Back in the day, the only easily available form of information on training for the general population was bodybuilding magazines. There was a massive chasm between sport training and what went on in most ... Continue Reading
What Male Athletes Need to Know About Testosterone
This is the start of a series that will address a number of issues that men deal with and the hormones that affect their daily life. Today, we examine a few studies that may pique your interest in how ... Continue Reading
C-Section or Vaginal Birth? Considerations for a Strong, Informed Birth Experience
Pregnancy and birth can be an overwhelming shift in perspective, particularly for active women who are used to feeling in control of their bodies. Although the “best” way to give birth is a topic of hot ... Continue Reading
A Beginner’s Guide to Running Gear
Running is one of those sports that when people mention they want to give it a try, they are often told they don’t need anything except a pair of running shoes and appropriate clothing. This is true for ... Continue Reading
Open Your Mind and Say Yes to Your Coach
Have you ever been on the giving or the receiving end of this type of exchange? Be honest, especially if you are a giver: Athlete: Coach, I want to improve my performance in <insert chosen athletic ... Continue Reading
Are You Addicted to Exercise? The Tell-Tale Signs
We’ve all heard the saying, “Too much of a good thing.” Its origin is attributed to Shakespeare’s As You Like It and is oft quoted when it comes to examples of gluttony, excess, and the spoils of riches. ... Continue Reading
Hormonal Response to Kettlebell Swings: A Scientific Analysis
The kettlebell swing is an exercise often used in high reps to get the heart rate going and to burn calories. And for anyone who has ever done a swing, you’ll know it’s also an intense posterior chain ... Continue Reading
Quality Time in the Weight Room (Athlete Journal 29)
I am starting work for the PanAmerican Championships in Toronto in June, so I am rearranging my workouts a little so I can spend some quality time in the weight room alone. That way I don’t have to focus ... Continue Reading
How You Can Use Comparison, Instead of Letting It Abuse You
After reading a Facebook status you berate yourself because your friend’s twenty-month-old potty trained herself, while you sent extra clothes to school with your child until he was six, just in case. And ... Continue Reading
2 Drills to Injury Proof Your Ankles
I’ve sprained and rolled my ankles a number of times in my life playing sports and in other activities. It’s never fun to get hurt. But the truth is your ankles can become a lot more indestructible than ... Continue Reading
Body Composition or Skill: Which Is More Important for Jumping?
For athletes, asking how high you can jump may well be the equivalent of, “How much do you bench?” Research on predictive qualities of jumping performance has been mixed, however, until a recent Journal of ... Continue Reading
Introducing the Special Forces Workouts (and a Must-Read FAQ)
The Special Forces workouts start today! This program is designed by Special Forces operator Wes Kennedy. If you are a candidate preparing for the military or a Special Forces selection, this nine-month ... Continue Reading
It’s Time to Face the Hard Reality of Fitness
Editor's Picks of the Week Reaching your goals isn't easy - whether you're an athlete, a gym owner, or the parent of an aspiring athlete. I mean, really, it's not easy, and sometimes facing the ... Continue Reading
7 Insane Leg Workouts That May Make You Take Up Basket Weaving
No offense to you dedicated basket weavers out there, but I am a big leg and lower body advocate. I've written about it before, and I've always stood by the maxim: to get from point A to point B, it's your ... Continue Reading
School’s Out For Summer (Athlete Journal 34)
I’m done! I’m finally done! I feel so wonderful now that I don’t have the burden of school on my shoulders. Granted, I probably failed a class or two, but at least this semester is over and I can focus on ... Continue Reading
MMA Workout: To Develop Movement, Strength, and Power
As a coach I’m always looking for angles to help my students get a leg up on their competition. And when talking about the sport of MMA, I mean that phrase “a leg up” in the literal sense. After all, ... Continue Reading
Grinding Out Heavy Sets (Athlete Journal 91)
For quite some time now, I’ve felt the need to push myself more in terms of grinding out repeated heavy doubles and triples in my training. My typical pattern is to work up to one heavy set of one to three ... Continue Reading
Look After Your Back: Preventative Measures for Firefighters
Back pain is one of the most common forms of injuries, so it should not come as a shock that it is common among firefighters, too. The physical demands, coupled with previous injuries, and unhealthy habits ... Continue Reading
5 Steve Jobs Quotations and How to Apply Them to Your Training
"You have to be burning with 'an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right.' If you're not passionate enough from the start, you'll never stick it out.” You must love what you do to be ... Continue Reading
The Hard Road Is Worth It (Athlete Journal 19)
"Difficult roads often lead to the most beautiful destinations." - Unknown The older I get and the longer I train, the more I realize that the most incredible experiences of my career have been ... Continue Reading
Inner Silence: 8-Week Meditation Challenge #4
Antar mouna meditation - meaning inner silence - is one of the most popular and approachable meditation techniques. You can do this meditation any time you have five minutes to yourself. One of my students ... Continue Reading
Doping: A Growing Problem for Youth Athletes?
Coupled with good nutrition and good health habits, many youth commit to the accepted sports practice of training hard and playing hard. Yet, in order to reach the demands of new competitive levels and ... Continue Reading
The Problem of Power, Money, and Integrity in Weightlifting
Since I last wrote in this space a week ago, I have been to yet another high-profile competition. Last week it was the youth Pan Americans in Lima, Peru. This week it was the Canadian senior championships ... Continue Reading
Power Production and Endurance Put to the Test
The ability to exert power repeatedly is important for most sports. In a recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, investigators examined exactly what happens to power output when ... Continue Reading
