Everyone is always looking for quick fixes. No one wants to put in the work that creates lasting changes—which is what you really want in the long run. Right? So why do we sell ourselves short? I ... Continue Reading
Use Shrugs to Promote Back Health
The barbell shrug is a very misunderstood movement, a commonly passed-over exercise, and often an incorrectly executed one. As a primitive or primal movement, the shrug is as commonplace as flexing your ... Continue Reading
The 4 Best Squat Alternatives
The squat is often referred to as "the king of the gym lifts"—for good reason, too. A correctly performed barbell squat utilizes virtually every muscle in the body.1 If you want to get stronger, squats ... Continue Reading
Saving the World, One Chicken Leg at a Time
My friend's wife recently grimaced in pain while we were out to dinner. She seemed very uncomfortable, and when I asked what was wrong, she told me that she had recently started training at a gym, one of ... Continue Reading
Low-Carb Diets Effect Men and Women Differently
Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine recently found1 that while men may lose more weight on low-carb diets, women actually see better improvements in artery flexibility. It's a ... Continue Reading
Injury Prehab With Natural Movement
Injuries suck. There’s no other way around it. You may never become truly bulletproof, but if you understand the injury equation, you can tip the scales in your favor. Here you’ll discover the hidden costs ... Continue Reading
10 Minutes to a Happier Neck
Do you work in an office? If so, chances are you have neck and upper back pain. Do you get massages and shoulder rubs which temporarily relieve your pain, only to revert back a couple of days ... Continue Reading
20 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Kettlebells
The kettlebell swing is perhaps one of the most powerful and graceful ballistic strength movements you can possibly perform when it comes to checking the list off of some elite level strength and ... Continue Reading
10 Years of Exercising with a Bad Back
I remember it like it was yesterday: The day I graduated from a no-holds-barred lifter to a guy with one eye on the long game. I was deadlifting 320 pounds, which for me was an almost immovable mountain ... Continue Reading
Why Does Cardio Get All the Credit?
When it comes to cardiovascular health, weight loss, or overall health improvements, cardio seems to always get the spotlight. I get it, it is good for you and, for the most part, everyone can do it in ... Continue Reading
Move It! You’re Old, You’re Not Dead
Someone younger is bound to look at someone older and think, they don't have a clue. Someone older is bound to look at someone younger and think, you don't the half of it. The fact is that we all need ... Continue Reading
How Safe Are Group Workouts in the Heat?
Cool weather is nice to workout in, warm weather helps you work up a sweat, but hot weather can make it difficult to even breathe while working out. So, what do you do? Do you workout at the same intensity ... Continue Reading
Master the L-Sit
The movement is often an overlooked and underrated exercise that offers a lot of bang for your buck. The L-sit is a static hold where you support yourself with your arms while holding your legs straight ... Continue Reading
Au Naturel: A Simplified Approach to Health
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein I am ... Continue Reading
Women Need to Lift More
Photo by Bev Childress Photo by Bev Childress Everyone needs to lift more, but women may need to plan for a longer term commitment to strength training than even men. That may be the takeaway ... Continue Reading
Zercher Squat Basics
The Zercher squat—what is it? The exercise supposedly originated from, you guessed it, a man named Zercher. Ed Zercher was an American strongman active in the 1930’s and in his day was one of the strongest ... Continue Reading
Exercise as an Antidepressant
An observational study1 of nearly 18,000 participants found that those with high fitness at middle age were significantly less likely to die from heart disease in later life, even if they were diagnosed ... Continue Reading
Clean Up Your Sleep
When you exercise on a regular basis, you know how your workouts suffer on days when you don’t sleep well. It's also much easier to recover when you do sleep well. As coaches and athletes, we spend a lot ... Continue Reading
The Pain Free Guide to Motivation
Photo by Bev Childress Photo by Bev Childress It is a common misconception that fit people are all naturally self-motivated. In my eight years of coaching, I have met only a handful of people ... Continue Reading
Building a Gym Family for Better or for Worse
In the last decade, the fitness industry has seen some major changes. In the last decade, the fitness industry has seen some major changes. From CrossFit to obstacle course racing to kettlebells to ... Continue Reading
5 Unique Push Up Variations to Increase Your Strength
When it comes to any sensible strength training program it is hard to neglect adding in the almighty push up to produce a formula for developing strength and lean muscle gains. This dependable calisthenic ... Continue Reading
Grow or Decay: Determine Your Sustainable Fitness
“As to methods, there may be a million and then some. But principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure ... Continue Reading
The First Rep Is an Increment of the Next 1,000
From outside the gym looking in, a workout routine can seem like an insurmountable obstacle. Seeing others go through strenuous routines on machines you've never used before can be enough to turn just ... Continue Reading
Simple Health Changes: The Ideal Versus the Reality
When it comes to diet and health change, humans have a bug in their operating system. Obesity spirals more and more out of control and the vast majority of efforts are futile. Anecdotal evidence as well as ... Continue Reading
