It’s not often I stand in a roomful of trainers and feel like the dumbest one in the room. Yet that’s exactly how I felt on day one of my RKC in June 2009. At the time in Australia there were only ... Continue Reading
Activity Level Determines Heart Health, Not Age
As both men and women begin to age the arteries in their bodies become susceptible to arterial stiffening. Arterial stiffness occurs as a result of age and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). It ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Valerie Worthington, Entry 12 – Just That
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the Athlete Journal of world-class grappler Valerie Worthington. Follow Valerie as she trains and competes in various events over the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition season. ... Continue Reading
Athleticism and Femininity: Can They Co-Exist?
How do you balance your feminine nature with the competition that exists in athletics and sports? With a high level of personal expectations and the influences to be the best, how do you increase the ... Continue Reading
Science Says Excessive Endurance Training Too Much of a Good Thing
The old saying, "there is too much of a good thing” may actually hold some truth. On March 27, 2012, a 58 year-old ultramarathoner named Micah True died suddenly while on a 12-mile training run. If you ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Travis Holley, Entry 9 – 6/6/12
Schedule of CrossFit Athlete Journals: Mondays - Ingrid Kantola Wednesdays - Travis Holley Sundays - Michael Winchester Travis Holley - Athlete Journal 6/6/12 (Read Travis's Bio ... Continue Reading
The Origins and Explanation of “Hardstyle” Kettlebell Training
Someone far more skilled than I am at my job once told me if I couldn’t explain something simply then I didn’t really understand it. And that’s how it was when I first got into kettlebells and found ... Continue Reading
High Altitude Training Can Benefit Olympic Athletes
Athletes often use extreme training methods to gain any edge they can over their competitors. Altitude training is a popular method athletes utilize, especially endurance athletes such as runners. Altitude ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Chris Duffin, Entry 5 – Life Changes & A Deload Week?
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 ... Continue Reading
Hill Sprints: How to Build Muscle and Burn Fat
Forget doing your cardio on a Stairmaster or treadmill. If you want to get into shape fast, burn fat, and build muscle hill sprints are the way to go. Forget doing your cardio on a Stairmaster ... Continue Reading
Why Don’t Olympic Weightlifters Overhead Squat? Part 1
I got a text the other night from a drunk lifter of mine who was in the middle of an argument with a bunch of his CrossFit friends. He asked, "Is your snatch or your overhead squat bigger?" I responded, "I ... Continue Reading
Just Love the Bleep Out of It
Last week, I wrote an update on Facebook announcing I had reached my two year CrossFit anniversary, or CrossFitersary. I reminisced about my first WOD, which was a Tabata deadlift at seventy-five pounds – ... Continue Reading
Exercise Can Alleviate Neuropathic Pain
Everyone knows the abundance of benefits that accompanies exercise. A new experimental study published in Anesthesia & Analgesia suggests that in addition to the known benefits, exercise also helps to ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Ingrid Kantola, Entry 16 – 6/4/12
Schedule of CrossFit Athlete Journals: Mondays - Ingrid Kantola Wednesdays - Travis Holley Sundays - Michael Winchester Ingrid Kantola - Athlete Journal 6/4/12 (Read Ingrid's Bio ... Continue Reading
Run Faster With Less Training Time: New Research on 10-20-30 Method
There are many training concepts that runners use to improve their performance as well as their health. Runners often engage in long and frequent bouts of training. However, recent conclusions based on ... Continue Reading
Dear Coach: I Want To Look Like a UFC Fighter
Dear Coach, I would like some information on what one should take/do while training in MMA. I train about 4 days a week and specialize in Krav Maga. I am not a professional and do it as a hobby. I am ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 14 – 6/3/12
Schedule of CrossFit Athlete Journals: Mondays - Ingrid Kantola Wednesdays - Travis Holley Sundays - Michael Winchester Michael Winchester - Athlete Journal 6/3/12 (Read Michael's Bio ... Continue Reading
Expertly Novice: What Neil Peart Has to Teach Us about BJJ and Life
For some time now, I’ve been wanting to write about Neil Peart, the drummer for the rock band Rush. I hadn’t done so because I hadn’t quite figured out how to make the connection between BJJ and why he ... Continue Reading
Dear Willow: Can Yoga Flatten My Belly?
Dear Willow, What is a great way to work on flattening my belly? I feel bloated and my digestion suffers. Is there a yoga exercise I can do to help? Sincerely, Intestinal ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Andrew Read, Entry 5 – Easy Endurance
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 5 - Easy Endurance How do ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Holley Mangold, Entry 5 – Perseverance, Discipline, and Confidence
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the Athlete Journal of Olympic weightlifter Holley Mangold. Holley is part of Team USA headed to London this summer. Follow her journey here as she trains for the 2012 ... Continue Reading
3 Simple Strength Programs: Preparing Athletes for Power
So you’ve just read my latest article on preparing for plyometrics and want to start putting in the groundwork to make your body tough enough to withstand this type of training. But where do you start? ... Continue Reading
June Photo Contest Begins Now!
Announcing our newest adventure on Breaking Muscle - monthly photo contests! Each month we announce a new theme and you submit photos. We will then pick three winners and feature them on the ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Valerie Worthington, Entry 11 – 5 Things I Plan to Do After Worlds
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the Athlete Journal of world-class grappler Valerie Worthington. Follow Valerie as she trains and competes in various events over the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition season. ... Continue Reading
