Our success or failure in fitness is determined by our progress. If we’re making steady, tangible progress, we can be certain we’re succeeding. If we’re NOT progressing (whether we’re stagnating or regressing), we are, by definition, failing. That’s some serious pressure. Pressure we put on ourselves. Pressure we put on our coaches. Pressure we put …
This week’s Technique Tuesday continues the theme of accessory exercises, and pin presses are about as good as it gets if you’re looking for a stronger bench press. I didn’t always love this exercise, but once I realized how quickly it forces you into an optimal position at the bottom of the bench (where everyone …
Technique Tuesday: Pin Presses for a Stronger Bench Press Read More »
We use the landmine press with our baseball players at Cressey Sports Performance all the time. We love it because it builds upper strength while improving scapular upward rotation and challenging the athlete’s core control. But we also train a lot of powerlifters and people who just want to get brutally strong. Does the landmine …
Technique Tuesday: Should Powerlifters Use the Landmine Press? Read More »
The deadlift is the most brutally honest of the powerlifts. You either lift it or you don’t. Squats can be high, bench presses can be bounced, but you can’t cheat a deadlift. Deadlift hitching is one of the few ways you can screw up a deadlift in competition. The act of hitching means that once your knees …
Seminar season is fast approaching and I’ll be on the road presenting the next two weekends. If you’re in the Toronto or Florida areas, you don’t want to miss these: OPTIMIZING THE BIG 3 in Toronto The Optimizing the Big 3 seminar is slated for its first international edition. Greg Robins and I are headed to Toronto …
This week’s Technique Tuesday will help you fix two pesky deadlift weak points using two of my favorite Romanian Deadlift variations. The RDL is highly specific to the competition deadlift, making it an excellent accessory exercise to drive up the main lift. However, this pair of close relatives to the RDL can hone in on …
Technique Tuesday: 2 RDL Variations to Fix Your Deadlift Weak Points Read More »
The journey is the destination. The chase is better than the catch. Anticipation is greater than realization. All these quotes can be applied to training. And while training is an enjoyable process, it’s the result of training that we’re after: better health, stronger lifts, bigger muscles, etc. Given that training is a means to an end, …
This week’s Technique Tuesday continues to focus on assistance exercises to increase your powerlifts, and no other exercise builds upper body strength quite like chest support rows. Upper back strength is paramount for all three powerlifts. You hold the bar on your back when you squat. You support your bodyweight on your upper back when …
Technique Tuesday: Chest Supported Rows for Upper Back Strength Read More »
It’s winter in New England, which means the sun sets extra early. It also means most of my work day at Cressey Sports Performance takes place after sunset. So the other day at about 6 p.m., I caught one of our high school athletes checking out his fresh haircut in the reflection in one of …
I’m a day late with this week’s Technique Tuesday but it’s worth it because I talk about my favorite lower body accessory exercise of all time: glute ham raises. Nothing trains your glutes, hamstrings and lower back while taking pressure off your joints like the GHR, making it my go-to lower body movement to drive up the …
Technique Tuesday: How to do Glute Ham Raises for Stronger Squats and Deadlifts Read More »
