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In elite iron game circles, nothing is more coveted than a big bench press! In high school, the bench press is your bragging right. In the collegiate and professional ranks, athletes use the bench press to build upper body strength and mass. If you are a powerlifter, a great emphasis is placed on the bench…

A participant at a heavy lifting competition

Shane Hunt—Strength Strategies

by: Josh Bryant Beginners build strength and muscle at a faster rate than experienced lifters, aka, newbie gains.  Shane Hunt, while just 24 years of age, ain’t no newbie; he has been competing in powerlifting for 10 years.  In February, at the WRPF Ghost Clash, weighing 268, Shane totaled 2160 raw, with a 755 squat, 501…

A man lifting heavy makeshift weights

Safe Execution of Strongman Events

By: Josh Bryant Strongman training is lifting heavy, awkward objects and moving  them from point A to points B – whether that is from the ground to overhead, or from a designated start point to a finish point. Strongman training helps SWAT team physical preparedness, the aging Mrs. Jones carry in grocery bags, the linebacker, and the…

Man doing burpees in a gym

Olympic Lifts—Fun, not Fundamental

by Josh Bryant Explode for Strength Go to your local “strength and conditioning center” or trendy chain gym and see the poor souls   hitting bastardized cheat curls that, in their warped world, moonlight as power cleans. Even scarier, more ambitious members will hit snatches and then the ambulance hits the gas.  It takes strength coaches with…

A handbook on explosive bench pressing

Bench with Maximum Power

Straight from Julius Maddox’s own coach Josh Bryant, a manual with the info that will blow away your plateaus! In this manual Josh covers a simple concept in expert detail to help you overcome sticking points and bench with maximum power. In addition, the manual includes a 12 Week Program to get you in the strongest shape of your life! What are you waiting for?…

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Progressive Overload—
There is No Other Way

By: Josh Bryant When I was 14 years old in 1995, my first powerlifting mentor, Steve Holl (RIP), took a cursory glance around Santa Barbara Gym and Fitness Center.  In disgust, Steve squinted his eyes and said, “Look around this gym. The same people lifting the same weights, doing the same exercises, and looking the same…

Vintage picture of a male weightlifter

Put a Little Old in the New School: Forgotten Dumbbell Exercises

By: Josh Bryant Legendary strength coach Al Vermeil says, “You show me the exercise, I will show you what we used to call it.” The two exercises I am going to share have recently made a small resurgence.   I am not suggesting you execute these movements; I am not suggesting you avoid them. I am…

A motivational quote from Bob Proctor

Perception is Reality

by: Josh Bryant A picture of Popcorn Sutton’s White Lightning ain’t West “By God” Virginia’s best moonshine, a road map is not a map and menu is not a meal. Regardless, people often confuse their perceptions with facts. When you are donating money to charity, your perception is either: it is an expense or an…

A weightlifter wearing a “GAS STATION READY” shirt

Calm After the Storm

by: Josh Bryant Some people are so uptight, if you stuck a lump of coal up their ass, in two weeks, you’d have a diamond!  Think about the Karen that heads up the local HOA, the powerlifter that takes a 1000 mgs of caffeine before a deload workout or the linebacker always over pursuing. These folks are all sympathetic…

Neck of a man lifting heavy weights

Neck Training—When, Why & How

by: Josh Bryant Baptiste Deodati, a long time user of Tactical Shield Training. 1990s oversized sweats can cover up missed leg days. Baggy t-shirts can hide the recent Asian Fusion Buffett Binges, but ain’t no hiding a stack of dimes neck. It’s not just all about the aesthetics of a no-nonsense physique. In tennis, if you…