The Top Article of the Week

How Sports Performance Can Fix Functional Training -- Jesse McMeekin

 

Functional training...is a topic that has been beat to death. Naturally, you might read the above title, let out a befitting "ugh", and skip the week's top article. Don't.

Jesse McMeekin's article landed spot number one this week because in it, he somehow manages to bring new perspective to an old topic. The important piece is not so much whether functional training is good or bad. What matters is how you define "functional training" and its accompanied goal. The beauty here is that whether you're a functional trainer or you laugh at the idea, McMeekin will cause you to pause and reflect. He'll challenge you to develop a clearer understanding of your own answers to the following three questions: 1) What, if anything, must we "fix" in our clients? 2) What is the origin/rationalization behind our methods of "fixing"? 3) What is our end goal? what exactly does a functional body look like (a.k.a. a "fixed" client)? Dig in.

General Health

Fixing The Squat Butt Wink -- Zach Long

The 10 Biggest Delusions of the Personal Trainer -- Nick Tumminello

The 5-Exercise Thoracic Spine Mobility Fix -- Chris Cooper, drjohnrusin.com

3 Drills for Better Hip Mobility -- Ann Wendel, Girls Gone Strong

How to Find the Right Clients for Your Business -- Bedros Keuilian

Strength Training

Size vs. Strength: How Important is Muscle Growth For Strength Gains? -- Greg Nuckols

8 Exercises To Get Strong In The Frontal Plane -- Erica Suter

The Most Important Lesson From Lifting -- T-Nation

The 5 Biggest Deadlift Fails -- Christian Thibaudeau

Bodyweight Training for Athletes -- Chris Tutela, Elite FTS

Nutrition

Your Diet Does Not Make You Morally Superior -- Brad Dieter

Caffeine Can Reduce Muscle Soreness -- Doug Dupont, Breaking Muscle

Tip: Low-Carb Diets and Cortisol -- Brad Dieter, T-Nation

Accepted Post Workout Protein Dosages May Be Too Low -- Breaking Muscle

Bodybuilding

How To Fix A Wimpy Chest -- Ben Bruno, T-Nation

Tip: The Best Way Hammer Curl -- Joel Seedman, T-Nation

The Skinny Man’s guide to serious gains Part 1 -- Cody McBroom

Tip: Do Slides for a Bigger, Stronger Back -- Ben Bruno, T-Nation

Fat Loss

3 Diet Changes You Must Make Before All Others -- Kristen Perillo

Your 4 Step Plan To Outsmart PMS Cravings -- Pamela Hernandez

Are Fat Loss and Feminism Mutually Exclusive? -- Erin Brown, Girls Gone Strong