The elitefts Scholastic Back Raise: 8 Exercises You Aren't Doing
If you have a garage gym, you want equipment that is reliable and will outlive you. That’s why elitefts equipment is the gold standard. But you’ll want equipment that’ll give you the bang for your buck. Enter the elitefts Back Raise…
4 IG Exercises That Don't Suck
Out of all of the crap floating around on the Internet, I’ve only found 4 exercises to be worthy of mentioning. By the way, that says a lot because 2 of ’em use bands, and I am not a band guy.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — What is Cortisol? John Meadows Explains
Cortisol. It strikes fear into the hearts of most men. But cortisol is nothing to be afraid of. It serves a good purpose, and John Meadows is here to explain its benefits.
The Bulgarian Split Squat: Which Side Should You Load?
There are movements that I think all coaches should have a fundamental understanding in, and it’s hard to think of an exercise more worthy of a deep dive than the Bulgarian Split Squat. Go grab your dumbbell so we can figure out which side to load.
If I Don't Have a Practitioner, Where Do I Go for Help?
I don’t care if it’s a physical therapist, a chiropractor, or a medical doctor. You need someone who looks at the overall picture, not just the area that’s giving you trouble.
WATCH: SS Yoke Bar Setup How-To
If you have the elitefts SS Yoke Bar, stop what you are doing right this instant. Why? Because you’re setting it up all wrong! Watch and learn to see how it’s REALLY done…
The Most Important Training Article You Will Read This Year
elitefts has a strong focus on the freedom of education — so strong that we’re willing to invest in all of the content we provide for you. For 20 years, the strength of this value has enabled us to earn your trust, and therefore, produce more content.
Game Day Lifting (with Sample Training Session)
During Richland High School’s last football season, I combined the conjugate method and the tier system for programming game day lifts. Seeing the results thus far, I intend to continue the program with a few adjustments — but not before sharing it.
The Ghost in the Machine
Your body is like a race car. Even the best race cars break and wear parts down. When one of those things breaks, it, in turn, puts added pressure on other parts, which are then at risk of breaking. Take your foot off the gas pedal every now again and recover.
Meet Report: 2019 USPA Nationals with Dan Dalenberg
2018 was not a good year for my powerlifting career. 2019 has been better. My training’s gotten better, I’ve gotten better at caring for myself, and I competed better. I want to do better next time around, though….
Strength and Conditioning is Failing: Solutions to the Problems
In the first three parts of this series, I discussed the current failings of the strength and conditioning fields. In this fourth and final installment, I’ll try my best to solve some of these problems — something that could very well take decades but needs to be done.
How Strength and Speed Training Can Help Build Your Aerobic Capacity
Strength and speed training positively influenced my client’s Ironman competition outcome, an event that is very aerobic- and lactic power-based, but why? Let’s take a closer look at energy systems as a whole to find out.
Hi, My Name is Anne, and I'm an Alcoholic
Believe it or not, sometimes words can be heavier than your PR. These words and the ones that follow are my weights to bear… and also, to share with you and others who may need to hear them. This is my story.
Strength and Conditioning is Failing: Certifications and Qualifications
Previously, I’ve discussed relationships with sports coaches and administrators. In Part 3 of this series, I’ll cover some of the biggest issues and names in our field: certification, qualifications, the NCAA, NSCA, and CSCCa.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast #17 with Cailer Woolam
In this episode of Table Talk Podcast, Dave Tate sits down with Cailer Woolam — a 220-pound powerlifter with a 950-pound deadlift. Listen to how he makes training a priority at 4 a.m.
Learning the Language of a Prospect
We tend to go into things with fitness coach or trainer eyes. We need to start seeing through the clients’ eyes and thinking like they do. We need to relate to them. Once you do that, you can take them on a journey.
LISTEN: The Iron Life Podcast #7 with Joe DeFranco
In The Iron Life Podcast #7, Chris Tutela talks with world-renowned strength and conditioning coach Joe DeFranco about success, programming, things trainers should never do, and more.
A Hypertrophy Method for Strength Athletes
The thing to keep in mind as you read the remainder of this program is that I’m describing a method of training — not a set-in-stone program. It’s up to you to apply the method to your particular context: your body, your goals, and your life situation.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — Why Strength Coaches are D-Bags
Matt Rhodes’ takeaway lessons for strength coaches in this clip: Put your best foot forward. Stop screaming and start communicating. Hold yourself accountable. Do better and be better.
Strength and Conditioning is Failing: Our Relationship with Administrators
In Part 1, I covered problems strength and conditioning coaches deal with when it comes to sports coaches, whom we work with on a regular basis. Now, I’ll go over a group we don’t deal with every day but impact everything we do: the administrators.
Physics 101 for Performance Enhancement
If you understand the science of physics and how to apply it, you’ll have a better understanding of sports and performance enhancement. You owe it to your athletes to understand the fundamentals. Let’s get started.
Xpress Fitness: Your Family-Friendly Neighborhood Gym
Xpress Fitness, located less than 2 miles away from the elitefts S5 Compound, is a product of support from the rural London, Ohio, community at all levels: family, friends, neighbors, and businesses, all built strong from the ground up.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast #16 with Dave Tate
In this episode of Table Talk Podcast, Dave Tate talks about his childhood, attempting meditation after the episode with JM Blakley, Q&A videos in the elitefts archives, and of course, he answers as many questions as time allows.
Comfort Zones are Death Zones
As I start up my new job, I wanted to give younger strength and conditioning coaches some advice: Don’t be afraid to spread your wings and fly out of your comfort zone. Be bold and be brave. It will pay off at some point.
Meet Report: Making a Comeback at APF Nationals After a Painful Injury
Two years ago, I injured myself at a meet. The pain was so bad I nearly pulled out of the meet. After talking with some experts, I decided to hop into the APF Nationals without a weight cut and with a quick prep. Let’s just say it’s good to be back.
Strength and Conditioning is Failing: Our Relationship with Sports Coaches
In this four-part series of articles, I’ll explain why strength and conditioning is a failing field and how we can improve our line of work. This first article covers the problems that we often face with sports coaches.
Understanding Groin Injuries: A Muscle Tear
The biggest thing you need to take away from muscle tears is that the healing process is largely chemically based and physiologically mediated in order to remedy the mechanical disruption and restore (again) mechanical strength.
The Vault: Do the Stuff You Suck At
Do you ever wonder where your weak points come from? What to learn how to overcome them? This FREE resource is for you…
20-Week Raw Dog Yoke Program Cycle
To call this program hard is an understatement. The volume is high, the work is heavy, and you’ll want to quit. But I can promise you, your back will never be thicker and your PRs will become something of the past.
Adjusting to Life Post-Hip Replacement
After undergoing a hip replacement surgery and another surgery on my other hip, it goes without saying I’ve had to adjust how I train. But let me just say, I am so glad I went through with these procedures. The pain is worth it, I promise.
Show Report: 1st Place Novice at the 2019 NPC Mid-Atlantic Cup
I started my bikini prep at 147 pounds with 27 percent body fat and ended at a low of 113.8 pounds with 15 percent body fat — a total of 33 pounds lost. Despite that loss, after my results from the first show, I knew I had to bring in my glutes tighter…
You Can't Out-Train Processed Foods
My time spent in Italty resulted in the opposite of what happens to Elizabeth Gilbert in “Eat Pray Love.” I didn’t gain weight — I lost weight. The more I thought about it, the weight loss probably came from the quality of food in Italy. No ultra-processed foods here!
20 Smarter Alternatives for Traditional Box Exercises
I’ve said this more than once, and I’ll say it again: if you want to better serve your box clients, you need to program for the general population. Here are a couple of things you can ditch doing and what you should be doing instead.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — JM Blakley and Dave Tate Discuss Medit...
“Meditation is like a drink of water. You’re thirsty. You drink a little bit, and you feel better. Then you get thirsty again, and that’s what meditation’s like.” Meditation might not be a cure-all, but it can make a huge difference in an athlete’s performance.
Disruptive Innovation and Blue Ocean Strategies
Don’t compete for fish in chum-filled waters. Instead, go where no one else has ever gone before. Be the next Takeru Kobayashi. Be the next CrossFit. Be the next elitefts. Become whatever it is you want and change the game.
You Might Be a Serious Powerlifter If...
This life we live is comprised of sheep, and it is also comprised of shepherds. Followers or leaders. The flock goes where it is directed. Shepherds set the course for the journey. Are you part of the flock? Or are you a shepherd? Are you a serious powerlifter or not?
WATCH: Chris Janek — A Lifter With a Lot of Heart
During SSTSS 2019, Chris Janek sat down and briefed us on his childhood, previous jobs, geared and raw lifting, and the effects of having four open-heart surgeries. Now, he’s on a heart transplant waiting list and doing as much as he can without overdoing it.
Simplify Your Nutrition
There is so much information about nutrition that it can be overwhelming. Rather than getting caught in that swamp, I suggest you stop reading and start dieting with some basic knowledge. I’ll provide the info, but you’ll have to do the rest.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast #15 with Phil Matusz
In this episode of Table Talk Podcast, Dave Tate talks shop with Phil Matusz, the associate director of strength and conditioning for the Ohio State University football team.
The Lost Art of Training Hard
I’m not suggesting that you destroy yourself. What I am saying is that a lot of new trainers are coming out of school with information about corrective exercises but zero practical experience of knowing how to push people in the gym.
Top Three: A Hierarchy for Sustainable Success
For some, training is just a hobby; but for others, training is much more than that. It’s what keeps me going, and it’s very close to the top of my list of priorities. But sometimes, we need to remember those other priorities, too. Here’s a reminder of what they are.
Shooting From the Hip
Sometimes, I have to remember I am not Superman. I remembered how I have been feeling, sleeping, and how much I have been working. So I took a break and slept in… and managed to get this article done, too.
New Tattoo Do's and Don'ts for the Powerlifter
Getting a new tattoo doesn’t mean you have to throw the bar down and not step foot in a gym for two months. What it does mean is that you need to ensure you don’t do anything reckless for the first couple of months.
Focus on Success
Two people see the same situation; one person sees the opportunity, and one person sees the obstacle. In order to overcome the obstacle, it takes a different perspective — a positive one.
For the Fathers and the Fatherless on Father's Day
For many, bearing the title of “father” is a great blessing. But even if you aren’t on good terms with your father, just know that there is another father somewhere out there who is willing to take you in as his son.
Risk Versus Reward
If we all sat inside a cage and didn’t go anywhere, we would certainly be safer with less chance of injury or death. But what kind of life would that be? No one cares what you think, so shut up.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — The ONLY Way to Build Confidence
“There’s only one way to build confidence, David…” JM Blakley, the creator of the JM Press, isn’t afraid to call Dave Tate out… by his full first name, then, in true coaching fashion, breaks down what it is that good trainers and coaches do.
A Fair Assessment of the CSCCa and NSCA
Not sure if you should attend the NSCA Coaches' Conference or the CSCCa National Conference? Which exam to take? Take a look at some of the pros and cons of each organization and figure out which is best for you.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast #14 with John Meadows
In this Table Talk Podcast episode, Dave Tate talks with John Meadows about accommodating resistance, putting on and maintaining muscle size, sport longevity, and more.
How to Progress in Your Strength Program
Ask yourself: "Is my training program based on me being strongest at every session?" If your answer is an honest yes, you might need to reconsider your program. Here's how you can improve it.
4 Non-Training Podcasts You Should Listen To
Instead of listening to the same old radio station on your daily commute, why not learn something new from these podcasts? Stick your Airpods in your ears or connect your phone in your car's radio via Bluetooth and listen away!
Grad Assistants: Read This Before Applying Anywhere
Out of all the applications I have received from prospective graduate assistants, I kid you not, 40 percent of them went into the junk file right off the bat. Here's how your future application can stay out of junk folders.
10 Things You Can Start Doing to Extend Your Lifting Career
To this day, I still have new members of my gym argue with me on nutrition and training, only to regret not listening later on. Follow these tips and you will not only continue to get stronger for years to come, but you will also stay injury-free.
Are You Tough?
Toughness is something deeper than the scene in The Terminator when a biker puts out a cigar on an unflinching Arnold Schwarzenegger’s chest. So what does it really mean to be tough? Let's find out.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast #13 with JM Blakley
The feedback from this Podcast has been unreal! Due to the overwhelming number of emails, DM's and comments we have decided to blast this out to all of our channels asap. We know you will enjoy this one so much you will share it with all of your training partners and friends.
WATCH: Jump Into Your Next Contest
The best part of strongman is that you don't know what to expect — and that's what makes it so fun! Rather than worry about having the "right" equipment, Matt Mills says you should jump in and compete.
Personal Training Through Pregnancy
I've trained around 10 women during their pregnancies, and my keys to success have been keeping open communication and making sure I'm setting a good movement and pace with my clients.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — Trying to Bulk to 400 Pounds?
If Dave Tate has to pull himself together before answering a question, you know it's going to be a good answer. And boy, does he deliver (along with some tips from Joe Sullivan and Janis Finkelman).