Blog
31 Jan The 5 Best Barbell Exercises On The Planet
Why would I write an article that would seem to be such common sense? I've learned that common sense is not always common practice. The reason I'm writing this article is because I recently came across a similar article on this topic. Have to say, I was shocked at what I saw what was listed as the “best barbell” exercises. It was one of the those articles that I was just shaking my head in disbelief thinking - “Really? Does the author seriously believe these are the best barbell exercises??” It occurred to me that maybe there is a misunderstanding about what the most valuable barbell exercises are. That’s when I decided to write this.
24 Jan 3 Unbreakable Rules For A Resilient Turkish Get-Up
When I think of a Turkish get-up, I think of the word, resilient. It's an amazing movement and extremely valuable exercise for any athlete or fitness enthusiast. Gray Cook (Author, Physical Therapist, and creator of Functional Movement Systems) stated at one time that if he was limited to only one exercise, it would be the Turkish-get-up. If you have at least a basic understanding of how to perform a Turkish get-up, then these are the essential rules that are important when performing this exercise. If you think about the 3 things I share with you here and apply them, your get-up will be stronger, safer, and more efficient. These 3 rules will allow you to get more out of your get-up - that I guarantee.
16 Jan Kettlebell Training And Olympic Weightlifting – An Analysis Of Hip Power
Here's a training topic that no one else talks about.
In this article, you'll learn about the single biggest difference between kettlebell training and Olympic weightlifting. While there are many differences between these 2 explosive training methods, there is one thing that makes each of these strength skills so unique.
Make no mistake, these 2 training methods are very different from each other, yet also complementary.
There’s one thing that is central to both and no one seems to talk about this.
When I started to learn the Olympic lifts (the snatch and clean and jerk) - after establishing a strong foundation with hardstyle kettlebell training - I thought that my kettlebell skills would somewhat easily transfer to the barbell.
I thought that lots of technically sound swings, snatches, cleans, and other kettlebell exercises would set a good baseline that would transfer to the Olympic lifting.
I was wrong.
There's a key difference between kettlebells and Olympic weightlifting that requires new motor learning and skill development to excel in either.
It comes down to hip power.
Yes, there are many technical differences between training with a kettlebell and a barbell, but the biggest difference comes down to one important distinction.
10 Jan What Are We Training For? (The Bigger, Better, Stronger, Faster Paradigm)
I've been thinking a lot about training lately. What are we training for? I mean, specifically, what are we working to achieve? After some serious thought, I believe it really comes down to these 4 things: Bigger, better, stronger, faster. That sums up my training paradigm. I’ve talked about my philosophy being built on a foundation of movement and strength - and it is. But a paradigm is how I think about training, it's how I approach training.A paradigm is, by definition, a theory or a group of ideas about how something should be done, made, or thought about.
Becoming bigger, better, stronger, and faster is the process and the “end game” of what I train for. This paradigm isn't just for athletes and I'll explain why. Anyone can adopt this paradigm and it can be considered to improve both health and performance. Let me explain this important concept in more detail so you can see how it can help guide your training and results.
03 Jan Can You Be Great?
This is a bold and different kind of post, unlike anything I've ever written. But the message is important and it's the perfect time of year to write this. It's not meant to motivate or inspire, but to aspire (you'll see what I mean). This isn't motivational fluff, it's a shift in mindset.
Don't worry, I've got plenty of NEW "how to" articles, lifting tips, and training advice coming here soon (and a bunch of other cool new stuff too).
This is a new year and each of us has a clean slate right now. We're all excited about our training as the year begins, right?
But, what happens in a month from now? 2 months from now?
27 Dec The 5 Best Fitness Books Of The Year (2016 Edition)
As we begin, let me tell you this. The list here should be titled the 5 best and most unconventional fitness books of the year. These aren't the typical "mainstream" fitness books and if you've read anything before from this website, you know that's not how I roll. Now that I said that, here's my 5th year of publishing the 5 best fitness books of the year. (If you missed last year's article, see the bottom of this post). What I can say about this year's list is that the books here can improve your life - or help you improve those you work with. These are performance books to enhance sport - or life. Coming up with this list was tough. It always is. It was tough because I read some great books this year, but the truth is I can't read everything out there, so there's probably some great books that I just didn't get to (yet). I still have a stack of books that were released in 2016 that haven't been read. Who can benefit from this list? Anybody really, but this is written specifically for coaches, trainers, lifters, the serious fitness enthusiast, and or the rehab professional. It's for people who simply want the edge in lifting, in sport, and in life.