One of the most common questions I get asked by clients is, “Should I use a lifting belt?” Lifting belts are often misunderstood. Do they protect your lower back? Do they make your abs stronger? Or weaker? The answer is, of course, it depends. And it depends completely on if you use the belt correctly. …
Technique Tuesday: How to Use a Lifting Belt to Brace Your Core Read More »
Today’s guest post is from my sister, Alex Bonvechio. Alex has been competing in powerlifting for almost 2 years now and will take a crack at an elite total at 148 pounds in October. Here’s her take on how she went from a total beginner to an accomplished lifter in such a short time. Enjoy! Alex …
The Journey from Novice to Elite: A Female Powerlifter’s Perspective Read More »
Earlier this year, I humbly apologized to a handful of exercises that I unfairly accused of being wimpy and useless. Part 1 of this series saw me rethink my approach to the following exercises: Turkish Get-Ups Cable Pull-Throughs Pull-Overs Lunges Chops and Lifts Now, I program these exercises on a daily basis for athletes, powerlifters and …
Exercises I Used to Hate (but Now I Kinda Like), Part 2 Read More »
This week’s Technique Tuesday brought to you by CSP Mass talks about why two of the most popular squat accessory exercises might not work as well as you think. If you’ve ever used box squats and good mornings to bring up your squat but ended up with no gains to show for it, I feel …
Technique Tuesday: Squat Accessory Exercises that Don’t Work as Well as You Think Read More »
Accumulating “stuff” is part of the fun of having a hobby. Car enthusiasts love souping up their rides. Guitar players love adding new pieces to their rig. And powerlifters love adding new gear to their wardrobe of stuff to wear while lifting. I delved into what lifters wear and why in my article, the Novice Raw …
Powerlifting Equipment 101: How to Use Wrist Wraps Read More »
Last Sunday, we hosted the Powerlifting Fundamentals seminar at 212 Health & Performance in Rumford, Rhode Island. It was my first ever “solo” seminar and it was beyond awesome. Great turnout, great energy and great lifting. During the lecture portion, I spoke about training philosophy and program design. I preached the importance of choosing the right …
This week’s Technique Tuesday brought to you by CSP Mass shows you the two of the best squat accessory exercises to help improve your competition lift. Give them a try to help target your weak points and prevent falling forward during the squat: Check back in next week for two of the worst squat accessory exercises that, despite their …
Technique Tuesday: Best Squat Accessory Exercises Read More »
This week’s Technique Tuesday (brought to you by CSP Mass) is all about how to keep your knees out while squatting. Lord knows I’ve struggled with this issue before (read about how I fixed my squat problems here, here and here), but with a little focus and patience, it can be fixed. Check it out: And don’t …
Technique Tuesday: How to Keep Your Knees Out while Squatting Read More »
The fitness world is exceptionally prone to the overreaction/under-reaction phenomenon. That is, fitness-minded people often fall victim to an all-or-nothing view of certain foods, exercises or training methodologies. Remember how scary dietary fat was in the 80’s? How about evil carbs in the 2000’s? Spinal flexion sure was terrible 10 years ago, but now extension …
Hey all. I’m pumped to announce that we’re starting a new Facebook initiative at Cressey Sports Performance where we’ll crank out a handful of new videos each week featuring a different member of the staff. My video series will be Technique Tuesdays where I’ll discuss different aspects of powerlifting and how to improve your technique on …
Technique Tuesdays – Elbow Position During Squats Read More »
