training advice
FEATURED / COACHING / INJURY / MINDSET / NUTRITION & RECOVERY / STRENGTH / MOBILITY / PROGRAMMING / RECIPE / SPEED
Our blog is a collection of articles that make up our doctrine on everything performance.
We are not beholden to corporate sponsors, influencers, or powers that be. Our commitment is to our readers; the coaches, athletes, and enthusiasts that come to us for our honest assessments, analysis, and opinions.
Our pledge to you is that we will do the heavy lifting! We go to battle with bullshit and cut to the chase. If you’re looking for honest information, you’re in the right place.
RECOMMENDED READING
training advice
Ep 852 – How to Bulletproof Your Body w/ Dr. John Rusin
Dr. John Rusin lays out how to bulletproof your body with smarter programming, better movement, and a no-BS approach to pain-free performance. We break down the biggest mistakes in modern training, why early specialization is wrecking athletes, and how a lack of movement diversity is setting you up for breakdown. If you want to build real strength, stay injury-free, and keep performing for the long haul, this is the blueprint.
You’re Not Overtraining. You’re Undersleeping
Sleep is one of the most overlooked factors in strength, recovery, and long-term performance. Learn why quality sleep drives muscle repair, hormone balance, and nervous system recovery. And how prioritizing rest can help you break through plateaus, reduce injury risk, and make real progress instead of constantly training exhausted.
Why You Should Never Skip Trunk Training
Trunk training is often skipped, but it’s foundational to strength, stability, and injury prevention. Learn why smart trunk work improves performance and keeps athletes durable.
7 Rules to Keep Your Training on Track
Seven no-nonsense rules that actually make training work. Built for consistency, real life, and results that last. From knowing what you’re training for, to building a game plan, managing intensity, and staying accountable, these aren’t shortcuts, they’re the principles that separate results from frustration. If you want strength that sticks, habits that last, and a training plan that holds up under real life, this is your roadmap.
Strength Is the Platform, Not the Accessory
Strength isn’t just one pillar of training, it’s the platform everything else stands on. Learn why building base strength, respecting the season you’re in, and training smart are essential for performance, injury prevention, and long-term athletic longevity. Move The Dirt and build a foundation that lasts decades.
How a World Champion Became a Beginner Again
Elite performance, and long-term strength, aren’t built on shortcuts. They come from mastering the fundamentals, putting in the work where it matters, and committing to the process before chasing results. This is the lesson a world champion learned when he emptied his cup and became a beginner again.
Inside Our Annual Training Deal
Go inside our annual training campaign with John. Learn how committing to 12 months of training gives you access to elite coaching, evidence-based nutrition protocols, and a flexible program structure designed to evolve with your goals. Discover why this is the best time to level up your training in 2026.
Ep 831 – The Science of Stress & Strength
Technology’s evolving faster than our bodies can keep up. John sits down with Certified Power Athlete Coaches, Dr. Ben Skutnick and Dr. Hunter Waldman, to dig into how comfort and convenience are killing performance. They break down the science of stress, why it’s essential for growth, and how nutrition and training come together in the HAMMER 90 Challenge, a 90-day mission proving what happens when discipline, data, and discomfort collide.
Ep 813 – The Powerlifting Playbook: Elite Tactics from Matt Wenning
Matt Wenning joins John to break down what it really takes to build elite-level strength. From time-tested training principles to lessons learned under the bar with some of powerlifting’s greats, this episode is a masterclass in doing the work, avoiding costly mistakes, and training for the long haul.
Modern Life Is Soft. You Don’t Have to Be.
Most people avoid failure, but here’s the deal: if your training never takes you to the brink, don’t expect your body to grow past average. Failure isn’t the end, it’s the ignition point. This article breaks down why mechanical failure is the key to size, strength, and real progress… if you’re smart enough to use it right. Learn how to flirt with the edge without getting crushedand why failing might just be the most productive thing you do in the gym.
