Take the Red Pill
Here’s a red pill for you to swallow: The conjugate system is like an XL shirt that fits differently on different people. With a few modifications, that shirt can be made to fit just about anyone. Same goes for the program in this article.
FAI and the Rehab Process: Re-Activation and Re-Alignment
Following the Femoro-Acetabular Impingement diagnosis procedure and the loosening of areas of concern, the next step in rehabbing FAI is the re-activation and re-alignment stage. This may involve re-activation of the glute through hip extension, abduction, and external rotation.
Next Level Pec Training
An alternative title: Here are three things you can do to make your titties pop. I doubt any judge has ever said to a competitor that their chest was too large, so if you really want to wow the judges, start by working on your elbow position.
How Stuff Works: The Wrist Wrap
With a better understanding of belts (the first product studied within this series), it’s now time we’ll move on to wrist wraps. Exactly how do wrist wraps work? Also, a big thanks to the 262 athletes who gave their input in an interesting survey about their use of wrist wraps.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — "Figuring Shit Out" is Lost
If you’re new to strength sports, don’t be afraid to go into a gym and try to figure shit out. You don’t need to hire a coach immediately — in fact, Dave Tate and Hypertrophy Coach Joe Bennett recommend going into the gym with a friend and have some fun.
Meet Report: Pressing the Pieces Together
When a friend invited me to a bench press-only APF meet that also raised money for Autism and Autism Awareness, there was no way I could say no — even though I haven’t competed in quite some time.
Fall Forward
When you tuck the ball and fall for a yard, and when you get rolling, take three steps forward and get pushed back two, remember: you still fell forward one step.
Introducing New elitefts Athlete Anne Sheehan
The newest Team elitefts athlete Anne Sheehan learned while she was getting sober that she needed someone else’s help — and she did it. And that’s exactly what her athlete logs will do: help other powerlifters in their journeys.
3 Don'ts for the Early Deadlifter
My son sent a text last week — just a video of him deadlifting in our garage gyms. We discussed one of the mistakes we discovered he was making at the start of the pull. It was our discussion that influenced this article.
Are You Ready for the Inevitable?
After resigning from my last position, I thought it was an opportune time to reflect on the situation and hopefully, a time for me to assist you in the process of finding your next gig. Best of luck in your job hunt!
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast #8 with Tony Montgomery
In this episode of Table Talk Podcast, Dave Tate announces a new member of Team elitefts: Tony Montgomery. They talk about training for the U.S. Marines, running gyms, furthering education, and more.
Scale Up Your Personal Training Business With 2:1 Sessions
One of the simplest ways for a personal trainer to make more money is to train two clients at once. It’s also the fastest way to scale your income without adding additional time to your schedule. Welcome to the world of 2:1 training.
Keyboard Warriors Need to Stop!
People with similar issues can respond differently to the same treatments, so having multiple solutions is a great way to increase the likelihood of success. As for arguing about different solutions with experts on the internet? Not so great.
The Death of the Powerlifting Crew
Powerlifting is bigger and better than it was when I started in 2004. But there’s is one major exception to the positives regarding the sport’s growth: The death of the powerlifting crew.
Activate and Contract Lower Abdominals for a Healthy Pelvis Position
Do not settle on one fix and rely on it. Instead, rely on multiple exercises and this simple formula: more muscle used = more stability = more strength. Considering your lower abdominals, here are two exercises to try.
Back and Bis Workout of the Day with Decline Dumbbell Pullovers Superset...
The big takeaway from this workout is that I have poor grip strength stamina. After this back and bis Workout of the Day, your forearms should be SMASHED.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast #7 with the Hypertrophy Coach (Joe Bennett)
In this episode of Table Talk Podcast, Dave Tate and Joe Bennett (aka the Hypertrophy Coach) discuss pursuing knowledge, balancing family and work, online coaching, Dave Bautista, and more.
4 Potent Supplements That Fight Insulin Insensitivity
Even if you’re doing all the right things, sometimes the fat won’t come off. One possible explanation for this could be insulin resistance. If you are insulin-resistant, it might help to try some supplements. These are four I’ve used with success.
The Poopy Raccoon
In preparation for our next training session, I knew I needed the help of my coworkers. The next morning they all received the following email blast…
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip —The Missing Link to Social Skills: Move...
“This is going to debunk everything we know about autism. ” Sheena Leedham talks about how she intertwined movement and social skills through the OSU Men’s Aspirations program.
How to Improve Box Programming
Consider how your clients are responding to stress and the demands of your program and what we need to consider to devise a better plan. That’s how we’ll improve this sport.
Your Business Can Survive Anything With This
Listen, Blockbuster, Sears, and Kodak went under because they failed to add this secret ingredient to their business models. Are you willing to risk all your business’ longevity? Read on to see how your business can stand the test of time.
How to Build a Yearly Plan for Powerlifters
Plan, execute, evaluate, readjust, and repeat. Those are the steps I take when developing a program for a client — and coincidentally, the same ones I cover in this article.
Your Do and Don't Guide to the CSSCa Conference
For those new to the game and for seasoned vets alike who’ll be attending the CSSCa National Conference, here are some do’s and don’t’s that will make your annual trip a success — both in terms of enjoyment and employment.
Strength Programs Don't Work
Unless you just have some crazy genetics or happen to be the perfect person for a strength program, the majority of these programs are not a valid long-term plan. But don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater…
What I Think About the Lifting World
The lifting world is small — if I’m being generous, there are a couple hundred thousand of us. There are over 7 billion people on this planet. You are no one. How’s that for some perspective? If you haven’t noticed, I’m going to rant about the crap that annoys me.
Motivation is Bullshit
Motivation is good to get the ball rolling, but as soon as the terrain shifts to uphill, the motivation dies, and your ball comes to a screeching halt. Instead, you’ll need to develop enough discipline to move forward on a daily basis.
Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps Workout of the Day with 30-10-30 Cable Presses
There are only two sets here but with a significant emphasis on the eccentric on the first and last rep. Select a weight in which you can get 12-14 reps. Begin each set with a 30-second negative, followed by 10 normal tempo reps, finishing with a final 30-second negative.
LISTEN: Beyond Sets and Reps Podcast #3 with Dr. Bryan Mann
Get to know Dr. Bryan Mann, from his humble beginnings to his current position at the University of Miami, and how he became one of the leading experts on Velocity Based Training.
Alwyn Cosgrove's Rest-Pause Program
This program was based on a study that burned 450% more calories post-workout than a traditional workout. Are you ready to feel the burn?
Refueling and Recovery for BAMF Wrestlers
In the final part of the #BAMF Wrestler series, Steve “Kono” Konopka and I answer questions about post-match recovery, supplement suggestions, and refueling. Sleep, cryotherapy, contrast showers, foam rolling, vitamin C, beetroot powder, and protein powder are just a few things we suggest.
Just an Old Guy Fighting for Cool
I went to the Arnold this year, and though I have berated guys in the bodybuilding industry for a very long time about how they dress, I wasn’t about to show up looking like my friend, who was the valedictorian of our high school graduating class, wearing 25-year-old Levi jeans, white New Balance tennis shoes…
An Easy Lunge Regression
Frequently, athletes understand the lunge movement but do not understand what should be moving and what is the primary goal. You can fix this by regressing the athlete and utilizing these tips to help them better understand the proper mechanics of the lunge.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — Playing the "Autism Card" in...
When a stranger asks the guardian of a child with autism to calm down their kid, should they say, “Sorry, my kid has autism”? Dave Tate and Sheena Leedham share their perspectives on what to do in that situation.
When Did Everyone Become Allergic to the Eccentric?
Nobody wants to watch their favorite athletes practice what they do best. But if you want to be the Michael Jordan or Reggie Jackson of powerlifting, you’ve got to work on the eccentric.
Live and Coach Your Why
My why is to improve athletes through and of the human body and mind by giving them all a well-thought-out program to make them faster, stronger, and more resilient. What’s your why? And why?
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast #6 with Dave Tate (Rant Edition)
In this episode of Table Talk Podcast, you might want to grab your headphones because Dave Tate has some choice words on a variety of topics.
Meet Report: Taking Third Place at APF Women’s Pro-Am
I told Dave to listen carefully because this is the only time I’ll ever say it, but this was a pretty good meet. I’ll take a 50 lb meet PR.
Discipline in Training and Life
As someone who often trains alone, I tend to have time to reflect on things between sets. It’s in those moments that I see connections between training and everyday life. Here are a few ways that training and life are closely woven together, particularly in the area of discipline.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — Dave Tate's Strongest Bodyweight
Keep in mind that Dave’s bodyweight here was before Westside and was around the time when he tried out bodybuilding for a little bit… ’cause why not?
The Four Weeks Post-Meet
Look before you leap into training right back after your last meet because the next four to six weeks can (and will) set up your next cycle for success… or for failure. Take time to reflect on that. Success or failure… which one will you choose?
Turning Pro at the 2019 APF Women's Pro-Am
My goal for this meet was a 400-pound squat until Dave asked, “What’s the Pro total for your weight class?” In that moment, I knew that was no longer the goal — it became a Pro total.
Union Fitness: Pittsburgh's Community Gym
“We only have our word.” For Union Fitness owner Casey Williams, his history with elitefts, staff, integrity, and the imagery of Pittsburgh unions and steel are the things that hold his gym and community together.
5 Upper Back Basics to Build Strength and Size
Can you deadlift 600 pounds but can’t budge a 225-pound stone off the floor? If you didn’t know, the upper back comes into play in nearly every strongman event; therefore, a weak upper back will surely decrease your chance of winning and advancing in the sport.
Leg Workout of the Day with Cambered Bar and Ground Base Squats
If you’ve got lower back issues and want to up difficulty without adding pounds like I do, then this is the Workout of the Day for you. Today, the goal was to increase time under tension.
Troubleshooting Strength Injuries: Dealing with Injury
For those of you who are currently dealing with a significant injury, this article, the fifth and final part of the Troubleshooting Strength Injuries series, will help serve as a road map to recovery.
What's Right About "Rain Man"
Begin the motion to expand upon the public’s perception of autism with an educational application. How? Try filling in the blanks by using the movie "Rain Man" as your springboard.
A Pro's Post-Contest Advice for a Safe Transition to the Off-Season
Your motivation is sky-high because you either won your competition and want to reach the next rung on the ladder, or you bombed and want the sweet taste of redemption, so you want to jump back into it. Slow down, kid, or you'll hurt yourself.
WATCH: What I'm Seeing and Why It’s Wrong: Flaring the Bench
elitefts coach and 2019 Stronger Sports Training Success Summit speaker Julia Anto has seen far too many social media lifts with poor form — enough to start up a video series to correct lifters' form. In the second video of the series, she fixes the bench flare.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — The Programming Process Behind the Wor...
Training is more than the squat, bench, and deadlift — especially for a child on the autism spectrum. According to Sheena, bring together observation, communication, scheduling, progression, and motivation, and you’ll have a solid start to a program.
A Legendary Interview with the Legendary Al Vermeil
It’s not every day that you get to listen to an interview with the only strength coach who’s won a championship in both the NFL and NBA. That means today is your day! A few topics we cover are recovery, early morning workouts, trends, intensity, injury, calf exercises, buy-in, and more!
Training and Competition
It is crucial to delineate these training and competition as separate but mutually impactful things. I’d wager that the majority of lifters who had a bad meet were doing a whole bunch of competition in training, leading up to the actual competition.
Supplemental Training Mistakes and Essentials
I learned a large portion of my knowledge of supplemental training from many mistakes I made in the gym. I am hoping to help all of you readers avoid at least a few of the mistakes I made and get more out of your supplemental training.
A Program Progression for an Alternative Use of Basketballs and Volleyballs
It would’ve been easy to create another brand-new workout with different recreational equipment. But a more powerful lesson rather than starting at ground level in terms of skill, was for the students to observe their strengths and weaknesses and then create a plan to reach a new level of skill mastery.
Is Your Foundation Made of Rock or Sand?
Your foundation needs to be deeper and stronger than your core values. It must be a part of your being, some things that you will never give into or allow to change. These can also be small things that will get you, your staff, and your players through just about anything.
Pushed by Pain
I've realized I've never told my story, save for a couple of people. Those who've heard it were surprised because, against all odds, I didn't end up completely fucked up because of everything that happened. Instead, I became strong and independent. So here it is. My story.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast #5 with Sheena Leedham
In this episode of Table Talk Podcast, Dave Tate opens up about being a father to a son with Asperger's, and elitefts Managing Editor Sheena Leedham talks about training and educating Blaine and other young adults on the spectrum.
Supplemental Material for Table Talk Podcast on Autism
Do you have questions relating to exercise for a child or young adult with autism? For a father raising a child with autism? Click here to ask questions that Dave Tate and Sheena Leedham will address tomorrow at 11 a.m. EST on the Table Talk Podcast.
Murphy's Law Reigns Supreme at Tennessee State Championships
Murphy's Law: Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. That's pretty much a solid description for how the Tennessee State Championships went for me. But hey, good job to the victors. Now it's time to prepare for my next meet...
