I’m doing an AMA (ask me anything) on the /r/weightroom sub-reddit. If you wanted a question answered for Friday’s Q&A, do it in the AMA.
Here’s the link. I’ll start replying to messages at 6:00 PM EST and will probably be there a few hours.
Side note: I am still going to do a post about the “MWOD/Kelly Starrett says to stop icing” thing, but it’s an involved post, so I’ll probably save it for next week.
A few weeks ago I did a post on hyperlordosis and how the psoas is a primary contributor to it and back pain. Issues with the psoas and hip flexors are pretty common since most people sit during a large portion of their day, and it can cause pain anywhere from the sacrum to the scapula (ass to shoulder blade). The following is a nice visual on what the psoas looks like when stationary and during various hip movements (the captions aren’t in English, just look at the image after reading the hyperlordosis post):
I recommended that if you were hyperlordotic to try working on your psoas. Instead of just mashing around in your guts, I wanted you to learn where your psoas was so that you could work on it. There are a few good techniques to use, but you have to be accurate with you’re massage. At worst, you could occlude your abdominal aorta; at best you’d just be doing a pointless massage. It’s best to get a 출장 massage from a professional. Here is the info on how to find the psoas on yourself:
To begin, lie on your back, pull your knees up, and let them fall to the side opposite to the posas you want to work on. This will let your intestines move away from the target area. Start about two inches from your belly button — you’ll be between the button and your hip bone. You are feeling around for a muscle that runs longitudinally with your spine. If you are incredibly tight, it can feel like a hard sausage. To confirm that you are touching your psoas, flex your hip (pull your knee up) slightly; the psoas should contract. Another way is to lift your head to contract your rectus abdominis; the psoas will be off to the side of the area that contracts. It may take a few minutes to become acquainted with the psoas your first time; be patient, virgin.
Most of you wrote back saying that you couldn’t find it. I don’t have to ask to know that you weren’t patient during your search. When palpating deep tissue, you have to allow your fingers to sink through the superficial tissue — stuff like fascia or connective tissue can prevent immediate palpation of the deep stuff. I’ve made a video “finding the psoas” is broken down crayola style.
If you have any issues with this process, then post the questions to the comments.
There are heaps of new trainees and lifters joining the “online strength training communities” — it’s fantastic. However, there are some terms that are thrown around that are often misguided, confuzzled, or plain wrong, so let’s clarify them.
“I’m doing the powerlifts.”
This is almost always said by someone coming from CrossFit, but I’ve seen it in some general populations as well. Squatting, benching, and deadlifting does not mean that you are powerlifting. This is like saying that tossing a football around is “playing football”. Powerlifting is a specific sport with specific demands and powerlifting, at the very least, requires that you enter a competition. Many athletes will strength train to augment their physical capacity for their sport, but it doesn’t mean they are powerlifting.
Instead, just say that you are “strength training”; it will solidify the distinction. It’s sort of ironic that powerlifting includes the word “power” since there isn’t a lot of power developed (speed is relevant in high power production). I just refer to squatting, pressing, deadlifting and other slow movements as “the strength lifts”. It helps me sleep better.
Let’s be fair to “weightlifting” too.
As an extension, we could say that you aren’t doing “weightlifting” if you’re snatching and clean and jerking. This misnomer isn’t as common (probably because weightlifting isn’t as accessible to the average trainee), but saying “I am doing the Olympic lifts” is more accurate. Oh, and Glenn Pendlay hates when you say “Oly”. It’s a CrossFit thing to use certain lingo, but when it’s incorrect it alienates certain people.
“Should I do Wendler?”
I bet he’d fucking like that a lot, assuming you have the required equipment (a vagina, I’d assume). Jim named the program “5/3/1”, and it’s pretty simple, so let’s just say that. There’s no need to rename stuff, especially because it makes you seem like a hipster. And everyone hates hipsters.
“High hang super power balls snatch”
Everything above is just nitpicking semantics (IT MATTERS, OKAY?), but this is more of helping new people with the definitions. The Olympic lifts have variations, and I will help you know them. In a biblical sense.
If the movement is named by itself (i.e. snatch, clean), then it’s done from the floor to the fully squatted position (i.e. overhead squat or front squat to receive the bar).
If the movement is preceded by “hang”, it’s held in the hands while standing straight up, lowered to ‘second position’ or the thighs, then the lift is completed as normal (fully squatted). The presence, or lack thereof, of “hang” tells you how you start.
If the movement is preceded by “power”, it is not caught in a squat position, but at least above 90 degrees in the knees (i.e. it is caught high in the ‘power position’). The presence, or lack thereof, of “power” tells you how you finish.
If the movement is preceded by “hang power”, then you not only start with the bar (hanging) in your hands, you also finish in the ‘power position’.
There are some other variations, but if you’re having trouble with these, then let’s not worry about those. We don’t like their kind anyway. These variations can be used in weightlifting programs or complicated strength and conditioning programs. I say “complicated” because it’d be easier or more efficient to just say “do power cleans” instead of “hang power boner cleans”. Or something.
I shall tell you of Ali McWeeny. 
In 2009, Ali was a junior at Central Washington who won the school strong woman contest, held 22 Washington state powerlifting records, and was an accomplished thrower on the track and field team. Most importantly, she was working towards a degree in physical education, a career goal that would let her share her passion for sport and an active lifestyle with young students.
On July 4th, 2009, the boat Ali was riding in was capsized by a wave and she was thrown from the boat. The propeller did a toll on her left leg, and her left leg was amputated. How depressing of a scenario for a young woman who loves to be active, strong, and fit. Seemed like her powerlifting and teaching aspirations were over, right?
Ali McWeeny is stronger than that.
She sat in her hospital bed with morphine pumping through her body. And she trained. She lifted 8 pound dumbbells because what else is she going to do? Lay down and die? Ali McWeeny is stronger than that.
Three years later and Ali has graduated with her physical education degree with a coaching minor. She’s competed in powerlifting, the only woman in the world to do so on one leg without a prosthesis. In the 125 lbs class she has squatted 104, benched 172, and deadlifted 204 (see below).
But it’s not enough; Ali McWeeny is stronger than that.
She wants to deadlift 250 pounds (at this year’s Night of the Living Dead). She wants to play and compete in winter sports like snowboarding, alpine skiing, telemark skiing, cross country skiing, and snow skiing! She wants to do motor sports like motor cross, trail riding, and snow mobiling! She wants to water ski, wakeboard, wind surf, kite board, scuba dive, swim, and surf! She wants to experience the world and push her limits, and damned if she only has one leg! Oh yes, Ali Mcweeny is stronger than that.
But she needs our help.
A new prosthetic that would make all of this possible — one that would make movement and rehab more efficient — costs right under $7,000. She’s raising money for this new prosthetic HERE. I’ll be damned if 70’s Big doesn’t help her raise this money. She’s already halfway there, so let’s bring her home. I’ve already donated, so drop a few bucks in the account and let’s give her our support. Try and watch this video and NOT pull for her.
Ali McSweeny shows us that no matter what the circumstance, no matter how bad things seem, you always have breath left in you. Each day is an opportunity to go out and attack life. Turn your back on the prospect of being a sniveling mess and stride forward, leg or no leg, to push your potential. Until that moment in which death has become you, never stop. For if you do, know that there’s a woman who is stronger than that who steps into the fray each day.
Once more into the fray…
Into the last good fight I’ll ever know.
Live and die on this day…
Live and die on this day…
Last year I tried to have a variety of leagues linked to each other, and ended up failing miserably (i.e. it didn’t happen). The result was just a single ten-member league that was okay. It’ll be better this year (because people who didn’t check the team will be kicked out).
There were at least 40 people interested in fantasy football last year. This year, we’ll make it more accessible to you guys. We’ll have at least five leagues.
1. The main league that features regular readers/contributors.
2. Northeast Division
3. East Coast Division
4. West Coast Division
5. Central Division
If you are interested in becoming the league manager for your region’s division, post in the comments here (or on Facebook or Twitter). We need people who will actually participate and actively run the leagues. If there are tons more people interested, then we can increase the number of leagues. Note that the leagues won’t be competing against each other, but it’ll just be neat to see readers competing against each other. We could take all of the winners of each league and total their points or other data against each other for a final ranking. At the very least, league winners will get something neat like a t-shirt or book.
The only mandatory “rules” are that the leagues will be hosted on ESPN with 10 members and standard scoring (it’ll keep it consistent). Each league needs the name “70’s Big – X Division”.
So, if you’re interested in hosting one of the regional leagues, comment here or on the social media. We also will need at least two or three members in the main league (maybe more). Note that admission to the main league is dependent on whether or not you’re a) regularly commenting on the site and b) actually a football fan who will check his team every week.