The other night I was talking to a new jiu jitsu colleague, someone I had met recently as a result of visiting his academy and being warmly welcomed there. After a fun few rounds, we sat and chatted, as ... Continue Reading
You’re Not Actually Strong Enough to Bench
The bench press is a staple in the weight room for bodybuilders, athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and powerlifters alike. If you’re reading this, I’m sure you’ve included the bench press into your own ... Continue Reading
Anaerobic Capacity Essential for High-Level Boxers
Understanding the needs of combat athletes can be a difficult task. A recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research tested the acid-base balance, an important aspect of fatigue, for the ... Continue Reading
Why I Always Hit a Daily Training Max (Athlete Journal 6)
The deload week has finally passed. My mind and body got a chance to relax, and I entered the gym as a Hungry, Hungry Hippo. You can only be patient for so long. ... Continue Reading
A Bodyweight Exercise to Prevent Back Pain and Shoulder Pain
In my previous article I covered the wrestler’s bridge and front bridging, but that’s only one side of the bridging game. There is also the gymnast bridge, also known as a hand bridge. The Gymnast ... Continue Reading
9 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Started Running
I started running longer distances about fifteen years ago. Before that I would run a mile or two to keep in shape for soccer and then call it quits. What got me started running distance? My ego. The ... Continue Reading
The 5 Key Mindset Qualities of Successful Athletes
In parts one and two of this series, I detailed two powerful practical mental tools to help get your mind in the right place: motivational themes and not fearing the negative. In this final part, we are ... Continue Reading
4 Weeks to Bigger Lifts with Olympian Chad Vaughn
Click Here to Start Coach Vaughn's Free 4-Week Program More often than not when working with new athletes, I hear them talk about speed. They talk about wanting to be faster in their lifts, faster in ... Continue Reading
Using Intensity to Increase Strength, Power, and Endurance
Training intensity. Should it be defined relative to the level of physical effort expended or the numbers in the antiquated system of the one-repetition maximum (1RM)? Let’s begin with ... Continue Reading
Beyond the FMS: How to Design Powerful Corrective Exercises
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS). As healthcare and/or fitness professionals and enthusiasts, we know the routine. We perform our seven movement pattern assessments. We score each movement pattern. We ... Continue Reading
The Power of the Purple (Athlete Journal 56)
I was a little sluggish this week, but when I sucked it up and actually rolled, I felt invincible. I'm not sure what was wrong with me this week. I just felt tired and not like myself. I'm positive I got ... Continue Reading
How to Use the Front Squat to Improve Strength and Performance
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. The front squat is hands-down my favorite exercise. Whenever I say this, it tends to start a front squat versus back squat debate. Which is crazy, as it’s not an ... Continue Reading
Get Back to Basics With Over a Year of Free Gymnastics Workouts
In modern times, gymnasts wear sparkly spandex, but it hasn't always been that way. At its root, the word gymnastics is derived from the ancient Greek word gymnos, which means "naked." Although the ... Continue Reading
The Critical Importance of the Off-Season for Your Recovery
If you’re reading this then I have bad news for you. You’re just like me. You may not walk, talk, or dress like me, but if you’re reading this, then there’s a fair chance you’re every bit as obsessed with ... Continue Reading
Use Eccentric Training to Improve Max Lifts, Says New Study
Many lifters acknowledge that eccentric muscle actions may have a greater potential to elicit gains in strength and size. In a recent Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research study, researchers ... Continue Reading
A 5-Step Approach to Training During Adolescent Growth Spurts
We have all seen the awkwardness that accompanies a period of growth for youth athletes. Some of us have even experienced it. The fastest runner on the team begins tripping over his or her feet. The once ... Continue Reading
The Benefits of Weightlifting Meets for Specific Skill Levels
With the popularity of CrossFit and its use of Olympic lifting in its routines, we are also seeing a rise in people interested in entering an official weightlifting event. In addition to CrossFit, many ... Continue Reading
Cyclists: Science Shares How to Optimize Your Training
This week I came across an interesting review paper published back in 2005 in Sports Medicine. It’s a review and summary of many other research papers on the sport of cycling. While I love just going out ... Continue Reading
A Bittersweet End to My Training Cycle (Athlete Journal 41)
The time has gone by pretty fast, and I have now finished my last full week of training before the IBJJF New York Pro and Masters Worlds. I guess the best word to describe the experience of preparing for ... Continue Reading
What Is Yoga, Really? An Interview With Arvind Chittumalla
Will the real yoga please stand up? This is a question many are asking today as yoga continues to expand as a commercial venture in the United States. According to statistics, $10.3 billion was spent on ... Continue Reading
10 Signs You’re Getting Serious About Jiu Jitsu
Exercising can be like dating. You know you’d like to get involved in something, but you’re not sure what. Your friends introduce you to various sports and some of them are okay, but nothing hits ... Continue Reading
Love CrossFit? 5 Tips to Avoid CrossFit Burnout
Is it possible to be sick of CrossFit? Them’s fightin’ words, to be sure, but think about it. CrossFit is so engaging and addicting that we often go at it so hard and fast right from the start that memes ... Continue Reading
Greasing the Groove: A More Effective Way to Prepare for Push Up Tests
If you’re an aspiring law enforcement officer or have your eyes on the military, then you’re no doubt starting to wonder about how to pass those tests. While many will argue that push ups have little ... Continue Reading
Periodization Increases Strength, Regardless of the Method Used
What's the best periodization method for increasing strength? There are a lot of ways to answer that question. A recent a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research provided some food for ... Continue Reading
