Every now and then something so blindingly obvious leaps into my head and is so startlingly clear that I am amazed I never thought of it before: If you were building a house you’d use a hammer for ... Continue Reading
Clenching the Left Hand Prevents Athletes from Choking Under Pressure
When the game is on the line and it has come down to the wire, the last thing anyone wants is a “choke artist.” A choke artist is someone who does not perform well under pressure, although he or she may do ... Continue Reading
Getting Freaky With It: Outside the Box Back Training
Ah, back training day. It’s a love-hate relationship, but there are few times I feel better in the gym than when I’m grinding out a back workout. Admittedly, though, my back was a constant point of ... Continue Reading
Does the Power Clean or Power Snatch Train Speed?
Photos provided by Miguel Tapia Images and CrossFit LA. In recent years the power clean (PC) and the similar power snatch (PS) have emerged as prime exercises in many athletes' weight programs. Bill ... Continue Reading
Featured Photographer: Michael Brian – CrossFit, Kids, and Dogs
Art can be so much more meaningful when you know a little bit more about the person behind it - the eye behind the lens. That's why I periodically profile sports/action photographers and their work. Read ... Continue Reading
Breaking Research News: Weightlifting Improves Your Weightlifting
Today’s article is an exercise in learning why you shouldn’t believe every headline you read. The recent study "Effects of Weightlifting vs. Kettlebell Training on Vertical Jump, Strength, and Body ... Continue Reading
I’m a Triathlete, I Don’t Kick When I Swim
If you read the title of the article and you identified with it, I regret to inform you that you are absolutely wrong. You often hear triathletes or even open water swimmers state they don’t need to kick ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Chris Duffin, Entry 19 – Rehab Week 2
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 Kutin Family, Part 2 – Balancing God, the Gym, and Competition
In last week’s article, we discussed the powerlifters in the Kutin family, including 10-year-old world record holder “Supergirl” Naomi. But beyond their talents on the podium, the Kutins have a unique ... Continue Reading
Weight Lifting Straps: What They Are, When and Why to Use Them
In my most recent article in WODTalk Magazine, I discussed the “hook grip.” Since I have been on the subject of holding onto the bar quite a bit lately both in articles and with my own athletes, this month ... Continue Reading
What Is the Minimum Effective Dose? (My Tim Ferriss Obsession Confession)
My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is. - Ellen Degeneres I’m obsessed with Tim Ferriss and his obsession with ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Andrew Read, Entry 19 – Calling Up the Big Guns
Click here to read other journal entries and articles by Andrew Read, and look for his new journal every Monday as he trains for Ironman Melbourne. Journal Entry 19 - Calling Up the Big ... Continue Reading
What Is Chiropractic and Why Do I Need It?
I’m a chiropractor. My own first experience with a chiropractor was when I was in high school. To this day a colleague regularly adjusts me every two to three weeks. As a chiropractor I hear a lot of ... Continue Reading
Featured Coach: John Hackleman, Part 1 – Origins of The Pit
When you meet John Hackleman, founder of The Pit and CrossPit, he seems like a guy who would train fighters - big, bald, covered in tattoos, and full of prison jokes. He has trained some of the world’s ... Continue Reading
Yoga Proves a Cost Effective Treatment for Back Pain
If you are looking for a cost-effective way of relieving back pain, you may be in luck. A study led by the University of York evaluated the cost-effectiveness of yoga intervention plus standard care ... Continue Reading
Sunday Seven: The Week’s 7 Most Popular Articles, Volume 25
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: some great training tips for coaches and athletes, building muscle ... Continue Reading
Dear Willow: My Friends Think I Joined a Cult
Dear Willow, My friends and family have watched me fall in love with yoga over the last decade. I have experienced great personal growth, and my friends and family label my changes as "joining the ... Continue Reading
12 Reps with Greg Everett, Olympic Weightlifting Coach
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to 12 Reps - in each appearance of 12 Reps, our coaches, writers, and occasional guests will be answering the same twelve questions. Go "into the locker-room" with them and get to ... Continue Reading
Understanding Energy Systems: ATP-PC, Glycolytic and Oxidative – Oh My!
Human bioenergetics is an interesting topic. However, energy systems function is understood by few and/or can be confusing to many. Open a quality exercise physiology text and it can leave you saying ... Continue Reading
How Often Do I Need to Stretch?
Tight hamstrings are a frequent occurrence for athletes, but what's the best thing to do about it? A study was recently conducted to evaluate the effects of four different weekly stretching protocols on ... Continue Reading
Caving: My Worst Nightmare Turned Into a Sport
The novel Shibumi by Trevanian may be a little bit of a classic, shall we say, written as it was in the 1970s, and set then and during World War II. But the plot and themes are no less compelling for being ... Continue Reading
Does Race or Ethnicity Matter in Athletics?
Whenever a certain country or those of a certain racial or ethnic heritage dominate a certain sport analysts end up looking for the cause of such dominance. Often the explanation is over-simplified and may ... Continue Reading
When Paleo and inov-8s Are Bad For You
Photos provided by Miguel Tapia Images and CrossFit LA. Not everybody needs to eat paleo and wear inov-8s during their first week of CrossFit. The first year I did CrossFit I did it mainly fueled on ... Continue Reading
Swimming May Be the Best Method of Recovery for All Athletes
In my sport of swimming, and likely in others also, athletes use stretching, take ice baths, wear compression gear, get massages, and drink recovery shakes in the name of speedy muscle recovery. Recovery ... Continue Reading
