WATCH: How to Make Your Own Belt Squat
For only $200, you, too, can make your own belt squat. It’s easy, efficient, and affordable. A win-win purchase.
WATCH: 8x8 Shoulders and Triceps
This part of my 8×8 program will give you shoulders like boulders. We’re keeping it honest with 56 total sets, 7 exercises, and 8 sets with 30 seconds of rest.
WATCH: Has Powerlifting Become Soft?
It’s easy to sit around and pound your chest and call other people wimps while bragging about how strong you are… but if you ask Dave Tate, the people who do that are the real wimps.
WATCH: I am Joe Sullivan
Get to know elitefts athlete Joe Sullivan as he talks about how he got into powerlifting, his day-to-day routine, and his goals.
Get Bigger, Stronger, and Leaner with 1 Move
All you need is one technique: one-motion log press. That’s it. No more, no less. Just that. One. Singular. Technique.
How to Train While Working a Physical Job — Create Your Program
Once you go through these seven steps, you should have a nice simple program that will allow you to reach your goals while staying true to your priorities and meshing with your daily work demands.
Choking on My Own Face — The Diagnosis
Because it’s a sleep study, and not, say a cat scan, I didn’t expect my doctor to get all solemn, take a deep breath, and ask me to “sit down” before delivering the news.
WATCH: Dave Tate's Top 5 SS Yoke Bar Movements
Dave Tate could list 99 movements to use with the elitefts SS Yoke Bar… but he’ll just show you his top 5 instead of giving an upsell. (It’s just that good of a product.)
Tempo Training Exercises for Glute Development
If you want to work on getting a butt Sir Mix-a-Lot himself would approve of, try out some tempo training. It’s perfect for re-shaping your flat rear into an ass that just won’t quit.
Don't Be a Christmas Tree Powerlifter
As you add ornament after ornament, string of lights after string of lights, and trinket after trinket, don’t lose sight of the tree underneath.
5 Exercises to Get Your Bench Press Moving Again
If your bench press is rusty and you need to take it easy, try some of these lifts out. (elitefts Power Rack and dip attachments are highly recommended but not included.)
Troubleshooting Strength Injuries: Redefining Injury
Most strength athletes either take matters into their own hands or seek advice from other lifters to rehab and troubleshooting an injury. Read that again. If I’m describing you, this series is for you.
How Muscle Adapts to Lifting: Across Scales
Understanding how muscles work at even the smallest scale can help you make bigger and better gains during your training sessions at the gym.
WATCH: Dave Tate and Ed Coan Show the Women How to Deadlift at Omaha Bar...
When a lifter at Omaha Barbell struggles with her deadlift during a training session, Ed Coan offers her technical advice, and Dave tells her to “clear your fucking head.”
WATCH: What Dave Tate Learned from Training with John Meadows
Dave Tate is no bodybuilder, but he’s sure learned a lot about purpose, training, and intent from training with one of the greats.
How Do You Become a Superhero?
You don’t have to have powers to be a superhero… after all, not all heroes wear capes.
The Coach's Guide to Faster and Stronger Female High School Athlete...
Dear strength coaches: Stop treating female athletes like they’re fragile little babies. They’re not. From my experience, they’ll be some of the best athletes you’ll ever have the pleasure to work with.
Build Bigger Legs and a Bigger Squat (with 6-Week Accessory Split)
This isn’t about any unusual angles, movements, or attachments. This is just a meat and potatoes approach to building bigger legs and a bigger squat. Try this out for 6-8 weeks and see how it works for you.
5 Gifts for the Strength Coach, Father, and Garage Gym Warrior
Instead of sacrificing time with the family to train, buy these items. They’ll save you time that can be well-spent with your kids and partner instead.
5 Gifts for a New Westside Conjugate Method Devotee
Whether you’re new to the Westside Conjugate Method or a die-hard supporter, this list has got you covered.
2018 in Review
2018, you were a great new chapter. You’ve put me in a good place with my training, my clients’ training, and the team’s training. 2019, see you soon.
5 Items to Make This the Fattest Christm-ass Ever
Volunteering at the local mall as the jolly fat man in red? Want to convince your kids that you are the one in charge of the naughty and nice list? If you want to look like Santa Claus himself, stop gobbling your kids’ cookies and milk on Christmas Eve and look no further than what’s on this list.
How to Program Your Back Training at The U
Over the past few months, some things in my back training have made a big difference — variations coaches often overlook. Considering paused reps at the chest/stomach, slow eccentrics, scap movements with a rowing motion, and handle/grip variations, back training is limitless.
Credit Card Swipe for These 5 Garage Gym Owner Gifts
Toss that budget sheet into the trash and max your credit card at elitefts.com. Alternatively: Ask Mom for her credit card.
6 Gifts That'll Make You the World's Best Uncle
elitefts apparel: The secret to being the best uncle ever. Also, Dave? Do me a huge favor and make some new designs so I can keep this position… I’m running out of options.
Just the Fats Ma’am
I knew going in that this could be one of those situations where I was going to listen to someone tell me how smart they were and I was going to play my typical role of “dumb older guy who used to work out and now just wants to not be fat and live a long time.”
The Role of Self-Regulation and Control in Sport Performance
You must be in control or have autonomy, to set goals, move through intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, and grittily, hardily, toughly keep on track — especially if your choice is to be or continue being a successful high-performance athlete.
A Varsity House Gym Check-up for Strength Coaches
Running a business is a lot like training. There are steps and signs you deal with…. and if you don’t have a long-term plan, you’re not going to get anywhere. Take action today to create career longevity as a strength coach.
10 Items for Serious Strongman Competitors
Gyms only go so far in mimicking the items used in strongman competitions, so read on to start building your personal strongman training arsenal.
12 Days of Giving Credit to the Things That Shaped My Coaching Career
‘Tis the season to reflect on the past, present, and future. Don’t be a Scrooge — take a moment to thank the people who have shaped who you are today.
Make it More Than Just a Warm-Up
When it came to warm-ups, I didn’t always practice what I preached. As it turned out, warm-ups have done me a solid and increased my strength, endurance, and recovery. Plus, they’re a great way to hone your techniques.
4 Gifts You Want and 7 You Actually Need for Getting Back into Lifting
Santa checks his list at twice, so maybe you should also double-check your wishlist to assess what if you want is REALLY what you need.
The Simplicity Project
By simplicity, I am referring to a minimalist approach to the programming of weight training by getting a maximum effect for the fewest number of exercises by utilizing a full body program performed three days a week. I want to challenge you all to give this a try for a period of no less than six weeks.
A Basic Lifting Skill Review: Grip Strength
Every seasoned lifter appreciates how easy it is to lose simple habits in pursuit of getting stronger. One such habit: Getting a good grip.
12 Items for the New Garage Gym Owner
Tired of the commercial gym? Maybe it’s time to start up your own gym in the garage. Not sure where to start? Look no further than this 12-item list.
How to Keep Clients Longer
I’ve owned a gym for 13 years, and I’ve coached for 22. Throughout the years, I learned it’s easier to keep a client than to get a new one.
Top 5 for November
Sifting through November, here’s the listing of what ranked at the top (in terms of popularity). And speaking of lists… stumped in finding the perfect gift for a loved one infatuated with lifting weights? Oh then, keep reading.
The Greatest Gifts for Powerlifters Transitioning to a Commercial Gym
I literally have no other gym options in my area. Please, give a stranded powerlifter such as myself hope… and everything on this list.
Six Weeks to Bigger Biceps
In this article, I can’t promise you Lee Priest-proportioned bicep development, but I will share some ideas to unlocking new growth over a six-week period of time.
Higher Rep Work with the Conjugate Method
Higher rep work can be beneficial, but it needs to be properly managed. We are still going to use 1-rep maxes for our primary means of developing intra/intermuscular coordination, but there are a few strategies we can use to ensure we incur extra volume when needed.
Meet Report: 1,200 Total at IPA Buckeye Brawl
It was my first time representing Team elitefts at a meet. The support I got from them was unreal. Oh, and the team shirt was pretty cool, too.
Programming for a BAMF Wrestler (with Samples)
Steve “Kono” Konopka and I go more in-depth about our wrestling programs, particularly topics covering: in-season training goals, off-season exercises to avoid, signs for a recovery session, favorite exercises, and a sample in-season schedule.
The Death of Powerlifting
What’s wrong with powerlifting? Not online coaching. Not Crossfitters doing meets. Not other lifters secretly being deep cover Nazi operatives. Not anything about other lifters, or coaches, at all. All that’s really wrong, from my perspective, is this...
A Better Language for Coaches
This all starts with you. Being clear, setting up a growth mindset, and eliminating “no,” are just three ways to become a better communicator to your athletes.
Men of Strength Sports Performance Podcast #2: Bret Huth and Scott Salwa...
This episode covers a variety of in-depth training and coaching topics (injury reports, physical preparation, sports specificity, junk volume, culture), along with the current state of Cleveland sports and the return of LeBron James to Cleveland in 2022.
Equipment Feature — PRIME Fitness RO-T8 Handles and Accessories
Tired of using attachments that hurt your wrists? Sick of models that don't allow you to target load-varying positions? It's time you take notice what PRIME has to offer. In this feature, we’ll be highlighting their popular RO-T8 (“rotate”) Handles and a few of the related RO-T8 accessories.
Learn to Train X: Bench Press Warm-Up with Joe Sullivan
You may start shaking, but don't worry. It’s just something that’s getting you ready to do what you went to the gym for — to press a bigger bench.
5 Gifts for the SHW in a 2X Belly Shirt
I'm a 350-pound dude in a 2X belly shirt — this ain’t gonna be pretty at the next meet.
Abdominal Pressure — What You're Missing in Every Lift
Are you making the most of your abdominal pressure during three big lifts: squats, bench press, and deadlift (or the clean and jerk if you compete in weightlifting or crossfit). Oh, the power of a breath.
8 Gift Ideas for the Coaches Who Train Combat Athletes
These are the eight items I find most useful after just having barbells, a rack, and good technique.
Cash-Register Lady, Your Mom, and Applebee’s
Don't lie. You know it's gonna be good based entirely on the title.
Top-5 Monolift Commandments
Monolift commandments for those new to the monolift, monolift commandments to heed today as a way to avoid tragedy in the future, and monolift commandments to help get the most out of this amazing piece of powerlifting equipment.
The Rack Athletic Performance Center: Fear the Moose
The Rack is an athletic performance facility that prides itself on its intelligent, passionate coaches, state-of-the-art equipment, and a community of members who are supportive and thrive in a fun and competitive environment.
7 Gifts for the Next Instafamous Powerlifter
Trust me, you will want me repping your brand while I’m crushing monster lifts all over the garage.
Choking on My Own Face
In recent months, my fiancée noticed long pauses between breaths while I’m asleep, followed by gasping for air. Not good. If it’s like everything else in my life, this major CPAP milestone should make for a good story. Plus, my readers really seem to enjoy it when I suffer.