Tactical Leadership: My Interview w/ Strength Coach and Former Army Ranger Rich Mulder

Tactical Leadership: My Interview w/ Strength Coach and Former Army Ranger Rich Mulder

Welcome to another Ignite interview, where I connect you with some of the best and brightest in the world of performance training….Today, I bring you my interview with strength coach and gym owner, Rich Mulder of Liberty Performance Training in Phoenix, Arizona.  As a former Army Ranger, Rich has truly has  a unique understanding of both physical and mental performance.

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Exercise Upgrade: Changing How You View These 4 Common Exercises

Out w/ the old, and in with the new…Today’s post is a remix on some common gym exercises.   These exercises are all ones that you see just about any time you walk into a gym.  Some of you have probably been doing these same exercise since your 9th grade middle school PE teacher taught them to you. The problem is, as we’ve gained a better understanding about training, these exercises have become ineffective and outdated. My goal today is to show you alternative, and more effective versions of each of these exercises. 

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How Practicing Mindfulness Can Change Your Life

Mindfulness is a very hot topic in the world of psychology right now.  It’s extremely popular amongst entrepreneurs, and people who enjoy self-development.  I can speak from experience that embracing mindfulness is life changing.  I can now say I think more clearly, and am more emotionally balanced.  Mindfulness is like an emotional antidote. 

But what is mindfulness? And how can it help you be more productive?  Let’s take a look at the practice people have been using for thousands of years to improve their lives. 

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Fuel w/ Fat: 3 Ways Fat Improves Your Performance

Long ago people used to believe that fat was the enemy…I can distinctly remember my mom buying Fat Free Italian Dressing when I was a kid….Let me repeat that, FAT FREE Italian Dressing.  You don’t have to be a Michelin starred chef to know that Italian dressing is basically oil, vinegar, and spices…so WTF WAS IN THAT DRESSING?

Luckily, things have changed, and people are starting to wise up.  Keto diets are popping up, and Bulletproof coffees are a plenty (click here, for an awesome recipe).  However, there are still people out there that think fat is the devil. I’m here to tell you that fat is only good for you, but it can help you increase your performance.

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Warming Up: How to Do it Like an Elite Athlete, Part 2

Welcome back to the Ignite blog!  Today, I will be showing you part 2 of “How to Warmup like an Elite Athlete”. For a recap, check out part 1 of this blog post.

In part 2, we will be covering the dynamic warmup.  The dynamic warmup is is the final part of the warmup and should properly prepare the athlete (you in this case) to train for that session. The dynamic warmup is broken down into 2 parts:  Movement Prep, and Skipping/CNS Prep.  We’ll kick things off with the movement prep.

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Warming Up: How to Do it Like an Elite Athlete, Part 1

I’ve gotten a few people asking me lately about what I like to do and what I have my athletes do for a warmup before they train.  So I decided it would be a good idea to share that with you.  If you have ever trained w/ me before, you know how much emphasis I put on our warmup.  When people ask me why we should warm up, the analogy I usually use is:

“Well, you wouldn’t just start your car, floor it, and speed out the driveway right?”

Even though some of you crazy Arizona drivers may have answered yes to that question, you get the point.  A comprehensive and progressive warmup routine is crucial….here’s part 1 of mine. 

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Re-Thinking The Squat: 4 Biggest Squat Myths

HAPPY #SQUATOBER everyone!….

The squat has been, and remains one of the most popular exercises the strength training.  While it is certainly a great exercise with tremendous benefits, there a lot of misconceptions out there about the squat. I think the squat is misunderstood 

Well today, my mission is to clear up some of those misconceptions and help give you a better understanding, of what the squat actually is.

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Why You Should Be Training Your Hamstrings and my 4 Top Exercises

Training for hamstring strength is like having car insurance….You don’t really see it every day, and you probably under appreciate it…but boy is it good to have when you need it. The hamstrings play a HUGE roll in overall function and injury prevention.  They are often forgotten in favor of the more visible quads and glutes.  Last year, in the EPL (the top soccer league in the world),  there were over 150 hamstring injuries alone!  

Unfortunately,  most people’s definition of hamstring training is lying down and cranking out 15 reps on the leg curl machine.  That simply doesn’t cut it. Today, I’m going to tell you why training your hamstrings is important, and my top 4 exercises to get you started!

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3 Strategies to Help You Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

As those of you who follow me on social media know, I recently went on an expedition to a part of the country I had never been before.  I was fortunate enough to see things that I had only seen in National Geographic magazines.  Growing up in the city, with a family that rarely traveled, this trip was squarely outside my comfort zone.  In fact, expanding my comfort zone, was the main reason for going on this trip.

But it wasn’t always like that for me.  Like many of you, I was firmly entrenched in box that I created for myself . These boxes can be extremely limiting.  We have to realize that nothing great was ever accomplished in a comfort zone. But to really step outside your comfort zone It takes intent and practice.  Today, I want to share some strategies to help you step outside your comfort zone and start living life with purpose!

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5 Ways to Train Like an Athlete

For me, one of the hardest transitions in my life was going from competing in sports everyday, to just being a regular Joe schmo.  Being an athlete is not only an identity, it truly is a lifestyle.  But why does that lifestyle have to end when you stop playing sports at a high level?

For the rest of our lives we are all athletes.  Things like chasing after our kids, or moving furniture, all take some level of athleticism.  To stay athletic, you have to train like an athlete.  Today, we are covering 5 ways you can be train like an athlete for life! 

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