I’m huge fan of simple. I’ve seen the best results in my training career when clients (or myself) adhere to a simple and progressive training template. Some Training Programs I Love Weighted Pull-up Training Program (a program I posted earlier this year) Fighter Pull-up Training Program (via Pavel) Kettlebells and Deadlifts (via Pavel) When I take a look back … Read More
Kettlebell Instruction
Wall Sits Stink {and What to do Instead}
The wall-sit is a very common exercise used by athletes and coaches as a regression to the squat, or as a lower body strengthening exercise. You won’t see me selecting wall-sits for my athletes at Skill of Strength. Today I’ll share with you why I have beef with wall-sits and what I use instead! Frankly, I … Read More
Double Kettlebell Concentric Box Squat
Every once in a while you find or come up with a drill that works well for just about everyone. Today I’m going to share with you one of my favorite squat variations, the double kettlebell concentric box squat…one of the rare drills that works well for {nearly} all people! The double kettlebell concentric box … Read More
Lateral Squat with Counterbalance
The lateral squat with counterbalance mobility drill can improve your efficiency in the squat, single leg squat, single leg deadlift, lunge, and deadlift. However, like all exercises, you must perform the drill properly to reap the benefits. It’s best to start this drill without any weight until you own the pattern. Once you understand the basics, it’s … Read More
Weighted Pullup Program
Pull-ups are one of my favorite exercises. I’ve been performing weighted pull-ups for ten years now. I’ve learned that in order to reach your goals you must follow a smart program and be careful not to overtrain. From my experience, you should never perform more than 15 reps in a training session and you need to make … Read More
Mobility Monday: Improve Your Pistol Squat
We’re bringing back an oldie, but goodie today! If you’re trying to improve your pistol squat, this mobility drill is for you! The pistol is one of those exercises that people often attempt, but few get right. I’ve seen coaches attempt copious amounts of ankle mobility drills with no avail. I’ve also seen experienced coaches performing various … Read More
Skill of Strength Kettlebell Workshop at Puma
Last week, we were able to host a kettlebell swing workshop at Puma North America in Westford, Massachusetts. We worked with our awesome HR contact over at Puma to set up a 45-minute kettlebell swing workshop for any interested Puma employees. Luckily, it was a gorgeous day so we got to have the workshop outside which … Read More
Use Kettlebells to Increase Your Vertical Leap
Did you know you can train with kettlebells to increase your vertical leap? The kettlebell swing, in particular, is a great exercise for many reasons, but today we’ll discuss how practicing and nailing this exercise can help you improve your vertical leap. The vertical leap is used as a measure for athleticism among high school, collegiate … Read More
Five Common Program Design Mistakes
Over the last few years, I’ve pretty much emerged myself in program design. I’ve followed programs, designed them and tweaked them over and over again. I’ve learned a ton along the way and this with these experiences I’ve become a better coach. Here’s the really cool part…I have been lucky enough to have a mix … Read More
10 Kettlebell Training Tips
Today we’re sharing 10 tips to help you improve your kettlebell training technique. Remember, when performed correctly, kettlebell training can do wonders for your health, fitness and fat loss! When performed improperly, you might be setting yourselves up for an injury! 1. The hips drive and the arms guide! If you are using your arms to … Read More