Last week in part one of our interview series with Andy Petranek we learned how he evolved from trumpet player to professional adventure racer. The next evolution would take him from athlete to personal ... Continue Reading
What’s That Move Called? A Glossary of MMA Terms
After a number of years on the fringe, mixed martial arts (MMA) has more recently lodged itself firmly in the national Zeitgeist. After a number of years on the fringe, mixed martial arts ... Continue Reading
Dynamic Warm Up Increases Jump Height and Distance
Researchers and strength and conditioning professionals still debate over the efficacy of a dynamic warm up vs. .a static warm up. Research has noted the benefits of a dynamic style work out for ... Continue Reading
Burpees: A “Love” Story
Burpees. The suck. Whatever you call them, if you have ever done them, this topic probably makes you a bit uneasy, perhaps because you fear that you have unknowingly stumbled onto a feature that’s going to ... Continue Reading
Coaching Rapport and Anxiety in Athletes
Previous research has examined the dynamic relationship between coaches and athletes. New research in The Journal of Science and Medicine Sports analyzed impact coaching behaviors and rapport on an ... Continue Reading
Exercise Is Effective Medicine for Depression
People talk about “exercise high,” but research recently published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry states exercise can actually be effective medication for clinical depression. In this particular ... Continue Reading
Featured Coach: Andy Petranek, Part 1 – Andy the Competitor
This week marks the start of Andy Petranek’s three weeks as guest programmer. Andy Petranek is the owner and founder of CrossFit Los Angeles, one of the oldest and most successful CrossFit affiliates. ... Continue Reading
Mindfulness Meditation Increases Performance in Elite Shooters
Competition anxiety and stress can be detrimental to athletes in any sport. New research in The British Journal of Sports Medicine examined the practice of mindfulness meditation on pre-competition stress ... Continue Reading
Josh Crosby Talks Benefits of Indoor Rowing
Like spinning before it, rowing has gone from being a competitive outdoor sport to one of the growing new trends in group exercise. At the forefront of this movement is coach Josh Crosby. Crosby believes ... Continue Reading
Use Yoga to Effectively Treat Rotator Cuff Injury
Shoulder injuries including rotator cuff problems frequently plague athletes in sports that require repetitive overhead motions, including swimming, basketball, tennis, pitching, and weightlifting. ... Continue Reading
Overcoming Loved Ones’ Resistance to Our Lifestyle Improvements
How many times over the years have we confidently and with great motivation established a New Year’s Resolution (e.g., “This is the year I will finally quit smoking/lose 10 pounds/learn to play the ... Continue Reading
The Female Athlete Triad: Prevention and Implications for Coaching
In our first article of the female athlete triad series we discussed the etiology of the triad spectrum and in the second segment screening and treatment strategies. In this third part of this series we ... Continue Reading
Yogic Breathing Enhances Lung Function Capacity and Efficiency in Athletes
New research in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, examined the effect of the yogic breathing technique, Bhastrika Pranayama on lung function capacity in athletes. Bhastrika Pranayama or ... Continue Reading
Menstrual Dysfunction and Hyperandrogenism Linked to Competitive Adolescent Swimmers
The intense training programs found in elite youth athletics today prior to and during puberty may have a significant effect delayed menstruation, menstrual irregularities, and sexual maturation of female ... Continue Reading
Hand Care 102: Treating Rips
You work out hard and occasionally you do some serious damage to your hands. Last week we talked about how to prevent rips to the skin on your palms, but what happens once a rip has occurred? What can you ... Continue Reading
Abdominal Workouts Not Effective For Losing Abdominal Fat
Abdominal workouts are all the rage today, promising to melt away fat, remove love handles, and give you 6 pack abs. Fat around the abdominal area can be especially dangerous as it is associated with ... Continue Reading
Overuse Injuries Prevalent in Multi-Season High School Athletes
New research from Nationwide Children's Hospital evaluated the seasonal patterns of High School athletes and overuse injuries. Researchers assessed 9-12th grade subjects who played sports over a 12 month ... Continue Reading
Water Workouts Better for Postmenopausal Women
Finding an exercise program that is fun and effective, while also gentle on joints and musculature in an aging body can be as simple as stepping into a pool. Water workouts and swimming are being ... Continue Reading
4 Great Tools for Stretching and Mobility
As a fitness coach I am constantly talking to my clients about the importance of stretching and working on mobility. These are not necessarily the “fun” things to practice when it comes to your health and ... Continue Reading
A Brief History of the CrossFit Games
The CrossFit Games came to an exciting and exhilarating end this past Sunday at the Home Depot Center in Southern California. This year marked the first year of CrossFit’s partnership with Reebok to ... Continue Reading
1Rep Max Squat Correlated to Weight Throw Performance
recent study in International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, investigated the variables related to weight throw performance among elite and collegiate athletes. Researchers examined data from ... Continue Reading
Military Style Training with a Weighted Pack May Not Be Beneficial
It has become the accepted standard if one trains in the style of the military that training involves wearing weighted packs and weighted vests. Does this training really help? Does the long distance ... Continue Reading
Classical Ballet: An Art or a Sport?
Dancing is clearly an artistic endeavor, but it also requires great physical skill and puts great physical demands on the body. With the amount of training involved in preparing for a performance, and the ... Continue Reading
Complex Training Methods Elicit Gains in Strength and Power
Programming for a variety of athletes can be an arduous process for strength and conditioning professionals. Creating training programs that maximize strength and power are essential for the development of ... Continue Reading
