Posts categorized in:
Programming
4 Tips for Unconventional Fat Loss
The fat loss industry is an interesting space. You’ve got the supplement guys and their magic pills. You’ve got the fad diets that all proclaim to be “The last diet you’ll ever need.” And of course, you’ve got trainers with zero experience and no real-world results claiming they’re a fat loss expert (on the Internet, […]
Continue ReadingHow Long Should You Stay on a Program?
It may sound incredibly basic, but I get this question all the time from young and old trainees alike: How long should I stay on my program? It’s such a simple question – but like most things, the answer isn’t quite that simple! Let’s dig a bit deeper, and see how your goals directly affects […]
Continue ReadingAthletic Strength
The Athletic Strength training group is live! You can sign-up for the group here: Athletic Strength Please remember: Registration will close on Friday, February 27th and midnight, EST. If you want to join, please sign-up ASAP. Thanks! All the best MR
Continue Reading3 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 […]
Continue ReadingRelative 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?” […]
Continue ReadingReal 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, […]
Continue ReadingSpecialty 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 […]
Continue ReadingKettlebell 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 […]
Continue ReadingQ&A: Speed Work
Q: I was wondering if you could help me when it comes to programming for speed sets. Do you have an optimal percent range that you use when working on bar speed? I am working with a sprinter right now and wanted to start adding some speed sets in, but I am not sure how […]
Continue ReadingManaging the In-Season Athlete
The other day I was texting with my good friend (and Portland Timbers center back) Danny O’Rourke, and we were discussing how to approach in-season training and lifting. After our discussion, I thought this would be a great opportunity to discuss the topic here on the site. (This is also going to be the entire […]
Continue Reading5 Strength Training Tips for Females
Between my years as a strength coach, gym owner, and personal trainer, I’ve had hundreds of females come to me with a goal of getting stronger. Some want to get stronger as a goal in-and-of itself (i.e. to compete in powerlifting). Some want to get stronger to improve their athletic development. And others simply want […]
Continue ReadingThoughts on Training Female Athletes
Coaching is in my blood. Before I decided to become a strength & conditioning or “performance” coach, I thought I was going to be a basketball or volleyball coach when I grew up. I remember as a teen watching the same recorded games time and again on old VHS tapes, breaking down mechanics, movement, and […]
Continue Reading7 Exercises You SHOULD Be Doing
I’m not a fan of the article that features “eight new ways to blast your pecs,” or “six new ways to shred your abs.” When it comes to training, I’m very vanilla in my approach. I believe that there are certain basic, big bang exercises that everyone should be using, regardless of their end goal. […]
Continue ReadingHow to Write Power Training Programs
Power training is critical in athletics. Whether it’s the ability to juke a defender and break off a big touchdown run, hit a baseball 400 feet, or slam dunk a basketball, power is a key component that every performance coach must program for. However, before you blindly jump in and start doing 100 repetitions of […]
Continue ReadingMy Top 5 Moves for Athletic Power
Let’s start with an important, yet not so obvious statement…. Athletes are not professional lifters. Does strength have carryover to what they do on the field or court? Absolutely. But is it the be-all, end-all of athletic development? Absolutely not. When it comes to developing a well-rounded athletic development program, you can’t put in everything […]
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