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
7 Things Every Powerlifter Should Ask Themselves Before Their Next Meet
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