A few weeks ago we discussed some of the funky looking bars that we have in the Strength Lab. That was all focused on the ones we use for upper body training. With this edition, I’d like to bring to light the bars we use for lower body training, along with some why’s and some how’s. And as with everything I do, you’re going to get my opinion, so filter wisely UF’ers.

 

To revisit, specialty bars, for the most part, were designed with two purposes in mind:
 

1. Maintaining healthy joints while allowing the lifter to continue to train as they normally would.

 

2. Putting the lifter at a mechanical disadvantage to force the body to adapt and ultimately make progress.

 
There are specialty bars for the squat, bench and deadlift but they all have crossover uses as well. So let’s dissect the specialty bars designed for lower body use. In the Strength Lab, they are all designated by ORANGE tape (our all-purpose bars use blue tape for reference).

 

#1 The two competition specific bars that are most easily recognizable are the Texas Squat Bar and the Mastodon Squat Bar.

Uses: Multiple- Either bar, aside from squats, can be used for benching, or rowing and deadlifting when you want to focus on your grip.

 

Weight: Texas squat bar- 55lbs (1-1/4” thick), Mastodon 60lbs (1-3/8” thick)

 

Differences: Certain federations will use one vs. the other mainly out of habit or tradition. Example- the USAPL will use a Texas Power Bar (blue in our gym) for squats. USPA will use a Texas Squat Bar. And RPS will use a Mastodon Bar. The Texas Squat Bar will be more ‘whippy’ under heavy loads than a Mastodon bar, which is the reason for the difference in thickness.

 

Everyone has a different preference here. Some of our females love squatting with the Mastodon bar, but conventional wisdom will tell you that it should be harder for them. I like the Texas Squat Bar because it sits more comfortably on my back, but what do I know?

 

#2 Duffalo bar- traditionally a “Buffalo bar,” but this was designed by Chris Duffin and was renamed the Duffalo bar. Think of it as a bent Texas Squat Bar.

Uses: Multiple- Primarily this bar is used for squats to alleviate shoulder pain and bicep impingement. Put plainly, if you have limited shoulder mobility, this is a great bar for you to squat with. It’s also a better bar to use for front squats because it sits more comfortably in the front rack position.

 

You can also bench with this bar. It provides a longer range of motion which can be a beneficial assistance movement to aid your bench progress. Personally, I don’t like this idea with a bar- it’s always a risk vs reward scenario. If you want a longer range of motion in the bench press, my recommendation is to do so with dumbbells or fatbells because it’s safer for the shoulder. Supposedly, it will also help with technique- the bend in the bar can force lat engagement which is necessary in all forms of the bench press. I haven’t used it enough myself to back this claim.

 

Weight: 55lbs

 

#3 Cambered bar- (“Arched” or bent bar)- this bar is from Westside Barbell.

Uses: Primarily this bar is used for squats, and will provide similar relief as the Duffalo bar for bicep pain and shoulder impingement. The added bonus- this bar will force you to stabilize harder because the weights tend to swing from front to back if your squat isn’t PERFECT, which face it, almost nobody’s is.

 

I’ve also used this bar, at times, for triceps assistance work like skull crushers. The set up is a bit of a pain, but it’s worth it.

 

Weight: 65lbs, 14” camber

 

#4 Safety Squat Bar or the “SS Yoke Bar” aka The King

Uses: This is my favorite bar of all time. Why? Because no matter how good of a squatter you are, this bar will make you better. Plus it saves you shoulders. The SSB sits higher on your back, lengthening your spine aka putting the bar further away from your power source- your hips. Flash back to high school physics- this bar makes your leverages worse meaning you have to put more power into moving the same load. The added bonus- it doesn’t put any stress on your shoulders. So you can improve your squat while saving your bench, or if you’re recovering from a shoulder injury, you can still work on your lower body.

 

Secondary uses: Good mornings, lunges, partial good mornings or arches

 

Weight: 65lbs

 

Our evening members have probably noticed three little ducklings walking around, shadowing, and being generally awkward in class. Welcome our interns! Connor Hassinger, Alex Pong, and Connor Keenan joined us this summer from Pitt. As a staff, we’re all proud of their progress up to this point, and we want to thank you for being patient with them in class.

 

Lindsey asked them to write about their internships thus far, with little direction on specifics. Our takeaways:

• We learned that they’re all good writers- nice work Pitt!
• They were a lot more open and honest than we expected.
• We appreciate their sense of humor and openness to constructive criticism.
• They’re actually pretty funny, who knew?

 

Connor Keenan

 

So you want to intern at a gym

 

So you took the time to look into getting an internship at a gym or college strength program, great. Like me you were probably eager to get the chance to be around other like-minded individuals and spend your day in a gym, but what are you actually going to learn? The answer, depends on your attitude and how you look at your situation. You will most likely be given mundane tasks, such as folding towels or greeting guests; this is inevitable and the sooner you disregard your ego, the sooner the real learning can begin. The staff at Union has been pushing my fellow interns and I to learn more and ask more.

 

I have been interning at Union Fitness in Pittsburgh for about a month and am just starting to scratch the surface. With every passing day that I am here my confidence increases, only to be torn down by people smarter than me (I was told my squat sucks my first day on the job, which I’m grateful for). Being around more knowledgeable individuals has shown me that I have so much more to learn. Just because you know a variety of exercises does not mean you will be a good coach or trainer. You need to have great people skills and communication to effectively direct and coach a client or multiple. Without these you can kiss your full potential goodbye. These skills cannot be learned in a classroom and take time to develop. Now if you have a good mindset and attitude about your internship you’ll realize that doing things like, folding towels and greeting members, does have some carry over to coaching. If you cannot do simple tasks, like these, correctly how can someone trust you to take the reins and coach an athlete. So far these are the main takeaways I have compiled:

• Do not become complacent
• Keep learning
• Do not be afraid to ask questions
• Most coaches and lifters are very unselfish and will help you, but not unless you ask
• Lone wolfs won’t make it in this industry
• Develop an unreal attention to detail
• You’re never the smartest person in the room
• Get involved!
• Enjoy yourself and care about your clients/athletes

 

Connor Hassinger

 

The most recent thing I learned was the barbell oriented strength class was called “#powerful” not just “powerful.” During this class, I learned countless tips and tricks from CJ, Lindsay, and Ryan for group classes which was very helpful coming from a personal training background. Figuring out how to split everyone up into groups and who will need special attention or an alternate exercise on the fly took some time. Getting to know some of the members of Union Fitness and helping them with anything as small as how many reps to do was a pleasure.

 

The part of the internship with the least glamour, front desk/towels/etc, ended up being very important. While at the front desk I had unlimited access to articles/videos to research topics I was uncertain about or assigned to. After I finished I could chat with any member of the staff to clarify. The notes section of my phone is now filled with more training article takeaways than passwords. Promise I was typing up important questions or comments and not texting on my phone everyday.

 

You might think after a morning working at a gym and an afternoon spent at Union Fitness I would be ready to head home. Well you would be wrong because 7 pm is time to train and make use of as many specialty bars, chains, and fatbells I could without getting sidetracked. Having Casey there to yell at us when my head was down or Alex’s knees were soft was an extra perk.

 

Alex Pong

 

My internship at Union has been a pretty sweet gig so far: helping out with the #powerful and Cardio Lab classes, having discussions about the various articles we read, training in a dope gym with strong-ass people. But the best thing by far about being here is that the people mentoring me actually care. They’re willing to help out not only with my training, answering any questions I have and giving me tips whenever they can, but with anything. Their advice ranges from how to use MindBody when I’m up at the front desk (which took wayyyyy too long to figure out), to my mental health (I cried at the gym 3 separate times last week), to yelling at me for my (admittedly very large) water cuts for my meets.

 

One of the biggest things I’ve had to work on, and am still working on, is talking to people. Just talking. You know that thing normal people do to communicate with each other? Yeah I’m really bad at that. On my first day, Casey said I was “painfully awkward” … and I mean, he’s not wrong… But I’ve slowly started to find my voice here these past few weeks. Casey told me about how Donnie Thompson turns into “Super D” on the platform – he becomes who he needs to be to get shit done. When I’m here, I don’t need to be the same shy person I am most of the time. I can create a different persona, someone louder, someone chattier, someone more outspoken and confident. Don’t be fooled, I’m still very awkward and softspoken (except when I have to yell over the music during Cardio Lab), and not super talkative, but I think I’m getting better. And who knows, maybe by the end of the summer you’ll have to tell me to shut up because I’m talking too much.

 

At some point in our lives women have heard “Keep the intensity high!” “Eat Clean!” “Exercise 7 days a week and let most of it be cardio!” These are the mantras from health teachers in grade school, sports coaches, social media, TV, health personalities etc. Do these mantras teach us about taking in enough calories to fuel our workouts and provide for our bodies? Do they teach us the importance of rest and recovery? This is an important concept for individuals who exercise on a regular basis, but it is especially important for females.

 

Why females? They are at a risk of experiencing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea. This is a subject I am passionate about. I have gone through and continue to battle this issue and I want to prevent other women from this experience.

 

About seven years ago I started going to the gym 6-7 days per week. I did not have much education on what to do. I just knew I wanted to lose some weight for an upcoming vacation to the beach with a large group of friends. I did cardio and weight lifted about 6-7 days per week. I ate minimal calories. I remember hearing most of my life from magazines, tv, etc. that I should eat lots of protein and broccoli. I did just that. Of course, I started to see results. Results of me shedding weight week after week. I could see my abs. It became an obsession. I wanted more. I got down to 104 lbs. For reference, I’m just under 5’7”. This led to years of calorie restriction and over exercise. A year into that lifestyle and I completely lost my menstrual cycle.

 

Once I realized what I was doing, how terrible I looked, how upset my mother and family were, I started to make a change. It took 3 years to completely slow it down and increase calories to a somewhat “healthier” range (although I believe I was eating in a deficit for 3 years, at least). Fast forward to today, and I am still fighting to get that back. I was diagnosed with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea a few years ago and this is a result of my years of restriction and excessiveness.

 

What is Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (or “HA”)? This is a condition that is rarely talked about, but is becoming increasingly prevalent in the population of physically active women. HA is a disturbance in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (H-P-O) axis, that ultimately results in the cessation of menstruation. Your hypothalamus is located in the forebrain and is a MAJOR control center of our bodies. It controls body temperature, thirst, hunger, sleep, emotional activity and other homeostatic functions. The hypothalamus receives input from various hormones and chemical messengers in the body and needless to say, it is highly sensitive. At any sign of disruption, the hypothalamus loses balance and essentially protects the body using some sort of defense mechanism.

 

The factors that often cause such a disturbance are stressors including, a caloric deficit, low body fat, mental/environmental stress, and excessive physical activity. The hypothalamus cannot differentiate between starvation and a caloric deficit, or the stress of excessive exercise and the stress from a life-threatening situation. The hypothalamus does not recognize these factors as they are but, rather the stress they exert on the body and immediately goes into a “protection mode.”

 

Why is the reproductive system affected? The reproductive system is considered “secondary” and not a primary need for survival. Reproduction and conception are energy taxing events in the body. This explains why temperate animals do not reproduce or certain animals are infertile in times of famine or low energy availability. In places where food is plentiful in human populations, women can still create a deficit from a higher energy expenditure i.e. strenuous physical activity thus, causing reproductive issues. When in stressful situations or low food availability, the body does not want to “waste” it on non-essential organs and tissues for survival. In the case of HA women, the menstruation stops (Wade & Jones, 2004).

 

To understand HA better, let’s talk further into how these factors affect our bodies in a negative way.

 

A caloric deficit can affect the signals that the hypothalamus receives. Eating restrictions can include caloric deficits or the elimination of food groups. “Fad diets” that restrict certain food groups paired with or without intense exercise can cause catastrophic conditions in the body. Not only eliminating food groups, but overall undernourishment of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates creates a deficit and can lead to HA. Food is paramount for metabolic function such as organ function, cell maintenance, and other physiological processes (Wade & Jones, 2004). The hypothalamus knows how much fat, carbohydrates, and protein your body is receiving. The hypothalamus receives input from the entire body and when energy availability is low, the hypothalamus responds. An energy deficit of both micro- and macronutrients are relevant to neuroendocrine dysfunction. Nutrients such as; fatty acids, amino acids and glucose all have a part in the function of the hypothalamus as well as the gonadal axis (Dupont et. al., 2014).

 

The other variable contributing to the rising prevalence of HA in women is excessive exercise. Let me preface this by saying exercise is important and should not be eliminated however, it is the frequency and intensity that can affect the H-P-O axis. The key here is balance. Exercise activates the stress system, by inducing the release of stress hormones such as glucocorticoids (cortisol). Cortisol plays a MAJOR role in down regulating the reproductive system. To understand this further, Glucocorticoids are anti-inflammatory hormones and are released when stress is sensed. The release of glucocorticoids is the body’s way of protecting itself, i.e. protecting a woman from getting pregnant because the body senses any type of stress as a threat and not an ideal environment for child bearing. I am going to link exercise and mental/environmental stress together, because the body does not discriminate, stress is stress.

 

To understand this even further, I want to bring light to a study that was done at the University of Pittsburgh where they thoroughly examined the step by step process of strenuous exercise leading to exercise-induced amenorrhea. The study took place at a research lab at the University of Pittsburgh. Sixteen adult female monkeys were involved in the study. Baseline blood was drawn and every other day after. The monkeys had their estradiol and progesterone levels sampled. The monkeys ran everyday on a human sized treadmill to do the testing. They increased running to 12.3 km per day. The monkeys developed a stop in menstruation developing exercise-induced amenorrhea and showed changes in their hormonal blood profile.

 

Treatment of HA can be complex if there is not an understanding of what variable is contributing to the issue; stress, exercise, a caloric deficit or a combination. HA is often a disorder without direct evidence, but more so a disorder that has many internal and external variables, and with continuous exposure, the hormonal signals begin to adapt to these responses. HA is dependent of these variables and there is no parameter for each individual, instead, a wide spectrum and a matter of person and their own sensitivity threshold. Often, physicians of western medicine prescribe an oral contraceptive (birth control) as “treatment” of HA, due to the influx of exogenous estrogen and progesterone. However, this will only mask the issue and not actually treat the underlying cause…

 

It is also important to understand what can happen when estrogen is low and menstruation is absent. There is sufficient evidence to prove low estrogen levels from HA can cause many detrimental issues to manifest such as infertility, osteoporosis, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and evidence to prove that there is a correlation between cardiovascular disease and HA. Some may think that not having a period is the best news yet, but when we know the long-term effects and how important estrogen is for our brain, heart etc., I think it helps put into perspective the importance of our periods and self-care.

 

Some of the variables I have changed to see results are reduced frequency of training, increasing my calories by 1,000-1,500, increased sleep, and to focus on rest and recovery on the days I am not training. I slowly implemented this over a period of 2 years, as this was not easy for me, especially lowering my training frequency and intensity. I saw signs of recovery at different stages, but the hypothalamus is sensitive and sometimes requires more efforts to see a change.

 

If there is one takeaway, just know that food, specifically carbohydrates and fats are necessary not only to survive, but to perform your best in the gym and get stronger. Strong is beautiful and remember that the pressures from the outside world should not influence what you eat and nourish your body with. We also need to remember that balance is the greatest gift you can provide yourself with and to not go to the extremes of any spectrum.

 

To anyone who has lost their cycle, this is where we need to truly be honest with ourselves and make comprehensive changes to our lives, and truly understand what variables have changed to the extreme. Your life is valuable and you deserve to live at your best.

 

I want to continue to share this experience with all of you, maybe this will help someone who has not yet shared or discussed their experience with anyone and they are unsure on how to seek help. I was there. This is a process and I want to be as vulnerable and authentic with you as possible. This journey is to be continued.

 

In this week’s blog, we wanted to shift our focus to the men of UF. Guys, I want each of you to take a minute or a less and describe yourself. What is the first thing that pops into your head?

 

How much of your description was based on looks? As a male, I believe that we think about our appearance a lot more than we let on. In social groups, men often get to be known as the Small Guy, the Large Guy, the Muscular Guy or even Small Calf Guy (I’m on this team). All jokes aside, I don’t believe men are as safe from body insecurities as our society tends think they are. With the rise of social media, fitness stars, and super heroes that have bodies like Greek gods, the expectations of what men “need” to look like are difficult to meet. For this reason, body dysmorphic disorder (or BDD) has become increasingly prevalent among the male population.

 

Defining BDD

 

What is BDD? The Mayo Clinic defines body dysmorphic disorder as “being extremely preoccupied with a perceived flaw in appearance that to others can’t be seen or appears minor.” There are two parts to this definition that I will be focusing on: (1) the idea of a “perceived flaw” and (2) that “to others can’t be seen or appears minor.” I can guarantee that all of us can find a flaw in the way we view our bodies. But later in this article I will challenge everyone (but primarily men) to focus on your positive features. More than half the time these flaws are so minor that our friends can’t even see them, or even if they do, they barely realize they are there until you point it out. Take my example: I believe that I can fit a truck between the gap in my two front teeth but whenever I mention anything about my gap to my friends, the first thing they say is “I totally forgot you had one.”

 

My Story

 

Growing up as the younger, smaller brother – about 20 to 25 pounds lighter than all my brother’s friends – was a struggle. My appetite was more closely related to a person on a diet vs how most kids were eating as though it was their last meal. I wasn’t focusing on the calories, I was just the kid that didn’t have a huge appetite. This style of eating did not help when we chose to wrestle as kids. Eventually I got fed up with being “the small kid.” I started to lift weights and count calories, but more for the sake of gaining weight than losing it. I was finally getting bigger but still wanting to be known as the local tough kid, which lead me to join an MMA gym. Joining was a great idea at first, but as you could imagine, there I was at age 15 weighing 140 pounds surrounded by guys that had 30+ pounds and 5+ years on me, again being the reminded that I am known as “the small kid.” So I trained hard and started force feeding as much food as I could. I stopped going out to eat with friends or to parties because I felt like I had to make sure that I was getting enough calories. Now, I achieved what I wanted to accomplish after two years and was weighing about 175-180 hanging with the older guys. But even though I could hang with them when it came to grappling, being stronger and bigger didn’t actually satisfy anything. The desire to get bigger and stronger only grew. The thought was that if I looked bigger, I would become more confident. For me, the effects of this mindset meant staying at home while force feeding myself in order to gain one more pound than last time I checked. For some people, the effects of this mindset can be even more detrimental.

 

Taking it a step further

 

Society has conditioned men to poke fun at body image insecurity issues, but there is no comedy in the harm that BDD causes. BDD can create a wide range of problems. An issue that everyone can relate to is feeling uncomfortable wearing certain clothes. When I feel “small,” I tend to wear larger clothes. To me, a large sweatshirt helps me feel larger than I am, or at least keeps people from seeing how small I am. Wearing a larger sweatshirt is just a small example of what BDD and the mind can do to us. BDD can come with much larger issues such as eating disorders or abuse of certain supplements and pharmaceuticals to achieve that ideal body. The abuse can have long lasting effects and can even last the rest of your life.

 

What now?

 

Is it a flaw to not be jacked and tan all year long? I don’t think so. That’s just absurd, especially considering that Pittsburgh gets about much sun as a California winter. So take a long look in the mirror this morning and wink at yourself. Focus on that outstanding beard, maybe that bicep vein that is popping out more than usual, or maybe stand a little taller today knowing that you have been putting the time in the gym.

 

Here’s one more challenge… try to get out of your comfort zone. Either by trying on new clothes that you would normally feel uncomfortable in or eating that last bite that you usually wouldn’t take because you are trying to get super lean for summer. This might sound weird, but my challenge is to try not to panic when I skip a meal or wear a tighter shirt that I feel makes me look small. Since I am always trying to gain weight, I tend to get a little sensitive if I miss a meal. This is partly due to the blood sugar drop, but also the fear of getting “smaller” than I feel I already am. But when I skip a meal now, I breathe. I remind myself that I will not lose every pound of muscle that I have. These are minor steps that will have a large impact on feeling healthier and happier, because in the end, that’s what matters the most: not how you look, but whether you are healthy and happy.

 

 

In the last few years, with the explosion of CrossFit and social media, the sport of Olympic weight lifting has grown in popularity, seeing its USA weightlifting membership numbers more than double since the 2012 Olympic games.  Despite the sport of weightlifting being around for over a century, it has been a relatively unknown sport in the United States. Meanwhile in Europe, it has been a sport that has been taught to youth athletes for years.  In countries such as Iran and China, it is one of the most popular sports. Just like any sport, weightlifting takes years of training and practice to master the two competition lifts: the Snatch and Clean & Jerk. For many of the top weightlifters in the world, they will have up to a decade of experience by the time they reach their early 20’s. Does this mean that it is too late for you to start? What I plan to discuss is how even though you didn’t start when you were 12 years old, it is never too late to become an Olympic weightlifter!

 

 

Over the past several months I have been working with a client who came to the gym looking to compete in his first Olympic weightlifting meet next year at the age of 44. He had no previous experience with the lifts and was a novice to general strength training. In the 4 months that we have been working together the main focuses have been building general strength, teaching technique and improving his mobility. His dedication inside the gym during our training sessions and outside of the gym on his own time has, in my opinion, greatly helped his progress. With each week, I have seen great improvements in his technique and there is no doubt in my mind that he won’t be ready for his first competition 8 months from now.

 

 

Even though you may be in your 30’s, 40’s or even older does not mean it is too late to become a weight lifter. What it does mean is that you may just need to start from a different point in your training. One of the first things to take into consideration when starting this sport is your training age and the number of years you’ve trained. Olympic weightlifting requires a strong base of general strength, but even if you have never lifted weights in your life doesn’t mean this sport is not for you. It does mean that your training will just require a few more steps to build a solid foundation. On the flip side of things, just because you have been picking up heavy things and putting them down for a long time doesn’t mean you’ll be a gold medalist on day one. If you aren’t able to touch your toes, then you will have a lot of work to do on the opposite side of the spectrum.

 

 

There are a lot of perks to coming into the sport with very little experience weightlifting or even without an athletic background at all.  Starting from ground zero is great because the coach will not have the athlete bringing in preconceived notions about the sport, no bad habits and no old sports injuries to deal with. Being a clean slate can be a good thing! This type of athlete may just need a bit more general training and variety of exercises to build a solid foundation. Laying the groundwork here, despite sounding tedious and not too exciting will only pay off more in the long run of athletic development. Building strength will not only help in lifting more weight but also help the body become more durable and able to reduce the risk of injury.

 

 

Now lets look at the veteran of the weight room. You squat 400 lbs, deadlift a house and can bench press your car. This foundation of strength is more than enough to be a competitive weight lifter, however you can’t stick your arms overhead straight enough to snatch or clean and jerk. Does this mean this sport is not meant for you? Certainly not, you will just need to take more time to work on your mobility in order to complete the competition lifts. Again, the mobility work may not be the most exciting of training to do however in the long run it will pay off more than you could imagine.

 

 

So you’ve spent the time to learn the snatch and clean & jerk, your strength is great and mobility is there so what’s next?  Are you ready to compete? In the USA Weightlifting Federation there are masters weight classes up in to the 70’s! Starting at the age of 35, and every 5 years after, there is a new masters division for the standard weight classes ranging from local competitions to nationals all the way up to worlds for both men and women. Competing in Olympic weightlifting is a true test of not only your physical preparation but also your mental toughness where months of repetitions, sweat and time in the gym manifests into just 6 competition attempts. 

 

 

As a closing statement I would just like to say this: the sport of Olympic Weightlifting is a great sport that has unfortunately remained in the shadows of athletics in the United Sates for years. Despite it now just emerging more in popularity doesn’t mean that it is a sport only for the young guns. Weightlifting is a sport that has much to give to people of any age or background, as long as their goals and expectations are within the reasonable realm. However, this is not meant to imply no one can have a high level of success in the sport in his or her later years. I would like to wrap things up with a short story about a friend of mine who came into the sport in his mid 30’s through a few years of Crossfit. With a good strength foundation and dedication he was able to win the master’s US Nationals in his weight class and even moved on to compete at the International World Master’s finals in Italy. With commitment and effort not only can Olympic weightlifting help you build strength and health but potentially give you much more!

Anyone who has ventured into the Strength Lab for a training session has seen bars of all shapes and sizes on the racks or stacked in the bar holders. Most are covered in colored tape too. At first glance it seems like overkill, but there is a method to our madness. I want to dig into the what and why of these bars and how you can incorporate them into your own training.

 

Specialty bars, for the most part, were designed with two purposes in mind:

 

1) Maintaining healthy joints while allowing the lifter to continue to train as they normally would.

 

2) Putting the lifter at a mechanical disadvantage to force the body to adapt and ultimately make progress.

 

There are specialty bars for the squat, bench and deadlift but they all have crossover uses as well. So let’s start with the specialty bars designed for upper body use. In the Strength Lab, they are all designated by RED tape (our all-purpose bars use blue tape for reference).

 

 

#1 The most specific of all is the COMPETITION BENCH BAR.

 

Uses: Benching and that’s all folks.

 

Weight: 55lbs.

 

It is thicker than an all-purpose bar to prevent ‘bar whip’ during heavy bench attempts. And the collars are longer so you can load as many plates as your little heart desires (or body can handle). You are certainly welcome to use a blue all-purpose bar to bench, but if you are going to a competition that will be using this bar on the platform, it’s nice to be prepared ahead of time for the thicker diameter.

 

 

#2 Up next is the FATBAR.

 

Uses: Benching, triceps assistance movements, bicep curls

 

Weight: 55lbs.

 

The purpose of the fatbar is simple and effective- it takes pressure off of your joints, mainly the wrist and elbow, by reducing the torque you’re able to generate at the joint.  A less “sciencey” summary- use this bar if your shoulders/elbows/wrists hurt. The other advantage to this bar is that it puts more of an emphasis on your triceps. So if your bench progress is stalling, this can be a nice curve ball to throw at your body.

 

Another favorite use for this bar- BICEP CURLS! In the same way that it forces your triceps to work harder in the bench, it will over emphasize bicep activation by reducing the work that your forearms can do during the movement.

 

 

#3 is where is starts to get a little funky- FOOTBALL BENCH BAR.

Uses: benching, rows, curls

 

Weight: 45lbs.

 

This is the ultimate shoulder saver. The angle of the handles puts your shoulder in a more natural pressing position. If you’ve taken our #powerful classes, you know we preach elbow position in the bench to help mitigate shoulder discomfort. Well, this bar makes that process dummy-proof.

 

When using it for a row, it can help stop the bicep from taking over the motion and allow you to target your back as intended.

 

When using it for curls, it allows you to mimic a hammer curl (typically done with a dumbbell) which is actually the healthiest version of a bicep curl because it puts your tendons in the safest position possible. 

 

 

#4 Last but not least, the SWISS PRESS BAR.

Uses: benching, triceps assistance movements, rows, overhead press

 

Weight: 33lbs.

 

To me it’s just the ugly step sister to the football bar, but that’s really just a bad opinion on my part. I’m obviously biased but don’t let my opinion sway you- try it for yourself.

 

I don’t like it for benching anything heavy (heavy being relative) because the thin handles make it tough to stabilize.  However, it is the BEST BAR for targeting your triceps because it puts your wrists in a neutral position, ultimately taking most of the pec and front delt out of the press.

 

Similar to the football bar, this is a great bar for rows because it limits the bicep’s ability to take over the movement.

 

And for an overhead press movement, this is another shoulder saver. In an overhead position, the neutral grip makes the press extremely safe and stable for the shoulder.

I recognize that it’s a lot to remember. I get asked daily what each bar weighs and what it can be used for. Please, keep asking! But I hope this serves as a quick guide to at least give some insight into how you can incorporate these tools into your own training.

 

It’s time for a health check up…and we’ll start with the basics.

– What are you drinking right now- coffee, tea, energy drink?

• How much sleep did you get last night- the standard six or seven hours or maybe as little four?
• How much have you eaten today? Or have you eaten today? Did you make your breakfast or was it fast-food grab and go kind of morning?

 

We realize that we’re borderline beating a dead horse with this one, but self care is EVERYTHING.  I don’t think our staff at UF can stress enough the importance of rest and recovery. We seem to preach it constantly. Some of our other coaches have already shared their self-care stories, and unfortunately (or fortunately), I had my wakeup call last week.

 

After a regularly scheduled bench session, I started to feel slightly nauseous. This is uncommon for me, so I was a little bit nervous to say the least. I decided to go home early considering that with each burp I was leaning toward the trash can.

 

I’ll save you the rest of the details, but I drove myself to the ER around 5 am. The doctor did a few blood tests and sure enough, I had light case of rhabdomyolysis.If you’re familiar with rhabdomyolysis, you know that this condition can be gravely dangerous. As I’m sure many of you are not familiar, in simple terms, it is when your muscles release a tremendous amount of waste product that puts damage on your body, specifically your kidneys. If this condition is severe enough it can lead to kidney failure. Luckily, my Exercise Physiology degree came in handy – we discussed the symptoms in class so I had an idea of what might be happening. By getting myself to the ER as quickly as possible, we caught it early before any more serious symptoms set in.

 

The point of this article is not to talk about how to prevent rhabdomyolysis. And I’ll add this right now: I DID NOT GET RHABDOMYOLYSIS DUE TO ANYTHING I DID IN THE GYM. I subjected myself to this by not taking my recovery seriously. This article is about how we all need to take care of ourselves before something like this happens to you – a serious medical condition that could have been entirely preventable with rest.

 

When it comes to giving your body rest there are three key components to focus on: (1) sleep, (2) hydration, and (3) nutrition. We’ll call the them the “big three.” Whenever I have a client that says they don’t feel well, we can usually trace it back to Big Three. I know as well as you do that at certain times in our lives these will be sacrificed for any number of things- that project at work or your term paper for school. This isn’t optimal for obvious reasons, but what needs to happen after you’ve sacrificed your health for a commitment is a catch up period after you’ve over extended yourself. My theory is that rest and work need to be a 2:1 ratio: that extra hour you pushed yourself for work, school, or training needs to be followed by two hours of dedicated recovery time.

 

I can understand if you’re feeling skeptical, but consider my situation. When you are in the gym working hard on those giant biceps, you are technically breaking down muscle fibers. Nothing is being built. When are we actually building muscle then? The hard to swallow answer: when you eat, sleep and hydrate. These three things need to be taken care of to fully to reach your training goals, whether that be the biggest biceps in the gym, your first challenging hike, or getting through a rough Cardio Lab class.

 

I know you are dying to know what I did to wreck my body. Let’s just say I was not taking care of any of the main three. They say a smart man learns from his mistakes, but a wise man learns from the mistakes of others…I want all of you to learn from my mistakes. To do that, I want each of you to pick one action to take this week that means you’re taking better care of your recovery: sleep, hydration, and nutrition. Maybe that looks like skipping that extra re-run of Park and Rec to get an extra 30 minutes of sleep, or just getting a 12oz cold brew coffee instead of the 24oz, or cutting your workout in half because you realized that the only thing you ate that day was half of a stale bagel you scrounged up in the break room (that you washed down with a liter of coffee, naturally).

 

Lastly, I know a lot of you are thinking “I ain’t no wuss” – you’re stronger than this, you can’t get something like rhabdo. We are living in a culture where it is “badass” to push yourself to a breaking point. Let me tell you what is not badass. Laying in the ER on your second bag of IV fluid realizing that you won’t be able to compete in the powerlifting meet you’d been preparing for over the past three months. Nobody likes set backs and I don’t want that for any of you. So go ahead take that nap, drink all the water, and make your lunch count. Take care UF’ers.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve probably noticed the new equipment in the Cardio Lab by now. If you’ve been lucky enough to participate in one of our HIIT, Grit, or Hybrid Flow classes, you’re most likely super familiar with the ski erg. It’s one of our favorite pieces of cardio equipment here at UF. Most traditional cardio equipment (think treadmills, bikes & ellipticals) focus on the lower body. Although you might end up developing a love/hate relationship with this device, it is by far one of the most efficient pieces of equipment to work the upper body.

 

We know just looking at the ski erg can be quite intimidating for newbies so we put together a how-to guide for those looking to add some upper body cardio into their routines.

 

Set-up/Technique:
 

There are two main techniques for the arms: Straight up and down (think ski poles) or Circles (think butterfly stroke).

There are two main techniques for the legs: Hip Hinge (think fatbell swing) or Squat (think more knee bend).

You can mix & match your styles and techniques throughout your workout!

Common Mistakes:
 

Back rounding

Avoid this mistake by keeping your back as flat or neutral as possible. It helps to think about keeping your shoulders back or squeezing your shoulder blades together.

Knees locked out

Avoid this mistake by always keep a slight or soft bend in the knees.

Not finishing the pull

Avoid this mistake by making sure you always finish your arm extension.

 

Damper Setting:
 

 

Monitor:
 

How to turn the machine on:
As soon as you start your first pull, the machine will automatically turn on and start calculating.

 

How to change the units of measure:
We commonly use calories or meters to calculate or measure workouts in classes. To change the units on your screen, follow the video instructions below.

That’s just about all there is to it! The best way to learn is really to give it a try yourself, so hop in on a Cardio Lab class ASAP.

When you’re in love with a barbell, we know it can be difficult to ditch it in exchange for a yoga mat. It feels a little bit like cheating on your one true love—there are feelings of guilt, fear, anxiety and uncertainty.  We get it! There’s nothing quite like crushing a new PR with the love of your life or a rep PR in the Strength Lab.  Adrenaline is rushing, the music is bumping and the blood is pumping hard. It’s a beautiful feeling.  Just like that feeling of cold hard steel in your hands, covered in a mix of chalk and sweat, nothing can quite compare.  But, honestly, the benefits of yoga for lifters can be just as sweet and satisfying:

 

Less injuries

We see it all the time: Things are going great and one day, BAM! You’re sidelined with an injury. Yoga can keep you in the lifting game longer by preventing injuries and rehabbing the nagging injuries that keep you from the big numbers.

 

Learn how to breathe better

Breath control is number one in lifting (and in life, let’s be honest)! Learning how to brace properly is imperative for lifting safely and effectively.  A yoga practice gives you the chance to learn and implement proper breath control into your lifting routine.

 

More mobility

Setting up for your lifts should not be comfortable, if you’re doing it right.  But it shouldn’t be causing you pain either.  Getting into a proper set up for your deadlift, back squat, or bench press takes a lot of mobility in a lot of places.  While a steady yoga practice might not be comfortable, the mobility gains will be worth it!

 

All of these things (and so much more!) translate into better lifts, bigger weights and a better overall lifter. But if you’re not quite convinced yet, maybe two of our favorite powerlifters here at Union Fitness can convince you to try out some yoga poses guaranteed to improve your lifting performance and progress.  Casey and Ryan kicked off their lifting shoes and wraps to venture into the yoga studio for a little game of “Monkey See, Monkey Do”.

Crescent Lunge

Benefits: Stretches the psoas, quads and hamstrings. Strengthens the front leg and alleviates tightness in the hip flexors.

 

 

Half Pigeon

Benefits: Stretches the glutes, hips and psoas.  Increased hip mobility.

 

 

Supine Spinal Twist

Benefits: Stretches and releases the back muscles, opens shoulders and realigns spine.

 

 

Buddha Squat

Benefits: Stretches hips, ankles, groin and Achilles. Provides spinal stabilization.