I must admit, it breaks my heart when I see a “strength coach“ having a 12-year-old kid maxing out on the deadlift or maxing out on the back squat. I'm seeing kids who weigh under 100 lbs performing round back deadlifts, crashing onto a bench for a "box squat", benching while hip thrusting the heavens. This kind of dangerous training gives us ALL a bad name. Parents do NOT know the difference between the Coach who is training a young kid in the same manner of an adult powerlifter. In … [Read more...]
Safety Squat Bar VS The Straight Bar Squat for Athletes: Strength & Shoulder Health + 3 Week Squat Cycle
Above, Mark Chaillet Squats - Photo from Purposeful Primitive / Marty Gallagher After a recent squat workout with the athletes at The Underground Strength Gym, I began having a more serious conversation in my own mind regarding the use of the conjugate method, more specifically, how often to switch the safety squat bar vs the straight bar for squats with athletes, specifically, high school athletes. I share my thoughts in the videos below and in conversation form which you can also see … [Read more...]
203 | Marty Gallagher on Minimalist Strength Training
Photo Credit: Marty Gallagher's Purposeful Primitive Book STRONG Life Podcast ep.203. I LOVE talking training and life with Marty Gallagher. We speak often and we do it the "old school" way, via phone! Imagine that! In this episode Marty and I discuss the following topics: - Training 1 x week and getting stronger on a consistent basis. - How to adjust volume and intensity in your training for longevity and results. - Sprint Training and lessons learned from Charlie Francis. - … [Read more...]
How to Use Imperfect Squats / Imperfect Training in A “Perfect World”
I've gotten lucky this Summer...... You see, the past year has been a struggle with regards to training. My commute to work would be a minimum of 1 hour each way, sometimes 1.5 hours if it was raining because people forget how to drive in the rain. I'd get home and then hit the road again for my kids' sports or I'd drive straight to The Underground for some coaching. At the end of a 14 hour day my energy levels were drained. That being said, I organized a minimalist style training program … [Read more...]
Strength Training & Life Lessons: Do The Simple Things Savagely Well
Do The Simple Things Savagely Well. I interviewed Jim Kiritsy for The STRONG Life Podcast and that quote has struck me ever since. It's simply saying, Brilliance with the Basics. Experts are not trying to impress you with the fancy fads and gimmicks. It's ALL about results. And lately, I've been focusing on 2 exercises: Squats & Deadlifts. Specifically, the hook grip deadlift. I don't go crazy on upper body work with my left shoulder which has been a nerve type issue since I was … [Read more...]
The Coach’s Eye, Squats & Being AWESOME (At a “Old School” Gym)
Let me take you on a trip through my "coaching brain". You see, I've been training with weights since 1989. in 1988, I began my obsession with push ups. In 1995 I began coaching at a hospital fitness center. I've seen and experienced THREE decades of training and movement which is more than some coaches age. I'm about to share with you a bit of a brain dump after training in a globo gym. If you're a Coach, pay CLOSE attention. If you're not a Coach, pay CLOSE attention to the mindset … [Read more...]
Iron Roots Podcast Ep. 7 | The History Behind The Box Squat
In this episode of The Iron Roots Podcast, I get into the History behind the box squat. I also share how we use the box squat at The Underground Strength Gym along with proper application of the box squat. I see a LOT of mistakes with the use of the box squat, including when I see footage from D1 University weight rooms. That is NO good. My first exposure to the box squat was from watching Louie Simmons' Westside Barbell VHS tapes. Louie learned how to Box Squat from these original … [Read more...]
UNSTOPPABLE Mindset: In The Gym & In Life
It's awesome to see how strength training has exploded, very much thanks to the internet. On the flip side, I still struggle with being the most fired up guy in the room. At age 43, I should NOT have more fire than the 15 year olds. Those younger years are like bottling up the energy of a rocket ship, you can't let them go to waste, not for 1 day. The things I've seen on social media and heard about in globo gyms downright scares me. So in this article, I want to address attitude and … [Read more...]
Training for When the SHTF: Building Athleticism vs Building Toughness?
STRONG Life Insider Training for When The SHTF: Building Athleticism VS Building Toughness? The Correct answer is you must do BOTH. If you're reading this article you're likely not that guy who just reads about it and never actually gets your hands dirty. But there are PLENTY of guys getting caught up and duped with doing things like: Barbell Cleans on 1 Leg with band suspended kettlebells hanging from the bar Training with eyes closed, standing on one leg on a balance disc, … [Read more...]
TIME
TIME. It's something I think about constantly. That right there is a red flag. They say if you fear death then you are not living fully. Red Flag....... You see, I remember being 6 years old, riding my big wheel with friends like it was yesterday. I remember mountain biking with my friends all Summer long when I was 22 like it was yesterday, except that was half my life time ago. How does half a life time pass by in what seems to be minutes? Today, my days are filled with work and the … [Read more...]
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