Blog
Training articles, member stories, gym updates, and the material that does not belong on a service page but still matters.
Coaching · Apr 24, 2026
My 11-year-old daughter asked me to teach her to lift. Two years and two days a week later, she holds 8 national records. Here's what coaching her taught me.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Articles · Apr 3, 2026
Every rep you lift here gets tracked. Your coach knows your numbers, reviews your videos, and shows up prepared every session.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Profiles · Dec 5, 2019
Geoffrey, moments after earning his 2345 sticker Geoffrey has been an consistent client since he joined us in September 2018. His dogged consistency and dedication paid off.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Profiles · Nov 6, 2019
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.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Profiles · Sep 21, 2019
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.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Profiles · Aug 15, 2019
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.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Profiles · Oct 24, 2018
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.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · Oct 22, 2018
When should you start using a lifting belt, and what kind should you buy? A Starting Strength Coach debunks common belt myths and explains how belts actually work.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Articles · Mar 6, 2018
When the CrossFit Open workouts get heavy, cardio fitness alone is not enough. Why raw barbell strength is what separates good Open scores from bad ones.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Profiles · Feb 22, 2018
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.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · Nov 30, 2017
Everything you need to know about creatine monohydrate for strength training: what it is, how it works, dosage, timing, what to buy, and safety. No hype, just evidence.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Profiles · Nov 16, 2017
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.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · Nov 15, 2017
A beginner-friendly guide to whey protein for strength training: concentrate vs isolate, how much you need, when to take it, and how it fits into your diet.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Articles · Jul 13, 2017
A philosophical argument for treating barbell training as a guiding practice for health. Unlike ancient remedies, this one is backed by science and gives you control.
Author
Karl Schudt
Profiles · Jul 6, 2017
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.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · May 20, 2017
Barbell training is the best defense against the physical decline of aging. Why lifting signals your body for survival and growth instead of deterioration.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · May 15, 2017
A female lifter wrestles with the tension between wanting to be a great powerlifter and not wanting to change her body. An honest look at strength, weight, and identity.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Profiles · May 9, 2017
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.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · May 1, 2017
Lost your training momentum? Stop making excuses and Get Your Ass To The Gym. Why showing up today is the only answer when you fall off the wagon.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · Apr 27, 2017
Most failed reps are actually quit reps. Learn the difference between true failure and giving up too early, and why grinding through hard reps matters.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · Apr 15, 2017
Anders Ericsson's six principles of deliberate practice applied to barbell training. How coached, goal-driven, uncomfortable training builds expertise.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Profiles · Apr 10, 2017
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.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Humor · Apr 7, 2017
A satirical take on the myth that women will get bulky from barbell training, written by the women of Chicago Strength & Conditioning.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · Mar 20, 2017
How one member lost 15 pounds and improved her blood work through barbell training and macro tracking alone. No cardio required.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Powerlifting · Mar 15, 2017
A self-described mediocre athlete explains why she believes deliberate practice and coaching can finally make her great at something: powerlifting.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Profiles · Mar 10, 2017
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.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · Mar 1, 2017
“Strength training builds more than muscle. How the pursuit of getting stronger creates happiness through confidence, community, and accountability.”
Author
Katelynn McBride
Profiles · Feb 28, 2017
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.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Announcements · Jan 3, 2017
Chicago Strength & Conditioning welcomes Karl Schudt, SSC as our newest Starting Strength Coach. Meet Karl and learn about his background.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · Dec 31, 2016
When Anthony Rizzo thanked the Cubs’ strength coach after the World Series, it proved a point: if professional athletes depend on strength training, so should you.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Articles · Nov 21, 2016
Endurance running gets riskier after 40, but barbell training gets better. Why strength training is the exercise that keeps paying off for decades.
Author
Katelynn McBride
Strength Training · Sep 21, 2016
Aristotle’s framework of virtue and weakness explains why people who know they should train still quit. How commitment and coaching build the habit that sticks.
Author
Karl Schudt
Articles · Jul 19, 2016
How the deadlift strengthens shoulder stability by placing tensile stress on the rotator cuff, forcing the isometric adaptation that protects an inherently unstable joint.
Author
Karl Schudt
Articles · Jul 5, 2016
Barbell strength training protects soccer players from knee and ACL injuries and improves on-field performance. The research-backed case for lifting as a soccer player.
Author
Karl Schudt
Strength Training · Mar 2, 2016
“What separates a strength coach from a personal trainer? A Certified Starting Strength Coach explains the difference and why it matters for your training.”
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Powerlifting · Feb 2, 2016
Coach David’s origin story: from running marathons and gaining weight to discovering barbells, competing at the national level in powerlifting, and becoming a strength coach.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Articles · Dec 14, 2015
A 24-year study links teenage muscular strength to lower mortality later in life. Why teenagers should strength train, backed by research and real results.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Strength Training · Dec 5, 2015
A visual step-by-step guide to getting started with the Starting Strength program. Learn the path from your first barbell clinic to consistent training.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Strength Training · Nov 4, 2015
Missed a training day? What to do based on whether you are a novice, intermediate, or advanced lifter so you stay on track without derailing your program.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Announcements · Oct 25, 2015
Results from the inaugural 2015 Starting Strength Fall Classic, with 48 lifters from across the upper Midwest competing in the squat, press, deadlift, and bench press.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Strength Training · Oct 13, 2015
The Starr Rehab Protocol can get you back to full strength in about two weeks after a muscle belly injury. Here's how it works and how I've used it.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Strength Training · Sep 24, 2015
Your muscles are the same as your Cro-Magnon ancestors' — they just need the right stimulus. Why barbell training is the modern way to reclaim ancestral strength.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Strength Training · Sep 16, 2015
Three practical ways to get your friends or family interested in strength training without being pushy, preachy, or annoying about it.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Strength Training · Sep 10, 2015
A guest post about returning to exercise after a spinal stenosis diagnosis. How barbell training can stabilize the spine and prevent future flare-ups.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Strength Training · Aug 28, 2015
A step-by-step guide to starting a barbell strength training program using the Starting Strength method. Learn how to find a coach, determine your starting weights, and build consistency.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Strength Training · Aug 18, 2015
Three common excuses for avoiding strength training — too weak for free weights, afraid of getting bulky, no time — and why none of them hold up.
Author
David Abdemoulaie
Articles · Jun 14, 2015
Four practical squat fixes from a Starting Strength Coach: upper back tension, walkout efficiency, belt usage, and eye gaze. Quick corrections that make an immediate difference.
Author
David Abdemoulaie