Staley Strategies Online Coaching

Exercise Menus: Narrow, But Deep

“Compared to most other training approaches, PPP uses fewer (4-6) exercises per session, but at the same time, involves more intense work on each exercise. While many lifters feel the need to address the muscle from various angles each workout, the truth is, this is unnecessary. While targeting muscle fibers from different angles is in fact important, the truth is, not everything has to be accomplished in a single workout. So for example, when training the pectoralis major, a flat press tends to emphasize the middle pec fibers, whereas an incline press tends to target the upper pec fibers. For complete pec development, you should do both exercises. However that doesn’t mean they must both be done in the same session. If your “press” exercise for workout #1 is a flat barbell bench press, for workout #2 you can select an incline dumbbell press, just to for example. Each week your goal is to challenge the greatest amount of muscular topography possible, using the fewest number of exercises, with the least amount of redundancy. This is efficiency personified.”

(Excerpt from my new e-book available at strongand.fit -currently 52% off using the discount code BLACKFRIDAY2023. Link in bio)

NEW ARTICLE at T-Nation

Original Title: Upgrade Your Personal “Lifting OS” Maximum Progress.

I actually think this is the best piece I’ve ever written, so if you appreciate my work, I think you’ll really enjoy this

“Serious lifters have a collection of beliefs, practices, and behaviors that guide their workout decisions. The more conscious you are about these foundational principles, the more confident you’ll be about your training decisions, which leads to better results.
These core principles are like your computer or phone’s operating system (OS). Updating the OS improves the device’s stability and functionality. Likewise, updating your “lifting OS” enhances the reliability of your approach to weight training.”

(You’ll need to be a T-Nation member to view this)

:Link: https://forums.t-nation.com/t/the-6-core-principles-of-lifting-success/284841

48% OFF my NEW EBOOK!

This information dense training manual details the default training approach that I use with all lifters (called Primary Pattern Programming or PPP).

Lots of theoretical foundations along with practical applications that you can put to use immediately.

Along the way, you’ll find lots of my pithy (and allegedly irreverent) observations on weight training that my long-time readers have come to enjoy.

Link in bio or if you prefer, send me a DM and I’ll get it to you that way.

NEW EBOOK!

This information dense e-book details the default training approach that I use with all lifters (called Primary Pattern Programming on PPP).

Lots of theoretical foundations along with practical applications that you can put to use immediately.

Along the way, you’ll find lots of my pithy (and allegedly irreverent) observations on weight training that my long-time readers have come to enjoy.

Link in bio or if you prefer, send me a DM and I’ll get it to you that way.

3 Quick Thoughts On Range Of Motion (ROM)

ROM is a hot topic in training circles, and for good reason: ROM is a key variable that significantly impacts training effectiveness as well as safety. However, many lifters speak in absolute terms when it comes to this subject, despite the fact that truly understanding ROM requires some nuanced thinking. Here are 3 examples of what I mean by this:

ROM And Safety: A common defense for using "full" ROM is that it allows you to get the same stimulus with less weight. Wow this is entirely true, it's also true that "deep" ROM also place your joints in a more vulnerable position (especially in flexion). Like most things in life, it's probably a trade-off.

ROM And Training Stimulus: ROM definitely has an impact on muscle training stimulus, but perhaps not in the way many people think. Current scientific thinking is that emphasizing the stretched (as opposed to contracted) position is where the real results come from. One form of anecdotal evidence for this idea is the fact that exercises which target the stretched position (RDL's, pulldowns, lying tricep extensions, etc.) typically result in significant soreness, whereas exercises which target the contracted position (leg curls, rows, pushdowns, etc.) rarely do.

ROM And Progressive Overload: consistent ROM may be even more valuable than full ROM — here's why: it can lead to the belief that you're progression when in fact, although you may be using more weight and/or reps, if at the same time you're also losing ROM, you might be deluding yourself.

If you'd like to and if you items to this list, please leave a comment below!

Need a coach? I'd be honored to be in your corner — DM me for details!

Primary Pattern Programming (PPP)

Here is a detailed explanation of my training approach courtesy of

Here’s the link, but I’m also happy to DM it to you upon request. Enjoy!

https://drjohnrusin.com/primary-pattern-programming/

SPECIFICITY FIRST

One of my 12 key operational principles that inform my decision-making is that whenever you're trying to improve a weakness, the more specific your method is, the more positive transfer it will have to the skill or movement you're trying to improve. When you are clear about your operational principles, you can ALWAYS quickly answer the questions "Why are you doing (xyz)?" and "How come you don't do (XYZ)?"

Examples:

• If your knees tend to cave inward on squats, first focus on maintaining optimal knee alignment when you squat.  If/when this ceases to be effective, try less-specific means to strengthen the glutes, such as banded walks.

• If your hips tend to rise faster than your shoulders during the initial portion of your deadlift, first focus on keeping your tail down when you deadlift.  If/when this ceases to be effective, try less specific means to improve quad strength such as half squats or leg presses.

• Need to improve your rowing endurance? First do more rowing. When you can't do more rowing than you already are, add in some cycling.

• If you want to improve your bench press 1RM, first do more low (1-3) rep work. When this approach leads to declining progress, add in phases of higher rep work.

• Need better work capacity for your lifting workouts? Before you add in cardio, first try gradually reducing your rests between sets.

• If your triceps are the weak link on your pressing movements, first seek to improve this by simply continuing to work on your presses.  If/when this ceases to be effective, shift to less-specific means such as close(er) grip presses and/or isolated tricep work.

Certainly, there are times when the most specific means will not be sufficient to improve the target weakness. My point however, is to START with high specificity solutions, and progress to less-specific solutions only when the highly specific solution ceases to deliver.

Questions? Comments? Please post below!

Need a coach? I'd be honored to be in your corner — DM me for details!

When the truth just smacks you right upside the head

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Questions? Comments? Please leave your thoughts below!

Need a coach? I’d be honored to help… Click the link in my bio or DM me for more details

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THE POWER OF CONTEXTUALIZED EFFORT

A common expression among motivated lifters is "I'm going to do everything possible to achieve this goal." While the intent behind this. statement is fantastic, in truth, you're better served by identifying and prioritizing the most powerful inputs that contribute toward your desired outcome. Here's a familiar example:

You're determined to grow more muscle, and you're ready to do everything possible to accomplish this goal, including hard consistent resistance training, optimizing your nutrition, getting regular massages, foam rolling, taking BCAA's, creatine, and fish oils, improving your sleep hygiene, and regular mobility work.

While all of the above will contribute toward muscle growth, these inputs have vastly varied contributions to your stated objective. Since resources are always limited, it's more efficient to ID these "big" contributors, and triage your efforts accordingly.

In the above example, the 3 most powerful inputs are likely to be:

• Hard, consistent resistance training, focusing on getting stronger in the (roughly) 8-15 rep range on effective, well-rehearsed exercises.

• Adequate calorie intake

• Adequate protein intake.

These 3 inputs represent probably 75-80% of the entire list of inputs listed in the example below. That's for most people… If for example you've identified that poor sleep is a weak link for you, then it should be moved toward the top of the list.

Take Immediate Action: Make a list of all possible inputs that do or are likely to contribute toward your goal, identify the relative importance of each one for YOU, and then focus your efforts on the top 3-5 inputs (If/when time & energy permit, attend to the less potent inputs). Over time, continuously adjust and refine this procedure based on the results you experience.

Question? Comment? Please share it below!

Need a coach? I'd be honored to help… Click the link in my bio or DM me for more details.

This is powerful and practical. A few examples include:

• Consider RTD (ready to drink) shakes if your protein intake is sub-par.

• Not thrilled with your gym's equipment selection, members, ambiance, and/or proximity to your home? Find a better one.

• You feel like a minority of one? Seek out more supportive people to hang out with.

• Can't stomach the thought of squats today? Go ahead and leg press instead - a slightly suboptimal exercise is FAR superior to an optimal exercise that you won't can't do.

• Finally, a real life example: recently I was doing a training cycle where I did weighted back extensions after squats. Knowing that I was highly likely to blow them off after squats, I used to carry the 100 pound dumbbell over to the back extension unit before I even started my squats. That way I "had" to do the back extensions if for no other reason than to save my personal dignity.

Do you have a favorite environmental priming hack? Please share it below!

Need a coach? I'd be honored to help… Click the link in my bio or DM me for more details. Posted • An idea worth considering today. ⁠
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WHY OLDER WOMEN DON'T BULK UP FROM LIFTING WEIGHTS

I wanted to share a common conversation that I often have with many of my older female clients who are concerned with becoming too bulky from lifting. While it's at least theoretically possible for an older woman to gain more muscle than they want, it's very unlikely. However, if you are convinced that you gain too much muscle when you lift, Here's why I think you're probably wrong:

First, women only have a fraction of the testosterone that men have. If T levels weren't important, women in sports requiring significant muscle wouldn't risk their athletic careers by taking T and anabolic steroids.

Second, you're older. Science and experience show that people have a much harder time growing muscle than younger folks. This is intuitively obvious, so there's no need for me to provide additional rationale for this fact.

Finally, most women who lift are dieting. It's well-known that this makes growing new muscle nearly impossible.

With all of this being the case, why are some older women convinced that lifting makes them bulky? My take:

1. They see other female lifters who've gained a lot of muscle. Usually, these are women who are good at lifting BECAUSE they are more muscular to start with (not vice versa). Also, many of these women take anabolic steroids.
2. The "Thanksgiving dinner effect:" You know how you feel fat and gross after a big holiday meal? Obviously you haven't gained significant fat after one meal, it's just that now your attention is on your stomach because it's full and working hard to digest all that food. Similarly, when you start to lift seriously, your muscles are full of blood after workouts, and this tends to draw your attention to those muscles.
3. Finally, if you really did bulk up, that new bulk is much more likely to be bodyfat than new muscle. This is a diet issue, not a training problem.

I train my older female clients as if they were skinny men who are desperate to gain muscle because this results in the best possible benefits from lifting, which include increased strength, bone density, fat loss, injury-proofing, & confidence.

Questions or comments? Please post them below!

Toward A Principle-Based Approach

"Methods are many, principles are few. Methods always change, but principles never do." — Ray Wilkerson

I would never attempt to claim that the methods I use are 100% optimal, but I CAN say that I can quickly and convincingly defend any practice I use in the gym. This is because I link my practices to bedrock principles to optimize the effectiveness of my decision-making. One of these principles arises from my observation that more often than not, the weak link in your overall training approach isn't suboptimal programming - it's insufficient work ethic.

One of my common practices that developed from this principle is giving my clients different exercise options for any given workout. For example, I might ask "would you prefer incline dumbbell presses or barbell overhead presses today?" While this might strike programming aficionados as imprecise, my rationale is that the upside of choosing at least some of your exercises (willingness to work harder) is worth the downside (reduced precision). During any whole-body workout, my main concern is to perform one effective exercise to represent 4 broad movement/muscle patterns (squat/quad-based, upper-body push, hinge/posterior-chain-based, and upper-body pull). As long as this simple requirement is satisfied, Im usually happy to negotiate the details.

In future posts, I'll share more of my operational principles (along with associated practices), but in the mean time, I'd love to hear about the foundational principles that inform YOUR training — please share them below!

Need a coach? I'd be honored to help - click the link in my bio or DM me for details.

Toward A Principle-Based Approach

"Methods are many, principles are few. Methods always change, but principles never do." — Ray Wilkerson

I would never attempt to claim that the methods I use are 100% optimal, but I CAN say that I can quickly and convincingly defend any practice I use in the gym. This is because I link my practices to bedrock principles to optimize the effectiveness of my decision-making. One of these principles arises from my observation that more often than not, the weak link in your overall training approach isn't suboptimal programming - it's insufficient work ethic.

One of my common practices that developed from this principle is giving my clients different exercise options for any given workout. For example, I might ask "would you prefer incline dumbbell presses or barbell overhead presses today?" While this might strike programming affectionados as imprecise, my rationale is that the upside of choosing at least some of your exercises (willingness to work harder) is worth the downside (reduced precision). During any whole-body workout, my main concern is to perform one effective exercise to represent 4 broad movement/muscle patterns (squat/quad-based, upper-body push, hinge/posterior-chain-based, and upper-body pull). As long as this simple requirement is satisfied, Im usually happy to negotiate the details.

In future posts, I'll share more of my operational principles (along with associated practices), but in the mean time, I'd love to hear about the foundational principles that inform YOUR training — please share them below!

Need a coach? I'd be honored to help - click the link in my bio or DM me for details.

5 Nuanced Thoughts On ROM

With all the recent chatter regarding full VS partial ROM lately, I thought I'd
share a few personal thoughts on the subject:

A common argument for using full ROM is that it's safer since you can't use as much weight. While this makes sense, many of your joints tend to be more vulnerable when you take them to full extension/flexion while under significant loads. One possible solution to this dilemma is to regularly move your joints through a full ROM with light to moderate weights, but when doing your heaviest lifting, it may be a good practice to avoid the most vulnerable joint positions.

While we all tend to think that reducing ROM makes it easier to lift a weight, paradoxically, in some cases, reduced ROM is actually more difficult for certain muscles. For example, if you normally do deep squats, try reducing your ROM by perhaps 6-8" and you'll find it much tougher for your quads.

Static (i.e., no ROM) exercises produce essentially zero muscle growth and very limited strength development.

In some cases, reducing ROM makes an exercise safer. For example, on compound lower body exercises, you're better off if you don't allow your lumbar vertebrae to experience ANY ROM at all.

Before you worry about how much ROM your use, first strive to ensure that your current ROMs for various exercises is consistent — in our efforts to respect the overload principle, we often (unconsciously in many cases) trade less ROM for more weight. This leads to the false belief that we've made progress, because it's no longer an 'apples to apples' comparison.

Questions? Comments? Please post your thoughts below!

Need a coach? I'd be honored to help - click the link in my bio or DM me for details.

AMA #2: Elbow Pain, TRT

Asks: "Hey Charles. Been battling/working around a sore left elbow. Some days the pain isn’t bad, others I’m popping Advil. Looking to know how you would deal with a cranky elbow. Thanks"

Of course, I'm working with limited info here, but if it were me, here's what my thinking would include:

- Immediately stop doing any activities that cause/exacerbate pain, for as long as it takes. Remove and/or (if possible) modify any painful exercise(s).
- If the above fails to bring noticeable relief in 4-6 weeks, seek medical attention in order to gain more date/insight into the problem. If you DO experience relief, start carefully reintroducing the offending exercise(s) one at a time.
- While you're sorting all of this out, capitalize on your now reduced training load by putting extra time/effort into other muscle groups/training goals.

I hope this helps to provide you with a productive path toward resolution.

Asks: "Hey Charles love your training videos especially the deadlifts. Also big respect on being open about TRT. My question is do you think TRT is beneficial health wise especially for older men and if it’s not used in “natural powerlifting” dosages? Thanks!"

Well, by definition, low T levels will negatively affect overall health, so yes, I think it's beneficial. Of course, if/when you decide to start TRT, you may experience negative side effects, but these are almost always gradual and fixable by regularly monitoring your blood and making the necessary modifications (adjusting T dose, etc). Hope this was useful for you!

Questions? Comments? Please post your thoughts below!

Need a coach? I'd be honored to help - click the link in my bio or DM me for more details