“What are the six things you MUST do
and the one thing you should NEVER do before you get under the bar or take the field
to achieve a personal record performance?”
Two experts join forces, bringing you the answers to raise your performance and prevent injuries for the best upper body training you’ve ever had.
Dear Fellow Athlete,
Have you ever heard that expression, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”?
How about “Proper preparation prevents piss-poor performance”?
A quick look around most gyms or athletic fields will tell you that most lifters or athletes have either never heard those expressions, or they’ve simply decided to ignore them.
Ever watch someone “warm-up” before a heavy bench press training session? In most cases, it consists of a couple quick shoulder stretches, and then they lay back on the bench to start their specific warm-up of progressive sets usually starting with 135 on the bar.
Or what about the baseball pitcher or football quarterback who simply grabs a ball and starts throwing?
We’re here to tell you that they’re doing it wrong! In fact, this approach will not only lower your performance, but given enough training time, will most likely result in some sort of chronic, nagging injury. It’s almost like a badge of honor to compare a laundry list of strains, sprains and aches with fellow lifters and athletes, with each guy trying to one-up the other as to whose is worse, or worse yet they’re still there banging away at the weights and throwing while ignoring the ever increasing pain.
There’s a better way to prepare for your best upper body training sessions AND reduce the likelihood of developing those annoying training-related injuries that cost you valuable training time, affect your daily activities, and prevent you from achieving your most important performance goals.
It’s called Inside-Out: The Ultimate
Upper Body Warm-up
And it’s your guide to
Ultimate Upper Body Performance
Watch a one-minute trailer from the DVD!
At my job, I have the opportunity to learn from the best minds in the fitness industry. In fact, over the years, I've interviewed and worked with literally hundreds--maybe thousands--of trainers, PhDs, and doctors. And in that time, I've never met any expert who's more knowledgeable than Bill Hartman. Which is why I was excited when he asked me to to review "Inside-Out." It was a chance to take a shortcut to learning some of what Bill knows, a culmination of his experience and education. Add to that his collaboration with Mike Robertson, one of the bright young minds in the field, and it was clear that this was going to be a special product. Turns out, it is. Exceptional, actually. Now don't let the name fool you; the information the authors provide is far beyond most people's concept of a warm-up. Truth is, I wouldn't call it warm-up at all. That implies it's something you do just to prepare for your primary training session. While, in actuality, the plan you'll find within should be a mandatory part of your primary training. I know from personal experience, having used Bill's programs for years, that the instruction that Bill and Mike give in both the manual and DVD will make you stronger, enhance your performance, and help you shore up long-time weak spots--not to mention prevent injuries. And if you're like me, and work at a desk 10 hours a day, it'll also help your body feel a whole lot better when you aren't working out. The bottom line: If you don't have Inside-Out, your workout isn't nearly as good as it could be. Adam Campbell, MS, CSCS Sports and Nutrition Editor Men's Health "The Inside-Out DVD and Manual have me excited for two reasons. First off, Bill and Mike are two of the brightest minds in the industry, and it comes as no surprise that they've put together an outstanding resource. Second, and more selfishly, I'm thrilled about how much work this manual will save ME! In light of a lot of my articles, I've been labeled a 'Shoulder Guy,' So I get dozens of email inquiries each week from those with shoulder problems. Thanks to these two, I now have a comprehensive, highly effective resource to which I can send these individuals. And, just as importantly, Inside-Out will keep thousands of others healthy in the first place. This will be a 'go-to' resource for years to come." “The Inside-Out concepts consist of 7 key components that need to be addressed prior to each upper body training session.” Eric Cressey www.ericcressey.com "Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson have, without question, produced a kick-ass product! After years of training every protocol known to man, my body was beat up! I didn't realize how limited my upper and lower body movements had become. After watching this DVD, I now realize how mobility and optimal postural alignment of the hips and spine relate to the functionality of the my shoulders. If you have a chronic rotator cuff issue, your bench is stuck, your hands go numb during squats or you want to learn some of the latest information around all things upper back mobility – get this manual and DVD ASAP! Great detail has been placed on functional anatomy, static and dynamic postural assessments and progressive correction and prevention of chronic / acute limitations. The information is detailed and lays the exercises in a step-by-step progression – it really drives the information home! I've spent years training the same movement patterns and my mobility sucked! I immediately have felt relief after 1 week of implementing the exercises in this manual and DVD set. Thanks Mike and Bill!" Jim Smith "Smitty", CSCS, CFT, USAW The Diesel Crew www.DieselCrew.com www.TheGripAuthority.com Click HERE to order Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up Now! Here are the Key Components of Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up Key #1: Improve and Maintain Thoracic Spine Mobility The mobility of the upper back, or thoracic spine, especially in regard to achieving sufficient upright posture directly affects the ability to properly position the scapulae (the shoulder blades) during upper body training. Poor scapular positioning can actually weaken the rotator cuff muscles and limit how much weight you can lift, limit arm speed, and limit striking power. Rounded back or slouched posture of the upper back prevents the normal movement and positioning, increasing the likelihood of impingement of the rotator cuff. Repetitive “pinching” of the rotator cuff in this case will result in inflammatory or degenerative conditions or even rotator cuff tears. Key #2: Improve and Maintain Scapular Mobility The scapulae must be able to move sufficiently in all three planes of movement to preserve the subacromial space and shoulder health. Imbalances in the scapular muscles limit the scapulae’s ability to tilt, rotate, and provide the necessary foundation for normal shoulder function. The result is the inability to produce maximal strength when you need it most. Key #3: Optimize Scapular Muscle and Rotator Cuff Muscle Activation The ability to stabilize the scapula is essential for normal shoulder function. In cases where the glenohumeral joint (shoulder joint) is determined to be unstable, the scapula is also found to be unstable due to dysfunction or weakness of the scapular muscles, such as serratus anterior and lower trapezius, thus may be a precipitating factor. Co-activation of the rotator cuff muscles is also essential for dynamic stability of the glenohumeral joint, to allow the prime mover muscles to produce maximal force, and to prevent impingement of the rotator cuff that you may not even feel until it’s too late. Key #4: Improve and Maintain Shoulder Joint Range of Motion Heavy upper body training, poor postural habits, and simple neglect can result in a loss of normal shoulder range of motion that can predispose the shoulder to a number of undesirable adaptations. Most common is a loss of shoulder joint range of motion that limits arm speed and can result in repetitive strain and impingement of the rotator cuff. Key #5: Improve and Maintain Wrist and Elbow Mobility Repetitive gripping and daily activities such as computer use or job-related tasks promote an in increase stiffness of the wrist flexor muscles and potential overuse of wrist extensors. Over time, these adaptations can result in wrist or elbow pain or even numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hands. A weak grip reduces upper extremity function by limiting the ability of the shoulder and trunk muscles to produce maximal force especially in pulling exercises. Key #6: Improve and Maintain the Functional Relationship between the Shoulder, Trunk, and Hips There is a functional relationship between the muscles of the hip, trunk, and the shoulder. To effectively produce peak performance in ground based activities like throwing, striking, or overhead lifts, every link in the chain between the hip and shoulder must function optimally. Quite frequently, when examining athletes with an injured shoulder, one also finds that the athlete lacks normal strength or mobility of the opposite hip which may be a precipitating factor in the shoulder injury. Key #7: Avoid Prolonged Static Stretching Exercises in the Warm-Up Prolonged static stretches are ineffective in the warm-up period. Peer-reviewed research clearly shows that prolonged static stretching can reduce strength and power output resulting in less than personal record performance on the playing field and during training sessions. Click HERE to order Inside-Out: The Ultimate Guide to Upper Body Performance Now! I was told that if I don’t change my ways that my shoulder would be destroyed and need to be replaced in three or four years! Hi, Bill here. I need to tell you this quick story so you understand how important this program is to assuring your continued health and high level of performance. For some of you, it may sound similar to your own story and you can learn from my mistakes. I was always athletic having played football and thrown the javelin in college. I even did the competitive bodybuilding thing for a while, but I was getting bored and needed a new challenge. I was always a big fan of powerlifting and decided to give it go myself to feed my competitive side. I shifted gears and started training heavier and focused a lot of time on the big three…the bench press, squat, and deadlift. For a drug-free guy I was getting pretty strong, but I also started to get some nagging aches and pains and losing some range of motion. Especially in my shoulders. As a physical therapist, you’d think I’d have been a bit smarter and addressed my shoulder issues from the first sign of any symptoms, but my competitive drive took over and I rationalized that nothing bad could happen to me. I was smarter than most. I’d just work around it. I kept trying to push the weight higher and higher in spite of the pain until August of 1996. I was doing doubles with a pretty heavy weight for me when I felt it. About half way up on my second rep, I stalled, and then felt the “pop!” I felt an immediate and intense pain in my right shoulder and lost all shoulder stability. I think my training partner set an American record in the upright row to keep me from dropping the bar and killing myself. As I sat up, I told him, “I think I just tore my labrum.” For the next 9 months I tried to train around it and ignore the pain (the musclehead always wins, eh?). That didn’t work Finally I went to see one of my favorite orthopedic surgeons for a consult. After some tests and an MRI, my initial self-diagnosis was correct. I had torn the glenoid labrum. I had surgery a week later. I’ll never forget the day after my shoulder surgery. My orthopedic surgeon comes into the room shaking his head with an unhappy look on his face. The next thing he said shocked me and gave me that queasy feeling you get when someone gives you horrible news. He said “You have the worst shoulder that I have ever seen.” When a guy who has performed surgery on some of the top professional and collegiate athletes in the country says that, you tend to pay very close attention. Turns out that I had more than just a torn labrum. I also had a 2 cm tear in my rotator cuff that had been there for a number of years (I’d had pain off and on throughout my football career) and couldn’t be fixed. I also had severe arthritis that will affect me for the rest of my life. Then the doc told me, “I figure if you try to keep going the way you are, you’ll end up getting your shoulder replaced in about 3 or 4 years.” For those of you who don’t know about shoulder replacements, it’s not a great thing. It means no more hard or heavy training. EVER! In a situation like this you can to two things. You can give up, or you can become an expert in serious performance training and in keeping your shoulders healthy. I chose the latter. I became an information junkie and sought out as much research and performance-based information I could find in regard to maximizing shoulder and arm performance and preventing the types of injuries that many strength and throwing athletes experience. I was not about to make the same mistake twice. That was 10 years ago. Still lifting by way. Fast forward to 2006. Enter Mike Robertson. If you don’t know who Mike is, you’ve most likely lived under a rock the past couple of years. Mike has a Masters degree in biomechanics and is well-known for his in-depth articles in performance training and rehabilitation on T-Nation.com and all over the internet. He’s also been a featured speaker at a number of strength and performance training conferences (you can read more about him later). Mike’s probably best known for his contribution to a little DVD called Magnificent Mobility that he developed with Eric Cressey. Magnificent Mobility was a real breakthrough for many powerlifters, bodybuilders, and athletes of all kinds because it addressed the need to improve and maintain joint mobility, range of motion, and muscle activation to enhance health and performance. Anyway, Mike came over to my gym a while back, and we got to talking about the shoulders and how each of us takes a pretty comprehensive approach assure the highest level of performance during upper body training that all of our clients and athletes maintain mobility and strength in the key areas to prevent those progressive, undesirable adaptations like loss of joint motion and isolated weakness that result poor performance, shoulder pain, and ultimately serious shoulder injuries. That discussion alone was worth a million bucks! (I wish we had recorded it) I showed Mike some of the mobility and muscle activation drills I had been doing with myself and my clients to improve upper body function, and he showed me some of his. That’s when the light bulbs started to go off like crazy. We traded ideas back and forth like a tennis match for what seemed like minutes but actually turned out to be several hours. The one question that kept coming up was… Why hasn’t anyone been talking about this stuff that can not only improve performance in the gym and on the field but keep you injury free as well? At that point we committed ourselves to develop an easy to understand, easy to follow, comprehensive, systematic approach that is ESSENTIAL to prepare any strength athlete, throwing athlete, or combat athlete for the best upper body training of their lives. Then we tested it on ourselves and our clients. Since we both get referred “problematic” clients due to our reputations, we had the perfect population to see the impact that it had on their pain and their performance. We were able to identify improvements from day one. Clients who had come to us with achy backs and shoulders, started to report reduced shoulder pain and less strain at work. Not to mention that their performance in the gym improved by leaps and bounds. The evolution of this program is what you’ll find in this DVD. What about all the other warm-up and mobility programs? We hold these programs in very high regard because they have been shown to be highly effective in improving mobility, increasing performance, and preventing injuries. However, these programs have been focused primarily on the lower body and trunk. Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up takes the next step and answers the question, “What should I be doing before my upper body training to assure that I can perform at my all time best AND stay injury-free?” "With Inside Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson have combined their unparalleled knowledge and years of practical experience in the field of sports conditioning to create one of the most amazing resources to hit the industry in years. The easy to understand, yet extremely informative manner in which they demonstrate the drills make them beneficial to athletes of all ages and ability levels. If you’re an athlete who uses their upper body at all, you simply must own this DVD. If you’re a swimmer, a pitcher, a quarterback, or any other athlete who relies heavily on their upper body, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it. Definitely a must have in my view!" Mike Mejia M.S. CSCS Exercise Advisor to Men’s Health magazine and co-author of Scrawny to Brawny: The ultimate guide to building muscle the natural way. “Many times old information is rehashed and stuffed into a new format, but this is something more, something new – new movements that could really make a difference to people. All of us need to incorporate this type of warm-up into our training. This information will correct problems you may already have in your shoulders and upper back, or it will keep you from creating any. This is essential information!” Lisa Holladay Personal Trainer It's hard to admit, but before watching the Inside-Out DVD, I had seriously neglected any upper body warm-up in my athlete's training. Fortunately, Bill and Mike have done an outstanding job putting together loads of practical drills that I have successfully added to all of my programs. I challenge coaches and trainers like me to take an honest look at this DVD and rethink the way we prepare our athletes for safe and effective training. Curtis Turner, SCCC, SSC Assistant Speed, Strength, and Conditioning Coach Vanderbilt University Here’s what Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up will do for you: Reduce and prevent upper back, shoulder, elbow and wrist pain that affects your ability to work, play, and perform at your highest level possible Help you to understand what actually contributes to chronic shoulder and back pain and what you need to do to prevent it in the first place Improve your bench press training technique to assure maximum performance with a lowered risk of injury Improve your shoulder stability under a heavy bench press which is the key to maximizing the force of the prime movers like the chest, shoulders, and triceps Prevent numbness and tingling in the arms and hands associated with desk work, keyboarding and heavy weight training Teach you how to identify your own spinal movement restrictions to assess your own progress Activate the rotator cuff, without excessive fatigue to help avoid painful shoulder impingement and improve shoulder stability Reduce your risk of injury with overhead training by improving your spinal alignment, shoulder range of motion, and scapular mobility Reduce negative upper back and shoulder postural adaptations and repetitive strain that promote shoulder injuries and create daily aches and pains Increase nervous system activation to guarantee that you recruit the maximum amount of muscle every time you pick up a heavy weight Increase chest, lats, and shoulder girdle extensibility and spinal mobility to avoid movement compensations that lead to progressive muscle strain and overuse injuries that cost you valuable training time Restore normal upper body muscle length-tension relationships to prevent injury causing muscle imbalances Improve shoulder, trunk, and hip intermuscular coordination to prevent excessive strain on the shoulder during strength training and sports performance Raise core and muscular temperature without the use of unnecessary aerobic exercise to prevent premature or excessive fatigue which is necessary to assure peak performance Improve front squat and power clean performance by eliminating wrist joint restrictions and pain associated with a proper rack position Improve your performance in the weight room and on the field…PERIOD! To be a great trainer takes a lot more than simply knowing how to design work outs. Preparing them for the workout is every bit as important as the workout itself! If you want to keep your clients long term, avoid orthopedic injuries, and maximize their performance in the gym, this DVD is exactly what you need. In fact, the moment I got this DVD I watched it and followed along all the exercises and could immediately feel the difference, and could see how much it was going to benefit me and my clients. Hartman and Robertson are wellsprings of the best training information I have ever come across each in their own right, but the fact that they are collaborating now means you absolutely don’t want to miss this. The fitness gods are smiling! Jean-Paul Francoeur www.JPFitness.com Take Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up to the gym with you! We understand that some people want and need a hard copy to take with them to the gym. So, we’ve developed that and more! We’ve created the perfect complement to the DVD with our Inside-Out: Ultimate Guide to Upper Body Performance Manual. Whether you choose our print or e-manual, you’ll get all of the Inside-Out Exercises in photo and text form so you can take the exercises to the gym with you. Each section provides a reference to all the exercises, allowing you to mix and match your own personalized Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up to your specific needs for that day. The combinations are countless. You’ll also be able to take advantage of a number of FREE bonuses that we’ll explain later. When you're talking about efficient and effective warm-up exercises, the "Inside out: The Ulitmate upper body warm-up" manual is about as good as it gets. Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson are two of the sharpest minds in strength and conditioning today and this manual is just a small sample of what they have to offer. I highly recommend this manual to anyone working with athletes, general population clients, or for people like myself who are active and always looking for exercises to help keep them going strong. Robert Dos Remedios Head Strength and Conditioning Coach College of the Canyons NSCA Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year 2006 Hartman and Robertson have given the fitness profession a new guide on how to warm up and increase flexibility. The "Inside out: The Ultimate upper body warm-up” is a must have for any coach, athlete, trainer. I have implemented what they have in their manual after just one day of reading, because it is so simple and thorough. Anyone who is active or trains should not pass this up as a way to improve their own flexibility or improve their clients Matt Durant Strength & Conditioning Coach University of La Verne Meet the Coaches Mike Robertson, MS, CSCS., USAW, has helped clients from all walks of life exceed their greatest expectations. Mike specializes in the areas of performance enhancement, physique transformation, and injury prevention and rehabilitation. Mike received his Masters in Sports Biomechanics from Ball State University, where he was a strength and conditioning coach and researcher in the areas of strength and power development in athletes. Robertson is also an accomplished powerlifter, having competed at the National Level and coached at the World Level. Mike resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he is the President of Robertson Training Systems (www.RobertsonTrainingSystems.com) and Director of Custom Athletics (www.CFitLLC.com). Bill Hartman, PT, CSCS, USAW has 17 years of experience in the rehabilitation and sports/fitness training fields. Bill specializes in injury rehabilitation, corrective exercise programming, and performance enhancement. He currently works clients at all levels from professionals to young athletes in a variety of sports. Bill also sits on the Board of Directors for the International Youth Conditioning Association. Bill also has personal experience as an athlete in football and track & field at the collegiate level as well as a background in bodybuilding and martial arts. Bill manages two physical therapy clinics in Indianapolis, IN and owns PR Performance Sport & Fitness Training in Westfield, IN (www.PRPerformance.com, www.billhartman.net ) We’re certain that this is the program that will take your upper body training to the next level. As an incentive to order today, In addition to the Inside-Out: The Upper Body Warm-up DVD and manual, we’re throwing in these 4 big bonuses for FREE!! Bonus #1: The Rufus Complex Want a great total-body warm-up? This is it! Developed for Olympic lifters, this warm-up uses Olympic lifting complexes to get you ready for training in a quick and easy fashion. If you regularly perform power cleans, power snatches, or simply want a quick and nasty way to prepare your whole body for a killer training session and to raise your work capacity, The Rufus Complex is the perfect choice. Bonus #2: How to Prevent Posture-Related Strain and Injury and Daily Corrective Exercises Special Report (included with the Manual) You’re only in the gym for about an hour a day. The rest of the day, you’re battling against those unwanted postural stresses and adaptations that can reduce you performance in the gym. If you spend any time sitting at desk or “stuck” in any one posture for any length of time, this special report gives you postural strategies and corrective exercises that you can perform throughout the day to reduce pain from postural strain and make your Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up even more productive. Bonus #3: Personal Record Bench Press Technique Special Report (included with the Manual) Let’s face it; the bench press is the king of the upper body exercises. Right or wrong, everyone wants to bench press more weight. What’s the best technique to use? What is the most efficient and effective set-up? What is the optimal grip? How can I prevent injuries from bench pressing? Mike Robertson takes his years of experience in working with top powerlifters and answers those questions and more. Bonus #4: The Inside-Out Glossary (included with the Manual) We’re scientists, but we understand that not everyone out there has a Ph.D. in biomechanics. Therefore, we’ve given you a glossary to help you understand the concepts and terminology within the I/O DVD and manual. Now you’ll not only be able to walk-the-walk, but talk-the-talk as well! I found the” Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm Up” very easy to follow. My business’s main focus is keeping people safe, setting good postural habits and decreasing the chance of injury before even thinking about strength work. I will be using a large number of these movements in my Postural and Foundation programs and also my Rotational and Torso programs will now have a new look to them also. I can also now set clients home exercises to follow knowing they are in no danger of hurting themselves and will have no confusion about how to complete them due to their simplicity and in so doing achieving results faster. David Virgo www.cricketfitness.net Finally, all this comes with our 100% unconditional 8-week money back guarantee. Commit to adding Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up to your training program today, and if you don’t notice a gain range of motion, improvements in your mobility, or train with less pain, simply return the DVD and we’ll send you your money back. No questions asked! You’re one click away from the best upper body training of your career. Here’s to your personal record, Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson Save and Order the DVD and Print Manual Save and Order the DVD and E-Manual P.S. This could be the difference between setting a personal record or lost training time due to a back, shoulder, or elbow injury. Remember what we said at the beginning of this letter…Proper preparation prevents piss-poor performance. Order the DVD Order the Print Manual Order the E-Manual P.P.S. If you’re not following the Inside-Out: Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up Concepts in your training program, you need to start now. It’s the key to maximal performance and preventing what could become a career ending injury. Order Now!
At my job, I have the opportunity to learn from the best minds in the fitness industry. In fact, over the years, I've interviewed and worked with literally hundreds--maybe thousands--of trainers, PhDs, and doctors. And in that time, I've never met any expert who's more knowledgeable than Bill Hartman. Which is why I was excited when he asked me to to review "Inside-Out." It was a chance to take a shortcut to learning some of what Bill knows, a culmination of his experience and education. Add to that his collaboration with Mike Robertson, one of the bright young minds in the field, and it was clear that this was going to be a special product.
Turns out, it is. Exceptional, actually.
Now don't let the name fool you; the information the authors provide is far beyond most people's concept of a warm-up. Truth is, I wouldn't call it warm-up at all. That implies it's something you do just to prepare for your primary training session. While, in actuality, the plan you'll find within should be a mandatory part of your primary training. I know from personal experience, having used Bill's programs for years, that the instruction that Bill and Mike give in both the manual and DVD will make you stronger, enhance your performance, and help you shore up long-time weak spots--not to mention prevent injuries. And if you're like me, and work at a desk 10 hours a day, it'll also help your body feel a whole lot better when you aren't working out.
The bottom line: If you don't have Inside-Out, your workout isn't nearly as good as it could be.
Adam Campbell, MS, CSCS Sports and Nutrition Editor Men's Health
"The Inside-Out DVD and Manual have me excited for two reasons. First off, Bill and Mike are two of the brightest minds in the industry, and it comes as no surprise that they've put together an outstanding resource. Second, and more selfishly, I'm thrilled about how much work this manual will save ME! In light of a lot of my articles, I've been labeled a 'Shoulder Guy,'
So I get dozens of email inquiries each week from those with shoulder problems. Thanks to these two, I now have a comprehensive, highly effective resource to which I can send these individuals. And, just as importantly, Inside-Out will keep thousands of others healthy in the first place. This will be a 'go-to' resource for years to come."
“The Inside-Out concepts consist of 7 key components that need to be addressed prior to each upper body training session.”
Eric Cressey
www.ericcressey.com
"Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson have, without question, produced a kick-ass product! After years of training every protocol known to man, my body was beat up! I didn't realize how limited my upper and lower body movements had become. After watching this DVD, I now realize how mobility and optimal postural alignment of the hips and spine relate to the functionality of the my shoulders. If you have a chronic rotator cuff issue, your bench is stuck, your hands go numb during squats or you want to learn some of the latest information around all things upper back mobility – get this manual and DVD ASAP! Great detail has been placed on functional anatomy, static and dynamic postural assessments and progressive correction and prevention of chronic / acute limitations. The information is detailed and lays the exercises in a step-by-step progression – it really drives the information home! I've spent years training the same movement patterns and my mobility sucked! I immediately have felt relief after 1 week of implementing the exercises in this manual and DVD set. Thanks Mike and Bill!" Jim Smith "Smitty", CSCS, CFT, USAW The Diesel Crew www.DieselCrew.com www.TheGripAuthority.com
Click HERE to order Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up Now!
Here are the Key Components of
Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up
Key #1: Improve and Maintain Thoracic Spine Mobility
The mobility of the upper back, or thoracic spine, especially in regard to achieving sufficient upright posture directly affects the ability to properly position the scapulae (the shoulder blades) during upper body training. Poor scapular positioning can actually weaken the rotator cuff muscles and limit how much weight you can lift, limit arm speed, and limit striking power. Rounded back or slouched posture of the upper back prevents the normal movement and positioning, increasing the likelihood of impingement of the rotator cuff. Repetitive “pinching” of the rotator cuff in this case will result in inflammatory or degenerative conditions or even rotator cuff tears.
Key #2: Improve and Maintain Scapular Mobility
The scapulae must be able to move sufficiently in all three planes of movement to preserve the subacromial space and shoulder health. Imbalances in the scapular muscles limit the scapulae’s ability to tilt, rotate, and provide the necessary foundation for normal shoulder function. The result is the inability to produce maximal strength when you need it most.
Key #3: Optimize Scapular Muscle and Rotator Cuff Muscle Activation
The ability to stabilize the scapula is essential for normal shoulder function. In cases where the glenohumeral joint (shoulder joint) is determined to be unstable, the scapula is also found to be unstable due to dysfunction or weakness of the scapular muscles, such as serratus anterior and lower trapezius, thus may be a precipitating factor. Co-activation of the rotator cuff muscles is also essential for dynamic stability of the glenohumeral joint, to allow the prime mover muscles to produce maximal force, and to prevent impingement of the rotator cuff that you may not even feel until it’s too late.
Key #4: Improve and Maintain Shoulder Joint Range of Motion
Heavy upper body training, poor postural habits, and simple neglect can result in a loss of normal shoulder range of motion that can predispose the shoulder to a number of undesirable adaptations. Most common is a loss of shoulder joint range of motion that limits arm speed and can result in repetitive strain and impingement of the rotator cuff.
Key #5: Improve and Maintain Wrist and Elbow Mobility
Repetitive gripping and daily activities such as computer use or job-related tasks promote an in increase stiffness of the wrist flexor muscles and potential overuse of wrist extensors. Over time, these adaptations can result in wrist or elbow pain or even numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hands. A weak grip reduces upper extremity function by limiting the ability of the shoulder and trunk muscles to produce maximal force especially in pulling exercises.
Key #6: Improve and Maintain the Functional Relationship between the Shoulder, Trunk, and Hips
There is a functional relationship between the muscles of the hip, trunk, and the shoulder. To effectively produce peak performance in ground based activities like throwing, striking, or overhead lifts, every link in the chain between the hip and shoulder must function optimally. Quite frequently, when examining athletes with an injured shoulder, one also finds that the athlete lacks normal strength or mobility of the opposite hip which may be a precipitating factor in the shoulder injury.
Key #7: Avoid Prolonged Static Stretching Exercises in the Warm-Up
Prolonged static stretches are ineffective in the warm-up period. Peer-reviewed research clearly shows that prolonged static stretching can reduce strength and power output resulting in less than personal record performance on the playing field and during training sessions.
Click HERE to order Inside-Out: The Ultimate Guide to Upper Body Performance Now!
I was told that if I don’t change my ways that
my shoulder would be destroyed and
need to be replaced in three or four years!
Hi, Bill here. I need to tell you this quick story so you understand how important this program is to assuring your continued health and high level of performance. For some of you, it may sound similar to your own story and you can learn from my mistakes.
I was always athletic having played football and thrown the javelin in college. I even did the competitive bodybuilding thing for a while, but I was getting bored and needed a new challenge. I was always a big fan of powerlifting and decided to give it go myself to feed my competitive side.
I shifted gears and started training heavier and focused a lot of time on the big three…the bench press, squat, and deadlift.
For a drug-free guy I was getting pretty strong, but I also started to get some nagging aches and pains and losing some range of motion. Especially in my shoulders.
As a physical therapist, you’d think I’d have been a bit smarter and addressed my shoulder issues from the first sign of any symptoms, but my competitive drive took over and I rationalized that nothing bad could happen to me. I was smarter than most. I’d just work around it.
I kept trying to push the weight higher and higher in spite of the pain until August of 1996.
I was doing doubles with a pretty heavy weight for me when I felt it. About half way up on my second rep, I stalled, and then felt the “pop!” I felt an immediate and intense pain in my right shoulder and lost all shoulder stability. I think my training partner set an American record in the upright row to keep me from dropping the bar and killing myself.
As I sat up, I told him, “I think I just tore my labrum.”
For the next 9 months I tried to train around it and ignore the pain (the musclehead always wins, eh?). That didn’t work
Finally I went to see one of my favorite orthopedic surgeons for a consult. After some tests and an MRI, my initial self-diagnosis was correct. I had torn the glenoid labrum.
I had surgery a week later.
I’ll never forget the day after my shoulder surgery. My orthopedic surgeon comes into the room shaking his head with an unhappy look on his face. The next thing he said shocked me and gave me that queasy feeling you get when someone gives you horrible news.
He said “You have the worst shoulder that I have ever seen.”
When a guy who has performed surgery on some of the top professional and collegiate athletes in the country says that, you tend to pay very close attention.
Turns out that I had more than just a torn labrum. I also had a 2 cm tear in my rotator cuff that had been there for a number of years (I’d had pain off and on throughout my football career) and couldn’t be fixed. I also had severe arthritis that will affect me for the rest of my life.
Then the doc told me, “I figure if you try to keep going the way you are, you’ll end up getting your shoulder replaced in about 3 or 4 years.”
For those of you who don’t know about shoulder replacements, it’s not a great thing. It means no more hard or heavy training. EVER!
In a situation like this you can to two things. You can give up, or you can become an expert in serious performance training and in keeping your shoulders healthy.
I chose the latter.
I became an information junkie and sought out as much research and performance-based information I could find in regard to maximizing shoulder and arm performance and preventing the types of injuries that many strength and throwing athletes experience. I was not about to make the same mistake twice.
That was 10 years ago. Still lifting by way.
Fast forward to 2006. Enter Mike Robertson.
If you don’t know who Mike is, you’ve most likely lived under a rock the past couple of years. Mike has a Masters degree in biomechanics and is well-known for his in-depth articles in performance training and rehabilitation on T-Nation.com and all over the internet. He’s also been a featured speaker at a number of strength and performance training conferences (you can read more about him later).
Mike’s probably best known for his contribution to a little DVD called Magnificent Mobility that he developed with Eric Cressey.
Magnificent Mobility was a real breakthrough for many powerlifters, bodybuilders, and athletes of all kinds because it addressed the need to improve and maintain joint mobility, range of motion, and muscle activation to enhance health and performance.
Anyway, Mike came over to my gym a while back, and we got to talking about the shoulders and how each of us takes a pretty comprehensive approach assure the highest level of performance during upper body training that all of our clients and athletes maintain mobility and strength in the key areas to prevent those progressive, undesirable adaptations like loss of joint motion and isolated weakness that result poor performance, shoulder pain, and ultimately serious shoulder injuries.
That discussion alone was worth a million bucks! (I wish we had recorded it)
I showed Mike some of the mobility and muscle activation drills I had been doing with myself and my clients to improve upper body function, and he showed me some of his. That’s when the light bulbs started to go off like crazy.
We traded ideas back and forth like a tennis match for what seemed like minutes but actually turned out to be several hours.
The one question that kept coming up was…
Why hasn’t anyone been talking about this stuff
that can not only improve performance in the gym
and on the field but keep you injury free as well?
At that point we committed ourselves to develop an easy to understand, easy to follow, comprehensive, systematic approach that is ESSENTIAL to prepare any strength athlete, throwing athlete, or combat athlete for the best upper body training of their lives.
Then we tested it on ourselves and our clients. Since we both get referred “problematic” clients due to our reputations, we had the perfect population to see the impact that it had on their pain and their performance.
We were able to identify improvements from day one. Clients who had come to us with achy backs and shoulders, started to report reduced shoulder pain and less strain at work. Not to mention that their performance in the gym improved by leaps and bounds.
The evolution of this program is what you’ll find in this DVD.
What about all the other warm-up and mobility programs?
We hold these programs in very high regard because they have been shown to be highly effective in improving mobility, increasing performance, and preventing injuries. However, these programs have been focused primarily on the lower body and trunk.
takes the next step and answers the question,
“What should I be doing before my upper body training
to assure that I can perform at my all time best
AND stay injury-free?”
"With Inside Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson have combined their unparalleled knowledge and years of practical experience in the field of sports conditioning to create one of the most amazing resources to hit the industry in years. The easy to understand, yet extremely informative manner in which they demonstrate the drills make them beneficial to athletes of all ages and ability levels. If you’re an athlete who uses their upper body at all, you simply must own this DVD. If you’re a swimmer, a pitcher, a quarterback, or any other athlete who relies heavily on their upper body, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it. Definitely a must have in my view!" Mike Mejia M.S. CSCS Exercise Advisor to Men’s Health magazine and co-author of Scrawny to Brawny: The ultimate guide to building muscle the natural way.
“Many times old information is rehashed and stuffed into a new format, but this is something more, something new – new movements that could really make a difference to people. All of us need to incorporate this type of warm-up into our training. This information will correct problems you may already have in your shoulders and upper back, or it will keep you from creating any. This is essential information!”
Lisa Holladay
Personal Trainer
Curtis Turner, SCCC, SSC Assistant Speed, Strength, and Conditioning Coach Vanderbilt University
Here’s what Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up will do for you:
To be a great trainer takes a lot more than simply knowing how to design work outs. Preparing them for the workout is every bit as important as the workout itself! If you want to keep your clients long term, avoid orthopedic injuries, and maximize their performance in the gym, this DVD is exactly what you need. In fact, the moment I got this DVD I watched it and followed along all the exercises and could immediately feel the difference, and could see how much it was going to benefit me and my clients.
Hartman and Robertson are wellsprings of the best training information I have ever come across each in their own right, but the fact that they are collaborating now means you absolutely don’t want to miss this. The fitness gods are smiling!
Jean-Paul Francoeur
www.JPFitness.com
Take Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up to the gym with you!
We understand that some people want and need a hard copy to take with them to the gym. So, we’ve developed that and more! We’ve created the perfect complement to the DVD with our Inside-Out: Ultimate Guide to Upper Body Performance Manual. Whether you choose our print or e-manual, you’ll get all of the Inside-Out Exercises in photo and text form so you can take the exercises to the gym with you. Each section provides a reference to all the exercises, allowing you to mix and match your own personalized Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up to your specific needs for that day. The combinations are countless. You’ll also be able to take advantage of a number of FREE bonuses that we’ll explain later.
When you're talking about efficient and effective warm-up exercises, the "Inside out: The Ulitmate upper body warm-up" manual is about as good as it gets. Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson are two of the sharpest minds in strength and conditioning today and this manual is just a small sample of what they have to offer. I highly recommend this manual to anyone working with athletes, general population clients, or for people like myself who are active and always looking for exercises to help keep them going strong.
Robert Dos Remedios
Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
College of the Canyons
NSCA Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year 2006
Hartman and Robertson have given the fitness profession a new guide on how to warm up and increase flexibility. The "Inside out: The Ultimate upper body warm-up” is a must have for any coach, athlete, trainer. I have implemented what they have in their manual after just one day of reading, because it is so simple and thorough. Anyone who is active or trains should not pass this up as a way to improve their own flexibility or improve their clients
Matt Durant
Strength & Conditioning Coach
University of La Verne
Meet the Coaches
Mike Robertson, MS, CSCS., USAW, has helped clients from all walks of life exceed their greatest expectations. Mike specializes in the areas of performance enhancement, physique transformation, and injury prevention and rehabilitation. Mike received his Masters in Sports Biomechanics from Ball State University, where he was a strength and conditioning coach and researcher in the areas of strength and power development in athletes.
Robertson is also an accomplished powerlifter, having competed at the National Level and coached at the World Level. Mike resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he is the President of Robertson Training Systems (www.RobertsonTrainingSystems.com) and Director of Custom Athletics (www.CFitLLC.com).
Bill Hartman, PT, CSCS, USAW has 17 years of experience in the rehabilitation and sports/fitness training fields. Bill specializes in injury rehabilitation, corrective exercise programming, and performance enhancement. He currently works clients at all levels from professionals to young athletes in a variety of sports. Bill also sits on the Board of Directors for the International Youth Conditioning Association.
Bill also has personal experience as an athlete in football and track & field at the collegiate level as well as a background in bodybuilding and martial arts. Bill manages two physical therapy clinics in Indianapolis, IN and owns PR Performance Sport & Fitness Training in Westfield, IN (www.PRPerformance.com, www.billhartman.net )
We’re certain that this is the program that will take your upper body training to the next level.
As an incentive to order today, In addition to the Inside-Out: The Upper Body Warm-up DVD and manual, we’re throwing in these 4 big bonuses for FREE!!
Bonus #1: The Rufus Complex
Want a great total-body warm-up? This is it!
Developed for Olympic lifters, this warm-up uses Olympic lifting complexes to get you ready for training in a quick and easy fashion. If you regularly perform power cleans, power snatches, or simply want a quick and nasty way to prepare your whole body for a killer training session and to raise your work capacity, The Rufus Complex is the perfect choice.
Bonus #2: How to Prevent Posture-Related Strain and Injury and Daily Corrective Exercises Special Report (included with the Manual)
You’re only in the gym for about an hour a day. The rest of the day, you’re battling against those unwanted postural stresses and adaptations that can reduce you performance in the gym. If you spend any time sitting at desk or “stuck” in any one posture for any length of time, this special report gives you postural strategies and corrective exercises that you can perform throughout the day to reduce pain from postural strain and make your Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up even more productive.
Bonus #3: Personal Record Bench Press Technique Special Report (included with the Manual)
Let’s face it; the bench press is the king of the upper body exercises. Right or wrong, everyone wants to bench press more weight. What’s the best technique to use? What is the most efficient and effective set-up? What is the optimal grip? How can I prevent injuries from bench pressing? Mike Robertson takes his years of experience in working with top powerlifters and answers those questions and more.
Bonus #4: The Inside-Out Glossary (included with the Manual)
We’re scientists, but we understand that not everyone out there has a Ph.D. in biomechanics. Therefore, we’ve given you a glossary to help you understand the concepts and terminology within the I/O DVD and manual. Now you’ll not only be able to walk-the-walk, but talk-the-talk as well!
I found the” Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm Up” very easy to follow. My business’s main focus is keeping people safe, setting good postural habits and decreasing the chance of injury before even thinking about strength work. I will be using a large number of these movements in my Postural and Foundation programs and also my Rotational and Torso programs will now have a new look to them also. I can also now set clients home exercises to follow knowing they are in no danger of hurting themselves and will have no confusion about how to complete them due to their simplicity and in so doing achieving results faster.
David Virgo
www.cricketfitness.net
Finally, all this comes with our 100% unconditional 8-week money back guarantee. Commit to adding Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up to your training program today, and if you don’t notice a gain range of motion, improvements in your mobility, or train with less pain, simply return the DVD and we’ll send you your money back. No questions asked!
You’re one click away from the best upper body training of your career.
Here’s to your personal record,
Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson
Save and Order the DVD and Print Manual
Save and Order the DVD and E-Manual
P.S. This could be the difference between setting a personal record or lost training time due to a back, shoulder, or elbow injury. Remember what we said at the beginning of this letter…Proper preparation prevents piss-poor performance.
Order the DVD
Order the Print Manual
Order the E-Manual
P.P.S. If you’re not following the Inside-Out: Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up Concepts in your training program, you need to start now. It’s the key to maximal performance and preventing what could become a career ending injury. Order Now!
