ACL rehab is a subject near and dear to my heart. Roughly 50% of the high school athletes I work with are returning from an ACL injury. I see a fair amount of rotator cuff and labrum tears, as well as some ... Continue Reading
Cyclist’s Syndrome: What You Don’t Know Might Hurt You
There are many men involved in the sports of cycling and triathlon, but many do not realize that improper bike fits can cause a serious condition known as cyclist’s syndrome. Women can also get this ... Continue Reading
Good Vibrations (Athlete Journal 30)
After a solid week in the gym, I’m looking forward to next week. My arms are looking up, so there is a positive vibe in my training. Saturday Today was power cleans, cleans, three front squats, and ... Continue Reading
Could Head Trauma Bring an End to Football?
Like many Americans these days, my favorite sport to watch is football. The warriors of the gridiron only seem to get bigger, faster, and stronger, and the game more athletic and exciting as a result. ... Continue Reading
How Long Do You Want to Do BJJ? Training for Longevity
Why do you train Brazilian jiu jitsu? This should be the first question you ask yourself before deciding on a training program. The way you approach training and the type of strength and conditioning ... Continue Reading
Why the CrossFit Hopper Model Is Broken
Over the past few years CrossFit’s popularity has skyrocketed, and today there are new gyms opening up on every corner. Unfortunately, the fate of the untrained athlete entering these programs is not good, ... Continue Reading
Raising and Coaching Healthy Kids: Meet Our Kids’ Fitness Team!
The next generation of fitness starts now, and parents, coaches, and caregivers have the privelige to pass on their knowledge. Our team of kids' coaches understands the importance of helping kids pursue ... Continue Reading
Your Mental State vs. Your Success
Editor's Picks of the Week Exercise is a healthy thing. But sometimes our approach to exercise is not. Our mental state when we walk into the gym, dojo, or studio can do more damage than junk food ever ... Continue Reading
Jiu Jitsu Is Awesome (Athlete Journal 35)
Jiu jitsu is awesome. It’s the one thing I feel completely comfortable doing. I don’t have to worry about being judged or criticized. I don’t get nervous or anxious while I’m doing it. I just do it. It ... Continue Reading
Why You Can’t Compare Resistance and Repetition Efforts
You can barbell squat 400lbs for a one-repetition maximum (1RM). How does this ability equate to your 1RM deadlift or a 10RM leg press? You can bench press 115lbs for eight perfect repetitions. Now ... Continue Reading
Grip Strength for Lifters, Climbers, and Fighters
Grip strength is crucial to almost all athletes, and especially to strength training. If the hands cannot grip a heavy object, the body thinks it cannot lift the heavy object. And if the body cannot lift ... Continue Reading
It’s the Effort That Counts (Athlete Journal 92)
Recently, my training partner Bret Contreras published a fascinating interview with Canadian researcher Stu Phillips. One of the key take-aways was the relatively recent revelation that, for hypertrophy at ... Continue Reading
The Best Exercises for Firefighters
I get asked all the time what's the best exercise. Well, the best exercises for firefighters are not the ones that will have you looking good on the beach. They are the ones that could potentially keep you ... Continue Reading
What Makes a Great Weightlifting Gym?
When we first began planning the new Takano Athletics gym, we did so entirely with the intention of putting together the best weightlifting facility that we possibly could. Of course, equipment was a ... Continue Reading
5 Bodybuilding Practices That Can Help Anyone Build Muscle
People who want to build muscle often turn to the wisdom of bodybuilding. The problem is, professional bodybuilders sometimes consume drugs to attain their physiques, so their advice may not be relevant to ... Continue Reading
You’re Not Ronnie Coleman – Don’t Be Afraid to Tweak
Every athlete, and especially every coach, needs to critically evaluate their training in relation to their own goals and their own bodies. If a particular exercise is ineffective or, even worse, injurious ... Continue Reading
Vipassana: 8-Week Meditation Challenge #5
The first time I tried vipassana meditation I thought, "Oh goodness, this can't be it!" I had signed up for a ten-day retreat, held in silence, with seven to eight hours of meditation each day. I should ... Continue Reading
A Brief History of Humor in Weightlifting
Weightlifting is not a sport that owes a lot to humor. While many weightlifters are inveterate joke tellers, the jokes usually are derived from other activities and not from their sport. Maybe there just ... Continue Reading
Lessons From a Modern Strongman: Dave “Iron Tamer” Whitley
Some people break world records in strength (e.g., Andy Bolton), while others show amazing virtuosity in their movements (e.g., Dusty Hyland). Dave “Iron Tamer” Whitley falls someplace in between as he ... Continue Reading
Tennis Elbow: What Is It, Do You Have It, and How Do You Treat It?
Tennis elbow - or lateral epicondylitis - is a common injury in many of the athletes who present with elbow pain. As an orthopedic surgeon, I have been treating this problem with greater frequency, ... Continue Reading
Another Staph Infection Bites the Dust (Athlete Journal 21)
This entire training week was almost completely derailed after I noticed some staph on my forehead on Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, I caught it early and got on some antibiotics that same day and the ... Continue Reading
Real Yogis Use Props (And You Should, Too)
To be honest I don't even like using the term "real yogi." Who am I to determine who and what a real yogi is. I'm using it as a counter to the all-too-prevalent idea that a so-called real yogi doesn't need ... Continue Reading
7 Things I’ve Learned About BJJ From Joe Rogan
I’m a tax auditor and I’m on the road a lot for work. Most of the time when I visit companies, they put me in a little room by myself. It can get pretty lonely with no one to talk to. During one of my ... Continue Reading
Is CrossFit’s Definition of Fitness Flawed?
I think I may have found a flaw in CrossFit’s definition of fitness. Maybe this article will be overstating the obvious, or maybe it will be so blasphemous as to get me shivved. If someone comes up to me ... Continue Reading
