Strength and Conditioning
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 [...]
8 Weeks to What?
As many of you know, my gym is adjacent to a mixed martial arts school. So, you would think that there’s a constant flow of fighters strolling through the doors. And while there are some, it’s not nearly as many as you think… You see, there’s a common term thrown around in the MMA game: [...]
Easy Ways to Completely Avoid Making Progress
Earlier this week Chris asked us a question, have you progressed? Hopefully you took some time to think objectively on the question. Have you written a good movement history, or does it need a greater effort of penmanship? Are you learning? Do you have a support system? I thought about Chris’ questions a lot over [...]
Was it worth it?
When I was growing up I kind of got in trouble- a lot. Not big trouble, but I definitely pushed the envelope quite often. For instance, in the first grade I got in trouble in class for something I don’t even remember. But, I do remember that the punishment was to take a letter from my [...]
Why Habits Determine Success
Last week Chris talked about about the construction of BSP NOVA, One Piece At a Time. His analogy for training progress is perfect–our bodies, and our goals, change as we manipulate one variable at a time. What’s frustrating, though, is this isn’t how we think. We envision the whole rather than the thousand meaningful parts that [...]
Youth Training: Building a Base that Builds a Monster
I have a favorite client. She’s not an Olympian, nor is she a professional athlete. A few years back she learned how to read and she’s now on her way to mastering long division. She’s my neice, Kendra. That’s her nailing the is0-lunge hold a few months back. Since then she’s been introduced to a [...]
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
Band Landmines
Training at a small gym that isn’t wealthy in equipment requires a little creativity to get things done. When barbells aren’t abundant we make due. Enter the band landmine This exercise is great for core stability (anti-rotation and anti-lateral flexion) but it’s also great for shoulder mobility and stability. The band adds an element of [...]
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 [...]
Why am I doing this?
If you were to ask me the most common question that I receive on the regular, “why am I doing this?” tops that list (right after, “how is your beard so freaking marvelous?”). Hey guys/gals, Chris here- listen, I’m no English major, and I’m pretty sure that the above sentence structure is a wreck… so [...]
Be Thankful for the Little Things
Well, it’s that one time of year where we Americans show our thanks by over-eating and then zoning out on the couch to our favorite TV movies and sports. All of this before we rush the stores and trample each other for the “best deals of the year.” But hey, in all honesty I’m doing [...]
