Random Summer Thoughts....

Every now and then I feel the urge to write ideas down that are in my head and share them publically. One of the hardest things to do in life is successfully share ideas and communicate them in a fun, fresh and  impactful way. Writing is to the mind like great movement and exercise is to the body. Concentrated mental effort is really required to write well and I doubt that I am in doing the art of writing any justice but I share anyway.  My travel schedule the last year has been incerdibly busy and unfortunately my blogging and writing has come to a screehing halt. Time to start blogging more frequently and finish writing my book on Sprinting called PRIMAL SPEED! I try to share things that hopefully will impact and help you in a positive way on your health and fitness journey!

Here are 10 Random Thoughts......

1.  Flossing your Teeth -

Recently I shared on facebook the importance of flossing your teeth and the dozens of health benefits one recieves from keep their gums and teeth in pristine condition. Many years ago I didn't floss and I developed early onset gum disease.  Thanks to the encouragement of some family members and my Dentist, I made it a goal to floss my teeth and 10 + years later my gum disease is gone and my health is greatly improved.  Gum disease has been known to cause Heart disease!

    2.  Nerve Glides can decrease pain and immediately increase function

I have suffered from lower back pain since I was 12 years old. Multiple MRI's over the last 9 years have shown I have massive degenerative changes in three of my lumbar discs. On top of that is three bulging discs due to the loss of disc heigth and foraminal stenosis at the L4/L5 level on my right side. Needless to say the majority of this year has been a PAINFUL year as I couldn't tie my shoe on my right side for 6 months. It was until Zachariah Salazar ( a Z Health Master Trainer) taught me some NERVE GLIDES and immediately I was able to touch my toes again and tie my shoe on my right side, something I wasn't able to do the entire year. To say I was HAPPY about my change in function was an understatement.  If you are suffering from Spinal Stenosis or Foraminal Stenosis I highly recommend you contact Zachariah Salazar. He changed my life!

3. Study and look into Neuroplasticity

Many of you who read  my blog probably have already heard of Neuroplasticity, a new growing field that studies the brain (and the CNS) and its'  ability to change itself. As a movement coach and Strength coach I feel that we who teach movement perhaps will play the most pivotal role in getting students to achieve what others would deem impossible.  I high recommend that you read the following book called The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, M.D.

 

 



4. Take a Primal Move Certification or Workshop

Primal Move is the creation of Master RKC Peter Lakatos. It is a system where the goal is to create better movement. Primal Move is based on primal and primitive movement patterns that we did as children.  It is also tied in with the Functional  Movement Screen Principels by Gray Cook and Lee Burton. I recently took a two day certification course in Seattle and it was one one of the most fun and profound movement courses I have ever taken in my life. One of the cool things that happened to me was that I was able to pull off a HUMAN FLAG on both sides, something I was never able to do prior to Primal Move. To say I am happy with the chagnes happening in my body is an understatement.

I am also honored to be teaming up with Primal Move and teaching the first ever Primal Move Sprinting Certificaion in Europe this month. It is called Primal Move Velocity and it is the running based section of Primal Move. Click the following link to find a Primal Move workshop close to you:

Primal Move      /     Primal Move Workshop in North America






5. Study Speed Expert Lee Taft -

I have been studying Lee Taft's Ground Breaking II DVD's and I  must say they are outstanding. Lee teaches the following topics in six seperate DVD's:

• How to Warm Up and Stretch
• Deceleration / Acceleration
• Cutting
• Jump Training
• Olympic Lifting
• and more.....

Lee is an amazing teacher and he has introduced concepts to me that I have already started teaching from day one and they work very well. As a 100 meter sprinter I have never really studies in detail the importance of multi-directional training and cutting. Linear speed is very important but let us not forget that being able to cut and change directions is what really makes you athletic and reflexively strong and powerful. I highy recommend any products by Lee Taft.




6. Morals are Caught, not Taught

I am seriously switching gears here but as a parent of two kids I can honestly say that kids pick up everything that you do. That is a rather scary fact because they pick up the bad with the good. Therefore if you are a parent you must model great habits and behavior in all areas of life because your kids are sponges and they will do what you do. What I have found very cool is that both my kids love to exercise and challenge themselves because they see mommy and daddy doing it all the time. I love to read and it is amazing to see my kids want to read as well. Telling your kids to do something that you currently do not do or are unwilling to do is likely going to end in failure. Less talking and more doing is the best method.

7.  Practice Get Ups!!!

I have been going lots of GET UPS!! Lots of them. I have even put on about  7 to 8 pounds of muscle doing them the last couple of months. I changed gears for the first time in my life because normally I only do 1 to 2 reps per set. Now I am doing sets of 5 reps per arm and the increase in my fitness and muscle strength has been profound. I only recommend these higher rep sets if you have great technique because things can go south in a hurry if you are not dialed in.  But the increase in time under tension will tax your muscular system in a major way!!!

8. Take a Primal Speed Sprinting Workshop

I predict that sprinting will be the next BOOM in the fitness industry and my twin brother Keats Snideman and I are going to spear head the movement. Sprinting is the one activity that still remains on the "I wish I could do that" list. Most people have never had good coaching on how to sprint and do not know where to begin. Our joint venture company is called Primal Speed with the goal of teaching people to tap into their athleticism is safe and fun way. Sprinting is not only for olympic athletes or professional athletes, sprinting is for everyone. We are removing the confusion and complexity and teaching the masses how to sprint for health and increased performance in life!

We are teaching a PRIMAL SPEED SPRINTING workshop on Sunday September 30, 2012 in Tempe, AZ at Reality Based Fitness.

9. When learning how to perform PISTOLS, Keep the BIG TOE DOWN!!





10. Take an HKC workshop.

Highly recommend you take the Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification. It is a one day course where we teach in depth the SWING, GET UP and GOBLET SQUAT! I travel quite a bit to teach these courses and it is alwasy amazing to see how people improve and learn to love the amazing RKC/HKC principles because they are so effective!!! Here is a list of some HKC's I will be teachin in the coming 7 to 8 months:   HKC CERTS

Have a great week everyone! Train with purpose and kick ass!!!

Primal Speed Sprinting Workshop

How to Master the Essentials of Sprinting- and dramatically boost your athleticism to an elite level.  Learn the most powerful Sprinting principles and become the top coach and trainer in your city.

Former collegiate sprinter and Senior RKC Franz Snideman reveals the top methods of speed training in this power packed one day workshop.

Primal Speed Sprinting Workshop

Chicago, Il, Unites States

July 22, 2012

08:00am - 05:00pm

 Most trainers and coaches praise the benefits of sprinting and routinely recommend to their clients and athletes to include sprint training in their programs. The problem and challenge most people face is that very few if any, have ever had SOLID, SAFE and MECHANICALLY correct coaching.  Since everything we do in life is a skill, sprinting is no different.

Sprinting, much like kettlebell training, is a very SPECIFIC and UNIQUE form of human movement that must be learned. Speed is a learned skill and sprinters are literally MADE from years of proper coaching and training. Even if people have no ambition to become track and field sprinters, EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT FROM LEARNING HOW TO SPRINT!!!!!!!!!

Why?

Here is a list of the many BENEFITS of Sprinting:

• Sprinting stimulates the release of Testosterone and Growth Hormone
• Sprinting is the ULTIMATE CROSS CRAWL pattern which can improve brain function and longevity
• Sprinting is SUSTAINABLE over a life time
• Increase in Metabolic Rate
• Can improve elasticity in the stretch shortening cycle = IMPROVED FASCIAL FITNESS
• Sprinting is about QUALITY first.....Quantity is not the goal!!!
• Increased Full Body Speed and Power which means better Sports Performance
• Increase in Fast Twitch Muscle Activation 
• Excellent Methods for FAT LOSS
• Can Build Muscle Mass
• Improved function of Central -Pattern Generators
• Sprinting can Save your life or the lives of others - SURVIVAL SPEED
• Better Reflexive Stability
• Bullet Proofs your joints, tendons, ligaments, bones and Connective Tissue 

So with that in mind we present to you the PRIMAL SPEED WORKSHOP, and your chance to join the Primal Speed Trainers database which will literally be marketed all over the world. 

Our goal is to create a network of high level coaches/trainers that know the in's and out's of high performance sprint training.

 The major difference in our methods is that Primal Speed is about improving HEALTH and MOVEMENT!  Our priority is to get you HEALTHIER and to take your movement potential to the highest level without compromising safety and health. If you are injured or if your training is hurting you, regardless of what it is, that is WRONG.  Just like we teach in the RKC, safety and performance are part of the same coin. They should never be divorced from each other.

How do we achieve this ability to improve performance and maintain safety?

Assessment and Screening, that is how. If you are familiar with Gray Cook and his Functional Movement Screen then you will fully understand the need to screen and assess clients and athletes before training them. It is the top priority in our PRIMAL SPEED System  because doing the screening up front and designing your sprint training around the screening process will allow you as a coach to implement the proper corrective strategies and keep the client healthy, happy and strong.

Their has never been anything like this in the world, a company dedicated to SPRINT training and dedicated to combining the best of all strength and conditioning methods and corrective strategies! 

Attend the Primal Speed Sprinting Workshop and leave with these top advantages:

• Learn the proper mechanics of Sprinting
• A proper understanding of why ARM MECHANICS are the place to start when improving sprint technique and alignment
• Learn the what the SPRINT POSTURE is  and how to teach clients to master it
• Learn about the PRIMAL MOVEMENT CONTINUUM, from rolling, rocking, crawling, walking, marching, skipping, running and then finally sprinting
• Learn how to SCREEN and ASSESS clients for potential mobility and stability issues
• Learn when and where you need to apply tension principles in sprinting
• Master Relaxation drills and why FAST AND LOOSE drills are your key to dynamic power and speed
• Vision and where the eyes need to be focused
• Learn about IDEAL HAND AND FINGER position in sprinting
• Learn why the FACIAL and JAW muscles can make or brake your sprinting performance
• How to instantly take away shoulder and neck tension that may be sabotaging speed
• Learn how to properly warm up before your sprint training
• To stretch or not to stretch? We tell you how and why

Learn the following Sprinting Drills for Optimal mechanics:

1. Marching-A’s, B’s
2. Skipping
3. Back skipping
4. Side Skipping
5. Karioka
6. Butt Kickers
7. A –Skips –
8. B-Skips
9. Running A’s
10. Running B’s
11. Step Over/ Drive Down
12. Scissor Skips (Straight leg bounds)

The Importance of Warming Up- getting the body prepared for high-velocity sprinting is very important as risk of muscle strains and pulls is higher when greater forces are applied in such a short amount of time as when performing acceleration and speed work.

• Also  learn how to combines RKC style methods of Kettlebell training with Sprinting

And discover all this and much more when you attend:

• Why Linear speed is a MUST to focus on when you are LEARNING to sprint
• ACCELERATION is they key to sprinting
• Learn why 10's, 20's, 30's and 40 meter sprints are your ticket to SPEED CITY!!!
• Discover the most effective methods for STARTS and ACCELERATION

STARTS (Flow versus Inertia Starts)- done for distances of 10-40 meters/yards

• Body weight starts

• Explosive Implement Starts (Kettlebell and medicine balls: between 2 and 6 KG)

• Fast Grind/Resisted Starts

• Agility + Acceleration
• Plyometrics

MAX VELOCITY - We will ONLY discuss this topic at the workshop, Max Velocity work increases the potential for injury and takes many months of training to safely build up to this.

• Full speed Sprinting - from FLOW START position  40 to 70 meters
• Sprinting Mechanics at Top Velocity are different than acceleration mechanics
• RELAXATION / Proper Arm Mechanics and the Balance between FRONT SIDE / BACK SIDE MECHANICS

PROGRAM DESIGN

• Speed is King! Get Fast First. Acceleration and Quickness are the primary goals
• Basic sprinting Templates for Athletes wanting to increase speed
• Acceleration/Speed Days  Vs. Easy/Tempo Days
• Why TEMPO DAYS - Slower Sprints and other BW or KB circuits to build up sprint specific GPP and the aerobic system
• In season Sprinting protocols versus Off Season - for competitive Athletes (field and court)
• What would an Acceleration Training Session look like from Start to Finish
• What would a Tempo Training Session look like from Start to Finish
• The Importance of Recovery! Implementing Recovery & Regeneration into the training process
• The Importance of Massage (both self and hands-on)
• Sprinting Program Design for FAT LOSS
• Sprinting Progressions for ENDURANCE ATHLETES - how much, when and why?
• Sprinting progressions for STRENGTH ATHLETES
• Implementing Primal Speed with HKC, RKC, and FMS principles

Who can attend this workshop?

If you can walk or jog without pain you are more than likely a good candidate for this workshop. If you have any recent hip, back or knee injuries you may want to reconsider this workshop. Or you can attend for informational and learning purposes only without participating in the actual drills and hands on coaching. If you have any blood pressure or cardiovascular issues you may want to attend only for information purposes and/or consult your physician before attending.

Is this workshop only for track and field athletes?

No, absolutely not. This workshop is for people of all ages who have the desire to effectively and safely learn proper sprinting mechanics as well as how to teach and coach sprinting to others. You do not have to be a track and field athlete and you do not have to have any prior sprint training.

Will I be able to coach people how to sprint after the workshop?

Learning how to sprint yourself and feel the proper sprint position and mechanics will go a long way in helping you coach others.  Although it is not essential that you yourself are a world class sprinter, you must learn the proper mechanics and understand the scientific principles involved with sprinting

Is there any physical testing involved at the workshop?

No, although we do go over the screening and assessment to teach you how to do this on your clients. A Primal Speed certification is coming in the near future where there will be some specific physical testing.

Will this information be relevant for an aging and older clientele?

Yes, it will be very relevant because seniors and older adults often lack the ability to produce force quickly . Power training is very needed in these older populations because it can help protect them against falls and injuries and improve reflex stabilization.

Registration:  $199

                                         

e-mail: franz@revolutionlajolla.com for more information

The Need for Simplicity

"Things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things that matter least." - Goethe

According to Dictionary.com, Simplicity is:

freedom from complexity, intricacy, or division into parts: an organism of great simplicity.

In an era where everyone has Technology A.D.D - Attention Deficit Disorder(always texting, checking your e-mails every two seconds, switching from your cell phone to your kindle, to your IPAD, from app to app, angry birds to paper toss), it is easy to see why people have Fitness A.D.D as well.  I think more so than ever it is essential to prioritize your training and start stripping away that which is not needed and has less value. Of course this could be a blog post relating to all areas of  life but let's keep this specific to fitness and training.

Over the weekend I had the honor of teaching an HKC Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification to 12 eager and passionate students at RKC Rob Exline's Crossfit Facility in Houston.  For those of you not familiar with the HKC, it is the entry level course to the Russian Kettlebell Challenge, a very challenging course that is considered by most to be the top kettlebell certification in the world.  The beauty of this one day certification is that it only focuses on three movements. Their is SIMPLICITY in focusing on less movements. Those movements are:

1. The Swing
2. The Turkish Get Up
3. The Goblet Squat

Why these three? 

The Swing in the RKC community is considered the CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE! We believe this because the hardstyle swing teaches and grooves a very powerful hip extension. why is this important? Because all human movement takes place at the hip joints and a body that can effectively initiate movement from the hips is a more athletic body and potentially more healthy as well. Teaching people to move well at the hips will protect and strengthen the lumbar spine (low back) as well as protect the knee joints as well as the feet and ankles. Initiating movement at the hips can greatly improve performance as the GLUTES/HAMSTRINGS (posterior chain) get great development!!! Don't be the old guy with no glutes!

The Turkish Get Up represents a perfect marriage between mobility and stability! This movement will help the coach and the athlete identify mobility limitations  and strength asymmetries. Performed with grace and fluidity, there is a reason the Greeks call this movement Kalos Sthenos (this means Beautiful Strength in Greek). It truly is a beautiful movement that prepares the hips, thoracic spine and and shoulders to safely put weight over head.

The Goblet Squat may be the most effective way to teach a person how to squat!!! In our facility we always tell people that if they are healthy enough to walk in our door, they are healthy enough to squat. Squatting is  not a "good  idea", it is ESSENTIAL for human function and health!

Simplicity in your Training

Simplicity in your programming does not mean making the routine easy and boring. Simplicity in training means that your focusing on less activities.It means that you will get really proficient at a couple of key movements. In the context of the kettlebell training, this mean that you should focus on the basics; Swing, Get Up, and Goblet Squat!

All three of these movements are compound mutli-joint exercises which tie the body together in one harmonious unit!! Essentially, these movements are worth getting good at.  Rather than being mediocre at 50 exercises, I recommend getting really good at 3 or  4 movements!!

Rather than being a jack of all trades, master of none; I recommend that you are MASTER OF ONE!!! Well, maybe two, there or four, but I think you get the point. Mastering the Swing, the Get Up and even the Squat will not be done in a one day certification. It will serve as a great start to laying down the foundation for better movement and performance but real mastery takes a lifetime!!!

Programming

Obviously program design is huge!!  Yesterday at the HKC during my Program Design Lecture I spoke about the importance of PRACTICE over working out and the importance of competency over sets & reps. I mean WHO REALLY CARES how many reps or sets you do of  "X" if your technique sucks! If the mechanics aren't there in the movement you won't get the results you are looking for and if you do see some results they can quickly be taken back by injury or burnout!!! So when programming your Kettlebell training, especially if you are a newbie, how about working for time instead, rather than reps or sets.

For Example: you could do 20 seconds worth of swings followed by 40 seconds worth of work (popularized by Master RKC Geoff Nuepert) for 10 minutes. This way you are not worried about tyring to hit a certain number which can easily turn the sets into total SLOP if you are not careful.

For Get Ups you could sets of 2 on each arm for 15 minutes. Rest as needed and use QUALITY rather than QUANTITY as the primary indicator of progress. Just because you did 4 more crappy reps one workout doesn't mean your getting better. It means you are facilitating a worse GET UP pattern and getting worse at moving your body through time and space!!! Not good!!! Slow down the reps and re-think the long term sustainability of always trying beat your numbers. I am ALL FOR PROGRESS but not at the expense of injury and Short term gain.

Anyway, I realize I am likely already preaching to the choir and that is fine!! If I can encourage you it would be to internalize and act on the following principles:

1) Strip away the fluff in your training!
Focus on the movements that really count and will carry over to full body movement and strength. Can someone say Swings, Get Ups and Squats?

2) Get more technically proficient with your Deadlift, Swing, Get Up and Squat!
Has anyone of us truly ARRIVED and nailed down our mechanics in these movements. Not sure about you but just when I think I have it all figured out, someone else teaches me something new about the movement and gets me to see things differently. Keep studying and getting around people that are better than you!! Hands on coaching is KING!!!!!!!!! ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!!

3) Same with Mobility and Flexibility. Focus on Movements that are more GLOBAL!!!
In Convict conditioning two Coach Paul Wade talks about the daily Tri-fecta for keeping your joints supple, mobile and strong. Back Bends, L-Sits and seated twists. That's enough for most people. RKC Aleks Salkin wrote a great blog post on this very subject. Click HERE TO READ and WATCH HIS VIDEO on the tri-fecta!

4) Work on the Postures and Positions in your movements.
Take the time to perform the learning drills to make the movements non-cognitive and more natural. A Hip Hinge drill patterned really slowly and with focus will have huge dividends in the long run!!!

5) Work on your Diaphragmatic Breathing and your Power Breathing!
Power breathing during the ballistic Kettlebell movements is essential for safety and for performance.

Ok, enough said!! Go do your Deadlifts, Squats, Get Ups and Swings!! And please keep the volume low and quality high!!!!

The NEED for SPEED

Sprinting has been a passion of mine since I was 17 years old.  Funny thing is,  I had no idea I was fast until my twin brother Keats Snideman talked me into going out for my high school district championships at the end of my junior year. To make a long story short, I won the 200 meter dash (first track race of my life) and qualified for the STATE meet the following weekend. I was so smoked the following weekend that I got dusted in the State Championship but vowed to come back for my senior year and kick some ass. Fortunately that is exactly what I did. Broke the school record in the 100 meters and 200 meters and got a SILVER medal in the 100 meters and 200 meters at STATE  my senior year. Now 20 years later, the love affair with sprinting and speed is stronger than ever!!

Sprinting = Flying (notice how I am in the air)

Sprinting may be the most powerful expression of human power and explosiveness that human beings can do.  Every four years at the Olympics the world is glued to the TV to watch the world's fastest humans compete for the title of "World's Fastest Man." As a species, we are enomored with speed. We build faster and faster cars, faster boats, faster trains, faster airplanes, faster computers and faster societies. Their is something about SPEED that is THRILLING to watch and even more thrilling to experience.  I don't know about you, but watching a Cheetah or fast animal sprint at full speed is a thing of beauty.

If there one thing I have had the privilage of experiencing as a sprinter it is the feeling of weightlessness and floating. When you are blazing down a track, a trail or the beach at full speed, there comes at moment where you feel like you are flying. This if feeling is unlike any feeling I have ever had in sports. It is one I hope I can sustain and continue my entire life. Even as I age, I never want to lose the ability to sprint.

The Benefits of Sprinting

• Increased Metabolic Rate
• Increase in Muscle Mass
• Improved Speed and Power
• Better HEART and Cardiovascular Health
• More Mobility in your Hips and Shoulders
• Increase in the fountain of youth hormones, Testosterone and Growth Hormone
• The Ability to Sprint to safety CAN save your life or the lives of others
• Healthier Joints, Tendons, Ligaments, Connective Tissue and Bones
• Reflexive Stabilization
• Resets your Nervous system because of the Cross Body Patterns of Arms and Legs
• Stronger focus and mental toughness
• and the list goes on and on and on..........

RKC Team Leader Yoana Teran Sprinting.  She earned her ABS folks!!!

It is my goal, along with my twin brother,  fellow RKC Keats Snideman, to travel and teach people how to Sprint in a safe, sustainable and effective way so you to may attain of all of these benefits. Sprinting has largely been ignored in the fitness industry and that is shame.  Our new website is out (although still under construction) and will bring lots of top quality information on how to get started with  your sprint training.

www.primalspeed.net

Whether you are totally new to sprinting or a seasoned veteran, you will find valuable and practical tips in the coming weeks on how to reap the benefits of sprinting. Remember this fact, you do not have to be a track and field athlete to start sprinting.  All people should be sprinting regardless of your sporting goals or lack of them!!

Please be on the look out for Primal Speed workshops coming to a city near you!!!

My message to you is that adding one day a week of sprinting to your program will accelerate your progress and fruitfullness in your training.  Your health will improve as will your physique.

For this reason we have started a new company called PRIMAL SPEED; Better Health and Movement Through Sprinting. Our objective is not to turn  you into a track and field athlete but to teach you the SKILL of sprinting, regaredless of your sport or fitness goals. Sprinting will make you super athletic!!!

Please visit our new website (which is still under construction).

Is your Training Sustainable? The Importance of Sustainability

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night or the early morning with a great idea? Or some thoughts on a particular subject have been on you mind for a while and you feel compelled to share them with everyone. That's what happened to me this morning. Upon waking up it was all so clear, all so obvious. As life starts to slip by and as we get older the concept of sustainability in your life and in your training becomes critically important.  As an athlete it is so tempting to want to cut corners and not put in the necessary work to build a solid foundation for a lifetime of training and strength. Very FEW athletes will truly put in the base conditioning and skill work to get very good at their sporting movements. That is why most athletes do not have long careers or end up injured or on the sidelines.

So ask yourself the following questions:

1) How long do you want to be active? For days, weeks, months, years or a lifetime?

2) How long do you want your movement quality to be good?

3) Do you have any aspirations to compete in a sport over the age of 40?

4) Do you have a system in place that allows you to monitor your orthopedic and movement health?

5) Do you want to live on pain killers and steroids throughout your retirement?

When it comes to training longevity the first person that comes to mind is Jack LaLane. He knew a thing or two about sustainability and staying super strong and fit throughout a lifetime. The concepts he taught were principles based and just as accurate for our current generation as they were for his.

Clarence Bass is another person who has lived by the principle of "sustainable progression." He has been able to stay at the top of his game over a lifetime and is still training with some very respectable loads in his seventies. If you read his books the concept of sustainable progression runs strong as one of the main themes. Just looking at Clarence in his seventies is obvious proof that getting older doesn't have to take you out of sports or training.

As a lifelong athlete I have been a complete "bonehead" at times and just flat out stupid by ignoring warning signals that my body was giving me. I have learned the hard way through various injuries, some of which are with me forever as fun little companions or amigos. The bottom line is that we as athletes cause most of our problems and most of our injuries could have been avoided (especially the non-contact injuries).  So I offer the following tips and suggestions to those who desire to sustain their training for as long as possible!!!

1) Be ULTRA clear on your goals and why they are important to you!

Our training and sporting goals may change as we get older and this okay. It is fine to change goals and directions because we will pick up other interests and ambitions. When I became a parent my life changed instantly and for the first time in my life I started to think of the long term ramifications of my training and what effect that could have on my health and family! Now it was not only about me, it was about being healthy enough and functional enough to raise my kids, play with my kids and be a great role model for them on what effective and intelligent training can do in your life. My goal of feeling like a super hero and being incredibly strong and fast has not changed. However, the methods in which I will attain those qualities has!!!

If your current training goals do not support the long term vision you have for you and your family I would advise you to re-design your training program to support that vision.

2) QUALITY over QUANTITY

This is something that I have written about for years and it is still one of the most essential principles when it comes to training and to life goals.  When I speak of quality training I am referring to big compound movements performed with great technique and with the proper intention. Perhaps nothing more than moving well and moving with the right intention will have as profound an effect on your training results.  If we look at Clarence Bass and his training protocols, technique and QUALITY has always been his priority.

Very few people have the physiques or genetics to tolerate the high mileage running of marathons. The challenge with most distance sports such as marathons and triathalons is that they are not sustainable. You can only smash your joints for you so long before your joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles get so pissed off they stop working.  That is why my twin brother Keats Snideman and I highly recommend learning to sprint for health and better athleticism. That is why we started our own sprinting company created to coach intelligent sprinting for all types of people. Our book on the subject is coming later this year called PRIMAL SPEED. Sprinting once per week is something you can sustain over a lifetime and benefits to your health are plentiful:

• More Muscle Mass
• Stronger joints, ligaments, tendons and connective tissue
• Increased levels of Testosterone and Growth Hormone (the fountain of youth hormones)
• Less Body Fat
• More usable strength and power for life and sports

3) Have some Assessment Protocol in place to evaluate orthopedic, movement and neurological health.

It has been said that the person who tries to coach themselves is a FOOL. Even doctors need doctors. It is impossible to effectively be your own coach in every aspect of  your life. We all need help as well as the expertise of others. We all need coaching. We all need an objective "EYE." We all need encouragement and a voice outside of our own head to talk some sense to us!! Most people will easily lie to themselves and convince themselves that they are better than they are!!

This is why I love the FMS and the SFMA protocols because they serve as an objective platform to measure and grade movement. If you have not heard of the Functional Movement Screen, check out their website as well as Gray Cook's site (Gray is the founder and creator of the FMS). We all need this. You may not use the FMS but I encourage you to have some system in place to check your movement quality. Also, probably a very good idea to wear your seat belt, wear helmets when necessary, get blood work done yearly, floss and brush your teeth daily, tell your spouse and kids you love them every day, and help old ladies cross the street ;-)

4) We must strive for BALANCE!!!!! Tension vs. Relaxation

As strength athletes we tend to become addicted to the "TENSION" side of things. I remember when I got bit by the dead lifting bug several years ago and I ended up pulling 415 pounds and a body weight of about 160.  My challenge came when I kept going heavier and failed to back off and focus on recovery, flexibility and mobility.  Dead lifting is a great movement that I recommend all people master, However, like any motor quality, it can be over done. Focus too much on tension and you will get injured. Consequently, if you focus too much on flexibility and extreme yoga without focus on strength and you too will get injured. 

The Key word is BALANCE!!! We need both Tension and Relaxation. Whatever your deficit is, I recommend that you at least address it in some capacity in your training. It sounds rather simplistic and the truth is; you are right!!! Strive to incorporate the missing piece from your training. Think long term and where you want to be in the next 20, 30 or 50 years!!!

5) Focus on PARASYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY

Modern day life and stress has causes huge increases is stress related diseases and mental issues.  Too much training and not enough recovery coupled with "modern life stress" causes us to be too sympathetic dominant in our Central nervous system.  This is the fight or flight part of our CNS and leads to health issues.  I recommend that strength athletes look into following:

• Tai Chi or Qi gong - some of the best parasympathetic activities in the world
• SLEEP!!! Yes, get sleep and it must HIGH QUALITY SLEEP
• Daily Prayer and meditation - Holy men and wise have been doing this for thousands of years!
• Focus on Diaphragmatic Breathing - either in your stretching, meditation or yoga practice
• Less consumption of simple sugars, refined food and caffeine
• Primal Move - movement system by Master RKC Peter Lakatos

6) Keep STRENGTH the emphasis

this sounds like I am now contradicting myself but rest assured I am not!  Strength training (getting stronger  by lifting weights) as we age has not only performance benefits but huge health benefits. Maintaining enough muscle mass is essential for keeping our body fat levels low and our anabolic hormones high. Being strong also makes up for a whole host of deficiencies!

This is from the RKC MANUAL:

1. Strength is the master quality.

RKC is 100% behind Prof. Leonid Matveyev’s categorical statement: “Strength is the

foundation for development of the rest of physical qualities.”

Until one becomes “entry level strong”, e.g. a half-bodyweight one-arm kettlebell press,

a double bodyweight back squat for men, etc., no priority other than strength can be

justified for a healthy athlete. Master RKC Mark Reifkind has nailed it: “Strong fixes

almost everything.”

7) Focus on Restorative Movements and Correctives!!!!



Again, I look to FMS, RKC style principles, Indian Clubs and the things mentioned above.

Hope this helps. We all need to take a long term approach to our training and our life. We don't know how many days we have left on this earth, but in case we have a quite a few days left, let's make sure our quality of movement and quality of life is worth living!!!

Thoughts and comments are always welcome!!!