The cue “push into your belt” has lifters focusing on the front of their bodies. But this operates under the assumption that the torso will expand in 360 degrees, not just out toward the front. In order to have the best brace, we need to rework our understanding of doing so in the first place.
Plyometric work is easy to teach, and depending on the variation you choose, easy to recover from. It doesn’t need a huge investment of time from both a learning curve and application perspective. Its inclusion is a no-brainer!
As strength athletes, we care only about lifting the weight from Point A to Point B, but from a bodybuilding perspective, that is dead wrong, but how does that translate to powerlifting? The idea is to challenge the muscle — not just focus on completing reps and sets.
One of the hardest things I’ve ever done was train less. But thanks to a little advice from Dave Tate, I started looking at training in a whole new light. Strength comes from so much more than lifting heavy weights in the gym.
Recording a podcast episode with my mentor (and cousin) John Alvino made me reflect on the pivotal role training has played in my life. Quite frankly, without it, I don’t know where I’d be. Inside these four walls, training has been my therapy, my drug, and my anchor.
Although this article is directed at those supervising GAs and interns, if you’re a student reading this article, you can use these strategies to help to plan your own professional development as well.
Over the last few years, I’ve had more time to visit some major universities and professional teams and talk shop with some very good strength and conditioning coaches, and these are some of the trends we’ve noticed in the weight room and think powerlifters should start implementing.
As with anything in training, the answer always is “it depends.” With the max effort method, I can do one of these things for two hours just on advanced principles that deal with the max effort method, or I can do one very that’s simple. I choose simple.
The doctor is in! Specifically, Doctor Deadlift (whose real name is Cailer Woolam) is here to teach you why you should switch over from your alternating grip to a hook grip and show you how it’s done.
I’m here to remind everyone that we all have a part to play in making our field better and safer for our athletes. It’s on us to ensure our athletes, schools, and overall profession are all the best they can be. Start by implementing these 5 simple steps in your program.
Before you go find yourself a hill to sprint up via Google maps (steep hills, such as those in landfills, are ideal), don’t forget to warm up and stay hydrated. It’s a sprint, so go all out!
Most strongman competitors I work with don’t have a strongman gym nearby — but they do have a commercial gym. This 4-week program will help just about anyone in that all-too-common situation.
Doing more gen pop or accessible workouts doesn’t make someone any less strong. Just ask elitefts athlete Yessica Martinez. Or, better yet, read her training logs to see how doing yoga or some gen pop exercise could lead to some bigger numbers in the squat.
My niece and nephew recently took weightlifting classes, and I am baffled by what they are being taught. This information is not only wrong, but it puts them at greater risk of injury. Quality knowledge is easily accessible, so why are we stuck in this loop of bad information?
In this episode of Table Talk Podcast, Dave Tate is hosting solo once more and has plenty to say about a variety of subjects, such as JM Blakley not knowing how to use the Internet and things he’s learned in his training career, and more.
People have asked me to write about how I train. I haven’t done it because I figured you guys thought it’d be boring… until now. Here’s a look at my training and the process behind it.
Stop killing kids by making them run so much. Stop running them into the ground with running… and in general, stop it. It defeats the purposes of building them up.
These off-season lane options are meant to keep them in the ballpark of being in game shape without beating the crap out of them. They don’t have to be ready all the time; just ready to get ready. If you think they are not sport-specific enough or intense enough, that’s why.
Powerlifting is so much more than physical strength. Yeah, that’s part of it, but only a fraction of the big picture. Are you strong mentally? Are you strong intellectually? Are you strong emotionally? Let’s find out.
My bodybuilding mentor invited me to run a training seminar for inmates at the second-largest prison in Washington state. Let’s say I learned a few things while I did my time… teaching inmates, that is.
A bad program can tarnish more than reputation; it could end a young athlete’s future. These kids are in the most important developmental years of their lives, so it’s up to us to give them the tools to be the best they can be, and these key components are a good place to start.
Universal Pro Gym’s clientele might mostly be made up of bodybuilders, but that doesn’t stop owner Bob Caron from ensuring that all people who walk through the doors get a personalized experience and a variety of services — including an on-site barbershop.
Alwyn Cosgrove made quite the splash at the SSTSS 2019 event, so it’s only natural we’d have him sit down with Dave… plus, we have a couple of other guests joining Dave and Alwyn. Any guesses? Their last name starts with ant and ends in O…
Tendon injuries suck. The healing process for tendon injuries is slower than it is for muscle tears. If you ended up rupturing your tendon, you may require surgery. But there are still some things you can do in terms of rehabbing certain tendon injuries…
If you’ve been doing the plank in order to get a 6-pack, you’re probably doing it wrong. Utilize these techniques for a better perspective and understanding of the plank and to optimize your performance.
From a revenue standpoint, you should consider packages to be your gold standard. Combining nutrition coaching with exercise coaching (either personal or group training) will get a client to their goals faster but should bring you more value for your time.
Believe it or not, Cailer Woolam gets a lot of questions about why he’s not gaining weight to break more records. But at age 24, he’s got plenty of time and work ahead of him.
If you understand the conjugate method, can devote 4 to 5 hours of training per week, not competing in sports but is trying to look and feel better, boy, have I got the perfect program for you!
This podcast stands out from the rest of the Table Talk Podcast episodes because this time, Dave isn’t the one asking the big questions; this time, the host of The Rogue Ones Podcast is interviewing Dave.
Newer lifters seem to think that they can squat 1,200 pounds in less than a year of training. I hate to burst your bubbles, but that’s not going to happen. It’s a long game, and you need to understand that if you’re going to survive in this sport.
I’ve covered the negatives about being a collegiate strength coach. If that didn’t scare you off, good — because there are some really awesome things about the job, too. For me, the pros outweigh the cons. If they didn’t, why would I still be doing this?
In order to show real strength, arching isn’t the way to go. In order to build more strength for different sports, arching is pretty much a waste of time. But I’m not criticize arching. On the contrary, there are advantages to it if you are a competitive powerlifter.
If you’re a Marvel fan, you might know that Ant-Man and The Wasp produced an evil offspring, Red Queen. Likewise, elitefts’ heroic Rackable Cambered and SS Yoke bars came together and created the nefarious Spider Bar. What makes this bar so villainous? Read on if you dare…
When a Union Fitness client approached me for training, I was foaming at the mouth. He had experience in powerlifting and wanted a conjugate training approach. With this program, he added 10 pounds to his bench! You might as well give it a try.
You must slow down to truly get a feel for the mind-muscle connection. I know some of you who do slow-motion reps or time under tension think you do not need to slow down. Well, then, this article is ESPECIALLY for you!
Watch out, Dave — there’s a new host in town. Actually, there are 3 hosts in town, and they’re taking over Table Talk Podcast while Dave is on vacation. Expect some wild stories with Vincent Dizenzo, Matt Rhodes, and Jim Wendler as they answer your questions.
Social media is toxic when it comes down to good teamwork. There’s no “I” in team, and there’s no “me” in team, either. So let’s try to figure out how to flip the “M” in me upside-down and change that Me to a We.
I’ve made a lot of mistakes when I was younger, and I believe it’s part of a coach’s job to pass on the knowledge and experiences I have gained from my own athletic career, such as never being average, striving for perfection, and detailing everything.
I don’t care if it’s a physical therapist, a chiropractor, or a medical doctor. You need someone who looks at the overall picture, not just the area that’s giving you trouble.
elitefts has a strong focus on the freedom of education — so strong that we’re willing to invest in all of the content we provide for you. For 20 years, the strength of this value has enabled us to earn your trust, and therefore, produce more content.
During Richland High School’s last football season, I combined the conjugate method and the tier system for programming game day lifts. Seeing the results thus far, I intend to continue the program with a few adjustments — but not before sharing it.
In the first three parts of this series, I discussed the current failings of the strength and conditioning fields. In this fourth and final installment, I’ll try my best to solve some of these problems — something that could very well take decades but needs to be done.
Strength and speed training positively influenced my client’s Ironman competition outcome, an event that is very aerobic- and lactic power-based, but why? Let’s take a closer look at energy systems as a whole to find out.
Previously, I’ve discussed relationships with sports coaches and administrators. In Part 3 of this series, I’ll cover some of the biggest issues and names in our field: certification, qualifications, the NCAA, NSCA, and CSCCa.
We tend to go into things with fitness coach or trainer eyes. We need to start seeing through the clients’ eyes and thinking like they do. We need to relate to them. Once you do that, you can take them on a journey.
In The Iron Life Podcast #7, Chris Tutela talks with world-renowned strength and conditioning coach Joe DeFranco about success, programming, things trainers should never do, and more.
The thing to keep in mind as you read the remainder of this program is that I’m describing a method of training — not a set-in-stone program. It’s up to you to apply the method to your particular context: your body, your goals, and your life situation.
In Part 1, I covered problems strength and conditioning coaches deal with when it comes to sports coaches, whom we work with on a regular basis. Now, I’ll go over a group we don’t deal with every day but impact everything we do: the administrators.
If you understand the science of physics and how to apply it, you’ll have a better understanding of sports and performance enhancement. You owe it to your athletes to understand the fundamentals. Let’s get started.
Xpress Fitness, located less than 2 miles away from the elitefts S5 Compound, is a product of support from the rural London, Ohio, community at all levels: family, friends, neighbors, and businesses, all built strong from the ground up.
In this episode of Table Talk Podcast, Dave Tate talks about his childhood, attempting meditation after the episode with JM Blakley, Q&A videos in the elitefts archives, and of course, he answers as many questions as time allows.
Two years ago, I injured myself at a meet. The pain was so bad I nearly pulled out of the meet. After talking with some experts, I decided to hop into the APF Nationals without a weight cut and with a quick prep. Let’s just say it’s good to be back.
