Interview with Bret Contreras

CB: Bret, your rise to internet fame has been stratospheric.  You published your first couple of articles on StrengthCoach and TMuscle this time last year.  Since then, you’ve published around 30 articles, written over 90 blog posts and built a blog readership of over 50,000 monthly readers.  In your own words, this was your “break-out” year.  But what achievement are you most proud of?
 
BC: First Chris, let me say thank you very much for the interview.  I appreciate it my friend.  This is going to sound sappy but my greatest achievement is that I’ve gotten my entire family to enjoy strength training.  My mom, dad, twin brother, sister, 2 step brothers, and step mom all love lifting weights.  How cool is that?  It means so much to me that they take their health and fitness seriously.
 
To provide a less “sissy” answer, I’d say that professionally I’m most proud of four things.  First, that I was asked to be a speaker at the JP Fitness Summit in 2010.  This is such a cool event and I’m very honored to be a part of it.  Second, that I was asked to be an Oxygen Magazine 2010 Glutes Special “glute expert.” This meant very much to me as well.  Third, that the Fitcast seems to like what I have to say.  Twice so far I’ve been asked to appear on Fitcast which is a huge honor to me as I’ve always loved Kevin, Jon, and Leigh.  And fourth, that I’m a regular contributor to TMuscle.  I know plenty of writers who can’t get an article posted on TMuscle as they’re very selective with their contributors.  Writing for them is actually a dream come true.
 
CB: That’s all very cool.  So that’s in the past now.  Let’s look forward.  In a recent blog post, you talk about your plans for the future.  You mention that you’re working on a section for another coach’s e-book, as well as your own book, that you’ve started a graduate level biomechanics course and that you’ve applied for a PhD programme.  That sounds like you’ve got a lot planned!  Where do you see yourself in five years time, having achieved all of that?
 
BC: I see myself either doing one of two things.  I’ll either be a researcher who spends his days researching, consulting, and conducting new experiments, or I’ll be in L.A. trying to train celebrities.  I think I could do very well in either area.  I’d love to be a strength coach for a collegiate or professional team but that’s not realistic.  You have to start at the bottom and work your way up which is something at which I’ve never been very good.
 
CB: That’s good to know.  I’m probably quite similar in that respect.  Something else that we have in common is that you seem to have something of a passion for bodybuilding as well as sports performance training.  I say “as well as” but are the two goals really so divergent?  How much of a role do you feel traditional bodybuilding methods can play in developing an athlete and how?
 
BC: I read Muscular Development Magazine every month and have followed bodybuilding for over a decade.  I’ve gained a huge appreciation for their methodology.  An overwhelming majority of bodybuilders stick to high volume bodypart splits that rely upon instinctive training, a mixture of compound and isolation movements, and a focus on higher rep ranges with lower rest periods.
 
This strategy would not serve an athlete well.  In sport-specific training, we use “combined training” to concurrently incorporate heavy strength training, plyometrics and ballistics, linear speed training, agility training, sled work, energy system development, and skill training.  Bodybuilding is about “contracting your muscles against resistance” and “feeling” the muscles working.  Athletic training focuses on movements, not muscles, and requires bringing up many strength qualities at a time… limit strength, strength speed, speed strength, reactive strength, rate of force development, etc.
 
It is true that increased cross-sectional area is related to increased rate of force development but athletes seek hypertrophy improvements via more “functional” or “specific” means that mimic the sport and target similar joint actions, ranges of motion, directional vectors, contraction types, etc.  Some athletes such as sprinters employ general “bodybuilding circuits” to increase cross-sectional area and some “skinnier” athletes may benefit form incorporating more high-rep training in order to maximize muscle growth but, in general athletes, need to avoid predominant high-rep, low rest time, controlled-tempo training to prevent muscle fibers from contracting slower over time.
 
CB: That’s good to know.  Speaking of training, we recently corresponded about our own training routines, since we have both switched to six-day programmes.  Was this the first time you tried a six-day routine?  How are you finding it and who would you recommend it to?
 
BC: Yes it was. I’ve actually tinkered around with some different methods and recently found that I am able to perform squats, bench press, and deadlifts up to six days per week as long as I employ the following methodology:
 
1. Listen to biofeedback and adjust accordingly.
2. After a specific warm-up, do 3 x 1 for each exercise. This means just three reps of progressive loading or “ramping” which means that you’re really only doing one really heavy rep per lift per day.
3. Incorporate variety. Use the “same but different” philosophy… always do squats, bench, and deads but switch variations, stance width, grip width, ROM, accommodating resistance, etc.
4. After your squats, bench, and deads, pick a couple of exercises to hit for high reps for “hypertrophy training” as the heavy singles are primarily “nervous system training.”
5. Avoid grinding reps.
6. Ease your way into the program.
 
This plan has led to some excellent strength gains in the past two months considering I’ve kept most of my strength while losing over 10lbs.  This type of training can lead to aches and pains, poor sleep, irritability, reduced libido, and compromised immune system.  However, in spite of this you might still gain considerable strength simply because it’s new and/or frequency is a huge stimulus.  There appears to be much we don’t know about the body’s adaptations to daily training frequency.
 
CB: Interesting.  Because of your meteoric rise this year, I’ll bet you’ve had to grow some pretty thick skin fairly quickly when reading what people say on the internet.  You recently wrote an impassioned plea for trainers to stop talking trash on Facebook.  Was there any particular reason that you singled out Facebook rather than any other medium?  Do you still find this a problem or have people settled down?    
 
BC: I believe that Facebook (and maybe Twitter) is the one area that’s off-limits.  If you want to disagree with someone, post about it in a forum, leave a comment on their blogs, or write about it on your own blog.  We need to have some respect for each other and realize that Facebook is a place for our fans.
 
CB: You recently wrote a great post about the biases that all strength coaches have and how you have come to terms with your own biases to develop into a better trainer.  What techniques or methods have you started using this year that you wouldn’t have previously used as a result of this introspection?
 
BC: In the past year I’ve actually realized that what I did in the past was very efficient and that “newer” methodology isn’t necessarily better.  As I travelled to various seminars this year and learned new methods I found myself abandoning traditional concepts in order to accommodate newer ideas.  I let the pendulum swing too far in one direction and now I brought it back to center by sticking to what I know works and adding in some other stuff for variety, balance, and fun. The biggest improvement I’ve made this year is acquiring a better feel for biomechanics and analyzing movement.
 
CB: Kind of the Bruce Lee way, I suppose.  Keep taking stuff out rather than putting stuff in.  Speaking of seminars and such-like, you’ve written before that you tend to spend a lot of your free time and money developing your home gym and your education. What were the last few seminars you attended or products that you read and what key things did you take away?
 
BC: I attended the Providence 3-Day Functional Training Summit and made a ton of new friends.  I purchased a Cook bar for chops and lifts which I freakin’ love.  I purchased four Biomechanics textbooks and have found them very useful.  I’m currently taking a PhD level Biomechanics course at ASU for the hell of it and it’s by far the coolest class I’ve ever taken in my life.   I buy journal articles from time to time too. The journal research keeps me grounded so I don’t “fall” for the latest trend if it’s not supported by research or at least based on sound scientific principles. 
 
CB: Great stuff.  I’m just getting to grips with biomechanics at the moment.  I only have two textbook so far, though… Let’s move on to one of your favourite exercises: the hip thrust.  Training people for raw powerlifting, do you have a target for how heavy their glute bridge or hip thrust performance should be in comparison to their competition deadlift or squat?  Is there a typical ratio or does it depend on the individual’s anthropometrics?
 
BC: Great question!  People should be able to hip thrust what they can raw full squat.  If they can full squat 600lbs, then they should be able to hip thrust 600lbs.  This keeps a good balance between knee and hip strength.  Anthropometry certainly matters.  In general, taller people will be better hip thrusters and shorter people will be better squatters.
 
CB: OK, so I am probably within 20lbs of that goal, which is good to know.  Let’s talk about personal training, since it’s something I’ve just started thinking about recently.  You’ve written a fair amount of advice specifically for new trainers in the industry and a lot more that is useful to people working in the industry.  You have recommended taking the “volume approach”, which involves training small groups and meeting with a lot of different clients with different requirements.  You’ve also made it clear that self-improvement is a must, with a focus on training methods and theory being important.  What other tips would you give someone who is keen to add value to the strength and conditioning world and not just punch a clock every day at the gym?
 
BC: Don’t just learn about one system. Learn about bodybuilding, powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, strongman, and various sport training.  Learn how sprinters train and how MMA fighters train. Learn about HVT, HFT, HIT, and EDT.  Learn about bodypart splits, lower/upper splits, push/pull splits, and total body training.  Learn the various methods of periodization including cybernetic periodization.  Learn from different coaches and see how they screen, program, periodize, and adapt.  Learn basic concepts in physical therapy.  Learn the names of prominent researchers in various fields and read some of their work.  Train hard yourself and train a lot of other people to learn how everyone is unique.  Stick with what works but don’t be afraid to experiment.  Develop a general philosophy over time, be skeptical of new claims but also be open-minded and studious.
 
CB: Thanks for the tips, there Bret.  Let me put you on the spot now.  Soft tissue work has been challenged by some trainers recently but I’ve seen some great improvements both personally and in other people from a close acquaintance with the foam roller and a hard ball for trigger points.  What’s your philosophy for soft tissue work, do you do any yourself and what do you recommend to your clients?
 
BC: I think a lot of it works based on the placebo effect, which is one of the most well-documented phenomena out there.  I don’t think there’s any harm in doing SMR for the most part, but if pressed for time I don’t think it’s mandatory.  It makes sense to me that rolling out your muscles could help with tissue quality, tissue density, adhesion removal, trigger point removal, proprioception awakening, restoration of parasympathetic state, etc., but the research doesn’t seem to support it at this time.  In general I think it’s a good thing but no trainer should “hate” on another trainer if he or she does or does not utilize SMR, as right now it’s a matter of opinion as to its effectiveness.
 
CB: Interesting, I had not anticipated that response.  In one of your early posts on your blog, you talked about your desire to push up your bench press.  In your six-day routine, which you shared with me previously, I noted you were benching and using close-grip benches as well.  How have you gone about pushing up your bench and what special exercises, if any, have been helpful and why?
 
BC: I got my bench up to 335 at one point several years ago when I weighed 250 and I’ve never gotten back to that point.  Now I weigh 225-230 and got my bench up to around 315 a couple of months ago.  The system that works best for me is to find a way to bench at least twice per week and also do close grip bench and incline press at least once per week.  I haven’t found floor press, 2-board press, push ups, dynamic bench press, accommodating resistance, or triceps isolation work to be effective for raising my bench.  I’m not saying that these methods don’t work for other people, just not for me.  I respond very well to frequency. Lately I’ve been focusing on my deadlift so my bench is at around 300.  I’m trying to get to a 600lb sumo deadlift and am within reach.  Right now I can do at least 565 but the best thing is that 495 is starting to feel pretty darn easy – easier then it’s ever felt.  At 6’4″ I’m much better suited for the deadlift than the bench.
 
CB: I can imagine!  I bet you’ve got at least 3″ more ROM than I have!  Finally, you make it well-known that you train in your garage.  On the other hand, your YouTube videos show a fairly big range of heavy duty equipment!  If you had to build it all up from scratch again, what would you buy and in what order?
 
BC: First would be a heavy duty power rack/platform with all the bells and whistles.  This means top and bottom band peg attachments, a monkey chin bar, dip bars, a step up platform, box squat, chalk bin, deadlift lever, an adjustable bench, and lots of space for storing plates, chains, and bands.  Of course you’d also need plates, bumper plates, collars, a Texas power bar, chalk, hip belt, and a Hampton thick bar pad.  This could serve you well for eternity, but I’ll continue.
 
Next up would be a bench press, incline press, military press, chest supported row, glute ham developer, 45 degree hyper, and reverse hyper.  Also dumbbells and a dumbbell rack, farmer’s walk implements, as well as specialty barbells such as the safety squat bar, cambered bar, trap bar, and easy bar.
 
Finally I’d get a TRX suspension system or blaststraps, kettlebells, battleropes, Indian clubs, airex pad, grappler, Prowler, jump rope, Airdyne, pulling stands, Cook bar or Core bar, tornado ball, slideboard, dual pulley system with all attachments, lever squat, bands, chains, 2-board, JC bands, med balls, fat gripz, and stability ball. 
 
All of this can fit inside a standard garage. It will be a little condensed, but so be it.
 
In a perfect world I’d have a Woodway Force treadmill, Vertimax, Keiser power runner, Keiser power rack, Keiser Functional trainer, Nautilus pullover, super yoke, and entire Hammer Strength line of equipment (and of course my Skorcher invention), but this would require two garages! 
 
CB: Two garages!  I’m guessing that’s two double garages, at that!  Interesting to see that the power rack came first, though.  This has been an awesome interview, Bret.  Thanks for putting so much time into it.

BC: Thanks again for the interview Chris!