There’s a point in one’s training career where they realize they cannot push forth the same way they have for the previous decades. Maybe it’s feeling run down, life/work family changes, or even an injury. ... Continue Reading
7 Downsides of Being Crazy Lean
Sure, a strong deadlift is cool but you know what’s really cool? Six. Pack. Abs. Or eight-pack abs. Just getting super, stupid, crazy lean, bro, that’s what it’s all about. We’re being sarcastic here ... Continue Reading
5 Things I Learned From 8 Weeks of Ditching the Barbell
I'm going to open up this article by letting everyone know that I'm not proactively saying ditch the barbell, or claiming one style training is always better than the other. That's not at all the purpose ... Continue Reading
Eliminate Shoulder Discomfort In Seconds With This Squatting Tip
Shoulder pain is a common complaint among powerlifters, and for good reason: the shoulder joint is enormously complex, and it’s placed under a lot of stress during bench presses, low-bar squats, and even ... Continue Reading
The Ideal Body Fat Percentage for Powerlifting
If you read my last article, you know that the Pioneer Tribute meet didn’t go all that well for me. And you know that I believe it didn’t go well because I tried to diet too hard, got too lean, and ended ... Continue Reading
Beltless Deadlifts: Their Benefits and How to Use Them
The question of beltless training, specifically for the deadlift, is a pretty great topic in strength training. Everyone has an idea that beltless deadlift training can be beneficial for their gains, ... Continue Reading
6 CrossFit Movements Every Strength & Power Athlete Should Do
Squats, presses, deadlifts, and the Olympic lifts are often at the forefront of a strength and power athletes. While strength and muscle hypertrophy are key to athletic performance, other fitness ... Continue Reading
Op-Ed: The Kettlebell Press Is Better Than the Dumbbell Press
My genetics put all my muscle in my butt and my quads, and for the longest time it seemed I was doomed to have low mass is my upper body and in particular my shoulders. Nothing I did could make them any ... Continue Reading
5 Mobility Drills to Help You Through Lifting Sticking Points
“No Pain, No Gain!” We have all heard that at some point or another along our fitness or athletic journeys. Pushing through pain is sometimes said to make you stronger, more resilient, and tough. When in ... Continue Reading
How to Use the Safety Squat Bar to Improve Your Bench and Shoulder Press
When most people see the safety squat bar (SSB) the only thought that goes through their head is that it's just for the purpose of lift that’s in its name. After many years of suffering from shoulder pain ... Continue Reading
This Is CrossFit Burnout (and How You Overcome It)
If you’re a seasoned CrossFitter, chances are you’ve reached a point where doing “constantly varied functional movements at high intensity” can feel a bit … bleh. You know those days when you walk into ... Continue Reading
So You Wanna Be A Powerlifter? Preparing for Meet Day
In our previous episode, we talked about the how and why of peaking and tapering, as well as some generally accepted strategies for doing so. In this episode, we’re going to go over your preparations for ... Continue Reading
Thoughts a World Champion Powerlifter Has During a High Intensity Cycling Class
I must admit, this article was never planned, but what it unfolded to has been much better than anything I could have imagined. Strength athletes are athletic in multiple ways, there's no denying that. ... Continue Reading
So You Wanna Be A Powerlifter? The Peak and Taper
In our previous episode, we talked about the general outline of a program for a powerlifter. In this program, we’ll get a bit more into the nitty-gritty about what it means to ‘peak’ and to ‘taper’ which ... Continue Reading
The Ins and Outs of Opening Your Own Strongman Gym
Having owned five gyms, I am frequently approached by strongman devotees for advice on how to open their own club. While it may seem like the dream lifestyle, the harsh reality is that it is a time ... Continue Reading
So You Wanna Be A Powerlifter? Programming for a Meet
In our previous episode, we talked about keeping your training up to a competition standard. In this post and episode, we’re going to talk about some of the widely accepted ways to begin training for your ... Continue Reading
3 Common Back Squat Errors and How to Fix Them
Squatting has been a movement that humans have performed since the beginning of time. Yet over time, the population as a whole has grown further and further away from our primitive squat beginnings, ... Continue Reading
3 Practical Tips for Powerlifters Using Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a pretty popular style of diet, so I’m not going to go too in-depth into explaining it. If you have questions, I strongly suggest that you check out this article, which ... Continue Reading
5 Ways to Stay Strong (and Sane) During a Weight Cut
Since my last meet — the 2018 US Open — I’ve been slowly dieting down, from 214 to 202, to prepare to compete in the 181-pound class at the USPA Tribute meet this August. During that cut, I’ve maintained ... Continue Reading
5 Useful Strength Training Lessons Everyone Can Benefit From
Alright, maybe the list below is common sense, and maybe you already knew these. Regardless, I felt like this article was appropriate for any strength athlete or lifter who needed a friendly reminder, ... Continue Reading
Build Big Shoulders With This Supplementary Shoulder Workout Routine
Lately, I’ve been incorporating more bodybuilding work into my powerlifting training, and I’m seeing fantastic results out of it — in both size and strength. I used to think that if you wanted to be the ... Continue Reading
How to Build More Unilateral Strength (Plus a Free Training Program)
During my time getting qualified as a personal trainer, I received a lot of bad advice, a shocking amount in fact. Now I’m sure this has a lot more to do with the particular school I attended and the ... Continue Reading
3 Foolproof Shoulder Exercises That Add Mass to Your Delts
Many lifters struggle with delts — whether it’s struggling with size, strength, or pain, the shoulders can be a difficult muscle to incorporate into a powerlifting routine. As I explain to the athletes I ... Continue Reading
3 Ways to Modify Lifts When You’re Having a Bad Workout
We’ve all had those days: the ones where you walk into the gym and you’re just not feeling it. Whether you’re feeling under the weather, you’ve had a hectic day, or you’re just plain worn out, it’s ... Continue Reading