When to Bench Press With Your Feet on the Floor, and When Not To
I received an email awhile back from someone asking a simple question: “What are the reasons one would or would not bench press with their legs on the bench as opposed to the floor? Just personal preference? Back issues?” Tony of a few years back would have been like, “When would someone bench with their… Read more
6 Reasons to Consider the Semi-Private Training Model
I started my career as a personal trainer back in 2002. To give a little perspective on how long ago that was: Joe Millionaire was one of the top-rated television shows that year. The standard reaction to anyone requesting almond milk was one of two things: 1) a cold, blank stare into the abyss or… Read more
5 Dumbbell Row Mistakes and What To Do Instead
The dumbbell row is a common exercise performed in gyms everywhere and is a splendid choice for anyone interested in building a back the size of Nebraska. It’s a staple in my own programming (and that of my clients) because it offers a bevy of other benefits – shoulder health, emphasizes unilateral strength, promotes increased… Read more
Coaching: The Fine Line Between Building Toughness and Being Destructive
Jordan McNair, a (former) University of Maryland football player, died a few weeks ago during practice as the team was completing conditioning drills. All signs pointed towards him being in distress. Yet, the cloud of “being tough” and persevering through a grueling workout seemed to have overcast common-sense. We can learn from this tragic event… Read more
The Underrated Value of Mediocrity
Remember that iconic and hilarious scene from the movie Billy Madison when Billy (Adam Sandler), upon realizing one of his classmates embarrassingly peed his pants, attempts to “normalize” the situation by pretending to also pee his pants, thus reframing the unfortunate situation into something that’s not only desirable to do, but something everyone thinks is… Read more
Stack the Rings For Better Squat Performance
There’s a lot that can go awry with the squat. Knees caving in too much. Excessive rounding of the back. Getting stapled to the ground. Explosive diarrhea. There’s one cue, however, I believe has carryover to pretty much anyone and it’s almost guaranteed to make your squat look and feel better. Stack the Rings It’s… Read more
What Most of Your Clients Want
I’m not an asshole. But I had a real asshole moment earlier this week, and I think it can serve as a teachable moment for many coaches and trainers out there who may be reading. My abject assholiness affected me to much it prompted me to go stand out on the ledge of a mountain,… 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