A Quick Fix For Lower Back Pain During the Bench Press...

I started sneaking into the health club when I was 12 years old. I say sneak in because I wasn't old enough to be allowed into the weight room on my own, you had to be 13 years old. I would puff up my chest and look like I knew what I was doing. News flash, I didn’t know what I was doing. At the time, I knew you had to be good at bench press if you wanted to be considered strong. When I learned to bench press 20+ years ago I had a huge arch to my lower back and I was way up on the balls of my feet like a ballerina. Through sheer grit and thousands of repetitions, I eventually hit some pretty impressive bench press numbers (275lbs. for 8 reps and 305lbs. for a one rep max @ 175lbs. bodyweight). The issue was that the bench press didn't translate to better overall athleticism on the field and it exacerbated my already overextended posture.

After years of going at the bench press haphazardly and trying to lift as much weight as I could, I broke the movement down and built back up again. I started with my foundation: ribcage and pelvis (breathing mechanics and form). From there I slowly built back up. I am not lifting as heavy as before, but I feel stronger with my upper body pushing in almost every other way, and I don't have the same lingering lower back issues when going overhead or after movements like push-ups or burpees. Take it from me, bench pressing enormous weight is not worth it, especially if it leaves your lower back aching.

In this video, I show you a quick fix to take away some of the lower back strain of bench pressing: elevating the feet. Elevating the feet so the thighs are more perpendicular to the ground takes away some of the pressure on the lower back. As you learn how to use your glutes and abs to hold your pelvis in position, you can start to slowly lower your feet back down from there. Keep in mind however, elevating the feet is only a quick fix, and if you want to really improve your bench press it takes technique, specific corrective exercises that are built for your needs, and a coach to keep a watchful eye on things. If you are ready to improve your bench press, I am here to help. Click the link below if you'd like to book a free assessment to see how we can move your bench press in the right direction!

20 Minute Bodyweight Cardio Workout

Oh boy, am I excited to be sharing this workout with you! I put out a poll on Instagram (follow me @flochfitness) and you guys and gals called for a cardio workout. Well here it is, a 20 minute bodyweight only workout and you don’t need any equipment. The best part is there is a ton of variety and I coach you through the workout as we get after it together! A warm-up and cool-down are included in this workout too!

I just want to thank everyone who has been supporting Floch Fitness, and I hope to continue to bring fun, educational, and valuable content to whomever follows the Floch!

If you are enjoying these workouts, and you want some more, you may want to consider a in person or remote coaching package. The workouts are tailored to your exact needs, ability, and equipment. If you’d like some more information, click the link below to set up a free assessment today!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Better Sleep For You and Your Baby: Interview with Baby Sleep Consultant Rachel Fiorello

One of the most stressful parts about becoming a dad has been helping my baby get consistent and restful sleep. Not only for his benefit, but for the sanity of myself and my spouse! The sleepless nights along with a screaming baby and non-stop pacifier replacement nearly drove me up a wall! I was lucky enough to get in contact with expert baby sleep consultant Rachel Fiorello of The Cradle Coach. The Cradle Coach is a business here in South Florida that helps train and educate parents and caregivers about the ins and outs of baby sleep training. The Cradle Coach offers sleep evaluations, customized sleeping plans, in person guidance, and so much more. With her help and our efforts, Elliot is sleeping better than ever!

In my conversation with Rachel, we cover:

• What is sleep coaching?

• How do I know if my baby needs sleep training?

• When should I start sleep training?

• What are the benefits of sleep training?

• Are bad habits unbreakable?

• And so much more!
  

Click the link here to listen to the entire conversation. And if you like what you heard, you may consider subscribing to the podcast or at least rating and reviewing.

If you are interested in working with Rachel or any of the other Cradle Coach sleep consultants, they are offering a Black Friday Sale on packages, so if you are on the fence about signing up, the best time is now! Click the link here to get started!

Athlete Spotlight: Mendel Korf

“Do you do anything outside the gym?” I asked the new client with black hair and pale skin in front of me struggling to catch his breath. “Yeah,” he replied, “I kiteboard.” I really didn’t know much about kiteboarding until I met Mendel Korf, but I know training we do in the gym allows him to enjoy his passion even more.

When Mendel started a remote coaching program, he struggled to keep on bodyweight, had inconsistency in workouts, and he simply wasn’t able to perform in the surf the way he wanted to. Mendel says, “I wanted big air. And my legs just aren’t strong enough or conditioned enough for a long day of riding.” We implemented a program specific to Mendel’s needs. He now says, “Doing the Olympic lifts and getting my legs stronger has me jumping waves higher than I ever have before.” He continues, “I am way more consistent in the gym as well. I hate it when I see my program with a little red X. It motivates me to get to the gym and get my workout in.”

In a remote coaching program, I utilize the cutting edge application True Coach which allows me to send individualized training to all of my athletes. When you wake up in the morning, you don’t have to worry about figuring out what your workout is going to be. You open up your email, and BAM, Your workout is waiting for you! You follow the workout template, records results, and those results are instantly sent to me on the other end to review. The application also has great features like exercise videos, nutrition tracking, and PR recording. It’s a powerful tool and it allows both you and myself to see the progress you’ve been making.

And boy has Mendel made progress. He recently hit personal bests in both his back squat and front squat! Like many of my clients, Mendel has stuck with a growth mindset, even during the pandemic. He hasn’t missed a workout (despite working through a hand injury) and he has gotten his father into the swing of things! Since starting a workout routine, Mendel’s dad is down 40lbs. in bodyweight and PR’d his mile time by over 4 minutes. Mendel and his father are truly inspiring and show that with hard work, the right mindset, and great coaching, the fitness you have always dreamed of is right at your fingertips.

Are you ready to join the Floch? Click the link below to book a free assessment and start working toward your goals today!

3 Kitchen Essentials for Healthy Eating...

When I graduated from college I moved back home and commuted back and forth from NYC for work. I was relying on my parent’s cooking when I got home, which was limited at best. To learn to cook for myself, I started watching the Food Network. Guy Fieri, Anne Burrell, and Tyler Florence consumed my DVR. Every night I would watch about 90 minutes of pan-searing, roasting, frying, and braising. As I watched them all, they had one thing in common: They all used a 9” chef’s knife. I needed my own knife. I did some research and found the perfect knife for me, but I hesitated because of the price tag: $200. I had never spent that much money on anything in my life, but I knew if I wanted to be serious about cooking for myself, I needed the right tools. I was reassured by my mother when she said, “If you take care of that knife, it will be the only knife you will ever need or own.” I took my first pay check and drove to Bed, Bath, and Beyond (with a 20% off coupon of course). I remember seeing that shining blade in the case and asking one of the store attendants to I’d like to buy one. He was both shocked and excited to see someone my age picking out such a high end piece of hardware. I walked out of the store with a Wusthof 9” Chef’s knife and hurried home to start slicing, chopping, and mincing everything I could find.

Did I mess up? Yes, a lot. But with time, I found recipes that I liked and learned how to cook them. Cheddar Stuffed Burgers, Cedar Plank Salmon, and Braised Lamb Shanks were all on my menu. Cooking food I wanted to eat allowed me to learn the basic skills of cooking. Today, my diet has changed and I am eating for long term health and longevity, but the same rules apply whether you are cooking for a 22 year old post grad, or a 45 year old housewife. Learn the basics by cooking what you like, and then apply it to the rest of your diet.

A chef’s knife is one of those tools, but there are two others that I highly recommend that will cut down on the time you need and improve the flavor and healthfulness of the foods you prepare. You must have a good non-stick pan. Doesn’t need to be super expensive (honestly, all pans eventually loose their non-stick coating). A T-Fal 10” frying pan from Target or Amazon is a great place to start. Why a non-stick pan? Cooking with a non-stick man greatly reduces the amount of cooking oil you have to use in frying things like protein and veggies.

The final must have for your kitchen is a crockpot or slow cooker. They range from $25 for a smaller unit all the way up into the $200-$300 range when you combine various cooking options like pressure cooking and braising. I use the 6 Qt. Gourmia Express Slow Cooker/Pressure Cooker.

The beauty of slow cooking is it is super simple, cheap, and the results are restaurant quality. The other bonus is you can prep a bulk amount of meals and eat them for lunch and dinner over the next few days. My favorite things to make in the cooker are chili, beef stew, and meatballs.

Regardless of the diet you follow, if you don’t have the right tools to cook and meal prep, your diet is going to go no where fast. I’d love to help. Click the link below to book a free assessment and see if Floch Fitness is right for you!

Cut Your Workout Time In Half!

Not having enough time to workout can be frustrating. Since having a child, the time I get to train has been cut down drastically. At times it can be frustrating and some days I throw my hands up and just say, "I'll come back tomorrow." In workouts for myself and my clients, I am able to cut the workout time in half by prescribing movements that are antagonistic to each other. This is called supersetting. Let me give you and example: Say you are working knee flexion in your training session and then you'd like to work on the back afterward.

Rather than hitting

A. Back Squat: 10reps x 3 sets; rest 2-3min

B. Split Squat: 12reps/leg x 3 sets; rest 1min b/t legs

C. Weighted Pull-Ups: 5reps x 3 sets; rest 2-3min

D. Bent Over Barbell Rows: 12 reps x 3 sets; rest 1-2min

I will superset the movements:

A1. Back Squat: 10reps x 3 sets; rest 1min

A2. Weighted Pull-Ups: 5reps x 3 sets; rest 1min

B1. Split Squat: 12reps/leg x 3 sets; rest 30sec b/t legs

B2. Bent Over Barbell Rows: 12 reps x 3 sets; 30sec

Because you are working opposing muscle groups, you can still get work done while the other muscle group recovers. Therefore, you can decrease rest times and be able to complete the same amount of work in half the time.

Looking to maximize efficiency in your training? I'd love to help. Click the link below to cut your workout time and increase your progress today!

Bodyweight Training For Muscle Mass???

Since Covid-19 hit, many athletes and prospective clients come to me concerned about not having enough equipment to put on muscle mass. I’m here to tell you:

1. You don’t need fancy equipment to put on muscle

   and

2. Stop making excuses for not exercises

If you are wondering if you can put on muscle mass with bodyweight only, you need look no further than gymnastic bodies. These athletes rarely lift weights and have substantial muscle mass (especially those who specialize in the rings).

In this video, I break down one of my favorite techniques to build muscle mass with little to no equipment: myo-reps. Myo-reps involve first performing an “activation” set, where a relatively lower load is lifted to near-failure, typically in the 12-30 repetition range. Then, a series of lower-rep “back-off” sets are completed with the same weight, e.g., 3-5 reps. These sets are repeated using 5-10 second rest intervals until the individual can no longer complete the targeted number of reps (in this case 5). In general, myo-reps “work” through traditional mechanisms of muscle stimulation, e.g. mechanically loading the muscle through a range of motion that requires motor unit recruitment of the target muscle(s) with enough training volume that produces muscle damage and metabolic stress. This stress causes the body to adapt and build muscle.

When selecting exercises, you don’t want to go too complex like olympic lifts, or something that you have to use really heavy load. More simple movements usually do great with these including pull-ups, dips, push-ups, and hamstring curls.

Need help building lean muscle at home? I’m here to help! Click the link below to get started building the body, mind, and spirit of your dreams today!

wearing Nothing but a lycra singlet...

Periodically, I sort through and clean out my bedroom closet. If something hasn’t moved in six months, and it doesn’t have some kind of value, I try to get rid of it (either throwing it the trash or donating it). I notice when I pick up certain items my mind wants to come up with a reason to hold onto it. “I might need this if…” and “Maybe I will do that again…” are excuses that fill my mind. As soon as I place that item in the garbage bag I feel an amazing relief that I am not dragging this “stuff“ around with me. 

Six years ago, almost all of my childhood belongings were lost in a house fire, but there are a few things that I had with me that were spared. They are never heavy, and they remind me of some of the most fulfilling times of my life. One of these items is my All-Section long sleeve T-shirt that I earned my sophomore year of high school (see photo above).  You can tell by how tattered and worn the shirt is that it has “been through some shit.” I wore this shirt to every single match, tournament, and meet through most of my wrestling career (all 150+ matches). When I picked this shirt up the other day I was overflowing with a sense of happiness and gratitude.  I examined in detail the schools and names on the back of the shirt and was instantly taken back 20 years. As I have begun to raise a child, I take a moment to reflect on some of the biggest lessons and qualities that high school wrestling revealed and forced out of me. I hope to one day share these with my boy.

1. If you want something, you are going to have to work for it- This is one of the biggest clichés you hear in life, but wrestling is a sport that is nearly impossible to rely on talent alone to be successful. Excellence in wrestling takes hours and hours of practice and constant honing of skills In order to overpower and dominate your opponent. You are literally forcing your will onto another individual, and they are doing everything in their power to do the same to you. In order to win, you must be sharp as a tack, and strong in both body and mind. Victory only happens through hard work. I try to bring this lesson into all areas of my life (and some areas are easier than others) but this fact always remains true, “If you want something in life, you better be ready to work for it.”

2. To succeed, you have to be willing to be vulnerable-I learned this lesson the hard way. The losses that wake me up at night are the ones that when I went out onto the mat I was afraid to lose. I was afraid that everyone would think I was a failure. I wasn’t willing to be vulnerable. It is easy to be great when no one is watching, but when you are a young teenager standing in the center of a wrestling mat in a gymnasium with hundreds of people while your only wearing a Lycra singlet rolling around with another individual, you are exposed. When you are out there giving 100% you are telling yourself and everyone around who is there to see, “I want this and I am willing to lose to get it.” This is a courageous place to be, and it builds enormous self-esteem and resiliency. If you are willing to go through the experience of loss in front of your closest friends and loved ones, there is very little in life that can stop you.

3. Pain is not your enemy, it is just a byproduct of becoming the best version of yourself- Fear of pain and discomfort (both physically and emotionally) is the biggest factor holding western society back from making change in their lives. Most of the things we want in life are on the other side of that pain and discomfort, but it has become common to surround ourselves with so much comfort that it is almost impossible to acknowledge and move through pain toward reward. Wrestling taught me that pain is completely normal, and that just because you are in pain, doesn’t mean you are going to die. This didn’t happen on my own, I was immersed in a tribe of likeminded individuals, in the beginning older and wiser than I, to make feeling pain normal. When I saw the upperclassmen suffering in the training room and then dominating on the mat, I said to myself, “If that’s what it takes to succeed, I’m in.” It’s important to point out that pain has its limits. It takes experience and knowledge to know how hard to push and when to pull back (I thank all of my teammates and coaches for that). In my experience as a performance coach and personal trainer, most people convince themselves that there is too much pain before the body actually stops itself. Wrestling pushed me to some dark places and survived. There is little that can stop you after living through that.

There are so many additional lessons that this amazing sport taught me, and I know they shaped who I am today. If you are ready to make a change both physically and mentally, I’d love to help. Click the link below to book a free assessment today!