Author Archives: hoofgripwl

Cues are signals, words, or actions that trigger a sequence. Developing a proper sequence for a lift improves form and performance, and prevents injuries. But here’s reality: THERE ARE NO PERFECT CUES. What works for one lifter may not work for others. And sometimes, if the coach is open-minded and encourages two-way communications with the athletes,Continue reading “High Bar Back Squat Cues”

The entry’s title deserves to be in quotes to respectfully give credit to the man who initially coined the phrase – Stephen Covey. “Begin With the End in Mind” means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles toContinue reading ““Begin With the End in Mind””

Even if one is not a basketball player, volleyball player or high-jumper, the vertical jump should not be ignored in the world of sports. Coaches look at vertical jump as an immediate indicator as to how explosive their athletes are. Jumping ability is to athletic development what the ability to accelerate from 0-60 is to street-carContinue reading “Olympic Lifts for Sports Performance – Vertical Jump”

I don’t watch football. But the other day my father-in-law happened to be watching college football on ESPN and the Gators were playing. I used to coach a Gators player. Chris, #67, currently plays as Offensive Guard. While he was still a junior in high school he had already received at least ten Division 1Continue reading “Olympic Lifts for Sports Performance – Power vs Squat”

Weightlifing is a microcosm of life. I have learned so much about myself from this sport as an athlete. But most importantly, I have learned so much from my lifters as coach. All valuable lessons I’ve learned are applicable and useful; they are reflections of real life. The list of lessons is too long forContinue reading “Establishing Priorities – NO Excuse”

Can a lifter compete in both Powerlifting and Weightlifting? There are some truths to the old saying “one cannot serve two masters.” However, if an athlete is interested in several disciplines, the coach should encourage the athlete to try them out. You never know until you try. Moreover, there are some benefits to combining disciplinesContinue reading “Competing in Both Powerlifting And Weightlifting”

Imagine four (4) dominoes lined up with the intent of toppling them in such a way that they fall perfectly in alignment and sequential order. Each domino represents a phase in Weightlifting. Domino # 1 – Set up Domino # 2 – First Pull Domino #3 – Second Pull Domino #4 – Third Pull Now visualizeContinue reading “When Dominoes Meet The Pearl & The Dragon”

A wise coach once told me, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Whenever I encourage new lifters to consider competing, the most common response is, “I’m not ready. How would I compare to other lifters?” To which I always respond, “Don’t worry about other lifters. IT’S YOU VERSUS YOU.” Somewhere in China, there is aContinue reading “It’s You Versus You”

It’s almost the end of the year. Come January 1st 2020, gyms across America will be flooded with “new year resolutioners” – both male and female new members alike. One thing I’ve always noticed in the beginning of each year: Newbie male members curling in the squat rack (not that there’s anything wrong with that, we allContinue reading “Why Females Should Lift Weights 🏋️”

No. Not that kind of kiss. Keep It Simple Stupid. That one. Speaking of simplicity, here’s a great quote from a genius: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” – Albert Einstein When I first started my adventure in strength training, the availability of information was overwhelmingly abundant. One of theContinue reading “KISS 💋 Weightlifting”