Powerlifting: The Choice of the Two Pains
The great philosophers pontificate about man’s existence preceding his essence.
Creating a Game Plan with the Right Mental Attitude
I believe that goal setting and mental attitude or sport psychology are often the most overlooked elements of any athlete’s preparation. Without a proper plan, what can really be accomplished? Without the right attitude, what can get done? The answer to both questions is not much.
An Interview with Dr. Anatoly Bondarchuk
Dr. Anatoly Bondarchuk is renowned as an athlete (1972 Olympic champion and European champion in the hammer throw as well as a former world record holder), and his coaching credentials are virtually unprecedented in the world of athletics.
My Life as a Heavyweight
Being pregnant has changed many things—my workouts, clothes, eating habits, you name it! However, on a long car ride to Indiana to visit family, I realized that I’m not unlike a large, super heavy powerlifter.
Training Versus Talent
Times have changed a great deal since I last put on pads and a helmet back in 1990. I guess I’m becoming an old man because now I look at these lazy kids and think, “back in my day...”
Under The Bar: Boston Seminar Recap
If strength and powerlifting are the topics, then I want to hear from those who are in the trenches day in and day out
Scott “Hoss” Cartwright: Get Injured and Get Stronger Interview
He has elite totals at a body weight of 275 lbs and 308 lbs and totaled 2204 lbs in single ply gear. After that, Hoss tried to make a jump to double ply gear but only added 18 pounds to his total.
Defending the Deadlift: An Interview with Coach and Powerlifter, Eric Cr...
If you needed an expert on Russian writer, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, you might contact Daniel Mahoney, a professor at Assumption College. For an expert on squatting, there’s Fred “Dr. Squat” Hatfield of the International Sports Sciences Association.
Strength Czar: An EliteFTS Roundtable Discussion
With James Smith, Mark McLaughlin, Tom Deebel, Jim Wendler, Travis Mash, Julia Ladewski, C. J. Murphy, Matt Brand, Nick Zostautas, Kevin Deweese, and Tim Kontos
Lift Strong Excerpt: NFL Linebacker In-Season Strength Program
*The number of workouts that this athlete performed each week with me was dependent on the team’s practice schedule, meeting schedule, travel time & injuries that occurred during the season.
The Lift Strong Letter
Let me cut right to the chase here—I’m asking for your help. And it has to do with cancer.
Why I Hate Joe DeFranco
Joe DeFranco is full of shit. There I said it. If you have a problem with that statement, then you are wrong.
Climbing Your Own Personal Everest
We all have our dreams, but it’s rare for many of us to ever achieve them. Months ago, I was intrigued by an article on the ADCC website about Royler Gracie’s challenge to Gracie Barra.
How to Break PRs
What I intend to offer you is an example of what has helped me increase my own lifts.
Texas BBQ: Talking Shop with Mark Rippetoe
The author of the book, Mark Rippetoe, owns and operates the Wichita Falls Athletic Club in Wichita Falls, Texas.
My To Do List
Sometimes I reflect back on my days (or is it daze?) in college when I could just wake up, go directly to the gym, and pump away.
Wanted: Hardcore Training Partners
I know this may seem a bit strange, but it crossed my mind the other day as I was showering that certain individuals in history would make great training partners. I quickly compiled a list of historical figures that met certain personal requirements for being a good workout comrade.
General Concerns in the S&C Field
Prior to a recent transformation which I recently underwent, I made the choice to negatively interpret a great deal of circumstances which infect our industry and society. I found myself in continual disappointment with respect to a host of factors.
The P-40 Warhawk and the Athlete
It seems that during WWII the U.S. was losing a large number of aircrafts during various missions. Obviously, the job of flying these planes was a treacherous one, and you could assume that the casualty rate was very high. But something else was wrong.
Letter of Resignation
This letter is to inform you that I am resigning from my position as head strength and conditioning coach. I enjoyed my time while at the university and feel grateful for the knowledge and friendships that I have gained. I feel I owe it to you to offer an explanation as to why I have made this decision.
The Collegiate Power Rack
What makes the Collegiate Power Rack such a great piece of equipment? Just about everything!
Fun in the Weight Room
Keeping your athletes motivated is one of the hardest things to do as a strength coach.
The Arnold 2006 in Review
I think everyone was holding their breath at this years WPO meet at the Arnold Classic.
The Odyssey of a Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coach
This article is designed to give future strength & conditioning coaches a better insight as to what it takes to get your “foot in the door”.
Boston Seminar Overview
Drum roll please…..Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the myth, the man, the legend – Dave Tate! I am going to give you readers an overview of the phenomenal presentation put on this past weekend by Dave at Total Performance Sports in Boston, MA.
The Right Piece for the Right Puzzle: Training High School Athletes with...
“There are a hundred ways to skin a cat, I am only good at one of them”, is something my grandfather used to say to me all the time.
Lift & Learn II: The Benefits of Bodybuilding
When I look back at my experiences as a bodybuilder there are plenty of good memories, tons of fun workouts, painful workouts and some injuries.
Doing it Differently
As a follow up to Bob Youngs article “Things I Would do Differently”, I decided to give this idea a shot and see what I could come up with.
The Triumvirate
The number 3 is held in reverence by many people. Of course, the title of this article is in reference to the Roman Empire and where would we be without them?
The Kids are Alright
Last night I closed the doors to my strength and conditioning facility for the last time. After over ten years in the same town and the same building, it was time for me to move on to new challenges.
3 Training Reasons Behind Baseball’s Steroid Problem
If those guys want to cheat the game and the fans while they destroy their health, then they can suffer the consequences.
Just Another Day…
The past couple of months have been the busiest of my life. My business is growing at a rapid pace and there are many “growing pains” that go along with this growth.
I WON THE LOTTERY BUT LOST MY MOJO
On April 19th of this year I won the lottery. Our new precious baby girl, Taylor Lea, was a long time coming and definitely worth the years of waiting. We literally hit the jackpot and thus I refer to our bundle of joy as Lotto
Hostile Takeover- The new direction of EliteFTS.com
As a strength and conditioning coach it is my job to stay on top of the latest findings and keep myself updated on the most advanced training methods out there.
Going Heavy
For those that don’t know how I train or how I think – it all comes down to one thing; Going Heavy.
Davidson College Football Program
Evan Simon recently became the head strength and conditioning coach for Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina.
Tales From the Dark Side: 13 Stories of Woe
Here are some actual stories from actual strength coaches. All these stories have been substantiated by coaches that I know very well and trust.
A Christmas Story: An Unsolicited Testimonial
It was a cold October afternoon in 2003. My back was sore and I could hardly straighten my elbow. I iced down and took some ibuprofen; still I felt no better.
To the Critics
Being a part of Elite Fitness Systems for the past couple of years as well as powerlifting and competitive sports, I have been exposed to a lot of critics telling me what I’m doing is wrong or, in the case of football, what the team is doing wrong.
Your Program Sucks!
We have happened upon a new age of strength and conditioning. I have seen this coming for sometime now but tried to dismiss it as a fad.
Training with Angelo Beradinelli’s Progressive Evolution System
I want to acknowledge the guys from PES for welcoming me into their group.
Strength Considerations for Throwers in Track and Field
Most periodized training programs for athletes follow a Western or linear model.
The Unmaking of an Athlete
I sometimes wonder if there are any prerequisites at all to getting a job as college strength and conditioning coach.
Got Bench?
I don’t care what gym you train at there’s always that one question that, essentially, is used as a measuring stick of your masculinity; “How much do you bench?”
Why?
We’ve all been there. Whether it be in front of our families, while lying in bed with a significant other or while sipping on a few cold drafts with a new acquaintance at a bar, we’ve all encountered the question; “Why do you powerlift?”
To The Beginner by Mike Miller (as told to Dave Tate)
This article is intended to provide insight for the individual who is just starting out in powerlifting.
Variation on Max Effort Training
There are two variations to this structure. For the sake of time and space, I will only discuss one at this time. The second variation is a bit more complicated and is recommended for an experienced lifter only.
The Socratic Method
One of the first pressing, inquisitive minds who stepped on the face of this earth was Socrates.
Super Compensation
The reason to couple super compensation work with training work is simple, gain a reciprocative function of the fatigue-frequency relationship more often in a training stage.
Workout Wisdom
When planning a training protocol, one must take into account the value of work administered in terms of function and time.
Auto Regulatory Training Part 2
The training process must include a critical and determined degree of fatigue, followed by an appropriate duration to which Reserve Strength may be elicited.
Auto Regulatory Training Part 1
The individual control and systematic manipulation of volumetric management is largely dependant upon the proper integration of critical training variables. Specifically, these elements that must be monitored in training for sport can be generally classified into the broad category of measurement.
General Training Journal For High School Field Athletes
When discussing training, there are many things to consider, such as speed work, building absolute strength, improving form, raising work capacity, recuperation, and selecting exercises and rotating them them in proper sequence to avoid adaptation.
Westside Training and Football
The other day I got off the phone with a friend of mine who coaches college football. I told him that I had recently consulted with Dave Tate about applying the Westside principles for a college football player