Welcome to our weekend roundup, Three of the Best! Every Saturday, we’ll post up Breaking Muscle’s top three articles of the week. These pieces have caught your attention throughout the last seven days. So here they are in one place for you to consume, digest, and enjoy.
[Photo courtesy of Maryann Berry]
#1 – Master the Hollow Body Hold to Move Like a Gymnast
When the Olympic Games begin in Rio we will marvel at world-class athletes showcasing their skills as they compete for kin and country, medals and glory. The last few weeks brought the U.S. Olympic trials in gymnastics, where we got a taste of the strength, power, grace, and athleticism by our men’s and women’s gymnastics teams that we’ll see in Rio.
As with every Olympic year, interest in gymnastics and gymnastics-based fitness will peak. Gymnastics skills and strength are sexy, but do not rush straight for the rings or the bars. High-level gymnastics strength begins with a strong and stable core. If you want to move like a gymnast, you must have a strong hollow body position.
#2 – You Can Squat…Now What?
Owning the flat-footed squat is kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure-book. From mobility and strength to coordination, the squat sets you up to develop a broad base of athleticism. Now that we’ve established how to go about finding comfort in the flat-footed squat, I want to share a few ways to continue your progress. Think of your squat as home base. You can explore quite a bit from there. How far you take it is entirely up to you.
#3 – Transform Your Mindset to Transform Your Body
This article is for those who have been told that you need to stop running because running is bad for your knees, and for those of you that have been told that you need to take it easy because your favorite sport is too “high impact”, and for those of you who have been told that your hip pain is due to old age. Consider for a moment that maybe your ailments are not due to wear and tear, or old age. Use the mindset check assignment at the end of this article to begin to explore new ways of thinking that empower healing and freedom within your body.
We all have the same innate abilities within ourselves to heal, and the mind is the most powerful vehicle for facilitating this process of healing within ourselves.
Did You See These?
Advice for Lifelong Training: “Gray Hair and Black Iron”
Why You Aren’t Getting Better at Kettlebell Sport
Combine Sprints and Weight Training for Accelerated Gains
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