Coaching

You train harder than anyone else but you still get beat. What gives?

Zach Even-Esh of Underground Strength Coach/CrossFit Underground had that exact experience, and after injuries and a lack of success, he discovered a kind of training that took him beyond the traditional bodybuilding movements so many people rely on to get “fit.” Even-Esh also had a lot of work to do mentally to pull himself out of depression and self-doubt.

After researching more… Continue Reading

HQ trainers and affiliate owners Lisa Ray and Miranda Oldroyd joined Justin on Episode 93 of CrossFit Radio, webcast live at 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009.

To open the show, Justin read parts of correspondence between him and Maj. Donald Clarkson, EOD Officer, III Corps CBRNE. Maj. Clarkson wrote about the recent tragic events at Fort Hood, where he is stationed, and his comments reflect his own… Continue Reading

Your inner monologue can be a source of strength or a cause of weakness. Wendy Swift explains how you can fill your head with positive thoughts that will result in PRs and high performance.

If everything that passed through your head was said out loud to another CrossFitter, would you be considered a good coach or a bad coach, a motivating coach or a demoralizing coach?

I’m talking about that little voice… Continue Reading

In Part 1 of this series, Coach Mike Burgener taught a group of athletes the grip and receiving position for the clean. In Part 2, Coach B shows them how to put speed on the bar as they clean it to the rack position.

Drilling from the high hang position, Burgener has the athletes clean the bar, with one trainee getting holy hell for forgetting to use the hook grip. Under threat of burpees, the athlete takes… Continue Reading

“I’m a meathead,” says strength and powerlifting expert Dave Tate of Elite FTS. “I have to do what I like. I want to make (my clients) stronger.”

Tate may be focused on the kind of strength that can produce an 800-lb. deadlift, but he understands that the average client wants to be good at everything, not great at anything in particular. Elite athletes, on the other hand, sacrifice competence in some fitness domains for high… Continue Reading

You have one hour to teach the clean and jerk to six athletes of varying ability: how do you do it?

Tony Budding of CrossFit HQ threw the challenge at Olympic lifting expert Mike Burgener, who wasn’t phased at all.

“I’m sure we can get it done,” Coach B says. “It’s not going to be that hard.”

Coach Burgener starts with the basics. To establish a good rack position, he ensures proper grip width and has the athletes… Continue Reading

In Part 2 of an overhead-squat series shot at Rainier CrossFit, Lisa Ray of CrossFit Flagstaff coaches Stephanie Aardal through a set of heavy reps.

Working up in weight, Aardal uses a split jerk to get the bar overhead, then sets up for her squats. Ray cues Aardal to be aggressive on the jerk, then keep her shoulders active, midsection tight and knees out during her reps.

Ray’s best cue might be the… Continue Reading

Many parents let their children play football but believe weight training is too dangerous. Bill Starr examines the issue and explains how to train children safely and effectively.

As long as I have been involved in physical culture, the notion that lifting weights is harmful to young people has prevailed. This idea never made much sense to me.

I believe the assumption that lifting weights at an early age is harmful to… Continue Reading