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March 19 2007
Greg Everett
| March 19 2007 |
General
The Olympic squat is distinguished primarily from the powerlifting or common bodyweight squat by the upright torso, which is necessary when holding a loaded barbell in either the front rack during the clean or overhead during the snatch. This upright torso—even when back squatting—demands that the hips remain under the shoulders and over the feet as much as possible, thereby demanding the knees travel forward over the toes. Driving the hips backward, particularly during the ascent, i......
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March 17 2007
Greg Everett
| March 17 2007 |
General
Mark Rippoetoe and Lon Kilgore's new book Practical Programming is a must read for any athlete or coach who deals at all with strength (read: every athlete and coach on the planet).......
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March 15 2007
Greg Everett
| March 15 2007 |
General
Evaluating progress with mixed-mode metabolic conditioning can be difficult. One method is to calculate the approximate power outputs of your workouts and compare over time. Conveniently enough, we've taken care of the calculations for you: PM Output Calculator......
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March 13 2007
Greg Everett
| March 13 2007 |
General
Building a sandbag is a quick and cheap way to add a huge number of new training options. Ross Enamait explains excellent ways to build reliable bags with adjustable weight in his sandbag construction kit.......
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March 12 2007
Greg Everett
| March 12 2007 |
General
The Performance Menu rule of sleep: Sleep as much as possible without getting fired or divorced. Avoid blue light from the TV and computer for an hour or two before bed, make the bedroom pitch black and cool, keep a notebook and pen by the bed to jot down thoughts, plans or lists to reduce anxiety, and try to go to bed and rise at the same time every day. Read more in PM Issue 22 and Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar and Survival by T.S. Wiley and Bent Formby.......
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March 11 2007
Greg Everett
| March 11 2007 |
General
Pregnancy is not a disease! While clearly certain adjustments must be made, exercise can and should continue during pregnancy. The best way to ensure poor health, depression, and stubborn weight gain is to jockey a couch for nine months!......
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March 10 2007
Greg Everett
| March 10 2007 |
General
The rack position is one in which the barbell rests on the shoulders and is supported directly by the torso. The elbows are elevated and shoulders pushed forward in order to create a stable platform, and the hands should be loose. A tight grip the bar indicates in all but the most flexible of individuals that the bar is being supported by the arms instead of the shoulders. Supporting the bar in your arms will appear to work until real loads are being handled.......
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March 9 2007
Greg Everett
| March 9 2007 |
General
Experiment with a cold plunge after training to fight inflammation and help your recovery. You can also try contrast therapy by switching between a cold pool and hot tub, or simply by changing the water temperature in the shower. Pictured is Coach Mike Burgener in the Mike's Gym pool, which reached a cozy 47 degrees this January.......
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March 7 2007
Greg Everett
| March 7 2007 |
General
While vertically-oriented hip extension, such as we strive for in the Olympic lifts, is more commonly helpful, horizontally-oriented hip extension, such as we see in the kettlebell swing and many other kettlebell movements, absolutely has its place—one key example being certain knee strikes in MMA.......
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March 6 2007
Greg Everett
| March 6 2007 |
General
Static stretching should generally not be performed prior to training or competition. It can potentially interfere with motor and sensory nerve function, resulting in a temporary reduction in strength and power and greater potential for injury. Instead, dynamic range of motion exercises (DROMs) should be used to prepare the body for activity. Read more in the two-part article Getting Stiff in Performance Menu issues 15 and 16.......
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