A couple weeks ago I wrote about overhead squat limitations, and the poses I recommended were to open the hips. A second key component to overhead lifting is shoulder mobility. I regularly see athletes ... Continue Reading
The CrossFit Games Open Is Broken, Part 2: Inbreeding and the “Appearance of Impropriety”
In September 2012, the NFL yanked replacement referee Brian Stropolo from the available pool of referees because he had posted pictures of himself on Facebook in a New Orleans Saints t-shirt. The league ... Continue Reading
Turn Up the Volume: The 2 x 7 x 52 x 10 Rule
While speaking with a therapist recently who had worked with the Swedish cross-country ski team, he let me in on a little secret for creating world-class athletes: 2 x 7 x 52 x 10. That is, train ... Continue Reading
Race Performance Shown Unrelated to…Fitness?
Sometimes the factors that influence performance in certain sports are not what you would think. We all grow up thinking that the fittest athlete always wins, but sometimes there are other major factors at ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Chris Duffin, Entry 63 – 605lb Hook Grip Hold
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
Why I Broke Up With My Barbell and Cheated on It With My Atlas Stone
I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was sitting by my computer, writing programming for adventure racing. I thought about my past races, where I was lacking, where I excelled, and then it hit me. I ... Continue Reading
Use Your Head to Save Your Neck: 4 Ways You’re Causing Neck Injury
There is a disturbing trend within our Breaking Muscle and CrossFit community. There are a growing number of neck injuries, strains, and pain. People keep asking, “How do I fix my neck pain?” My answer is, ... Continue Reading
Physical Play During Early Childhood: Why It’s Disappearing and What To Do About It
Although organized sports usually start in elementary school, early childhood is not a dead zone as far as athleticism is concerned. At this stage in development, providing space for children to play has ... Continue Reading
Body Composition Trends in Collegiate Female Athletes
How does participation in college athletics affect body composition in women? There is surprisingly little research on the subject. On one hand, athletes and parents alike have heard horror stories of ... Continue Reading
What the Heck Is Restorative Yoga and Why Should I Do It?
I have been feeling a little off these past few weeks. Working too many hours, grinding too many reps at the gym, and suffering a bit of a personal set back. It happens. We ebb and flow and we burn out. I ... Continue Reading
The 4 Biggest Mistakes Competitors Make at a BJJ Tournament
Brazilian jiu jitsu tournaments are physically and mentally demanding. Depending on the tournament, competitors can spend all day sitting around waiting for their division to be up. Not knowing when your ... Continue Reading
5 Ways to Build Explosive Power Without Olympic Lifting and Plyo Boxes
So your gym owner doesn’t believe in the importance of Olympic lifting or plyo boxes. He thinks it’s too loud or his risk manager eighty-sixed the idea. Don’t worry, there are still great ways to build ... Continue Reading
Butt-ology 101: How to Enhance Your Gluteal Muscles
We all have a butt, so how can you care for it and develop it? We all have a butt, so how can you care for it and develop it? Fun Facts About Your Butt It affects your purchase of ... Continue Reading
Sunday Seven: The Week’s 7 Most Popular Articles, Vol. 71
Every Sunday we post the "Sunday Seven" so you can quickly see the 7 most popular articles of the week. This week's most popular posts cover women's weight lifting myths, bodybuilding, CrossFit, business, ... Continue Reading
See How It’s Done: 6 Lessons on Visualization
Have you ever visualized a successful lift in your mind before attempting it? If so, you’ve used mental imagery to enhance your performance. Mental imagery can be a powerful tool for acheiving your goals, ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Charles Staley, Entry 54 – Taking it Easy
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
You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure
In my last article I wrote about the stress that being a cop has on your mental health. This is hard to avoid since the stress comes with the job. While you cannot avoid the stress, you can definitely turn ... Continue Reading
More Reps and Less Weight: A Better Approach for Older Adults?
As a trainer and someone who is aging just like the rest of you, understanding the dynamics of strength training as we age is important to my own daily life. However, the older a person gets, the less it ... Continue Reading
Psychology in the Weightlifting Arena, Part 2 – Fighting External Noise
Last week I promised that I would continue my nascent discussion of the mental aspects of weightlifting. That I will do but with a big amount of help from a book now out of print, but one that still has a ... Continue Reading
The CrossFit Games Open Is Broken
The growth of our sport has exploded exponentially. In 2011 when the concept of the CrossFit Games Open was first introduced, approximately 26,000 people signed up to participate. The following year, that ... Continue Reading
The Athletic Mind, Part 1: The Role of Perception in Athletics
Our perception is our filter on the world. Perceptions can underlie our motivations, our choices, and the degree of confidence that we have in seeing goals out to the end. They also impact the attitude we ... Continue Reading
4 Lessons CrossFitters Can Learn From Bodybuilders
Bodybuilders have long been ridiculed within the CrossFit community by those who seem to believe they train better, harder, and more effectively than their muscle-bound counterparts. To those who are a ... Continue Reading
Is Your Cooling Vest Dangerous?
Heat is one of the biggest performance drainers. Becoming steadily overheated as you exercise alters many of the processes in your body, such as how efficiently energy is produced. Further, even relatively ... Continue Reading
Find Your Off Button: How to Use Yoga for Better Rest and Recovery
The term adrenaline junkie comes from a very specific scientific place: our desire to consistently pump our sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is our fight or flight response. Our ... Continue Reading
