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Exercises to Improve Your RDL
This is one of the toughest exercises to learn. You can even look like you're doing it right and still not have it completely down. It's all in the hips. Sometimes you just need some internal and external cuing to help you get there. Here are 3 exercises I learned and used from the performance world to teach hundreds of people how to master the RDL.

Jake Hicks
Sep 175 min read


DB Row Alternatives when you need more weight
Don't ever let equipment limit your training. Most people aren't training heavy enough with dumbbells so when they switch to one of my programs it's not uncommon to come across this issue where you run out of DB weight. Not to worry, I've solved this problem myself in a couple different ways. I will share my tips and tricks below

Jake Hicks
Sep 125 min read


Navigating Secondary/Accessory Exercises
What is a secondary exercise? What is an accessory? Again, questions that no one asks and it seems like a topic many aren't interested in being wrong in. I remember distinctly a time over 10 years ago I went through a phase where I purposefully tried to "unlearn" everything I had been taught in school. I truly belief school taught me what to think, but not how to think. This is something I conquered on my own and I wish to share these thoughts below.

Jake Hicks
Sep 117 min read


Alternatives to Training with Percentages
I have some unique views on using percentages in training. It feels like the coaches that use percentages the most are the same coaches that don't lift. If they did they would understand how frustrating percetages can be and why there must be alternative ways to dictate how much weight to use. How much weight should you use? I have absolutely no idea, that's for you to decide. Read below how I like to navigate this dilemma.

Jake Hicks
Sep 97 min read


Progressions for Beginner Lifters
Just add 5 pounds each week. I wish it were that simple. The body doesn't adapt in a straight line fashion. It adapts in a non linear fashion, often full of ups and downs. I've always held the unpopular belief that you should skip the linear progression phase and jump right into the non linear progressions which have a much longer runway. Even coaches pro linear progressions will agree with that. Below I share my thoughts on the topic and I offer how I like to program for beg

Jake Hicks
Sep 77 min read


The One Change I Made that Improved My Physique the Most
Most people start training and never make any drastic changes. I'm here to tell you, you should absolutely explore different training methodologies and ideas. Why train for years without at least giving alternative methods a thought? This was with out a doubt part of how I was able to come across the most impactful change I ever made to drastically improve my physique.

Jake Hicks
Sep 410 min read


How I Program for Hypertrophy
The pump washes off in the shower. I will teach you how I program low rep sets for hypertrophy. It's not mainstream...yet but it will be because the results are insane.

Jake Hicks
Sep 113 min read


Coaching/Training Around Imperfect Reps
The best coaches are able to coach people who are bad at something without making them feel like they are bad at it. This is a massive skill, I'll share my methods and what I've learned from 13 years of training in experienced lifters.

Jake Hicks
Aug 266 min read


LIFT THE WEIGHTS: The No Nonsense Mindset for Athletes
You'll get bored before you will ever get "too strong" or "too big". If lifting weights makes you less athletic, you weren't athletic in the first place.

Jake Hicks
Aug 256 min read


Debate: Strength vs Speed
I see this debate all the time, it's exhausting to watch people argue and make no progress. Allow me to help progress this conversation in a productive way.

Jake Hicks
Aug 248 min read


My Top 5 Mistakes I've Made Training
I've got 27 years of training. The last 12 years I've trained every day literally. I've made plenty of mistakes. These are my top 5. Don't make these mistakes, learn from me and save time avoiding these same mistakes.

Jake Hicks
Aug 178 min read


The Art of Muscle Fiber Recruitment
It feels taboo to even share my thoughts and opinions on motor unit recruitment. I'm gonna share them anyways. I have often said, training is not a science more than it is an art. There are too many variables and you cannot control them enough to learn through controlled environments. Recruiting motor units is an absolute art, and here is my full breakdown of how I interpret and use these concepts to my advantage in the gym

Jake Hicks
Aug 137 min read


Assessing Your Progress: How to know if what you're doing is working
Assessing your progress can be difficult, especially if you don't know what you should be looking for and how often to look. I'll offer you my mindset and creative ways to ensure you accurately assess your progress and continue to hit PRs for a long time!

Jake Hicks
Aug 126 min read


Split Squat ISO Hold Overview — A Coach’s Guide to Setup, Cues, and Progressions
There are no secrets in the strength and conditioning or fitness world. Just a lot of details. In this case, the small details I discuss on the split squat ISO hold can lead to BIG results.

Jake Hicks
Aug 116 min read


Overhead Press: Tips Tricks and Mindset
Overhead press being bad for you or dangerous has been one of the biggest lies out there and that idea deserves to be challenged. Allow me to give my full breakdown.

Jake Hicks
Aug 106 min read


Understanding Low Rep Sets: The key to targeting type II muscle fibers for maximum hypertrophy and athletic performance
Low reps sets offer many benefits. There are still some misunderstandings around the topic. In this article my main goal is to breakdown WHY they work, and it's not much to do with the actual number of reps.

Jake Hicks
Aug 75 min read


Mastering the Power Row: A Better Alternative to the Pendlay Row
The Pendlay Row is great, but it's missing an element....leg drive. So I created a slightly altered version. The Power Row is essential to building mass, strength and power. Read this article to hear all it has to offer and why it works.

Jake Hicks
Aug 65 min read


Push Ups Progressions: Beginners to Advanced
Whether you can't do a push up, you can do a LOT of push ups or your shoulders bother you when you try to do push ups, I've got a variation just for you. I am guessing most people have never seen 2 of these variations that I share.

Jake Hicks
Aug 55 min read


225 Bench Press Test: Tips and Tricks
You're not going to learn the technique for the 225 bench press technique on social media. This is because the experts that actually teach it, aren't on social media. Here are the concepts and tricks to improving your performance NOW.

Jake Hicks
Aug 46 min read


Getting Rid of Warm Up Sets: Do Prep Sets Instead
Prep Sets is the mindset that most people need to maximize strength. Strength is measured in speed, and speed is the best way to prep for that max weight.

Jake Hicks
Aug 17 min read
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