Take a look at top-level deadlifters pulling their heaviest lifts. Many of them intentionally round their upper backs from the start of the lift. What does that mean for the rest of us? There are perhaps ... Continue Reading
Using Hyperventilation to Improve Cardiovascular Performance
Dropping pH values in the body have long been associated with reduced performance. There are many reasons that a more acidic environment can have this effect, not the least of which is that the body ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Pat McCarty, Entry 20 – 7/17/2013
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the athlete journal of CrossFit trainer and masters athlete Patrick McCarty. Patrick competed in the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games in the 45-49 age bracket and has his sights set on ... Continue Reading
Top 10 BJJ Online Resources
My instructors at Titans Fitness Academy, Renzo Gracie black belts Kevin Taylor and Peter Martell, discovered Brazilian jiu jitsu before there was a lot of content available on the Internet. They learned ... Continue Reading
Heal Your Lower Back Pain With These 5 Yoga Poses
In the United States lower back pain is one of most common complaints. The Mayo Clinic states that most people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. Lower back pain is experienced by ... Continue Reading
Phase One: How to Reset the Body and Awake Your Inner 6-Year-Old
Human development is a funny thing. We start life by exploring our surroundings via touch and movement. This exploration develops not just our understanding of the world but of our bodies too. ... Continue Reading
How My Jacket Convinced Women to Try Weight Lifting
My co-worker Michael came into my office and said, “You’re going to want to put on your jacket for this one.” It was a sunny afternoon in Los Angeles, and as one of the head coaches at CrossFit LA, it was ... Continue Reading
Ultramarathoners Are Older and Less Injured Than You Might Think
I’d be a wealthy man if I got money every time I heard the question, “Am I too old to start [insert sport of choice here]?” Since I am beyond what most people consider my prime as an athlete myself, I ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Chris Duffin, Entry 59 – Working Around Pain
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
Consistent Hard Effort Over Time: The Only Guaranteed Method of Success
I work in a unique setting. I manage and coach a CrossFit within a YMCA, so I am exposed to what is known here as “hardcore” athletes (the CrossFit athletes) and also our health seekers. A health seeker is ... Continue Reading
Why CrossFit Masters Athletes Deserve a Spot at the Regionals
It was only three years ago that CrossFit introduced a masters category to its annual competition, the CrossFit Games. It was open to men and women aged fifty or over and competitors had to attend their ... Continue Reading
Free Strength and Conditioning Workouts Designed for MMA and BJJ
We know a lot of you reading this site are BJJ and MMA practitioners, looking to get stronger, faster, and healthier so you can compete at your sport. For that reason, we are launching our newest free ... Continue Reading
More Volume = More Strength
Are you getting the strength gains you want from your training program? If not, more volume may be what you need. This conclusion comes from the most recent edition of the Journal of Strength and ... Continue Reading
Join Us For a Twitter Chat With Erwan Le Corre – And Win a Free Spot at a MovNat Workshop!
Twitter Chat with Erwan LeCorre - Tuesday, July 30 at 11:00am PST (2:00pm EST) Can you deadlift a lot of weight but have trouble getting out of bed without wincing in pain? Are your biceps too big for ... Continue Reading
Ben Stoneberg: Headed for the CrossFit Games and Having Fun
When Ben Stoneberg steps into the Home Depot Center in Carson City, California, to battle for CrossFit’s title of the fittest man on earth, he won’t be thinking about the crowd, the television cameras, or ... Continue Reading
What You Need to Know About Hormone Testing: Which Test to Get and Why
What Hormones Do We Want To Check Levels Of? The health and fitness world has been abuzz with talk about adrenal health and hormonal balance. This has left many of us looking for ways to get our hormones ... Continue Reading
Training for the World’s Most Famous Obstacle Course: American Ninja Warrior
It’s that time of year again: Barbecues. Pool parties. And, best of all, American Ninja Warrior on NBC! If you’re as enthusiastic about the show as I am, then you’re probably found on Monday nights ... Continue Reading
The Metabolic Demands of Various Exercise Protocols
Whether we are athletes or coaches, if we are involved in program design then we need to understand the body's basic processes. If you choose the wrong programs, the results will invariably suffer. For ... Continue Reading
Sunday Seven: The Week’s 7 Most Popular Articles, Vol. 67
Every Sunday we post the "Sunday Seven" so you can quickly see the 7 most popular articles of the week. This week's hot topics include female athletes and the scale, squats, training goals, orthorexia, ... Continue Reading
Are We There Yet? The Role of Anticipation in Training
I got into writing about BJJ through a personal blog I started keeping when I went batsh*t crazy back in 2006. Titled Prancing and Sucking, the blog chronicled my experiences traveling around the country ... Continue Reading
Habits vs. Superstitions (Does it Really Matter if You Wear Different Socks?)
“Superstitions are habits rather than beliefs.” - Marlene Dietrich Due to my years in fitness I can often tell a lot about gym members by the exercise they are doing or the piece of equipment they are ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Charles Staley, Entry 50 – New Training Plan
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
3 Workouts for Firefighters: How to Handle Fitness On- and Off-Duty
In my last article, I talked about the importance of firefighters maintaining good physical and mental shape. But how is this even possible if you’re stuck in a firehouse for 24 hours surrounded by a cake ... Continue Reading
Hot Yoga: The Dangers and Myths You Need to Know
In the town that I currently live in, I really can’t walk down the street without seeing at least one yoga studio. On top of that, every single yoga studio is a heated studio, meaning that all classes are ... Continue Reading
