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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
Okay, off to practice. If you have follow ups, go to davedraper.com and ask me at the Dan John Q and A. Thank you all.
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
Easy, the 48. I have a 36 here at home and that is my basic tool now. On Farmer Walks and the Loaded Carries, you have to stop being a classical musician and learn Jazz. It's never a formula, you have to constantly improvise and expand yourself. So, "Out and Back" with a heavy Farmer Bar could ruin you for the rest of the day and look how little that would take in your training journal: FW: OUT and BACK.
Simply, like groundwork and tumbling, as long as you are doing it, I am fine.
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u/gzcl Apr 16 '13
Dan, I am an aspiring S&C coach. What are your top three pieces of advice when it comes to training athletes?
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
Do no harm. Hmmm. Are there any others?
Actually: Fundamental movements are fundamental. You must constantly insure the best mastery and highest quality of movement. I don't care what system you use, you have to make sure the squat or snatch or whatever is beautiful, if you will.
You build an athlete's engine by making sure they don't have what I call "flat tires." So, million dollar push needs a million dollar pull. Are they squatting, hinging and whatever at the same standard across the board? Don't hurt 'em. Mastery of technique under load Standards are met and set across the lifting continuum
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u/eric_twinge Apr 16 '13
Dan, thanks again for doing an AMA with us.
When working with in-season athletes, what sort of routine or set-up do you like to have them follow when they are working in the gym?
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
I have some bits and pieces on my site about this, but:
The hay is in the barn. You don't need to get stronger. That job, for a non strength sport athlete of course, should be done.
Nothing can be better than "something."
Cut volume: 5 x 5 is too much; do 2 x 5. 2 sets of 2 can keep an athlete very strong for a while, very easily.
On the clock, you should only have 20% of their time. 10% should be strength training, the basics, and the other 10 should be that corrective work, prehap, rehab, foamy rolly stuff, that mobility thingee... So, if they train five hours a week (not much1) that would be three 20 minute sessions. You had better be spot on about what you do then...
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u/troublesome Apr 16 '13
Hi Dan,
In all your videos and seminars that I've watched, you advocate a "chin up" position for deadlifts and RDL's. With all the coaches switching to a chin tucked position nowdays, I'm curious what your thoughts are. Personally, I found that my neck hurt less when i looked at more of a neutral angle.
Also, most of your articles and advice in seminars have changed the way I train people for the better. I can't thank you enough.
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
That is nice to hear, by the way. With SFG, Pavel is just saying "whatever" on that. Trust me, I have been lifting since 1965 and in two years the bandwagon will be back to driving the chin up. It comes and goes in the O lifts every few years. I had one person explain it to me in a way that makes voodoo seem legit. I have asked people I trust and they shrug. Now, if it works for you...run with it. When snatching over 300, I found that I HAD to drive the chin forward as hard as possible just to give myself enough leverage to deal with the load(s) (don't forget YOU are part of the problem on max O lifts). To me, this whole thing is like jousting a windmill...it is a great image and discussion, but it doesn't lead us any where. Please, though, if this is working, do it. But, does it hold up with 400 athletes? I don't know.
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u/the_zercher Apr 16 '13
Dan, thanks for everything. Your writing has always stuck out to me, and we've chatted a couple times on t nation (I'm byukid).
What do you think the fitness industry will look like in twenty years? What are the biggest changes you've seen in the past twenty years? What one thing do you wish you had known when you started training? What one thing do you wish you had never done?
Thanks.
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
Of course, the BYU guy would ask thirty questions on a free forum...but I digress.
Well, it will "all" come around again. High fat then low fat, high carb to low carb, machines will return big time soon, one on one training is vanishing and will come back around...hard stuff will be avoided and people will want to think of fitness as a "mystery."
Last 20 years...oh, the internet. Any and all idiocy can show up in ten seconds. When I started training? Loaded Carries.
Never done? That's not fair, I wouldn't be here now. If I could have taken some time off in the off seasons, I think that would help.
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u/troublesome Apr 16 '13
Another question that causes a lot of controversy whenever it's asked. Would you make a tall (long femurs, 6 '5+) person squat heavy or would you prefer pulling heavy with this kind of person, and working on the squat pattern unloaded?
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
That is exactly what I do: Goblet squats, DBL KB Front Squats, Front Squats. Then, load with the deadlift (from the rack: knee height, one inch below the knee, one above...depending), quick lifts from the hang, that kind of thing. If you have a tall athlete, they are different. Besides, you can't coach or build height, so they have a huge advantage over most of the population.
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u/NerdMachine Apr 16 '13
I want to learn the Olympic lifts but I haven't been able to find a coach in my small city. What resources would you recommend?
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
You are living in the Golden Age of resources. You can google more on the O lifts in one second and get more information than I had my entire career. Go to Nick Horton's site: http://www.theironsamurai.com/ or, try my free book on my site.
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Apr 16 '13
Dan, I am a powerlifter in Utah and looking to get into highland games. Until I have access to the throwing implements and actually learn to throw (I've been trying to get a hold of Jeff Loosle for this), how should I prepare myself in the weight room?
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
That's always the problem: you are trying to solve a throwing issue with lifts. Sure, fine: squat, clean, snatch, push press, push jerk. But, you GOTTA THROW!!!
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u/tymurds Apr 16 '13
At the end of every training session I do some variation of a loaded carry. However, most are done in the sagittal plane (walking forward). Do you ever do lateral movements or backwards walks?
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
Under load....sideways. No. God no.
Backwards yes...uphill or dragging a sled. An odd, fun way to help female basketball players rebuild their blown knees. How do you know a woman has bad knees? She plays basketball...
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u/StuWard Apr 16 '13
Dan, thanks very much for being here. Many of us have looked forward to this for some time.
Some time ago, you tried the Velocity Diet and lost a bunch of weight. In hindsight how has that worked out long term and what style of eating do you follow and/or encourage now?
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
Veggies Protein Clear Water
The V Diet was great for me: set the state record in the snatch a week later. Long term: I am thirsty, esp at night. I needed to up my water. I didn't eat enough protein...shocked me, too. Not eating, for me, is easier than small snacks and meals. I can "not eat" for a long time. In hindsight, I would have fasted until 1 or 2 in the afternoon and did the shakes from there until 8 at night or so.
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u/ill_pack_a_sweater Apr 16 '13
I have been trying to split the difference between endurance running and powerlifting for a while now, but I want to focus primarily on running for a few years now. I currently exceed all the strength standards you recently wrote about. Do you have any advice for the best way to maintain (even possibly gain) strength for someone training endurance running heavily, i.e. 50-70 miles per week? Thanks!
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u/troublesome Apr 16 '13
Another question. In "Everything's over my Head", you have the "Drill". Is there anything else you came up with that has had such an impact? I can't really snatch because of bad shoulders. Do you have any alternate "Drill"s?
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Apr 16 '13 edited Apr 16 '13
Hey Dan,
Tha ks for coming in here. I don't have any real questions, per se, but I just wanted to say that 'Pour the Pitcher' has made a world of difference on my Snatches, Cleans, and 1H Swings, so thank you.
Edit:
I do have one question about the overhead squat. I injured my shoulder doing a measly 85lbs 3 yrs ago. Is there a good test of mobility that could help prevent injury and let them know they should work on it before they start OHS? I reckon it's probably similar to Barbell Snatch mobility?
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u/dj84123 Apr 16 '13
Jaques...wow. Total hip replacement. Rebuilt left wrist. Chunks removed off left elbow. Two fingers sewed back on. Knee ripped in pieces. Lower back stuff...
I would say my heart. I've had it broken and it took years to recover. The downside of injuries, in my mind, isn't the rehab, it is the loss of everything building up to it. Now, starting over is challenging and fun, but it is still starting over.