Seriously Incorporating Strongman...Seriously
Strongman training has always been considered circus sideshow-ish.
Running from Strength
Take pride in what you've accomplished, but always acknowledge that there are barriers and boundaries to be pushed.
Commitment
Commitment is making your mind up to do something, not wavering and not second guessing yourself.
Under The Bar: It's NOT what you know
There are many lifters out there I like to refer to as “leapfrogs.”
Paying the Bills – My First Year in Powerlifting
So how exactly does one get mixed up in the sport of powerlifting?
The Angry Coach: Who are you?
Everything is a competition to this guy. Even in a basic email exchange, he has to get the better of you. To some people this is probably grating. To me, it's funny, and it's also a valuable lesson in realizing that it pays to be "on" and paying full attention at all times.
Starting a Powerlifting Club
My father once told me that a good teammate is someone who can carry his own weight and some of yours too when you need him to.
Advanced Squat Cycle
I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Paul Childress recently and talk about how he sets up his squat cycles before a meet.
Constructing a Strength and Conditioning Program for College Hockey
When developing the strength and explosiveness program for the University of Pittsburgh men's hockey team, there were several factors I had to take into consideration as a coach. Hopefully my experience thus far will help you in similar situations.
No Lower? No Problem! A Broken Down Trainer's Journey Back to Funct...
I think it’s safe to say that if you're a frequent reader of this site, you know full well the extreme benefits that can be derived by lifting massive weights with our lower extremities.
My Insights on Training and Coaching: A Business Perspective
This is just a small list of things that I've learned and observed over my ten years of training.
Shane Carwin Weighs In on Strength Training for MMA Fighters
Shortly after his 3:48 first round knockout of Frank Mir, I had the opportunity to speak with Shane about his strength training and conditioning program and why it is important for fighters to spend some of their time in the weight room.
Chronicles of an Intern: The Art of Coaching
I've often heard that “in order to be the best, you need to surround yourself with the best.”
No Limits, No Nonsense
When designing programs, we all have certain “rules” we abide to, whether they're drenched in personal bias by us as coaches (including exercises in our programs that we're comfortable with/have had past success with), someone told us that a certain exercise all of a sudden has little value or isn’t safe anymore, or the exercise in question has withstood the
Developing an Effective Basic Strength Training Program
Developing athletes and increasing athletic performance starts in the weight room.
How Strength Training Makes You A Better Person
I've long been a believer that strength training can make you a better person.
What Women Should Never do (but often do) While Trying to Get in Shape; ...
Over empathizing or hand-holding never helped, motivated or aspired anyone to change.
High School Happenings
It has come to my attention that many high schools are underserved in the strength and conditioning department.
My Top 5 Strength Tools For the Combat Athlete
Strength training is a great way to “lay that foundation” and help an athlete develop superior strength and power endurance.
Strength Training Considerations for the Sport of Wrestling
The development of power, maximal strength, strength endurance, grip strength, and of course injury prevention measures for common injuries seen in the sport are essential for success.
Does Strength Training Cause Depression?
Is there a legitimate link between the heavy training involved in strength sports and depression?
Building Mass and Strength: Part 1
You can’t talk about building mass without talking about diet first.
Off-Season Training for High School Football Players
Off-season is upon us! It’s time to bench, squat, and power clean until your players puke.
Strength Development for Young Athletes
He asked how I approached training ninth grade football players.
Gots to Get Your Deload On
What is one of the biggest mistakes strength coaches, personal trainers, athletes and lifters make?
EliteFTS Spotlight: University of Richmond Strength Coach Jay DeMayo
I actually got hurt my junior year playing soccer there, and our athletic trainer was talking about this whole “training athletes” thing.
Interview with Collegiate Strength Coach Specialist Joe Kenn Part 3&4
When you get Joe Kenn and Jim Wendler in the same room, what do you get?
Interview with Ricky Daman
My name is Rick Daman. I’m from Rochester, Pennsylvania, about 25 minutes north of Pittsburgh. I own Daman’s Strength Training in Monaca, Pennsylvania.
In the Field: Working as a High School Strength Coach
The most glaring issue I’ve seen is the lack of athletic movement in all kids in all sports of all ages.
The New Lifter
Read all you can on the sport. A great place to start is the EliteFTS.com articles section.
Give Them What They Need
Too often, we get caught up in all the bells and whistles of lifting and forget the building blocks.
The Holy Wars; Why I Use Olympic Lifts…Sometimes
I’ve found that I have the best alone time when walking my dogs on a nice morning. A few days ago, it was unseasonable warm here in Pennsylvania, and I was spending some quality time with two of my dogs. I started thinking about training.
Turning Dreams into Reality...
On November 30th I will finally open my own gym—Daman’s Strength Training. This has been a dream of mine ever since I walked into my first gym when I was 12-years-old. I walked down to the gym every day after school with a few friends.
A 4.30 40-Yard Dash
The 4.30 journey is a story that every athlete who has had to run a 40-yard dash can relate to. It is my journey from running a 4.66 40-yard dash as a freshman in college to running a 4.30 for the New Orleans Saint scouts and the New Orleans Arena 1 football team.
EliteFTS: Top 8 Good Morning Exercises
The Good Morning Movement is one of the best movements to include in any strength program. Here are our top 8 Good Morning varieties.
Econo Prowler Review
Team DOS just received the new Econo Prowler a couple months ago with the intent of using the hell out of it.
Want to Train at elitefts? Make a Plan or Suffer the Consequences
My first experience in the EFS gym…
1100 Pound Abs
The other day in the gym, the topic of ab training for strength came up. I figured there was nobody better to ask than 1100 pound squatter Matt Wenning.
Problem—Raw Bench Press; Solution—Plyometrics
Speed training in the bench press has become increasingly popular. Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell Club popularized this concept by advocating a speed day in the bench press. Some call it a “dynamic” day, and some call it a “light” day.
Teach Them to Land First
Plyometrics have been a part of most athletic development programs for many years.
Beginner Deadlift Considerations: Conventional or Sumo?
The deadlift is the lift that a new powerlifter initially moves the biggest weights with and makes the most immediate progress.
Of Politics & Idiocy, Part 2 Strength & Conditioning at the Coll...
This is part two of a two-part series.
EliteFTS Spotlight: Justin Cecil
Justin Cecil is a full time staff member at St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indiana, and serves as the head strength and conditioning coach at Lawrence Central High School.
Under The Bar: The S-4 Weekender Program Part 2
This article is the continuation of the Weekender Series that has documented the training of a few of our featured training log lifters, as well as the weekend group training in our weight room:
Army Physical Training and the Powerlifter
In October 2008, I joined the U.S. Army. I’m going to share my story about seven months of Army physical training compared to my experience as a veteran powerlifter.
EliteFTS Spotlight: Josh Bryant
Josh Bryant is a speed, strength, and conditioning coach. He is also a personal trainer who has works with many clients in person at Metroflex Gym in Arlington, Texas and via the internet.
Bench Press More Weight Instantly!
How many people do you see in the gym trying to make an exercise more difficult, believing the more difficult it is, the more effective the exercise will be?
Raising the Bar: A Review
Dave Tate’s first book, Under the Bar, was billed as a book that wasn’t about training but kind of was. It wasn’t about business but kind of was, and it wasn’t about life but kind of was. His second book, Raising the Bar, is very similar but with a dark twist.
Training Considerations for the Tactical Athlete
Many people consider sports such as golf, tennis, and martial arts to be some of the top sports that are most reluctant to buy into modern strength and conditioning techniques.
Failure Fixation
Did Arthur Jones have it right when he essentially devoted his life to convincing people they needed to train to failure?
Your First Meet
There are a few factors that must be addressed before you decide on a competition. First and foremost, are you physically ready for a competition?
Bench Training for Gear and Raw
Here at Lexen, we train raw for much of our upper body development, but by using both environments (the shirt and raw training), you can actually make personal records in each.
