You may be noticing the word “fascia” (aka connective tissue) is a hot topic right now in all body related fields. But before we get to why fascia matters to athletes, here is a brief primer about why it’s ... Continue Reading
Sunday Seven: The Week’s 7 Most Popular Articles, Vol. 81
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 push ups, weightlifting shoes, anatomy, eggs, sports ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Jess Papi, Entry 3 – 10/19/2013
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
The Villainous 45-Pound Bar Upper Body Workout
This workout is simple. Not a lot of thought goes into it, but it's difficult if performed properly. Properly means all-out with no quitting because you think you're done. More repetitions can be squeezed ... Continue Reading
8 Glimpses Into the World of Convict Conditioning
Who would have thought prisons would be the last bastions of true fitness? This is the idea put forth by Paul Wade. Wade’s story is a unique one, in and of itself. He is a nearly twenty-year veteran of the ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Charles Staley, Entry 62 – 2013 World Championships
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
Workouts to Prepare You for the CPAT: The Fire Department Physical Ability Test
Preparing to be a firefighter is going to be one of the most exciting times of your life. Once you get your great score on the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), you’ll get to the academy, and upon ... Continue Reading
9 Perspectives on Coaching and Weightlifting by Bob Takano
Bob Takano is a highly regarded weightlifting coach who was inducted into the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 2007 for his contributions to coaching. His experience in coaching all levels of lifter from ... Continue Reading
Off-Season Strength Training for Cyclists: A Well-Planned Transition Phase
For those of us cyclists in the Northern Hemisphere the days are getting shorter, the big events have passed, and we turn our attention to preparation for next year's season. Part of that preparation ... Continue Reading
Super Sets: What They Are and 4 Ways to Do Them
Back in the day I believed that Joe Weider invented weight lifting. For people who don’t know who Joe Weider is, shame on you, because as much as he was a modern day P.T. Barnum, he was also the guy who ... Continue Reading
Multiple Studies Agree: Occlusion Training Works
The use of occlusion during exercise has become a hot topic in recent literature. Occlusion is just a fancy way of saying that a hollow organ - in this case, veins - is closed or blocked. The occlusion of ... Continue Reading
How to Determine Your Jerk Grip Width
Last week we talked about the snatch grip width, so naturally this week we are going to move on to the clean and jerk. I will not discuss the clean in any great detail, but the standard recommendation here ... Continue Reading
Mobility and Movement, Session 2: Yoga and Mobility for Front Rack Flexibility
One of the first anatomy lessons we learn in yoga training is on internal and external rotation of the hip and shoulder joints. In the vast majority of yoga poses, the shoulders rotate externally. In fact, ... Continue Reading
The Rabbit Hole of Back Pain: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Want You to Know
“You take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” - ... Continue Reading
Weightlifting Shoes: Why You Need a Pair, What to Look For, and When to Wear Them
If I had a pound for every time I’m asked about Olympic weightlifting shoes, well, I’d be able to afford plenty more pairs of weightlifting shoes. But since no one seems to give me a pound when they ask me ... Continue Reading
Big Heavy Squats Can Help Treat and Prevent Osteoporosis
Bone density is one of the primary factors involved in bone health, and it changes as the result of several stimuli, including activity level. One of the most deleterious and well-known factors in regards ... Continue Reading
Ricardo Almeida Talks About Life, BJJ, and Raising a Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Most of us who admire Ricardo Almeida do so because we’ve witnessed his accomplishments in Brazilian jiu jitsu and MMA and think he's a cool guy. Now retired, his MMA career included fights in the UFC, ... Continue Reading
Isometric Training: What It Is and How to Do It Correctly
Famed strongman Alexander Zass credited much of his great strength to his isometric training as a prisoner during World War I. He would push on the bars and chains that held him captive and quickly saw ... Continue Reading
How Novice and Intermediate Runners Should Train For a Marathon
Much like weight training, your cardio performance will be affected by numerous training variables, including volume, frequency, and speed. Even mental preparation plays a role in your performance. With so ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Chris Duffin, Entry 72 – My New Toy
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
The Outlaw Experience: A Weekend at the Outlaw Olympic Lifting Specialty Camp
As a new coach, I am well aware that my CrossFit Level 1 certification can only take me so far as a coach. It’s like reading the Cliffs Notes version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet - you’ll remember the part ... Continue Reading
Back On My Feet: Running to Combat Homelessness
Homelessness affects 3.5 million people in America alone each year. With such staggering statistics, it seems like a problem too big to face. But Anne Mahlum, CEO of Back On My Feet, is making a difference ... Continue Reading
5 Running Tips for the Non-Runner (From a Non-Runner)
Running was the last element of fitness I learned to enjoy. I had done it for years, but I had never liked it. It was simply part of being a martial artist, and then a CrossFit athlete. I endured running ... Continue Reading
Why CrossFit Coaches Need Anatomy: Bones, Muscles, and Lifting
As coach Patrick McCarty mentioned in one of his articles, going to a CrossFit Level 1 Certification course in and of itself does not make you an awesome coach. As coach Patrick McCarty ... Continue Reading
