How to keep overhead from killing your small gym

I used to run very large martial arts classes, up to about 100 people at once. Over they years, I found it was much better to work with smaller groups better coach to client ratio means more quality instruction safety is improved results are better less overhead When I transitioned to the strength and fitnessContinue reading “How to keep overhead from killing your small gym”

The repeating cycle of inconsistency

I have a lot of motivational graffiti on the walls of my gym,  the Cave. Two of my favorites are: “Don’t complain about the results you didn’t get from the work you didn’t do.” (which I saw on the wall of Laurel Blackburn’s gym in Tallahassee, FL   “If you are tired of starting over,Continue reading “The repeating cycle of inconsistency”

Why we train on Labor Day, we call it “Hard Labor Day”

There are few today who really work hard physically. There are some exceptions of course, like our military, construction workers, farmers, lumber jacks, block masons, dry wall installers, OT’s, PT’s, First Responders, etc. Many people only exercise their thumbs from texting or playing video games. They sit all day, that is far from actually  doingContinue reading “Why we train on Labor Day, we call it “Hard Labor Day””

Why good technique is so important

(Getting coached on my squat by the legendary Powerlifter, Ed Coan) No one wants to get “no repped”in a meet or on a test; solid technique will solve that problem. Isn’t there more to having good technique than that? Why do coaches constantly stress technique anyhow? First, let me clarify that, good coaches do andContinue reading “Why good technique is so important”

Getting strong from every angle

Life is unpredictable, at best, you never know what you might be facing that day when you get up in the morning. I believe that our training should build a well-rounded readiness for any situation. If someone were to ask how we train at the Cave, for instance, “Do you do Powerlifting or Olympic Weightlifting?”,Continue reading “Getting strong from every angle”

Does nature punish the specialist?

One of the statements that caught my attention when I first found CrossFit in 2004 was that nature punishes the specialist. Over the years I have learned from numerous coaches and athletes who are very accomplished in their respective sports, whether it is Powerlifting, Strongman, Underground, Olympic Weightlifting, CrossFit and more. In the overall schemeContinue reading “Does nature punish the specialist?”

How the culture tries to profit from “aging” you early

One thing I hate is someone trying to make me think, act, and live how they think I should at a certain age. They first try to get to you when you turn 50 and they send you an invitation to join a very large “geezer’s” organization (it starts with the letter “A”). Forget it!Continue reading “How the culture tries to profit from “aging” you early”

Try, fail, try, fail, try again, success eventually

What coaches can do that politicians and judges never will be able to do

If you are a coach, or are aspiring to be one, pay close attention to this. You have the power to make a real difference in real peoples lives on a daily basis for the better. Politicians and judges do what they do far removed from the “real world” of our daily lives. Coaches, onContinue reading “What coaches can do that politicians and judges never will be able to do”

Simple strength circuit

Combining basic strength-building exercises is a good alternative for circuit training. We did one at our Iron Brotherhood Mens Weightlifting Club yesterday.