There isn’t a shortage of tools to train the core. They range from the great — TRX, ab wheel, resistance bands, kettlebells — to the ab crunch machine. Some lifters argue compound exercises like squats, ... Continue Reading
4 Ways to Mimic a Sauna for Optimal Recovery
If heat exposure is a staple in your recovery routine, or if you’d like it to be, you might not need access to a sauna or steam room. There is always a way to mimic the benefits of daily sauna sessions. ... Continue Reading
How to Manipulate Energy Balance to Lose or Gain Weight
The internet seems to be filled with endless “secrets” and “hacks” for gaining muscle and/or shedding pounds of fat. At the end of the day, though, there’s no magic behind either putting on a few pounds or ... Continue Reading
Become a High-Rep Pull-Up Master With the Kipping Pull-Up
A kipping pull-up isn't cheating. Nor is it a traditional pull-up. This momentum-happy pull-up variation is popular among CrossFitters who need to bang out hundreds of reps. The lifter athletes fling their ... Continue Reading
The 6 Best Rotational Strength Exercises Worth Adding to Your Workout
Training your core is a must for the ability to lift heavier weights, but a lot of strength athletes most likely neglect rotational core training — where, as the name implies, you one trains their core by ... Continue Reading
How to Do the Cossack Squat — a Challenging But Rewarding Exercise
The Cossack squat is a single-leg squat variation that develops mobility, flexibility, and strength in the frontal plane. Cossack squats can benefit beginners and advanced lifters, but they are challenging ... Continue Reading
How to Incorporate Bands and Chains Into Your Weight Training
Adding bands and chains to your main lifts can provide a different training stimulus to take your strength and power to new heights. Some lifters use bands and chains as a staple in their programming. ... Continue Reading
The Best Stability Ball Exercises to Improve Balance and Core Strength
Stability balls don't get a fair shake. Serious lifters associate them with physical therapists or, at best, a tool that you can use to carve your core. Both of those statements are true, but you're really ... Continue Reading
Try This Dynamic Warm-Up for Running
Running, like resistance training, powerlifting, weightlifting, and competitive fitness, is highly taxing on the connective tissues and muscles. Failure to adequately warm-up before hard training can ... Continue Reading
Bar Velocity Tracking: Gimmick or Innovation?
The landscape of the strength training world is rapidly changing. Between emergent research and a commercially incentivized desire to find the “next big thing,” coaches and athletes are constantly looking ... Continue Reading
The Complete Guide to Pre-Workout Supplements
Taking a scoop of pre-workout to get fired up has become a regular part of many gym-goers’ daily routine. And just like your heart rate after taking some of the stuff, its popularity shows no signs of ... Continue Reading
Become a High-Rep Pull-Up Master With Kipping Pull-Ups
A kipping pull-up isn't cheating. Nor is it a traditional pull-up. This momentum-happy pull-up variation is popular among CrossFitters who need to bang out hundreds of reps. The lifter athletes fling their ... Continue Reading
Everything You Need to Know About Hoisting Atlas Stones
Before there were weight plates and dumbbells, there were stones. Stone lifting is a universal feat of strength recognized by people everywhere. Scotland is home to the famed Dinnie stones. Iceland ... Continue Reading
Use Accommodating Resistance to Break Through Strength Plateaus
Plateauing in the gym on key movements is common. It's also really frustrating. At some point, your body adapts to the weight you’re using, and even a five-pound increase in weight can feel like a month ... Continue Reading
The Hip Hinge Will Make Or Break Your Big Lifts. Here’s How to Do it
The hip hinge is more than an exercise. It’s a fundamental movement necessary for success in the deadlift, Olympic lifts, and more. Lifters can unlock their strength potential and protect themselves from ... Continue Reading
The Lifter’s Guide to Progressive Overload
To improve in any area in the gym, you need one thing: progression. A lot of lifters casually throw around the term progressive overload. They’ll often use it to refer to the process of adding more weight ... Continue Reading
No Barbell, No Problem — the Best Medicine Ball Exercises for Power
One of the best ways to develop power and athleticism is by performing the Olympic lifts. Snatches, jerks, and cleans develop a strong and powerful body. Watching athletes move heavy weight quickly from ... Continue Reading
The Wall Ball is the Cardio Booster Your Workouts Are Missing
Most of us know all too well the feeling of the burning lungs, weak, flaccid arms, and legs that are on the verge of buckling. We're talking about wall balls — the dynamic squat and press exercise that ... Continue Reading
Simple Yet Effective — Here’s How to Do the Plank
Few exercises are as basic yet effective as the plank. To the untrained eye, a plank is a lazy person's exercise. Heck, you're not even standing up. But experienced gym-goers, or even someone who has tried ... Continue Reading
Is Sumo Deadlifting Really Cheating? The Final Nail In the Coffin
The sumo deadlift is cheating, say lifters who prefer conventional. Just because the sumo deadlift can reduce low back stress doesn’t make it less badass, say lifters who pull sumo. Sure, the basic rules ... Continue Reading
Is Beer Actually a Good Post-Workout Drink?
Most people typically chug a protein shake after an intense training session, but what if you could trade that for a beer or a cocktail after your workout? We know what you’re thinking, “Isn’t ... Continue Reading
The Top Five Recovery Mistakes CrossFitters Make
Many people begin CrossFit as a path to managing their mental health. Physical activity has a host of mental health benefits, including potentially reducing anxiety and depression. However, recovery ... Continue Reading
Nutrition for Athletes — How to Eat for Muscle and Performance
Professional athletes — from bodybuilders to Major League Baseball players — have the best equipment, training facilities, and coaches in the world at their disposal, so it makes sense that their nutrition ... Continue Reading
How the Reverse Hyperextension Builds a Bulletproof Posterior Chain
Your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings are the foundation of your body. Though each muscle serves a function on its own, combined, this trio makes up a decent portion of your core and supports your spine. ... Continue Reading