Fact: "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch is one of my top 3 songs of all time.  Call me a nerd (seriously, you can), but there's something about that song that just jacks me up!

Maybe it's the fact that I secretly wish I had enough body control to dance like Marky Mark back in the day, or the fact that he's jacked out of his face in the video and performing curls and presses with cinder blocks. Like a boss.   

Suffice to say, I think getting stronger and bigger arms has been one of my goals since I can remember.  Now, despite having that goal, you'll rarely see me do any traditional bicep curls.  Instead, you'll see me do plenty of pull ups/chin ups.  Why?  Because the pull up is a squat for your upper body. 

(Plus, there's something to be said about being able to pull yourself up over a bar, like all that is man...and woman!) 

Hope everyone is enjoying their St. Patrick's Day weekend!  Surprisingly (or perhaps not surprisingly if you know my schedule), I actually worked both days this weekend to cap off what's been a busy past few days.  That said, you can probably figure out that my St. Patty's day celebrations this year were very tame compared to previous ones....which is probably a good thing.  Anyway, I figured it's been a while since I last posted an edition of weekly good reads.  Enjoy!

One of the many great things about where I work is that I'm surrounded by kettlebells (and other, large heavy things) all day long.  Aside from being in my own personal playground, it probably comes as no surprise that I'm constantly trying to think of ways to use them that will get my clients stronger.  In fact, feel free to think of me as a mix of Ivan Drago from Rocky 4 and a mad scientist.

Having said all of that, I wanted to share my latest solution to making people strong: the Kettlebell Floor Press.

(Beware: epic post looming)

Can you believe it's mid-December?  I’m not sure where thepast 3 ½ months went, but they sure flew by for me.

Instead of one of my normal posts today, Iwanted to pass along some of the great links and articles that I’ve seenthrough the past week.  And of course, there’s a new squatting anthem forthose that are inclined at the very end.

I like to think I know a thing or two about overhead pressing.​  In fact, while many get their kicks out of benching, running, wearing skinny jeans, or doing the Harlem Shake, it probably comes as no surprise that the following quote governs the way I look at life:

"The day the barbell was invented, the guy who invented it figured out a way to pick it up and shove it over his head.  After all, it IS the logical thing to do with a weight."​

​As such, I usually get a few questions about techniques, programming, and all the subtleties of lifting heavy things over one's head.  However, before we even get there, it's important to ask: should you even be lifting things over your head?