Posts in "Assessment"

The Big Toe and the Squat

Two things with regards to the title of today’s post: I’m thinking it could pass for the title of the next big children’s book. Searching stock images for “big toe” pretty much made me want to throw up a little in my mouth. I’d place it  somewhere between kipping pull-ups and gonorrhea in terms of… Read more

The Inundation of Corrective Exercise In Strength and Conditioning Makes Me Want to Throw My Face Into a Brick Wall

Just to help calm the waters: I am not anti “corrective exercise.” And I am not really going to throw my face into a brick wall. I respect and can appreciate that, sometimes, our jobs as fitness professionals require us to pump the brakes and to venture down the corrective exercise rabbit hole. Some people… Read more

Which Is More Fictional: Unicorns or Tight Hamstrings?

Two weekends ago I was in London teaching a workshop with my friend Luke Worthington. We had a group of 35 trainers from across the UK (and Europe) eager to learn more about assessment, program design, coaching up common strength movements, and how I rank the Bourne movies. One of the main umbrella themes we… Read more

Low Back Pain: Habitual Movement Can Have Greater Influence Over Intentional Exercise

We’ve all seen the statistic: 80% of the population will experience low back pain in their lifetime. Back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide. Americans spend upwards of $50 billion per year on back pain. Back pain is the nemesis of all ninjas. The struggle is real folks. Given how pandemic the… Read more

Neck Pain and Headaches: The Link and How To Find Relief

Whenever one of my clients or athletes walks in and starts to say something to the effect of “hey, my neck is really bothering me…..” ….I immediately put my fingers in my ears and start yelling “lalalalalala, I can’t hear you.” Okay, kidding. Neck stuff can be tricky if not terrifying, and I know my… Read more

Bottoms-Up Squat Patterning Is the Jam

I was livid. Not long ago I had a female client come in for an initial assessment and she divulged to me the previous coach she had worked with, in not so many words, inferred she was “dysfunctional” and that she’d likely never be able to perform a decent squat. What kind of BS is… Read more

The Rotator Cuff and Boy Bands

Hey there. If you’re a human being reading this blog post it’s a safe bet you 1) have impeccable taste with regards to the strength coaches you choose to follow 2) have a pair of shoulders and 3) are likely interested in keeping them healthy and thus performing at a high level in the weight… Read more

The Gym Is a Pain In My Neck: Two Movements To Cure Them All

When it comes to neck pain, as a strength coach, I (generally) don’t touch that with a ten-foot pole. It’s case dependent of course, but more often than not, if someone I’m working with walks in with a some significant discomfort in their neck I 1) start hyperventilating into a paper bag and 2) immediately… Read more