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Good Reads for the Week

By August 13, 2010December 22nd, 2015Good Reads for the Week

As most of you know, I’ve been posting weekly “good reads” blogs on a regular basis. My goal is to provide my readers with good, quality content and variety. I don’t always agree with the information, but the former teacher in me wants to expose my readers to a broad range of views and beliefs. For the most part, I get all of these links off of Facebook and Twitter. It looks like there are 51 links for this month. Pick and choose what you want to read!

Before we get started, here’s your weekly Jamie Eason picture:

In this blog Tony Gentilcore responds to a popular trainer’s advice to avoid squatting. Great read!

This is a guest blog written by me as a response to Tony Gentilcore’s blog. Together, Tony and I tore this trainer apart.

Here is a Charlie Weingroff interview where he talks about a variety of good topics.

In this blog Anthony Close discusses his thoughts on pain and training.

In this blog Carson Boddicker writes again about breathing patterns. Now, I’ve met Carson, I read Carson’s blogs, and I know first hand that Carson is one of the brightest guys in the field despite being very young. One thing that’s great about this industry is that we keep each other in check. Read the blog comments where Aaron Schwenzfeier and Carl Valle ask some great questions (ones that I wonder myself). Carson does an excellent job of defending his position. It’s a great dialogue, one definitely worth reading.

In this blog Mark Young describes his learning process. I follow a very similar approach to Mark. In case you didn’t know yet, I really like Mark Young. He consistently comes out with great stuff.

I got this link from my pal Jeff Cubos; he posted the link on my Facebook page. I’ve written twice now about people who are too stupid to realize how stupid they are and they overestimate their abilities and end up making poor decisions. Well it turns out that this phenomenon has a name; it’s called The Dunning-Kruger Effect.

In this blog Nick Tumminello shows us the bottoms-up kettlebell press for rock-solid shoulder joint stability. Nick is such a damn good speaker it’s sickening!

This is an excellent blog by Mike Robertson on knee pain. This is a must-read.

It seems like Ben Rice upped the ante to 635 lbs. Although I’m very impressed with his brute strength, I wish he better understood a couple of things. First, he’s a powerlifter so the hip thrust is an assistance lift for him. He’d probably get more transfer if he backed off a bit in weight and used more ROM up top. Second, he’s hyperextending his low back which will eventually lead to injury, probably in the posterior elements of his spine. No assistance lift is worth doing if it’s going to injure you in the long run. I wish he’d go lighter, move through the full ROM, keep his lumbar spine in neutral, and control the weight a little better, but even so it’s damn impressive! Good job Ben!

In this blog Howard Gray talks about strength training for sprinters. I concur!

In this blog Mike T. Nelson discusses how he learns.

This Elitefts article is a great read on block periodization.

Here’s a link to the latest Fitcast. Always good listening at Fitcast.

Here’s an interview of sprint coach Jon Goodwin by Patrick Ward.

In this blog Carson Boddicker discusses the FMS and some of it’s applicability.

Here’s an interview of Stuart McGill by Dr. Anthony Close.

This link to the “Elliptigo” was posted on Facebook by a colleague. While I think he found it disgusting as it looks like another way for humans to “take the path of least resistance,” and avoid hard training, I found it intriguing. I wonder if these will take off and you’ll start seeing them around more often. Now we have running and we have the treadmill; we have cycling and we have the stationary bicycle; we have stairs and we have the stepmill; and we have the elliptigo and we have elliptical machines.

Here’s a link to some videos posted by Jeff Cubos that discuss “Functional Range Release” which is a system used to invoke increases in flexibility. Dr. Andreo Spina throws out some impressive science behind his methods!

In this video Eric Beard talks about the adductor magnus. Eric knows his shit!

In this blog John Izzo discusses temperament for personal trainers. John talks about a lot of unique stuff that other trainers don’t seem to talk about.

In this blog Charlie Weingroff reviews Assessment and Treatment of Muscle Imbalance: The Janda Approach.

In this blog Nick Tumminello shows a badass metabolic circuit using a medicine ball.

In this blog Sean Skahan reviews his brief stay at the Perform Better Functional Training Summit in Long Beach.

In this blog Eric Cressey reviews the new product called Muscle Imbalances.

In this blog Gabe Sanders discusses 6 ways to build stronger relationships with your athletes.

In this blog Vern Gambetta talks about perspective and perception.

In this blog Laree Draper discusses her experience at the Perform Better Long Beach Summit.

In this article Steve Reed discusses bridging the gap between rehabilitation and sports performance training.

In this article Christian Thibaudeau discusses “ramping.” Cosgrove, Waterbury, and Contreras chime in about the topic as well.

Here’s an oldy but goody where James Smith talks about classification of general, general specific, or specific exercises.

Here’s an article written by Dr. Anthony Close about pain, core training, and common sense.

In this blog Patrick Ward provides an interesting discussion about pain.

In this blog Kevin Neeld discusses 7 Habits of Highly Effective Interns.

In this blog John Izzo talks about lifting weights and striving to get stronger.

In this blog Carson Boddicker discusses the footstrike and plyometrics.

In this blog Charles Poliquin talks about “Bang for Your Buck” exercises.

Here’s an interview with the man Christian Thibaudeau.

Here’s an article by Kelly Baggett on plateau-busting.

Here’s a review of the Long Beach Perform Better Functional Training Summit by Justin Levine.

Here’s a Mike Boyle video showing the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat Jump

In this blog Jason Ferruggia talks about his trip to California. I wish I had as many friends as this guy!

Here’s an article by Nate Green, Eric Cressey, and Mike Robertson that discusses quick fixes to common training injuries.

In this article Charles Poliquin has Bob Guiel discuss energy medicine.

In this blog Josh Henkin can no longer contain himself and feels compelled to discuss the importance of screening. This is a great read!

This is part II of a Mike Robertson blog on knee health.

In this blog Eric Cressey discusses continuing education.

In this blog Robbie Bourke interviews Carl Valle. It’s a great interview in my opinion.

In this blog Charles Poliquin gives training and nutritional advice to a skinny twirt. Charles is always entertaining!

I don’t know what impresses me more about this video; John Brookfield’s hand strength or Martin Rooney’s speaking skills.

In this blog Jason Ferruggia gives some advice regarding how to raise testosterone levels. The first pic caused my testosterone levels to surge at least 30%. Aye caramba!

In this blog David Lasnier provides a dynamic stretching routine for improved mobility.

In this blog Carson Boddicker discusses the WD-40 and Duct Tape model.

In this blog Matt Johnson discusses the lateral subsystem and single leg work.

16 Comments

  • “An argument could be made that sedentarism and overeating is making women’s thighs huge, not squatting, but I digress.” -Bret Contreras

    Love it! Great work on bashing up my weekend with reading. Also, thanks so much for your pingback Bret. Cheers, Ant.

  • Ian Mills says:

    Hey Bret,

    With the new “Super Bug” coming out, everyone has an excuse to stay indoors and read all these wicked articles 🙂

    Thank you for taking the time to summarize each post so we can prioritize which ones to tackle first

    Atta boy

    Ian “Mad Dog” Mills

  • Ian Mills says:

    On Mike Boyle’s video showing the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat Jump, should we be focused on a quick transition from eccentric to concentic with minimal ground contact?

    • Mad Dog, I think the best way is right in between. On one end you could try to be super stiff and have minimal GC, but although you’d get maximum stiffness and elastic recoil, you wouldn’t get much hip or knee ROM. On the other end you could go down and do a full rep and try to be explosive, but although you’d be getting good hip and knee ROM you wouldn’t get as much elastic and RFD out of the movement. So I think the balance is right in the middle, you adjust your leg spring stiffness to allow a little more ROM, just how Mike has his athletes do it. Great question!

  • Omar says:

    Bret, I really like your ‘good reads’ blog posts. I frequent a lot of sites to learn new things but you give me links to ones I sometimes miss.

  • Neal W. says:

    Bret,

    What do you think about Poliquin’s levels of neuromuscular activation? Also, if “dips on rings” are a level 7 you would have to create another level for harder ring exercises since dips are a child’s exercise.

    • To be honest I don’t like it that much. I wrote about something in one of my earlier posts which I called the “Integrative – Isolative Continuum” which I felt was more accurate but even it had its flaws. Such a model is deceptive because more integration doesn’t imply more muscle growth. Research refutes this theory.

  • Adam says:

    Bret ,

    Wats up brother ! Hey on Ben’s Hip Thrust I see what your saying as far as not finishing the top end ( Full Range of Motion ) , but not keeping the lumbar spine in neutral ?? I can’t see where he’s gone wrong ……Could you briefly explain …Great reads bro !!

    • Did you watch my hip thrust instructional video on Youtube? I go over all of it. He’s overarching (lumbar hyperextension). Deadlifts encourage lumbar flexion and if not prevented will lead to injury. Hip thrusts encourage extension and if not prevented will lead to injury. Flexion injuries more often involve disc herniations, whereas extension injuries more often involve facet damages. Type in “hip thrust instructional video” onto Google and my Youtube video will pop up.

  • Giuseppe Meazza says:

    Bret,

    Regarding the RFESS Jump, I tend to agree toward the Happy medium comment you made. But do you see a role for mixing it up from time to time to manipulate both the ROM used, as well as the relative contribution (or lack thereof) of the SSC? I suppose this would simply be another sort of happy medium or perhaps it would simply be better to just stick with your original suggestion.

    As an aside, you routinely post a staggering payload of informative links. I am wondering how many of these your read through in full, given that you also spend plenty of time reading books, listening to podcasts and audio books, reading journal articles, and likely reviewing webinars and DVD’s, as well. I know you’ve commented on being a fast reader, but even with a near photographic memory, it seems like working through all of that would be a very tall order, even on the easiest of days. Throw in the fact that with so much content to potentially review that even the most discriminating individual would be challenged trying to select only the ones that appeared most interesting, and it makes for a burgeoning case of ADHD……………..or perhaps I am simply reading far too slowly, hah, hah.

    In any event, thanks for being a class act and generously sharing your knowledge and insight. It is always an honor to stop by here.

    • Good question Giuseppe! Yes, mixing it up would be a good idea. I read every link I put up. I haven’t been sleeping much and have been a reading machine! I can afford to do this since I make a living off of this lifestyle. I probably forget half the stuff I read but I make up for it in frequency and volume!

  • Steve says:

    Good stuff as usual, Brett.
    Thanks for the link a few times ago to Chaos and Pain – that guy is on to something, for sure.
    (By the way, can anyone recommend half-decent gyms in Vancouver and San Francisco? I don’t want to not squat and dead lift on my vacation. Ta.)

    • Yeah he’s crazy but great! I’ve never been to San Fran or Vancouver, and off-hand I don’t know of any popular trainers in either city. Sorry to not be of much help.

  • Ad says:

    Dr. Andreo Spina is my chiropractor buddy up here in Toronto. I didn’t know some of the stuff he does on me is the stuff in the article.

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