Find Your Entry Point: How to Train Around an Injury
If you make a habit of lifting heavy things it’s inevitable you’ll likely experience a few setbacks along the way. These can range anywhere from the “no big deals” (bloody shins from deadlifting, shoulder niggle) to the dire (disc herniation, explosive diarrhea). …or worse case, forgetting your squat shoes on squat day. Suffice to say:… Read more
Factors to Consider When Training Around Pain
Getting hurt is a drag. It’s even more of a drag when you’re someone who’s used to being active and an injury prevents you from training consistently or prevents you from training as hard as you’d like. There’s generally two approaches many people take: 1. Complete rest. 2. Conjure up their inner Jason Bourne and… Read more
1-Minute Deadlift Tip: Use Squats to Build Your Deadlift
I’ve always been painfully slow off the floor when I deadlift. Like, you could be watching the movie Titanic and I’d juuuuust be getting the barbell off the floor by the time you got to the part where Rose lets go of Jack. If this sounds like you, you may need some more squats in… Read more
Top 3 Single Leg Exercises For Yoked Ass Legs
Coincidentally enough I choose the picture for today’s guest post before actually reading it. Oops, a minor editorial mistake. You see, as you’ll learn below, placing a barbell on your back during single leg exercises – while not a wrong strategy to partake – does have a distinct disadvantage. HINT: More load isn’t always the… Read more
How to Effectively Screen the Squat
Today’s guest post comes courtesy of Dr. Michael Mash. I have a legit man-crush on him ever since I’ve started diving into his online resource Barbell Rehab. As the name implies: Its mission is to help barbell athletes (and aficionados) overcome pain and improve performance WITHOUT being forced into “corrective exercise” purgatory. In a sense,… Read more
1-Minute Deadlift Tip: The Power of the Slow Start
Slow Start Deadlift Whenever someone rounds their back on a deadlift two things happen: A baby seal dies. I have to fight off the urge to throw my face into a fire. Caveats exist, however. Everyone at some point will round their back. Elite lifters will do it – sometimes on purpose – to lock… Read more
The Missing Key to Conquering Your First Pullup: Stop Focusing on Eccentrics and Do This Instead
Shots have been fired. Shots have been fired. Some people will read the title of this post and see what they want to see… “…Tony G has lost his mind. He’s telling people that doing eccentric only pull-ups to help build their actual pull-up is wrong. He also hates kittens.” Others will know better and… Read more
1-Minute Deadlift Tip: Pause Reps
Do Paused Deadlifts I’m a firm believer in many things: The Earth is round. The Bourne Ultimatum is the best Bourne movie. And most accessory work should address a weakness or technique flaw with one of your main lifts. Enter paused deadlifts. There’s no sugar coating here: these can be absolutely brutal, but they accomplish… Read more