In an announcement posted by coach and ECC organizer Ben Bergeron, it was announced today that the yearly functional fitness competition in Boston has come to an end. The competition's ... Continue Reading
7 Corrective Exercises to Strengthen Your Shoulders From Injury
Weightlifters, powerlifters, and functional fitness athletes are all at risk for injury. Weightlifters spend much of their training day in an overhead position performing snatches, jerks, and overhead ... Continue Reading
The Strongman Deadlift Cheat Sheet (and How to Fix Your Pull)
“I pick things up and put them down.” This is easily the most obnoxious thing people say when first meeting me and they are not involved in the sport of strongman (or any strength sport). The ... Continue Reading
Weightlifting Myths: Spot Toning and Muscle Turning Into Fat
When it comes to believing in the benefits of strength training, there are usually two types of people: those that dive in head first, and those looking for the magic pill without putting in the time to ... Continue Reading
Should Weightlifters Do Static Stretching?
Sit and hold stretching is often overlooked in today's training environments. The rise of myofascial release (MR) using foam rollers and proprioceptive neuromuscular release (PNF) stretching have ... Continue Reading
Stop Ignoring Accessory Work
I recently heard Louie Simmons on the Barbell Life Podcast say that his lifters do 80% accessory work! That means for some of the strongest guys in the world, they spend roughly 20% of their training day ... Continue Reading
How Much Weight Can a Human Move? Remembering the Back Lift
Fans of old-school strongmen may already be familiar with it, but if you've never heard of the back lift, prepare for a doozy: It's the lift that (arguably) allows the human body to support more weight ... Continue Reading
7 Physiological Symptoms of Overreaching In Strength and Power Athletes
Understanding the reasoning behind a sluggish start to a training session, slowed and/or diminished improvements in training, or an overall staleness in one’s fitness can sometimes be an elusive process. ... Continue Reading
End of an Era: Looking Back on the OTC’s Resident Weightlifting Program
Editor's Note: this week marks the end of the U.S. Olympic Training Center's resident program for weightlifting. In this opinion piece from former OTC resident Kyle Ernst, the author discusses what the ... Continue Reading
Watch Strongman Jerry Pritchett Deadlift 800 Pounds for 7 Reps!
Jerry Pritchett is primarily known as one of the world's top strongman competitors, but his deadlifting is world-class whether he's competing in that sport or powerlifting (as evidenced by his 914 pound ... Continue Reading
How Weightlifters Can Benefit From Squat Walkouts
There are few things worse than hitting some heavy back or front squats, only to unrack the bar and feel overwhelmingly depleted even before you begin your descent. I know because I have been there, plenty ... Continue Reading
Rotate 1 Minute a Day for a Healthier Spine and Improved Performance
Disclaimer from the author: If you are experiencing even slight discomfort, I highly recommend consulting with a practitioner well versed in helping prevent or heal orthopedic injuries. Even if you have no ... Continue Reading
IWF Approves 8th Women’s Weight Class, Eliminates Bodyweight Tiebreaker from Competition
Editor's update: The new 90kg women's weight class has been formally adopted by the International Weightlifting Federation. The new women's weight class breakdown is 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 75kg, ... Continue Reading
Should You Switch from Weightlifting to Powerlifting?
I’m a mystery to many people, especially in terms of my lifting. What do I do, if I even train at all? The short answer: My initial focus and true love is weightlifting. The slightly longer answer: ... Continue Reading
The Cold Hard Truths About Ice Baths and Muscle Recovery
Ice baths, or cold water immersion (CWI), have long been used by high level strength and power athletes to enhance recovery from high intensity matches and training sessions. Although the exact mechanisms ... Continue Reading
Weightlifter Profiles: Junior American Record Holder Megan Seegert (48kg)
On Saturday, September 3rd, I had the chance to catch up with Megan Seegert at the Hassle Free Invitational in Sacramento. In 2016, Seegert has been one of the most productive American Junior aged ... Continue Reading
Watch Dmitry Klokov Climb a Giant Sand Dune with a 60kg Barbell on His Back
Retired Russian weightlifter Dmitry Klokov spent a decade as one of the world's top Olympic lifters, and his resume includes a World Championship, European Championship, and Olympic silver medal ... Continue Reading
Digging Deep: What It Means to Endure Pain in Strongman and Other Strength Sports
It is one thing to study war And another to live the warrior’s life -Telamon of Arcadia, 5th century B.C. Mercenary Chose an individual sport; any one of them: Triathlon? Singles ... Continue Reading
Should Weightlifters Do Behind The Neck Jerks?
The behind the neck jerk is a viable training option for both beginner and advanced weightlifters. This jerk variation improves works to improve: Leg drive in the jerk Overhead confidence and ... Continue Reading
How to Watch the 2016 USA Weightlifting University and Under 25 Championships
After recent flooding in Baton Rouge wreaked havoc on that city's infrastructure, the 2016 University and Under 25 Championships in weightlifting have been moved to the Alario Center in New Orleans, ... Continue Reading
“Numbers on the Barbell, Not on the Scale”: Female Athletes Discuss Changing Body Perceptions
How's this to start your day: Some of the top female athletes in strength sports are giving their own takes on "strong is beautiful" — several of whom give very personal insights into what the movement has ... Continue Reading
Why You Shouldn’t Train Clean Pulls Like Deadlifts
The clean pull, while similar looking, is a very different exercise than the conventional barbell/powerlifting deadlift. Often, lifters attack clean pulls with the same patterning, focus, and end goal as a ... Continue Reading
The Insane Rise of Mas Wrestling, the Best Strength Sport You Haven’t Tried Yet
Short of beating a person into unconsciousness, it’s hard to think of a more primal battle of wills than Mas wrestling. Sure, flinging kegs, flipping tires, and hauling Atlas Stones all come with their own ... Continue Reading
Shahin Nasirinia: The Best Weightlifting Coach in America You’ve Never Heard Of (Until Now)
On the first night of the 2016 Olympic Games, Morghan King had the competition of her life. Successfully snatching an American Record 83KG (183lb) in the 48KG (106lb) weight class, she also lifted ... Continue Reading