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This came unexpected. Mike Robertson, co-author of Magnificent Mobility DVD, is opening a gym with Bill Hartman in Indianapolis: I-FAST. The gym opens soon, but unfortunately they’re running out of storage space.

Mike just mailed me he’s therefore offering 40% off Inside/out until Monday July 21st. That’s almost half the price. I’m a big fan of Inside/out so I had to make a post about this so you don’t miss this deal. This will be quick.

Why You Have Shoulder Pain. Slouching shoulders prevent your shoulder-blades from tilting back when raising your arms. This narrows the space in your shoulder joint, increasing risks of shoulder impingement & rotator cuff injuries.

The common approach of strengthening your rotator cuff because you have shoulder pain is like pumping air into a broken tire instead of fixing the hole in the tire. It addresses the symptoms, not the cause.

The Inside/out Approach to Shoulder Pain. The Inside/out DVD contains 24 exercises to improve thoracic mobility, shoulder-blade mobility/stability, improve elbow, wrist & shoulder mobility and activate your rotator cuff. List of exercises:

• 4 exercises to improve thoracic mobility using a foam roller/medicine ball
• 2 exercises to improve thoracic extension with rotation
• 3 exercises to improve scapular activation in closed chain
• 3 exercises to improve scapular activation in open chain
• 3 exercises to improve scapulo-thoracic combination: maintain optimal position at thoracic spine while moving the scapula
• 4 exercises to improve scapula-thoracic combined with hips. 50% of athletes with shoulder injuries have problems in the opposite hip.
• 4 exercises for active wrist mobilization: repetitive activities like grip & computer work can cause numbness, tingling & pain in your wrist/hands.
• Rufus complex: barbell warm-up routine you can do pre workout. You could also do this as cardio actually.

You can do these exercises pre-workout as warm-up and/or on recovery days for faster gains. DVD has audio cues and demonstrations for each exercise.

Inside/out Manual. The print manual & ebook include the 24 exercises from the DVD with pictures & technique, but also extra material not on the DVD.

• Behavior Modification. Bad posture is the real cause of shoulder pain. This chapter explains why & how to fix it.
• 10 Desk Exercises. Preventive exercises you can do for your shoulders, neck, upper-back and wrists if you sit behind a desk all day.
• How to Bench Press. A lot of people bench bodybuilding style: with the elbows out. This puts your shoulder joint at risk. These 10 pages will teach you how to bench press safely and efficiently.

Order Inside/out Today. Inside/out comes with a 60-day risk free money back guarantee. If your shoulders don’t feel better within 60 days, return the DVD and/or manual and you’ll get your money back. No questions asked.

Click Here to Order Inside/out Now 60 day money-back guarantee

Add the Inside/out DVD and/or manual to your cart, mention “IFAST” as coupon code in the order page (on the right), and you’ll get 40% discount on the whole Inside/out product line until Monday, July 21st. Click here to order Inside/out.

I haven’t written anything this week and won’t for some time. StrongLifts.com Forum counts 1500+ members & 35.000+ posts. A lot of the same questions started to pop every week.

So upon request of several forum members, but also with their help, I’m writing stickies. These 2 stickies are now online:

• Strength Training FAQ. What is strength training? What are its benefits? Is bodybuilding better to build muscle? Does strength training make you bulky? How do you get started? Strength training programs. How to get big or lose weight with strength training. Etc.
• Weight Lifting FAQ. Is weight lifting safe or are machines like the smith machine better? Do you need to Squat/Deadlift? Is Squatting deep bad for your knees? How to Squat when you don’t have a Squat Rack. How to do Pull-ups/Dips when you lack the strength. Etc.

The faqs are long, go read them in StrongLifts.com Forum (registration is free) and ask questions. More faqs will follow during the next days/weeks and I’ll further tweak the forum. Then I’ll start working on the blog.

All of this will take a couple of weeks. I’ll link to new FAQs as I write them. Subscribe and you’ll automatically get updates.

Chances are you never heard of Steve Justa. He has trained for 20 years and has done crazy things like Quarter Deadlifts with 2000lbs, Quarter Squats with 800lbs for 2000 reps or walking 2 miles wearing a 200lbs weighted vest.

You can always learn a lot from someone who has trained for 20 years and who succeeded at increasing his strength to a significant level. The following quote comes from his book “Rock Iron Steel: The Book of Strength“.

Remember, consistency and momentum are the keys to success in the world of super strength. As it is in any pursuit, aim high with your goals and keep chipping away at the rock. Think of every workout you go through as a little chip off a big rock, and when you get that rock whittled down to nothing, you’ll know you’ve been someplace. In the art of super strength, you must think in terms of years, not months or days. And have fun along the way. Don’t get upset or discouraged if you fail to move a certain weight a certain number of reps. The main thing to think about is what you can do. Don’t worry about what you can’t do.

Persistence Is Key to Success. Whatever it is you want. Nothing can stop you if you put your mind into something and work on it systematically until you get it. Persistence will deal with any setback that comes your way.

• How many people do you know who never set goals? They’re doing the same exercises, lifting the same weights for years without progressing. And then they wonder why they’re bored or why they don’t see results.
• How many people set those big goals that they never achieve instead of setting mini-goals that bring them closer to their big goals?
• How many people think strength training, building muscle, losing fat or anything else in life that demands an effort from their part, is a sprint rather than a marathon?
• How many people get pissed because they had another bad workout instead of focusing on the fact that they went to the gym although they were sick, tired or didn’t feel like going to the gym in the first place.
• How many people don’t get what strength training is really about: that getting your Squat up to 1.5x your body-weight & beyond demands persistence, sacrifice and much more from your part. And that the place it brings you, is a place of increased self-confidence and self-knowing.

Share your views in the comments below.

Image credit: Crossfit

When I asked which products you wanted me to review, readers Adam, bret k, Tom, Anthony, root, ukdudeinuk and haig requested that I give my perspective on Crossfit and their principles.

I own 60 issues of the Crossfit Journal and use some of the Crossfit principles with people I train. There’s a lot of stuff I like about Crossfit, but there’s also a lot of stuff that I don’t like. Read on.

What is Crossfit? Crossfit is a strength & conditioning program. You train 3 days on/1 day off or 5 days on/2 days off. Crossfit posts your workout of the day (WOD) each day on their website.

This comes from the Crossfit FAQ:

CrossFit is in large part derived from several simple observations garnered through hanging out with athletes for thirty years and willingness, if not eagerness, to experiment coupled with a total disregard for conventional wisdom.

Let me share some of the more formative of these observations:
1. Gymnasts learn new sports faster than other athletes.
2. Olympic lifters can apply more useful power to more activities than other athletes.
3. Powerlifters are stronger than other athletes.
4. Sprinters can match the cardiovascular performance of endurance athletes, even at extended efforts.
5. Endurance athletes are woefully lacking in total physical capacity.
6. With high carb diets you either get fat or weak.
7. Bodybuilders can’t punch, jump, run, or throw like athletes can.
8. Segmenting training efforts delivers a segmented capacity.
9. Optimizing physical capacity requires training at unsustainable intensities.
10. The world’s most successful athletes and coaches rely on exercise science the way deer hunters rely on the accordion.

What I Like About Crossfit. Mainstream gyms have you work with machines or make you do cardio only which leads to subpar results. Crossfit is one of the fastest growing fitness movement and offers a better alternative.

• Free Weights. No machines. You’ll do Power Cleans, Overhead Squats, Turkish Getups, Snatches, but also body-weight exercises, kettlebells, rings, etc. Even women do these exercises and they aren’t bulky.
• Hard Workouts. You always try to beat your previous record. Your goal is to decrease your time or do more reps/sets each WOD.
• Low Carb Diet. Most people do better eating high protein/high fat/low carb, getting the majority of their carbs from fruits & veggies.

What I Don’t Like About Crossfit. It’s a lot better than what mainstream gyms have you do, and you’ll get in shape, but there are several things wrong with doing Crossfit without any additional work.

• Too Much Endurance. You’ll increase your strength, but don’t expect to increase your Deadlift to 2x body-weight.
• Lack of Programming. You jump from one thing to another every WOD: today long runs, tomorrow singles. Too much of everything at the same time will make you average in a lot of things, but great at nothing.
• Hard for Beginners. You can’t learn proper technique using endurance workouts. Crossfit also seems to think that puking is normal/hardcore.

Mixing Crossfit with StrongLifts 5×5. One approach I like with people who are past the beginner’s stage, is mixing a Crossfit WOD with a strength training program. Reader haig asked:

I’m doing a 5×5 advanced schedule right now and am going to start crossfit next month 5 days a week. I would love to get your opinion as stated by a previous commenter on how you would possibly schedule a hybrid crossfit/strength training regiment to get VERY strong and VERY fit.

Understand that you can’t get very strong AND very fit at the same time. Your muscles can’t adapt to both types of exercise. Training endurance & strength simultaneously will inhibit your strength gains.

Realize also that increasing your maximal strength will increase your endurance as explained here & here. If you need to lose fat or need extra endurance work or if strength isn’t that important, try this:

• Monday: StrongLifts 5×5
• Tuesday: WOD
• Wednesday: StrongLits 5×5
• Thursday: off
• Friday: StrongLifts 5×5
• Saturday: WOD
• Sunday: off

Pick one WOD and do it for a couple of weeks — I like John Davies‘ “The Bear“. Try to beat your previous record every time. If your strength goes down, and food/recovery is ok, you’re doing too much.

Image credit: Jaako

To build muscle and lose fat, you need lots of healthy foods. Proteins to build & maintain muscle. Carbs for energy. Fruits & veggies for vitamins, minerals and fiber. Water for hydration & recovery. And healthy fats to help fat loss.

Unfortunately, the rising food prices make it hard to eat healthy. Your paycheck is most likely not rising as fast. Worst case you’re student which makes it even harder. These 20 tips will help you eat healthy on a budget.

1. Buy Whole Foods. Unprocessed foods are cheaper and more nutritious than processed foods. They also give you total control over the ingredients. Avoid anything that comes from a box 90% of the time.

• Proteins. Ground beef, frozen chicken breast, tuna cans, calves’ liver, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, eggs, milk, whey, …
• Carbs. Pasta, rice, oats, potatoes, beans, apples, bananas, raisins, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, …
• Fats. Olive oil, fish oil, flax seeds, real butter, mixed nuts, …

2. Buy Cheap Proteins. You need 1g protein per pound of body-weight per day to build and maintain muscle. Eating whole protein with each meal also helps fat loss as protein has a higher thermic effect than other foods.

Keep the steaks & salmon for special occasions. Buy eggs, milk, whey, mackerel, tuna, calves liver, frozen chicken breast, cottage cheese, … Read the post with the 10 cheapest sources of protein for more ideas.

3. Buy Frozen Fruits & Veggies. Unfreeze berries in microwave and eat warm with cottage cheese. Put frozen spinach in a colander the night before and try one of these recipes the next day. Try also frozen beans & broccoli. Benefits:

• Save Money. Often half the price of fresh. Almost infinite shelf life when kept in freezer. And you can buy in bulk to get more discount.
• Save Time. Frozen fruits & veggies are pre-washed and pre-cut, which saves preparation time. Time is money.
• Nutrient Dense. If frozen right when picked, frozen fruits & veggies can contain more nutrients than fresh ones.

4. Buy Generic Food. And store brands. Raw foods like rice, pasta, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, frozen fruits/veggies, … taste like brand name foods once you get used to them. But they’ll save you money on packaging & advertising.

5. Buy Supplements. They’re cheap and make your life easier, however whole food is better. You can use supplements, but make sure the bulk of your diet consists of whole, unprocessed foods.

• Whey. Cheapest protein you’ll find. 1 scoop ON whey is 24g protein/30g serving. At 2 scoops/day, a 10lbs bag will last 10 weeks for 84,99$.
• Fish Oil. Cheaper than fish. 1tsp Carlson Fish Oil is 1600mg omega-3. At 1tsp/day, 1 bottle will last 40 days for 23,04$.
• Multi-vitamins. Vitamin deficiency is common. 1 bottle AST Multi Pro 32x contains 100 servings and will last 6 weeks for 17.03$.

6. Buy in Bulk. Especially when you have promos running. Foods like pasta, rice and oats are easy to stockpile. If they’re on sale, buy as much as you can afford & store to last you until the next sale. More ideas.

• Side of Beef. Not necessarily cheaper, but you have better quality meat. Buying a side of beef gets you 100lbs meat at 3,60$/lbs.
• Supplements. You often get free shipping and discounts when buying in bulk. Make a 4 month order for you, friends & family and split the costs.
• Frozen Fruits & Veggies. Check tip #1. Saves money, saves times and nutrient dense. Buy mixed berries, spinach, broccoli, beans, etc.

7. Buy In Season Fruits & Veggies. Food grown in season tastes better and is cheaper. Root vegetables in the Winter. Apples & squash in the Fall. Broccoli & berries in the Summer. Check this, this & this guides for more info.

8. Buy Calorie Dense Foods. Whole milk, potatoes, rice, pasta & oats are filling, healthy and easy to stockpile. They’ll help you get your daily caloric needs fast & cheap, and make gaining weight for skinny guys easier.

9. Buy Discounted Meat. Grocery stores often discount meats by up to 70% as they approach expiration date. Buy several pounds and store in your freezer.

10. Buy From Local Farmers. Or farmer’s markets. They aren’t always cheaper, but you get tastier & better quality food and they often give you free stuff when you buy a lot. Find local farmers in your area here & here.


Image credit: chad


11. Buy Everything from 1 Place. Time is money and fuel is expensive. Stop shopping for sales going to 10 different places. Find 1 or 2 places that get you cheap prices for most foods you need and buy everything there.

12. Drink Tap Water. Get a brita pitcher and filter your tap water. It’s cheaper than bottled water, soda or orange juice. One $8 filter cleans 40 gallons water and makes it taste a lot better.

13. Clip Coupons. Invest 2$ in your Sunday paper or print the coupons from the Grocery Coupon Guide. Read also how to get the most out of coupons.

14. Get The Customer Card. Many grocery stores hold sales for customer card holders only. Some cards save AND give you money, like gift certificates once you’ve spent a fixed amount. Signing up takes 5 mins and is free.

15. Check the Unit Price. But also how the big the servings are. Big packages are often, but not always cheaper than small ones. Sometimes 2 small boxes are cheaper than 1 big one although there’s more packaging.

16. Eat Less Total Calories. Lose the fat if you’re over-weight: it will save you money and improve your health. If you want to bulk up, decide what’s more important to you: gaining weight or saving money.

17. Avoid Impulse Buying. “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. The best way to avoid impulse buying is to prepare yourself before you do the grocery.

• Makes a List and Stick to It. Plan your meals ahead, including portion size. List all foods you need for the next 7 to 14 days. Go the grocery store, get what’s on your list and get out.
• Eat Before You Go Shopping. This prevents buying foods not on your list because you’re hungry. Eat a solid meal before doing the grocery.
• Shop Alone. Prevents impulse buying from wife/husband and/or kids. Leave them home. Take them to more fun places when you get back.

18. Stop Buying Food Outside. Preparing your own food gives you total control over the ingredients and is cheaper than buying food at work/school.

• Take Food with You. Food containers for work/school, protein shake for the gym, bag of nuts when you go to the movies, …
• Eat Before Leaving Home. Eat breakfast, eat before doing the grocery, eat before going out with friends/family, …

19. Prepare Your Own Food. Cook all your meals for the day on waking up or before going to bed. It takes 30-40mins, saves you stress about what you’ll be eating the rest of the day and you eat healthy while saving money.

• Stop Buying Processed Food. Buy oats instead of cereals, make home made protein bars, home made tomato sauce, home made pizza, …
• Keep it Simple. Make double portions, take leftovers with you, use cans of tuna & mackerel, rice & pasta, frozen veggies, …
• Learn to Cook from Scratch. Learn to work with spices & herbs. Try the recipes on this blog. Invest in a cook book like Gourmet Nutrition.

20. Grow Your Own Food. Cheaper than frozen, tastes better and you control what you put on them to keep bugs off. Plant your own trees that grow berries, walnuts & apples. Buy chickens for free eggs & meat. More ideas:

• Square-Foot Gardening. Build a raised bed and divide it into sections of 1 square foot. Check Mel Bartholomew’s site & book for how to’s.
• Container Gardening. Grow vegetables in containers on your balcony or doorstep. Check this & this guides.
• Rent Garden Plots. If you don’t have a yard, some cities rent garden plots. Just google rent garden plots in your state.

Bonus Tip. Healthy & budget don’t mix well. If you really want to eat healthy you’ll have to put money down. Get a job if you don’t have one. Work on a salary increase or additional stream of income if you do.

If you like this post, vote for it on stumbleupon and del.icio.us.

Image credit: Powershotsmag.com

Do you use straps for Deadlifts? Do you wear gloves because your hands hurt? Look at the picture at the top. The guy deadlifts a heavy weight with his bare hands. How come he doesn’t need straps or gloves?

If you grip the bar correctly on Deadlifts, you’ll minimize callus formation, won’t need straps or gloves and can even add a few extra pounds to your max. This post will teach you how to grip the bar correctly on Deadlifts.

Where to Grip The Bar. The shorter the movement, the more weight you can lift. A wide grip — like a snatch grip — forces you to pull the bar higher than a narrow grip does. A wide grip also makes you start from a deeper position.

The most efficient way to Deadlift is with your arms perpendicular to the floor. Narrow your stance so your legs don’t get in the way of your arms. The picture at the top shows the correct way to grip the bar on Deadlifts.

How to Grip The Bar. Use a normal grip — both palms facing your body — as much as you can. This strengthens your grip.

• Bar Close to Fingers. You’ll minimize callus formation by putting the bar close to your fingers instead of in your palm. Lower the weight until you get used to the new grip technique if it feels weird.
• Avoid Gloves. Gloves add inches to the bar which makes grip harder. Let grow calluses, your skin will toughen up.
• Avoid Straps. Deadlifting with straps because you have a weak grip further weakens your grip. Lose the straps. Add grip training if needed.
• Use Chalk. Chalk minimizes callus formation by filling your skin folds. It also keeps your hands dry from sweating. Use chalk if your gym allows, you’ll be able to Deadlift more weight.
• Squeeze The Bar Hard. Put your left hand on your right shoulder. Make a fist with your right hand. Tighten your right fist and feel the tension in your shoulder/biceps. The harder you squeeze the bar, the harder your surrounding muscles work.

The Mixed Grip. When both palms face your body you have 8 fingers on 1 side of the bar and 2 thumbs on the other side. Your thumbs will give out first with heavier weights. The solution is to switch to the mixed grip.

• 1 Palm Facing You, 1 Palm Facing Away. This puts 4 fingers & 1 thumb on both sides of the bar. Both thumbs are supported by 4 fingers. Check the picture at the top for an example of the mixed grip.
• Face Your Dominant Hand Away. Tends to be the strongest position. Use it on your heaviest set. Alternate the supine/pronated hand on each of your submaximal sets to avoid muscle imbalances.

Some lifters use the hook grip for Deadlifts. Benefits: symmetry and your lockout drops by a few inches. The problem however: it hurts. Try it: start light, add weight gradually and maybe you’ll end like this guy.

As you requested, I will review books, dvds or any other products that I have, 1-2x per month. I’m starting with a product several of you asked me to review: Magnificent Mobility DVD by Eric Cressey & Mike Robertson.

Eric Cressey & Mike Robertson. Eric Cressey, MS, CSCS and Mike Robertson, MS, CSCS, USAW are powerlifters and strength & conditioning coaches. They work with athletes of all levels, from youth to professional.

They’re called the mobility guys because they’re specialized in preventing and rehabilitating injuries by teaching you to move efficiently. Magnificent Mobility contains exercises that they use with their athletes.

What Is Magnificent Mobility? Magnificent Mobility is a 50mins DVD containing 36 exercises that improve your flexibility and activate dormant muscles. These exercises will improve your posture and can prevent or even fix injuries.

• 36 Exercises. Dynamic stretches that improve your flexibility by moving your body through space. Activation drills to activate muscles that often aren’t firing when needed, like your glutes. And 3 static stretches you can do post workout. Most exercises are for your hips & back, but you get some for your upper-back, shoulders & neck too.
• Written & Audio Cues. How to perform the exercises, what you must pay attention to to get the most out of them, what you should avoid, diagrams of muscles worked for each exercise, etc. They explain and show you what to do, while you get written cues on your screen.
• Demonstrations For Each Exercise. Cressey & Robertson demonstrate how to perform each exercise. You get multiple angles. Each exercise is 1 chapter on the DVD for easy navigation.

Magnificent Mobility Introduction. The first chapter of Magnificent Mobility is an introduction by Cressey & Robertson on stretching, some things you’ll learn:

• Why static stretching pre-workout isn’t a good idea
• What the goal of your warm-up should be
• What dynamic stretching is and what are its benefits

Magnificent Mobility Exercises. The DVD is split into easy, medium & hard exercises so you can start whatever your flexibility. Full list of exercises:

• Easy Exercises. Cat/camels, yoga twist, side twist, bent knee twist, bird dogs, side-lying trunk twist, calf stretch, fire hydrants, supine bridges.
• Medium Exercises. Single-leg supine bridges, anterior-posterior leg swings, side-to-side leg swings, supine scorpions, prone scorpions, hip corrections, windmills, high knee walks, pull-back butt kicks, mini-band side steps, cradle walks, scap push-ups, overhead dislocations.
• Hard Exercises. Toy soldiers, single leg RDL, reverse warrior lunge with twist, walking spiderman, alternating lateral lunge, squat to stand, crossover overhead reverse lunge, running but kicks, high knee skips, deep wideout drops, supine leg whips.
• Static Stretches. Warrior lunge hip flexor stretch, prone ITB/TFL stretch, double neck stretches. Do these post workout.

You can do these exercises as warm-up and/or on non-training days to speed up recovery. Try all exercises the 1st time, then pick the ones you like the most. Doing all the medium exercises takes about 10mins.

Is Magnificent Mobility for You? Magnificent Mobility DVD contains exercises for your hips, spine, calves, upper-back, shoulders & neck. Most are for your hips & back. I recommend Magnificent Mobility if you have back problems.

• You Can’t Squat or Deadlift Correctly. Tight glutes can make your lower back round on Squats & Deadlifts. Exercises like cradle walks can help you improve flexibility in your glutes so your back stops rounding.
• You Have Back Pain. Dormant glutes & tight hip muscles will make your lower back compensate. Magnificent Mobility has dynamic stretches for your hips and glute activation exercises.
• You Have Nagging Injuries. Knee pain, hip pain, groin pain, back pain, etc. You’d be amazed how many of your nagging injuries go away by improving mobility and activating muscles that have become dormant due to sedentary lifestyle or bad posture.

What I Like About Magnificent Mobility. I used to have back pain when lifting and standing for long time. Nothing helped, so I bought Magnificent Mobility. I did the exercises 3-4x/week, and got rid of the back pain.

Years later, I still do the exercises as a preventive measure and use them with people I train. Results are always the same: they get rid of their nagging back pain in a matter of weeks by improving hip mobility and glute activation.

What I Don’t Like About Magnificent Mobility. Someone with anterior pelvic tilt has different needs than someone with posterior pelvic tilt. You don’t get any info about which exercises you should do based on specific problems.

Cressey & Robertson give, however, good after sale support. And you still have the diagrams for each exercise showing you which muscles are worked if you want to make your own routine.

Get 10$ Off Magnificent Mobility. The Magnificent Mobility DVD costs 49,99$. You get 10$ off this price until July 30th if you buy Cressey’s Maximum Strength through his site and mention “Mehdi” in the comment box.

Click Here to order Magnificent Mobility DVD.