EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the athlete journal of James Kearns. James is an active Brazilian jiu jitsu competitor and also trains and competes in Olympic weightlifting.Follow his journals here every ... Continue Reading
Chakras Demystified: Sahasrara – The 7th Chakra
After hearing about chakras (pronounce the “ch” as you do in chance) for my entire professional Forrest Yoga study, I’ve come to realize this topic is often misunderstood. In an attempt to provide ... Continue Reading
Featured Photographer: Nat Arem of Hookgrip – Olympic Weightlifting
Art can be so much more meaningful when you know a little bit more about the person behind it - the eye behind the lens. That's why we periodically profile sports/action photographers and their work. Read ... Continue Reading
CrossFit, You’re No Branch Rickey
In 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson to a baseball contract with that team, thus effectively breaking baseball’s color barrier. In 1947, Brooklyn ... Continue Reading
Integrated Strength: The Right Tool at the Right Time for the Right Person
Back in the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I started as a trainer, things were different. The fitness industry of today has grown largely by encouraging people to think of themselves as part of a ... Continue Reading
Time to Change How You Recover Between Sets
When it comes to exercise recovery, most of the glory goes to post-workout recovery. However, recovery in between bouts of exercise within a given workout can make or break a performance. For example, if a ... Continue Reading
Training in Paradise: Take a Fitness Vacation to Thailand
Imagine returning home from vacation with six-pack abs and a new squat personal record to go along with your camera full of exotic photos. The growing industry of “fitness vacations” makes it easier than ... Continue Reading
The Importance of Gym Cleanliness: A Microbiology Approach
Gym owners, if someone walks into your establishment and sees a dirty gym, more than likely you will lose clients. I know the appeal of many CrossFit gyms is that they are in warehouses, thus the naming of ... Continue Reading
Getting the Most Out of Assistive Gear: A Motor Patterning Perspective
Assistance is cheating. There. I said it. I’m going to say it again just in case that statement didn’t get through: assistance is cheating. It doesn’t matter whether you’re using knee wraps or a weight ... Continue Reading
Power Production in the Push Press and Squat Jump
Power is the ability to apply strength quickly, and it’s a hot term in the strength and conditioning community. Everybody wants power. Strength is important, but if you can’t apply strength quickly then ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Terry Hadlow, Entry 20 – 3/9/2014
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the athlete journal of Terry Hadlow. Terry got started in Olympic weightlifting in 1970 and is the only Canadian to have competed in senior nationals in five different decades - ... Continue Reading
Learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Online: The Dark Side of Technology
Have you ever rolled with a beginner student who tries to hit an advanced sweep on you, while cannot perform a basic guard pass? With the amount of information available to Brazilian jiu jitsu ... Continue Reading
What Kind of Deadlift Is the Right Kind of Deadlift?
Deadlifting has enjoyed a strong resurgence in the last fifteen years. Well deserved, too, as this exercise has so many great components and benefits. However, it wasn’t always this way. I remember ... Continue Reading
The 2014 Top 10 Fitness Blog Contest Winners Announced!
Wondering what the best fitness blogs on the web are? Well, guess what - you helped us figure it out! You nominated twenty blogs. Our judges looked them over and scored them. And now, the Top 10 Fitness ... Continue Reading
New Study Suggests Subjective Factors Impact Performance
When you design an exercise program, determining the ideal intensity is one of the primary considerations. Many coaches tend to make these recommendations based on what works best for developing strength ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Brandon Hofer, Entry 3 – 3/9/2014
Welcome to the athlete journal of Brandon Hofer. Brandon is a personal trainer, yoga practitioner, and kettlebell enthusiast. Currently he is preparing for the StrongFirst Level 2 Instructor Certification, ... Continue Reading
Sunday Seven: The Week’s 7 Most Popular Articles, Vol. 100
Every Sunday we post the "Sunday Seven" so you can quickly see the seven most popular articles of the week. This week's most popular posts cover the 10 x 3 protocol, the best exercises for muay Thai, the ... Continue Reading
Muay Thai Workout: How to Train the Roundhouse Kick
As I have stated many times in the past, the roundhouse kick is one of the most powerful techniques in the muay Thai arsenal. It also happens to be one of the signature movements of the martial art. So, if ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Jess Papi, Entry 23 – 3/8/2014
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the athlete journal of Jess Papi. Jess is a blue belt at Scranton MMA and also pursuing her degree in exercise science. Read her entries every week for insights on competing, ... Continue Reading
Training Activities for Athletes: The Logical Steps to Determine Their Value, Part 1
A multitude of training methods and tools have evolved and now exist in the strength, conditioning, and fitness industry. The inevitable result of an increasing number of fitness professionals, the ... Continue Reading
10 Articles to Improve the Performance of Your Hamstrings
Improving the strength and function of your hamstring muscles can go a long way. For athletes of many sports, from the strength sports through to cycling and running, the hamstrings tend to be a ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Charles Staley, Entry 80 – How Close Are You to Perfect?
EDITOR'S NOTE: Ever wonder how a world-class coach actually trains? Wonder what it's like to train as a "mature athlete?" Welcome to the athlete journal of Charles Staley. A big believer in practicing what ... Continue Reading
9 Military Strategies to Improve Your Gym and Reduce the Chaos
Where most people walk into a gym and see what looks to be an organized business firing on all cylinders, I often see complete disorder and chaos. Due to my occupation of consulting for gyms and working in ... Continue Reading
Training to Increase Your VO2 Max
When I was a kid and was forced to run in my school competitions it would always amaze me at how fast some of the kids would run. It wasn’t like I didn’t try or train, but somehow there were just these ... Continue Reading
