Post by MMX on Oct 21, 2014 14:28:36 GMT -5
Pretty good advice here.
danjohn.net/2014/10/gray-cook-dan-john-lee-burton-essentials-of-coaching-and-training-functional-continuums-dvd-ready-to-ship/
Loaded Carries
There’s something I’ve discovered that does more to expand athletic qualities than any other single thing I have attempted in my career as coach and athlete.
There is no question that tapping into the right movement can radically change an athlete. Famously, I went from 162 pounds to 202 pounds bodyweight in four months when Dick Notmeyer graciously insisted that I squat deep and often. Even though I was stronger in the bench press than most mortals, my lack of squatting kept my bodyweight in a range more appropriate for a skier rather than a discus thrower.
A few years ago, I worked with Ted. Now, Ted’s issue was interesting: he was a fairly solid powerlifter (Bench Press, Squat, and Deadlift) and very good at the two Olympic lifts, the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. In other words, folks, he was not a wannabee, a beginner, a neophyte, nor a internet warrior. Ted was the real deal
When he came to visit with me for a week, there wasn’t a ton of stuff I could help him with in the weight room. A point here and an idea there and I was pretty much finished. So, being finished, we went outside to what some people used to call a “finisher.”
“Would you rather do carries, walks or sleds?,” I asked.
“I have never done any of that kind of thing.”
Good. I thought. I can help. Within seconds of his first attempt with the Farmer Bars weighing 105 pounds a piece, he was a stumbling drunk. Of course, in a few hours after several drinks and lots of discussion, we both would be that way. He could pull hundreds of pounds off the floor, but didn’t have the stability, the cross strength, to handle more than a few feet with the bars. We tried a heavy carry with him and he was gasping for breath from being choked by having to squeeze the 150 pound bag and move around. Literally, his human “inner tube” had almost no range past five seconds.
Yeah, I can help.
A few weeks later, I get “that” call: “Dan, you’re a genius (Humbled Coach blushes, but nods knowingly). My deadlift has gone up (low 500s to high 500s) and I am just thicker all over.”
I’m not surprised: again, in my career NOTHING has been a game changer liked “Loaded Carries” in my coaching toolbox.
I break the carries out into three (actually four, but you will see the point) categories:
Weights in the Hand.
These are the simplest and most recognized: simply, grab a dumbbell and kettlebell and walk away.
The One Handed Carries:
Waiter’s Walk: the weight is held with a straight arm overhead like a European waiter in a café. This is usually the lightest of the carries and does wonders for shoulders.
Suitcase Walk: Like moving through the airport, grab the weight in one hand like a suitcase and walk. The obliques on the other side of the weight will want to have a discussion with you the next day.
Rack Walk: Usually done with Kettlebells, hold the bell in the racked position which is the weight on the chest, like a clean. This is a fairly remedial move but it can teach an athlete about how the abs work.
Two Handed Carries:
The Press Walk: this is simply a Double Waiter’s Walk but the bells take on lives of themselves as you move. Do NOT do this to failure, it looks dangerous because, well, it is dangerous.
Farmers Walks: The King of Carries. Go as heavy as you can with bells in both hands like a Double Suitcase Carry. This can be done really heavy or for great distance. My favorite variation is really heavy for a great distance.
Double Rack Walk: Again, a learning move, but it is a great way to teach the athlete to breath under stress.
Cross Walk: Waiter’s Walk in one hand while doing the Farmers Walk in the other. It’s a very interesting way to teach the athlete to lock down the midsection during movement.
Bags
This group includes backpacks, sandbags, or weighted vests. Personally, I prefer still the old duffle bag or field pack. Go to any grocery store and buy either water softener salt or salt for deicing. For about five to ten dollars, you can get 150 pounds of salt. Sand works better in many situations, but I always used the deicer on the driveway during the winter which served the dual purpose of training and safety.
The basic bag carries are simple: Really it comes down to either “backpacking” or holding the weight over the shoulders like a squat or bear hugging the weight. The backpack or vest set up is ideal as it leaves your hands free.
Bear hugging is a great training tool as the weight is not unlike Zercher Squats so the internal pressure is building, the breath is choked off by the weight on the chest and squeezing this hard to just hold it is adding to all the problems. All in all, just nothing but fun.
Sleds
I also include pushing cars, going up hills (forwards and backwards), and all the various new pushing devices available in good gyms now.
It’s simple: hook up a sled either with a harness or weight belt and tow it away.
Each of these moves works well alone. Combining them makes them worthy of note. Farmers Walks with 105 pounds in each hand with a 150 pound backpack and dragging a sled is one of the most difficult things I have done in my life. Obviously, some combinations don’t work as well as others (Crosswalks and Overhead Walks of any kind are usually epic failures when combined with something else).
I have to remember to do more rack/farmers walks after my sets.
danjohn.net/2014/10/gray-cook-dan-john-lee-burton-essentials-of-coaching-and-training-functional-continuums-dvd-ready-to-ship/
Loaded Carries
There’s something I’ve discovered that does more to expand athletic qualities than any other single thing I have attempted in my career as coach and athlete.
There is no question that tapping into the right movement can radically change an athlete. Famously, I went from 162 pounds to 202 pounds bodyweight in four months when Dick Notmeyer graciously insisted that I squat deep and often. Even though I was stronger in the bench press than most mortals, my lack of squatting kept my bodyweight in a range more appropriate for a skier rather than a discus thrower.
A few years ago, I worked with Ted. Now, Ted’s issue was interesting: he was a fairly solid powerlifter (Bench Press, Squat, and Deadlift) and very good at the two Olympic lifts, the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. In other words, folks, he was not a wannabee, a beginner, a neophyte, nor a internet warrior. Ted was the real deal
When he came to visit with me for a week, there wasn’t a ton of stuff I could help him with in the weight room. A point here and an idea there and I was pretty much finished. So, being finished, we went outside to what some people used to call a “finisher.”
“Would you rather do carries, walks or sleds?,” I asked.
“I have never done any of that kind of thing.”
Good. I thought. I can help. Within seconds of his first attempt with the Farmer Bars weighing 105 pounds a piece, he was a stumbling drunk. Of course, in a few hours after several drinks and lots of discussion, we both would be that way. He could pull hundreds of pounds off the floor, but didn’t have the stability, the cross strength, to handle more than a few feet with the bars. We tried a heavy carry with him and he was gasping for breath from being choked by having to squeeze the 150 pound bag and move around. Literally, his human “inner tube” had almost no range past five seconds.
Yeah, I can help.
A few weeks later, I get “that” call: “Dan, you’re a genius (Humbled Coach blushes, but nods knowingly). My deadlift has gone up (low 500s to high 500s) and I am just thicker all over.”
I’m not surprised: again, in my career NOTHING has been a game changer liked “Loaded Carries” in my coaching toolbox.
I break the carries out into three (actually four, but you will see the point) categories:
Weights in the Hand.
These are the simplest and most recognized: simply, grab a dumbbell and kettlebell and walk away.
The One Handed Carries:
Waiter’s Walk: the weight is held with a straight arm overhead like a European waiter in a café. This is usually the lightest of the carries and does wonders for shoulders.
Suitcase Walk: Like moving through the airport, grab the weight in one hand like a suitcase and walk. The obliques on the other side of the weight will want to have a discussion with you the next day.
Rack Walk: Usually done with Kettlebells, hold the bell in the racked position which is the weight on the chest, like a clean. This is a fairly remedial move but it can teach an athlete about how the abs work.
Two Handed Carries:
The Press Walk: this is simply a Double Waiter’s Walk but the bells take on lives of themselves as you move. Do NOT do this to failure, it looks dangerous because, well, it is dangerous.
Farmers Walks: The King of Carries. Go as heavy as you can with bells in both hands like a Double Suitcase Carry. This can be done really heavy or for great distance. My favorite variation is really heavy for a great distance.
Double Rack Walk: Again, a learning move, but it is a great way to teach the athlete to breath under stress.
Cross Walk: Waiter’s Walk in one hand while doing the Farmers Walk in the other. It’s a very interesting way to teach the athlete to lock down the midsection during movement.
Bags
This group includes backpacks, sandbags, or weighted vests. Personally, I prefer still the old duffle bag or field pack. Go to any grocery store and buy either water softener salt or salt for deicing. For about five to ten dollars, you can get 150 pounds of salt. Sand works better in many situations, but I always used the deicer on the driveway during the winter which served the dual purpose of training and safety.
The basic bag carries are simple: Really it comes down to either “backpacking” or holding the weight over the shoulders like a squat or bear hugging the weight. The backpack or vest set up is ideal as it leaves your hands free.
Bear hugging is a great training tool as the weight is not unlike Zercher Squats so the internal pressure is building, the breath is choked off by the weight on the chest and squeezing this hard to just hold it is adding to all the problems. All in all, just nothing but fun.
Sleds
I also include pushing cars, going up hills (forwards and backwards), and all the various new pushing devices available in good gyms now.
It’s simple: hook up a sled either with a harness or weight belt and tow it away.
Each of these moves works well alone. Combining them makes them worthy of note. Farmers Walks with 105 pounds in each hand with a 150 pound backpack and dragging a sled is one of the most difficult things I have done in my life. Obviously, some combinations don’t work as well as others (Crosswalks and Overhead Walks of any kind are usually epic failures when combined with something else).
I have to remember to do more rack/farmers walks after my sets.
