#1 – The Case for Specialized Glute Training

By Craig Marker

Strength coaches like complex movements that recruit multiple muscle groups. These movements are closer to athletic skills and may transfer to the playing field better than isolation exercises. So when an athlete wants to focus on his or her glutes, they are often advised to perform kettlebell swings, deadlifts, and low bar back squats.

But is there a case for a dedicated glute exercise?

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#2 – Movement Is Bigger Than Fitness

By Chandler Stevens

Your brain and body are in a constant dialogue, communicating through sensory-motor cues. Every movement is really a complex interaction of sensory input going to the brain from the body and motor outputs coming from the brain to the body. Nothing is static. Everything we do, and everything we are is a process.

In the grand scheme of things, your PRs and race times aren’t that important. There, I’ve said it. Hang tight with me here. We’re going to explore what movement means for the big picture of human health, both mental and physical.

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#3 – There’s Nothing Fancy About Getting Fitter

By Charles Staley

The overwhelming majority of us want to be leaner and stronger. Strength may take precedence for some, and body composition may be more important to others, but we all want a combination of the two.

When it comes to making the most of your efforts in the gym, forget the hacks. These are the tried-and-true ways to get lean and strong.

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Did You See These?

• Rotation for the Real World: The Supine Twister
• Quit Dieting: Your Kids Are Watching
• Of Muscles and Might: The Lead-In Program
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo courtesy of Jeff Nguyen/ CrossFit Empirical.

The post 3 of the Best: This Week’s Top Articles, Vol. 29 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

#1 – 2 Overlooked Reasons Your Hamstrings Are Tight

By Matt Maggio

“Stretching” and “mobility” have become the universal prescription for anything that feels “tight.” So we default into this mode of feeling guilty for not stretching enough and blame the persistent tightness on our negligence. I watch people subject themselves to this torture all the time, trying to attain the elusive flexibility in their hamstrings as they grimace in agony.

So what are the real causes of your “tight” hamstrings?

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#2 – Life Ain’t Easy: Train Anyway

By Pete Hitzeman

Most of us spent a huge portion of our childhood being told to do things we didn’t want to do. We had to be told every day to get out of bed, get ready for school, eat our vegetables, do our homework, brush our teeth. And on it went on for years, until we finally struck out on our own in the world, fully capable of doing it all for ourselves.

So how is it that, when it comes to taking care of ourselves physically, people just can’t seem to muster up the gumption to do what’s necessary, even if it isn’t always enjoyable?

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#3 – Don’t Let the Fitness Industry Tell You What to Do

By Robert Camacho

There’s always a humorous glut of people trying to tell us the one type of exercise we should do. But as far as the research is concerned, if your goal is to be healthy and live a long life, your exercise of choice would probably look like a combination of several things: a moderate amount of long, low-intensity cardio, some higher intensity stuff (but not too much), and some basic, whole-body strength training utilizing compound exercises through full ranges of motion.

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Did You See These?

• Build a Resilient Spine: Lock Down Core Stability
• Do You Need Extra Grip Work?
• Your Brain on Movement: Challenge Your Nervous System
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo courtesy of CrossFit Impulse.

The post 3 of the Best: This Week’s Top Articles, Vol. 24 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

#1 – Build a Resilient Spine: Start Here

By Matthew Ibrahim

You wake up with a sore lower back, and you go to bed feeling the same way. The discomfort is a constant reminder of how deconditioned you are. Trust me, I’ve been there. You know there’s something wrong. What gives?

If you’re dealing with debilitating lower back pain that just won’t relent, you’d benefit most from physical therapy and rehabilitation treatment. However, most people aren’t at that stage. Rather, they’re just dealing with a weak lower back, and are in dire need of good strength training. Here’s how to get started.

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#2 – Corrective Posture Exercises for Chronic Sitters

By Maryann Berry

Almost all of us are guilty of being chronic sitters. The negative effects of this epidemic are too numerous to list in a single article, but today we’ll discuss how to counter the damage it does to your posture.

The exercises included in this article will activate key posture muscles and restore muscle function to the hips, spine, and shoulders. These exercises are intended to change your posture alignment, which will in turn reduce symptoms of pain in different parts of the body. They don’t just treat the symptoms, they correct posture.

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#3 – How to Train for the Zombie Apocalypse

By Michael Blevins

People love to talk about the apocalypse. Maybe it’s a useful way to sort out the important issues, the non-starters and non sequiturs. Perhaps it helps them to think critically and objectively. Some even go so far as to say they are “training for the apocalypse.” They say it as something between a half-hearted joke and full-bore paranoia.

So how do you train for the apocalypse? It may shock you to find out that after all the years and copious hours you’ve spent trying to attain the most impressive 1-rep max numbers known to mankind, you’re no more fit for survival than you were when you started.

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Did You See These?

• Train Like the Pros: Get More Air on Your Jumps
• Advice For the Newbie Weightlifter
• Advanced Drills for Hip Mobility, Balance, and Power
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo courtesy of Michael Blevins.

The post 3 of the Best: This Week’s Top Articles, Vol. 22 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

#1 – The Unwritten Rules of the CrossFit Open

By Chet Morjaria

Whatever you think of the CrossFit Open, there’s no denying it’s a huge undertaking for all involved, from Castro, to box owners, and all the way to you, the athlete.

But whereas Castro seemingly has no interest in making your life any more enjoyable with his rules, your box owner and your coaches do. Here are six unwritten rules on how to help your coaches, your fellow athletes, and yourself ensure this CrossFit Open is an enjoyable one for everyone involved. (Apart from Castro. He can go suck lemons.)

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#2 – Sleep Better: A Proven Way to Train Hard and Feel Your Best

By Cassie Dionne

We know sleep is imperative to health. But people seldom realize the extent it affects our recovery and susceptibility to injury. As a physical therapist, I have a special interest in how sleep affects both the risk of becoming injured and recovery from existing injury. So this article is going to be all about sleep – both in general and as it specifically relates to injuries.

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#3 – Old School Jump Training for Olympic Lifters

By Dresdin Archibald

Plyometric movements increase potential muscular force and speed, resulting in increased power. This can translate into many athletic skills, from higher jumps, to faster sprints, to bigger Olympic lifts.

Plyometrics was called “jump training” in the old days, but now we use this fancy Greek term (or “plyo,” for short). It’s a technique you can use to train for almost any activity that uses explosive movements.

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Did You See These?

• Don’t Dismiss Machines for Athletic Strength
• How to Be Unstoppable In Spite of Injury
• Why Yoga Isn’t Useful for Most Performance Athletes
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo courtesy of Jorge Huerta.

The post 3 of the Best: This Week’s Top Articles, Vol. 21 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.