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Showing posts from April, 2010

U17 Pan Am Championships

Congratulations to Team USA silver medalist Darren Barnes and his coach Derrick Johnson (both from STL ) on his record-setting performance at the Pan Am Youth Championships. Very impressive lifting in the 56 kg weight class! Congratulations also go out to Team USA's Ian Wilson on winning the gold in the +94 kg weight class in the Pan American Youth Championships. Ian is 16 and is coached by Butch Curry. He went 6/6 and set PRs in both the snatch and clean and jerk in Peru. It's always a little tenuous to predict athletic success later in life simply from success as at early age. These two young men, along with Darren's twin brother Darrell, have been progressing steadily over the last few years and have represented the US with class at home and abroad. Keep up the good work guys!

DB Snatch Series

This is a DB Snatch Series I learned from Mike Burgener. I use it with my athletes at the beginning of a workout as a transition from warm up into the first major exercise. 6' 10" Ryan Pierson demonstrates it here. He performs 3 DB snatches (both arms), followed by one R arm snatch and a lunge with each leg, then one L arm snatch and lunge with each leg. He finishes with 3 snatches with both arms.

The Right Tool For The Job

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Somebody referred to my bar--the Hexlite Bar--as a crutch--right in front of me.  It's not the first time someone has spoken in a negative manner of the bar right to my face.  Rippetoe told me, in front of an entire basic barbell certification class, that he thought it was worthless. I just smiled. Many in the iron game are fixated on the barbell.  They look at it as the ultimate tool to build strength; and for the weightlifting zealots, it is the tool for developing power.  Because we all know that weightlifters are the strongest and most powerful athletes, right?  So then we should train just like they do because...well maybe... not...it depends, right? Don't get me wrong.  I love weightlifting.  There are 4 different barbells in my home gym.  I enjoy training with the barbell and teaching people how to use a barbell.  It is almost a lost art in this country.  But for every technically sound, good squat, clean or power snatch in this country, there are about 363,765 real

Watchin' Hoops with The Pippinator

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Everything is Everything

I've been listening to "Everything is Everything" by Lauren Hill recently. This part of the song really hits home with me with regard to current ideas floating about the fitness and S&C worlds: I wrote these words for everyone Who struggles in their youth Who won't accept deception Instead of what is truth It seems we lose the game, Before we even start to play Who made these rules? We're so confused Easily led astray Let me tell ya that Everything is everything Everything is everything After winter, must come spring Everything is everything With the interwebs, it is so easy for one person or group to promote very specific ideas about training. These ideas quickly become accepted as fact and truth when repeated, re-Tweeted, and re-blogged. Hey, if so-and-so says it, it must be true, right? Never mind so-and-so's practical experience and education. Never mind the logic and rationale behind the principle. Never mind the physiology and biomechanics