A Philosophy of Strength and Health

These images are from the men's 500 m B and A finals today at the Short Track Speed Skating Nats. We paid a whopping $5 to see the best men and women short track speedskaters in the country race. It was fun to walk right in and see a final featuring Apolo Anton Ohno . He ended up 3rd, after crashing out not once, but twice. They restarted the race after AO took out two other guys on the third lap of the first race. After much deliberation, the officials did not disqualify him and allowed him to start again. AAO led after the second lap and then fell again about 20 m from the finish on the straight away, taking out another dude with him. Not a good day for AAO. The AD and I both think he should have been DQ'd after the first crash. Someone in the lobby of the rink was showing a nice high definition replay of the first crash and you could clearly see AAO grab the arm of the guy next to him and take him down. Of course, there is very little local media coverage of this na...

To all my young Padawans (especially the ladies), who are about to embark on another New Year's fitness resolution: "Tone not. Train or train not. There is no tone."

Back in the day, it was a big deal to get your varsity warm ups--that included pants. We could actually fit pants over our shorts. Now, they just wear long sleeve shooting shirts and these things that are supposed to be shorts. How do you move in this stuff?

Erin, not your average 6th grade teacher, is flexible, strong and fast. Oh yeah, she was a member of the 2005 World Championship team.

Sidewinder. Schlinkhaus. Jingles. Lady. Boney Cat. Skinny McMinny. Girl. We called her everything but Millie. She was sassy and surly; she was Miss Independent. She was my companion for 18 of her 20 or so years on this earth; for all of my adult life. The last few years, she couldn't hear a damn thing, but she made sure we heard her. She left us on Friday, November 28. She was the alpha cat and knew it. When she rounded the corner downstairs to join the rest of us to watch a movie, we would hum Darth Vader's Imperial March. Murphy Fober knew he had better make room for his superior. Her hisses at him were legendary. And most of our human friends approached her with respect. She wasn't exactly Ms. Congeniality (and neither am I), but she did mellow a bit after losing her hearing. My mother and sister were often told to talk to the paw. But she loved the Athletic Director; and she knew who the real alpha cat was. I could get that cat to do anything and I co...

High school basketball season is upon us. With that, I bring you a peek inside one of Ryan "PB&J" Pierson's last pre-season workouts. This workout included, but was not limited to, the following: Lunge & Reach Med Ball Wall Drills BN Push Press (work up to 135#/3 x 3) Step Ups (work up to 80#/8 x 3) DB Rows Curl & Press Modified Gambetta Squat Series x 5 sets w/90 sec rest intervals: 20 bw squats/10 lunges/10 ice skaters/10 sq jumps w/arms = 1 set Ryan has been working with me since late February. He averaged 2 sessions per week only, with several weeks off during the summer for AAU basketball and wisdom teeth. Primary goals for this time period have been to develop basic mobility, body awareness, confidence and strength (force production and force attenuation), with particular attention to the LE's (he had a R tibial avulsion fx with a pulmonary embolism in early 2007). We have not measured body fat, but he is down 7-10 lbs and much leaner than in Feb...

Before I get to the corn thing, I have to brag a bit. Got the Epson Powerlite Home Cinema 720 installed this week. This is our lone television in the house, in the basement. There are many days we never have it on. But when we fire up the Fober budget home theatre, it is sweet. Some women have the shopping gene for shoes, knick -knacks or clothes. Mine mutated into a technology gene. With 2.35:1 ratio wide screen movies, I have an 8 ft. diagonal screen. Now, we only have 5.1 surround sound, but we did it for a song. The rumble and vibrations of a star destroyer or shells flying over your head at Normandy are pretty damn impressive. And Russell Crowe looks fabulous as Maximus in Gladiator. Catherine, you'll have to come over and watch it for the 51st time. Anyway, on to the real topic of this post. I rented a few DVDs to check out the new projector's abilities and picked up the movie King Corn. This a great documentary if you have an interest in food and how...

Nice article in the P-D this morning about the DeSmet Spartans returning to the Class 3 soccer semi-finals for the first time in 6 years. Coach Greg Vitello has been coaching the Spartans for 41 years. Yes, 41 years. He has almost 700 wins in soccer and is also the varsity baseball coach. He is old school and runs a tight ship. This part of the article (read the entire article here ) really caught my eye: "It's not about records or stats; it's about doing what you have to do to survive and move on to the next round,'' Vitello said. By design, the Spartans play fewer regular-season games to gain more quality training time. And now the extra practice is paying dividends. "We pride ourselves on the work we do in practice, and this group, as much as any I've coached, seems to get that,'' the coach said. "Rather than playing games for the sake of playing games, hopefully our guys are a little fresher and more mentally prepared at this point of...

The Thin Man (volleyball, 6' 7", 170 lbs) is making progress. Yesterday, he finally felt what it is to have the hip lead the shoulder with an overhand throwing/hitting motion. Our normal warm up hit a bit of a snag when his R knee decided it didn't care for lateral lunges. So we stopped the "get low" lower body stuff for a few minutes and went to some football/med ball throws. TTM is super-duper tight in his anterior hip musculature. He has also always been a middle hitter, so his approach has always been shortened, with his shoulders/hips more square to the net, rather than open to the setter/court, like a R-handed strong-side hitter typically takes. Thus, he has developed a very arm-dominant swing (with little combined torso/hip extension and rotation). Now the asymmetry between his R and L shoulders is beginning to become prominent--something that has to be rectified. I had him take a stride stance, with the L foot in front of the R, rotate the his ...

Yes, let's just put everybody on a statin for his or her entire life! Another drug company-sponsored study ( AstraZeneca ) to make you think you need drugs to be "healthy." It's all so fugazi . If you haven't noticed, my posts relating to training/strength have been few and far-between lately. No more gas in the rig. Needing a little downtime after over 3 years and 400+ posts. So I'll still be posting, but it'll be a little less frequently and might discuss things other than weightlifting, resistance training, or athletic development for the rest of 2008. Also looking to revamp the whole system with a new laptop and a few more toys for video analysis. 2009 looks like it could be a whirlwind of a year, so it is important for me to regroup and get back my enthusiasm for this stuff. And for my own training. Will turn 40 soon and can only hope to have the same energy and ebullience that my friends Vern Gambetta , Joe Przytula , Mike Burgener , John ...

Optical scan ballot #12. In line at 5:30 am and out by 6:20 am. When we left, the line was out the door, around the building.

Great post by Boris Bachman, teacher and coach, of Squat Rx fame. When we drink the kool-aid of any "one true way" and don't stop to really define our needs, it is hard to give up the ghost. Oh yeah, that ego gets in the way too. It takes aging, injury to yourself, or watching a good friend suffer and struggle with the orthopedic or neurologic consequences of years of over-training or high-level competition to really make you stop and think about what you are doing. Do your due diligence and keep the big picture in mind for yourself and the people you coach.

Norik Vardanian, son of Soviet legend Urik Vardanian , demonstrates some of the same athleticism that his father was famous for. I think Norik's best competition lifts are 155 kg snatch and 200 kg clean and jerk. He is 21 years old and trains at the OTC in Colorado Springs.

The weekend workshop with Mike Burgener was a tremendous success. I think everyone learned something new. One of the highlights of the weekend--besides Orie's outstanding lunch--was watching Kathy Weesner successfully front squat. All these super-long femurs needed were a few more degrees of ankle dorsiflexion to help the rest of the body accomplish the task. More on the weekend soon.

If the week is getting long and frustrating, take a few minutes and watch this NYTimes video of my friend Melanie and her family. It will help you regain some perspective.

Did my first 50+ mile ride today in at least 4 years. It was a beautiful morning, about 50 degrees when we started. Rode from the Valley out Wild Horse Creek, up Ossenfort then through St. Albans and back onto the newly paved (Old or New?) Tavern Rd. Then hit Fox Creek up to Six Flags and Allenton Rd into Greensfelder Park. Found our way back to Wild Horse via Rockwoods and took the flats back into the Valley. Lots of church and pumpkin traffic through the flats. Not my favorite place to be on a bike on Sunday, but we made it. The ride took a little more than 3 and 1/2 hours; max HR of 182 and avg. of 144. Sorry, no power meter data to geek out on. It is humbling to drag yourself back into shape, with any sport or activity. Slowly but surely it gets easier; but it is never easy. It is definitely more fun to have a steady wheel to follow and friends to give encouragement when the road rises steeply ahead of you. PJ and Joe didn't make it a hammerfest; for that, I'm ...

Here's the velocity data from the lifters profiled in my 10/5-6 posts. What do you think? Same weight on the bar with the same outcome: good lift--but accomplished via different styles. Sage has a max velocity of 1.48 m/s at a bar height of .76 meters. This corresponds to 1167 W max power and 18.8 W/kg. Shannon has a max velocity of 1.79 m/s at a bar height of .68 meters. This corresponds to max power of 1402 W and 22.46 W/kg.

USADA Alert for All Athletes in the Registered Testing Pool (formerly Out of Competition Testing Pool) Please be advised of the new USADA changes coming into to effect. Starting November 1, 2008, USADA will require ALL Whereabouts Filings -- formerly called Athlete Location Forms (ALFs) to be submitted via the athletes’ online account on USADA’s website at www.usada.org. Hard copies of the Whereabouts Filing will no longer be available. One of the new Whereabouts Filing requirements is the “60-minute time slot”. Athletes in the Registered Testing Pool must submit a 60-minute time slot for each day in the quarter between the times of 6 am-11pm. If the 60-minute time slot changes, athletes are responsible to make sure their Whereabouts Filings are updated. It is suggested by USADA that this time slot is routine as possible. When locating an athlete for testing, the Doping Control Officer (DCO) will make a reasonable attempt based on the information given for each day. Please be aware th...

I would give my left ovary for the opportunity to work in and supervise a high school weight room in the afternoon. Nothing irritates me more than seeing a weight room "supervisor" grading papers or working out when s/he should be supervising and teaching kids. If you are given the responsibility of supervising young people in a weight room, please do your job or get someone who will do the job.

2008 Olympian Natalie Woolfolk (63 kg) demonstrates a balanced, efficient, powerful dip and drive with 120 kg.

Great post by Joe P. on that thing called shin splints. And the truth shall set us free!

This isn't the exact lift from the previous post, but it is the first attempt for each lifter (80 kg). Both lifters are in the 63 kg weight class in this event. I hope to have the bar velocity data sometime soon. Yes, one lifter (further back on the platform) is Sage Burgener. The other lifter is Shannon Sheesley. Both women are very accomplished weightlifters. Check the comments in the previous post to see what coach Mike Burgener has to say on the topic at hand.

What are the similarities and differences between these two athletes, as each transitions into and out of the second pull?

"So, are you just killing that big kid?" Grin. Hehehe.... Someone asked me that the other day, as PB&J was getting ready to train. I am not the dominatrix type; nor do I just prescribe exercise for punishment. I don't derive any pleasure from making people suffer. I do find it gratifying to help people succeed, whether it is getting that first good push up or making a college team. I motivate people to work hard and do things correctly because I earn their trust and I get them to invest in themselves; on a physical and intellectual level. I let them know why we are doing what we are doing, and how it will impact their performance goals. I document daily/weekly successes and give them positive feedback. They start to get it. I don't have to intimidate or call anyone derogatory names to get them to work hard. I don't yell. Mindless masochists need not apply for my assistance.

The Land of Smile Thai restaurant will leave you with a smile. The green papaya salad was fantabulous. I must become one with the Swimming (Rama) Angel next time. 9641 Olive Blvd, Olivette, MO. 314-989-9878.

It was good week for me. PB&J tested well; increased his VJ by 2.5" and SLJ by 7.5". When his VJ is normalized for his bodyweight and expressed as Watts, his average (2000+) and peak power output is good (8800+). The Thin Man (16. y.o., 6' 7" and 175 lbs, volleyball player) started training with me. He has a long way to go, but is a great kid and will do well if he is consistent and focused. Our initial work will focus on hip strength and mobility, along with general body awareness and ground-based footwork. And of course, we hope build some infrastructure, i.e. lean body mass, on that frame. It will be even more fun if his 6' 3" twin sister joins us. Had a great ride on Wednesday with a group of very strong women. I have a ways to go to get back into decent riding shape. Out of that group, I have at least two kick-ass women who want to do some off-season work with me. They will learn how to train effectively for their sport and not waste any ti...

A cat body at rest, tends to stay at rest. Especially when acted upon, i.e. snuggled by, her mom's favorite sweatshirt.

Paul Hodges was a terrific speaker. The dude presented 5 different times over 2 days. I'm sure he was exhausted. I didn't get a chance to ask, but I'm almost sure he was a Presentation Zen guy, as his supporting AV material was beautiful, but simple. He is not a pure TrA (transverse abdominis) guy, as I thought he was going to be. As is want to happen, many people have taken his work to the extreme. He appreciates quality of movement and knows that neither the multifidus nor the TrA are solely responsible for chronic back pain and dysfunction. He understands that a variety of movement strategies are optimal for maintaining musculoskeletal health. But he did kinda go after the general idea of "bracing" that is now embraced by the fitness/therapy/performance world. I spoke with him briefly after Saturday's session to try and get better idea of the motor control training protocols that his group used in comparison to a general exercise group, but our con...

I'm off to commune with the Mothership this afternoon and all day tomorrow. Should be interesting to hear Dr. Paul Hodges speak. And it will be nice to see Linda Van Dillen and Shirley Sahrmann again. My world view, particularly my view on back pain, has changed so much since I graduated. I'll try to keep an open mind, but I think it will be a challenge for me.

Ryan "PB&J" Pierson is working his tail off. We've had just just over 6 months of training, averaging 2 workouts a week, with several weeks off in the summer due to wisdom teeth extraction and AAU tournaments (drive me crazy). He has leaned out to 6' 10" and 238 lbs, from 247, as a 16 year old high school junior. He is still learning to train, developing base strength, mobility and body awareness, training vocabulary and gaining confidence back after his LE surgery (avulsion fx)and post-surgical pulmonary embolism in the summer of 2007. His knee no longer swells during basketball games, as it did last winter. His training plan has included a steady diet of squats (bw, back, front), lunges, lunge n reach, step ups, presses, push presses, incline presses, db snatches, body weight rows, and basic bilateral and unilateral landing and jumping mechanics. We are creating strength and learning how to express it. I don't normally like to post specific workout...

But the tree has suffered extensive damage and will have to be removed soon. We are not interested in having the rest of it end up crashing through our roof. Ideally, we will salvage the remains of the very tall ash tree and use it as firewood. Who's up for a wood-splitting party with the Weiss family and their arsenal of saws and mauls? Or we could play Roy Hobbs and make a few Wonderboy baseball bats. It was fascinating to watch the arborist work. Lots of planning and problem solving; immediate gratification from creating order our of chaos. Work outside in a physically invigorating and challenging environment. I'll admit, I had some serious thoughts about changing professions.

Had a great time roaming around the CWE , watching the racers go by. It was good to see my cycling peeps. Ring the bell, ring the bell, ring the bell!

Can you find Georgie in this picture from last year's Tour of Missouri?

Maybe Lance and Brett have been texting each other? These dudes just can't get enough of themselves. Mark Cavendish is on his way to STL . He is in the leader's jersey in the 2 nd Tour of Missouri . Nice. I hope to watch him zoom up Art Hill on Sunday. Mondays with Orie . Orie Shafer is tackling the Performance Menu workouts. It is a rare treat to work with someone who asks good questions, works hard and discusses Stephen J. Gould in between sets. Clock genes in Drosophila , Orie ? Those things actually sleep? I still have nightmares of their little red eyes from biology lab. Do they do any squats? :-)

Strength is an essential part of health and performance. Do you train for relative or absolute strength? Is optimal strength the same as maximal strength? Is the best measure or evaluation of strength always a barbell movement?

Fun with Dartfish an the ability to track objects. And no, you can't make it a smiley face.

Just in case you are wondering, he drives a pink '56 Cadillac.

It is great to see people doing more overhead movements lately, whether it be with barbell, kettlebell or gymnastic movements. Many people in the US, particularly male athletes, lack full shoulder ROM. Our obsession with strength and mass, in the form of bench pressing and bicep curling, sets our basic shoulder health back. And for whatever reason, many health professionals forget that the shoulder complex is perfectly capable of 180 degrees of flexion and abduction. Overhead movements are not inherently dangerous or bad for you; they will be painful if you have let gravity and limited activity contribute to postural issues and muscle imbalances. This only happens if you don't exercise the upper extremities through a full ROM and maintain strength and mobility throughout the shoulder girdle complex. Cartwheels anyone? But overhead movements are not just about being strong. It is not just about having big ol ' upper traps and shrugging with objects over your head. Stren...

Does one develop flippers as s/he becomes an elite swimmer over the years or does having flippers contribute to becoming an elite swimmer?

Freedom's Fury is a great documentary about the most famous water polo game in history, Hungary vs. the Soviet Union in the semi-finals of the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. This game was played in the shadow of the Soviet crackdown of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. It is a great story of sport, politics and society. It is also a fascinating look at the history of water polo in Hungary, and why this small country has dominated the sport throughout the years. The first hour of the movie contains great footage and discussion of the innovative training methods pioneered by the Hungarian national team in the 1950's. Mark Spitz narrates. And it just so happens that Spitz, as an age-group swimmer, was briefly coached by the most famous player on the 1956 team, Ervin Zador . The most talented Hungarian player, Zador defected to the US immediately following the '56 Olympics and never played water polo again.

Kinesiotape : Anyone else notice the plethora of tape on various athletes? Great Britain: Kicking ass and taking names in track cycling. Vern had a great post with a link to the story of how and why they are succeeding now. Chris Hoy rules. Volleyball: Don't get me started. The indoor game is so beautiful and powerful. It requires the ultimate in teamwork and communication. Too bad you cannot watch it during prime time. Tall athletes: Don't give up hope if you don't like basketball or volleyball. Maybe there is a place for you on the track or in the ring . Thank BOB: Despite their best efforts to force-feed us certain sports in prime time, I have to say it has been great to see the live streaming of the BOB (Beijing Olympic Broadcasting) feed on the NBC website. I just watched the Madison and match sprint finals, and will now pop over to the weightlifting feed to see the 105+ A session. My favorite archived videos thus far are the goals of the day in soccer a...

Iron Maven and CrossFit DesPeres are excited to present an intensive, one-day workshop with Mike Burgener on Saturday, October 25. We'll work from 9-5 and provide you with a great lunch and a fun t-shirt. Participants will have the opportunity to have video feedback while learning the fundamentals of the snatch, clean and jerk. Want bang for your buck? This is it. Space is limited so sign up now to reserve your spot. Email me ( tfober at gmail dot com) to register.

"The race isn't swum, until it's swum."

She will be featured on NBC from 11 am to noon, Central time. She had a American record performance, making all 6 lifts and hitting a PR snatch by 2 kg. We are so proud of her! More details soon. Some how she was able to text me about 3.5 hours before she lifted. I am so happy for her. Hopefully now she can relax, eat (!) and enjoy some time with her family and see some of the sights and other events over there.

Local weightlifter loses his spot By Mark Zeigler UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER August 8, 2008 Getty Images Weightlifter Casey Burgener is a Rancho Buena Vista High graduate. BEIJING – Casey Burgener flew to Beijing. He collected his Team USA gear. He prepared mentally and physically to participate in the Olympic weightlifting competition. His six teammates are competing. His fiancee, Natalie Woolfolk, is competing. He isn't. The Rancho Buena Vista High alum is 6 feet 1, weighs 275 and can hoist 494 pounds above his head, but he has been tossed around by the capricious politics of international sport like a dandelion in a hurricane. Burgener was on the U.S. Olympic team, off it, on it again and then, finally last night, off it for good. “It's heartbreaking,” said Woolfolk, who plans to marry Burgener this fall in his hometown of Bonsall. “To finally find out the day before the Olympics starts that you're not competing, it's just heartbreaking. I wish he was here with me.” ...

Casey Burgener has represented himself, his family and his country with the utmost dignity and professionalism. He has consistently performed nationally and internationally, drug-free. He has earned his degree in physics. He has spent the better part of 14 years preparing to compete on the Olympic stage. This morning he called his family from Beijing to tell them he will not be competing. There is no 3rd spot for the United States men's team, as was presented to the athletes and the crowd in Atlanta on May 16, 2008 . Casey's performance and documentation of the presentation of Casey as a member of the 2008 Olympic team, as captured by NBC on video, will likely never be shown. The following is in honor of Casey Burgener and his accomplishments on that day.

Reading: Rome 1960 by David Maraniss . Fabulous account of the 1960 Olympic Games and the stories behind the events, athletes and organizers. Big-time Cold War politics. US athletes are instructed to give written propaganda to Soviet athletes. Divided Germans compete as a unified team. The first televised games with Jim McKay receiving film daily via plane from Italy. Avery Brundage , IOC emporer . Cassius Clay is 18 and smitten with Wilma Rudolph. Ed Temple and the Tigerbelles rock. Rafer Johnson leads the US team as flagbearer and wins the decathlon. Wondering: When is this stupid heat and humidity going away? Heat index of 113 yesterday. Waiting: Now NBC says Melanie is possibly going to be on the Wednesday Today Show. Possibly. Mel's session will be televised (or some parts from it) this Sunday on NBC. Really: Had a request via a contact for video of Casey Burgener for Late Night with David Letterman. Sent them a clip. Supposed to use it this week some...

Mel will be featured on the NBC Today Show, tomorrow morning (Friday, Aug 1). And there should be a clip or two of video from Iron Maven included in the segment. Mel called from Beijing Monday. She is training well, hitting 162.5 kg PR back squat yesterday and an easy 110 kg CJ the day before. You can read her blog here . Carissa Gump , 63 kg Olympian, has her blog here ! Great post by Vern Gambetta on the difference between coaching and training. Everybody wants to get certified so they can "train" people. It all seems so cool and glamorous to be a trainer, right? ROTFLMAO . But what they are really learning to do is dole out canned workouts and exercise combinations. Is there really any substance there? Do they know what they are doing and why? Is a particular exercise appropriate for a particular person? Remember, people will get better at anything if they repeat it enough; particularly if they are starting from an untrained status and the measuring stick is ...

So I'm back in my hometown for my grandmother's funeral. I'm sad, but I'm relieved for her and for my stepmother and father who have been primarily responsible for her over the last four years. End of life issues are challenging and I don't think our health care system does the best job with them, but my grandmother's providers did an admirable job and we, as a family, were able to make the right decisions this past week. Tomorrow, I will be one of six grandchildren who will act as pallbearers at her funeral. Few women have the opportunity to take part in this aspect of a funeral. Hopefully I can hold it together and do what I need to do. On a lighter note, Kevin and I had the pleasure of having Mike and Leslie Burgener at our home last Friday. We had a blast celebrating their wedding anniversary with them and just visiting. Mike's sister lives in my hometown and our families know each other. It is a small world. That's it for now. More as I ha...

I think this calls for an official Iron Maven WOOT ! Tracy, Love the bar. Used it in my workout on Tuesday. Have to figure out how to get six for next off season VB. It is really cool for farmers walks - part of my PLA (Play Low Ability) Module. You can bet my beach ladies will be using it when they get off this road trip. -- All the Best Vern Gambetta

you must pee. See Mel's story about her latest drug test here .

Talked to Mel yesterday. She is having the best training cycle of her career as she approaches 21 days out. She's tired and training with an extra layer of clothing on to try an simulate the heat and humidity of the conditions in China. Mel hit a lifetime best snatch of 83 kg and 105 kg, 110 kg and 112 kg clean and jerks yesterday. She holds the American record in the clean and jerk, 113 kg, set in 1998. Before yesterday, she had never even attempted 83 kg in training. I am not surprised she is still making progress at 33. She's had over 18 months of consistent training for the first time in 10 years, with only minor aches and pains; her back is not a limiting factor. She's meticulous with her diet and is working hard to keep her weight at 55 kg so she can better tolerate the pounding--and avoid the wrath of Obi John. She's not got access to a high-tech athlete recovery center, so she improvises and takes a large Tupperware storage container out in the back yar...

Nothing better than a great cup of coffee, the paper and a seat alongside Phil and Paul as they commentate on the first Alpine stage of Le Tour. My thoughts are with Bec, Sandy, Ted and my other peeps who head to Jefferson City this morning to face the MO State Time Trial. 1:05 Bec! Watch out for 2 Old and his new Cervelo P3C . May you all have a tailwind on the way back in!

The sit and reach test stinks. Why? Well, it does not allow one to discriminate between hip and lumbar spine flexion. It tells you NOTHING. The initial testing position puts the hip/torso in 90 degrees of flexion to start; that is an end-range hip flexion position for many. For most, this is only a tortuous test of lumbar flexion. Ever had the pleasure of making a wrestling room full of 9th grade boys try to sit up against the wall while keeping their knees extended? I prefer to use the Waiter's Bow as a assessment tool, and as a warm up or cool down exercise. My goal is to create hip extensor mobility in the context of the neutral spine. The Waiter's Bow is a weight-bearing, AROM test of flexibility that allows you to discriminate hip flexion from lumbar spine flexion. The Waiter's Bow is, in my book, a basic movement comprehension skill everyone should learn. It lays a foundation for advanced training skills and the neutral-spine body awareness that is critica...

We are finally back from Las Vegas and the NSCA National Conference. It was a busy weekend for me, as Iron Maven shared a booth in the exhibit hall with Hitechplates, had a research poster and spoke. Overall, it was a challenging, but invigorating experience. Kevin came with me and was a rock of support throughout the conference. I cannot thank him enough for being there. It was great to exhibit with Mercedes Dickerson. Her Hitechplates were a highlight of the show and I'm so happy for her success. There is no one more deserving. The Hexlite bar received good reviews from people in the school and adult/occupational health settings in the US, Canada and Ireland. It was gratifying to hear people say they had been looking for a light hex training bar. The talk? Well, that was a trip! I've never been so nervous. Usually I'm just fine and have a great time. But this room was huge--there were more people than I expected--and had multiple screens, with a big video ...

I've wanted to build a light-weight, dual-handled, hexagonal shaped training bar since 2001 or so. I have found this style of bar--much more so than a traditional barbell--to be very useful for teaching ground-based lifting mechanics to beginners. It facilitates learning the concept of pushing your COM and the mass of the bar away from the floor versus "pulling" with your back. This is something many people have trouble doing initially with a barbell. It facilitates lowering your COM with your lower extremities versus bending over to reach for the bar. It eliminates the problem of getting the bar around the knees. It provides an alternative to or an additional leg strengthening exercise to barbell squatting. If anyone is initially uncomfortable with a barbell on their back, he/she can use this type of bar to groove the confidence, stability, mobility, body awareness necessary to barbell squat. But there are some barriers to using traditional 45+ lb. bars. First, even...

Has there ever been a US weightlifter on a Wheaties box? Not yet.