Articles
15 Reasons why you should be lifting weights!
15 Reasons why you should be lifting weights! Lifting weights and resistance training in general are a big part of our usual prescription to Apex clients. We believe ‘lifting’ is an integral part of any fitness regime, and below I will share with you my 15 top reasons to get in the gym and lift …
5 Ways to break through a lifting Plateau
5 Ways to break through a lifting Plateau If you’ve been lifting for any serious amount of time you have likely encountered a lifting plateau. This is not characterized by one bad session, or an off week, but rather a series of sessions where you are unable to progress your lifting as your program would …
A Beginners Guide to Strength for Grappling
Powerlifting? Yoga? Calisthenics? As a beginner in BJJ or any grappling art it becomes apparent very quickly that strength is a big asset. Sure technique development is paramount, but to become the best athlete you can be – strength is essential. As a beginner it can be almost impossible to cut through the bullshit and actually …
A Journal from my first visit to Renzo Gracie Academy New York – April 2016
A Journal from my first visit to Renzo Gracie Academy New York – April 2016 Day 1 – Just Visiting 2016 On my first morning in NYC I decided to visit Renzo Gracie’s Academy to get an idea of what to expect and plan my training. As I approached 30th Street and recognized the familiar …
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Are Kettlebells useful for BJJ
Are Kettlebells useful for BJJ? Kettlebells are so hot right now and if you train with them maybe you are too. Thanks to a series of celebrity endorsements (Joe Rogan et al) Kettlbells are often touted as the ideal training tool for BJJ and Combat sports in general – but are they really that special? …
Become a Sleep Assassin
I’ve talked previously about how Netflix beats stretching for recovery – but remember ‘relaxation’ is still a relatively small percentage of effective recovery when compared to the big 2: Sleep & Nutrition So today I thought we would talk sleep. Sleep is probably the single biggest factor in terms of whether or not you can manage your …
Being Ripped in BJJ
Being Ripped in BJJ Can I train functionally for BJJ and still look ‘Aesthetic’? A question I get asked a lot by students and clients is, is it possible to train specifically for BJJ and Grappling whilst looking ripped/aesthetic? This is an interesting question so I thought I would share some ideas and opinions with …
Flexibility is Overrated
Previously I wrote about whether Strength or flexibility was most useful for Grapplers. (check it out here) We looked at some pros and cons of both and why you might choose one over the other. I ended up confessing if I could pick only one to train it would be STRENGTH but not just for the reasons you think… Sure …
If you’re not dying you’re not trying!
If you’re not dying you’re not trying! Have you ever gotten advice from a coach, or seen a social media post containing any variation of the following: ‘Man Up – Toughen Up – Harden Up’ ‘Pain is Weakness leaving the body’ ‘If you ain’t dying you’re not trying’ ‘The workout starts when it starts hurting …
Is the ‘Farmers Walk’ actually good?
Is the Farmers walk actually useful for grapplers or is it just an exercise thrown around by coaches because it looks ‘cool’ and is different to the more conventional exercise you see in the gym? Lets find out… First of all what even is a Farmers Walk? The Farmers Walk is a staple of strong …
January Gym Newbie
January Gym Newbie 5 tips to set you on course for success 1. Ask if you don’t know ‘Oh, I’m Sorry. I don’t know how this machine works ‘– Starlord It’s ok to ask, it really is. Most people in the gym, even those going for the last 10 years, have little to no idea …
Lockdown Cutting Journal
Optimising Athleticism In the quest for optimal athleticism (via improved body composition) I work through a schedule of cutting, maintaining and massing. The end goal of this process is to become a bigger, stronger and more dynamic athlete. Whats the point? The Purpose of this process is to ensure that I am bringing the …
MILO OF CROTON
MILO OF CROTON Ever heard of Milo of Croton? He is a very interesting character who lived in 6th Century BC Greece. Milo was a six-time Olympic champion. He won the boys’ wrestling title and progressed to win five men’s wrestling titles between 536 and 520 BCE. He also won seven crowns at the Pythian Gamesat Delphi, ten at the Isthmian Games, …
Netflix is better than stretching
I often get asked by grapplers is stretching was ‘good for recovery’? If you’re late to the party, I’ve previously talked about why mobility wins over flexibility and how a lot of grapplers go down a flexibility worm hole. But outside of improving our athleticism or attributes – is stretching simply a good tool for recovery..? Stretching …
Review of ‘APE STRONG’ by Daniel Strauss AKA The Raspberry ape
Daniel Strauss AKA The Raspberry Ape recently dropped his DVD ‘Ape Strong’ Grip Training for Grapplers. Anyone that follows his social media will know he posts a whole host of interesting and innovative training techniques from bending horseshoes to lifting stones to swinging axes in the snow! But how good is ‘Ape Strong’? Will it …
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So you got injured
So you got injured Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional and you should always consult a physician before stating any exercise program. The following post contains ideas and methods I have used with myself and a multitude of clients when dealing with injury. If you’ve lifted or trained hard for any period …
Strength vs Flexibility
During a recent Q&A session I was asked if Strength or Flexibility was more important for a Grappler and could you improve both simultaneously…? I often find this is a common question and a lot of people fall hard into one camp. The double leg, smash pass and rip your arm out of the socket guys will …
The 4 Pillars
The Four Pillars What is Strength and Conditioning and how does it fit into your grappling training? Strength and Conditioning is a term often thrown around in grappling circles but rarely understood. There seems to be two camps on the matter; one is a strong advocate of this training whilst the other says ‘technique conquers …
Three reasons why you should be doing HIIT and Three reasons why you should avoid it
Three reasons why you should be doing HIIT and Three reasons why you should avoid it HIIT is so hot right now, and if you’re doing HIIT you’re probably hot too. HIIT is a fitness industry buzzword and is often touted as an essential for those looking to get shredded. But what is HIIT? HIIT …
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Train Hard
Training Intensity Previously I talked about training SMART not just HARD but I feel I need to clarify… YOU DO NEED TO TRAIN HARD Training intensity is incredibly important and making sure that your training is actually challenging is key to your progress. However just being hard is not enough – it must also get …
Train Smart not just Hard
Train Smart not just Hard This is a message to everyone, however I see this in abundance in combat sports athletes so a special memo to them today. First off lets get one thing straight you should be training hard, with good structure and decent intensity or your results will definitely suffer. However Training hard …
Upgrade your Sleep
Sleep is integral for any grappler wanting to excel on the mat. Improved cognitive function, improved performance, better body composition, more energy, better health – the list goes on and on! I’ll keep it short and sweet. I’m going to lay out exactly how you set up a sleep routine to maximise recovery, increase gainzzzz and …
Why Bench Press and Bicep Curls are good for BJJ.
Why Bench Press and Bicep Curls are good for BJJ. There are many awesome exercises that can benefit your grappling and BJJ, a lot of people will say Kettlebells are great, some people swear by Olympic lifts, whereas others love battle ropes and sandbags. However, when it comes to supposed ‘bodybuilding’ style movements there is …
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Why I love Bicep Curls.
Why I love Bicep Curls. Perhaps the most loved exercise amongst ‘gym bros’ and the most hated amongst ‘serious athletes/functional coaches’ – the humble Bicep Curl. The Bicep Curl falls into a category of exercise that a lot of coaches like to rubbish, usually under the guise that it’s ‘not functional’. I’ve heard this so …
Why Leg Day Needs to Die!
Why Leg Day Needs to Die! Have you ever heard of ‘leg day’? This is perhaps the most talked about day at the gym, the day everybody dreads. That day where you go to the gym and smash your legs with as many exercises as you can fit into an hour and then hobble back …
Your Coach doesn’t have all the answers
Your Coach doesn’t have all the answers I know it’s hard to believe right? But your coach doesn’t have all the answers. When you have a good coach and they’ve made a positive impact on your training it’s easy to start thinking they might have the answers to other problems. If you’re a coach reading …