“Squat Like a Girl”
I hate the term “girl push-up.” I hate the connotation it breeds; that girls are weak and that they should do these kind of push-ups instead (performed from the knees). Coaches who use it are 1) lazy and 2) are definitely worthy of the stink eye. But what about squats? Is there such a thing… Read more
The “My Shoulder Hurts” Checklist
“Wha, what was that? Was that him?” It was 1:30 AM, maybe even 2:17 (it’s always a blur, sucky, and when it’s that late doesn’t it even matter?) as my wife nudged me to see if the baby was alright. I turned over to my left, peeled my eye open just enough to press the… Read more
Box Jumps: You’re Not Jumping as High as You Think You Are. And, You’re Doing Them Wrong
Thump, thud, thump, thud. “What’s that noise?” I thought to myself. “Thor whacking people’s faces with Mjolnir or a T-Rex break dancing to It Takes Two.” I turn the corner….”please let it be a T-Rex. PLEASE!” Nope, just some asshat performing box jumps. Now, before anyone gets their panties in a tissy….I am not… Read more
Porcelain Post: The Birddog Exercise: Please, Start Coaching It Right
NOTE: the term “Porcelain Post” first came to fruition last year between Brian Patrick Murphy and Pete Dupuis. Without getting into the specifics, it describes a post that can be read in the same time it takes you to go #2. Huh, I guess that was more specific than I thought. Enjoy. The Birddog Exercise:… Read more
Exercises You Should Be Doing: 1-Legged Glute Bridge Floor Press
Happy Valentine’s Day everybody. This is mine and Lisa’s first V-day as parents (two weeks in). Her Mom is in town this week helping out with our little guy, and this is the sort of dichotomy is going down. I went to BU to get a quick lift in, and Lisa headed down to Newbury… Read more
The Humble Goblet Squat
Last week I broke down one of my favorite variations to teach the squat to beginners. I was expecting some blow-back because I had the audacity, nay, the cojones, to not mention the Goblet squat. Of course, I love the Goblet squat. As you should too. It’s a wonderful little exercise that serves as a… Read more
My Go To Squat Progression For Pretty Much Everyone
Teaching a beginner how to squat well can be challenging. There’s no denying there are a lot of moving parts that can derail our best efforts to do so. My intention of this quick-n-dirty post isn’t to break down the squat in its entirety. For that I’d encourage you to check out Greg Nuckols’… Read more
The Post Where I Tell You It’s Okay to Move Your Spine
Back pain can be tricky. First off, anyone who’s ever dealt with it (pretty much everyone) knows it’s no fun. Second, there’s no overwhelming agreement as to what actually causes it. One person says weak glutes, another says tight hip flexors or hamstrings, and yet another may point to a bad hair day (NOTE: read this… Read more