Extra Workout Bodybuilding-Style Lat Training for Strength Athletes
Feeling your lats engage on accessory work will make it easier to activate them on the compound lifts. One of my favorite ways to do this when I can add an extra training day is with a light, high-rep extra workout.
Peak Mental Performance Podcast — Electrical Brain Stimulation for Athle...
Dr. Brett Wingeier is a biomedical engineer and neuroscientist who designed the Halo Sport device. In our conversation, we discuss the science behind transcranial direct current stimulation and its use for athletes.
MEET REPORT: 365 Strong Nationals — A Long-Ass Day and Questions Answered
I had help getting into my single-ply suit and didn’t have to wrap my own knees, but there was still the hand to deal with. There’s a long way to go and I’m taking it one post-surgery PR at a time.
WATCH: Equipment Feature with Steve Diel — elitefts 3x3 Rack
The most essential item of any home gym, you can use this rack to do anything you need for competitive powerlifting or general strength training.
Killer Mentality
Killer mentality means doing whatever it takes to be your very best and being willing to put it all on the line when the time comes. You have to be able to block out all negativity and draw in all positivity.
'If You Build It They Will Come' — Remembering My First Champi...
How do you build your team? How do you take a group of athletes from every aspect of society and get them pulling in the same direction toward a common cause?
The Student Guide to Grocery Store Navigation — Lucky's Market
Moving from theory to practice, this lesson took us from the classroom to Lucky’s Market on High Street in Columbus, Ohio.
A Letter to the Next Me
I’ve often heard people ask the question, what would you tell a younger you? This is a great question all strength coaches should answer.
WATCH: Should You Keep Your Lats Tight When You Deadlift?
This popular deadlift cue might not be all it’s cracked up to be.
WATCH: Programming Back Exercises for Mobility, Strength, and Joint Health
Our daily routines force us to live anteriorly dominant, meaning that everything we do is in front of us. These banded accessory and mobility exercises will build a stronger, healthier, more stable upper back.
Ways to Sneak Cardio into Your Training
Following one, any, or all of these suggestions is a solid way to help prevent packing on some holiday pounds and to keep your strength gains strong.
WATCH: Table Talk — Too Much Science?
There are two types of people when it comes to using science in training. Don’t be the first kind.
Instilling A Growth Mindset
During his first soccer season, there were several things I said to my son each week in hopes of helping him understand that no matter what he does in life, it will take work to get there.
The Five Exercise Assignment
You must pick five and only five exercises or drills to train all of the university sports for all of the seasons. What makes your list?
WATCH: elitefts Fitness Professional Summit — Action vs. Education, Gym ...
Chris Cooper shares the story behind his mentorship and books, outlines the two most important takeaways from his lecture, and shares several key lessons all gym-owners should know.
Thanksgiving 2017 — A Letter from Dave Tate
Reflecting on past Thanksgiving letters, my closing from 2016 hit me like a ton of bricks. It has been a big year of challenges and opportunities, hardships and success.
Competition Report: The Third Annual Beer City Brawl
I only trained the events once or twice each and hadn’t hit competition weights on any of them. But I hadn’t done a strongman competition in 2017, and between PT school and my relocation to Virginia, I wasn’t giving up the chance to compete.
Alycia’s List of Takebacks
There are a number of thoughts, beliefs, and philosophies about life and training I once thought to be true that I no longer do. Here are the disagreements I have with my former self.
The Candle Protocol for Deeper Sleep
What you will find in this article is an easy-to-implement solution that will have a quicker, more impactful, and longer-lasting effect on your health, your physique, and your progress than anything you’ve ever done before.
Powerlifting — A Sport for Everyone?
If you wait for the perfect training cycle before doing a meet, you aren’t a powerlifter. You should stop calling yourself one and instead start saying you like training the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
Full Circuit Athletics and the Role of Strength and Conditioning for Bas...
Charlie Karstedt has left no stone unturned in giving his guys every opportunity they need to be successful at his facility.
Surviving Max Effort Day
I thought about just putting my workout off until tomorrow. That would have been the smart thing to do.
Good Luck Getting a Tan These Days
I’ve been tanning since I was about 16 years old, and beds these days just aren’t the same. If you really want a tan you’re going to have to find another way.
From the Judge’s Chair: The Deadlift
Now that this series has covered the insight of a powerlifting judge for the squat and the bench press, we move to discuss the knowledge we can gain regarding the final lift of the meet: the deadlift.
WATCH: Table Talk — Back-Down Sets
After you’ve reached the heaviest set of the day, is there a reason to reduce the weight and do more reps?
WATCH: elitefts Fitness Professional Summit — That's It?
Two words forever changed JL’s perspective on what it means to grow a business.
WATCH: Building Armor-Plated Pecs with Josh Bryant and Jonathan Irizarry
This workout uses a holistic approach in order to build strength, explosive power, and hypertrophy, utilizing a combination of light weight, heavy weight, tempos, isometric contractions, giant sets, bands, and the Juarez Valley finisher.
WATCH: Equipment Feature with Steve Diel — elitefts Core Blaster
Small, compact, and completely versatile, this is the perfect implement for the home gym.
Training Clients for Free — The Unsustainable State
For both trainer and trainee, the service is most valuable when the terms are mutually beneficial and serve the aims of both parties. There’s only one circumstance for me that I’ve found no compensation is sustainable.
LISTEN: The Australian Strength and Conditioning Association Podcast wit...
Appearing as special guest for episode 13, Ashley joined the podcast to discuss his career, the knowledge he has gained through his experience in the industry, and the lessons he has found most valuable for training and coaching athletes.
Meet Report: All-time World Record and Best Overall Lifter at 2017 Reebo...
I finished 7/9 with a 799 squat, 424 bench, and 815 deadlift (raw with wraps). That was good enough for a 2039 total and an all-time world record in the 198-pound weight class, plus a 592 Wilks and best overall lifter.
Developing Your Own Strongman Program
Designing a program that builds agility, speed, strength, and conditioning, while also training the strongman movements, can seem a daunting task. Here’s how I approach it.
Common Behaviors of Lifters Who Know How to Improve
Lifters who succeed share a lot of qualities — and so do lifters who fail. I’d challenge you to honestly evaluate how closely you fall on the spectrum of each of these qualities.
Chase the Pain for New Levels of Muscle Growth
To improve the CTP protocol, I’ve made a few tweaks so that you introduce a unique pain technique through one round and then switch it each time.
Four-Day and Three-Day Training Splits for Strength and Size
With the holidays and all of the celebratory foods coming, why not make those extra calories work for a change? This plan is designed to get you bigger and stronger using a 4-day split (and a 3-day split if you’re pressed for time).
Density Training — How I’m Training Now
Inspired by John Meadows’ primary and secondary workouts, combined with what I know about density training from Vince Gironda, my current split accounts for time and intensity limitations.
WATCH: Table Talk — Method Muppets
There are people who have been in the gym for two years or less and now they have their own method. What’s the method? Tying their shoes and walking through the gym?
ACL Rehab Phase One — Returning to the Weight Room
After an ACL injury, the athlete is first rehabbed exclusively in the training room. Once they’re released to me, we start this phase of the recovery process.
WATCH: elitefts Fitness Professional Summit — Don't Be A Big Fish i...
The fitness industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. It's the war you want to be in.
Sequencing Assistance Work
How and when should you perform assistance exercises? What protocols are used for assistance work? Should exercises be changed or rotated? What about bands, chains, and specialty bars?
WATCH: Inside the Home Gym of elitefts CFO Steve Diel
Having a home gym has allowed me to have the time to fit everything together and never have to sacrifice my training. Here's how I designed my gym layout, prioritized my equipment selection, and ordered from elitefts.
Genetically Mental
Mental toughness and strength are no different than physical traits. They can be trained and improved, if you're ready.
Life Is About Growth, Not Comfort
It’s okay to fail. It's okay to be uncomfortable. Defeat can lead to victory if you learn from it and gain experience along the way.
Coaching Essentials for Program Development
How do you determine if your program is too easy, too hard, or just right? Here are some things to look for to see if your coach is the real deal or full of shit.
elitefts Trap Bar Deadlift 101
Using the Trap Bar Deadlift may be one of the best exercises for beginners in a team setting.
LISTEN: All Things Strength & Wellness Episode 112 with Dr. Bryan Mann
For this appearance, Dr. Mann focuses on the physiology of force production, strategies for monitoring stress in athletes, and his experience with Altis.
Micromanagement and the Failure of Weak Leaders
If you lack credibility and influence, attempting to reduce variance and error by controlling every process and detail of your business unit will erode the loyalty, urgency, and purpose needed for success.
When a Building Is More Than Its Four Walls
All that the S4 embodied—all the history, all the depth of meaning, all the blood, sweat, tears, sacrifice and giving—will live on as those traits come to life and are reborn with S5.
Loaded Carries for Improved Body Position and Health
The farmer's walk is the single best exercise you’re not doing for shoulder performance, posture, and health.
Controversies in Recovery Strategies
This article will provide a scientific evaluation of three frequently-implemented recovery strategies: anti-inflammatory interventions (NSAID/ice baths), foam rolling, and nutrition timing.
Confessions of an Old Bodybuilder: I Have Never Been to the O
30 years of training, 20 years of competing, 15 years of working in the industry, and I've never once been to the Olympia. I don't plan to go anytime soon either.
Energy System Specific Sled Conditioning Work
With intelligent programming, you can use the sled to target each energy system without interfering with your current training program, and in the process enhance recovery, improve conditioning, and lose body fat.
WATCH: Table Talk — Should You Train Assistance Movements to Failure?
For a powerlifter on a conjugate or Westside style program, you first need to make sure you know the role of each exercise you're doing. This will give you direction on how close to failure to train.
WATCH: elitefts Fitness Professional Summit — Owning A Business Is Harde...
It only makes sense to start your own gym, fulfill your passion, and make boatloads of cash in the process, right? Maybe not.
Reflecting on Strong(er) Business: elitefts Fitness Professionals Summit
When I registered for this event, I knew that not only would the presentations be top-notch, but so too would the social event.
WATCH: Badass Back Attack with Greg McCoy and Tyrus Hughes
This full back workout uses innovative thinking and multiple intensity techniques to maximize results.
MEET REPORT: 2017 IPA Flex Lewis Classic
Team Nebobarbell and I went to Murfeesboro, Tennessee, where I took a crack at one of my competition bucket list lifts.
Strongman Programming for Max Reps Events
I’m going to outline a 12-week program for an event that is max reps — a weight that is currently out of your reach.
Fuck Your Instincts: A Cautionary Tale
I want to introduce you to Brian, also known as Spartandeadlifter950 on Instagram, driven by his elite instincts and self-reliance.
