TEX

Bracing is one of those things that everyone talks about, but that surprisingly few people actually master. You’ll hear “brace hard!” shouted across a platform, or see someone take a big breath before a lift and assume that’s all there is to it. In reality, there's a lot more going on when you learn how to nail the brace. Done properly, bracing is what allows you to actually use all of the strength you’ve built. Done poorly, it doesn’t matter how strong your legs or back are, you’ll always...

Written by Tex Michael Jordan famously had a “Love of the Game” clause written into his NBA contract. It meant he could play basketball anytime, anywhere, with no risk to his contract. “My love of the game (clause) within my contract … if I was driving with you down the street and I see a basketball game on the side of the road, I can go play in that basketball game. And if I get hurt, my contract is still guaranteed.” "I love the game so much that I would never let someone take the...

The Flow Zone Athletes across many sports describe the “flow zone” from Formula 1 drivers to boxers to rugby players and even darts professionals. In lifting, it’s the feeling that anything loaded on the bar is manageable, when you’re not thinking about how to lift, just excited to do it. For most lifters, this isn’t something that can be consciously forced on competition day. But with patient, structured, expert coaching, it is something that can be experienced, and repeated. And when it...