training
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — How Steroids Can Damage Long-Term Training Progress
Don't do drugs. Negative side effects and addiction concerns aside, PEDs can really harm athletes' long-term development and careers. They're not worth losing the future gains over, we promise.
Two Lifters, One Ultimate Holiday Shopping List
If you have gym friends with different focuses, no worries! The gifts on this shopping list are sure to please both of your powerlifting pals, regardless of their goals, focus, or social media presence.
16-Week Beginner Conjugate Program
I’m going to share a program with you that someone asked for my advice and input on. I know very little about this lifter. I got a little bit of information from them through Instagram, but other than that, what I’m writing are my initial thoughts and an improved program based on this information.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast #37 with JM Blakley
Since you guys couldn't get enough of him the first time, we've asked JM Blakley to come back to record another Table Talk Podcast episode. So sit back, relax, and listen to JM's soothing voice instruct you on how to become a better lifter!
Caught in the Middle
It's a double-whammy when you're the last person standing from the most recent rounds of strength staff layoffs. You'll have to deal with new head coaches and new staff members. What do you do in that situation? Follow these tips, and you'll have a good grip on the handle if this happens to you.
8-Week Upper Body Powerbuilding Program
Using powerbuilding blocks intermittently can help the weak get stronger and the small get bigger without fully compromising or favoring the other. That's exactly what this program aims to achieve.
Do You Have a Task- or Process-Oriented Mindset?
A couple of years ago, I was fixated on all the wrong things. The big picture was out of scope. I urge you to take the time to slow down on accomplishing tasks and enjoy the process. Build relationships and make memories — you'll regret it if you don't.
The Cycle of Detraining and Retraining
This is a completely different type of article you'll find within my column. It's personal and it makes a case for increased injury burden as an athlete progresses in their career, gets older, trains more, competes more, the list goes on...
Chin-Ups at a Higher Bodyweight
If you're a heavier trainee, chin-ups are difficult... but not impossible. Case in point: I'm nearly 50 years old and weigh 245 pounds, but I do chin-ups for volume rather than output. Here lies the secret to my chin-up success.
5 Gifts for the Garage Gym of Your Dreams
Having a garage gym has been my dream since 1999. Now I’m going on my 10th year in my second marriage with two kids and working as a part-time Mr. Mom and a part-time gas utility worker in Northern California. That dream is slowly becoming a reality, and the items on this list will help speed things up.
The Education Disconnect
A third-year sports coaching strength and conditioning major told me he had learned more about exercise technique in two 10-minute sessions under my instruction than he had over the entirety of his degree to that point. How can we ensure these students are getting the best education?
Touch as a Feedback Mechanism for Athletes
Not every athlete can feel their spine twist into a pretzel, so how do you teach them not to do that? This article will give you a model for how to manipulate the sense of touch to create an altered feedback environment for your athlete. Work your way up from simple movements, such as the prone stick hold, to something more complex, like the overhead press.