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In April 2024, I achieved my StrongFirst Bodyweight Certification and became a StrongFirst Certified Elite Instructor. I had been working toward this goal for about three years, and it felt great to have finally climbed that mountain. Of course, after the initial high of completing a goal wears off, theres also the question: Whats next […] The post Prepare to Train, Dont Just Warm Up appeared first on StrongFirst . ...

Pregnancy and the postpartum period often come with misconceptions regarding strength training, particularly when using traditional tools like kettlebells. Historically, medical advice has recommended avoiding exercises performed lying on the back, dynamic movements such as kettlebell swings, and resistance training in general during these phases. Recent evidence and clinical practice, however, strongly support the thoughtful […] The post Redefining Strength Training for Pregnant and Postpartum Women appeared first on StrongFirst . ...

The Problem Youve always wanted to deadlift, but it takes too much out of you. It just doesnt seem to play nice with the rest of your training. Or maybe you want to hit a bigger deadlift number for your next Tactical Strength Challenge or powerlifting meet. Perhaps youve heard that deadlifts take more than […] The post A Hybrid Step Cycle for Your Deadlift appeared first on StrongFirst . ...

An exercise in the hard style kettlebell training toolkit that I believe to be massively underutilized and underappreciated is the half snatch. In this article, I will outline why I believe the half snatch is a worthwhile training focus beyond simply being a tool to help one learn how to snatch, but rather, a main […] The post The Half Snatch--An Underestimated Tool appeared first on StrongFirst . ...

Precision. Patience. Progression. Strength Built the Italian Way. The inspiration behind Italian Volume Training (IVT) was initially sparked by the legendary German Volume Training (GVT), a system made famous by Charles Poliquin in the 1990s, though originally developed by Rolf Feser for the West German national weightlifting team in the 1970s. GVT typically consisted of […] The post IVT--Italian Volume Training appeared first on StrongFirst . ...

It is impossible to train every desired skill to a high level at the same time, especially if you have a day job. Few competitive powerlifters can snatch or clean and jerk. Weightlifters arent entering marathons and marathoners arent pulling quadruple bodyweight deadlifts. Im not saying a strength athlete wouldnt benefit from venturing into a […] The post Simplifying Multi-lift Programming appeared first on StrongFirst . ...

Could you outline a simple and effective barbell strength training template Enter the 3 to 5 Method. I codified it a quarter of a century ago in response to the same question from an instructor at a law enforcement agency I was consulting: 3-5 exercises 3-5 sets 3-5 reps 3-5 minutes of rest between sets […] The post The 3-5 Method Revisited appeared first on StrongFirst . ...