As stated in my previous article on supersetting mistakes, supersets create better results in less time than performing conventional sets with periods of rest in between. Since supersetting is both an art and a science, it’s easy to mismatch exercises when designing the workout. It’s important to avoid these mismatches when performing circuits as well, →
The Romanian deadlift, often referred to as the RDL, is a staple lift that you will find in many strength and conditioning programs. It is one of the main exercises used to develop and strengthen the posterior chain. The posterior chain muscles that are worked during the RDL are the erector spinae (lower back), glutes, →
This past summer our tennis coach had a major revelation that his team lacked sufficient strength. To remedy this, he signed up some of his summer tennis camp kids for our summer strength program. We were about halfway through our summer training program when we welcomed the tennis players into the fold. There were a →
October is here and that means Squatober is in full swing. Should your athletes join the party? The squat is without a doubt one of the most valuable exercises you can include in your athletes’ program. It has even been called the “king” of lower body movements due to its massive contributions to strength and →
Happy New Year…It may seem a little early to be talking about January 1st but I am referring to the new school year instead. Back to school is the most exciting time of the year for me—the anticipation and energy surrounding it is amazing. I guess this is because school is a way of life →
An efficient core allows for optimal acceleration, deceleration, and stabilization of the kinetic chain during functional movement. Core training is a vital aspect and common practice of functioning athletes at all levels. To the average fitness enthusiast, core development might mean rippling washboard abs, but for the competing athlete looking to develop true functional strength, speed, and →
My coaching goal is to be as effective and efficient as possible. In other words, I strive to yield the best results in the least amount of time. Therefore, I am a big fan of using supersets (pairing exercises), as opposed to single station training (performing one exercise at a time). Research continually shows that →
July is coming to an end and at our place of employment that means we need to write our end-of-year weight program evaluations. I never have been able to figure out why July is the “end of the year,” but that is a discussion for another time. Since evaluation is on my mind, now is →
Over the past 20 years of teaching high school weight training, I have discovered several philosophies that have helped guide me. Several years ago, I was introduced to the Triune Brain Theory, which has drastically helped me become a better teacher and coach of high school age students. How does this relate to strength training →
Coaches are always looking for ways to add fun competition workouts to their programs. In my experience, competition workouts are a great way to break up the monotony of training and can result in team building too. Athletes are competitive by nature, so they enjoy testing their mettle with fun challenges or finishers in group →