Life of a Cyclone Wrestler
I wake up at the crack of dawn, put on my sweats, suck down a shake, and I’m out the door. Time to hit the road. It’s early. It’s dark. It’s cold. But I can feel only one thing—my adrenaline pumping as “Eye of the Tiger” pumps through my headphones.
Dads and Sons
As I look back, I realize that the time spent between a father and a son is by far the most precious thing that we, as men, can give to our sons. The time spent with dad is the most important time a boy can have in his entire life.
Better Than Some, Worse Than Others
My name is Dana Herrs. I know what you are thinking…who is this person? I’m certain that anybody reading this hasn’t heard of me. It’s because I haven’t accomplished anything in the world of powerlifting or coaching or in any college or professional sports of any kind.
The Relationship Between Size and Strength, Part 1
It always bugs me when someone says that there is no relationship between size and strength.
The 5/3/1 Bench Routine for the Equipped Lifter
The entire routine is structured around the strength curve that you would use while benching in a good shirt. The main exercises are floor presses with chains, 4-boards, 5-boards, and shirted bench work.
How I Improved My Deadlift in Fifteen Months
I had just a little over a year to get where I wanted to be.
An Interview with Paul Vaillancourt
Today is a real treat for the readers of EliteFTs.com. A good friend of mine, Paul Vaillancourt, just won the 105 kg Canada’s Strongest Man Competition and also placed eleventh at Canada’s Strongest Man (the real deal)!
Hardcore Extreme Sep. 08
This games didn’t really go as planned. In hindsight, I made some mistakes that really affected my throwing. On the plus side, I won the national caber championship.
Age of the Perpetually Entitled
Recent posts on EliteFTS and events at the workplace have prompted me to write this article.
My Talk with God
In the second part of Dr. T-Rex's series on his talks with God and Satan was printed. After reading them, I thought I had better start getting right with the Lord so that I too could know the mind of the almighty.
Adjunct of Insanity
Examine this carefully. This is the state of consciousness, the state of reversal that is transcendent action. The philosopher’s stone. Action on a lower plane that is initiated and put into effect from a higher plane.
Delusion Tube
A few years after my football career ended, I found myself playing linebacker in a recreational flag football game in Long Island’s Eisenhower Park. This is rarely ever a good idea.
No Excuses = Results
I want to talk about a very important topic—how to get results. Obviously, this is something that everyone is interested in. However, most don’t fully understand. I’m going to set the record straight and be 100 percent honest, which may offend some people.
Strength, Part II: The Conqueror
“The acquisition of strength” may alternately be called “the overcoming of weakness.”
Practical Nutrition Tips for Busy Lifestyles
The fast-paced, hectic climate of today’s world makes it difficult for many of us to find the time to eat properly.
How We Use The Prowler
A few weeks ago, we decided to put together a roundtable-style article about the use of the Prowler...
An Interview with Rob MacIntyre
Rob “Spray” MacIntyre is a strength coach for some top level athletes. Rob, tell me a little bit about your background.
Back and Forth: An Interview with Dave Tate and Alwyn Cosgrove
AC: Dave, you’re an Elite powerlifter and own one of the most successful strength training equipment companies in existence—and by extension a website that has become one of the best educational companies in the field. So, what’s the plan from here?
Solving Anterior Knee Pain
Pain in the front of the knee is becoming an epidemic among serious lifters and fitness enthusiasts alike.
Spud Speaks: More News From Marc Bartley
Saturday was great because there was no cardio to do. I was drained from the week, and it took about two hours to get going. I usually do light upper body and then a dynamic speed pull day, but since I couldn’t get it going, I did some reverse bands, thinking that would be easy.
The Steel Yard (Aug 08)
On February 17, 2001, Dave Tate opened up the Q&A section on the EFS server to find the following inquiry:
Countdown
We arrived at Metropolis (a night club) at 6:00 p.m. The fights were scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. The time had finally arrived—Ryan Farhat’s mixed martial arts (MMA) debut.
Strength
The quest for strength, the quest for power, in its basic essence is man’s quest to be “more than himself.” This is a basic, instinctive, seed drive that carries him forward through his own personal evolution.
The Validity of Massage, Hydrotherapy, and Hyperbaric Oxygenation as Rec...
Popular sporting literature such as health and fitness magazines, internet training, and sport sites as well as articles written by athletes, coaches, and physical therapists have endorsed the use of techniques such as massage, hydrotherapy, and hyperbaric oxygenation as ways of speeding up the recovery process and thus improving athletic performance.
Hardcore Extreme July 08
My latest Highland Games competition didn’t go as well as I’d hoped it would, but I learned some stuff and didn’t finish too badly. I took second place overall, and second in the stone championship.
Under The Bar: WHERE TRIALS NEVER END
As a kid in high school, I never particularly liked math; I was OK at it I guess, but it wasn’t my favorite subject. One thing I did like about it, though, was that I immediately knew where I stood. Back then, my ninth-grade brain wanted some things to be at least certain.
Why You Need a Coach: The Little Big Things
For most of you reading this article who used to compete in sports, think back to your younger days. Can you imagine stepping on the field without the direction of a coach?
Before You Blow Off the Gym, Read Jimmy’s Story
We all have our “off” days in the gym. Even the most dedicated of gym rats will find an excuse to blow off a workout every now and then. Let’s face it.
Elite Kids
I understand that not every 8-year-old knows exactly what a glute ham is or how to perform the movement. Few adults know.
Neural Performance and Recovery with Carnitine-L-Tartrate
In this article, we’ll take a look at the theoretical basis for CLT to improve something even more elusive—neural performance and recovery.
Elitefts™ Classic: Words of Wisdom
Last night, I was sitting in my office going through some of my training journals and notes that had accumulated over the years.
After the Meet Is Before the Meet
Fans of Run Lola Run might recall a piece of wisdom featured in the beginning of the movie—“After the game is before the game.”
Tricks of the Trade
In my many years of powerlifting and traveling to meets and gyms to train and through association with many shady characters, I have amassed a “bag of tricks” to help me on meet day.
Your First Meet Part I: Setting a Date and Developing Goals
Congratulations! You’ve finally decided to take the plunge and compete in a powerlifting meet
Shoulder Injury Prevention: Causes and Solutions
Chronic shoulder pain is nothing new to lifters or overhead athletes. It can range from something you just live with and work around to debilitating and career ending.
Hardcore Extreme: Is it all worth it?
Lately, it seems that I’ve gotten a lot of questions and comments from people talking about how frustrating powerlifting is, and asking if it’s all worth it. They’re thinking about the dedication, sacrifice, stress and pain powerlifting can cause.
Got Strength?
Who do you respect? Does that person have the strength to be who they are? As I sit here and type this, I can tell you that over the last year, I truly discovered what it means to have strength.
Racing Toward Red Lights: A Real World Perspective on Apathy
We’ve all done it. Every last one of us. Been in a tight spot and the first thing we think is who can we blame?
No Respect? Go to the Basement!
I have had some interesting conversations with Jim Wendler. One in particular struck a chord with me quite heavily. In fact, it has helped mold a process I use at my gym when training new athletes.
Advanced Sumo Deadlift Training
Deadlifting is one of those lifts that becomes more than a little frustrating, especially when you hit lulls and plateaus in your training.
Rules for Maintaining a Successful Powerlifting Club
Over the years, I’ve seen many powerlifting/strength training clubs come and go.
Elitefts Spotlight: Lacrosse’s Nicky Polanco
If you don’t know anything about lacrosse – if you’ve never actually seen a game - chances are you’ve bought into the almost universal, yet severely mistaken, notion that it’s a leisure class sport populated by rich preppie-types from elite private schools in the Northeast.
To My Readers.. by The Thinker
One week ago I was offered and accepted an incredible opportunity to co-author a book outlining the physical preparation training of 6-time UFC Champion Randy Couture.
Are We Truly Improving Performance?
A noted sports columnist in the San Diego area lamented the fact that one of the state universities was unable to field a championship women’s volleyball team (they already dropped the men’s program even though it was the only program to bring in an NCAA championship).
The Prowler Uber Alles
Did you ever take a good look at the shape of the Prowler? How about someone giving you the finger?
No Matter How You Slice It, It’s Still Ratting
In the recent issue of the most popular powerlifting magazine on the market, one of the featured writers, who I will refer to as Mr. X, wrote an article decrying the “no snitching mentality” that is sweeping the country.
Train Through Pain
If you lift hard and you lift consistently, you have undoubtedly dealt with injury at some point. It is as inevitable as a surplus of hair gel at a nightclub.
The Learning Curve
How I understand, practice, and implement strength and conditioning programs for myself and my clients has drastically changed over the past four years.
The SOS Way
On day one in November of 2005, I completely committed myself to making sure that everything, every day was going to be as productive as possible to enhance my strength.
Interview with Chad Aichs
If you did hit that 3000-pound total, what would the breakdown look like for each lift?