If you have ever thought about adding bands to your weight training but weren’t sure where to start, a recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research might give you some ... Continue Reading
Contrast Training Benefits Youth Soccer Players
Many athletes and coaches believe that skill work alone will create the best athlete. However, despite a slow change in the opposite direction, some coaches are stuck in their ways and perhaps need more ... Continue Reading
When Typing Interferes With Training (Athlete Journal 25)
The week ended with a bit of pain in my elbow and wrist, which kept me from doing my planned snatch workout, but otherwise it was a solid training week. Monday It was Monday, and my legs ... Continue Reading
Off to a Good Start: Science Investigates the Best Way to Accelerate
Many sports require bursts of speed over short distances, and so, many successful athletes are great at acceleration. However, in a recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, the ... Continue Reading
PAP Can Shave Time Off Cyclist Race Times
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you've probably heard about post-activation potentiation (PAP). But despite the extensive research done as of late, we still need more information on whether PAP ... Continue Reading
Training Within My Parameters (Athlete Journal 24)
With the messages my body is giving me, I’m going to adjust my workouts to accommodate the discomforts and hope I can work within those parameters. My left wrist works fine in the clean and jerk, ... Continue Reading
A Biologist’s Perspective on CrossFit and Gymnastics
Hot Yoga: The Dangers and Myths You Need to Know Hot yoga is a huge craze, but is it safe? There are some things you need to know about how the body handles heat so you can decide if hot yoga is good ... Continue Reading
Study Questions the Effectiveness of Oxygen Supplementation
The use of oxygen supplementation in athletics is on the rise, as are manufacturer’s claims regarding its performance-enhancing effects. However, it’s important that we look at the science in these cases ... Continue Reading
Mobility Work Will Reward You (Athlete Journal Entry 23)
Athlete Journal Entry 23 - 3/31/2014 Last Sunday I woke up to many nagging discomforts, which was sad since I barely lifted a weight the day before. I took stock of these ailments and discovered a ... Continue Reading
For Elite Athletes, Stronger Might Not Mean Faster
Many athletes work to develop leg strength as a means of improving speed. This is because greater power is required in the legs if you plan to exert more force against the ground. Putting more force into ... Continue Reading
The Role of the Menstrual Cycle in Exercise Recovery
Recent theories claim that estrogen has a protective effect against muscle damage caused by exercise. For example, estrogen may prevent delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, which is the pain and ... Continue Reading
Football Linemen More Susceptible to Heat Illness
Between 1960 and 2009, 123 high school football players died from an illness resulting from excessive heat. According to a study this month in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, linemen ... Continue Reading
Tournament Time and a Stubborn Elbow (Athlete Journal Entry 22)
Athlete Journal Entry 22 - 3/24/2014 Monday Monday was the beginning of the last few sessions before the competition and I was focusing on my elbow. I took the time to stretch and roll my ... Continue Reading
Blood Doping, Deal Breakers, and WTF Moments
As a female, I can't help but be fascinated by the images of women in the fitness world. The topic came up a few times this past week, ranging from debate over Stacie Tovar's striptease before the CrossFit ... Continue Reading
Using Sled Weighted Sprints to Improve Acceleration
The most critical part of speed in most sports is the acceleration phase that takes place over the first few yards of a sprint. Athletes in nearly every sport spend most of their sprinting time in the ... Continue Reading
Military-Style Training: Is Running With a Weight Vest Effective?
One way to change up your cardio training is by taking a note from the military and adding weight to your locomotion. Using weighted vests or backpacks to increase intensity to a standard flat or uphill ... Continue Reading
Body Fat Measurements and Safety in Youth Wrestling
When it comes to young athletes, the more information we have on healthy practices, the better off we are. This is particularly true when it comes to a sport as demanding as wrestling. While there is ... Continue Reading
2 Flexibility Drills: The Keys to Progressing Your Pistol
The pistol is one of the best bodyweight exercises for leg training. Even the average person can work up to repping out two-legged squats with just a bit of training, and that‘s a good place to start. But ... Continue Reading
Interview With UFC Fighter Dan Hardy: One Door Closes, Another Opens
For professional fighters, getting injured or being diagnosed with serious medical conditions can be devastating. On March 22, 2013, UFC Fighter Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy was set to fight Matt Brown at UFC 7 ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Terry Hadlow, Entry 17 – 2/17/2014
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the athlete journal of Terry Hadlow. Terry got started in Olympic weightlifting in 1970 and is the only Canadian to have competed in senior nationals in five different decades - ... Continue Reading
Biological Versus Chronological Age in Youth Sports
We’re all familiar with that stage of childhood when movement gets a little awkward due to rapid growth. But sometimes we forget that this physical transformation happens at different rates in different ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Terry Hadlow, Entry 16 – 2/10/2014
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the athlete journal of Terry Hadlow. Terry got started in Olympic weightlifting in 1970 and is the only Canadian to have competed in senior nationals in five different decades - ... Continue Reading
The Effects of Bands on Bench Press Power and Speed
Using bands to change the nature of the resistance during a bench press is something many powerlifters swear by, while others choose to go without. Some questions surrounding this practice remain ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Terry Hadlow, Entry 13 – 1/20/2014
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the athlete journal of Terry Hadlow. Terry got started in Olympic weightlifting in 1970 and is the only Canadian to have competed in senior nationals in five different decades - ... Continue Reading
