Mike’s review of “Becoming a Supple Leopard” by Dr. Kelly Starrett

Posted on July 18, 2013 by smithb9

Back in November of 2010 Brent Kim was in my living room, lying on the ground with a dumbbell held above his head (jealous yet?). When I asked him “what are you doing?” he responded with “what the f*** does it look like I’m doing? I’m sending my humerus to the posterior portion of the socket”. I said something to the effect, of “OK, c ya!”

chris helps brent mob (or milks him?)

Over the next six months, Brent would spend countless hours poring over Kelly Starrett’s MobilityWod.com, and using “informed free styling” to improve his mobility. Brent was pleased to report that his mobility (which he had previously described as horrendous), had improved dramatically. Brent would still refer to himself in a self-deprecating manner, but he told me his training was at least going better.

In mid-2011 I decided that maybe, for once, Brent was onto something. I would spend the next two years (and still do, to this day) trying to learn how to effectively mobilize for better performance in the gym. As we all know, how much you improve in training is directly related to what you do outside of the gym (nutrition/sleep/moping/etc.)

A few months back I finally received my pre-ordered copy of Dr. Kelly Starrett’s “Becoming a Supple Leopard”. I am pleased to report that after reading through it, and referring to it multiple times a week, it’s as indispensable as a belt (Brent), a lacrosse ball, and a PVC pipe (i.e. you should have them). If you’ve watched any of the videos on MobilityWod.com, you’re familiar with Starrett’s style. He uses terms like “bleeding force” and “dumping torque” routinely as a method for describing how your performance is limited in some capacity by a mobility restriction/incorrect movement pattern. This book is written much in the same manner as his videos, but in my opinion, far easier to understand.

In addition to describing his definition for mobilization, Starrett explores subjects such as midline stabilization, the one joint rule, laws of torque, and movement hierarchy. This information precedes describing how to correctly perform numerous exercises. Finally, if you’re having issues with a particular movement, he details how to isolate the issue, and how to fix it.

Starrett describes that pain is often a lagging indicator. It isn’t just that your knee hurts, there is an explanation for the pain in your knee that often begins with tightness upstream/ downstream of the pain, or an incorrect movement pattern. Starrett’s systematic approach to figuring out what’s wrong with you is also extremely flexible. You work on your hip mobility, and your knee pain still exists. Then, you move to your ankles, and discover that they’re incredibly tight because you wear combat boots all day (this is from personal experience).

Without spending anymore time telling you why you should read it, you need to either buy a copy, or borrow it from someone. There will be people out there that tell you what Starrett preaches has no real value. As far as I’m concerned, they’re the same people that tell you that you should stop squatting because there is a leg press in the corner and it’s “easier on the knees”. Still not a believer? Spend five minutes of your time with a lacrosse ball, curse me, then go to Amazon and make one of the best $35 investments you can make for your training.

Mike Battaglino is a 70’s Big member that regularly contributes to his blog at 70sbig.com/mike, and makes videos about chicken shakes/analyzing technique/other random training advice. When he isn’t training or making videos, he’s declining your offer for a spot. Spot?

Reader Submission: Mark Mobs

Posted on July 17, 2013 by smithb9

Patellar/Quad Tendon Mob

Hey guys, Mark here again. I’ve heard quite a few people complain about patellar and quad tendon pain and I figured out a good way, besides voodoo flossing (which you should also be doing) to deal with it. You need a lacrosse ball, and a sock you don’t plan on wearing again. You tie the lacrosse ball up in the sock and then you can use the ends as handles to put some pressure on the tendons with the ball as demonstrated in this vid.

So you can probably spend 3 to 5 minutes on each knee 2 or three times a weeks, it’s a pretty simple mob and it makes a pretty huge difference in alleviating patellar pain while squatting, plus you can do it while lying in bed, watching tv, whatever, so there’s no real excuse not to do it if you have problems with your patellar and quad tendons. Cya.

Take Back the Tank Tops

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Justin

Take Back the Tank Tops – Part 3 of The Revolution for Masculinity

It’s July, you’re an adult, and therefore don’t need me to tell you, “Sun’s out, guns out”. It’s warm in the northern hemisphere, folks, and that means you should dress accordingly.

In The Revolutionary Guide to Manly Short Shorts I explained how the weak and pussified mainstream societal body image is trying to change the evolutionary notion that men are supposed to be, well, men. That article gave you a weapon against the masses: muscularity, burliness, and short god damn shorts.

The Revolution – Part 2 taught you how you can continue this mission in the winter months by not only wearing flannel, but taking back the flannel style from hipsters who would only wish to see us fail. The hipster is a pukish spawn of the urban middle class who hypocritically aims to “buck the system” by falling in line and dressing like everyone else in his chosen social class. Furthermore, the hipster tries to steal styles and claim them as their own; last I checked flannel and PBR were associated with gritty men and calloused hands, not mid-town socialites searching for a life purpose.

Hipsters, like cockroaches, survive in warm weather and continue their thievery in the summer by wearing tank tops. THIS AGGRESSION WILL NOT STAND.

If we’re going to help change America’s perception on what is manly or even attractive, then we need to actively put it out there. Why cover up the musculature and chest hair established through squatting, pressing, and deadlifting? Why wear more clothes and sweat more in hot weather? This is straightforward logic, folks. Here is your guide to wearing tank tops in support of The Revolution of Masculinity.

1. Looking the part.

Hopefully you didn’t wake up today and realize it was summer; some pre-season preparation will help your tank-top-wearing-ability. My lawyer friend was at Wendy’s with his boss and ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and a baked potato. His boss said, “Oh no fries? Trying to slim down, huh?” To which my friend said, “It’s beach season, bro.” They laughed; friend wasn’t kidding.

It’s possible to be strong, perform well, and look jacked. Anyone who campaigns against aesthetic goals is probably portly and unhealthy anyway. But looking the part does take effort. If you’re not really in tank top shape, then you’re either fat or not big enough. If you’re fat, then improve your food quality and macronutrients (there’s a book somewhere that can help with that). If you’re not big enough, then continue squatting, pressing, benching, and deadlifting every week, but be sure to do weighted pull-ups and chin-ups, barbell rows, and thousands of hammer curls.

Years ago I was walking on a track shirtless when a brigand drove by — driving a Honda Civic with a giant spoiler to prevent his powerful machine from achieving flight — and yelled, “GET A TAN, BUDDY!”. I remembered this experience because a) the absurdity of the act of ordering someone to do something they were already doing and b) he was wearing a wife beater with a fake tan. Other than wanting to tell you an amusing story, it’s best to let the sun bathe your skin during the warm months. You’ll get some Vitamin D and can look like you belong in a tank top or have something going on.

The fake-man and style are all wrong; this is what we’re up against.

2. Choosing a tank top.

Tank tops have never really gone out of style, but the modern tank tops have gotten progressively irritating; wife beaters covered with gold chains or stains and exceptionally tight styles worn by foo-foo models. Don’t bother with this facade.

Avoid tank tops with spirally text or tribal designs. Realistically you should avoid any writing or image on the tank top at all unless it’s a gym logo or something awesome like a grizzly bear riding a shark while shooting a Tommy gun. New age tank tops typically have a lot of horizontal lines, which I don’t understand, but your physique should be able to overcome this distraction.

Keep in mind that sleeveless shirts are not a substitute for a tank top. Cutting the sleeves off of a shirt is very high schoolish and buying pre-made sleeveless shirts is even worse. We’re trying to run a god damn revolution, man! Not a camp for wannabe bodybuilders.

3. Playing the part.

Modern-day tank tops are stuffed with tiny fake-men, but worse is that these pseudo-men also act like weasels. They wander through life with a notion that the world owes them something. That their inferiority should be met with compensation — like a trophy for participating or a high-five for trying. These “men” don’t understand the concept that hard things must be done to get better — like stepping under a god damn barbell and squatting all the way down.

Understand that the Masculinity Revolution is not a show of posh muscularity, but a statement that says, “I not only recognize my weakness, but accept it and work to turn it into a strength.” By moving cold iron with calloused and chalked hands, you live a unique motto that creates a hurricane of personal responsibility and grit. When the winds die down after each training session, and the eye of the storm passes once again, you comprehend the very important lesson that things worth having require tedious and grotesquely hard work. Each repetition, set, and training session are proof that you dared to be different, that you took responsibility in life to build yourself to be something the world lacks — a god damn man.

Remember, we aren’t wearing tank tops to flaunt and elbow through a crowd of hipsters like a bunch of Tommy Tough Guys. While you may want to do that, your goal is to politely and respectfully out-alpha the little weirdos by using long-lost customs like firm hand shakes, eye contact, and chivalrous manners. You want someone to walk away and think, “My god, that was a man.”

A non-sober tank top pic from last year’s Tucson seminar.

Fight the Good Fight

Each morning you have a choice. You can wander through life as a weak representative of the male gender, or you can throw on a tank top and short shorts and unapologetically define what true machoism is. Train your dick off, accomplish lots, and ultimately dare to be different; dare to be a man.

Reader Submission: Hanging with the Russians

Posted on July 2, 2013 by smithb9

If you missed it yesterday, we announced on our facebook page that Dmitry Klokov will be coming to the US with a bunch of his buddies to train and host seminars. If you live in the Northeast, this is probably something you don’t want to miss.

On that note, our friend Paul Sousa drafted a silly story on what he thinks a day hanging out with the Russians would entail.

A Perfect Day with Russians
Who doesn’t love Russians? Let’s be honest, if Louie Simmons is right about anything, it’s that Russians are awesome. I was thinking about this fact the other day, and I began daydreaming about what a perfect day of hanging with some Russians would look like…

It would all begin with my Misha alarm clock playing some accordion music to wake me up.

After doing a little wake up dance to it I would head to the kitchen where Akkaev would have made me pancakes. He makes the best pancakes. We’d eat together and talk about the weather forecast, go-karts and the other usual stuff. Then we’d strap on our KGB era rocket shoes and fly to the beach.

At the beach we’d meet up with Klokov and Belyaev for a rousing game of beach volleyball.

Tight jeans and body oil are the official uniforms of course. Akkaev would set me for a killer spike to win the match, then we would all go get soft serve ice cream cones. After that we’d rent paddle boats and have races.

After all our beach fun we’d be hungry, so we’d head to Malanichev’s house for a feast. Malanichev and KK would have just gone bare hand bear hunting and brought back a couple grizzlies for the rotisserie. We’d dine on bear meat and drink vodka, and after getting a bit tipsy we’d start wearing the grizzly heads as hats and reenact Where the Wild Things Are. KK does the best wild rumpus.

All of this would have tired me out considerably, and Misha would descend from the heavens riding a milk carton. He would fly me back home and tuck me into bed, then sing me sweet lullabies while I faded into dreamland.

Paul Sousa, PSC is an occasional contributor in addition to our unofficial official android app tester. He is a general strength enthusiast, beard connoisseur, father, husband, and burrito aficionado.