You can’t beat 20-rep squats for building leg size and strength. Here are some new variations of the old school killer. …read more

If your muscle-building progress has stalled, you’re probably focusing on the wrong things, or simply not working hard enough. …read more

Join me today as I interview David Durante.  David is a multiple time USA gymnastics national champion and was part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Team as alternate. After retiring from competition, David helped coach his alma mater, Stanford University, to an NCAA Team Title in 2009 and has continued to be a part of the sport through his position on the Athlete Advisory Committee with the United States Olympic Committee. He is also the lead global gymnastics expert for adidas gymnastics.  He started crossfit after retiring from competition after the 2008 Olympic Games. He continued to get more involved in crossfit over the past couple years and is now a gymnastics coach at CrossFit LIC in NYC.

• [2:22] Dave’s background (he’s a beast)
• [3:40] Dave’s training routine when preparing for the olympics
• [6:20] Which areas are most susceptible to injury in gymnastics?
• [6:58] Dave’s injuries and surgeries
• [10:57] Which gymnastics movements are causing these injuries?
• [12:52] Dave’s routine for shoulder health
• [14:50] How Dave’s training had to change as he got older to stay healthy as an elite athlete
• [19:40] Dave’s introduction to crossfit
• [23:05] Why isn’t gymnastics more popular?
• [25:55] What is crossfit doing correctly with incorporating gymnastics and what could be improved?
• [29:45] How do we continue training in crossfit for a lifetime and stay healthy and injury free?
• [31:10] How to incorporate skill work into your program without beating up your joints
• [32:58] How crossfit irritates the strength and conditioning crowd
• [33:32] Why is the gymnastics realm not embracing crossfit with open arms?
• [36:39] Dave’s exciting future with crossfit
• [38:45] What is it like working with athletes like Alessandra Pichelli, Dan Bailey and Chris Spealer?
• [41:03] What can we learn at the crossfit gymnastics certification?
• [44:40] How focusing on fundamentals and taking advantage of progressions can be a very safe way to improve
• [47:25] Carl Paoli’s vs. Dave’s opinions on progressing gymnastics skills
• [50:30] Is …read more
  
  

Join me today as I interview David Durante.  David is a multiple time USA gymnastics national champion and was part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Team as alternate. After retiring from competition, David helped coach his alma mater, Stanford University, to an NCAA Team Title in 2009 and has continued to be a part of the sport through his position on the Athlete Advisory Committee with the United States Olympic Committee. He is also the lead global gymnastics expert for adidas gymnastics.  He started crossfit after retiring from competition after the 2008 Olympic Games. He continued to get more involved in crossfit over the past couple years and is now a gymnastics coach at CrossFit LIC in NYC.

• [2:22] Dave’s background (he’s a beast)
• [3:40] Dave’s training routine when preparing for the olympics
• [6:20] Which areas are most susceptible to injury in gymnastics?
• [6:58] Dave’s injuries and surgeries
• [10:57] Which gymnastics movements are causing these injuries?
• [12:52] Dave’s routine for shoulder health
• [14:50] How Dave’s training had to change as he got older to stay healthy as an elite athlete
• [19:40] Dave’s introduction to crossfit
• [23:05] Why isn’t gymnastics more popular?
• [25:55] What is crossfit doing correctly with incorporating gymnastics and what could be improved?
• [29:45] How do we continue training in crossfit for a lifetime and stay healthy and injury free?
• [31:10] How to incorporate skill work into your program without beating up your joints
• [32:58] How crossfit irritates the strength and conditioning crowd
• [33:32] Why is the gymnastics realm not embracing crossfit with open arms?
• [36:39] Dave’s exciting future with crossfit
• [38:45] What is it like working with athletes like Alessandra Pichelli, Dan Bailey and Chris Spealer?
• [41:03] What can we learn at the crossfit gymnastics certification?
• [44:40] How focusing on fundamentals and taking advantage of progressions can be a very safe way to improve
• [47:25] Carl Paoli’s vs. Dave’s opinions on progressing gymnastics skills
• [50:30] Is …read more
  
  

You’re sometimes going to eat a meal that’s going to burst the seams of your shorts. Here’s how to control the damage. …read more

Do this simple test on your shoulders, apply the easy fixes, and watch as your bench, pull-ups, and press explode. …read more

Start bending bars and setting personal records just by opening up your mind to a few new ideas. …read more

Keep it simple, but keep it hardcore. No gimmicks and no fluff. Clear out the clutter with these 12 principles, then get your butt into the squat rack. …read more

To warm-up, you can roll around like a freshly-clubbed seal on the ice fields of Newfoundland, or you can be smart. …read more

Last month’s training was certainly a doozy.  I found that my joints were feeling pretty good, my conditioning is improving and I’m setting new PRs on my oly lifts.  New tid bits for this month:

• I found myself splitting up the training days quite a bit last month.  Instead of continuing with this trend I’ve instead broken the week into either 4 or 5 days and a deload on the 5th week.
• I’ve also split the squat snatch and squat clean days into 2 separate days so it appears that there is more squatting throughout the week but the volume is the same.
• There is much more “optional” work incorporated into this month.  For those who just want to be healthy and have fun, the optional workouts are just that, optional.  Don’t feel compelled to attempt this extra work.  If you’re more competitive, the optional work will really help you out.
• I added in extra strength/accessory work this month, let me know what you think

Click HERE for this month’s programming

Time to squat,

Dan Pope DPT, CSCS

P.S. If you enjoyed this article then sign up for the newsletter to receive the FREE guide – 10 Idiot Proof Principles to Crossfit Performance and Injury Prevention as well as to keep up to date with new information as it comes out via weekly emails.

P.P.S. If you’re doing this program and have some feedback (love it, hate it, think it’s the worst program you’ve ever seen) please leave a comment below.  I read everything, answer all emails and take everyone’s feedback into account.

…read more