Bill Hartman

Author: Bill

  • Signs vs. Symptoms

    “There’s usually a sign before there’s a symptom.”
    -Shirley Sahrmann

    I would have to say that I fall into the “if you’re not assessing, you’re guessing” group of fitness professionals.  Everyone program that I develop for individuals that I work with is based on how they present to me during some form of a direct assessment. 

    At the other end of the spectrum are the group of professionals that don’t believe that an assessment is warranted.  Perhaps it’s the belief that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  In other words, a lack of pain is indicative of normal function.

     I personally can’t follow this line of thinking because of information that has been accumulated in the last 10-15 years in regard to how the body works as a linked system.  When we evaluate athletes and fitness clients, many times we find that although they may be high level performers or appear to quite fit, they are also great compensators during movement.

    Much like your car driving out of alignment, it may still drive fairly well but the progressive wear ‘n’ tear accumulated over time will result in some form of costly breakdown.  In the case of the human kinetic chain, malalignment and compensation combined with repetitive movement results in adaptations leading to injury that may not be all that fixable.

    Assessments and reassessments allow professionals to not only track progress (maybe just to see if your program really does work) but to identify signs that if ignored may very well become symptomatic or lead to serious injury.  Then we can implement an appropriate corrective strategy that may prevent potential injury and even raise performance as the body becomes a more efficient system.

    I’ll get off my soapbox now.

    Bill

    P.S.  Sorry for the big gap in posts.  We had some family health issues to resolve and then some technical issues, but we are back up and running.

  • Low-Carb Protein Powers

    I was emailing back and forth with Mike Roussell the other day about how to control carbohydrate intake, and I asked Mike if he had any recommendations in regard to lower carb protein powders. I was expecting to get back a quick list, but I got a whole lot more.

    Here’s what he said.

    “Low carb protein powders?

    Metabolic Drive is a staple. I really like their banana and strawberry flavors. The banana isn’t too strong of a flavor so it is nice.

    EvoPro from cytosport is another good protein blend. I’ve only had their vanilla but it was good.

    AST-SS’s VP2-Pro is an isolate/hydrolysate. Their fruit punch, orange, and vanilla are all pretty good. Because it is a isolate/hydrolysate it makes a very watery shake (unlike MD or EvoPro).

    Matrix 5.0 from Syntrax is a pretty good tasting chocolate. I comes in like a 5lb bag and it is dirt cheap… so that makes me wonder.

    Lean Dessert from BSN isn’t low carb because it has ~10g of carbs per serving. It is really sweet… especially the cinnamon bun but amazing if you mix it with cottage cheese.

    I’ve never tried the Met-Rx ProteinPlus but John Berardi recommends it.

    ProPeptide from Dorian Yates Approved is another protein blend I haven’t tried but I know Cassandra Forsythe uses it.

    ProV60 from Labrada is pretty good. You’ll have to check the carb count I think it is 6g CHO per 30g PRO.”

    I’ve mentioned it before, but if you haven’t checked out Mike’s Your Naked Nutrition Guide yet you’re missing out on an outstanding nutritional resource.

    Bill

  • Single Leg Squat for Shoulders??

    Unilateral leg work, including the single leg squat, is an important element in the development of an athlete’s training program.

    The single stance and the single leg squat are also a great diagnostic tools for athlete’s in regard to shoulder function.

    Why?

    It has been shown that in 49% of athletes with a arthroscopically diagnosed posterior-superior labral tears there is also a hip rotation range of motion deficit or abduction weakness. (W Kibler, Joel Press, Aaron Sciascia. The Role of Core Stability in Athletic Function. Sports Medicine, Volume 36, Number 3 (2006), pp. 189-198).

    This is one of the reasons we included combined hip and shoulder mobility exercises in the Inside-Out DVD.

    Here’s some quick tests you can do on yourself:

    1. Stand in front of a full length mirror. Pick up your right foot. If the right hip drops, it indicates a left hip weakness. Repeat on the other side.

    2. Pick up your right foot and perform a single leg squat with the left leg. If the left knee drops down and in as you descend, you have a left hip weakness.

    3. Lie on your back with your hips bent to 90 degrees and knees bent to 90 degrees. Keeping your knees together, push your feet apart to internally rotate the hips. You should have about 35 degrees of rotation on each side. Check for the amount of rotation and even more importantly, check for symmetry.

    Any unilateral deficits in range of motion and strength should be addressed as they will typically affect the function of the shoulder on the opposite side (right hip to left shoulder and vice versa).

    Bill

  • Tempo Matters

    I’ve heard strength coaches and trainers talk about how tempo doesn’t really matter.

    I’ll have to disagree.

    I heard a strength coach talk about how he has forced his athletes to slow their eccentric tempos because when he did, all of their weights went up with many setting PR’s.

    I’m not surprised. Lifting or lowering a weight slowly and lifting or lowering a weight quickly are not the same thing.

    If you lower a weight slowly or even pause between the eccentric and concentric contractions, you’ll increase demands on the muscle’s ability to produce force because you’ll dissipate a portion of the contribution of the elastic component provided by the tendon and connective tissues.

    Lower a weight quickly and you increase the potential energy stored in the tendon and connective tissues which will contribute to the concentric contraction as the energy is released.

    Guess which method most people will utilize when trying to lift the most weight.

    They’ll naturally tend to lower and lift the weight quickly to take advantage of the elastic component to lift greater weight. If you train like this most of the time you’ll tend to rely on this more and more but there’s a “ceiling” so to speak as to how far this method will take your training. At some point, you’ll need to use a slower tempo to place the emphasis on the muscle again.

    How do you know how and when to apply such methods?

    You can read about it in my contribution to LiftStrong along with over 800 pages of information from the top minds in the fields of strength, fitness, sports training, rehabilitation, and nutrition.

    Remember that all proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

    Bill

  • Interns and Part-timers Wanted!

    Here’s the deal.

    I frequently get requests from trainers looking for jobs or students looking for internships for school credit.

    Because of my schedule and the way I run my business, I’ve turned them all down…

    Until now.

    If you think you have this training thing all figured out. If you’re ready to make the top pay in the fitness industry. If you’ve won numerous bodybuilding titles.

    Then I don’t want you.

    I believe there’s a process that must be followed to be an outstanding fitness professional. Some would call it paying your dues.

    I call it building a foundation that will support your development as a person, a trainer, and a professional for the rest of your career.

    Requirements:

    A pulse
    The ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
    A passion for learning
    The availability to work odd hours (early morning, afternoons, evenings)
    Sufficient mobility to effectively instruct individuals or groups
    Submission of a resume and cover letter

    What you get:

    A first-class, hands-on fitness education
    Experience working with a variety of clientele
    Potential to interact with some of the top fitness pros in the country
    Paid NSCA certification within 6-12 months (if you last that long)
    Income commensurate to your position and duties (may not apply to interns depending on duration of internship)
    Potential for growth to a full-time position

    Warning:

    I will be selective. Submission of your resume and cover letter does not guarantee you a position or an interview.

    Send your resume and cover letter to:

    prperformance1@yahoo.com

    Bill