Stories, Articles,
And Case Studies

Profiles · Nov 6, 2019

Amir Ahmed: Athlete of the Month

Amir has been training with us since December 2018. In that time he's been amazingly consistent, only missing a workout or two due to travel. His consistency has paid off. Amir.

Profiles · Sep 21, 2019

Louis Fernandes: Athlete of the Month

Louis - Finishing a Press Louis has been a member of CS&C since November 2017. Louis has the distinction of being the first and only ( for now) member of the illustrious 2-3-4-5.

Profiles · Aug 15, 2019

Athlete of the Month: Ruth Yturralde

Ruth - Preparing to Squat Ruth has been a member of CS&C since October 2018. She is one of our most consistent members. She hasn't missed a single training session since she.

Profiles · Oct 24, 2018

Athlete Profile: Kevin Hammond

Kevin has been training at Chicago S&C for over a year and wasted no time signing up for his first competition. Kevin rocked the Chicago Strengthlifting Challenge at the end of.

Articles · Oct 22, 2018

Lifting Belts: Everything You Need to Know

One of the most frequently asked questions I get as a coach is, "When should I start using a lifting belt?" Second after that, "What kind of lifting belt should I use?" These are.

Articles · Mar 6, 2018

Your Crossfit Open Scores Suck Because You're Weak

It's Crossfit Open season again. That means that in Crossfit gyms around the world, crossfitters are all doing the same weekly workout, competing against each other, building.

Profiles · Feb 22, 2018

Athlete Profile: Carl Thuringer

Carl deadlifts 3x135 kg for a personal record Carl started training at Chicago S&C in July 2017 and has been wonderfully consistent in his barbell training, rarely missing a.

Articles · Nov 30, 2017

Creatine: The Ultimate Guide

Welcome to our series of Level One Supplement guides! Most of us don’t have an unlimited budget. Chances are, also, that you aren’t striving to be among the top 0.1% of athletes in.

Profiles · Nov 16, 2017

Athlete Profile: Bill Richmond

Bill has been training with us at Chicago S&C for four months and is one of the most consistent members in the gym, usually training with us in the evening. Bill often wears a.

Articles · Nov 15, 2017

Whey Protein: The Ultimate Guide

Welcome to our whey protein Level One Supplement Guide! Most of us don’t have an unlimited budget. Chances are, also, that you aren’t striving to be among the top 0.1% of athletes.

Articles · Jul 13, 2017

Believe in Barbells

I’ve been watching Dr. Sullivan’s Greysteel videos. ( Dr. Sullivan is a national treasure, ER Doctor, Starting Strength Coach, and expert on improving life’s later years through.

Profiles · Jul 6, 2017

Athlete Profile: Chris Soo

Chris is one of Chicago Strength & Conditioning’s founding members. He usually works out in the evening and is almost always the first one in the gym. He joined as a member the.

Articles · May 20, 2017

Old Age Sucks Less With Barbells

Bill Hosken, age 79, Competing at the 2017 Starting Strength Challenge What image do you see when you think of someone living the last ten years of their life? Are they hunched.

Articles · May 15, 2017

I Have to Gain Weight to Be Really Strong but I Don't Want To

When you see a really good powerlifter, you aren’t that surprised that they’re really good. Because to be quite honest, they’re muscular as hell. Their quads jut out from their.

Profiles · May 9, 2017

Athlete Profile: Caitlyn Murphy

Caitlyn is one of Chicago S&C’s wonderful interns and half of Chicago S&C members named Caitlyn/Katelynn. You can find Caitlyn training, interning, observing, drinking coffee, or.

Articles · May 1, 2017

If You Fall Off the Wagon, Don’t Worry, GYATTG

Bill regularly GHATTG Finding it easy to get excited about a new workout regimen but impossible to keep your motivation going? Don’t get hard on yourself when you fall of the.

Articles · Apr 27, 2017

You’re Not Failing Your Reps. You’re Quitting.

I had a realization recently. Since I started lifting, I have failed very few reps. It may seem like I am bragging but I am not. Stay with me. Don’t get me wrong. I have had.

Articles · Apr 15, 2017

How to Get Great at Anything

Even if you really suck at something, you can get great at it. By great, I mean really great. You can become an expert. I am going to tell you how. Train using “deliberate.

Profiles · Apr 10, 2017

Athlete Profile: Nicole Cammarata

Nicole preparing to pull 80 kg Nicole trains in the evening and it is widely thought that she will have the best squat in the gym within a few months because she is showing no.

Humor · Apr 7, 2017

Women Should Avoid Lifting Weights Or They'll Get Bulky

Many women of all ages, weights, heights, and backgrounds lift at Chicago Strength & Conditioning. Before we started lifting here, we were all fragile, sweet, and movie star.

Articles · Mar 20, 2017

I don't do any cardio and I lost 15 pounds

“You’re doing cardio too, aren’t you?,” my doctor asked when I saw her last month. “Nope,” I say. “I just lift heavy weights. That’s all.” My doctor clearly never hears about this.

Powerlifting · Mar 15, 2017

I suck at sports but I want to be a great powerlifter

Katelynn - 100 kg Deadlift I have always been a mediocre athlete. Born with little body awareness and nonexistent intrinsic understanding of how to perform a new movement or task.

Profiles · Mar 10, 2017

Athlete Profile: Phil Beck

Phil deadlifts 5x135 kg You will usually see Phil in the morning class but he makes his way to the evening class from time to time as well. You’re lucky if you get to lift with.

Articles · Mar 1, 2017

Getting Strong Makes You Happy

Baby Alex flirts with Nirvi “A weak man is not as happy as that same man would be if he were strong. This reality is offensive to some people who would like the intellectual or.

Profiles · Feb 28, 2017

Athlete Profile: Kyle Crowley

Kyle is one of our morning members. He trains three days a week at 6 in the morning, consistently shows up to the gym, and inspires those around him. These past couple of weeks, I.

Announcements · Jan 3, 2017

Welcome to our New Coach, Karl Schudt!

On January 2, Coach Karl Schudt joined Chicago Strength & Conditioning as our newest coach. Karl Schudt, SSC Karl is tremendously qualified and we are thrilled to have him. Karl.

Articles · Dec 31, 2016

Professional Athletes Rely On Their Strength Coaches

In case you haven’t heard yet, the Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series. I am not here to discuss the tremendous achievement and historical implications of the thrilling victory.

Articles · Nov 21, 2016

If You Can't Do It Over 40, It Isn't Worth Doing

A few weeks ago, I was helping Coach Dave move equipment into the gym when we saw two people who must have been in their 80s, hunched over, slowly walking across the parking lot. I.

Strength Training · Sep 21, 2016

Did Aristotle even lift?

Photo by Michael Schmalenstroer / CC BY-SA Have you ever had a gym buddy who shows up, is very enthusiastic, seems to be on board, can quote Selye’s General Adaptation theory to.

Articles · Jul 19, 2016

Deadlifting and Shoulder Stability

This article was previously published on Karl Schudt's personal blog, Schudt Strength Training . Illustration 1 - Looking straight into the shoulder joint I was preparing for a.

Articles · Jul 5, 2016

Strength Training Makes You a Better Soccer Player

Chances are if you or your children are soccer players then you know at least a few soccer players who have a serious knee injury. The constant running and change-of-direction.

Strength Training · Mar 2, 2016

What is a Strength Coach?

Hi, I’m David Abdemoulaie and I’m a strength coach. What exactly is a strength coach? Chances are, you have never had anyone introduce themselves to you as a “strength coach.”.

Powerlifting · Feb 2, 2016

My Story: How and Why I Got Strong

I played sports as a kid. I was okay at it, I guess. I think I was the second fastest guy on my high school football team. I didn’t play sports in college other than the obligatory.

Articles · Dec 14, 2015

The Case for Teenagers to Get Strong

There’s this research study being passed around among my fellow strength training coaches. It details the result of a 24 year study of adolescent males and the correlation between.

Strength Training · Dec 5, 2015

INFOGRAPHIC: How to Get Started with Starting Strength

Strength Training · Nov 4, 2015

What to Do When You Have to Miss a Scheduled Strength Training Day

When you finally decide to get stronger you’re in a mental state of mind of both readiness and acceptance. It takes a while to get there and some never do, while for others, they.

Announcements · Oct 25, 2015

2015 Starting Strength Fall Classic Results

This Saturday, Oct. 24th marked the first ever Starting Strength Fall Classic (previously the October Iron Fest). Forty-eight lifters from all over the upper-Midwest (Illinois.

Strength Training · Oct 13, 2015

Starr Rehab Protocol for Muscle Injury

Starting Strength pioneer, Mark Rippetoe addresses a frequently asked question about muscle injury and rehab in his #AskRip video . I figured many of you may have the same type of.

Strength Training · Sep 24, 2015

How to Have a Body Like a Caveman

Remember those old Saturday Night Live skits with Phil Hartman as the Caveman Lawyer? He used to always say, “I’m just a caveman and your whole flashy world frightens me,” right.

Strength Training · Sep 16, 2015

3 Suggestions for Motivating Your Friends or Family to Start Strength Training

Last month Mark Rippetoe of Starting Strength started a thread in a forum challenging people in the strength training community to get the people in their everyday lives started on.

Strength Training · Sep 10, 2015

Strength Training After a Spinal Injury

The following is a guest post by Natalie Cagle It sucks being injured. It sucks even worse to refrain from workouts; especially if it’s a part of your everyday release routine. The.

Strength Training · Aug 28, 2015

How to Start a Strength Training Program (step by step)

After realizing the many awesome benefits of strength training such as, an increase in muscle tone, bone density and balance, you’ve decided to start a strength training program.

Strength Training · Aug 18, 2015

3 Excuses People Use to Avoid Strength Training

No matter who you are or what you do you can benefit from a strength training plan. However, thanks to the media, magazines, and perhaps your own observations of the so-called.

Articles · Jun 14, 2015

4 Simple Squat Tweaks

Don't Be Comfortable Under The Bar The bar setup position should be uncomfortable but not painful . Create maximum tension in your upper back to form a solid shelf for the bar with.