The Triple Gear Squat Protocol

In a recent article, I explained how varying your lifting speed can help you gain more strength. Today I will show you a couple of ways of applying this knowledge to boost your squat, barbell (back, front, Zercher) or kettlebell (goblet, double front). 3 x Gear Squat Protocol #1 The simplest thing you can do […]

Will You Gain More Strength by Varying Your Lifting Speed?

With this article we would like to give you a taste of what you are about to learn at Programming Demystified, a new seminar with Pavel, Fabio, and Hector, this October in Phoenix, AZ or in your living room. Over a century ago Ivan Lebedev, a big name in strength training in imperial Russia, suggested […]

A Strength Plan for Professional Soccer Players

In team sports, soccer being a prime example, the time available to train an athlete’s physical strength is quite limited. The majority of training is spent performing tactical and technical sport related exercises. Keeping this in mind, I planned a new strength program for Renate Calcio, one of Italy’s professional soccer teams, around two fundamental […]

Mastering Your Press, Part I

When I’m invited to teach at an SFG I StrongFirst Kettlebell Instructor Certification, I always request to lead the military press. I love teaching the military press and, pardon my lack of modesty, I’m very good at it. An average gym rat might classify the kettlebell military press as just another exercise for delts and […]

“160 Seconds a Day Keep the Doctor Away!”—Burn More Fat and Improve Your Health without Breaking a Sweat with a Simple Swing Protocol

There is an old Italian proverb that reads “One apple a day keeps the doctor away.” I took the liberty to substitute the apple with 160 seconds. Let me tell you why I did so. The Upsides and the Downsides of Technology Over the past decades the continuous technology innovations have gradually and constantly made […]

Hardstyle Kettlebell Snatch vs. Barbell Snatch

Introduction One of the very first principles learned in the school of hardstyle kettlebell training is that “power comes from the hips.” In the kettlebell ballistics (swing, clean, and snatch), the hips are largely what drives the lifter’s ability to move a weight from back between the legs to the end point of the movement. […]

How to Increase Power with “Grinds”

The good old days of bigger, faster, stronger are long gone. We know better now. Times have changed. The game of strength has new rules. It is not just about strength. It is about strength AND speed. It is about power. Force and Power Swinging a 32kg kettlebell is challenging, but we can all agree […]

Mastering Your Press, Part II

In my first article, “Mastering Your Press, Part I,” I addressed specific ways to test your press and find weak areas by analyzing how your body responds to pressing a heavy kettlebell. Paying attention to where your press breaks down when things get heavy is an important aspect of mastering your press. Although there are […]

A Minimalist Kettlebell Program for Busy Professionals

I often describe that my personal training career took a fortunate turn in the road when I attended my very first kettlebell level 1 certification back in 2009. I had already been training for a number of years, held several nationally accredited certifications, and was three years out of grad school with a master’s degree […]

How to Boost Your Athletic Power with Kettlebells…and a PUSH Band

Knowing StrongFirst hardstyle principles and intentionally accelerating a kettlebell will undoubtedly produce more power during any lift. But having a tool that gives you real-time feedback could be the missing link between ‘just’ feeling your power and actually measuring it. Enter the PUSH Band 2.0. Athletes and coaches can use it to determine the most appropriate training […]