It’s easy for people to lose sight of why they’re doing any particular exercise. This is compounded when people go down the functional training route. All of a sudden something that started as a good idea ... Continue Reading
It’s All Connected: How Strength Levels Affect Work Capacity and Body Composition
Every now and then, you come across research that gets back to the basics. A recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research did just that. In the study, participants were divided into ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Chris Duffin, Entry 88 – 5×5 Bench at 425lbs
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the Athlete Journal of world champion powerlifter Chris Duffin. Follow Chris as he trains and competes in various events over the coming year. Chris's journal will be posted every ... Continue Reading
When Paleo Doesn’t Work: 3 Ways to Eat Well and Maintain Your Sanity During Pregnancy
A few years ago I wrote an article about how wonderful the paleo diet is for pregnancy. While I had experienced pregnancy, up to that point I had never actually experienced a paleo pregnancy. After writing ... Continue Reading
Psychology of Asana 101: Part 1 – Cueing with Courage
Somewhere along the way as a yoga practitioner I began to notice my body craving certain yoga poses as a way to express or affect my mental state. For example, a moment of new insight finds me wanting to ... Continue Reading
How to Unlock Your Athletic Potential Through Good Posture
Look, I get it. Posture isn’t sexy. It’s not as impressive as adding pounds to your snatch or as exciting as getting your first muscle up. That being said, the reality is that with poor postural alignment ... Continue Reading
Fit Kids Are Happier and Healthier
Many parents encourage their children to participate in athletics for a host of reasons, including improved health, better teamwork, and socialization. However, parents and coaches may not be fully aware ... Continue Reading
Why You Shouldn’t Work Out When You’re Sick
A couple of weeks ago, I started coming down with a nasty bug. As Friday rolled around, I still felt not so hot and talked with my coworker about what to do regarding my upcoming weekend plans of ... Continue Reading
What Every Good BJJ Strength and Conditioning Program Should Look Like
The term strength and conditioning gets thrown around a lot by coaches and athletes. But what does strength and conditioning mean and what is its purpose? To me, a strength and conditioning program must ... Continue Reading
11 Tools for Powering Up Your Press
Yesterday, I acquired two shiny new 22kg kettlebells. Today, to celebrate, I one-arm pressed one of them. Apparently, that’s pretty good for a 103lb chick, and I suddenly found myself getting messages as ... Continue Reading
Spine Stabilization: How Your Core Should Be Working
One of the more common complaints you hear from female athletes revolves around having a bit of difficulty holding their "water" during exercise (especially during impact activities like double unders). ... Continue Reading
See It Happen to Make It Happen: How Visualization Makes Athletes More Successful
Do you ever try to psych up before a lift or exercise? Does it actually improve your performance? Several studies have shown that mental techniques can improve performance under the right circumstances. ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Brandon Hofer, Entry 1 – 2/9/2014
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. 96
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 CrossFit programming, kettlebell swings for fat loss, fixing ... Continue Reading
The Purpose of Sparring and When (and When Not) to Spar Hard
Sparring is the heart and soul of practicing muay Thai. It is the one thing that absolutely needs to be done in order for a fighter to improve. You can skip rope, drill for hours, or work the pads, but if ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Jess Papi, Entry 19 – 2/8/2014
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
Athlete Journal: Charles Staley, Entry 76 – High Volume Phase
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
Should Kids “Participate” or “Compete” in Sports?
Depending on how old you are you may recall a time when scores were kept at junior sporting events and medals were handed out for first, second, and third places. You may also remember a time where you ... Continue Reading
The Rules of Strength Training (Part 1): 25 Things I Have Learned
I love learning. I think it’s part of the reason I love lifting - the fact that it is a lifetime journey of learning and strength. I love learning from my own experiences, and sharing with others. I also ... Continue Reading
Drug Use in Sports: Can We Ignore It Any Longer?
Drugs exist in sport. Of that there is no doubt. But still, quite a few hold onto the belief that their sport, their favorite activity, is untarnished. What follows will shock many who are new to ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Alli Moyer, Entry 12 – 2/6/2014
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the athlete journal of Allison Moyer. Allison is a nationally ranked NPC Figure Athlete, nationally and internationally published fitness model, an avid CrossFit athlete, BSN, ... Continue Reading
The 5 Benefits of Massage Therapy for the Serious Weightlifter
Last week I discussed general recovery techniques for the hard training weightlifter. This week I will more fully investigate one of the more effective interventions that can help with the recovery ... Continue Reading
How to Breathe for Efficiency, Longevity, and Stress Relief
How has your breathing been today? If you don't know, then it is likely the quality of your breath has been poor. Few of us have developed good breathing habits, and most of us will never know unless we ... Continue Reading
The Advantages of Knee Sleeves: What They Are and When to Wear Them
Knee injuries are a major problem in sports and sports medicine around the world. All too often we see blown ACLs, PCLs, MCLs, or torn cartilage in a variety of athletes. The use of prophylactic ... Continue Reading
