This series will illustrate some of the most common mistakes we see sport coaches make in the weight room. If you are a strength coach reading this, you will very likely cringe/laugh/cry because you have seen all of this stuff too many times already. If you are a sport coach making these mistakes…well, you’re very likely to be offended. Sorry (a little bit)! But enough with the prefacing…on to the first mistake!
Read MoreThe front squat is so nice, I had to blog about it twice. Here are 3 more reasons to love and adore the all-important front squat.
Read MoreBack by popular demand, it’s Body Talk with Christye! This series of posts is dedicated to the unsung heroes of your muscular system. They are the pillars of proper biomechanical movement, the behind-the-scenes champions of pain-free athletic performance – if your body were the Hunger Games, these muscles would volunteer as tribute.
Read MoreSquats are incredible. This is NOT a topic up for debate. Squats are a foundational cog in the human movement machine and are a key element in any athlete's developmental toolbox. Squat properly across the range of squatting movements (i.e. back squats, split squats, etc.), and you will see increases in stability, mobility, strength, and power. No ifs, ands, or butts about it (see what I did there??). But while the back squat gets credited as the King of All Exercises, I believe there's a dark horse of squatting variations that deserves some recognition: the front squat.
Read MoreAll my clients know I'm obsessed with their butts. Not like THAT, but in a (totally normal) clinical focus on the function of their gluteals. My signature catchphrase in the gym is, "SQUEEZE YOUR BUTT!" or "STICK YOUR BUTT OUT!" or basically anything else involving butts. But I've got a good reason to be obsessed with butts! Your butt muscles are not only SUPER IMPORTANT for your performance as an athlete, but also your ability to function as a human. The buttocks, as we know them, are made up of three different glute muscles: gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, and the gluteus medius. The glamorous glute max gets a lot of attention (and songs written about it), probably since it's the largest muscle in the entire body, but the glute med often sneaks under the radar -- and I'm here to change that.
Read MoreIf you do not own a pair of weightlifting shoes, LISTEN UP—because this might just blow your mind. Training on a Volt program means that you will be performing squats (hell yes), Olympic lifts, and a downright plethora of multi-plane, free-weight movements. And believe it or not, standard running or basketball shoes are NOT optimal footwear for this type of training. Do you know what type of footwear IS optimal?
Read MoreYou are hereby cordially invited to a party in your living room. Or gym. Or office. Or bathroom — hey, I won’t judge! This is a party built for two — you and your trusty foam roller — and THIS PARTY DON’T STOP.
Read MoreIn this "Tools of the Trade" series, we highlight important pieces of training equipment and how to implement them into a training program. This post will focus on the most important training apparatus your gym is probably missing: a Glute-Ham Developer (or GHD for short).
Read MoreHang cleans can be tricky business for athletes who are just starting a legitimate strength training program. Without a good strength coach on hand, getting the clean technique down can be a daunting task. But the good news is that the learning curve is relatively steep and once you start getting the proper feel for the basics, it won't be long until you're ready for more complex variations and higher weights. This article is intended to call out five important elements of a good hang clean. Take them to heart and you will be on your way to cleaning up your technique (see what I did there???).
Read MoreTime to beat a dead horse. Half-squats are bad. If you are serious about training, your squats should be breaking parallel every time . It's a matter of efficiency and even safety. I'm not assaulting your character if you lack the mobility required for the hips to reach necessary depth, but if you aren't taking the steps to improve that mobility then you're probably not invited to my birthday party (it's okay, no one shows up anyway).
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