Plan On Lifting or Squatting Something Heavy? Check Your Neck
Today’s guest post comes courtesy of frequent contributor, Dr. Nicholas Licameli. He covers a topic that’s sometimes controversial: Neck position when lifting heavy things. Some people play close attention to it (as they should), while others play it off as “no big deal” and point towards really strong people who seemingly have never had any issues… Read more
Breaking Down the Turkish Get-Up
For some people seeing the words “Turkish Get-Up” in the title of an article elicits a gag reflex or makes them want to jump into a live volcano. Even I’ll be the first to admit it’s not the most exciting exercise to talk about. However, that doesn’t mean it’s altogether invalid or that it doesn’t… Read more
9 Ways to Progress the Landmine Press
At the expense of coming across as the cantankerous, meanie-head strength coach for saying it, I’m going to go a head and say it anyways: Exercise, for most people, most of the time, should be mind-numbingly monotonous. Boring. It should be boring. I get it: boring isn’t sexy. And it sure as shit doesn’t… Read more
Why I Love These 2 Simple Cues to Clean Up the Front Squat
There was a time in my training career when I despised front squats. I hated them in fact. They never felt good. But when does any form of squatting feel “good?” I mean, that’s the last adjective I’d use to describe them. A back massage feels good. Hitting a walk-off home-run feels good. Hell,… Read more
Landmine Press: Cues and Mistakes. And How To Make It More Functional
I’ve long been an advocate of the landmine press. Not only is it one of my favorite “shoulder friendly” pressing variations, but it’s one of my favorite pressing variations in general. It gets you jacked and ripped and your shoulders feeling like a million bucks. If it’s performed correctly. The landmine press doesn’t come without… Read more
Deadlifts Are Only Dangerous Because You’re Unable to Coach Them
I doubt there’s any more dichotomous exercise in existence than the deadlift. Those who like it, really like it. Those who hate it, really hate it. On the “Like It” side of the fence are powerlifters, people who like to lift heavy things, Gandalf, and otherwise those who view it as a basic movement… Read more
An Ode to the Meadow’s Row
As odes are concerned, you can relax: this post is not a poem. However if I were to give my poem writing skills a test-drive it may look a little something like this: Meadow’s Row, Meadow’s Row. Thou shall build superior backs. Lats, lats. More lats. I like bacon. Seems how I won’t be… Read more
Stuff I Used to Say, When I Was An Idiot: Squat Edition
I remember the first time I saw Eminem perform. I was at my apartment in between classes watching a little TRL on MTV. It was spring break, 1999. I was in my living room. Many of my friends were somewhere else, not in my living room, galavanting around on some beach in Cancun soaking up… Read more