Skip to main content

Random Thoughts

By May 19, 2014January 13th, 2016Random Thoughts

How’s it going fitness peeps? I’ve got some great articles, videos, rants, and before/after pictures for you to check out. Just keeping you in the know!

What’s this trainer doing by the way – spotting her shoe?

Good Articles

Here are some great recent articles to read, written by various colleagues.

What Exercises do More Harm than Good?

In general, I don’t like telling people not to do various exercises. Exercises are tools, and each tool is useful depending on the situation. Nevertheless, I found THIS article by Alexander Cortes to be very well-written, and I can tell that he’s highly experienced.

Supplemental Strength

Powerlifters, do yourselves a favor and check out THIS article and video by Dave Tate.

Ask the Experts Volume 2 – Neglected Muscle Groups and Training Tools

I chimed in on THIS article by Chris Slone.

Strength Physio Podcast

In case you missed it (I shared this in an earlier post), HERE is a podcast I did with Chris Lendrum. Physical therapists, you should subscribe to this podcast.

10 Commandments of Physiotherapy

HERE are Adam Meakins 10 commandments of physical therapy. Adam isn’t afraid to stir up the pot.

Insufficient Sleep

Greg Nuckols shares another great blogpost pertaining to the importance of sleep HERE.

Deadlifts Destroy Your Spine

In case you missed it, HERE is an article that Tony and I teamed-up on regarding the efficacy and danger of deadlifts.

The Real Reason You Still Have Back Pain (And What to Do About It)

Armi Legge wrote an excellent blogpost HERE on back pain.

Ladies, What is Your Goal?

HERE is a passionate article by Emily Soccolinsky that I appreciated.

Spurious Correlations

THIS website is hilarious. Correlation does not imply causation! This site will help you realize that. Correlations are certainly important and a component of science, but longitudinal research is needed to show cause and effect.

US spending on science, space, and technology correlates with Suicides by hanging, strangulation and suffocation

US spending on science, space, and technology correlates with Suicides by hanging, strangulation and suffocation

Type I and Type II Errors Simplified

Below is a hilarious pic from THIS website to help illustrate type I and type II errors in research.

Type-I-and-II-errors1

Do You Even Mobility?

HERE is a very comical flowchart by Todd Hargrove. If you’re submerged in the physical therapy scene, then this will undoubtedly make you LOL. I’m not posting this to knock any approaches out there, but folks must admit that this is funny.

Physiology is Fascinating

The point of sharing THIS article on NO Boosters is simply to point out that physiology is complex. Research reports averages. Anyone who conducts research knows that there are large interindividual responses to various stimuli. Doctors know this, as should physical therapists, personal trainers, and strength coaches.

Shoulder Quadrants

Here’s a good pic showing the shoulder quadrants:

Shoulder

Stu Phillips on Protein Metabolism

HERE is a nifty little interview by Shelby Starnes and John Meadows with Stu Phillips on protein metabolism.

Good Videos

Here are some great recent videos to watch.

Are Athletes Really Getting Faster, Stronger, Better?

Below is an intriguing video by David Epstein. I have David’s recent book too and am a big fan. I don’t agree with David’s premise, but I don’t have the time to respond as it would take me a great deal of time to provide a counterargument to this talk. Nevertheless, it’s very intriguing and I’m sure you’ll love it.

Golfer Jonas Blixt Training

I highly enjoyed watching THIS video (embedded below). Very innovative training. The Hip Thruster makes a couple of appearances too! Sweet.

The History of the Universe in 150 Seconds

Below is a badass video detailing the history of the universe. This took 8,000 computers working for 5 years to create. See THIS blogpost, based on THIS published article and THIS project, for details.

Dan McKim Sets Scottish Hammer World Record

Two weeks ago I attended the CSCCa conference. I hadn’t met Dan McKim, but I spent two days with him working the Sorinex booth. Dan is the world champion in the Highland Games, and he and I hit if off instantly when we discussed training. He recently set a world record in the Scottish Hammer Throw. Check it out below. Total badass!

Pete Rubish Deadlift Assistance Training

Here is Pete Rubish performing some of his favorite deadlift assistance lifts. This dude pulls over 800 with no belt! Notice that he employs exercises that hit flexed range hip extension (Bulgarian split squats) and end range hip extension (bb glute bridges and 45 degree hypers).

Facebook Rants

Here are my Facebook rants over the past few weeks:

In my professional setting, I choose to associate with scientific individuals. One simple litmus test I use to determine if an individual is scientific is noting whether or not the person will change their stance on a particular topic given sufficient evidence. If they will, then they’re my kind of people!

During pull ups and chin ups, pay attention to lumbopelvic-hip mechanics. A little “English” is acceptable, but try to minimize lumbar hypertension/anterior pelvic tilt and swaying at the hips by thinking of the exercise as a “moving plank.” This increases the challenge for the core and the upper body muscles.

For the first time in several years, I decided to download and examine my list of newsletter subscribers. I was surprised to find that dozens of professional sport coaches, elite/Olympic athletes, and research professors subscribe to my newsletter. I guess that means I’m doing something right!

When you perform push-ups, consider squeezing the glutes and abs into a posterior pelvic tilt and holding that throughout the duration of the set. While it’s not necessary, it will prevent lumbar extension and anterior pelvic tilt from creeping in, which are typical patterns of form deterioration during the push-up. It will also provide a training stimulus for the core musculature and make the movement more challenging for the upper body muscles, thereby giving you more bang for your buck.

Whenever I’m at the airport, I’m reminded that my mission is far from complete. The world is in need of more glute development.

Glute Training Feedback

Below is some glute training feedback from around the web. I sincerely appreciate all of you women and men who take the time to write me, tag me, and post pictures. It makes it all worth it!

1

Thanks Bret.  That explains it.I just want to say that the fitness world on the ‘Net is a maze of conflicting misinformation but you (and Nia) stand out as beacons of reason and common sense.Keep up the good work! – Dave

So let me take a second and say how much I love your stuff…..I mean your blogs!  😉 It changed the way I worked with my swimmers, and the rest of my clients. I have been saying since January…this is the year of the Butt! Both theirs and mine. And I’m 60… And I’ve made improvements. Thanks for all you do! Linda

I love how strong my glutes have become. It’s like what ever I do, I can always count on them. They protect my back, whether I’m doing heavy DL, squats, sprinting and so on. It is an amazing feeling when you feel all that strength you have gained from heavy lifting transferred into a lot of power when sprinting or doing other athletic stuff. I have never felt something like this before, even though I’ve been lifting for a while. But now I hip thrust, that is the main difference and of course this well thought through Get Glutes program. What is amazing is that my daughter’s sprint group has now incorporated barbell glute bridges and hip thrusts into their strength program. People who don’t lift, don’t know what they that are missing out on! – Irene

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Hi Bret, here is my picture of before/after booty that I’ve achieved from using programs in your book Strong Curves.

As you can see, I had no butt at all. Thanks to my Asian genetics. I was like most women that thought doing hours of cardio or lots of HIIT would give me a body that I want but I was dead wrong. Besides, I was suffered from a chronic lower back pain. Too much cardio even do more harm than good to me. Then when I started lifting weight in year 2012, I focused solely on just squats, lunges and deadlifts to build my butt. Still, they didn’t improve much like I thought it would. 

UNTIL, I found your site and bough Strong Curves book. I finally learned how to fire up my glute properly and added hip thrust and glute bridge to my routine. Those 2 exercises gave me such a remarkable result. I got compliments from both men and women. Now I can say bye-bye to my pancake bum and my chronic lower back pain.

It has been a year since I started my booty-building journey and I will keep going and spreading glute gospel. Thank you so much Bret & Kellie for taking your time to write a book and awesome articles. More women (& men too!) need to do hip thrust. Ann

14 15 16 17 19

23

Thank you Jesus for Bret Contreras – Edith

I just wanted to share my progress with you! These pics are one months progress, after making heavy hip thrusts a staple part of my training programme. I’m competing for the first time in UKBFF bikini this October, so glutes are obviously very important! But I am pleased to be seeing progress! Thanks Bret

20 21 22 24

29

Nikki

Hey Bret, I hope this note finds you well. First, I just wanted to thank you for always putting such great information out there, love your positive page & knowledgeable information. I purchased your Glute book several months ago & I have been working with Layne Norton as my nutrition coach since January 2013. Layne recommend that I add Squats & deadlifts to my Leg training program since this was an area I could not seem to develop & a team mate suggested I purchase your book & incorporate Hip thrusts as well.

I had an incredible 8 month off reason reverse diet accompanied by some insane PRs thanks to my CARBS & HIIT cardio, I am a reformed low carb 1-2 hours cardio bunny…anyway during my last elevated hip thrust session, I hit a new PR of 275lbs, I weigh 140 & I accomplished this while getting ready to hit the stage next weekend. YOUR BOOK has CHANGED MY LIFE & MY GLUTES which I truly believed was a helpless case…. I am 7 weeks away from my 50th birthday, a proud wife & Mother of 3 beautiful children..I am blessed. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I could lift my butt, especially at my age, its never too late..NEVER & I’ve still have work to do….I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon…sorry for the long winded story, just wanted to say THANK YOU, from the bottom of my Heart & GLUTES…lol…keep sharing & doing what you Love, your changing lives everyday…you changed mine…& I’m constantly turning people on to your page & recommending your Glute book..Take Care…I’ll be listening, Lisa…btw pic of left May 2013 2 days b4 my show, pic on right 7 days out..a balanced life is a happy life…Love my Elevated Hip Thrusts – Lisa

25 26 27 28 30 31 32

2 Comments

  • Tina morgan says:

    Hi Bret, Writing to get your insight on my situation. My personal trainer is a big fan of your teaching so I thought I would run this by you for your expert opinion. I’ve recently had revision surgery of a hip replacement done 14 years ago. I really want to get back to the level of workouts I had been doing prior to my surgery, but safely. I am 62 years old and love the level of fitness I have achieved over the past three years. Working with my trainer I have lost 110 lbs. and gained strength and stamina I would have never thought possible. If possible I would love to have your suggestion as to how to proceed going forward. Thanks for all you do to help and advise fitness enthusiasts.

  • claudia says:

    Hi Bert, i’ve a question about my periodization… i’ve been working my glutes 3x week, doing lunges, cable kickbacks, hip thrusts, deadlifs and whatever…. my coach tell me i work too much my glutes … but i like my glutes this way… do you think it’s too much working out glutes 3x a week??
    thanksss

Leave a Reply

SIGN UP FOR THE FREE NEWSLETTER

and receive my FREE Lower Body Progressions eBook!

You have Successfully Subscribed!