A Philosophy of Strength and Health

First things first: The Thin Man is finally getting thick! That's right. Chris is now 20 lbs heavier than he was in July, during the height of the boys' club volleyball season. And it definitely shows. He demonstrates increased strength in a variety of movements and he is putting some heat on the ball during volleyball practice with better quality movement and mechanics. And no, we didn't do it by squatting heavy (he never squatted over 155 for 5s) or heavy barbell cleans (blasphemy!), yet he put 20 lbs on his 1 RM squat. We did, however, do a bunch of single leg work and some moderately heavy lifts/jump shrugs with the Hexlite bar. So, why has Chris finally been able to put on some weight? Well, there are several reasons. First, we are sure the pubertal turbo boosters are firing up. His appetite has increased and he is sweating more in training. Second, he is doing better at consistently eating more during the day and getting post-workout calories. Third and mo...

For those of you interested in the sport of weightlifting, Columbus Weightlifting recorded a short presentation by Tommy Kono (multiple-time US Olympic and World Champion) last March at The Arnold. I've embedded the second of six videos of the hour-long talk. I highly recommend the entire presentation. The link to the CWLC YouTube channel, and all six of the presentation videos, is here .

HG and Roy were a complete joy to watch on Channel 7 each evening during the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. This clip is from their show "The Ice Dream" during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

Some good insight from the young Mr. Taylor Phinney. No one can maintain the highest levels of competitive fitness indefinitely. Work smart; pick your battles; listen to your body.

I find this video fascinating. I make a point of trying to take the stairs whenever possible and am frequently frustrated when almost forced to take an elevator or escalator. It is amazing how stairs are hidden in some buildings, particularly hotels. I have to take an elevator to the second floor? That's ridiculous. And it is amazing how people just step onto the escalator (or moving walkway in an airport) and immediately STOP moving, like their legs have suddenly become inoperable. I guess I find the stairs to be an opportunity to exert a little effort in my day and celebrate the fact that I have the ability to climb them. There are those around me who cannot and that fact is not lost on me. You know, use it or lose it. Furthermore, taking the stairs is one of those many small daily choices that impacts our health over time. Give your body small challenges and the right fuel and it will thrive. Think about why you do what you do; how you do what you do. If you don'...

With permission, I've copied an excerpt from Greg Everett's article in the September Performance Menu --a publication I highly recommend to any affiliate owners or interested people. I am often asked to teach small group classes at local Crossfit affiliates, and many of you know I struggle with how these lifts are used in certain Crossfit workouts. From my perspective, most people have no business doing these barbell lifts for high reps for time. If you want to jack your back, shoulders, elbows, wrists or hands up, go for it. If you truly want to learn to do the lifts correctly, you are probably setting yourself (and good technique) back with every poorly executed rep you do. During my classes, I really try to thoughtfully convey my concerns on this matter: These lifts are best done in 1-3 rep sets and in a rested state. The full lifts need to be practiced purposefully and frequently if you wish to do them well. They are complex, full-body movements used to train an...

A young JB works on his power snatch technique, back in the day. Vern Gambetta has a great post on quality vs. quantity. For me and my athletes, training isn't an end unto itself. Many coaches, athletes and fitness professionals get caught up in the "more is better" mindset. Don't be fooled by the outliers that survive the volume trap; be cognizant of the many who don't.