I realize I've been all over the map lately, topic-wise, but hey, I did say I'd be compiling a hodgepodge of fitness information here. Therefore, it's totally reasonable to transition from kvetching about the color selection of women's trainers to posting an interview with one of the biggest names in the fitness biz.
Here, Michael Boyle, author of Functional Training for Sports: Superior Conditioning for Today's Athlete (Human Kinetics, 2004), strength and conditioning coach for Boston University men's hockey team, and founder of the hugely informative Web site www.strengthcoach.com, has been gracious enough to answer a few questions on -- surprise, surprise -- a wide range of mostly unrelated topics.
For more of his wisdom within this blog, see here, here and here.
JS: What are a few of the most common misconceptions you encounter when training athletes (i.e., what do you have to talk people out of doing all the time)?
MB: Number one is steady-state cardio work. I think it borders on useless for all but the most unfit. To me, steady state is for beginners who can't tolerate intervals yet, or for recovery days. I think team-sport athletes should do almost no steady state work. For fitness enthusiasts, maybe twice a week at most.
Number two is lifting with light weights. I laugh at people who lift these little dumbbells out of fear of getting "too big." It takes tremendous work to build muscles. What I want to say to most people is, "Don't worry, you won't work hard enough to build muscle anyway."
JS: What are some basic pre-hab concepts athletes shouldn't skip (but often do)?
MB: Athletes should foam roll to improve tissue quality and then stretch for tissue length. We need to take better care of our muscles. [Ed note: For some foam rolling stretches, check out "On a Roll" in the Experience Life November 2007 archives.]
JS: Best exercises to reduce your 40 time?
MB: Some variation of the squat. The 40 is about getting a bigger engine. In the simplest sense, a bigger engine (stronger muscles) equals more speed.
JS: Best agility exercises to improve change of direction?
MB: I'm not a big agility guy, but I think single leg plyos with stability emphasis are key. Lateral bounds with a one-second pause in a 2 to 30 degree knee bend are a great place to start.
JS: Most common dysfunction/imbalance/inflexibility in the body?
MB: Tight lateral hamstrings. It's very difficult to get a good hamstring stretch. Most people end up stretching their low back instead of their hamstrings. Don't flex the trunk when you stretch the hams. [See the photo below for Boyle's recommendation for a hamstrings stretch that keeps your back decidedly not rounded.]
JS: What do you think is the best way for an overweight athlete to drop body fat without losing much muscle?
MB: Simple: Eat better. If it's white, skip it. No bread, no cereal, no pasta, no rice. I would advocate grain-free for weight loss and reduced grain for general health. Corn and high fructose corn syrup have become the number one source of calories in our diet. Guess what -- corn is a grain, not a vegetable. [Ed note: And the girl from Iowa bursts into tears ...]
JS: How much barefoot training do you incorporate into your training programs?
MB: We don't do much barefoot for practical reasons -- it just takes time to get shoes on and off, etc. We do recommend less constructed shoes like the Reebok Smoothfit series and the Nike Free.
JS: Who do you ask when you don't know the answer to a fitness question?
MB: Depends on the topic. For exercise physiology stuff, I go to a guy named Chris Frankel. Very smart guy. Works for the company that makes the TRX system. For injury stuff, I ask orthopedic physical therapist Dan Dyrek. I have dubbed him my "smartest man no one has heard of."
JS: Other thoughts?
MB: I don't think training changes much. I think kettlebells are here to stay. I think some of the bootcamp and Biggest Loser stuff is irresponsible.
[photo credit: mil8]
This is the best part of the interview...
"Number two is lifting with light weights. I laugh at people who lift these little dumbbells out of fear of getting “too big.” It takes tremendous work to build muscles. What I want to say to most people is, “Don’t worry, you won’t work hard enough to build muscle anyway.”
Agreed. I adore that he doesn't sugarcoat his answers. At all.
And of course I'm happy that Coach Boyle thinks that Kettlebells are here to stay.
Naturally.
Loved this interview. Sounds like my kind of coach. Not to play devil's advocate but while it is generally true that most women won't bulk out like professional body builders from lifting heavy, they still can bulk out more than they like. I think trainers overlook that issue. Yeah, it's cosmetic but it's important to a lot of women and if people are really interested in training women then they need to understand that and be able to work with the goal of long lean muscles. I do realize though that Coach Boyle works with athletes who are probably of a different mindset about muscle.
Great interview. Squats - one of those exercises I have a love hate relationship with! And all I hear is good stuff about them. Guess they're in my workouts to stay. In fact, I just did them yesterday, for the first time in probably a month - guess what - my legs are screaming at me today. That's part of the hate in this love hate relationship...
Commenting on the devil's advocate...
I work with lots of women, and most my friends say the same thing to me however, I answer them with the following, there really is no such thing as developing long lean muscles, muscles have anatomical origins and insertions in the body and cannot change length, except during contraction and relaxation.
It's very difficult for both males and females to actually gain significant muscle mass.
Jen I love your blog! It has become my fav thing to read online, keep it up!
great interview, thank you! I really like the fact that he says kettlebells are here to stay!
very nice post, glad I found your blog.
Cheers,
I read everything he writes, if I can find it. I just found this blog by accident, and I don't know how to get to it again. I really like it. Can you help me?
OK, I guess I'll be upping my weight at the next Barbell Strength Class.
Charlotte,
I'm sorry, but what you are suggesting is just mythical, its fiction and its exactly what Mike was talking about. "Long lean" muscles are not something that are "created or destroyed" in the weight room. Ballet dancers are ballet dancers and gymnasts are gymnasts. Complain to your parents if you dont like how your built. From a hormonal standpoint it is next to impossible for a women to significantly hypertrophy muscle. If a woman is "bulking out" it is because her diet is bad and/or she is not doing enough of the aforementioned interval training. Please stop giving women excuses to not train hard! It doesn't matter what your "mindset" getting fit is getting fit and building muscle is building muscle. Tone is a myth. It is just a reduction in BODYFAT with the addition of some lean tissue.