5 Body Weight Exercises To AVOID

Well, as many of you know...my last few weeks has been a bucket full of challenges....

Physically and Mentally...

Which is exactly why I am here to help keep you guys in line the best I can in either aspect(I'd prefer physically but many of you know I help with both)  :)


It  truly amazes me how many fitness "experts" still run their clients through dangerous and harmful exercises that do more harm than good. I see it everyday.

Yes, I may be young....but trust me, I do my research and I spend countless hours trying to find the safest and most effective ways to train the human body.

Sometimes it can be simple, and other times much more complicated. Whichever the route....I am sure to not include exercises that put my clients bodies at risk for injury.

That means, you don't have your 60 year old client with 3 back surgeries doing GH Sit-ups or crunches.

Or your baseball phenom performing massive amounts of Olympic lifts....there is just no need.

Your older client will better serve off hip thrusts and exercises to strengthen the posterior chain. The baseball player could do more harm with the amount of stress placed and extracted from the shoulders in Olympic lifts.  Why not have him develop superior core strength and scapular stability with rotational core movements.

So here are my 5 Top Bodyweight Exercises NOT to do....even if you had a trainer tell you its ok....I guarantee you that it could possibly hurt you.

1.) Dips with hands Behind you on a Bench:

- Just HORRIBLE for your rotator cuff. In doing these, you are forcing your shoulder past its normal range of motion PLUS placing stress on it. No good.

2.) Any Jumping Exercises Done On Concrete To An Excessive Amount.
- Most everyone is guilty of this but take from a trainer who has seen many people get hurt from just one workout consisting of several jumping exercises on concrete.

3.) Sit-Ups and Crunches
-If you don't know why by now....I'd say your in trouble.

4.) Push-Ups with Your elbows flared out

Yikes!!

-It's funny, I met a trainer who really emphasized bench pressing with elbows tucked then watched him put his client into push-up position and instruct him to flare the elbows out.....hmmmm.

Yes, push ups and presses is the same movement on the shoulder and rotator cuff. Flaring elbows out on pushups can cause some havoc to your joints!

5.) Box Jumps Done For Speed
- Just very dangerous on Achilles tendon and the benefit you get is only conditioning based. Risk outweighs any reward here. If I wanted to condition you I would give you hundreds of alternatives than a dangerous movement.

Jump up, absorb the landing, and step down. MUCH safer and beneficial.

*** Some Bonus Exercises To Watch

- Mountain Climbers and Mongrel Jumps with Rounded Backs......NO benefit. Keep that core tight. Same goes for planks.  If you think they are easy, you are most likely doing them wrong.

- Squats with rounding of the Back. No good. Shows a sure sign of a weak core.

- Plyo Jumps landing on the Toes....Horrible for your Achilles tendon and pre-disposes your shins and knees to some lovely pain.

TRUST ME, you don't want knee pain.

If there is one thing I can emphasize most, please take care of your knees and shoulders. I have been battling two severe injuries with both and it is not fun.

(AND NO, if you were wondering if I got them through bad form of exercises  LOL)

Just Read a Previous Blog.


Thanks And Until Next Time,

Keep Fighting For Me!!!

You know I will ALWAYS keep trying for you, just lately seem to have a black cloud over everything but my facility.

Someday health will be in my future and I can get back to doing what I love.

Have a Great Healthy and Safe Weekend!


Mike Over

CPT, PES
Strength And Conditioning Specilist
www.mjofitness.com
mjover09@gmail.com

My Stem Cell Procedure and Opening Day! WOW.....Really!?

Well, I am sure most of you know my continued battle with my injuries from my bike accident. Yes, still lingering on, and the pain was nearing a point of ultimate disgust....

so something had to be done.

Yes, I am 14 months out of the triple whammy surgery. And by all means, my knee is still just as painful as week 4 after it! I love to run....not for it's amazing physical benefits  ;)

  ...but because I love escaping the world and getting together with friends to do the easiest type of fitness there is.  Slide on your shoes and your ready....unless you are landing every step in shearing pain.  I already had given up on the bike. The one thing I loved doing has turned into a dreaded experience from cars in my town and also my injuries. While riding I would be ready to to turn around after 10 miles because of the pain....only I would be another 10 miles back....so this little nonsense stopped pretty quickly and my bike is hiding in my garage.  It's sad, really. But maybe someday I'll get the love of it back again, but for now....I'd rather do about anything than bike.

So back to the knee...I ended up finding a doctor in Hershey who would do this procedure on me. I was so excited for it until I got a phone call a day before telling me I would have to refrain from using it for 4-6 weeks. Now, many of you are probably like....well, come on Mike, 4-6 isn't bad.....

BUT YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

After 14 months of this game, finding new injuries that needed surgery, and battling to stay fit myself...it's honestly been the toughest experience of my life.  So adding another 4-6 weeks just near put me over the top.

But I was reminded of how bad this pain really was and decided to go. They drew blood from my hip and my elbow, spun it in a huge machine and increased the red blood cell count, then injected me while also trying to drain fluid from the tendon.....It was pretty darn painful....but not as bad as my spinal tap after the first surgery. My leg immediately went numb for 30 minutes and I had to stay up there and wait until it came back. I made it home it the pouring rain and as soon as I walked through the door....mom just gave me that look like...."this could be it, mike...it could be the final straw."

That made it all worth it.

So I was hobbling around on my Grand Opening day at Over-Achieve Fitness on crutches....while I was remembering a year earlier I was on them too! What is it with me and crutches? No idea, but glad they are ditched again.

Anyways, open house was great...sure I knew many families and friends had things to so on their Saturday...people work all week and want to get away on the weekend....not find out how and who is going to put them through workouts. But for everyone that came...we had fun....got to know each other....and most importantly...we celebrated.

Yes, after 14 months of pain, I did something for myself that I was proud of. VERY proud. Not too many 24 year olds can say they will take a business plunge. It's so risky...and to do it with a gym....even more.  

But that's not stopping me! I was so excited....I didn't sleep Friday night and went in Saturday morning before hand to ...shhhhh.....do some push-ups. Yes, I used one leg. So it was ok right? Mom even took a picture because she said not too many people would have the courage to do what you are. Told me she was so proud...and to keep fighting 6 more weeks....

It really made me smile. Knowing that your parents believe in you means more than you think. I never knew if they agreed with m y decision to switch from a Civil Engineering Degree to this.....

Pretty big change....but I feel like it's my calling. It's what I am meant to do. Help others, be an example of what it takes to work hard.

Nothing in life EVER comes easy, and I'm sure you have heard it all before...work hard, study, communicate, never quit.....

Well I lived and breathed by those words for the past year. And time after time, you look at those success stories in those fitness magazines....

ALMOST EVERY ONE....went through a tragic accident....had kids....got sick...etc....and was out of fitness for a year and BOOM....they give up....stop fighting...let everything get the better of them.

NOT ME...I'll be dammed if I let that dummy in his pick up truck win this battle. I am going to fight this out to the end....no matter what else life throws at me.

And BOY LIFE DID!

Yep, my first day open in business!

Can you believe it? Well, it didn't start there even. I walked into my facility in the morning...saw 3 of my benches were gone(long story), 3 water leaks from the roof, and a gas leak in the back!

WOW

So had emergency services check the gas leak and still working on the water. Went through that mess and ran home for lunch and to get forms to drop off at the insurance company and was waiting to turn into the parking lot...and next thing I know....

BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A pick up truck from Washington Street in downtown Chambersburg smashed right into the back of me. Three derelict kids with furniture, washers, driers, and bags all strapped into the back of this thing.  And yes, went flying over my car after the collision. As I'm trying to remember what happened from my bad knee hitting the dash and head hit the steering wheel....the kids are running picking up the stuff and putting it back on the truck.

Can you believe this S****.....I thought to myself....but I actually can at this point. Yes, I'm sure that made you laugh.

So the police came and my nice new car is being worked on....estimating $7000 worth of damage.

But the important thing is it wasn't worse. I am thankful for that, but just hoping it didn't revert the affects of the knee procedure and my head has been pretty bad ever since.

Anyways,

just a little fill in on what has happened to me over the past couple weeks. I am SO glad my business is FINALLY open! All the months of hard work I hope pays off.

And if you are interested and skeptical of coming in for a workout....let this be a message to you.....

YOU CAN DO THIS!

You won't make a better decision in your life! You will be in great hands with me and the other AWESOME members, and you will work hard every workout....and get the results your after!! These sessions are GREAT for improving speed, lean muscle, power, and even endurance!

Don't hesitate to do something for your health! Even if you already have a routine....mix it up....it will make ALL the difference with your life and progression in fitness. I promise!

So help me out out and start on a path to ELITE fitness. I really want to make a name for myself in this town.....and it's only by my training and your mouths that will best suit that desire.

Until next time,

Stay Strong and Keep Fighting, as I do For You!

Mike Over
CPT / PES
Strength & Conditioning Specialist
www.mjofitness.com

How Does The Fastest Man Alive Train?

So, through a few research articles I came across a small sample of what Usain Bolt does in his training sessions.

Lately, I have been uneasy on the topic of those who believe runners don't need strength training. And if ANY of you who do think that want to sit and talk to me about it....I'd be glad to talk!

Anyways, back to the fastest man alive. Many strength coaches and trainers don't like making their programs public because either they feel others will criticize them(knowing the nature of our country) or because they feel like others will take their ideas.

So there is not much out there, but you can surely see Usain trains with weights. Whether his strength coach is American or not we don't know, but in the picture below, he is performing on a reverse hyper.....

One of the first pieces I got when settling into my facility!

Why are these so great Mike??

Essentially, the theory is that axial hip extension exercises strengthen hip extension power in flexed-ranges due to their torque-angle curves, whereas anteroposterior hip extension exercises strengthen hip extension power in extended-ranges due to their torque-angle curves.

You can also just think of it like this: squats and good mornings are hardest down low when the hips are bent but easy at the top ROM when the hips are straightened, whereas hip thrusts and back extensions are easier at the bottom ROM but hardest up top when the hips are straightened. Both ranges; flexed and extended, are needed for optimal sprinting performance, especially considering that the ground contact phase is characterized by more neutral hip ranges of motion

This all means that the placement of your hips while strengthening will boost glute recruitment and speed will go through the roof!! :)

Now, I'm not saying Usain's program is perfect, but that is not my point of this post. Here you see a Barbell Incline Press....which is fine if used properly in his programming.

But for those of you who think weight lifting is BS for runners and sprinters....Shame on you. You can't voice your opinion on theories that are backed by research and RESULTS. You can't turn the table on what's great for an athlete just because you can't do 10 push-ups yourself.

Last night, I had 3 solid runners performing band resisted RDL's along with push-ups, and let me tell you...they are pretty darn strong.....and fast!

Here is Usain doing Hang-Cleans....a Staple of my programming for endurance athletes.

 So overall, yes Usain can have some glitches in his workouts that we may never know about...but my point is so show you that he just doesn't go out and run. He trains as a well-rounded athlete. Just as you should.

Until Next Time,

Keep Reaching For Your Dreams.

Mike Over
CPT/PES
Strength & Conditioning Specialist
www.mjofitness.com