This hip-opener flow is absolutely one of my favorite sequences. It releases tension in the hip flexors, outer hips, and glutes, and is great for everyBODY. People who sit a lot or have been in a long car ... Continue Reading
What Strongman Training Can Teach Weightlifters and Workers
With all the talk in recent years about functional training (some of it controversial), I have decided we need to look at this concept as it may affect us outside the gym. Many student-lifters have summer ... Continue Reading
Are Handstands Good For You? A Yoga Teacher’s Perspective
"My goal is to do a handstand." As a yoga teacher, I hear that comment at least once a week, and I try my best to reply with a smile and helpful tips. I understand the appeal. I also crave the freedom that ... Continue Reading
What’s Preventing You From Doing Pistol Squats? How to Progress Pistols
The pistol, or single-leg squat, is a unique exercise that combines strength, flexibility, and grace in a manner unlike many other movements. There are several pieces to the pistol puzzle, and proper ... Continue Reading
15 Things You’re Probably Not Doing Enough Of
Through my time so far as both a strength athlete and strength coach, I’ve discovered there are some very effective aspects of training that, for whatever reason, have not hit most people’s radars ... Continue Reading
You Can’t Out-Train a Bad Diet, But Exercise Sure Does Help
There’s an adage in fitness circles that no amount of exercise can overcome a bad diet. This saying is usually in reference to weight loss, but is generally a good rule to live by anyway. Good eating is a ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: James Kearns, Entry 1 – 1/8/2014
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
Interview with Emily Kwok: On Babies and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
"Luck? I don't know anything about luck. I've never banked on it and I'm afraid of people who do. Luck to me is something else: Hard work - and realizing what is opportunity and what isn't." - Lucille ... Continue Reading
The Life-Cycle of a CrossFitter, Part 2 – Moving Into Real Fitness
The first installment in this series discussed the early life cycle of the CrossFitter: first, the honeymoon phase, where CrossFit is magic; then, the plateau, where your gains begin to level off. If you ... Continue Reading
Training Worthy of a Lifetime
It’s natural at this time of year to resolve to significantly change aspects of your life. Given that many people essentially give away their health and fitness in the first half of their life, it’s also ... Continue Reading
Rehydration After Weight Cutting: Water Doesn’t Cut It
In weight-classed sports, athletes need to be approximately the same size as their opponents. The idea is to create a situation in which skill and athleticism are the determining factors for victory, not ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Chris Duffin, Entry 83 – Ringing in the New Year with 800lb Squats
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
Working with Special Populations Part 3: Diabetes Mellitus
As coaches, we will likely have someone with diabetes come through our doors at any given gym. There are different types of diabetes, but we will specifically speak about type 1 diabetes mellitus and type ... Continue Reading
10 Videos on Mobility, Therapy, and Performing Movements Properly by Dave Ayres
By his own admission, CrossFit coach Dave Ayres was not born with natural athletic ability. Everything he has achieved has come from hard grinding work. His love of physical training has led him to ... Continue Reading
Strength in the Face of Injury: 5 Lessons Learned
Almost two years ago I started having chronic headaches as well as neck and shoulder pain. Unsure why, I sought the help of a physical therapist who was able to diagnose my problem, and in fact, there were ... Continue Reading
This Year, Exercise Less
You may have just finished making a mental list of New Year’s resolutions that include something like, “get more exercise.” Hold onto your hats. This is the year I challenge you to exercise less. I know ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Terry Hadlow, Entry 11 – 1/6/2014
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
Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover: Instrinsic Motivation vs. External Goals
We’re all familiar with the old adage, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” In this age of media bombardment, this proves to be no easy task. We all receive countless images a day that tell us that to be ... Continue Reading
It’s Time to Make a Different Kind of Resolution
It’s that time of year again. When we promise ourselves we will be better. We will shed our old habits that have made us “gross,” that have made us “pudgy” or “soft.” We will exercise religiously. We will ... Continue Reading
The Importance of Respecting the CrossFit Process
Today you can find two types of CrossFit. One is that awesome exercise routine we all fell in love with that consists of functional movements done at high intensity for the betterment of our health. The ... Continue Reading
3 Drills for Building Wrist Flexibility
If you’re going to do handstands or many other gymnastic moves, then your hands and wrists can take a beating. Think about it: if you’re on your hands, your wrists are flexed back ninety degrees (or ... Continue Reading
Editor’s Picks: The 10 Must-Read Articles From 2013
Once upon a time a friend of mine sent me the Venn diagram you see pictured below. He deemed that I was part nerd, part jock, and part princess. As such, it is indeed true that you could find me ... Continue Reading
Icing Isn’t Just for Injuries: Cryotherapy Improves Flexibility
Practice is the defining method for improving virtually every athletic trait, and flexibility is no exception. Much like training regularly with heavy weights makes you stronger, spending time at or near ... Continue Reading
Sunday Seven: The Week’s 7 Most Popular Articles, Vol. 91
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 Olympic weightlifting, nutrition, health and fitness books, ... Continue Reading
