PERFORMANCE MENU

ISSUE 81 . OCTOBER 2011

JOURNAL OF HEALTH & ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE

INJURY TREATMENT
INTEGRATED MOBILITY
EVERYDAY STRONGMAN
FOUR STAGES OF LIFTING
IMPROVING WEIGHTLIFTING

PERFORMANCE MENU
Volume 7 . Issue 81 . October 2011

JOURNAL OF NUTRITION & ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE

4 Ask Aimee/Greg
Aimee & Greg Everett

Greg answers questions about shoulder flexibility and the feel of heavy
Olympic lifts

7 The Four Stages of Weightlifting

Matt Foreman

Matts guide to the stages of a weightlifters career

11 Ways to Improve US Weightlifting

Ryan Kyle

Kyles thoughts on how to help the US become more competitive in the

international weightlifting game

14 Integrated Mobility, Part 3: Practical Application

Scotty Hagnas

Wrapping up the series with ways to program flow and mobility work
into your training

17 The Solution to Your Pain

Dr. Fran Curaming

An overview on Dr. Curamings diagnosis and treatment philosophies

19 Everyday Strongman(woman)
Tyler Welch

Some simple ideas to incorporate strongman-type exercises into your

training

23 Cooking with Scotty

Scotty Hagnas

Recipes for health, performance and longevity

Info
The Performance Menu

is published monthly in digital

format by Catalyst Athletics, Inc.

On the Cover
Michael Leon

Editor in Chief
Greg Everett

Managing Editor
Yael Grauer

Design
Greg Everett

Layout
Greg Everett

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Contributors
Dr. Franelia Curaming is a board certified sports doctor with the American Chiropractic Board of
Sports Physicians which promote the highest standards of excellence and clinical competence
for chiropractors specializing in sports medicine and physical fitness. Her practice is in Cupertino,
California. She is an Active Release Techniques (ART) provider, which is a movement-based
myofascial therapy that is very effective in solving problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments,
fascia and nerves. Her knowledge and experience in all manners of soft tissue and repetitive strain
injuries both of the spine and the extremities enables her to take a meticulous, comprehensive, and
caring approach in her evaluation and treatment plans in order to prevent further injury and return
patients and athletes quickly to regular activity. She is a marathoner and a trail runner.
Matt Foreman is the football and track & field coach at Mountain View High School in Phoenix, AZ.
A competitive weightliter for twenty years, Foreman is a four-time National Championship bronze
medalist, two-time American Open silver medalist, three-time American Open bronze medalist,
two-time National Collegiate Champion, 2004 US Olympic Trials competitor, 2000 World University
Championship Team USA competitor, and Arizona and Washington state record-holder. He was
also First Team All-Region high school football player, lettered in high school wrestling and track, a
high school national powerlifting champion, and a Scottish Highland Games competitor. Foreman
has coached multiple regional, state, and national champions in track & field, powerlifting, and
weightlifting, and was an assistant coach on 5A Arizona state runner-up football and track teams.
Scott Hagnas is owner of CrossFit Portland. He is certified as a CrossFit level 2 trainer and Circular
Strength Training (clubbell) instructor. He has been riding BMX flatland for 26 years and counting
and has filmed/produced/edited several series of BMX videos, plus several training videos. He
formerly competed in bicycle trials, placing second in amateur in the World Championships in 1990.
Cooking is one of his favorite pastimes.
Ryan Kyle is the coach of Sandusky Weightlifting and the strength coach for St. Marys Central
Catholic High School in Sandusky, Ohio. He is a USA Weightlifting club coach and his lifters
have medaled at the Youth Pan-American Championships and have been Junior World Team
members.
Tyler Welch is manager and head class instructor at Bodytribe Fitness in Sacramento, CA. He travels
with Bodytribe founder Chip Conrad teaching workshops and spreading the word of the Physical
Subculture around the country. He considers himself a renaissance man of physical culture, having
obtained multiple certifications and studied extensively in the fields of Olympic weightlifting,
strongman, hand-balancing and yoga. He is also the founder of Second Nature Fitness, a Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu practitioner (be it very occasional, of late) and a horrible writer of bios.

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ASK GREG & AIMEE

Get your questions answered directly by Greg Everett or Aimee Anaya.

Send your questions to Greg and AImee at ask@cathletics.com.

Anonymous Asks: I am trying to learn a new skill that

is giving me all sorts of problems. Over the last few
months I have been working on increasing my shoulder
range of motion so that I can get my arms back into
a good overhead position. At the same time I have
been working hard on my front squat. Not so much in
trying to lift heavy, but to groove the movement down
so I dont fall forward at the bottom.
I thought I had made progress in both areas until I
tried something real simple... Get into a bottom squat
position and try to press up some light kettlebells. In the
bottom position I could barely get my arms overhead.
My arms come forward and I feel stuck mid range.
It almost feels like my scapulae dont want to rotate.
With this lack of ROM and stability, there is no way I will
ever be able to load beyond PVC pipe.
How often do you see this with new lifters? What drills
can I start doing to get past this?
I am patient, and will spend the extra time to get
beyond this. I spent a year retooling my dead lift so I
would no longer trash my back, and this is next on my
list. Thanks for any help you can offer.

much as possible. As you progress, youll feel which

ones seem to help and you can start dropping the
ones that arent contributing as much. Definitely
spend time on scapular mobility and stability (mainly
strengthening your ability to retract and depress the
scapulae). Some good exercises for this are band
pull-downs (video here), ring rows done properly, and
scapular depression/retraction while hanging from a
pull-up bar (use a fairly wide grip).
Dont forget to consider upper back, hip and ankle
flexibilityif you feel you have good ROM and stability
when standing, but lose it when squatting, at least
some of it is coming out of your hips and ankles. If you
cant sit into a proper upright squat, you cant expect
to achieve a sound overhead position for the Olympic
lifts.
Anonymous Asks: Greg or Aimee, I was wondering if
you could speak to how the feel of the classical lifts
seems to change as the bar weight approaches and
goes beyond body weight, as I just found out today
while cleaning.Heres what I mean.I am a powerlifter
who is trying to transition into Oly lifting, so my base

Greg Says: Trying to press KBs from the bottom of a squat

is not necessarily a good measure of your overhead
squat progress. With the arms independent, you have
to press straight up, which means the shoulders are
being asked to open more than they would need to
in a typical wide-grip barbell overhead squat. So if
youre still working on that wide-grip overhead squat
position, a 2-arm KB or DB overhead squat or Sots press
is well beyond what you should expect to be able to
do at present.
Im a proponent of the shotgun approach to flexibility
cases like this where I cant see what exactly is
happeningdo every stretch you can think of as

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 4

of strength is good.When it comes to cleaning I have

found that I can power clean more than I can squat
clean, which is only about 80% of my BW. The issue
here is clearly getting under the bar, and to be honest
there is a lot of fear involved when dropping under
substantial weight, even though I know Im strong
enough to handle it.So Ive been doing a lot of hang
cleans with about 55%-60% BW and I can receive the
bar fairly solidly in the hole, which is a huge confidence
builder.

Today I was power cleaning and feeling really good,

so I decided to test my max.I did triples up to 60% BW,
then singles in increments of 10lbs. I just found that as the
bar started approaching my body weight, the whole
feel of the lift changed and not just the perception
of heaviness.I tried to keep my mechanicsthe same,
and was I achieving more than sufficient bar height to
get under the bar in a power position, but I had a lot of
misses.I finally topped out at 98% BW, which I caught
somewhat sloppily just under parallel and which buried
me, but I did manage to stand up with it.What struck
me on this final lift was that all the technique work in
the world didnt prepare me for the feel oftaking a
bar close to my own weight through the second pull
and catching it in the hole.I can only imagine that as
the bar gets heavier than the lifter the leverage shifts
which might be causing this different feel.Is this a real
consideration or do I just have to get used to lifting
heavier?
Greg Says: I suspect that whats happening is that your
balance during the lift is forward at all weights and you
simply arent aware of it when the weights are light
because theyre not heavy enough to influence your
position and balance further. That is, with 50% of your
bodyweight, you can do just about anything and
get away with itan errant bar is easy to pull back
to you later in the lift because your own bodyweight
is enough to remain the anchor in the system. As the
bar approaches your own weight, it has just as much
control over you as you do over it. In this case, the
errant bar pulls you out of position and youre unable
to simply muscle it back into place as needed later.
Another possibility (which could be occurring
together with the previous) is that your mechanics
are in fact changing as the weight increases. Most

likely, this would be your hips moving up faster than

your shoulders as you lift the bar from the floor. As a
powerlifter, its very likely that youre posterior-chain
dominant, which means that it will be hard for you to
open your knee joint from a small angle because your
quads are relatively weak. The body will shift the work
to whatever is strongest, and in such a case, it does
this by opening the knee without opening the hip to
create a larger knee angle without moving the weight
very much. This then puts the knee at a larger angle
that the quads can continue opening under the full
load and transfers more of the weight to the strong hip
extensors. This can have two effects that will cause you
a lot of trouble and certainly change the feel of the lift:
shift your weight forward farther over your feet, and
increase the moment arm on the hip. The first makes
it impossible to finish your pull properly and forces you
to chase the bar forward rather than being able to
move it up and yourself down. The second makes the
extension of the hips more difficult and consequently
slower, making it tougher to get the quick explosion at
the top of the pull that you need to have a chance to
get under the bar.
Perform snatch and clean deadlifts and halting
deadlifts with no more weight than what allows you to
keep the proper upright posture. Focus on pushing with
the legs to move the bar up to the thighs and shifting
back toward your heels and staying there all the way to
the top. This will not only train you in terms of skill to pull
correctly, but will begin to strengthen you in the proper
posture. Remember that as the weight increases, your
body will always revert to the positions in which its
strongest. You can also combine halting deadlifts with
snatches and cleans in a number of ways. The simplest
is to perform 1-3 halting deadlifts followed by a snatch
or clean. Another is to perform the halting deadlift
and rather than returning to the floor, performing the
snatch or clean straight from the paused position. This
can work really well, but I will usually have a lifter follow
a rep like this with a normal rep from the floor to help
prevent them from developing a habit of pausing
during a lift or hitching.
Finally, more front squats for the clean and overhead
squats for the snatch will strengthen the positions and
boost your confidence.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO ASK@CATHLETICS.COM

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 5

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THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 6

The Four Phases of Weightlifting

Matt Foreman

Have you ever stopped and thought about how so

many things in life happen in different stages? Almost
anything you can think of in your life probably followed
some kind of progression; it happened in a phase one,
phase two, phase three kind of order. Lets look at a really easy example to make this more understandable.
Many of you are in long-term relationships, right? Some
of you are married, and others have had a boyfriend
or girlfriend for an extended period of time. I know
this has to be true because people who read Performance Menu are generally smarter and more attractive than non-readers, so we usually dont stay single
for very long.
Your relationship with your significant other has developed in stages. Think back about the time period
when you originally met this person and started going
out on your first dates. Think about how you acted,
how you talked, how you dressed, etc. Most likely, you
were on your best behavior and trying to look extra hot
because you wanted something to happen with this
person. You cleverly concealed any personal glitches
of yours that other people might find gross because
you were on a mission to look as tantalizing as possible.
That was stage one. Then, there was a time when you
two decided that you were an actual couple, and the
newness of the relationship started to wear off. You
got used to each other, and you got to discover some
wonderfully special personal habits your partner has.
Some of these were charming and funny, while many
others were probably disgusting and irritating. That was
stage two, and many couples never make it through
this one. Lots of casualties in this area.
If you decided that this persons lifestyle was something you could live with, then you might have even
progressed to stage three. This is where youre serious,
and you start talking and planning serious future type
of stuff. You think about getting married and buying
houses. Once youre in this stage, its intense business.
Youre considering spending the rest of your life with

this person, and thats pretty heavy stuff to think about.

Nervousness and second thoughts are common here.
Some couples stick it out, and some dont.
So that brings us to weightlifting and strength training.
You might not even know it, but your experience as a
weightlifter has also happened in stages. This also true
for all the people you coach, if youre a coach. What
I want to do this month is take a look at the stages of
a lifters career, and all the different variables that accompany these stages. If you coach lifters, you need
to have an understanding of whats going through
their minds when they come into your gym. Because if
youre oblivious to the thoughts and concerns of your
athletes, theres a strong chance that misunderstandings and conflicts will pop up. These can make gym life
pretty sticky, and they could even lead to a break-up.
Just like your life with your special little love interest, its
pretty damn important to be able to see things not just
from your own perspective, but from theirs, too. Mutual
understanding will almost always make things easier,
whether youre talking about snatching a personal
record or shopping for an engagement ring. So, lets
take a look at the stages that you, your athletes, and
every other person who calls themselves a weightlifter
will go through during your relationship with the barbell.

Stage One: Clueless Rookie

Even though the term clueless rookie carries a negative tone, this first stage of your weightlifting life is one
of the most exciting times youll ever get to feel. This is
when you are brand spanking new to the iron world.
You may or may not have had some athletic experience at this point and you might have even done
some form of weight training, but the focused discipline of serious weightlifting training is a whole new ball
game. You dont really know anything about weight-

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 7

lifting at this point, but you do know for sure that youre
interested in it. Youre full of energy and curiosity. This
is when youre first learning the snatch, clean and jerk,
or maybe the squat or deadlift if youre a powerlifter
instead of an Olympic lifter. Every day that you come
to the gym is a new experiment of teaching your
body to do something that it has never done. Frustration is guaranteed at this point, no questions asked.
The complexity of the Olympic lifts are challenging for
even the most talented natural athletes. You probably
get to wipe out in some creative way in this stage, either through nailing your chin with the bar in the jerk,
falling on your butt when jumping under a snatch, or
some other wacky accident. Veterans, do you remember those days? You got embarrassed because there
were probably other people in the gym who were experienced lifters and you felt like genetic sludge when
you biffed it in front of them. Hey, this is like the awkward stage children have to go through. Youre like
the little boy who came to school and found out the
hard way that the cool kids dont pull their pants all
the way down around their ankles when they pee at
the urinal.
But the great thing about this phase is that you also get
to have those moments when everything clicks. You
hit your first snatch correctly, and you FEEL the proper
movement for the first time in your life. If I could offer
a word of advice to coaches at this pointmake sure
you celebrate and compliment your newbies when
they have little technique breakthroughs. Even though
they might still have five or six technical glitches that
need to get fixed and theyre a long way from perfect,
you have to remember that its very important for new
lifters to feel like theyre making some kind of progress.
Even if its the smallest of baby steps, make your people feel like theyre moving forward. Thats what will
keep them coming back for more. Ive seen aspiring
new lifters quit the sport because their coaches were
such perfectionists that they basically wouldnt give
ANY positive feedback in this phase.
If youre the lifter, please try to remember that this
phase will be rough. Youre going to have little aches
and pains in places that you never have before. Youre
going to have moments when you feel like youve
mastered the technique of a lift and then, three days
later, you lose that mastery and feel like you forgot
how to lift correctly. The aggravation is going to be a
part of this stage, but that aggravation is a good thing.
If you get angry when you do something wrong, that
means its important to you. You have a hungry spirit,
and you get pissed when you fail because you really,
really want to be good at this. Thats the right attitude,
believe me. The people who dont care if they make
progress are the ones who will never amount to jack
squat because their performance doesnt mean anything to them. Just hang in there, baby.

Stage Two: Turbo Teenager

Whoa daddy! At this point, youve passed the rookie
phase and now youre moving up in the world. Stage
two is when youre no longer a newbie and youve
actually started to perfect the lifts and make progress.
In fact, youve probably made enormous progress in a
short period of time. The Olympic lifts are very difficult
to learn, but the athlete will make remarkable gains
during the time when the technique has clicked and
strength improvements have begun.
This is when youve been lifting for maybe a year, or
possibly even two or three years. Now, you actually do
know some stuff about weightlifting. You understand
the technique of the lifts and the training process.
Youve lifted some solid weights, too. You can probably even beat many of the other lifters around you.
This is when many of you have begun competing, and
you now have some meets under your belt. You might
have even competed at the national level. This is a
great time because youre good at weightlifting and
you know it. Most likely, youve even started to teach
others. Full-time coaching probably hasnt become
your thing yet because youre climbing the ladder as
an athlete. But youve helped some people with their
technique in the gym, or even taught some beginners
who are in stage one, just like you were not too long
ago. The stage one people look at you as an expert
because you can lift a lot more than they can, which
boosts your pride and self-image. Basically, things are
awesome at this point.
However, there is one thing about this stage that can
be funky. What am I talking about? Im talking about
the fact that you probably think you know every freaking thing there is to know about weightlifting at this
point. Trust me, stage two is when you start to get pretty
big for your britches. Because youre now a qualified
weightlifter, you start to think that your expertise is a lot
bigger than most of the people out there. This is when
you get on the internet and argue with people about
weightlifting because youre right and theyre wrong,
dammit. Thats why this stage is called the turbo teenager stage. Youre like a seventeen year-old kid who
thinks they know everything about life. You dont want
to listen to your parents because you think theyre
old, out of touch with reality, and they dont have a
clue about what your life is like. Youve got enough
hormones pumping through your body to fuel an oil
tanker, and you wont back down from a fight.
At this point, you think the best weightlifters are the
biggest experts on weightlifting. Thats how you see it.
And let me say a word to the coaches at this point. This
stage two will be a blessing and a curse, just like being a
parent and raising teenagers. The blessing of this stage
is that your athletes will do a lot of incredible things that
make you very proud. Theyre developing quickly, and

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 8

its a lot of fun to guide them while they blast away

new personal records and rise up into the higher ranks
of the sport. However, the curse is that theyll be hard
to handle, just like the teenagers. Theyre going to say
stupid things that piss you off. Theyre going to disobey
you and violate the rules youve asked them to live by.
Theyre going to require some tough love if you want
them to remember that youre the authority figure and
youre still in charge of this operation. Dont be afraid
to lay down the law here. Youre going to have to do
it anyway, and most athletes respond well when they
know theyre following an alpha.

Stage Three: Holy crap, you mean Im human?

Now, things are tough. Stage three occurs when
youve had some years of experience under your belt.
Youve risen to a high level and you have some legitimate accomplishments on your record. You can look
back on what youve done so far and feel a sense of
reward, but now theres a problem.
Stage three is when something has happened to knock
you down. Youve had your balloon popped and now
its painfully clear that youre not superhuman. This
could be a variety of different things. It could be an
injury. Thats a pretty common one. Or it could be that
you havent made any progress in two years. Thats a
REALLY common one. Youve continued training your
butt off and giving it everything you have, but your results havent improved. Whatever the actual cause is,
something has happened to burst your bubble when
youre in stage three. Youve learned that you actually
didnt know everything like you thought in stage two,
and youre not at the highest level of knowledge and
experience in the sport. To put it very simply, youve
been humbled. If were comparing this to real-life experience, this might be like a time when youre now an
adult and youve been burned by something. Maybe
it was a divorce, an arrest for DUI, or maybe you got
fired from a job. Youve been knocked for a loop, and
you have to ask yourself, Where do I go from here?
Coaches and athletes, please pay close attention to
what Im going to say next.
Stage three is the end of the road for many lifters. The
defeat they experienced, whatever it was, proved to
be too much for them and they decided to hang it up.
They let it beat them. If youve made it to stage three
in your career either as a lifter or a coach, I can guarantee that youve at least thought about quitting. It
crosses your mind, and you cant believe that it might
actually be coming to an end. I think anybody who
has been in this sport for an extended period of time
has had moments when they thought about walking
away. Brothers and sisters, this is when you really start

to learn about being a weightlifter. All those little motivational slogans youve seen on gym wall posters over
the years, the ones that say things like Its not how
many times you fall, but how many times you get up,
you know the ones Im talking about? Stage three is
when those words become reality. Youve fallen, and
you have to find a way to get up. Nobody can help
you, either. The only thing you have to rely on is the
strength of your own character. Olympic champion
Yuri Zacharevich once said, There is simply a time in
your life when you must clench your teeth and hang
on. All of you experienced lifters and coaches who
are reading this, do you know what I mean? I know
you do. All of you newbies and greenhorns, do you
know what I mean? Probably not, but you will someday.

Stage Four: Rebirth

This is the stage you hit when youve survived stage
three. You took your lumps, got back to work, and
found a way to become successful again. This is where
youre finally mature. Youve come back from your defeat and now you know that you dont know everything, and you never did in the first place. In fact, you
know now that youll never know everything because
the world of weightlifting is a big complex place, and
youve also learned that some of the old fogies who
you dismissed in stage two probably knew more about
weightlifting than you thought they did because
theyve been through stage three, maybe even more
than once. Mark Twain described this time with his famous quote, When I was a boy of fourteen, my father
was so ignorant I could barely stand to have the old
man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was
astonished at how much the old man had learned in
seven years.
You might not lift the biggest weights of your life when
youre in stage four. You probably hit those when you
were in stage two. But theres a difference between
lifting the biggest lifts of your life and doing the best lifting of your life. I hit the biggest weights of my life when
I was twenty-six, but I think I did some of the best lifting
of my career ten years later as a master. My lifts as a
master were much lighter than my lifetime bests, but
being able to still snatch over 300 pounds and qualify
for the Senior Nationals when I was thirty-six years old
was, in my mind, some of the finest lifting Ive done in
my career. Believe me, I had to survive a lot of stage
threes along the way. But those stage three moments
are the things that have made this whole journey so
much more rewarding. If youre a coach, youll probably never have a greater experience than when you
help an athlete make it through stage three, because
this is where you learn that this whole road were traveling is about much more than just lifting weights.

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 9

I guess stage four is when youre not a kid anymore.

Youve been around the block a few times, so to speak.
Youve had your share of defeats. Nothing is clearer
to you at this stage than the knowledge that youre
human, just like everybody else. Thats a great thing
to know in life. What is equally clear to you is the understanding that you should really enjoy and treasure
the bright moments of your weightlifting life, because
it wont always be sunshine, lemonade and baskets full
of puppies. Sometimes, it will be outhouses and spoiled
milk. Still, the persistent ones who have fought through
stage three and made it to stage four are the ones
who reap the biggest rewards. Lemonade tastes a lot
sweeter when youve been dying of thirst for a long
time.

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 10

Ways
to Improve US Weightlifting
Ryan Kyle
I wanted to share my thoughts on simple methods to
improve U.S. Weightlifting. This is my personal opinion,
and I do not make any claims in the following few pages
as to having a secret workout or possessing knowledge
unknown to others. What Id like to present are what I
see as inefficiencies in the organization that can easily
be ironed out and improved on with some effort. I am
not one who believes we will suddenly produce world
champions if we follow a secret training program or
learn a technique with a fancy name. Instead, I see
the problem as being one of low expectations and a
misguided focus on things that do not matter.
Stop Sending Full Teams When Full Teams Are Not
Necessary
If you cannot place in the top 10 at an international
competition, then you should not go. Becoming a
member of a world or Pan-American team is something
that should be difficult. I believe that if the standards
for qualification for these teams were higher, the lifters
would lose their vacation attitude and become more
serious about the competitions. If you are going to a
competition and you know at best you will place 15th,
how can you be expected to take the competition
seriously? It becomes much easier to be distracted
with sightseeing and shopping trips. However, if you
know that you have a chance to medal or perhaps
win, nothing should be able to distract you from the
task at hand. Below are two examples from this past
year of money wasted on poor performances.
2011 Youth Worlds
The 2011 Youth World Championships saw USA
Weightlifting send both a full mens and womens team
to Lima, Peru. While not all the athletes were funded,
only the funded athletes should have been permitted
to attend and realistically only three of the five funded
lifters should have gone. The 56kg lifter placed 4th, the

62kg lifter placed 6th, and one 94kg lifter placed 2nd.
The other 94kg lifter placed 11th and one lifter who
qualified and was funded at 62kg had to bump to
69kg where he placed 15th.
The qualifying procedures for this event were almost
comical. They were created not with sending only
high placing lifters, but with qualifying enough lifters
who could pay their way to the championship. As an
example, one self-funded female lifter placed dead
last. But she qualified, right? So she earned the right
to go. Not so fast. The following month at the USA
Weightlifting School Age Nationals (now the Youth
Nationals) the same lifter placed fourth. Fourth? She
was considered good enough by the powers-thatbe to represent her country, as long as she could pay
for it, but she was not good enough to win the Youth
Nationals? The qualifying procedures were a joke. It
was decided that the American Open (a senior level
event) and the Junior Nationals would be used to pick
the team for the Youth Worlds. Why not include the
Youth Nationals? It was related that the reason was for
not using the Youth Nationals as a qualifier was that
it was too far out from the Youth Worlds. Kids may be
in a different weight class having qualified at a lower
weight. The same thing happened this year as a lifter
qualified at 62kg just a few months before the Youth
Worlds and had to lift 69kg there. Isnt this what they
were trying to avoid?
2011 Junior Worlds
At the 2011 Junior World Championships USA
Weightlifting sent two full teams (8 men and 7 women)
to Penang, Malaysia along with the customary team
of coaches (5 official members). The total cost to send
the team and delegation to this competition totaled
$82,515.65 (USA Weightlifting, 2011).
However, realistically only two male lifters and one

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 11

female lifter should have gone to the championship.

Team USA only had two top 10 finishers, a seventh
place in the 85kg category and a seventh place in
the 94kg category and realistically the one female
lifter, who bombed out, was in a position (based on
her previous best total) for a possible top 5 finish. The
rest of the lifters should have stayed home. The women
placed dead last or near last and had two bomb-outs.
The total expense to send three lifters, one coach, and
one doctor would have been approximately $16,000
(according to the figures in High Performance).

a spending problem. USA Weightlifting wastes money

every year sending lifters to competitions when they
have no chance of medaling unless twenty other
lifters bomb out. Save the excess funds and only spend
money on those with a top-10 worthy total. You can
tell by a lifters recent best total if they can place well
or not. It is the same process used by countries around
the world.

Would it not have looked better had the U.S. sent

only three lifters and those lifters placed well? This was
the strategy used by Armenia. Despite having many
talented lifters, only Gor Minasyan was sent to the Junior
Worlds, where he won the gold medal in the snatch
and placed fourth overall. Unfortunately, sending a
team of less than qualified lifters to the championship
waters down the success of the lifters who managed
to do well. Rather than reporting on two seventh place
finishes, USA Weightlifting had to report two seventh
place finishes and 13 bottom-of-the-barrel placers
and/or bomb outs.

In Milo, Paul Doherty wrote an article about his program

at Sacramento High School. In the article, he states,
Too often gym rats paint themselves into a corner by
starting gyms or working at health clubs that attract
no one in the right age group to win the Olympics. We
have to be in schools and start programs on campuses
to really develop athletes at the ripe early age of 10 to
14 years (Doherty, 2009). While some coaches have
done well for themselves starting with lifters in the 18+
age group, there is only one current world champion
that I can think of who began training that late in life.
Lu Xiaojun (77kg, CHN) started training when he was
18 but had been a track and field athlete before that,
so it can be assumed he had familiarity with the lifts
before becoming a professional. It is the duty of every
coach in weightlifting to go out and find lifters age 1014 to begin training. Start by going to a local middle
school or high school and ask to start a weightlifting
program. If they tell you no, go to the next one and
the next one and the next one. Knock on every door
until someone lets you in. Do whatever it takes to find
lifters and work hard and enthusiastically with them to
make them better.

With all of the money spent on poor placing at the Junior

and Youth World Championships, USA Weightlifting
could fund the travel to every championship with
qualified lifters for the year and most likely have a
surplus. In 1998 the standards to attend the World
Championships were so high that only 18 year-old
Oscar Chaplin III qualified. He deserved to go and he
lifted well, placing 13th overall. What good is it to send
lifters to place 35th? This year will be particularly rough
as it is the last qualifier for the Olympics. Besides our
super heavyweight and 85kg lifters, it will be tough for
anyone to see the top 20. I understand that we have
to send a full team but in 2009, not one lifter should
have gone and in 2010 only the 85kg lifter should have
gone despite bombing out. If you cannot place in the
top 10, you should watch the championship from the
couch or better yet, from the gym, because you are
training.
Our standards have sunk so low that we actually
celebrate poor performances. Even when our team
places in the top 10 at world championships, it usually
has more to do with our ability to outspend other teams
rather than our superiority on the platform. We may
have one or two top ten finishers while the rest place
near the bottom, but because we sent a full team, our
team placing is higher than countries whose lifters all
win medal but only three or four lifers were sent.
It is amazing to me how much members of USA
Weightlifting complain that there is a lack of funding
in our sport. As some politicians say regarding the U.S.
deficit - we dont have a funding problem, we have

Coaches Need to Work with the Appropriate Age

Groups

The problem with recruiting weightlifters in this country

is that we are literally trying to sell weightlifting. I do not
mean sell as in the exposure sense but rather that we
are literally attaching a price tag for omission. Those
who cannot afford the training can do something else.
Sadly, most do.
The problem with pay-to-train is that only those with
the means can afford the training. This creates a twofold problem. First, those who are paying for training
are mostly paying to be trained for another sport.
While they may eventually lift in a few contests and
maybe even win a national title, they are participating
in weightlifting only as a recreational event and once
their high school careers are over so is weightlifting.
The second problem with pay-to-train is that it attracts
the wrong type of person to weightlifting. Again, only
those who can afford the training can train with this
model and those kids are at least middle class. Middle
class kids have other (i.e. better, in their minds) things
to do with their time. They are willing to put in 1-2 hours
for training, but they are not equipped to handle the

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 12

intense, intense, intense training it takes to become

a world champion. They have too many distractions
in their lives. They are training for the fame and
fortune of mainstream sports with which weightlifting
cannot offer the same rewards. Here is an example:
the greatest benefit weightlifting can currently offer
is a chance to travel the world. The only problem is
that kids of privilege do not need weightlifting to see
the world. Their families have money, and traveling
outside the country is not a big deal. However, to the
poor kid who has never left the state and potentially
the city, the opportunity to travel to another country
is a big incentive to train, as they may never get that
opportunity again.
Start a Weightlifting Season
If you get into a school, propose a weightlifting season, preferably in the spring to avoid issues with football and wrestling. Write up a schedule with 6-8 contests, send it home to the parents, and make sure the
kids know they are expected to lift in these contests.
In Sandusky, we have conducted a weightlifting season for the past four years and it has accomplished
several things. First, it showed the kids that weightlifting
could be a real sport just like football and wrestling.
We had practice/training during the week and every
other weekend there was a contest. Sometimes we
could bring in lifters from out of town and sometimes it
would just be us. It did not matter. There was a competition platform, warm-up room and audience (even if
it was just friends and family).
Second, weightlifting season allowed the parents to
see what their kids were accomplishing at regular intervals. Weightlifting can be a tough sport for parents
because contests are usually few and far between, so
they never have the opportunity to watch their children compete. Having a weightlifting season with multiple contests allows that parents to watch their kids
compete, cheer them on and accept that weightlifting can be a real sport.
The rationale behind weightlifting season was this: if
kids can be expected to play ten football games in
ten weeks and wrestle 60 matches in four months, than
there is no reason why they cannot lift in multiple con-

tests in a relatively short period of time and perform at

a high level at each contest. We have to start treating
weightlifting like a real sport, and maybe the greater
community will begin to as well.
Stop Looking for the Secret
U.S. weightlifting lacks serious ingenuity and a sense
of what it really takes to become a world champion.
Some of our coaches are secret hunters, looking for
the right workout from the right country like Indiana
Jones searching for the Ark of the Covenant. Others
recruit plenty of lifters and by osmosis produce top-level (well, U.S. level anyway) lifters. After the lifters reach
a certain level, they are passed off to another coach
who supposedly knows more and can get that lifter
to the next level. However, as anyway who has been
paying attention can tell, that next level is somewhere
between stagnation and retirement: very few go on to
bigger and better things.
So what is the problem? Coaches need to stop worrying about things such as exercise selection, percentages, and tonnage. Train the lifters hard, teach them
how to work, and the rest is incidental. Anyone who
read my interview with Norik Vardanian in the September 2011 issue of Performance Menu should know
that there is no secret workout in Armenia, only a core
of highly dedicated, extremely hardworking individuals who want nothing more than to be the best in the
world. Some may look at the workouts or exercise selection and scoff, saying they should be doing more of
this or less of that. Frankly, none of that really matters.
The gist of it is this - teach the lifters how to train hard
and try not to get in their way if they want to stray from
the program for a day because it violates your workout.
I believe the U.S. can be competitive in weightlifting
but it will take a 180-degree change of mind from administrators and coaches. We need to breed a competitive fire in our lifters. Do not waste time looking
at the American records or the winning total at the
Nationals. Instead focus on World results and aim only
for those. It may seem like a great challenge, but why
climb the bunny hill when Everest awaits?

Works Cited
Doherty, P. (2009). Building a High School Weightlifting Program: Success at Sac High. Milo: A Journal for Serious Strength Athletes , 78-87.
USA Weightlifting. (2011, July). Commentary from USAWs National Office. High Performance , p. 4.

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 13

Integrated
Mobility,
Part
3:
Practical
Application
Scotty Hagnas
This month, well wrap up the series on mobility. Its
time to get down to practical application of these
principles.

this part of the session with as much focus as the main

part, and can modify or adjust the movements best for
each person.

Programming mobility work for group classes comes

with the same challenges as programming the other
physical attributes. It can be difficult to tailor mobility
work to widely varied individual needs, plus you may
have no control over what days a client will attend.
To combat this, I put mobility work two places in every
class: the warm-up and the cool-down. At times, it will
make up part of the days main workout as well.

The final part of the warm-up is the specific movement

prep for the days main work.

Warm-up
There are several phases to our warm-up. I start
with some light aerobic activity to bring the body
temperature and heart rate up. I only do 3 to 4 minutes
of this, because well then go right into a mobility
sequence that will continue to raise body temperature
and heart rate.
I use several standard mobility sequences based on
what the demands of the main training focus will be.
Clients learn these sequences quickly, as we repeat
them often. I change and evolve them periodically, but
they stay the same for long blocks of time. Ill elaborate
on some of these sequences later in this article. They
are dynamic and have a flow component. I may add
locomotion work into the warm-up depending on the
days workout, and I may also add specific stretches
or short amounts of soft tissue work.
The goal of the mobility work here is to reduce the
short-range stiffness in the muscles, decompress
and lubricate the joints, prime the ROM needed for
the main training and address common movement
impediments. This last point is very important and
should not be underestimated. A good coach instructs

Cool-down
My cool-downs have three main goals. We want to
release the tension from the training session, improve
ROM and mobility, and counter-condition or pre-hab
the main joints used.
I will use a few stretches or movements here, often
stretches that evolve into mini-flows. Each instructor
has latitude in how this plays out based on personal
preference and time available. A very simple strategy
is to use 2 to 3 movements that all have a common
point or position. (See the second part of this series for
more basic flow info). Have the class practice each
movement. Once everyone has done 5-10 reps of
each movement, then have everyone flow through
the movements randomly for 2 minutes or so.
I find that using no more than 2 to 3 movements seems
to work the best. If you are teaching a specific mobility
class, then you can definitely add more.
In the workout
There are days that mobility work shows up in the days
main training. These are recovery days: low intensity,
longer duration work done to speed recovery or as
a deload before a coming challenge. Traditionally,
recovery work is a long slow monostructural work, such
as a 30-minute row. We can do better. Youll get better
blood flow and lymph movement from doing multi-

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dimensional mobility work, plus youll be improving

mobility and joint stability at the same time.
Though I have no rules here, I usually start and end the
session with some traditional monostructural work. 8-10
minutes is plenty. This gets the heart rate up faster, and
then we begin the mobility work. Here is an example of
a mobility based recovery day:
Row or Airdyne: 10 minutes at Z1 pace
(conversational)
+
3 trips each:
Walking Ginga Lunges
Strict Inchworms (+ 8 mini-steps @ end
range)
Spider Crawl
Dragon Twist Walk
+
Windmill+Turkish Get-Up+Arm Bar Combo
(Use 18, 26 or 26lb kettlebellsan intentionally
light weight). 20 reps/arm, slow and steady.
Switch at will; keep shoulder packed at all
times.
+
Squat Sequence #2 x 15 rounds (see
below)
+
Deck Squats: 5 x 10, rest 5 deep breathes
between sets
+
Run 10 minutes at Z1 pace (conversational)
This workout will take around 50 minutes, and on a
day like this Ill do only this; the workout is the warm-up
and cool-down. You move through the list of tasks at
a constant but low intensity pace. Notice the use of
an external load (the kettlebell) in some of the work
done.
Mobility and flow work can also be used as conditioning
once a trainee is very experienced in the movements
and can do them with speed. Extended burpee-type
movements and rolls are particularly effective here.
Example sequences
Squat Sequence 1
The basic squat sequence we use is depicted in the
8th and final clip in the example video from last month
(starting at 3:09). Its based on a sequence from Ido
Portal, but Ive evolved it into more of a flow. This
sequence addresses ankle ROM, hip rotation (both
internal and external), toe/foot mobility, low back
mobility and more. Check it out here.

Squat Sequence 2
A newer one. Well do each exercise one time for 10
reps during the initial block until everyone is familiar
with it and has developed some ability. Then, it will
evolve to a flow such as in this video.
Ginga Lunge Stretch L/R
Rotate into Cossack Squat R/L
Twist to Reverse Cossack Squat L
Twist back to Reverse Cossack Squat R
Twist back to Mountain Climber Twist L/R
Squat OH Reach L/R
Grab toes, stand Hamstring Shift L/R x 2
Repeat
These are just some examples, but I have sequences
for running, shoulders, knees, wrists, elbows and more.
Periodization
I like to think of periodization as planning. For best results,
you need to plan out your mobility work just like any
other part of your training. For an athlete with a season,
this is the first priority for me. After a rest (or transition)
period, I begin training with mobility improvement
being the number one goal if the situation warrants it.
The volume of strength work will be lower if this is the
case, and what strength work we do will be supportive
of the mobility goals.
Of course, each situation is unique and requires a
different plan. In general, I use soft tissue work and
stretching protocols in the first phases of mobility
training. The stretching protocols used will depend on
the training age of the athlete or client, e.g. I wouldnt
use isometric stretches for a new client. As the cycle
progresses, we move gradually into flow work to
solidify the gains in ROM. Once the strength and/
or conditioning work moves to the forefront, I cycle
mobility work back to maintenance mode. Quick flow
work at the end of a workout is a very efficient way to
do this.
If you are simply training for health and longevity, then
mobility work should play a large part in your training.
Id suggest doing a varied joint mobility routine every
morning. Start simple and over time move to more
complex movements. You can conclude a DROM
session with a bit of flow work if you have the time and
space. Once you have developed better movement
quality, you can reduce the time spent here. I often just
do a 3-5 minute session these days, as I have now done
this type of training regularly for 10 years. Alternatively,
you can start your workout with quick DROM work.

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If you are just beginning mobility training, assess yourself

to see where your main deficiencies lie. Prioritize them
and attack just one or two at a time. Similar to the
off-season athlete, use soft tissue work (either selfadministered or professional, if needed) and stretching.
Perform full ROM strength exercise. Finish with just a bit
of flow work to solidify and coordinate your gains. Shift
toward less soft tissue work and stretching and into
mostly flow work over time. Finally, try to learn skills using
your new ROM. This is where mobility can become
strength, speed, or power training - think gymnastics
or Parkour.
Performing mobility work in focused blocks is the best
way Ive found to make quick and lasting improvements.
This is true of your own training as well as group classes.
If you are programming for a group class, pick a focus
and make sure there is frequent work on that area for 6
weeks. If you are programming for yourself or individual
clients, I like using a short session done 2-4 times daily
if you want to see fast results. (You can use the same
mini-workout, just vary the frequency.)
That about wraps it up. There are many methods and
details, and what I am using is always evolving. At the
very least, I hope Ive inspired you to look at optimal
mobility a little differently.

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 16

A Solution for Your Pain: An Integrative Approach to

the
Treatment of Musculoskeletal Injuries
Dr. Fran Curaming
If you are suffering from pain, you are probably
wondering if its ever going to go away or are looking
for an effective treatment. The answer is, yes, it will go
away and there is effective treatment. As a chiropractic
student, I was never satisfied with the paradigm that
joint manipulation was all that was needed to eliminate
pain and address structural dysfunction. I agree that
joint misalignments negatively impact musculoskeletal
health, but the exclusion of soft-tissue therapy, exercise
and nutrition left me to search for answers. I read
articles and textbooks, and attended seminars and
conferences outside of my profession to expand my
knowledge. Over time, I gained the understanding I
needed to deliver the most comprehensive and holistic
approach to treating musculoskeletal injuries.
What I will discuss is the treatment approach that takes
into consideration the fact that the human body is not
just a collection of parts needing repair, but a system
requiring a holistic approach toward optimal healing,
resilience and achieving a state of well-being. But first
I should shed some light on the injury assessment that
needs to happen before treatment begins. This is a
short description of a clinical protocol. Some details
may not be included, but you will get the picture.
Understanding musculoskeletal injury is critical to
accurate diagnosis and treatment. It begins with
gathering a complete and detailed history of the
complaint. Questions pertaining to the mechanism
of injury, when it occurred, quality of pain and loss
of function provides valuable information regarding
the current condition, direction of treatment and
prognosis for recovery. Inquiries pertaining to sounds
such as popping and crunching, or sensations such
as instability, pulling, ripping and electric shock during
the traumatic event will be noted. The examiner will
ask about the intensity and quality of the pain. Is it
sharp, dull, bright, boring, localized, or radiating? Is
the pain associated with certain posture, activity or

time of day? Other factors such as age, occupation,

current medications, and past history of major illnesses,
accidents or surgeries provides valuable information.
Additionally, questions regarding lifestyle activities
like exercise programs, sleep patterns, nutrition, work
environment and stress levels will be asked. Through
the inquiry, the examiner will note potential red flags
that would indicate that the disorder may not be
musculoskeletal in nature, which would then require
a referral to the appropriate health care professional.
These questions may seem extensive, but they are
critical to making accurate prognosis to the disorder.
Evaluation starts with observation of the whole person
as they enter the examination room. In reality, the
evaluation begins from the minute the examiner
makes first contact with the patient. At that time,
the patients gait, posture, demeanor and level of
alertness is being noted. The formal evaluation begins
after the history is gathered. The evaluation process is
primarily focused on the area of complaint, but it will
also be geared toward uncovering how the disorder
may have affected the whole musculoskeletal system.
Observation for postural asymmetries, deformities
(structural, functional, dynamic), tissue discoloration
and trophic (nerve-related) changes provides valuable
information.
The next part of evaluation is the examination. This
stage will confirm or refute the suspected diagnosis.
Great care must be taken as to not aggravate the
condition, but in some cases the patient may feel
some discomfort. Once the exam process is finished,
the clinician will explain the injury, treatment plan and
the expected out come of the healing process.
Now that Ive explained the standard protocol for a
doctors visit I can move on to the topic of treatment.
Finding and knowing the appropriate care for a
musculoskeletal injury can be complicated, primarily

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 17

because we dont know who to go to. Actually, most

people go to their general practitioner to find relief
for their pain. As a result, painkillers are prescribed to
eliminate the pain. Painkillers work like magic, but dont
address the dysfunction causing the pain. Eventually
the pain comes back and you run out of pills and you
have to get more. This cycle repeats itself over and
over again. This is an accepted and widely practiced
response to treating musculoskeletal pain and injury
in our culture. It is widely practiced not because of
access to appropriate care, but because of ignorance
and the mindset of quick fixes.
Treating musculoskeletal pain and injury involves more
than pain elimination to gain optimal function. To
understand this, you have to understand the reasons
we feel pain. According to Guyton and Hall, pain
serves as a protective signal for self-preservation from
bodily damage. It is a signal to discontinue the insulting
activity, even if it is a simple activity such as sitting for
prolonged periods.
This activity compresses the soft tissues, reducing blood
flow, causing tissue damage and leading to pain. As a
result, the body weight is shifted away from the pain,
or prolonged sitting is avoided. Individuals with no pain
sense due to spinal cord trauma will fail to move away
from the pain, resulting in complete breakdown of the
anatomical region.
This definition makes it clear that pain is harmful, but
how can active/competitive individuals accept this
and discontinue the painful activity when the activity
is their sport? They dont. They go to chiropractors,
physical therapists or massage therapists for relief. What
these professionals have in common is the approach
of manual therapy to eliminate pain and dysfunction,
rather than pills. What Ive personally discovered,
outside of the chiropractic paradigm of the spinal
adjustment being the primary mode of healing, is
that soft-tissue therapy is equally important along with
rehab exercises and an anti-inflammatory diet.

So, whats the solution? The solution I have implemented

and found to be very effective is the integration of
chiropractic osseous (bone) adjustments, soft-tissue
manipulation (i.e.; Fascial Manipulation, Graston and
Active Release), exercise rehabilitation, and antiinflammatory diet and supplementation. The reason
for this approach is that it addresses all of the reactions
that occur when an injury happens. When pain is
experienced, several events are occurring in the
body. Inflammation (causing the sensation of pain) is
one of them. Antalgia is another. It results in postural
deviations leading to muscular imbalance, causing
more structural dysfunctions in the body. An integrated
mode of the therapy addresses skeletal misalignments,
tension in the fascia, inflammation, dysfunctional
movement patterns and muscle weakness. Heres my
integrated approach:

Align the skeletal frame through chiropractic

adjustment
Balance tension in the fascial suit through softtissue therapy
Reduce inflammation through diet and
supplementation
Rehabilitate dysfunctional movement to
strengthen muscle and propioception.

Would this approach provide you with the solution

youve been looking for? From my experience, it should.
I would recommend that you seek a professional in your
area that can understand the systemic nature of your
injury and provide you with the type of comprehensive
treatment Ive described. Something to remember
regarding musculoskeletal injuries is that given the right
support and treatment, the body will heal. Remember,
when an injury happens its not just the pain that needs
attention. Addressing the joint restriction, soft-tissue
disorder, exercise rehabilitation, and nutrition are all
critical to recovery.

I believe this is due to the fact that the body is more

than the sum of its parts. We are not like machines that
break down and have parts replaced. We are a much
more complicated system.

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 18

Everyday Strongman(woman)
Tyler Welch

There has been a recent increase in the popularity

of strongman style exercises and workouts in the
underground fitness community as of late, but they still
remain the domain of the large and in charge used
predominately by high-level athletes and experienced
lifters. You dont have to be Worlds Strongest Man (or
Woman) to use these movements, though. The truth
is, used in conjunction with foundational movements
(squats, presses, and deadlifts), these strongman style
movements are highly functional in their application,
as well as being both fun and challenging for all levels.
Furthermore, the related tools are fairly inexpensive
and accessible rocks, tractor tires, dumbbells and
homemade fat grip barbells can do the trick just fine.
We regularly use strongman exercises as maximum
effort lifts, as well as part of GPP (General Physical
Preparedness) workouts.
Here are some moves you can implement without too
much work, set up or cost.

Tractor tire flips

These are so common now that you can see tires in
mainstream gyms. If youve access to a truck, these
are easy and cheap (read: free) to obtain. Stop by
your local tire shop and theyll have stacks and stacks
in the back that theyll be glad to get rid of.
As a general rule, youll be able to flip a tire about
150-200lbs heavier than your 1RM deadlift, so look
for something in that range. When looking for a tire,
consider its secondary uses, such as jump-ups and
sledge hammer hits. The diameter and depth of the
tire can have an impact on these usages, as well as
the difficulty of actually flipping the tire. The amount
of tread on the tire can also affect its ease of use
certain tires can sit almost flush to the ground, making
them difficult or nearly impossible to flip. Look for a tire
with deeper tread something that you can easily get
your hands under when it is sitting flat.
Although athletes should be well versed in the traditional
deadlift before they attempt tire flips, it does require
a slightly different technique. Set up in an angled
position (about 45), arms flush against the side of the
tire (chin and chest may be in contact with the tire,
depending on its height), hands set roughly shoulder
width apart under the tire and elbows locked. Drive
into the tire, pushing forward as you lift. You may need
to wedge your knee under the tire to support it as you
flip, depending on the weight of the tire. Once you
reach full hip extension, switch your grip into a press
position and push the tire over.
Farmers Walk
This is a valuable movement for the development
of spinal strength, postural reinforcement and grip
strength. It doesnt take much to build a set of solid,
Olympic plate-sized handles, but kettlebells, dumbbells

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 19

or even barbells can do the trick just fine.

Most athletes will be able to carry a much heavier
weight than they expect. As with the tire flip, begin
with a solid foundation in the deadlift/posterior chain
movements, and only add in the farmers walk when
the athlete has sufficient spinal awareness to lift
the weight safely. The amount of weight should be
challenging (something the athlete can deadlift from
the suitcase stance for only a few reps).
Once the weight is off the ground, the athlete should
assume solid, upright posture with scapula retracted,
arms straight at sides and eyes forward. A common
postural distortion here is excessive forward thrust of
the head a position created by too much anterior
shoulder rotation. Correct by pulling the shoulders
back and down and controlling the weight, resisting
the impulse to allow momentum to carry the weight
forward. This can be done for distance or time, but
remember: turning around is significantly more difficult
than forward movement. Try to find a long, straight
pathway that does not require much deviation in the
path of travel or many turnarounds.
Stone lift/carry
This is one of my favorite movements, though most
stones youll find are in the 300-500lb range, and

therefore usually left to high-level strongmen. With

the rise in strongman-style training, there are actually
a wide variety of stone sizes available, and molds for
weights as light as 80lbs. Any stone can work, however,
though I would recommend finding something smooth
and fairly uniform in size/thickness/etc. If a suitable
stone cannot be found (or if you simply do not want
a stone in your facility), a heavy sandbag will do just
fine.
The introductory move will be a simple lift: begin with
the stone/bag between your feet, assume a low
squat position, grip far side of the object and lift. Most
competitive strongmen utilize a hips-first, roundedback lift style, but this should only be done with proper
training and posterior chain strength. Athletes can use
the stone lift for max weight single lifts, or reps for time
(amongst other options). The object can be loaded
on to a platform (the higher, the harder), shouldered,
or lifted and carried.
Dumbbell jerk (with thick handle)
Although this move can be done with two dumbbells,
we will concentrate on the single- arm version. In the
beginning, the athlete should be introduced to a
normal dumbbell jerk, sans thick handle. Once they
have mastered the jerk, introduce a thick handle.
Not only does it increase the grip challenge, but it
also demands higher regulation of balance and
coordination.

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Sled pulls
There are many variations of this movement, but we
will focus on a standing row, as it requires the least
amount of set-up and equipment.
Weve found the easiest and most effective way to
build a sled is to use semi-truck tires. They range from
about 70-100lbs, and can be made into loadable sleds
by bolting a square of plywood on top with a length
of pipe mounted in the center. Add an eye bolt drilled
into the tread on the side of the tire and youve got
a sled. Weights are simply loaded on to the makeshift
platform and youre off.
Weve loaded ours with up to around 200lbs of weights,
which brings the sled total to around 270lbs. If you need
more than that, try a tractor tire (mentioned above).
We talk about it, but have never tried. The rubber
of the tire creates more friction than a metal sled,
increasing the difficulty of the pull without adding a lot

A thick-handle dumbbell can be made out of a length

of 2 galvanized steel piping, with hex key collars
attached. It is inexpensive and easy to make. There
are also various bar attachments you can snap on to
dumbbell/barbell handles, if you dont have the tools
to make one.
For the dumbbell jerk, athletes can use either a split or
push jerk. Ensure that the weight is challenging enough
that the athlete cannot easily press the weight. Clean
the weight to a rack position (a high, palm-forward
racked position with the bell of the weight resting on
the shoulder is commonly used by strongmen and will
facilitate a heavy jerk), hinge at the hip, maintaining a
strong, locked spine position and drive. Given that this
magazine is predominately an Olympic weightlifting
periodical, I wont bore you with the intricacies of
the jerk. I will say that elbow lockout and a solid split
position are key on the single-arm dumbbell jerk.

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of weight, and is quieter, to boot. If you have access

to a length of rope with a climbing attachment, snap
a carabineer on and link it to your tires eye bolt. If you
dont have a rope, dragging straps can be looped to
create makeshift ropes. Thick rope is, of course, more
challenging, but anything you can grab and pull will
do the trick. The shorter the rope, the more times youll
have to reset, so try to find something at least twenty
feet long.
When pulling, assume a solid, shoulder-width stance
with hips and shoulders square to the sled. Begin in a
squat position with a tight, arched spine (no rounded
back here!), and pull hand-over-hand. There are
two main styles of pulling here: a strict, hand-overhand row from a static squat position; and a row that
uses hip extension (driving the hips forward as you
pull). Both are valid, though athletes will likely make
an unconscious shift to the latter pull when they are
pulling heavy weight.
So How Am I Supposed to Use this Stuff?

perfecting these exercises individually before

combining them into a workout, and establishing
working weights.
Around these parts we have a workout we call the
Strongman Medley comprised of five movements
(usually the ones listed above) done for reps and
time. For simplicitys sake, Ill give you the most basic
version: take each of the above-listed movements
and perform them all for one minute each. Thats
five minutes of work, no rest in between movements,
outside of transition and set-up time. Heres the thing,
though: you have to go heavy, hence the importance
of establishing your working weights beforehand
and familiarizing yourself with the intricacies of each
movement. How many times can you flip that tire in a
minute? See how far you can get in the farmers walk
dont forget that turning around is hard! How many
times can you load the stone/sandbag on to a waisthigh platform in 60 seconds? How many jerks per arm
(dont forget to switch arms)? End it with a sled pull
as far as you can in that final minute. If you can stand
up after you finish, rest and try it again!

Now that weve got a handful of movements, lets look

at how to throw them together into a fun little workout,
though not without one caveat: I highly recommend

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 22

COOKING WITH SCOTTY SCOTT HAGNAS

Asian Inspired Burgers
Continuing the fusion theme from last month, here is a
simple burger recipe that will broaden your horizons of
what a burger can be!
Time: 15 minutes
1 1/2 lb. ground grassfed beef
1/3 cup chopped bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped Asian pears
2 green onions, chopped
1 inch ginger, finely grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp wheat-free tamari soy sauce
sea salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well;
form into about 5 patties. Grease and bring a skillet to
medium heat. Fry the patties for about 4 minutes per
side, covered. Flip carefully, as we havent used any
binding agents to keep the food quality high.
Serve over veggies such as wilted spinach.
Nutritional info: 25g protein, 19g fat.

Butternut Squash Enchiladas

There are two options with this recipe - the Paleo
version and the sort-of-semi-not Paleo one. One version
will use tapioca wraps (spring rolls) for the tortilla and
the other will use organic corn tortillas. I personally eat
organic corn (almost always in the form of tortillas)
once or twice a month. As far as a treat goes, its pretty

Butternut Squash Enchiladas

benign. I am careful to use organic corn, as much nonorganic corn these days is genetically modified. There
is no cheese in this recipe, but youd swear there was!
Active time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: ~1 hour
1/2 butternut squash
12oz leftover beef, pork or chicken
1 package organic corn tortillas or 1 package
tapioca spring rolls
1 16oz jar organic enchilada sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
1 clove garlic, crushed
coconut oil, lard or tallow
1-2 thin slices red onion

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 23

Halve the squash lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds.

Place face down in a roasting pan and add 1/4 inch of
water. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes,
then allow to cool.
Remove the rind and cut into chunks. Add one of the
diced squash halves to a blender or food processor
and blend briefly, leaving it still a bit chunky. Remove
and place in a mixing bowl.
Add the meat of your choice, shredding it by hand or
in the food processor. Add the cumin and garlic, then
about one quarter of the enchilada sauce. Mix well.
The next step is to prep the tortillas. For corn tortillas,
turn your electric range on medium-high. Moisten a
tortilla, then place it briefly directly on the element.
Flip and repeat. The tortilla will become warm and
may blacken in just a few spots. If you dont have an
electric range, use a skillet to heat them instead.
If you are using the tapioca spring rolls, submerge the
sheets in a pan of cool water for 2-3 minutes. Remove
to a cheesecloth and pat dry. Use two sheets together
for one tortilla shell. Be advised that using spring
roll sheets will result in an enchilada that is softer and
doesnt really look like an enchilada - but its still pretty
tasty and it allows you to avoid corn if you so choose.
Grease the bottom of a couple of baking dishes. Lay
out a tortilla, scoop the filling into the tortilla. Dont put
it into the center, but rather offset a bit to one side to
allow for a better roll. Roll the enchilada tightly and lay
into the baking dish. If you are using the spring rolls, fold
each end under to keep the contents inside. Continue
until all of the tortillas are filled.

Beets & Tahini

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put just a bit of

coconut oil on the beets. Roast for 1 hour. Let them
cool, then peel.
Using a blender or food processor, blend the beets
only until chunky. Add to a bowl, squeeze the lemon
juice over it, then add the tahini and seasonings. Adjust
the quantity of tahini to suit your taste or daily fat
requirements. Mix well. Serve warm or after chilling.
Nutritional info: 4 servings at about 6g carb, 4.5g fat

Overnight Roast

Pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce over the

tortillas, and top with slices of red onion. Return to the
oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees for corn tortillas, or
20-25 minutes if using the tapioca spring rolls. Check
them frequently, removing when the shells have
started to become crisp.

We often are pressed for cooking time. Here is a simple

meal we use that can be a lifesaver. It will last days,
and only takes a minute of active time!

Nutritional info: 4 servings (3 enchiladas) at 54g carb,

18g protein, 15g fat (this will vary depending on the
meat, sauce, and tortilla you choose)

grassfed beef roast - 4-5 lb.

cumin, sea salt, pepper (or your favorite herbs/
spices)
5-6 sweet potatoes

Beets and Tahini

Active time: 7 minutes / Cooking time: 1 hour
4 large golden beets (about 1.25lbs)
coconut oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp tahini
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Active time: 3 minutes

Cooking time: ~8 hours

Set the roast on a roasting pan. Dust with the spices.

Poke each sweet potato a few times with a knife and
add to the roasting pan. Set the oven to 200 degrees.
Go to bed or work. When you wake or return, it will be
waiting for you!
If you want to spend a few more seconds of prep time,
you can slice groves into the meat and stuff them with
cloves of garlic or other spices.

THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 80 SEPTEMBER 2011 24

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