When you first started lifting with barbells, you trained with the idea of becoming both big and strong, as if the two words were synonymous. And for those first few months, they were! You saw significant increases in both your size and strength, regardless of what rep range you worked in. Continue reading at BodyBuilding.com...Read More

Progress requires process. A three-word, semi-alliterative sentence that describes most of life; it’s something I conceptualize when I consult with CrossFitters. Unfortunately, their philosophy hinges on process’ antithesis—constant variation. The randomness that they champion is ironically their downfall—the body requires consistent inputs to make lasting adaptations, a fact detrimentally ignored. But if process is applied...Read More

I can’t recall how many times I’ve heard Ronnie Coleman’s classic line echo around the weight room: “Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but nobody wants to lift no heavy-ass weight.” I’d say the over/under is around a thousand. And the reason is because he’s pretty much right. Ronnie shouted out the quote when he...Read More

I abhor writing my own programs–so I farm them out to people I respect. Over the past few years I’ve completed programs written by Mike Ranfone, Charlie Weingroff and Chris “I may be married, but I’m still not cool” Merritt. Charlie and Chris conditioned me–Mike was the catalyst that helped me pull my sword from...Read More

Here’s something you didn’t know about me–I get obsessed with things. In elementary school my obsessions were Native Americans and Barry Sanders.  The chronology continues from middle school to now in such a way: football, boobs, Metallica, guitar, powerlifting, football, vaginas, Kurt Vonnegut, football, Marcus Aurelius, vagina-boobs, deadlifting 600 pounds, corrective exercise, manual therapy, Functional Range Conditioning, power cleans…vaginas....Read More

It’s too often in the fitness industry that people are enamored with a bunch of inconsequential happy horseshit. If you thought that sentence was bright and shiny, wait, it gets better. The unfortunate reality is most of our industry exists on a superficial level and thrives on subtle manipulation. Sure, that’s marketing for the most...Read More

I’ll start by saying I’m usually a live-and-let-live kind of guy; this is out of character for me but I think it’s necessary.   Earlier today I said an article was garbage, so it’s required that I say why.   For the sake of the rest of the argument, let’s all agree on a few...Read More

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about the whip snatch and what exactly it is. I’ll start by clearing up what it isn’t. A pick pocket strategy A migrant bird A dangerous sexual maneuver An aggressive female Before we take another step forward I’ll also speak up and note that this isn’t my...Read More

This post is a few days behind schedule–but I should have expected that; preparing to move usually encompasses more than we plan for. There are good byes to say, things to pack and unwanted crap to discard. I’ve been catching up on all of those because I’m moving next week. Michael Ranfone, and the guys...Read More

A lot of coaches that I respect coach their clients to dial their feet out while deadlifting. The Glute Guy says we shouldn’t. Chris and I aren’t here to be contentious; we started Beyond Strength Performance as a means to make others better lifters, athletes, coaches–whatever a guy or gal can take away from reading our...Read More

Dr. Spina, thanks so much for taking time out of your schedule to answer a few questions. Before we get into the good stuff–your mobility and manual therapy systems–can you give us a little of your background? Sure thing (although I always hate this question). I studied Kinesiology  at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. ...Read More

Chances are you’ve played a sport at some point during life–likely it’s been multiple sports. If you were lucky enough to have good coaches, each practice had a framework. This framework was built using a skills progression that eventually lead to combining the collective skills into unified play. Your coaches didn’t expect you to have...Read More

“How much time?, How much time?” During the first few weeks of off season training it’s a question I hear daily. It turns out that pain is a powerful motivator for time keeping–especially if you’ve been holding the same position for five minutes. That’s what happens during the crescendo of the intro Iso-Extreme program–a program...Read More

We’re creatures of habit; a lot of gents and ladies deny this. “Dude, I don’t need habits. I’m wild like the wind, life is an adventure–live and let live, bro.” That’s dumb. Habits change the way we think and the way we interact with the world. They, in truth, promote success. During late 2012 and early...Read More

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen the success stories we’ve posted of our fighters… but what makes a fighter go from good to great?  Well, that’s debatable- but from an athletic development standpoint, conditioning is definitely high up on that list. This past weekend, Beyond Strength Performance athlete, Dustin Pague, showed superior...Read More