Coaching

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

Setting up for the overhead squat is easy when you’re holding a piece of PVC pipe—but how do you prepare for an overhead set with some serious weight?

In this video shot at Rainier CrossFit, Lisa Ray of CrossFit Flagstaff takes Stephanie Aardal through the steps to properly getting substantial weight locked out before attempting any overhead squats.

Before you’re ready to squat, you’re going to need solid mechanics on the… Continue Reading

“My name is Adrian Bozman, and my athletic background before CrossFit is very spotty.”

That may be true—but Boz is also one of CrossFit’s top trainers, and he’s a damn fine athlete by CrossFit’s standards. Interestingly enough, he learned most of the CrossFit movements on his own and developed into a great trainer. When his plans to open his own box didn’t materialize, Boz teamed up with Kelly Starrett at San Francisco CrossFit… Continue Reading

Dave Tate of Elite FTS is a powerlifting expert with a 930 lb. back squat, 610 lb. bench press and 740 lb. deadlift. Greg Amundson is the original CrossFit firebreather and consistently finishes Fran under three minutes.

To give Tate a taste of what CrossFit is all about, Amundson did Fran at a private seminar held Jan. 9, 2009, at CrossFit San Diego. With Amundson 10 reps into his opening set of… Continue Reading