6 Responses

1. Mr. John
   A few years ago I was working with a quarterback that was preparing for college football. He was going into his freshman year and wanted to do everything the coaches said for strength. He had elbow surgery and would comment the regardless the weight on the bar the clean made his elbow hurt for a day or two after lifting. It would effect everything else. I convinced him to do the snatch by showing him that you have to generate more force to propel the bar over head than to your shoulders. We did that but his coach at the college made him clean and “suck it up.” My question is:
   for sports that require speed and explosive movements would you train the snatch or clean? And why?

   Reply

2. Dan, when using olympic variations for training (dumbell snatches and whatnot) should strength be the main goal? Or volume? I know that the actual lifts are usually kept within 5 reps, but I wasn’t sure if it was different for dumbell versions. Also, are you planning any seminars in or near the New Hampshire/Southern Maine area?? Thanks!

   Reply

3. I’m interested in asking the question most don’t…. Stretching. Most don’t do it, I try to on off days. Keeps the muscles growing, loosens me up for the next workout, and actually releases tension. Been using smittys roll on a ball method. Really works. Stretching is far overlooks in the younger group of kids in the gym. They tend to drink shakes and work out, in turn loosing mobility.

   Reply

4. Dan, what is your entire philosophy of bodyweight training? How do you use it with your clients? How do you make clients get better at them, gain size/strength with them? How do you know when to progress and which exercise to progress too? How do you keep things simple with bodyweight training? How is it you program them in with athletes who end up doing them a lot in practice anyways (but always randomly), like a lot of martial artists do so often when your trying help them build muscle and strength? How about training to be like on of those barstarzz or bartendazz guys? Everything!

   Reply

5. If Dan has time (and you think its a relevant question)

   Q: I have read about a straight bar deadlift being better than a trap bar deadlift as the bar can stay closer to the lifters centre of gravity (safer?). However, you can lift more with a trap bar. …..so for someone who is efficient with both lifts – is there a better choice for strength 🙂

   The goal is strength and injuryt prevention 😉

   Thanks Zach,

   John

   Reply

6. Dan,

   Since you have 2 daughters I thought you’d be the perfect guy to ask. I have 3 daughters ages 7, 5, and 1. My oldest two always ask if they can do workouts and want me to give them exercises. I think since they know I go lift weighs 4 days a week they want to be like me.

   They are going to be tall. (I’m 6’4″ and my wife is 5’10”). My oldest is the tallest girl or boy in 2nd grade. She loves volleyball and i see potential. My 5 year old is an animal. She dominated the U6 soccer league her first time out last fall at 4 years old. (Scored 70-80 goals in 6 games)(Yes, I’m bragging). She is also a great swimmer. The swim coach is already asking if we’ll have her join the youth swim team when she’s eligible in kindergarten next year.

   Without sounding like an over-zealous parent, which I’m not, what kind of program can or should I do for younger girls?

   1)They are going to be very skinny. My wife weighted 105 maybe when she graduated high school. I’d like to give them the chance to pick up muscle as they grow. At what age is it appropriate to work with some weights?

   2)How much conditioning is appropriate? With soccer and swimming they get some that way but is any running/sprinting good for them? They jump rope and ride bikes and play outside so I just wonder if anything is necessary?

   3)I would guess the “program” would have to be short and fun.

   I’m not trying to build my kids into super atheletes or anything, I just want to give them the gift of fitness that I wish I had when I was young. Since they want to do it I thought I might as well get them interested.

   Based on your experience is it too early? I’d love to hear your thoughts on working with kids as they grow up and become adults.

   Thanks so much,
   Ben

   Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.