Answering questions about mobility, marketing, post workout nutrition and more!

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Hint: if you are rushed for time, just read the bold print... Appreciate you making it to my blog.

Q: Should someone add a little bit of mobility to a strength workout?  Should it be worked on separately? 

A: This depends on the movement individuality of the person. Some people are just more predisposed to mobility restrictions: sit down jobs, long term poor posture, previous trauma or injury, poor lifestyle habits, etc. A properly designed strength program can do wonders to someone's movement and mobility capabilities. Vice versa, a poorly designed and executed program can devastate mobility. So, with that said, we have members work on their movement EVERYDAY. Whether the main workout is more strength based or conditioning focused, daily we are implementing specific mobility drills into the routine. If there are major restrictions, I encourage daily work to remold the skill. It takes good repetitions to unlock mobility issues. I also recommend that you stay proactive regarding specific "mobility/flexibility" drills. Learn what your limiters/restrictions are and consistently work to improve upon. Don't wait until pain surfaces.

Q: What's the best way to market a new business and bring in clients?

A: HUSTLE YOUR ASS OFF! Constant FB ads targeting your specific demographics, local speaking engagements, ask your current customers for referrals, putting out valuable content showcasing your skills, video marketing (tip of the day or showcasing your business in action)... ABM...ALWAYS BE MARKETING if you want to grow your business from the ground up. 

Q: Is it better to have protein before or after a workout?

A: It is important to have a small amount of protein before the workout but coupled with adequate carbohydrates. Strength workouts 2:1 ratio carbs:protein (slice of toast w/2 tbls peanut butter), endurance workouts like running 4:1 ratio carbs:protein (cliff bar). But these numbers are just guidelines. Start here then adjust according to how your body feels.  It's usually about the same post workout as well. Whether you use a protein powder or not, it's key to ingest protein pre and post workout.

Q: Is it better to get protein from food sources versus a powder supplement?

A: A supplement replaces food sources so it is best to use whole foods as much as possible. I use a protein powder a few times a week to "supplement" when I may need a quick and easy protein source. I also like to add a vegan protein to a smoothie.  For me, it’s easier on my digestion versus whey.  For the most part though, the majority of your calories should come from natural food choices.

Q: What should eat/drink pre/post workout? 

A: So many options and it is key to find what works for you. But here are some ideas: cliff bar or powerbar, slice of sourdough toast w jam, banana w/tbls of peanut butter, 2-3 oz of orange juice w/small scoop of protein powder, small bowl of oatmeal w/crushed almonds, a banana with 1-2 scrambled eggs, etc. You want just enough calories to give you energy but not too much where you feel bloated.

Q: What are the benefits of foam rolling?

A: Anecdotally, I have used the foam roll in the training of myself and others for over 10 years. "Foam rolling" is really muscle tissue work. I think if you know what you are doing and working towards, it can be very beneficial to your mobility and tissue health. If you are unsure what to do, you could harm yourself.  I like hitting my quads, hip flexors, glutes, thoracic spine, lats and calves with the foam roll. I use other tools like lacrosse balls, rolling sticks and pvc pipes for more deliberate work. Benefits: blood flow, tissue suppleness, wakes up the nervous system, movement flow, etc.

Q: Is there an absolute right way to split up muscle groups for weight training?

A: Nothing will ever be "perfect". The key is that you are getting results. The way you get results is by consistently training, staying injury free and making slight changes to your program time to time. So really, it's key to "change it up" every so often so the body does not completely adapt to what you are doing. But these are slight changes to the program. Tempo of the lift, set/rep schemes, 1 limb/2 limb variations of exercises, different order of routine, etc. For example, for 3 weeks do 4 sets of 10 repetitions of your main lifts at a 3:1 tempo (3 seconds eccentric:1 second concentric). Then for 3 weeks do 6 sets of 7, little heavy weight, tempo is 3:3, 3 seconds eccentric:3 second concentric. Time under tension when weight lifting is probably the most important component as this is what creates the muscle fiber change. Again, the key is CONSISTENCY w/ slight changes.