Recent Posts

3 Tips for Successful In-Season Training

Over my coaching career, I’ve navigated the treacherous waters of in-season training with high school, college, and professional athletes. Needless to say, it’s not easy. I always kid around that coaches that work with teams year-round are masochists, as there’s so much more that goes on behind the scenes than simply understanding the biomechanics or […]

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5 Supplements Not Worth Taking (And Why!)

Keeping up with the supplement market isn’t easy, especially with new products popping up every day- each one promising less body fat or muscle growth, among other health claims. Researchers have examined many of these supplements, but conflicting scientific evidence doesn’t stop marketing. Supplement companies often latch onto promising early research on a supplement while […]

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Sol Orwell Interview

Sol Orwell is the CEO of Examine.com, a website that is focused on bringing you informative and critical reviews of nutritional supplements. As part of “Supplement Week” here at RTS, I figured he would be an awesome person to interview. And since he’s such a swell guy, Sol is putting the entire Examine.com product line […]

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The Supplement Hierarchy for Athletes

When I graduated high school and got into college, I had one serious goal: To get bigger and stronger. In my quest to achieve this goal, I read every imaginable book or magazine I could get my hands on. Flex. Muscle and Fitness. And of course, Muscle Media 2000. The last one really stood out, […]

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6 Reasons to Hire a Coach

Everyone should have a coach. Everyone. I  got into coaching for a ton of different reasons. First and foremost, I love people and helping them achieve their goals. I’m also super passionate about training myself, and I love taking what I learn and applying it to the human body. But I’ve been on the other […]

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Relative Strength: Seven Tips to Unlock Athletic Explosiveness

There’s a secret purveyed in most sports performance circles that is misguided. While, absolute strength gets all the glory as a cure all, relative strength reigns king for athletes. In other words, being strong isn’t enough. It’s vital to be strong for your size, too. Wait…What? 
“I thought being super strong was a cure all?” […]

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Mike’s 2015 Goals

First and foremost, Happy New Year! I hope you’re ready to make 2015 your best year ever, because I know I am. You should know right off the bat I’m not a big New Year’s Resolution (NYR) guy. I think, by and large, they’re pretty much worthless and rarely supported by actionable items. But in […]

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Airing of Grievances – 2014 Edition

One of my favorite TV shows of all time was Seinfeld. In particular, the Festivus episode was one of those episodes that lives in our brains for years after it’s gone, simply because it was so damn funny. In the Festivus episode, Festivus replaces Christmas because George’s dad, Frank, no longer wants to believe in […]

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Real Talk about Aerobic Training for Athletes

A few weeks back, my good friend Joel Jamieson and I saddled up to the conveyor belt sushi place in Seattle, WA, for a meal after a long morning of work. Over the 2 hours that spanned our drive, wait time, and meal, we covered a wide range of topics. Neuroeconomics. Business. And of course, […]

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Specialty Bar Training for Athletes

As a reformed powerlifter, the move away from strictly barbell exercises was not easy. Because let’s be honest – the barbell squat, bench and deadlift are fantastic ways to get strong. However, in my effort to build the most complete athlete known to man, while simultaneously keeping them healthy, sometimes the barbell falls by the […]

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Kettlebell Leg Training

The other day I was having a discussion with one of my favorite athletes of all-time, the incomparable Danny O’Rourke. Every off-season, DO comes in and we put together a program to help him take his game to the next level, as well as prepare him for the rigors of a 9-month MLS season. He […]

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2014 Midwest Performance Enhancement Seminar Recap

The 2014 Midwest Performance Enhancement Seminar is in the books, and it always feels kind of like a wedding: You spend months (or years!) planning, and then the actual event goes by in a flash. Regardless, it was an awesome weekend and I wanted to do a quick write-up on the entire event. Here we […]

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Simplifying Your Squat and Deadlift

I don’t know about you, but I can’t stop thinking about lifting and training. Even when I’m attempting to zone out or dial in on something else, often my thoughts drift and I find myself thinking about training once again. Lately I’ve been re-visiting my thoughts on squatting and deadlifting. Not only am I working […]

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Mike Roncarati Interview

Mike Roncarati is not only an awesome coach and physical therapist, but a good friend as well. And when you get the opportunity to interview an NBA-caliber coach/therapist, you jump at the opportunity! In the interview below, Mike and I talk in-depth with regards to his philosophy, off-season and in-season programming, as well as the […]

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Widening the Aerobic Window

If you’ve been around athletics for any period of time, chances are you’ve seen the athlete who isn’t “in shape.” Whether it’s football, basketball, soccer, or something in between, they make a few runs up and down the field or court and they’re gassed. Red faced, tugging on the shorts, and gasping for air like […]

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