Recent Posts
My 5 Biggest Core Training Mistakes
I don’t know about you, but I love making mistakes. Okay, okay – maybe love is too strong a word. I don’t like making them at the time – but I firmly believe if you’re not making mistakes, you’re not doing everything in your power to get better. A lot of my articles on here […]
Continue ReadingThe Myth of Neutral Spine
Neutral spine is a myth. Or at least, the way we currently have this concept burned into our brains is at least a little flawed. Let me explain… When you set someone up to squat or deadlift effectively, there is most definitely a “neutral” position you want them in. I believe this is the optimal […]
Continue ReadingMike’s Top 12 Training Resources
One thing that really pisses me off about our industry is some of the ridiculous “number” posts you see. For example, a few months back I saw a post that was something along the lines of “The Top 50 Fitness Bloggers” or something alone those lines. I won’t claim to be the all-knowing, but I […]
Continue ReadingRecapping Perform Better Chicago
Mike’s note: This week’s guest blog post comes from one of our own interns at IFAST, Sean Griffin. He’s passionate about the fitness industry, and it shows. Enjoy! This past weekend I had the pleasure of seeing a number of excellent presentations at Perform Better’s Functional Training Summit in Chicago. The list looks like this:
Continue ReadingShould You Crunch?
“Should we perform crunches in our exercise routine?” This question has been hotly debated, especially in recent years. Many have leaned on the work of Dr. Stuart McGill and excluded crunches, sit-ups and other spinal flexion work from their programming. But one question that almost always comes up is this: What about mixed-martial artists (MMA)? […]
Continue ReadingMuscle Imbalances Revealed Upper Body Review
A few weeks ago, Rick Kaselj hooked me up with a complimentary copy of the newly released Muscle Imblances Revealed, Upper Body edition. I was honored to contribute to the lower body version, and this is a series I hope he keeps rolling out in the future. Here are just four reasons I love webinars: […]
Continue ReadingQ&A: Back Soreness After Deadlifts
Q: I get lower back soreness after I deadlift, especially with lower reps and heavier weight. I’m pretty sure my form is good but I also want to make sure I’m not injuring my back. Thanks for your help! A: This is a great question and one that I literally get weekly, so I figured […]
Continue ReadingHow do I get better at….
One question I get quite frequently goes something like this… “How do I get better at….” Now that question is extremely open-ended, as everyone wants to get better at different things. Some people want to improve their skills at assessing and treating knee pain, back pain, shoulder pain, etc. Others want to get better at […]
Continue ReadingHalf vs. Tall Kneeling Exercises
One of the biggest shifts in my philosophy over the past 2-3 years has been an improved focus on efficient core stabilization patterns. If you’ve followed Stuart McGill’s work, you know he’s a huge proponent of stability training for the core and lumbar spine. But what do you do after you’ve mastered the basics like […]
Continue ReadingRandom Friday
This week has been a bit ridiculous with travel, work and all that goes with it, but I figured I’d do my best and pull together a “Random” post before heading into the weekend.
Continue ReadingWeak Torso Society
One of the consistent themes I see at IFAST when working with new clients is torso/core weakness. (Really from this point forward, I’m going to use the term “trunk” versus “core.” It’s much more all-encompassing, and doesn’t have the negative connotations associated with the words “core training.”) It’s pretty sad when you’re getting young, healthy […]
Continue ReadingQ&A: More ab discussions
Mike, Love your products and newsletter. I just have a question on your recent ab newsletter. I know the industry is shifting away from crunches and flexion and incorporating more stability and anti-rotation. I’ve read Low Back Disorders and most of Ultimate Back and Fitness and Performance by Stuart McGill and it has definitely influenced […]
Continue ReadingMay 20th, 2009
Robertson Training Systems Newsletter 5.11 Understanding Your Abs There’s been tons of talk lately about the abs, and even more specifically, the rectus abdominis (RA). After all, everyone wants that lean, sexy six-pack before summer hits, right? Here’s the problem: We’re still caught up in outdated training methods, and not focused on what science has […]
Continue ReadingMay 11th, 2009
Robertson Training Systems Newsletter 5.10 Recapping Rhode Island I was back on the road this weekend, this time headed to Providence, Rhode Island for the first Perform Better Summit of the year. This was my second year on tour, and my first time heading to RI, so needless to say I was pretty excited. Now […]
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