Olympic weightlifting is a sport. Performing Olympic lifts during strength training is not mandatory to improve athletic performance in other sports. In fact, many experts question the use of Olympic lifts for athletes who are not weightlifters. Here’s what the experts say. Here’s what strength and conditioning coach Steve Maxwell has to say on this…
Traditional strength training wisdom often fails when it comes to tapering. Here’s a more effective approach that preserves your hard-earned gains. A common practice in strength training is to work up to a peak load over a number of workouts, and then drop down a bit at the end before starting a new program. Although…
Albert Einstein once defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. There are many examples of insane traditions in the health and fitness world. Here are some that come to mind… Insane Nutrition Tradition We’re told to eat less to lose weight, so people restrict their calories…
Recently, a 70-year-old client of mine wanted to add high-intensity interval training to her routine, so she joined a local gym. As part of her membership, she received a complimentary assessment — which included a body fat test using bioelectric impedance. What is Bioelectric Impedance? This method sends a small electrical current through the body….
Pull-ups are one of the toughest exercises for most people — especially females. In fact, the average number of pull-ups a female can do is zero. The two biggest culprits? Lack of strength and poor body composition. But perhaps the most powerful obstacle of all is perception. If a woman believes she can’t do a…
When Jessica first came to me, she couldn’t do a single chin-up — let alone a pull-up. Fast forward to today, and that’s no longer the case! With the right progressions, smart programming, and consistent effort, Jessica went from zero to hero on the pull-up bar. Check out her impressive transformation and learn exactly how…
Stubborn calves are either bored calves — they’ve “been there, done that” and refuse to grow — or they’re lost calves — they’ve been searching for the hidden treasure in murky waters but have yet to find it. Either way, these calves need some new and novel methods to encourage growth. Fortunately, there are plenty…
For years we’ve been told to avoid behind-the-neck pulldowns and pull-ups. They place tremendous stress on the shoulders when lifting a heavy load with the humeri abducted and in a position of maximum external rotation. It’s a problem waiting to happen. Furthermore, it’s not a natural movement. We’re not really meant to pull things behind…
When it comes to static stretching, consistency is key. If you want real results, occasional stretching won’t cut it — frequency matters. To make meaningful improvements in flexibility, you need to stretch daily — ideally, multiple times a day — for at least a month. Here’s a simple challenge for you: Stick with this routine…
Years ago, I learned a very important nutritional lesson from Dr. Eric Serrano: The best type of milk to consume is breast milk; it’s what we’re meant to drink. Breast milk is highly nutritious and, as the good doctor points out, “it’s nicely packaged!” To expand on this concept, Serrano revealed a fascinating discovery at…