Beware the DEADLIFT

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:48:58 -0700

Ah the deadlift. Probably my number 2 favourite lift behind the back squat and perhaps the most widely feared of all the lifts. For this blog I want to discuss why some of you think this is. It’s funny, I think, how many people fear this lift or label it as “dangerous”. I have preached the benefits and value of this lift in the past, but it seems like the negative stigma attached to this lift is just far too entrenched in our psyche and this allows us to feel justified in “skipping” it or overlooking it in our programming.

For some reason I have encountered discussion about this lift more than any other as of late, I’m not 100% sure why to be honest. But what really strikes me as odd is how many CrossFit enthusiasts are included in this group. After all, I praise us and hold us in high regard as a unique group of individuals who look to fact and reason rather than myth and perception when choosing our fitness regimens. Yet for some reason the horror stories surrounding the deadlift seem to trump all else, and I for one would like to know why.

It has been suggested by some that the single biggest fault of the deadlift is it’s name. After all deadlift does sound kind of negative, but I’m not convinced that simply changing the name to the “healthlift” or “lifelift” would solve the problem, although I would be curious to see the long term effect this could have. So why the heck is it called a deadlift to begin with anyway? Simple really, the deadlift requires production of force from a dead stop. That’s all, no stored energy, no stretch reflex, no bounce...load is at a dead stop and you must lift it up. Pretty simple really and very fitting when you think about it.

Another issue I often hear from people after a deadlift workout is how they “injured” their back performing the deadlift. While I’m not suggesting that this can’t happen, in all the years I’ve been coaching I have yet to witness anyone truly injure their back deadlifting with proper form at “heavy” weight. I have witnessed people that have tweaked their back moving incorrectly at sub-maximal load on a variety of different exercises (clean & jerk, front squat, back squat, snatch, overhead squat, overhead lunge, deadlift, etc etc etc) but I will discuss those a bit more later. One thing I have witnessed time and time again however is people who have pushed hard during a deadlift workout and are experiencing muscle soreness. I always find it so fascinating when people come in and do high volume squats in their workout and they can’t walk down stairs properly the next day...they come in to the box and say with a smile on their face and a giggle in their tone “coach, my legs are sooooo sore from that workout!” But yet when their back is sore they come in and say “coach I can’t do that today cause I injured my back” Why is it an injury if it’s your back but any other part of your body it’s just soreness? Have we really bought into mainstream propaganda so much that we believe any discomfort in the muscle groups dedicated to spinal stabilization is immediately an injured back? Again, I’m not suggesting you can’t injure your back, but really what is the culprit? First and foremost...are you injured or are you sore? Now, if it is injury what is really to blame...the movement??? Or is it poor coaching, ego, improper form, and lack of respect for the movement? I mean masses of individuals proclaim CrossFit is dangerous after all and will point to countless examples of injuries to support their claims...does that make it so? Or is it the same culprits as above that are really to blame?

Finally I just want to touch on one last point. Several of the individuals I have spoken to that denounce the importance of the deadlift have no issue at all with performing high repetition front squats, cleans, snatches etc. all the movements I listed previous. Why is this? I honestly have no idea. The reality is the deadlift is the single greatest exercise at building back strength...period. Can’t be argued. And back strength is not only useful but it is absolutely crucial in all of the lifts listed above and in real life in general. If you can safely and effectively lift 500lbs off the floor in the gym the 50lb bag of sand you get from the gardening store provides you with far less risk than it would in the absence of that type of strength and conditioning. I mean really, since when is avoiding a movement that will make an aspect of the body stronger an effective means of preventing injury in that area? come on people! That’s the most counter productive argument I have ever heard. I am reminded of Episode 8 of Killing the Fat Man. If you haven’t seen them you should, CrossFit Journal or CrossFit.com. In that particular episode the main character wants to get his dad “fit” again but his family says “don’t take him to the gym...you’ll kill him!” WOW...how is NOT going to the gym an effective strategy of getting someone on the road to good health? So, I will repeat it again, there is no greater exercise at building and strengthening the back than the deadlift and we all know a strong back and ability to maintain rigid form when pulling load from the ground will have a dramatic and positive impact on all of your lifts and your quality of life.

I feel, like always, that I could go on and on but I will spare you. I have given you my perspective in an effort for you to understand the importance of the deadlift and it’s place in our programming. What I would like from you now is your opinion, good or bad...agree or disagree. Tell me your perspective and let’s get a discussion going!

Quote:

“The deadlift is more functional in that it’s very hard to imagine a more useful application of strength than picking heavy shit up off the ground.”
~Mark Rippetoe

DODGEBALL!!!!

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:49:15 -0700

Well it pleases me to say that we are fixing to get our Dodgeball on once again at Taranis!

It is unfortunate that we missed our annual tournament last year, but we now have the opportunity to make up for it this year! Now as most of you long term Taranis members know the dodgeball tourney is often my favourite time of year. Makes sense given the fact that my team has been victorious each and every year we’ve held the tournament. What’s really the most fun for me though (aside from the winning and domination) is all the smack talk that goes down leading up to the inevitable raising of my arm in victory. In fact, I went back and read some blog posts from dodgeballs past and man they are funny. “DanBoomCream, I 100% guarantee this year you will lose” “I cant wait for the blog where Boom eats Crow” etc. etc. It goes on and on, but as always, the cream rose to the top and after the tournament is over all of my critics once again fall silent.

I’m not gonna bog down this blog with a bunch of smack talk this year, I’m just gonna announce when and where it’s all going down and let the cards unfold as they will.

A sign up sheet will be going up very soon at the box. It is imperative you sign up so we know you intend on playing this year. Once the deadline has passed for sign ups teams will be selected and posted. team selection is based on a somewhat “scientific” and somewhat “random” process, but rest assured it is a fair process all the same. After selection it is the responsibility of each separate team to organize their own theme/costumes etc if they so choose. This is optional but highly encouraged, it really makes for a fun atmosphere.

The actual tournament will take place on Saturday May 5th. The tournament bracket and time line will be posted once we know how many teams will be involved.

I think that’s all we need to know for now. Everyone is highly encouraged to attend, this really is a super fun weekend event!

Quote:

“You can continue living in your fantasy world for now, but on Saturday I can GUARANTEE that your dreams will be shattered, broken, busted, destroyed, crushed, demolished and I will be sitting on top with my team ready to say I told you so.”

~Focker to BOOM before he ultimately ended up losing to him

In The Box Episode #3

Mon, 2 Apr 2012 09:49:35 -0700

Here is Episode #3 of In The Box. I know it’s another long one, I am really trying to figure out how to get these things down to around 10 mins or so. Maybe it’s just the fact that I like to talk so much and the fact that I find all of you so darn fascinating!

Anyway, I hope you get through it all, Yawgs after all is a pretty interesting gal.

Enjoy!

Quote:

“The public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything. Except what is worth knowing. Journalism, conscious of this, and having tradesman-like habits, supplies their demands.”
~Oscar Wilde

GYMNASTICS!

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 06:35:42 -0700

I know most of you are aware of this already but I just wanted to throw up a quick reminder about the gymnastics seminar on March 31st (this weekend people!) at the Delta Sport Development centre. This is a state of the art 20,000 sq ft facility offering everything you could ever wish to play on at a gymnastics seminar.

Now we all know the value of learning any particular skill from an expert in that field. Even more valuable than that though is an expert in their field who also has a direct connection to CrossFit and understands the needs and wants of CrossFiters. What’s unique about that is they are able to apply their expertise to our practical CrossFit applications. Lucky for you, this is exactly the situation we have here!

Many of you would not think twice about an opportunity to register for some additional coaching with barbell training or Olympic Weightlifting....me included....I love that shit. But one thing we may occasionally forget is where gymnastics actually falls in the hierarchy of athletic development. Remember the base of the pyramid is the most important component...the foundation on which all else is built and each subsequent tier has a direct impact on the next level and so on and so forth. So it could be safely argued that the pyramid represents the level of importance and therefore the impact that improvement in one of the levels will have on the other levels. You’ll notice that gymnastics falls behind nutrition and metabolic conditioning...makes sense. If you don’t eat good quality food everything else will suffer. If you don’t have a strong and healthy heart and lungs everything else will suffer. What comes next is gymnastics. Before weightlifting and before sport. This means that improvement in your gymnastic skills will not only improve your gymnastics but your weightlifting & throwing and ultimately your sport of choice as well. At $60 this is an incredible value and I highly recommend everyone sign up if they have the opportunity to do so.

All the pertinent information can be found on the poster below. If your interested then please email Mark mfriesen@deltagymnastics.com or call (604) 943-0460 to reserve your spot. Any other questions feel free to contact Coach Carla as well!

Quote:

“Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.”

~C.S. Lewis

In The Box Episode 2

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:36:42 -0700

OK Team, here it is...the much anticipated second Episode of “In The Box”.

Same format as always, feel free to offer thoughts, comments, or questions pertinent to the topics discussed in the video below.

Also, if you have someone you’d like to learn more about or see me interview on a future episode please send an email to dan@crossfitvic.com

Quote:

“Seriously...am I the monkey?”
~Silver