Powerlifting
The Magic of Cluster Sets, Part 2
Yesterday on T-Nation they publushed my article “The Magic of Cluster Sets.” I didn’t name it that–I actually sent it in without a title–but it’s cool that they called clusters magic. It makes me feel like a wizard–or at least like a dude that knows card tricks. I don’t know any card tricks. What I [...]
Do Your Intentions Match Your Actions?
Do your intentions match your actions? It’s a matter of congruency. My guess is no. I’m not saying that you, in part from everyone else, have anything wrong with you–it’s just a numbers game. Most people intend to do more–training, living, growing–but fail to act accordingly by what they envision. It’s like playing a movie in [...]
Lift For Boston!
I’m sitting comfortably in my bedroom as I write this. My dog is dreaming on my bed behind me, wimpering and huffing at rabbits yet to be caught. The cracked window in front of me welcomes a cool breeze as I sit listening to “Murder in the City” by The Avett Brothers. Tomorrow, if all [...]
Bad Grip, Bad Hips
If I were a rapper my stage name would be Hot Red Nasty. I’d be like a white Trinidad James–or maybe I’d be a black Eminem. My first album, Sunburnt But Flexin, would sell two million copies the first week. It would be a concept album telling the story of how we roll in New [...]
Quadruped Arm Traction
I’m a strength coach and a manual therapy student; so when I get the opportunity I like to take my lessons from massage school and apply them at the gym. It’s kind of like how I combine man’s best friend with exercise equipment. (Seriously, get yourself a Fit Bull.) It’s common for strength coaches to [...]
Fighting Rotation with Tension
Unfortunately, the fitness/strength and conditioning/social media industry is a bit skewed–a lot of great coaches don’t get the attention they deserve while others undeservingly bask in praise of relentless fandom. It’s not often that I start a post off with such a digression–especially one with such a distinct topic–but ironically, it’s necessary. The previous paragraph’s digression [...]
Teaching Deadlift Lat Tension
I’m sticking with the theme of short posts with a video included. Check out the video to see how I teach lat tension to those learning to deadlift. Get Stronger, Todd Share
Upper-Body Warm-up and Prehab
During the fall, high-frequency upper-body training wrecked my already football-ravaged shoulders. I ended up with a twinge of impingement syndrome in my right shoulder and an accident while overhead pressing gifted me a minor glenohumeral separation/dislocation/that shit really hurt for a while. To remedy the errors that I made, I backed down my pressing volume, had manual [...]
Sir Mix A Lot’s Concise Deadlift Explanation
I’m not going to turn this into a post about how deadlifting gives you dat booty. We met our quota with those when the first one was published/posted/put on the internet. However, in 1992 Sir Mix A Lot, without conscious effort and through his lyrics, described the deadlift in one curt line. “I’m long, I’m [...]
Supreme Strength 2.0
If you had walked up to me on the street two years ago and told me that in 2012 I’d be the co-head presenter at two seminars, I’d have looked at you cross. Not because I wouldn’t have believed you, but because I would have been creeped out. Stranger danger isn’t cool and I don’t [...]
Sequencing Shoulder Soft-Tissue Release
Synthesizing information into something that is usefully directed is a big part of getting better as a coach. Honestly, focusing my brain and avoiding the oh, there’s something shiny effect can be tough for me. It’s my struggle, but I think I’m getting better. I think today’s post is a good example of my progress. [...]
2 Simple Cues to Improve Your Squat
The measure of a good teacher is how well he or she can take complicated topics and narrow them to the point that anyone can understand them. It’s not about looking smart–it’s about being effective. When it comes to coaching cues less is always more. Too bad we can’t say the same for this gem [...]
How to get Really F@#&ing Strong
I don’t usually do this, but I am going to start this article off with a quote. Here goes, “Strength is like pudding–the proof is in it.” This gem comes to us from none other than the grand master of badassery herself, Kathy “Hot Kath” Traxler. For those of you that don’t know Hot Kath, it’s my mom. She [...]
Awesome Research Thursday: Smooth Muscle in Fascia
Week number two of Awesome Research Thursdays is here! I feel like screaming that from a mountain top, but I live in Pennsylvania and it’s cold in the mountains. I did, however, yell it in my car as I drove to work this morning. Does that make me weird? Absolutely. But Veronica (my car, it’s [...]
Awesome Research Thursdays!
Today I’m going to test drive something here on the blog. Chris and I are cooking up new ideas for a regular blog schedule for 20120 (yep, it’s three weeks away), so I’m going to hit you ladies and gents with a few ideas, take your feedback into account and keep what sticks. Our first [...]
