Spoiler alert: I have never been and never will be a runner. I’ve always shied away from long distance running because… well, I hated doing it. And when I did do it, it was painfully difficult. I’d much rather run to the squat rack than jog around the block. Despite my bias against running, I’ve learned …
I fell in love with lifting as a college athlete. I’ll never forget the feeling of empowerment I got when I started the first lifting program given to us by our baseball coach. But here’s the thing – the plan was complete garbage. It was a glorified bodybuilder routine. Too many sets, poor exercise selection, no …
Stack.com – The Top 10 Mistakes Athletes Make in the Weight Room Read More »
Yesterday I had the honor of writing a guest post for Eric Cressey’s website. If I could go back in time and tell my 18-year-old self that I’d get to write for Eric, I’d probably crap my pants (and not just because I found out how to go back in time). So let’s just say …
EricCressey.com – Quick and Easy Ways to Feel and Move Better Read More »
Today is my 27th birthday. Looking back, 26 was pretty awesome. I got engaged. I got a job at one of the greatest training facilities on the planet. I won my first Best Lifter award. And of course, I met a lot of awesome people and learned a lot of valuable lessons. As I continue …
Pick up something heavy. Carry it around. Put it down. Rest. Repeat. Can something this simple be too good to be true? Not in this case. Farmer’s walks build head-to-toe strength and coordination in a way that other weight room exercises can’t. What’s more, farmer’s walks are limited only by your imagination (and possibly grip …
Stack.com – 7 Farmer’s Walk Variations for Improved Core Strength Read More »
I used to hate front squats. I mean HATE. Like, I’d rather do almost any exercise in the gym besides front squats. They’re uncomfortable and I could never seem to stay upright. My elbows would fall forward, my chest would cave and I’d never be able to lift as much weight as I thought I …
This week at Cressey Sports Performance Massachusetts, we received an email from an athlete looking to pursue a career in fitness when his playing days are over. This is a common scenario and one to which many athletes-turned-coaches can relate. Here’s the email (edited slightly to protect privacy): To the Guys at CSP, My name is …
Cressey Sports Performance Round Table: Carving Your Path as a Strength Coach Read More »
“[I]f you want to really build strength and muscle, you need to crush each rep as explosively as you can with perfect form. Lower the weight under control, but always lift each rep with maximal effort like you’re trying to blast it through the roof.” This is a direct quote from a past article I …
Squat depth is a funny thing. When people start lifting, they usually squat high. They don’t know how low they’re supposed to go, or they’re scared if they go too low, they won’t be able to stand back up. Then, once they read or hear that you “must” squat ass-to-grass, squat depth is everything. Like, …
Stack.com – Improve Your Squat Depth with 5 Easy Warm-Up Exercises Read More »
I love kettlebell swings. This is not breaking news. I’ve written about them before (here and here) and I wrote about them again. This time, I wrote a piece for MyFitnessPal called “Learn the Kettlebell Swing in 4 Easy Steps“. I break down three essential exercises that you need to learn before you start adding …
MyFitnessPal: Learn the Kettlebell Swing in 4 Easy Steps Read More »
