Home Blog Random Friday Thoughts: 12/19/2008

Random Friday Thoughts: 12/19/2008

Written on December 19, 2008 at 12:49 pm, by Eric Cressey

We actually got a snow day up here, so I’m using it to catch up on all sorts of stuff – from holiday shopping, to wrapping presents, to writing articles and programs.  Admittedly, I did sleep until 9AM this morning, and that’s pretty late for me.

1. It occurred to me that thanks to the miracle known as YouTube, I can embed a music video in my first random post each week, and you’ll have musical entertainment in the background (if you want) as you read my stuff.  And, since it’s the season of miracles, I’ll do just that.  For the record, the experience will be all the more enjoyable if you hold your mouse in your right hand and raise a lighter in the air with the left arm.  Of course, it won’t really work out that well if you try to play the other videos below at the same time, but my intentions were good…

Here’s Coming Undone by Korn, a classic song around Cressey Performance.  It gets me all fired up to blog like a rock star.

2. While snow is a royal pain in the butt up here in New England, it does have one upside: accident-prone reporters who think they need to be outside to accurately relate just how much it is snowing.

Occasionally, you’ll even get an in-studio goofball:


3. The only thing better than weathermen making tools of themselves?  You guessed it: clumsy women stomping grapes with their feet on camera.

4. Apparently, we’ve got some pro pitchers – one in VA, and the other in NH – drawing inspiration from this blog as they prepare to get up here in early January to prepare for spring training.  How you like these apples, fellas?  Up five reps from the Thanksgiving day lift – simply because that’s how we roll.

Come get some, fellas!

A huge thanks goes out to Jeremy Heffer and the University of Georgia Strength and Conditioning staff for the “Power G” beanie that made this all possible.

5. I’ve talked previously about the long-term detrimental effects of taping ankles, and I recently got a good inquiry about whether I thought this same issue would be present in MMA fighters who tape their wrists.  My response was that it probably wasn’t an issue as much at the wrist predominately because the wrist isn’t a weight-bearing joint.  By loading the ankle while it’s taped, we solidify neural patterns a lot more quickly.  Additionally, nobody tapes their wrists for the same duration and frequency as those athletes (basketball players, for instance) who tape their ankles daily for several hours – and combine those restrictions with wearing high-top sneakers.  I remember seeing an interview with Bill Walton back in the mid-1980s when he joked about how the ankle taping got tighter and tighter as the season went on – probably because the guys got more and more unstable at their ankles!

That’s all she wrote for today.  Have a great weekend, everyone!

10 Responses to “Random Friday Thoughts: 12/19/2008”

  1. Caleb - Double Your Gains Says:

    Eric!

    I got your book Maximum Strength training, and I’ve been reading more of your stuff lately.

    405×25 reps? GEEZE… I gotta step my game up — I did 355×20 reps last tuesday and it nearly killed me (although in my defense I’m only 139lbs) but STILL you’re a beast man, nice!

    I love your blog too, you are definitely the definition of random. Love it though.

    check out my blog sometime?

    Later
    Caleb

  2. Brady Says:

    I Hike alot, sometimes with up to 80lbs or more on my back. I was wondering what your thoughts of Hiking boots are, since they are almost all high top or have some kind of “ankle support” and we Hike for sometimes 8 hours in one day?

  3. Steph Says:

    Hey, that “in-studio” goofball did a story on me for the evening news. I loved him! Sadly, I did not have a red beanie like yours to wear when on camera.

  4. J.B. Says:

    Eric,
    You’re dead on in regards to taping wrists. It would only matter if guys are doing all of their training with their wrists taped/wrapped (lifting AND bag work AND grappling training AND circuts) the athlete should get enough stability work from lifting to prevent the issues present in ankles that are constantly taped. Most wrap-jobs prevent guys from lifting with their wraps on any way, so shouldn’t be an issue.
    John

  5. Matt Ellsworth Says:

    Glad to see Grape Lady blessing the randomness. If you haven’t seen the Kitana Slip, you should check that out below.

    “OOOH that hurt big time!”

  6. Jason Says:

    hey eric, i found a video of you when you were younger..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Txm2RTpMN8&feature=related

  7. sangita Says:

    That guy in the video reporting the news in the snow, did a complete 360 degree flip in the air! I thought those things happened only in movies! I saw the clip six times!

  8. sangita Says:

    That guy could have landed on his neck!! Sorry if I’m harping but how fragile is fate?!!

  9. Ken C Says:

    Eric,

    Thanks for the video of you doing deadlifts with the chin tucked. Since last weeks newsletter, I’ve been looking for a clip just like that as an example. Will definitely pay attention to my head/neck position for both DLs and squats! Also am going to try the trap bar for DLs, because my shins are killing me from 335×15 with the straight bar.

  10. Wayne Says:

    Eric,
    interesting you brought up the taping of the wrist. I tape my wrist when i throw the shot put. It protects my fingers. On a good throw there can be over 120lbs of force on my hand. I have been having all sorts of elbow pain. Could it be related?

    cheers


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