) It’ll help her with sports performance as the glutes play a key role in sprinting, jumping, cutting, etc. She a basketball player, BTW.
2) For anyone; guy, girl, orangutan, polar bear, etc, learning how to properly use your glutes helps make the glutes look better.
Powerful glutes help bring home gold medals!
3) Stronger glutes decrease the chances of back and knee injuries.
Anyway, nice job Paityn.
And finally, here is Paige performing barbell bulgarian split squats.
Paige does a great job of keeping great form on bulgarian split squats. Many people let their knee cave when performing these. This can especially be a problem with females as they have a wider “Q-angle” then men. This causes more stress on the knee, and is a big reason why women tear their ACL more than men (although torn ACLs are also a problem in men). Strengthening the right muscles and learning proper movement patterns can go a long way in decreasing the chances of knee/ACL injuries. Chalk one off for ANOTHER reason to strength train!
Alright, I have some more videos for future installments, and I’ll continue to record some here and there and share when I think they may be helpful to you all.
I’m also (most likely) going to be starting a cardio-based bootcamp on Saturday mornings at the new facility here soon. If you are interested, check back shortly and I’ll confirm in a future blog post. If you already know you are already interested, contact me here as soon as possible, or leave a comment in the comments section below. If I hear back from enough people, the bootcamp will go from, maybe I’ll run it, to I’ll definitely run it.
Have a great week!
My Gym Has Changed To A New Location
August 24, 2012 by danny · 2 Comments
We are moving to a new house this Sunday. Why is that important in regards to training? Well, I’ve been training my clients out of my basement. With the move, that will no longer be the case. As of yesterday, I started training my clients in downtown Rockton. My friend/client, Rich Spanton owns a nice building off of Main Street in Rockton that currently has space available, so with the help of my dad and my friend, Donn, we moved all of my equipment over there on Wednesday night.
About one year ago I started off with the bare-minimum as far as equipment, but have since added and will continue to do so as time goes on. Here is what the home gym looked like the 1st few weeks after moving from California back to Illinois…
And here are some pictures that I took yesterday of the new location at Rich’s “blue building” in downtown Rockton…
Daxton working on the TRX straps.
Daxton preparing for some dumbbell rows and Capri setting up for some kettlebell swings.
This location will serve as my “in-between” spot, until I find my “dream spot” as my permanent location somewhere in the Rockton area.
I’m very excited to be training out of my home, and in a space with some more room and HIGH ceilings! Anyway, I’ll be here at the location for the next few months, so if/when you walk by the “blue building” on Main Street, come and check it out.
If you know anyone that may be interested in giving me a visit, please forward them this blogpost. I appreciate it.
Have a great weekend everyone… enjoy week 1 of high school football!
