Exercise Over 50

Recovery: When You Make all the Gains

Recovery: When You Make all the Gains There is an underappreciated quote from the legendary coach Dan John: Lifting heavy weights will not make you strong. Lifting heavy weights and recovering will make you very strong. Probably 98% of all the content in power...

Static Contractions: A Forgotten Training Approach that can Build Big Strength

A Forgotten Training Approach that can Build Big Strength Anyone remember static contractions? A quarter century ago these were mildly popular. However, like many training techniques that produce significant results but require unusual types of effort, it was largely...

Meaningful Data on Your Workouts

Meaningful Data on Your Workouts Powerlifting is all about numbers. But numbers alone don't mean anything unless they're related to some significant purpose you are trying to achieve. Many of us keep detailed data on our workouts. It is important that the data we keep...

No Brain, No Gain

No Brain, No Gain Having spent many years in gyms, I am consistently surprised by the number of...

Turning 82 and Still Powerlifting

Reflections on turning 82 and still powerlifting I turned 82 this past week and am getting ready to participate in Bull Stewarts August 20 Bench Press-Deadlift meet at Alki Beach in Seattle. That sounds strange even to me. Im truly blessed to still be able to lift...

Making Improvements as an Experienced Lifter

Making Improvements as an Experienced Lifter We are all aware of how easy it is for a beginning lifter to make significant gains in the first two months of training. Beginners can show a massive improvement in a short time. When you begin in a weak and/or...

Mini Practice: Stealth opportunities for valuable strength building

Mini Practice: Stealth opportunities for valuable strength building Most of us make a clear distinction between the time when we are doing our workouts and all the other time in the day. Time in the gym (or wherever) is when you focus on physical training. At other...

Fitness Metrics: Stick to what is important

Fitness Metrics: Stick to what is important The fitness market is awash in apps that promise miracle results through providing a huge amount of physiological data about the user. Any activity that can be monitored is recorded. Realtime information on physical...

Enjoying a Long Healthy Life: You Cant Fool Mother Nature

Enjoying a Long Healthy Life: You Cant Fool Mother Nature This past week a friend sent me an article from the Atlantic magazine that bemoaned how unfriendly and intimidating the fitness industry can be for those who are out of shape but want to start an exercise...

Sustaining a fit lifestyle: The value of Primary Experience

Sustaining a fit lifestyle: The value of Primary Experience Those of us in the fitness business are constantly trying to understand why people abandon fitness programs. In my view, part of the cause is using artificial realities for training where people do not...