Achieve Your Ideal Physique – My Favorite Compound Movement for Hamstrings and Glutes
With so many effective and challenging variations, the squat has secured its place in many training programs. Today I want to discuss a variation that isn't used frequently: the sumo squat. I love this exercise for its ability to target glutes, hamstrings, and adductors. Check out my vlog below for a demonstration of the exercise! […]
Talking Powerlifting with Bryan Dermody
Q: Hi Bryan, thanks for taking time out of your schedule to chat with us today! What’s currently going on in your life? A lot! My wife Carrie and I close on our first house in July, my daughter Abigail turned one year old in April, and my job as one of the pastors of […]
Achieve Your Ideal Physique – Favorite Exercise for Sculpting Lats
I'm excited to be able to share my tips and tricks in this blog and with videos! This month's video shows a unilateral cable lat pull down. I love unilateral (using one side of the body at a time) training for "bringing up" a lagging side, and to help develop awareness while lifting. By focusing […]
USAWA Heavy Lift Championships Recap.
This past Saturday I competed in the USAWA Heavy Lift Championships. I won this meet in 2012 and 2014 so I was eager to win this competition again. Prior to the competition my heavy lift training was going very well, despite some injuries. When I saw who was competing at the USAWA Heavy Lift Championships I […]
Achieve Your Ideal Physique – Accentuate the Negative
Many factors go into achieving your ideal physique. Training splits, intensity, mindset, focus, and meal-planning all play a role in helping sculpt muscles. In this post I want to focus on the specifics of repetitions while lifting. I mentioned the importance of tempo in a previous blog; slow and controlled is often a good way […]
More than Heels with WBFF Pro Carissa Johnson
Q: Hi Carissa, thank you for taking time out of your schedule to chat with us! We all know you are a WBFF Pro and fitness model, but for those that aren’t familiar with the WBFF can you explain what you do to compete in that federation? CJ: It’s my pleasure! The WBFF is the […]
Breaking Personal Records
A few weeks ago I made my annual trip to the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio where I was fortunate enough to compete with some of the best deadlifters in the world at the BetaTOR/PEAK ATP International Pro Deadlift. It was exciting to represent team BetaTOR in my fifth competition at the Arnold Classic and […]
Achieve your Ideal Physique – Goals that Fit Your Lifestyle and Training
"I just want to build muscle," says the girl next to me on the treadmill. I'm warming up for weight training, and she's on mile seven. She tells me she's training for endurance runs and for figure. After eight miles she hits the weights. She doesn't have much energy to finish her weight workout (she’s […]
Talking Fitness with New Mom Danyelle Mastarone
Hi Danyelle, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us! First off, we have to congratulate you on your baby boy being born! How has life been since having the little bundle of joy? DM: Thank you so much! I feel so blessed! Life has definitely changed A LOT, but […]
Achieve Your Ideal Physique – Focus on the Details
The gym where I train is always bustling at 5 p.m. Every piece of equipment is occupied, and most people are doing the exercises exactly how they're illustrated on the side of the machines. I watch a high school kid walk over to the lat pull down. He pulls the pin from the top of […]