strength training

Hey, you. Why don’t you put down that barbell for a few minutes? Let’s catch up. I see you in here all the time, training hard - harder than most, in fact. Which is why I wanted to chat with you. I see you ... Continue Reading

EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the Athlete Journal of world champion powerlifter Chris Duffin. Follow Chris as he trains and competes in various events over the coming year. Chris's journal will be posted every ... Continue Reading

Before we begin, there are a few things to note on spotting. If your lifter cannot get the weight up at least mostly by themselves, he or she should back off, lighten the load, and work up from there. When ... Continue Reading

This is perhaps the ultimate conundrum within strength training - how to make continual strength increases while staying free from injury. By its very nature, lifting heavier and heavier takes its toll on ... Continue Reading

At OPT we all agree that in fitness: Everyone needs an individualized program. We are preparing for unknown pieces in fitness competitions. We believe in balancing all aspects, not focusing ... Continue Reading

I work in a unique setting. I manage and coach a CrossFit within a YMCA, so I am exposed to what is known here as “hardcore” athletes (the CrossFit athletes) and also our health seekers. A health seeker is ... Continue Reading

Are you getting the strength gains you want from your training program? If not, more volume may be what you need. This conclusion comes from the most recent edition of the Journal of Strength and ... Continue Reading

Whether we are athletes or coaches, if we are involved in program design then we need to understand the body's basic processes. If you choose the wrong programs, the results will invariably suffer. For ... Continue Reading

When you think of lower body exercises, squats, legs presses, deadlifts, lunges, leg extensions, and leg curls come to mind because they’re the most commonly used. As well they should be because they’re ... Continue Reading

Good programming is a self-evident truth. That is, that the outcome of the program shows clearly and comprehensively that the program was correctly laid out. One of the things that I like most about the ... Continue Reading

1. Start with Bodyweight “One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself.” - Leonardo da Vinci Let’s start with an admission. My name is Chet Morjaria, and I am a barbell addict. ... Continue Reading

In order to get better today sometimes its necessary to look backwards at what history can teach us. I'm a huge fan of the old-time strongmen. This term usually refers to professional weightlifters and ... Continue Reading

Building strength and size while simultaneously developing endurance is tough. Sure, it works for beginners. Coach Mark Rippetoe once said, “A novice athlete can ride a stationary bike and his bench press ... Continue Reading

Many Breaking Muscle readers are bodyweight exercise enthusiasts, much like myself. It’s always plain to see when comparing performances of bodyweight trainees that the lighter athletes often perform ... Continue Reading

We all have different goals, but when we hit the gym many of us lift the same way. This might be for good reason, since the basic exercises like the bench press are great for the results most athletes ... Continue Reading

We all know weight training was resisted for many years in the early half of the 20th Century, and even beyond. And not just quiet resistance. It was resisted with disproportionate emotional fervor. When ... Continue Reading

Following on from this week’s earlier article about learning how to tame fire and make it work for yourself, it seemed logical to show you how this process may work. I’m in the middle of a pretty cool ... Continue Reading

EDITOR'S NOTE: Ever wonder how a world-class coach actually trains? Wonder what it's like to train as a "mature athlete?" Welcome to the athlete journal of Charles Staley. A big believer in practicing what ... Continue Reading

The following are excerpts from Chapters 8 and 9 of Dan John's book "Intervention: Course Corrections for the Athlete and Trainer," available in print, ebook, and audio book. You can also listen to ... Continue Reading

Today’s study has a special place in my heart. First, it studies the bench press. All great scientific studies must involve the bench press and therefore be done on Mondays. But next, it takes a common ... Continue Reading

If you’re like me you just don’t have enough hours in the day. Because of that I am always looking for ways to minimize my gym time. That doesn’t mean I am going to skimp on a workout, but it does mean I ... Continue Reading

How many of us are short on time? Probably all of us, and working out sometimes takes the back burner to life’s other concern. So, getting the most bang for your buck in the gym is the name of the game. ... Continue Reading