Compressing the Case for Compression Gear

Compressing the Case for Compression Gear

Now, I know what you’re thinking – “wasn’t this supposed to be the third instalment of the Trampolining S&C series?”
And you’d be right, it was supposed to be exactly that! However, not only have I struggled to find the time to get it written to a standard that I’m happy presenting to everyone, I’m also considering pulling it all together for another project for you guys, so best not to give it all away too early.
So anyway, on with today’s post!

Recently I’ve been beginning to pick up some knocks, some strains, and some general pains and niggles from my training. I decided to try out some compression gear in the hope that it might just stave off an actual injury until I’m able to finish this training block and begin another.
So I’ve basically been bench pressing in the world’s tightest Nike Pro Combat t-shirt, and squatting in some ball-bustingly tight Under Armour shorts (I’m not convinced I can have kids anymore).
Fun times!

Source: http://cdn.pocket-lint.com/r/s/628x/images/DLtM/sky1-gadget-geeks-revealed-2.jpg
If only I could pull it off as well as these lads…

What I didn’t actually stop to consider is whether or not this was actually going to result in any performance increases or injury prevention, or whether it would simply make me impotent whilst looking like a tit.
So let’s find out, shall we?

How to Pick a Personal Trainer

How to Pick a Personal Trainer

What’s up G&Gers?!

In an unscheduled break to our current series (Trampolining S&C: Part 1; Part 2) today I’m going to do something unrelated to both trampolining and strength & conditioning.
This is due to the fact that my wife and I are currently moving out of our residence, and slowly moving things from place to place for storage, so I just don’t have the time to sit down and hammer out a 3,000 word article on biomechanics.
I should have written it ahead of time, I know, but unfortunately I’m way behind with my writing.
So please forgive me for this short stopgap article, but I do hope you’ll find it edifying and interesting!

Trampolining S&C Part II: Head/Shoulder Placement

Trampolining S&C Part 2: Head/Shoulder Placement

As many of you may know, I have been a professional trampolining coach for over 6 years, and I have spent a great deal of time in those years learning what my performers typically lack and struggle with.
In my first part to this trampolining S&C set of articles was looking at glute/hip drive in somersaults, but this week I’m going to look at something else that comes up exceptionally often, from the humble front landing all the way to ¾ straight fronts and beyond – head and shoulder placement.
There are a few reasons your performers may struggle with correct head placement, and I’m going to go through them shortly, but first of all let’s discuss what exactly correct head and shoulder placement are, and why they’re important.

Trampolining S&C Part I: Hip/Glute Drive

Trampolining S&C Part I: Hip/Glute Drive

As many of you may know, I have been a professional trampolining coach for over 6 years, and I have spent a great deal of time in those years learning what my performers typically lack and struggle with.
One issue that comes up quite a lot, and that I was reminded of very recently, is the inability to initiate a somersault (particularly tuck back somersault) with a forceful hip drive once the coach’s external cue (usually the back of the hand in the lower back) has been removed.
There could be several reasons a performer struggles with this issue, including a neuromuscular signalling problem (e.g. lack of mind-muscle link or motor unit recruitment), an anatomical propensity toward poor back tension/flexibility/strength, or just a poor understanding of the difference between a hip drive and an arched back.
As stated, I recently had a performer who was struggling to initiate her tuck back without the external cue of my hand pushing her in the right place, and I want to share how we managed to begin resolving this issue easily, within a few hours of practice and gym-work.

Breaking Down the Bro Bible

Breaking Down the Bro Bible

When I first walked into the gym for my premiere experience as a paying gym member, at a moderate-to-poorly equipped fitness suite in a sports centre in Kidderminster, I didn’t have a clue what the hell I was doing. I took a look around, glanced down at the generic workout card I had been given by the smiling faces behind the desk, and picked the least-imposing (yet most masculine, obviously) machine I could see and went to work.
Except, as previously stated, I didn’t have a clue what the hell I was doing.
Until, that was, a pretty swole-looking guy came over and gave me what he felt was some much needed advice. As a new recruit to the gym fraternity I was pretty keen to take on this guy’s words of wisdom, thinking he’d have me looking like Hercules in no time.
I was mistaken.
Turns out this guy was a total bro, spouting standard broscience.

Broscience - "Broscience is the predominant brand of reasoning in bodybuilding circles where the anecdotal reports of jacked dudes are considered more credible than scientific research."

That’s not to say he wasn’t friendly, or he wasn’t a cool guy, or that he was a rung lower on the evolutionary ladder, it was just broscience.
So what I’m going to do is take this opportunity to share with you some of his advice, so that you either don’t take it on-board as fact when some other gym bro decides to ‘initiate’ you (if you’re fairly new to the gym), or so that you don’t become that guy doling out this kind of uninformed advice and, frankly, damaging people.

Sorry, guys

Guys,

I've not posted in ages. I'm really sorry about that.
With Christmas, New Year, a new job, and personal life getting hectic, I've just not found the time to sit down and write.
But have no fear! I have a blog post written and done, which will either be up tonight or tomorrow, depending on how well Photoshop treats me when I design the banner.

Please stick with me as I try to get back up on the horse, there might be some inconsistencies in my posts, but I am here and I will be posting.

Stay strong.

Coach Grovenor

Heroes of Athleticism (HoA) - Benson Henderson

Heroes of Athleticism Part I: Benson Henderson

As you guys all know by now, I’m a big proponent of training in an athletic fashion wherever possible. Gone are the days of doing ‘a bicep workout’, and spending 50 minutes working solely that muscle, that’s not exactly going to translate well to an athletic endeavour.
In this series, which I’ve called Heroes of Athleticism, I’m hoping to inspire you guys with some of the athletes who I believe are perfect examples of how athleticism and functional training can lead to the best results. I won't be posting this up weekly like I have in my other series posts, these will be sporadic, whenever the urge takes me.

In our first installment we have one of my favourite athletes:

Benson Henderson

So before I get cracking on extolling his virtues as an exceptional athlete, let’s just go through some basic introductory stuff about Benson Henderson, because some people might not know who he is (you strange, strange people).