Where Most Box Athletes Miss the Mark
Many coaches still believe it is heresy to say that athletes can build absolute strength and endurance simultaneously, but athletes all over the world are doing so and making great progress. Here are a few ways to do so even more successfully.
Flip the Script: What Is Your Internship Really Teaching You?
Making 200 protein shakes per day and cleaning up the weight room isn’t going to make anyone a better coach, so you’d better hope there’s more than grunt work for you to do.
WATCH: Victoria Felkar's 2018 elitefts Sports Performance Summit Pr...
When athletes are pushed too far for too long, they become ill, injured, or simply lose interest in training and their sport. The proper approach to athlete development will solve this.
2018 Zoo Run Run: Team Not Team Old Man vs. Team Old Man
This was more than a 10-week prep geared to beat our previously recorded race time of 52 minutes and 32 seconds while flying past a self-proclaimed mashed-up meathead.
Sodium Intake: Why Be So Salty About It?
If you are eating a healthy balanced diet and are pretty active, adding some salt to your meals may actually aid you rather than hinder you.
So You Want to Be A Collegiate Strength Coach: Steps to Earning Your Fir...
This is where you need to start if you want to get one of the strength coaching jobs you’re dreaming about. It’s simple but not easy, so swallow your pride and ego before you move forward.
WATCH: Fixing Dave Tate — Implementing the Lower Body Training Adjustmen...
Dr. Rusin already explained the alterations to Dave’s program after the first two phases. Now it’s time to see them in action.
Getting in the Zone Just Got Easier
Featuring TAO (a revolutionary nootropic masterpiece), making unbreakable mind-muscle connections is no longer an impossible task.
Optimizing Your Pre-Training Routine: The Five Stages of PTR
The sequencing and staging of your PTR is key. The exercises work synergistically, and their individual effectiveness is secondary to their combined effect.
WATCH: Equipment Feature — Mike Bartos' Big Top Circus Dumbbell
This product was designed to pay homage to old-time strongmen and make training much easier for strength athletes today. It is easily customizable for your size and weight needs.
Dusting Off the Past to Answer Questions for the Present
There is often hope that the future is the timeframe where many problems and questions of humanity will be solved. But sometimes the questions have already been asked, pondered, explored, researched and answered.
Overcoming Blind Spots
It requires humility—real humility—to admit that you have blind spots in life and training. But merely recognizing them isn’t enough to get past them.
WATCH: Table Talk with Dan Green — Why Dan Started Boss of Bosses
There are certain things all meets need, such as consistent judging, quality equipment, and safe spotting. But if you want your meet to stand out, you need to offer more than that.
Consequences of Disrespect: Don't Disregard the Bureaucrat
One of the most important lessons of my 15-year leadership career came from a man capable of responding to disrespect and condescension with calmness and grace.
The Coach's Guide to Programming and Periodization: Variable Manipu...
In the first article of this series we covered the basic principles of programming and periodization. Now let’s discuss strategies to manipulate volume and intensity, and start examining the training units used to structure training.
Learning from Those Around You: 10 S&C Lessons from Friends, Mentors...
If you aren’t open to the knowledge and expertise of those around you, you’re only holding yourself back. These are some of the most influential things I’ve learned from others in this industry.
How Student-Athletes Can Support Teammate Mental Health
More student-athletes are beginning to recognize mental health as simply another part of the training and self-care process, and not a sign of weakness or lack of mental toughness. Here are three ways to help.
Strength Coach Ego Check: Rediscover Who You Are
I had a conversation with Coach Jeff Ward that not only humbled me, but shook me to my core. I thought I had been focused on convictions, but ego had slipped into the driver’s seat.
Five People You Need in Your Training Life
I have looked at my personal success and observed who in my life has helped me move toward my goals. These are the types of people who can bend my ear, grab my attention, and then push or pull me toward the place I need to be.
Meet Report: Winning the 198s But Falling Short on Best Overall at the K...
This is the first meet I’ve done in three years that I didn’t win best overall lifter, and it was a huge—and much needed—kick in the ass.
4 Rules of Training Professional Athletes (with Off-Season Program Sample)
Four years ago I got a phone call about training a local kid who had just been cut by the Atlanta Falcons and wanted to make his move back to the NFL. Here are my four rules of training professional athletes and what I did with Roosevelt Nix.
WATCH: From Collegiate Defensive Lineman to NFL Fullback — Brian Saunder...
Making it to the NFL isn’t easy. It’s even harder when you’re changing positions from the one that made you so successful in college.
10-Week Rest Pause Method Progression for Strength
Small jumps each week alter the focus of this progression from hypertrophy to strength, first building the muscle, tendon, and ligament strength needed to handle heavier weights, and then hitting PRs.
The Acute Phase of Injury: What Just Happened?
Once you’ve started the waiting game and it has sunk in you’re out of training for a while, there are definite ways to set yourself up for success. This is something I’m currently experiencing myself after tearing the adductor longus tendon from my pelvis.
FML: I Have A Vegan Under My Roof
This turd doesn’t stray: She asks if things are cooked in animal fat. She will not eat a burger, opting for the non-meat version every time. She won’t eat a snack or anything that the other girls eat, even if there is a group of them together hanging out.
WATCH: Custom Equipment for Destination Dallas
After a visit to the S4 Compound, Greg McCoy and his Gasp affiliates found a piece of equipment for their Plano, Texas facility.
Supermen: Cross-Athleticism, Who These Guys Are, and How They Ended Up T...
Certain sports are based on cross-athleticism and the mastery of more than one set of skills, such as the triathlon, the decathlon, strongman, Highland games, and now Crossfit Games. But do you get better at one by being better at another?
WATCH: Fixing Dave Tate — Adjustments to Lower Body Training Days for Ph...
Now that Dr. Rusin and Dave checked in and reviewed the previous progress, it’s time to make some changes to both the max effort and dynamic effort lower body training days.
The 5thSet Black Meet and Women's Pro Am Weekend: Back-to-Back Wins
After the inaugural 5th Set Black Meet on Saturday, I drove all night to Cincinnati for the Women’s Pro Am. My motivation for a weekend short on rest and long on PRs can be summed up in a single sentence: I love powerlifting.
Have You Heard the Secret to Strength Yet?
I’m here to spread the true secret of strength, if you think you can handle it.
Stronger Necks, Fewer Concussions
Neck training can be done with isometric or range of motion exercises, performed self-administered, working with a partner, or with equipment. I’ve recently begun to trial a new device to take this training even further.
Dave Tate's Free Squat Manual
You can build a powerful looking body without ever entering a power rack. But you’ll never really be strong. Stronger than the average guy, sure, but not the type of strong you dreamed of when you first set foot in a gym. For that kind of strength, you need a heavy bar on your back.
Transforming Strength and Conditioning at Livonia High School
In three years, Chad Smith has revamped an old practice gymnasium into one of the best training facilities in the country. It’s amazing what you can do with some drive and showing your administrators some initiative.
WATCH: elitefts Core Values — Strength
What is true in the gym is true in life. Everything is about strength and overcoming adversity.
My First Meet in My New Gear
I am, as I am after every meet, hurting in places I didn’t even know I had — this time in my head as well as my body, as I shall explain.
Athletes and Strength Training Technique
Because an athlete’s focus is sports performance, they may be less concerned with consistency in strength training, or they may harbor a false belief that having great technique during weight training is relatively unimportant. Change this.
Why Powerlifters Shouldn't Train Alone
If you aren’t training with a group of serious lifters, you’re missing a lot of what you need to get stronger.
Death of a Number
I've seen men shoot bottle rockets out of their ass for views and women with "shorts" on using thirst trap camera angles from the rear all in an attempt to be accepted as a "powerlifter." Sadly, it works.
WATCH: Developing Powerlifters Through the Role and Responsibilities of ...
Maggie Kuhn, owner of CBUS Lifting Co., walks through the importance of meet directors and shares the impact she wants to have on the future generation of powerlifters.
Trust the Process — Perfection
Turn into the head coach of the weight room. Come up with a plan to cover everything down to the finest detail.
WATCH: Fixing Dave Tate — The 10-Week Update Discussion
Dr. Rusin returns to the elitefts headquarters to get an update on Dave's progress through two training phases.
The Future of Strongman
I may come across as accusatory or cynical in this article, but it’s because this sport means so much to me and I’ve spent thousands of dollars and hours trying to grow it for the good of everyone involved. If we want it to be bigger and better, there are some things we need to do.
What I Learned from Benching with Dave Tate
Based on Dave's bench cues and progress made, I’m revising my bench goal for Reebok Record Breakers in November, from 200 kilos up to 210 — a huge jump, especially considering it’s by far my worst lift.
Championship Nature Series: The Circles of Concern and Influence
Of the many things in your life that you care about, there are some you can control and some you cannot. Being aware of the difference will not only make you more successful but also happier.
WATCH: elitefts Fitness Professional Summit — Transparency and Building ...
Taking on a young athlete that didn't fit was a big mistake, but how DeFranco handled the situation led to an explosion in his business. This is the story of how kicking a kid out of his gym was one of the three best decisions he ever made.
Do You Eat, Sleep, and Breathe School and Sports (Like the Lions)?
When the Gateway Lions Academy approached me a few months ago to train their soccer athletes, I was excited. Almost 100% of them are just pure raw talent, and their skillset and work ethic are unreal.
WATCH: elitefts Core Values — Trust
In the world of strength training, you often see trust: between training partners, between lifters and their equipment, and between competitors and judges. But not all trust is created equal.
Three Things I Would Change About the Fitness Industry
Two decades of working in this industry—and even longer being part of it as a lifter—has shown me a lot of great things, but I've got a few suggestions as well.
Year One with Men’s Aspirations — Developing Social Skills with Substance
This program provides a monthly social outlet for teens and young adults with high functioning autism. As we approach year one, I want to share how I’ve made this program my own.
Why Is Everyone Suddenly Taking Collagen?
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the human body and is part of connective tissues, muscles, bones, tendons, and blood vessels. Naturally, this means people are experimenting with its supplemental use.
10 Training Rules to Help You Learn What Works for You
Many of us would like there to be a simple answer or a go-to method to reach our goals in the shortest possible time, but in reality we have to spend time under the bar, do our homework, educate ourselves, and learn what makes our unique profile tick.
Reasons Why You're Weak — Inefficient Technique, Outcome-Focused, M...
Without question, the number one reason most lifters don’t lift the weights that they are able to is...
The Important Aspects of Training to Always Keep in Focus
Don't get sidetracked by paying attention to insignificant details and meaningless methods. Learn to distinguish between what matters and what doesn't.
Skip the Gym — The Scioto Challenge
Bridging the gap between immobility and action, this lesson served as another opportunity to reshape the students' negative associations with exercise and revamp their workout creativity in OSU’s backyard.
Where Is Your Focus?
To get your strongest in the fastest way possible, you need to focus on training as a whole. Every aspect needs attention and focus.
Jeremy Frey: A Reintroduction
It’s been my privilege to know Dave Tate and be a part of elitefts since 2007. I've been away for a few years now, but I'm back.
Mindset: The Difference Between Success and Failure
People who succeed in this world have an iron will and a never-say-die mentality. Do you?
WATCH: Fixing Dave Tate — The Dynamic Warm-Up Sequences for Upper Body a...
Dr. Rusin has covered the purpose of the six-phase dynamic warm-up sequence. Now it's time to dig into the specific movements in each sequence and learn proper execution.