STRONG Life Podcast ep. 208 HERE WE GO! BOOM! This was a POWERFUL episode I did with my friend, Paul Kolody, a NJ Strength Coach at powerhouse Hunterdon Central High School. In this episode we REALLY dig deep into how to organize and run a high school weight room like a PRO! Paul sometimes has 90+ kids in his weight room with NO assistant coaches! Can you image 90+ athletes in your weight room? Enjoy the show and make sure you follow Paul at … [Read more...]
Strength Coach Tips: Training Youth Athletes VS High School Athletes
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...]
Should You NOT Squat, Bench & Deadlift?
I was chatting with a friend over the weekend over dinner and I train his son for the past 2 years. He told me how another Dad was worried about training at The Underground Strength Gym because his son was 14 and he was afraid he would squat, deadlift, bench, etc. First off - These 3 exercises are NOT bad. Context matters here. Let me explain why...... … [Read more...]
5 Thoughts (Tips) on Program Design for Athletes
I love studying and talking program design. But even more so, I LOVE Coaching. You see, LOTS of books, articles, "influencers" can TALK about program design but can you COACH? Can you COMMAND the room? I want to share these 5 thoughts (maybe you will see them as tips, maybe not) regarding Strength & Conditioning. If you're hungry to learn, this is for you. If you're "good enough" or "too busy", get back to searching for fads and gimmicks. Move along, nothing to see here, … [Read more...]
The Benefits of High Rep Bodyweight Training
After going through my Bodyweight Bodybuilding course for some edits, reviews and updates, I changed up some programming for the athletes at The Underground Strength Gym. 1 of those updates was organizing their extra days with more volume of bodyweight squats. Yes, the simple bodyweight squat! I will post a photo below with that sample "extra day" along with some video footage. So make sure you read the entire article.... Now, almost 20 years ago I recall studying Indian Wrestling … [Read more...]
Getting Back to the Bells’ & Bodyweight Training + Donnie Thompson (SuperD) Inspiration
Here and there I catch myself getting away from training that is more Physical Culture based and end up chasing numbers. Now, there is NOTHING wrong with being Strong. But something was missing for me. I wanted to feel the toughness and challenge of working with circuits / complexes of Kettlebells, Fat Bell, Center Mass Bells. With my shoulder injury some years ago, I limit the overhead work but testing Donnie Thompson's Bow Tie made everything feel fine! … [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...]
Deadlifts, Doing the WORK & Paying it Forward
The fitness industry is unfortunately loaded with so much BS it disheartens me. It actually embarassess me to even be considered part of this industry. From the fakeness to the lack of ethics, but I guess this is everywhere in the world. There is always good and bad. The light and the darkness. I just wish the very thing that is so near and dear to my heart didn't seem so fake sometimes, or, often times.... In fact, a few months ago I had a conversation with a mentor of mine and I … [Read more...]
OPEX Podcast: Training Athletes, Thoughts on the Strength Coach Profession, Books, Movies & More
I had a GREAT time on The OPEX Podcast with my friend, Robbie Bourke, 1 of the most passionate Coaches & students of Strength & Conditioning I have ever met. This podcast gets deep as Robbie asks GREAT questions (as always). I don't think I've ever gotten this deep into my thoughts on the strength & conditioning profession as well as the details of how I train athletes today vs 10-15 years ago. Below is a timeline of everything we discussed on The OPEX Podcast. … [Read more...]
4 Tips on How to Build Strength Endurance aka “Performance Muscles”
Strength Endurance or as my friend, Marty Gallagher calls it, Sustained Strength. STRENGTH ENDURANCE - This is simply strength that keeps on keeping on. Strength that ENDURES. Not just physically, but also Mentally. This is a crucial "special strength" that is beneficial to many athletes and adults as well. Just a few sports & careers: - Lacrosse - Football - Wrestling - BJJ - MMA - Military - Law Enforcement - Hunting Tip # 1: To acquire Strength … [Read more...]
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