Actor Chris Hemsworth is well known for his strength and ripped physique befitting a fictional interpretation of the mythological Norse God Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). From time to time, ... Continue Reading
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
"Squats don't hurt your knees; what you are doing hurts your knees." Dan John By the writing of this article, there have been 1,789 homicides in Tijuana this year. That's exceeded the previous ... Continue Reading
My Most Effective Squat Cue
I have a sordid history with squatting. It’s been a classic love-hate relationship, mixed with heartbreak, disappointment, and pain (dramatic, I know). When I was coming up as an athlete, like most guys, I ... Continue Reading
The Magical Power Between Your Legs
Whether you’re a man or a woman, you have more power between your legs than you think. What am I referring to? The adductors, of course. The adductors are one of the most misunderstood and ... Continue Reading
The Effective Applications for Unilateral vs Bilateral Training
There are studies that show unilateral and bilateral training lead to similar effects in terms of strength, sprint speed, and change of direction speed. There are proponents of one method over the other. ... Continue Reading
The Squat Conundrum: Front to Back
Theodore Sloan, Antonio Squillante, and Giulio Palau are three up and coming young coaches, part of a vanguard of new minds coming into the industry. They will approach a coaching tactic or strategy ... Continue Reading
Time for a Training Tune-Up
(Source: Bev Childress Creative) If you own a car, you know that to get the most out of it, you need to fill it up with quality fuel, be careful not to abuse it, and keep it looking good. You also ... Continue Reading
Of Muscles and Might: The Lead-In Program
I don’t train to just “get fit.” I want to get strong, tough, and thicken-up my body. We are all in an ongoing to fight to get strong and stay that way for as long as we can. Many studies point to ... Continue Reading
Get the Rhythm in Your Bones for Safer Squats
I love to squat. It’s by far one of my favorite exercises. It took me a long time to fall in love, but once I did, I was long gone. But it has not always been a great relationship. A few of my most painful ... Continue Reading
Post-Workout Beers: Smart Strength With Charles Staley
<p">Note: Charles is here on a weekly basis to help you cut through the B.S. and get to the bottom of the biggest questions in health and training. Post your questions directly to Charles in the ... Continue Reading
The Man In the Mirror: Smart Strength With Charles Staley
Note: Charles is here on a weekly basis to help you cut through the B.S. and get to the bottom of the biggest questions in health and training. Post your questions directly to Charles in the comments below ... Continue Reading
The Good, Bad, and Ugly About Squats for Female Runners
We’ve all heard people espousing the greatness of the squat. They gets results, it’s something you can do even if you’re traveling, you don’t need any special equipment, etc., etc. Well, I’m here to break ... Continue Reading
Get a Big Squat: The Russian Squat Routine vs. The Smolov Squat Routine
In the small and dark basement gym where I trained in Olympic weightlifting, I once saw one of the international level lifters stop his snatches and cleans and move solely to squatting for a number of ... Continue Reading
How Deep Should You Squat? Science Compares Partial and Full Squats
I love squatting deep. There’s something about squatting the barbell through a large range of motion that just makes you feel like something is finally right in the world. But I haven’t always done deep ... Continue Reading
