A 10-second Google search can find about ten million pre-meet checklists. It’s really simple to make a list of food and equipment you might need on the big day. But the actual meet is only one day in ... Continue Reading
Op-Ed: Why Soccer Players Need Olympic Weightlifting
With the soccer World Cup in full swing, you can’t help but be impressed by the athleticism that the world’s best soccer players possess. They are the human equivalent of Formula One race cars with an ... Continue Reading
3 Simple and Effective Methods to Increase Workout Intensity
Most of the time, when I write about programming, I’m trying to argue that less is more. I really believe that optimal training involves balancing work and recovery, and that many lifters underestimate ... Continue Reading
Is the Kettlebell Clean & Jerk the Ultimate Cross-Training Tool for Athletes?
As an athlete, you are looking for an edge. You want to be as fast, strong, powerful, mobile, and durable as you can while staying healthy. At the same time, since you are an athlete and the name of ... Continue Reading
Who Can Beat Eddie Hall’s 500kg Deadlift Record? (A Short List)
“Doctors and scientists said breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the track after collapsing at the finish line, I figured I was dead.” ... Continue Reading
Slow Life Down for Bigger and Stronger Gains In the Gym
Modern life is fast-paced. It sometimes seems like a constant rush to do more, faster, and better, no matter whether you’re at work or in the gym! But oftentimes going slower is the smarter strategy, ... Continue Reading
Here’s What Happened to My Strength After Running a Marathon
In honor of finishing my second marathon recently as a powerlifter, I thought it would be interesting to jump into the conversation of how cardio affects our strength. The first thing you’re probably ... Continue Reading
Feet Rotating In the Squat: What Does It Mean?
Have you ever been squatting and noticed yours or another athlete's foot turning out (physically externally rotating) under them? The toes angled out in a squat is relatively normal when it comes to an ... Continue Reading
Five Things You Can Do Outside The Gym to Get Stronger
Full disclaimer: these aren’t my own ideas! There’s a great Reddit discussion here about all the little things you can do outside of training to improve your performance in the gym. I picked out my ... Continue Reading
Fasted Cardio for Strength Training: Pros and Cons
For years, I’ve done fasted cardio as my main form of cardio. I’ve tried all sorts of cardio routines: fasted, fed, high-intensity, intervals, low-intensity, even no intensity (i.e., no cardio)! When I ... Continue Reading
How and Why Deadlift Cluster Sets Can Improve Your Pull
Earlier this year, I began experimenting with cluster sets in my training. If you’re not already familiar with them, cluster sets are multiple (usually 6-10) sets performed with very short rest (45-90 ... Continue Reading
How “Loaded Mobility” Can Combine Strength With Prehab
Move better, that is the credo. In the endless pursuit of physical mastery, the emphasis on bigger, faster, stronger will run its course for an everyday athlete and sooner or later the priority ... Continue Reading
What Does It Mean When Athletes Maintain Three Points of Contact in Lifting?
The idea of maintaining three points of contact for an athlete's stance in lifts, also called a tripod position, is focused around the concept of displacing pressure evenly across the foot in three places ... Continue Reading
3 Tactical Methods Strength Athletes Can Use to Have More Fun Training
One of the most important — and most overlooked! — aspects of productive training is also one of the simplest. The best type of training is fun. Yeah, it sounds simple, maybe even stupid, but it’s the ... Continue Reading
Foods Every Strongman Athlete Should Eat
In addition to being a strength and conditioning coach I hold a certification in Sports Nutrition as well. To help the athletes I work with, I combine my knowledge from both fields. Together they create ... Continue Reading
How to Survive Weightlifting in 3 Simple Steps
Six weeks ago, I competed in a tune up meet at the Cap City Open in Virginia, during the middle of a cycle, completely un-peaked, and went 5 for 6 at a bodyweight of 74.80kg with an 89kg snatch, and a ... Continue Reading
6 Factors Powerlifters Should Consider to Maintain Strength During a Cut
Have you ever wondered why most powerlifters don’t look ripped? There is definitely a stigma on our sport that we are the “overweight”, and even sometimes lazy group of athletes. I mean, it makes sense ... Continue Reading
The Ultimate Preview to the 2018 USA Weightlifting National Championships
Entries are closed, and USA Weightlifting has published the latest version of the athlete start list for the 2018 National Championships, to be held May 24 through the 27th of this year in Overland Park, ... Continue Reading
Lessons Learned From An “Unconventional” Powerlifting Meet Prep
In the first part of this series, I explained the basics of my approach to last-minute peaking for the US Open. In this and in articles to come, I’ll talk details: what I did, what mistakes I made, what I ... Continue Reading
Program Comparison: Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 Vs. StrongLifts 5 x 5 Vs. Starting Strength
How do you choose the best program for your needs? There are so many workout programs out there it's nearly impossible to definitively brand one as superior to another without context of an athlete's ... Continue Reading
How I Peaked for the Kern US Open Using “Unconventional” Methods
If you follow me on social media, you know I decided to compete in the US Open this year. It was a pretty late decision to compete, for a few reasons. First, I’ve been focusing on bodybuilding – which I ... Continue Reading
How to Pick Contests That Improve Your Strongman Abilities
In the quest to become a better strongperson athlete, a smart athlete will plan out a road that will lead to their long term success. But in an effort to acquire hardware, many athletes will often pick ... Continue Reading
How to Increase Your Strongman Game Without Lifting a Single Weight
Smart strongmen are doing everything they can to get ahead of their competition. The game is getting tighter and the spots at the top are getting more difficult to grab. When the bar rises this high, there ... Continue Reading
Op-Ed: I’m A Strength Athlete And I Prefer Collagen Protein. Here’s Why
Casein. Whey. Hemp. Soy. I’ve added more different types of protein powder to my shaker-bottle than toppings to my morning oats. So when collagen started populating my newsfeed, I thought, “eh, why not” ... Continue Reading