I'd like to preface this blog by letting you know that I'm not a big supplement guy. I love reading all of the research and trying to find ways to help my clients and athletes gain a legal competitive edge, but the industry creates far too much hype. Rarely does a supplement really stand out and offer something that food can't provide you in the first place. After all, magnesium and other supplements usually provide something that you need in pretty trace amounts (aka micr

The Foam Roll Pushup w/Deficit This diverse and unique pushup variation combines shoulder stability/centration, potential chest and shoulder hypertrophy and endurance, upper body warm-up/preparation, improved flexibility and mobility, and basic levels of strength in beginner-level clients, or de-load and neural maintenance in advanced-level lifters. If you were to pick one exercise type that provides the most training variation, then the push-up would undoubtedly be at the to

It's no secret that there is a definitive link between agility and quickness (change of direction), acceleration, top speed, and vertical jump capacity. 2 A real-world example of this can easily be seen at the Annual NFL Combine each and every year. Top performers routinely turn out great performances in all 3 skill types in skill players. Of course, there are the exceptions and some differences, but as a norm, there is more similarity than difference. Obvious reasons for

I can't believe it, but about 16 years ago I could jump with the best of them for my size (5'11"). I trained relentlessly for 5 years trying to see just how well I could improve my collective athletic skill set using an all-natural approach. In terms of jumping improvements, I increased my Standing Broad Jump by 8 inches (9'7" to 10'3"), Standing Vertical Jump by 7 inches (30" to 37"), and Vertical Jump with an approach by 7 inches (39" to 46"). Check it out.... I'm 5'11"

Like too many other topics in the fitness industry, the debate on what protein source is the best remains at the top the list. There are so many claims floating around these days, and that's why I love writing, because credible research, science, and common sense always clear things up for people. So without further ado, is there in fact a specific type of protein, plant or animal, that is superior to another across the board? Let's look at various things now, and you'll s

Youth training is and always has been one of the most popular markets in the training industry, and rightfully so. What youngsters practice at a precious young age will literally set the stage for what happens later on, not only in athletics, but also potentially later in life as well. 1 So here are the 5 rules any coach or trainer should take into account and follow for getting the most bang for their buck with youth athletes and children alike. RBS' 5 GOLDEN RULES FOR YOU

Even though all supplements in themselves have very limited effects in the body, they are a blast to research and study. Also, if you can locate a few that work in harmony, then "supplement stacking" can create an effective synergy for you that is better than any single one alone and definitely may be worthwhile. We live in a very stressful world and "Fight or Flight" is all too common. Not to mention chronic stress's link to various types of potential disease. So, if some

i think this topic pretty much goes without saying at this point. The training industry has done a great job collectively in convincing the public and educating trainers and coaches on what truly matters in both preventing and treating injuries. Progressive Overload, tissue remodeling techniques, inflammation support, active recovery, strength tests, and more are common practices used through strength training that help heal and strengthen various injuries. I want to intr

Yes, you read that right, more clickbait. But hey, if it's legitimate, then who cares. I believe this article I'm about to share with you will more than deliver. The hamstrings are a very unique and somewhat odd muscle group when compared to traditional mainstream exercises and need to be treated as such and according to their design. And rather than just re-write or copy and paste what I wrote about this very effective exercise years ago, I'm just going to link it here f

It still amazes me that, after around 50 years of online fitness education, many people are still under the impression that a single food of any kind will influence their results. You'll hear these common notions and bio-hacks like "Superfoods" that somehow cure cancer or melt fat off of your body, alleviate your mental health, and so much more I won't bother to name. I had one of my dear friends rant about this concept the other day. This isn't to say that collectively fo

Sometimes during this wonderful journey of learning and growing as a coach, you simply miss or underrate training concepts or exercises that you should have been doing. Fortunately, if you are reading this, then I'm going to be providing you with some valuable insight that has somehow managed to stay under the radar for all these years. I should have connected the dots, and usually do when it comes to the practical application of training theory and research, but for some r

Now I'm sure many of you have heard of the three hip flexors which comprise the Iliopsoas muscle group (Psoas Major and Minor, and Iliacus). Right now we are going to cover this very powerful and still misunderstood muscle group thoroughly. T he reality is that if you want to become your best athletically and remain healthy, then you need to emphasize the Iliopsoas in your training program regularly. Reports from elite coaches years back showed greater cross-sectional areas o

I can still remember when I began this profession nearly 20 years ago. Corrective Exercise was a relatively new term at the time that was initially intended primarily for trainers to help bridge the gap from rehab to performance work. Naturally, trainers do not possess the qualifications and typical knowledge of doctors and therapists, so it makes sense for the latter to provide proper instruction and progression to support and hopefully sustain their treatment efforts. Si

If you or someone you know is an aspiring athlete then you may very well be wondering whether or not meal frequency, or how often you eat, plays a role in your outcome-based goals. Fortunately for you, meal frequency is a secondary factor that can benefit you, but conversely, it will not break you or prevent you from reaching any of your goals according to science. Below are the common focus points related to meal frequency. #1-Metabolic rate/fat loss #2-Muscle Building and P

THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION OF THE WARM­UP I’m sure many of you can vividly recall going through traditional calisthenics, or sport stretching routines prescribed by your coaches and physical education teachers. Do you remember the laps upon laps of light jogging, loads of slow static stretching, countless jumping jacks and pushups, and the other staples of the traditional warm­up? It was probably evident to many of you that what you were doing at the time was a hand me­ down

The answer here is a resounding NO! The production of fat from carbohydrate sources is referred to as De Novo Lipogenesis, and it’s rare, contrary to popular belief. Let’s think about all you have learned so far and put science to work for a minute. The liver and muscles store around 2000 calories of glycogen for when we need it. Couple that with the fact that the extra carbohydrates at least raise the metabolism enough to burn off the extra carbohydrates by elevating your th

There is absolutely no shortage of core exercise circuits available on the training market today. As such, you will find loads of training variation and highly effective options to help carve your abdominals and improve your core performance. However, there still exists a need for more challenging, intense, function-specific exercises and circuits to address optimal performance of the core. Enter Bar Core Training Now, if you have never attempted this circuit or something sim

The speed training industry is always in search of the next best technique, exercise, or training theory to make an athlete faster. Unfortunately, the best methods have been identified and continue to be re-confirmed in both the real world and research settings. But here are a few specialized "Speed Hacks" that you as an athlete or coach can utilize regularly to gain a definitive edge. For ease of learning and understanding, all drills will be broken down into two training ca

In part #1, you were shown some of the foundational reasons why deceleration is so critical to both your short-term and long-term health and performance capacity, and now you will be provided with a short list of active training strategies to ensure you are maximizing your deceleration potential, giving you peace of mind. Here is the list of methods we will explore in this article: Primary Training Methods: -Strength Training -Plyometrics -Specific Deceleration Strategies (Ov

When it comes to staying healthy and performing at an ultra-high level, regardless of the type of sport you compete in, there is zero doubt that being able to decelerate properly will make or break your performance. Look at the likes of Stephen Curry, Lionel Messi, Tyreek Hill, Cooper Kupp, and countless others, and you'll quickly notice that it's all of these individuals' innate and or acquired ability to stop on a dime and gain separation that provides the freedom to contro