This is why it pays to have a coach.

I’m so stunned by what’s out there every day. I get “Muscle and Fiction” magazines once in a while and even (in this installment) an equipment manufacturer and retailer. Stunned.

Here ya go.

Tom Foolery

A. Lots going wrong here. Lots. ROTARY CUFF. The actual term is rotator cuff, say it out loud. Thanks. Second, THE MACHINE IS $1200, a yellow flex band from local fitness store, like 12 bones (yeah that too is overpriced, but really?!). Third – this guy is internally rotating his arm, the main purpose of strengthening the rotator cuff is to work that which is usually left out in traditional weight training movements, THE EXTERNAL ROTATORS, pretty bad huh?

B. Ok, I’ll cover the chains later, so I’ll just hold my breath on this one. Those handles on the safety squat bar are way way too high, she’s got a KILLER quarter squat bro! (see www.guidoandluigi.com).

C. Deluxe Decline Bench. Deluxe back extending hip flexion T12 L1 disc nightmare. How do you spell KOMPRECION?

D. Kettlebells, sweet right? They’re russian, they come in kilos (actually poods) although these ones are all over the place!!! Look at the handles closely, they’re all different! Do you like the cool rectangle kinda ones? Also the weights – 5lb increments! That’s so not russian. Vasily is rolling with gut-busting laughter.

E. Ahh the chains 🙂 What’s the point of chains? Louie Simmons popularized this as a great way to develop compensatory acceleration. I.e. a way to teach your body to continually flex stronger until locked out. Here’s the catch – the easy question “how’s the chain different from just adding more weight?” The way you’re supposed to attach the chain is via a lead chain or smaller diameter so that as you move through the exercise at the bottom is almost a total deload (ALL chain on floor) and then at the top almost all the chain is off the floor. This set up is all wrong! Without a lead chain there can be no true deload/reload cycle. Terrible huh? YEAH WE’VE GOT CHAINS, except we’ve got no stinkin’ idea of how to use them!

G. How’s you’re ACL?? FYI, the “G” is for gangster.