Aaand it’s back..again. These posts have been super sporadic as of late, as I’ve been coaching, training, climbing, and trying to fit it all together. While the calculus always changes, I’ve made some progress and hope to resume writing a bit more.
In terms of climbing, the season’s started off pretty well. I’ve spent a good deal of time at Denny Cove, just outside of Chattanooga, mostly on the Buffet Wall. It’s a fantastic crag, with long, thoughtful routes that pack a pump and some bouldery sequences. I’ve spent a good deal of the last couple months working on my low end aerobic endurance, and it’s start to pay off, as I clipped some chains for once this past weekend. It always feels nice to take something off of the project list instead of add to it.
It’s also always nice to be lucky to share the crag with a photographer who can capture ridiculous try hard faces. I always find it interesting to observe how folks express effort. While it’s important to be able to flip the switch and deliver a savage effort, sometimes your try hard face can be a detriment to things you’re trying to accomplish. I’ve noticed a lot of individuals bring their face and neck musculature into play when strength training, especially with upper body movements. I put together a quick video breaking down a simple cue I like to keep in mind if this is a challenge for you.
Apologies for the potato quality of the video. I’ll work on sharpening things up in the future. Got any tips? Feel free to let me know!
Let’s get into the Bullet Points..
The Bullet Points
- Your Glutes Probably Aren’t To Blame For Sore Knees, but They Could Still Be Stronger- Dean Somerset
Often times, in terms of Knee pain, patellar issues, etc., a likely intervention target is the glutes. This isn’t wrong, but there could be more to that puzzle. Dean Somerset, a trainer out of Edmonton, takes a look at some other possible items to address. Knees get grumpy hiking in or out of the crag? It might be time to consider adding some things to your strength training routine.
While this can be applied to people posing as a highly in-demand coach, these red flags pop frequently in the training world in general. I thought this was a great list, and a good primer to watch out for dogmatic and inflexible fitness and performance “authorities”.
Training is a good idea. Recovering is required. Sleep is one of the main ways the body recovers, and poor or inadequate sleep can be a sneaky roadblock to realizing performance gains. The folks at Examine.com provide a well referenced article with plenty of actionable information to improve your sleep. Check it out.
The Brew
The Bright Side of the Sun-D9 Brewing
I hadn’t really heard much from this brewery until Yazoo’s Funk Festival earlier this year, where they had a Chocolate Orange sour that sits as one of the best beers I’ve ever had. When I ran across this offering, a sour beer with white chocolate and ginger, it was an immediate must try.
The beer pours gold with a faint hint of ruby. The head is bubbly, but quickly fades to a ring of off-white bubbles around the glass. The aroma is interesting, with hints of a standard sour sharpness on the nose, blunted by a pleasant chocolate element. The ginger is there in the aroma, but just barely. The flavor is pretty different than the aroma, in a great way. The chocolate leads the way, with the sourness taking on the back end. The ginger is faint but blended well throughout. Surprisingly, there’s very little booziness from a 14% beer. I think this is a really interesting and well done beer, and worth a try if you come across it, if unique sours are your thing.
Current and Future Happenings..
- I’m excited to be hosting Betsy Collie, Senior StrongFirst Instructor, on January 12th for an 8-hour 1 day Kettlebell User Course. As an attendee, you’ll be taught the necessary skills, techniques, and principles of Kettlebell training that you’ll need to get stronger safely and effectively. If you are interested in more information, head here.
- I have a few spots open for distance coaching. If you’re in the market for a customized training plan that could include strength training, nutrition consultation, sport specific technical work, or any combination thereof, send me an email regarding distance coaching to get started or learn more.
- If you’re looking for slightly less intensive programming, but would like some strength training guidance, join our Online Team Training group! Registration officially opens tomorrow, the 15th, but if you want to get a head start and reserve your spot, head here for some more information and registration options. If you’ve got any questions, send me an email.
That’s it for this week’s installment. Until next time.