Anyone who has been around me long enough in the gym has undoubtedly witnessed the awesome force of one of my CrossFit gymnastics nerd rants. These rants generally involve my frustration with the widespread disregard for the basics before learning more advanced skills. To make my point, my favorite analogy usually goes something like this...

Many lifters have the problem of letting the bar crash on them during the clean. Lifters feel they need to drop under the weight as fast as possible in order to lift the most weight. This, however, is not true.

The number of participants engaging in strength training has been steadily increasing among all levels and age groups of the global population. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the implications and consequences of training novice and youth athletes. Coaches must have a sound knowledge base regarding the psychological, physical, and physiological changes occurring as a result of strength and conditioning programs. The purpose of this article is to review some of the potential ramifications of training as it pertains to novice lifters, especially for the sport of weightlifting.

Recently, there have been drastic changes to the CrossFit Games qualification process that directly affect each and every person who has aspirations not only to qualify for the Games, but even to participate in the Open. Moving forward there will be an elite or competitive division, as well as a scaled division. In years past everyone did the same workouts no matter the skill level, experience, or overall goals. The change is necessary and will lead to a more accurate way to crown the “fittest” as the sport continues to grow in participation, and as the abilities of the athletes increase.

At the beginning of a new year you dream big, write goals, make a plan of action and tell friends what you will accomplish. And then December arrives. Nothing has happened. Nothing has been accomplished. It’s disheartening to put only one check mark next to a list of 15 goals.

Many people struggle with overhead movements, including the jerk. Listed below are 3 crucial jerk assistance exercises that are often overlooked