Blog - Cast Iron Strength

04 Jan

New year, New Goals. 2017 – Resolutions

January 4, 2017
Posted by Marc Keys
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2016 for me was a great year, lots of famous people I never met or whom never affected my life in any tangible manner died from drug abuse or old age. The presenter of...

16 Nov

Learning, Opinion, Powerlfiting, Rugby, Strength and Conditioning

The difference between knowledge and performance – Let’s talk about what it actually takes to become a better lifter.

November 16, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Becoming Elite, Coaching, Feedback, mastering powerlifting, Mastering Weightlifting, Mastery, Performance, Powerlifting, weightlifting
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The majority of this article is inspired by the frankly excellent book Peak by Anders Ericsson whose body of work is in skill learning and the achievement of expert status or mastery. A lot...

27 Oct

Athlete Advice, Powerlifting, Programme, Resoloutions, Strength and Conditioning, Uncategorized

How to be a better strength athlete. Powerlifting Advice that will never get old.

October 27, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Adivce, Attitude, Powerlifting, Professional, Psycology
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Apologies for not writing to this blog for a while I have been somewhat snowed under with other time commitments since pre-season hit in July of 2016. Now the dust is starting to settle...

27 Aug

Powerlifting, Powerlifting Technique, Research, Strength and Conditioning, Weightlfting, Worlds Strongest Man

New Fads and Fashions in Strength Training that can get fucked.

August 27, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Coaching, cross fit, Getting Stronger, Humour, olympic lifting, Opinion, Powerlifting, Strength Training, weightlfiting
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1 The intellectual meathead.Lifting is a verb and verbs by definition are doing words, Rene Descartes is famous for his quote “I think therefore I am” which in a philosophy is a perfectly valid...

18 Aug

Conditioning, Strength and Conditioning

How to be an awesome intern – things you should do if you want to stand out as a strength and conditioning intern.

August 18, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Conditioning, How to be a strength and conditioning coach, how to find an internship, Internships, Professional Sport, sports science carrer, strength, Strength and conditioning
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Strength and conditioning is busting at the seams with people in their early 20s who have come out of some degree programme but haven’t seen the inside of a gym or sports performance facility. ...

13 Jun

Strength and Conditioning, Strength and Conditioning Research, Uncategorized

Strength and Conditioning Research the TL;DR Version – June 2016

June 13, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Conditioning, Cricket, Getting bigger, getting faster, Getting Stronger, Muscle Density, speed training, Sports Training, Strength and conditioning
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Does getting stronger make soccer players faster?William Styles et al looked at the effect of 6 weeks of strength training utilising the squat exercise (2x per week utilising 80-95% RM) had on 5,10 and...

08 Jun

Powerlifting, Powerlifting Technique

The 5 biggest mistakes Powerlifters make come meet day

June 8, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Bench Press, Cutting Weight, Deadlift, first powerlifting compeition, GBPF, getting ready for a powerlifting comp, How to cut weight for powerlifting comp, how to prepare for a meet, IPF, making weight., Powerlifting compeition, Powerlifting Meet, Powerlifting Meet Nutrition, squat
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I've done a lot of competitions in my time but I was out of competitive lifting for a couple of years between 2013-2015 due to a combination of injury and training back up to...

31 May

Bench, Bench Press, Bench Press Programmes

Solving Poor Lock out in the Bench Press – Part one getting swole.

May 31, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Bench Press, close grip bench press, getting a better bench press, how to get better lock out, Lock out, Powerlifting
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Most people find that when they fail in the bench press that they will fail about half ways up or just towards lock out as the load goes from the chest and lats transferring...

21 May

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Journals, Systematic review

Strength and Conditioning Research the TL;DR Version – May 2016

May 21, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
journal of, Journal of strength and conditioning, Strength and conditioning
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TL;DRChain deadlift is lighter at the bottom and heavier at the top and heavier loads lead to greater muscle activation... thanks science. The trap bar high be better for athletes as it shows...

11 May

Powerlifting, Powerlifting Technique, Programme, Technique, Training Attitude, Training Specifcity

Deliberate practice for powerlifting – Why just showing up is not nearly enough.

May 11, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Bench, Deadlift, Deliberate Practice, Getting better as a powerlifter, How to Powerlift, how to up your total, mastering powerlifting, Powerlifting, Programming, squat, Training
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TAKE AWAY ITEMS Never rest on your laurels improve in every aspect of your lifting. Be exacting on yourself high standards are essential. Always seek feedback subjective, objective, video, lifting partners and coaches. Have...

04 May

Environment, Powerlifting, Strength and Conditioning Research, Strength Sports, Strength training, Train, Training Attitude

What makes a great training environment? 4 Factors you should consider closely when you are putting together a training session.

May 4, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
atmosphere, Environment, Gym, gym vibe, session, Set up, setting up a gym, strength
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There are lots of gyms around the world tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands yet there aren’t many great gyms in the world or places with a great atmosphere. I’ve been in...

22 Apr

Deadlift, Operation 700

Operation 700 – Blog update 4 – Maintaining Momentum and Listening to your own advice

April 22, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Blog, Deadlift, failure, Fitness, generating momentum, learning from failure, maintaining momentum, Operation 700, Powerlifting, success, training log
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It is the end of week 11 of operation 700 and I have made a power of progress that much is undeniable however it never ceases to amaze me how little you realise how...

18 Apr

Fitness, Novice, Powerlfiting, Powerlifting, Programme

Learning when to push through and when to pull back as a self coached lifter.

April 18, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Adapting a programme, Bench Press, Deadlift, Getting Stronger, making a programme easier, making a programme harder, Powerlifting, Programming, squat, strength, Strength Training
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I’m what you might refer to as a self made man in the gym pretty much for 90% of my 12 year lifting life I have written my own programmes and devised my own...

13 Apr

Interesting Snippets of Strength and conditioning research, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Journals, Strength and Conditioning Research, Systematic review, Uncategorized

Strength and Conditioning Research the TL;DR Version – April 2016

April 13, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Banded Squat, Bench Throw, Functional Movement Screening, High intensity training, Kiser, Pneumatic strength training, Recovery from Exercise, research, Rugby Players, Tennis, Upperbody power, westside
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The Reliability of Functional Movement Screening and In-Season Changes in Physical Function and Performance Among Elite Rugby League Players Waldron et al looked at the correlation between the functional moment screening tests (12 in total)...

06 Apr

Operation 700

Operation 700 – Blog update 3 – Putting 300 to bed and the value of goal setting

April 6, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
320 kg deadlift, Deadlift, how to deadlift 700, Operation 700, Powerlifting, Programming, Strength Training
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So when I last updated this blog series I was heading down to London for the first time using the ironically titled Gold service down to London offered by megabus. Since then I have...

03 Apr

General Advice, General Training, Opinion, Uncategorized

How to lift weights and not be a bellend. 7 Steps to being a better gym user.

April 4, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Advice, Gym, Opinion, Satire
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TL;DR - This post is highly opinionated and contains naughty words. If you have a tendency to take things personally or don't want to have your exercise views challenged please click the back button.Lifting...

23 Mar

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Science, Sports Science, Strength and Conditioning Research, Uncategorized

Strength and Conditioning Research the TL;DR Version – March 2016

March 23, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
best way to programme for sports, best way to programme speed, Daily undulating perodisation, DUP, Endurance, sled sprinting, speed training, sports specific training, strength
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If you train both fitness and strength for either sport or your own enjoyment and want optimal adaptation than it may be wise to alternate fitness and strength based days in your programme. If strength...

15 Mar

Coaching, Training Attitude, Training Rant introduction.

5 Reasons your “coach” is nothing more than a deadbeat.

March 15, 2016
Posted by Marc Keys
Coaching, Personal Training, Rant, Strength and conditioning, Thought, Training
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1 - They got their weekend certification 2 weeks ago. Personal training and to a lesser but saddeningly increasing degree "strength and conditioning" are industries and not professions (I have Ashley Jones to thank for...