Yeah, yeah, I missed last week. It wasn’t intentional, but I just never got around to it. All my fault, and here’s to more consistency starting NOW!!! (until I get inevitably get sidetracked in the near future one week.) It’s been a great couple of weeks. First, I had the opportunity to assist at a StrongFirst Level 1 Kettlebell Instructor certification. In addition to having the honor of helping some amazing people through the transformative weekend that is the SFG certification, I also was able to refine my coaching skills, pick up new info nuggets for use in the future, reconnect with old friends, and meet some incredible people. It would be an understatement to say I’m still fired up from the weekend, even 2 weeks after the fact.
Image Above: The entire Atlanta SFG Crew! Candidates and Amazing Coaches. I was lucky to be a part of it. Photo:Craig Marker
I was also able to sneak in a trip to San Francisco to visit my brother. No climbing or training, but some great beer and a great time out in the Bay Area. I’m back in town and dialing in some coaching, some training, and some climbing (if it ever cools back down again and stops raining).
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Let’s get into the bullet points.
The Bullet Points
I sat down with Kris Hampton of Power Company Climbing back around Christmas to discuss movement quality. I don’t think there is a case of “perfect form” for everybody. Individual differences matter. Correct form for a certain individual may not apply to the next person; however, I do believe there are some common principles for certain movements. We dig into some of those principles on the podcast.
Who has tight hips? Everybody, right? Well…maybe. Everyone enjoys stretching their hip flexors, or at least attempting to with horror shows such as this.
Anyways, Dean Somerset explores some hip mobility concepts in this article. I share a lot of his stuff, and that’s OK, because it’s good stuff. Check it out.
Why do you exercise? Is it to supplement an active lifestyle? Or is it to replace activity in your lifestyle? That distinction is important. Gray Cook explores this dilemma, and also includes a video of some old dudes climbing at an age I hope I’m continuing to climb as well. Insightful, slightly philosophical, and straight up awesome, this article is a must read.
It’s often overlooked, but the Serratus Anterior is a crucial muscle contributing to shoulder health. Willow gives a brief intro into some of the functions of the muscle, and provides a couple interesting progressions to play with.
The Brew
Frootwood, Founders Brewing Company
So, Founders is releasing a line of new barrel aged beers this year. Yeah, it’s pretty awesome. This is the first one that’s come down the line, or at least the first one I’ve seen. It’s a cherry ale aged in bourbon barrels. Very interesting indeed. It pours reddish with a hint of brown with an off-white bubbly head. A cherry-forward aroma rises out of the glass, subtly influenced by bourbon. It’s a really interesting flavor with a lot of cherry, but the bourbon mellows it out, so you get a strong cherry-flavored beer without it tasting too sweet or like cough medicine. A nice bourbon aftertaste lingers. I really enjoyed this one. Haven’t really had a beer quite like it. If you see it, grab a bottle or two. It gets my seal of approval..like these:
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That’s it for this week. See y’all next week.
What’s Happening
Tactical Strength Challenge
We are hosting the Tactical Strength Challenge again at Scenic City Strength and Fitness! It will be held April 8th all around the world. The three skills tested are a max powerlifting-style deadlift, strict pull-ups or flexed arm hangs depending on your division, and a 5 minute snatch test. It’s an awesome event and a lot of fun to push your limits and cheer on everyone else. If you’re interested, reach out to me ASAP so we can answer your questions and get your registered! You can register here.
Nutrition, Performance, and Strength Coaching
If you’re interested in coaching, I can help. I offer strength training, Functional Movement Screen consulting, performance training, or some combination of these programs. You can find more information here.
Mailing List
I’m playing around with a newsletter. It will contain article alerts, special content promotions, and offers exclusive to subscribers. You can sign up here if you’d like. It’s completely free.
I’m teaching two kettlebell classes at Scenic City Strength and Fitness.
An entry-level class that emphasizes the foundations of safe and effective kettlebell training is held Tuesdays at 6:15 pm. It’s only 10 bucks and spots will be limited to ensure a great experience. If you are in the Chattanooga area and have always been curious about trying out kettlebells, it’ll be tough to find a better opportunity.
I also teach a class for folks who are more familiar with kettlebells on Thursdays at the same time. We will dive into some more advanced kettlebell movements and concepts, and push the intensity up a bit more than Tuesday.
You can check out the calendar and register online for any of these classes here. Each class is 10$. Hurry, because the spots fill up fast.