After decades of pain-free living, I was blindsided by lower back issues late last year. Everyday activities became a challenge, and squats and deadlifts were off the table. The turning point came from revisiting Dr. Stuart McGill’s literature, specifically Back Mechanic, Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance, and Gift of Injury. This deep dive inspired a…
Injury Prevention Strategies for Aging Athletes is a seminar that I’ve presented several times over the years to professional organizations like the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), canfitpro, Certified Professional Trainers Network (CPTN), and Ontario Society of Health and Fitness (OSHF). Eventually, that seminar became a webinar and now a book. The book is…
Training to do a one-arm chin-up involves a two-step process: a) Start with a mixed grip with your hands placed shoulder-width apart as I’m demonstrating in the video below. Each session increase the distance between your hands by one inch on each side. b) After six sessions, grab the bar with your right hand only…
Dips on rings significantly increase stabilizer muscle activation. If you include a training phase with ring dips and then switch back to parallel-bar dips, don’t be surprised if your strength gets a noticeable boost. That said, ring dips are highly advanced and not for everyone. Beginners should master ring push-ups before attempting dips to build…
Believe it or not, many lifters get injured not during a set, but while getting in and out of position—either before the exercise starts or after it ends! The lying dumbbell press is a classic example. It can be tricky, especially when you’re handling heavy weights. Unless you have two strong, experienced spotters to hand…
Do you know what the most common injury in the gym is? It’s a weight dropping on your foot. Don’t let it happen! Here’s the right way to load and unload a bar when squatting or bench pressing: There’s a risk involved with any weight training exercise, and deadlifts are no exception. You might get…
Here’s a simple way to reduce stress on your shoulders during pressing movements. Next time you’re in the gym, take a look around. Most people perform presses with a pronated grip (palms forward) and flared elbows—an approach that can put a lot of strain on the shoulders and eventually lead to injury. A healthier alternative…
If you constantly scratch the scab, you’ll never heal. That applies to any injury, but it’s especially true for shoulder injuries. The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. It can move the arm into thousands of positions—16,000, to be exact! If you don’t set the scapula and stabilize the joint properly, you…
Every seasoned weight lifter should incorporate bodywork into their restoration regimen. It’s a crucial element for staying strong, mobile, and injury-free. I personally work with five professionals on a regular basis for bodywork: I’ve created a five-part video series to give you a glimpse of what each of them does. Enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at…
You go to an accountant to do your taxes, a lawyer for legal work, and a mechanic to fix your car—so shouldn’t you approach a professional for your fitness needs? Why do so many people think they can do it on their own? Would you do a root canal on yourself? I didn’t think so!…