The Best Partner Drill To Improve Your Shoulder Mobility

Have difficulty getting into a good front rack or overhead position? 🤔 Try this partner drill to improve your shoulder mobility!

Mobility and Flexibility, Sports and Competition, IPARGuest UserJuly 20, 2021mobility, range of motion, physical therapy, physical therapy exercises, weightlifting, physical therapistComment

Why You Should Work On Your Ankle Mobility [Now]

In this article we break down why ankle mobility is critical to your success as an athlete (and human being) and three exercises that you can implement today to help improve your ankle mobility.

Mobility and Flexibility, IPAR, Sports and CompetitionGuest UserApril 27, 2021mobility, ankle mobility, range of motion, physical therapy, physical therapy exercises, squats, squat technique, weightlifting, ankle, physical therapistComment

WHAT MOTIVATES MADDISON PANNELL? | AMERICAN OPEN NATIONALS 2020

Maddison Pannell was the first Cal Strength soldier to compete in the AO Finals Online Competition on December 4th, 2020.

She was just one lift away from making the US Pan American Team but took home PR’s in the Snatch, Clean & Jerk and Total along with some hardware!

We caught up with Maddison to ask her about the experience of that night, what motivates her and what it was like to compete alongside Olympian Morghan King. ENJOY!

Olympic Weightlifting, Community Content, Sports and CompetitionDavid SpitzFebruary 26, 2021cal strength, weightlifting, olympic weightlifting, olympic lifting, girls who lift, snatch, clean and jerk, cal strength youtube channel, weightlifting competition, max out friday, american open, usa weightlifting, maddison pannellComment

3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting CrossFit

How to do double unders. The end. Double unders aside, there are three things that, looking back, would have been very helpful to have known when I first started out on my five year adventure into the world of competitive fitness.

Strength training, Sports and CompetitionKelly WildJuly 29, 2020crossfit, crossfitter, crossfit advice, crossfit injury, competitive fitness, the barbell wod, barbell wod, kelly wild, timberwolf crossfit, crossfit gamesComment

Can Omega-3s (DHA) Really Protect My Brain From Concussions?

In the US alone, more than 3 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury every year. According to a recent study, concussion rates in high school football games have been on the rise. While this shouldn’t come as a surprise, we were surprised to learn that while Football had the highest rate of concussions (10.4 per 10,000 exposures), women’s soccer follows closely behind at a rate of 8.19 per 10,000 exposures.

When we work with athletes both at the junior high, high school and pro level; we forge bonds and care deeply about their well being. As far as anyone can tell, you are your brain (unfortunately it’s not something we can live without). As strength & conditioning coaches it is our responsibility to improve each athletes resiliency to injury and that includes protecting their brain.

Can omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA protect athletes from the negative effects of traumatic brain injuries like concussions? Read to find out!

Sports and Competition, Nutrition and SupplementsDavid SpitzNovember 21, 2019EPA, DHA, Omega-3, Fatty Acids, Inflammation, Concussion, CTE, adult brain injury, axonal injury, biomarkers, head trauma, traumatic brain injuryComment

How To Pick Your Openers and Competition Attempts

Snatch what you can, Clean & Jerk what you must. A simple idea that presents the fundamental strategy for how we select openers and competition attempts for our lifters. There’s a reason why California Strength lifters have one of the highest rates of success competition makes in the country! This is a must read if you want to maximize your performance at your next weightlifting competition! (Exact lifting percentages included)

Sports and Competition, Olympic WeightliftingDavid SpitzAugust 20, 2019Competition, Weightlifting, Dave Spitz, Cal Strength, California Strength, Snatch, Clean & Jerk, Openers, Competition Attempts, Coaching, USA Weightlifting, Bomb Out, American Open Comment

Wes Kitts Wins Gold At The 2019 Pan American Games

Wes Kitts won his first Pan American Games title on the last lift of the competition, Clean & Jerking 217kg (478lbs). He was sitting in second place after posting a Snatch of 172kg (379lbs) but in a dramatic come from behind finish came away with gold for Team USA.

We sat down with Wes to ask him a few questions about the competition, training and life!

Sports and Competition, Olympic Weightlifting, Community ContentScott EsparzaAugust 19, 2019Wes Kitts, Pan American Games, Competition, Team USA, Weightlifting, Dave Spitz, Cal Strength, California Strength, Snatch, Clean & JerkComment

What's In Your Gym Bag?

We are often asked to try out and review several products during training. Over the years, we’ve picked out our favorites and tend to lean towards the same products, even as a team. Below are some of the key items that most of us carry in our gym bags to help us get through training sessions and competitions.

How To Pick Your Competition Weight Class In Olympic Weightlifting

Whether you’re brand new to Olympic weightlifting or are a seasoned veteran training for Nationals, if you have dreams of competing it is critical to know your competition weight class. The International Weightlifting Federation announced the highly anticipated change to the male and female weight classes and for Olympic weightlifters around the world, the decision to go up a weight class or down has been left in question.

In response to our athletes at California Strength being faced with the same question, we came up with a solution. We have analyzed six key parameters to provide you with the weight class category that is best for you. Take this quiz to receive your personalized and detailed Weight Class recommendation from USAW Senior International Coach Dave Spitz himself!

Sports and CompetitionDavid SpitzJuly 10, 2018IWF, International Weightlifting Federation, Weight Classes, Weight Loss, Cutting Weight, Bulk, Weight Gain, Competition, American Open, American Open Series, Weightlifting, Snatch, Clean & Jerk, American Open 3, QuizComment

[Q&A] Jaden Washington: Cal Strength Junior Member or Captain America?

If Cal Strength were the Avengers, Jaden Washington would be Captain America. He’s polite, well-mannered, works hard, and always does the right thing. Jaden is representing Team USA at the IWF Junior World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan this week and I thought it would be fitting to do a little Q&A with him.

Sports and CompetitionNicole LimJuly 9, 2018Jaden Washington, Cal Strength, Cal Strength Junior, Interview, Q&A, Captain America, Nicole Lim, Rob Blackwell, David Spitz, California Strength, Wes Kitts, CrossFit, Olympic Weightlifting, Clean & Jerk, Programming, Harrison MaurusComment