Tip of the Week : How a Paleo Diet Can Benefit Strength Training

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via X (Formerly `Twitter`), the blog; and the newsletter. Wherever you are, there’s always a way to improve what you’re doing.

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My diet has been gradually improving for years (since I began lifting weights), becoming cleaner and more streamlined over time. This was all with the purpose of having a greater intensity in the gym, and recovering faster. Of course there are many other benefits; these are just the two that were on my radar.
In May 2009 I decided to make a transition to a new eating approach altogether, the Paleo Diet. Not only did I experience a number of incredible health benefits, the intensity and recovery aspects increased markedly. Here’s a brief look at the main benefits of the Paleo Diet, as far as strength-training is concerned. From The Straight to the Bar Guide to the Paleo Diet :

As strength-training is a major part of my life, I was careful to ensure that the Paleo Diet integrated well with it. I’m pleased to report that it’s a great mix, and even comes with a number of benefits. These include : Energy levels maintained : as your body isn’t being subjected to constant insulin spikes under the Paleo Diet, you’ll have a much more stable level of energy going in to the gym. This is particularly noticeable after you’ve been on the diet for a few weeks or so. Better recovery : although it’s most notable in the form of improved sleep, you’ll find that your body’s ability to recover from your workouts is improved overall. And this is definitely a good thing. Improved focus : one of the most surprising benefits from a switch to Paleo (in my case at least) has been an improvement in mental clarity. This change can have a very subtle effect on training; remembering exactly what happened in a prior session and just how much impact it had. Additionally, you’ll find an array of subtle benefits from it when you’re outside the gym. Love it.

Fantastic.

Unlock Your Hips, Unlock Your Squat

I get a lot of questions regarding the impact of ‘unlocking your hips‘ on heavy squatting. Rick Kaselj goes into it in plenty of detail in the ‘Unlock Your Hip Flexors‘ program; and I’ve also posted a brief video below which demonstrates/explains some of the exercises.
Both (working with Ryan, and Rick’s program) are highly recommended. And as always, we love hearing your feedback – if you sample any of the above exercises or the ‘Unlock Your Hip Flexors‘ program, we’d love to hear about it.

Exercise Of The Week : Wall Squat

The wall squat is a bodyweight exercise that I’d laregely overlooked until I noticed Marc Bartley recommending it to someone trying to improve his wide stance squat depth. If you’re in the same boat, here’s a look at this deceptively simple bodyweight movement.
Performing the Wall Squat (aka ‘Ski Squat’) Squat This is the straightforward part. If you’re just getting into training, don’t currently have any equipment at your disposal, or simply fancy something a bit different – try this. Stand with your back against a wall – preferably a smooth surface (a mirror is ideal). Put your feet slightly out from the wall (about 30cm/1′ is a good starting point – this will change according to your build and goals), and cross your arms across your chest. Keep your knees slightly bent and your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. If you’re used to squatting with a bar, adopt the same width and ducking (feet turned slightly outwards). If not, just use a stance that feels comfortable. Now the fun part. Keeping abs tight, slowly slide down the wall until you can feel it in your quads, then squeeze your glutes and slowly push back up. Look straight ahead as you slide, and keep your chin slightly tucked. Repeat. Breathing Don’t try to hold your breath or do anything fancy here. Just exhale on the way down and inhale on the way back up. Variations The depth to which you slide, as well as how long you stay down there, the number of reps, rest breaks and stance are all variables that can be adjusted to suit your goals. If your balance isn’t all that great, try putting your palms against the wall (with arms straight down) as you slide. Once you feel comfortable with that, switch over to having arms folded across the chest. Another possibility is to start adding weight. This is easily done by holding a plate across your chest or holding dumbbells by your sides. A popular variation is to place a fitness ball behind your back. Whilst this helps stop your shirt from ending up tucked under your armpits, it increases the need to keep your abs and obliques tight; if you move in any direction other than vertical you’ll know it in a hurry (usually as you chase the ball across the room). How many? The answer to that really depends on your goals. Somewhere around the 3-5 rep mark for 5-6 sets should be a good starting point. You should notice that you can squat a bit deeper over this time. Considerations Keep your heels on the ground throughout the movement. Squat depth will gradually improve with practice. This excercise works quads, hamstrings, glutes and abs. Using a narrower stance shifts the emphasis slightly toward the quads; squatting deeper increases glute involvement. Sources Squat Alternatives Dolfzine EliteFTS Q & A Marc Bartley About.com Personal Training on the Net

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Incidentally, if you’d like to get in touch regarding this or any other aspect of strength, you can contact me here. Look forward to hearing from you.

Fitness Reading/Listening For The Week : ‘Habits for Good Sleep: 10 Steps for a Great Sleep and a Happier Life’ (by Dr Tim Sharp)

It’ll come as no surprise that we discuss a lot of fitness-related books, courses & podcasts; on this site as well as the various networks noted in the sidebar. We’ve noted several of Dr Tim Sharp’s wonderful audio series’ in the past, and they’re all well worth your time. His latest offering – ‘Habits for Good Sleep: 10 Steps for a Great Sleep and a Happier Life’ is a wonderful look st this oft-overlooked area (and I strongly agree with the idea that it should be treated similarly to diet and exercise, when it comes to ‘getting in shape’). How to improve things – both the quality and quantity. Enjoy. Incidentally, I’m always looking to add to the ‘books to read‘ list. If you’ve come across something which you’d love everyone else to check out, drop me a line. There’s also a list of our all-time fitness suggestions over there. Dive on in.