Under The Bar: Boston Seminar Recap
If strength and powerlifting are the topics, then I want to hear from those who are in the trenches day in and day out
Scott “Hoss” Cartwright: Get Injured and Get Stronger Interview
He has elite totals at a body weight of 275 lbs and 308 lbs and totaled 2204 lbs in single ply gear. After that, Hoss tried to make a jump to double ply gear but only added 18 pounds to his total.
Defending the Deadlift: An Interview with Coach and Powerlifter, Eric Cr...
If you needed an expert on Russian writer, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, you might contact Daniel Mahoney, a professor at Assumption College. For an expert on squatting, there’s Fred “Dr. Squat” Hatfield of the International Sports Sciences Association.
Westside for Baseball?
I had finally done it! After countless hours of talking about it and planning just how I was going to do it, I opened my own performance enhancement training business. Well sort of…
Sick of Your Gym, Part 7 - The Visitor
I first experienced The Visitor shortly after move to Columbus and began training at Westside Barbell. Over the years I have seen hundreds of visitors to the club
The Power of the Team
It’s similar to when your favorite song comes blasting through the speakers at the gym and you get that little extra charge of power for the movement that you’re performing.
What Determines Proper Squat Technique?
The question of how deep you should go in the squat is constantly debated.
What I Learned from Bodybuilding and How It Can Help Your Powerlifting
In May of this year, I competed in two bodybuilding shows: The NPC New York Metropolitan Championships and the NPC New England Championships. I
Beginnings
This is kind of a queer way to begin an article, but I still remember the first time I met him like it was yesterday. It was the fall of 2002, and we were sitting on opposite ends of the room in our public communication class as freshmen at Ithaca College.
My Little Future Powerlifters
Lately, it seems as though I’ve been invaded by little kids. I have them around me all the time. Now, this is actually a gift from the gods because they amuse me and put me in a good mood.
The Seven Day Plan to Getting Yoked
First off, we need to get this straight. Little Debbie is NOT Hostess. There are two things wrong with this. First off Little Debbie’s are known as snack slummin or pure ghetto snacks. That’s just not cool. Also, anything that has the name “little” attached to it can’t be good for the yoke.
Strength Czar: An EliteFTS Roundtable Discussion
With James Smith, Mark McLaughlin, Tom Deebel, Jim Wendler, Travis Mash, Julia Ladewski, C. J. Murphy, Matt Brand, Nick Zostautas, Kevin Deweese, and Tim Kontos
10 Reasons to Call your Mom
If you are like me, you probably forgot it was Mother’s Day this weekend. It’s not that I don’t love my mother; I love and admire her. But I had to clear the space in my head to make room for important things such as band tension, the history of Slayer and porn passwords.
Lift Strong Excerpt: NFL Linebacker In-Season Strength Program
*The number of workouts that this athlete performed each week with me was dependent on the team’s practice schedule, meeting schedule, travel time & injuries that occurred during the season.
The Lift Strong Letter
Let me cut right to the chase here—I’m asking for your help. And it has to do with cancer.
Why I Hate Joe DeFranco
Joe DeFranco is full of shit. There I said it. If you have a problem with that statement, then you are wrong.
Climbing Your Own Personal Everest
We all have our dreams, but it’s rare for many of us to ever achieve them. Months ago, I was intrigued by an article on the ADCC website about Royler Gracie’s challenge to Gracie Barra.
How to Break PRs
What I intend to offer you is an example of what has helped me increase my own lifts.
Texas BBQ: Talking Shop with Mark Rippetoe
The author of the book, Mark Rippetoe, owns and operates the Wichita Falls Athletic Club in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Seven Deadly Sins and the Gym
“Bless me father for I have sinned.” Not what you would call a normal phrase to hear in a gym, but it’s likely something that we should hear. In the gymnasium of today, despite the glitz and glamour, the technology, and the alleged wealth of scientific knowledge that we have, the typical gym attendee doesn’t get the training results he or she desires.
The Rise of the Internet Icons
[Billy Mimnaugh is known for speaking his mind, whether it’s about politics or powerlifting. If you are easily offended, read no further. Billy has a loud voice, and we want to give him the opportunity to speak. —Jim Wendler, EFS]
Putting Things into Perspective
[Billy Mimnaugh is known for speaking his mind, whether it’s about politics or powerlifting. If you are easily offended, read no further. Billy has a loud voice, and we want to give him the opportunity to speak. —Jim Wendler, EFS]
Tattoos, Training, and the Wisdom of Stu
About a week ago, I went into Lexington to get a new tattoo. I went there with about ten ideas and worked with the artist, Stu, to develop them. After some talking, we decided on one, and Stu drew something up. Now where to put it…
My To Do List
Sometimes I reflect back on my days (or is it daze?) in college when I could just wake up, go directly to the gym, and pump away.
Wanted: Hardcore Training Partners
I know this may seem a bit strange, but it crossed my mind the other day as I was showering that certain individuals in history would make great training partners. I quickly compiled a list of historical figures that met certain personal requirements for being a good workout comrade.
Letter of Resignation
This letter is to inform you that I am resigning from my position as head strength and conditioning coach. I enjoyed my time while at the university and feel grateful for the knowledge and friendships that I have gained. I feel I owe it to you to offer an explanation as to why I have made this decision.
The Collegiate Power Rack
What makes the Collegiate Power Rack such a great piece of equipment? Just about everything!
Boston Seminar Overview
Drum roll please…..Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the myth, the man, the legend – Dave Tate! I am going to give you readers an overview of the phenomenal presentation put on this past weekend by Dave at Total Performance Sports in Boston, MA.
Skepticism in Training
I am a powerlifter. One of my great passions in life is spending time in the gym lifting heavy weights. To this day, I cannot think of anything more satisfying than setting a hard earned personal record. Well, let’s just say there are very few things that are more satisfying.
The Magic of the Pin Pull
Recently I have been flooded with e-mails and questions on the EFS Q/A, and rather than answering them one by one, I decided to put them into an article form so that everyone has access to them. There is a lot of great information in these answers.
The Right Piece for the Right Puzzle: Training High School Athletes with...
“There are a hundred ways to skin a cat, I am only good at one of them”, is something my grandfather used to say to me all the time.
Traveling with Timmy
Jim and Dave have previously written about going nuts with different machines/exercises when they are traveling and encountering a new gym.
And You Thought You had it Tough
“Well, I stand up next to a mountain I chop it down with the edge of my hand.” –Jimi
The Kids are Alright
Last night I closed the doors to my strength and conditioning facility for the last time. After over ten years in the same town and the same building, it was time for me to move on to new challenges.
Shoulder Rehab 101
I am going to attempt to provide the reader a generic blue print for individuals suffering from an acute shoulder problem to a chronic condition.
The Circa-Maximal Squat Phase
The circa max phase is a three week squat phase designed to peak you for your contest.
Frustrated!
One of the most frustrating parts of my job is dealing with other peoples training issues. These come at me by phone, email and I have even got a few by text message.
Field Day
Field day at elementary school means dunk tanks, water balloons, Italian ice, hanging with your friends, cool games and a bunch of other cool stuff.
PR Rx: Todd Brock’s Bench Routine
I have been training with Todd Brock for over 12 years now. I first met Todd during my 2 hour road trips to Westside Barbell.
Causal Friday
How things have changed. Five years ago, all you ever read were articles on how to use your gear, how to use your bench shirt, squat suit, knee wraps, etc. Now people want articles on how to train without gear. Very strange.
Just Another Day…
The past couple of months have been the busiest of my life. My business is growing at a rapid pace and there are many “growing pains” that go along with this growth.
Hardcore Hip Hop for Hardcore Training
I decided to write this article a few months ago but never got around to it until recently. It wasn't until last weekend, when I scrolled through Dave Tate's hip hop training mix on his iPod, that I realized this article was a necessity. Too many people are listening to, and worse yet, training to bad hip hop.
I WON THE LOTTERY BUT LOST MY MOJO
On April 19th of this year I won the lottery. Our new precious baby girl, Taylor Lea, was a long time coming and definitely worth the years of waiting. We literally hit the jackpot and thus I refer to our bundle of joy as Lotto
Under the Bar - The Letter
Needless to say I spent the next hour or so tossing ideas around and keep coming up blank.
Cornucopia
Cornucopia. Hodge Podge. Horn-a-plenty. Whatever you want to a call a huge grab bag of stuff, I’m selling it here.
An Open Letter to EliteFTS
My name is Ron Connelly. I am not a professional powerlifter or super athlete. I’m just a guy who wants to get stronger and healthier.
Top 3 Dynamic Squat and Dynamic Bench Cycles
In the spirit of the 4th of July, we are going to focus on explosive (re: dynamic) training. So listed below are the top 3 cycles for the squat and bench.
Under the Bar - The Primary Aim
Since my first Under the Bar article and now after the release of the Under the Bar book I have been asked one question more than any other.
Hostile Takeover- The new direction of EliteFTS.com
As a strength and conditioning coach it is my job to stay on top of the latest findings and keep myself updated on the most advanced training methods out there.
Going Heavy
For those that don’t know how I train or how I think – it all comes down to one thing; Going Heavy.
Step-Up, Set-Up, and Bench
If you look at any of the biggest benchers out there, raw or equipped, two things that they all have in common (besides freakish strength) are solid bases from which to bench and great leg drive.
Just Do It
The time has finally arrived for me to summarize how I train high school athletes in my quaint, but aesthetically unappealing subterranean gym.
Davidson College Football Program
Evan Simon recently became the head strength and conditioning coach for Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina.