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We're excited to welcome retired MLB pitcher and outfielder Rick Ankiel to this week's podcast. Rick's incredible story has been the feature of multiple documentaries, and he has some awesome insights to share for players, coaches, and parents. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Marc Pro. Head to www.MarcPro.com and enter the coupon code CRESSEY at checkout to receive 10% off on your order.
Show Outline
- What Rick’s experience was like as he battled command issues as a young pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
- What the initial stages of Rick’s mental struggles as a pitcher were
- How Rick made his comeback from the yips as a pitcher in 2005, and what strategies and routines he implemented that were most impactful for his consistency on the mound
- How identifying what variables he could and couldn’t control and keeping baseball simple helped Rick find mental stability as a player
- How organizations are evolving in how they prepare their young draft picks to be successful baseball stars of the future
- What the mental concerns are for young stars as they ascend to the big league stage
- Why players need to establish their circle of trust to be successful in professional baseball, and what strategies young players can implement to find security in their early career
- What Rick’s advice is for the young draft picks and prospects
- How the obsessive pursuit of excellence in baseball leads players to being consumed by their shortcomings and defined by their career on the field
- How a player’s reluctance to care can be a defining factor of their likelihood to succumb to the mental dilemmas like the yips
- What the biggest misconception about the yips is
- How coaches and teammates of a struggling athlete can work to better identify those who need help and implement steps to make a real difference
- How being genuine with ballplayers and asking “What can I do to help you?” can start a powerful conversation towards aiding in someone’s mental state
- What was the difference for Rick was in preparing for games as a pitcher and a hitter
- How Rick approached his throwing program as he transitioned from being pitcher to an outfielder
- What the biggest adjustment Rick had to make as he has transitioned to a career in broadcasting
You can follow Rick on Twitter at @TheeRickAnkiel and on Instagram at @TheeRickAnkiel. And, be sure to check out his awesome book, The Phenomenon.
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Marc Pro, a cutting-edge EMS device that uses patented technology to create non-fatiguing muscle activation. Muscle activation with Marc Pro facilitates each stage of the body’s natural recovery process- similar to active recovery, but without the extra effort and muscle fatigue. Athletes can use it for as long as they need to ensure a more full and quick recovery in between training or games. With its portability and ease of use, players can use Marc Pro while traveling between games or while relaxing at home. Players and trainers from every MLB team - including over 200 pro pitchers - use Marc Pro. Put Marc Pro to the test for yourself with their new "Try Before you Buy" program, and use promo code CRESSEY at checkout at www.MarcPro.com for 10% off on your order.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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We're excited to welcome Cressey Sports Performance - Massachusetts strength and conditioning coach and associated pitching coordinator Kyle Driscoll to this week's podcast. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 20-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.
Show Outline
- How the CSP staff onboarded and assessed each college athlete for the Elite College Development Program
- What specific strategies Kyle used to assess the pitchers in the program, including subjective evaluations and the use of technology like Rapsodo and high-speed camera
- Why evaluating each pitcher’s routine is key component of an initial assessment
- How understanding exactly where a pitcher is on day one allowed Kyle to structure realistic, obtainable goals for each player to achieve over the 10 week program
- What the most surprising lessons Kyle took away from initial evaluations of the college summer program were
- What goes into matching up throwing partners
- What Kyle’s approach was for designing each athlete’s throwing program and why he made sure to teach them how to effectively program for themselves following their experience at CSP
- How the synergy of CSP works to consolidate stress in the college summer program and how Kyle specifically programs throwing alongside the strength and conditioning component
- What specific positions Kyle looks for pitchers to hit in their throwing delivery – and how they can reinforce these positions in the weight room
- Why Kyle emphasizes certain positions early in the delivery so quality movement is persevered as the throwing motion becomes faster down the chain
- What specific pitch design and velocity changes individuals made over the summer
- What the most influential takeaways for the pitchers that attended the Elite College Development Program and how these takeaways stretch far beyond mechanical adjustments
You can follow Kyle on Twitter at @kdrisc35 and on Instagram at @bigdriskk.
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. It’s a NSF certified all-in-one superfood supplement with 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s nutrition needs across 5 critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. Head to www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 20 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - with your first purchase. I use this product daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I'd encourage you to give it a shot, too - especially with this great offer.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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We're excited to welcome highly regarded pitching consultant Alan Jaeger to this week's podcast to discuss long toss and both performance and rehabilitation throwing programs. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 20-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.
Show Outline
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. It’s an all-in-one superfood supplement with 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s nutrition needs across 5 critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. Head to www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 20 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - with your first purchase. I use this product daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I'd encourage you to give it a shot, too - especially with this great offer.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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Episode 25 of the podcast features a collaborative effort between Cressey Sports Performance - Massachusetts Director of Performance John O'Neil and me. We go in-depth on the topic of planning out an effective baseball offseason for high school, college, and professional players. This week's episode is brought to you by Joovv Red Light Therapy. The research on the wide-ranging health benefits of red light therapy are compelling, and Joovv is at the forefront of delivering this technology to improve your health and performance. Head to www.Joovv.com/eric and enter coupon code CRESSEY to get a special gift with your purchase.
Show Outline
- How John and Eric model their training programs to optimize an individual’s off-season
- What John’s off-season training priorities are when working with high school, college, and professional athletes
- How having a single sport high school athlete impacts off-season training
- What factors high school ball players should consider when deciding to play fall ball
- Why consistency is the most important aspect of a training program and how John emphasizes this message to his youth athletes
- Why health and performance are not mutually exclusive in the world of performance enhancement
- How coaches can find success with athletes by identifying the duration of time they have them, honing in on low-hanging fruit in their development, and working backward to drive favorable changes in their abilities
- What training qualities John focuses on developing early in an individual’s offseason and how these strategies are progressed as an athlete transitions to being in-season
- Why building a robust aerobic base is of high priority early in the off-season and how this idea transforms into more power related development as the off-season progresses
- How John conceptualizes his sprint progressions for athletes
- Why off-season training slowly builds athletes to move more explosively as they approach the season and how John specifically translates general motor potential into skill specific activity
- What a typical professional off-season training program looks like
- How John and Eric model off-season training programs around throwing programs to make sure their baseball players are prepared for all facets of their sport
You can follow John on Instagram at @oneilstrength and Twitter at @oneilstrength, and reach out to us at cspmass@gmail.com for offseason training inquiries.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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We're excited to welcome Philadelphia Phillies First Baseman Logan Morrison to this week's podcast. This week's episode is brought to you by Joovv Red Light Therapy. The research on the wide-ranging health benefits of red light therapy are compelling, and Joovv is at the forefront of delivering this technology to improve your health and perforance. Head to www.Joovv.com/eric and enter coupon code CRESSEY to get a special gift with your purchase.
Show Outline
- How baseball has changed since Logan was acquired as a draft and follow in 2005
- What the biggest differences from level to level are in pro baseball
- How the way evaluating players has transformed from merely getting on base to how much a hitter produces at the plate as organizations begin to value metrics like OPS+ over batting average
- How Logan’s approach at the plate has evolved over the years
- How has the increased use of data, analytics, and technology impacted Logan’s career
- Why Logan has adopted a short memory to survive in the world of baseball and how he has learned to manage his desire to avoid complacency
- How Logan has learned to read pitchers and recognize common tendencies that tip pitches to opposing hitters
- How training to be durable in the off-season and simplifying his process at the plate allowed Logan to have a breakout 2017
- Why Logan doesn’t take batting practice on field before games and instead chooses to lighten his workload in the cages to stay quick and fresh for the swings that matter
- What lessons Logan learned from Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez and MVPs Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich
- How differentiating when to be analytical and when to compete have impacted Logan’s career as a hitter
- What strategies coaches can implement to be more impactful for their players
- What coaching cues and minute details Logan has focused on in his swing to become a more consistent hitter
- How Logan’s father influenced his early development and love for the game of baseball and what lessons Logan would pass on to his son if he wanted to pursue a career in professional baseball
- How social media has impacted Logan’s career
You can follow Logan on Instagram at @lomogram.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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We're excited to welcome Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Soroka to the podcast. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Lumberlend. Head to www.Lumberlend.com and enter the coupon code CRESSEY to get 10% off on your order as you customize a bat mug today.
Show Outline
- How growing up playing baseball in Canada influenced Mike’s early career
- How playing for the Canadian national team as a teenager allowed Mike to compete against the best and learn to fail forward at a young age
- How Mike transformed from a lanky 6-2, 140-pound high school ball player to one of the youngest players in the big leagues
- What has led Mike to his unique pitching delivery and what positions he prioritizes feeling throughout his throwing motion to remain consistent while still preserving his deception on the mound
- How Mike differentiates his two-seam and four-seam fastball
- How Mike learned to spin and manipulate the movement of a baseball by playing with a Wiffle Ball as a kid
- What key skills and major adjustments helped Mike progress through the minors quickly
- How learning to command the zone, specifically in different counts, has given Mike an edge in pro ball
- How having a true grasp of reality and embracing a growth mindset have allowed Mike to shape his mentality to be a mature and successful young pitcher
- Why making mental adjustments are just as influential as making mechanical adjustments when working to be consistently successful, and how learning to make adjustments on the fly have given Mike an advantage
- How Mike’s curiosity for answers and appreciation for details have allowed him to master the intricacies of the game of baseball
- How Mike structures his throwing and training programs on a 5-day rotation, and how he takes advantage of the high-low model to manage stress throughout the season
- What Mike’s schedule is on game day
You can follow Mike on Instagram at @mikesoroka_ and on Twitter at @mike_soroka28.
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Lumberlend Co. If you're looking for a unique gift for a baseball fan in your life, you'll definitely want to check this out: they've hollowed out the bat barrel and created a cool drinking mug. You can customize these with colors, names, logos, and photographs. They're also an officially licensed MLBPA product, so you can get your favorite teams and players incorporated into the designs. I've used these as gifts with great feedback, so I'm confident you'd experience the same. Just head to Lumberlend.com and enter the coupon code CRESSEY to get 10% off as you design yours today.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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We're excited to welcome Chicago Cubs reliever Brandon Kintzler to this week's podcast. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 20-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.
Show Outline
- How Brandon progressed from being a two-time 40th round draft pick out of Dixie State University to an MLB All-Star (while being released and going to Independent ball along the way)
- How training to be healthy and durable allowed him to become a student of the game, recover from his injuries, and find success in pro ball
- How Brandon has learned to effectively throw a sinker
- Why having good direction in your delivery and mastering your lower half mechanics is essential to be able to stay behind the baseball, create late arm speed, and power through a two-seam fastball
- Why Brandon chooses to stick to his strengths and hold firm in his belief in the effectiveness of his two-seam even while so many MLB pitchers shift toward 4-seamers
- How Brandon’s velocity has steadily increased since coming back from injury and why he chooses to live in his sweet spot for velocity rather than throwing as hard as he possibly can
- Why Brandon is throwing more off-speed pitches in recent years and how simplifying his mechanics have allowed him to have more consistent, repeatable stuff
- Why Brandon struggled in the 2018 season and how straying from his game plan to chase more strikeouts turned out to be detrimental to his game
- Where Brandon is most misunderstood by the public and why he has chosen to spend his energy being his genuine self rather than worrying about his image portrayed by the media
- How beating Steve Cishek in a round of golf has led to a hilarious prank war between the two teammates
- How Brandon has developed a relationship with Cy Young Award winner, Max Scherzer, and how the two challenge each other to be better pitchers year in and year out
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. It’s an all-in-one superfood supplement with 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s nutrition needs across 5 critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. Head to www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 20 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - with your first purchase. I use this product daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I'd encourage you to give it a shot, too - especially with this great offer.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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We're excited to welcome Oakland A's reliever Blake Treinen to this week's podcast. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 20-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.
Show Outline
- How Blake began his baseball career at a small NAIA college in Kansas and why he chose to leave to attempt to walk on at a Division 1 program
- Why Blake was forced to take a year off from baseball and what lessons he learned from taking the time to step away from the game to train and
- How Blake’s time away from organized baseball allowed him to add much needed size, prioritize learning to throw with intent, and understand his optimal mechanics on a trial and error basis
- What lead Blake to walk on at South Dakota State University and how he progressed to MLB draft prospect throwing a mid-90s fastball
- How Blake’s faith in God has propelled him to the success he has had in baseball and been a vital key to his success through the tribulations of his career
- How being passed up by the Miami Marlins turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Blake and how he ended being drafted by the Oakland A’s the following year
- What cues Blake has adopted to reinforce his consistent, effortless mechanics and how has learned to master creating late arm speed
- How training at CSP helped and training functional exercise/core exercise helped Treinen become a more effortless, compact pitcher
- How Blake approaches pitch design and developing various pitches
- How Blake developed a cutter and the work that went in to trusting to us it in game
- How Blake developed a one seam and how future sinker ballers can find success
- How the evolution of the cutter has transformed the way current pitchers are attacking the launch angle evolution and attacking hitters inside
- What the hardest adjustments were for Blake as he transitioned from starter to reliever
- How Blake structures his daily throwing routine
- How Blake mentally prepares for each outing
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. It’s an all-in-one superfood supplement with 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s nutrition needs across 5 critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. Head to www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 20 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - with your first purchase. I use this product daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I'd encourage you to give it a shot, too - especially with this great offer.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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We're excited to welcome St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas to the podcast for Episode #13. A special thanks goes out to this show's sponsor, Versaclimber. It's my absolute favorite conditioning option, and they've got a great 10% off offer going for our podcast listeners at http://www.Versaclimber.com/Cressey.
Show Outline
- Why Miles decided to stay close to home and attend Division 2 powerhouse Nova Southeastern in FL
- How adding weight, gaining strength in the right places, and improving body awareness while in college allowed Miles to make a velocity jump and become an MLB draft pick
- How Miles quickly ascended through the minor leagues, but realized the consistency needed to be a mainstay in MLB
- How he worked to become a more consistent pitcher in all facets of his game as a result
- How Miles transitioned from a reliever to a starter
- Why Miles added a slider to his pitch arsenal as a starter and how this shorter, harder breaking ball complements his big, loopy curveball to challenge hitters in a different dimension
- Why Miles chose to bet on himself and leave MLB after the 2014 season to play in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan
- How being exposed to the Japanese style of baseball taught Miles many invaluable lessons
- How Miles refined his arm action in 2015 to 2016 to take unnecessary stress off his arm
- Why Miles values first pitch strikes and works to play the percentages to efficiently get hitters out
- How Miles models his throwing and lifting program in season on a 5-day rotation
- What it is like for Miles to pitch to one of the greatest catchers of all-time, Yadier Molina, and what young catchers can take away from this legend’s unbelievable knowledge and skill set
You can follow Miles on Instagram at @magic_mikolas39 and Twitter at @lastoneformiles.
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Versaclimber. In addition to being a phenomenal option for training all across the energy systems continuum, the Versaclimber exposes individuals to important fundamental movement patterns: scapular upward rotation, hip extension, and a synced-up crawling pattern. It's also non-impact, and can therefore be used with a wider variety of clients than other conditioning modalities. They've set up a great discount of 10% for our listeners; you can learn more at http://www.Versaclimber.com/Cressey.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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We're excited to welcome Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Richard Bleier to the podcast for Episode #11. A special thanks goes out to this show's sponsor, Pedestal Footwear. Head to http://www.PedestalFootwear.com and enter the coupon code EC20 and you'll receive a 20% off on your order.
Show Outline
- How Richard’s complacency in high school limited his growth as a ballplayer and how his experience at Florida Gulf Coast provided the discipline he needed to arrive at purposeful development
- How Richard remained patient and persevered through an extensive minor league career
- What transformed Richard from a career minor leaguer to one of best statistical pitchers to ever toe a big league rubber
- Why Richard moved away from relying so heavily on his fastball and how mixing his pitches to include more changeups allowed him to become a more consistent and effective pitcher
- How commanding the inner half of the plate revolutionized the way Richard attacks hitters and how this led to the development of his cutter
- How Richard extracts value from analytical information on hitters while still playing to his strengths to create a plan that inspires confidence against the best hitters in baseball
- Why Richard considers himself the most unlikely big leaguer of all time
- What characteristics in coaches have helped and hindered Richard’s development throughout his career
- How Richard’s parents have proven to be his most supportive (and embarrassing) fans as he reflects on the best moments of his minor league career
- How Richard strained his lat in 2018 and how he worked diligently and intelligently to rehab from this injury successfully
You can follow Richard on Instagram at @RichardBleier.
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Pedestal Footwear. As featured in Men's Health, Women's Health, Hufffington Post, and MSNBC - and trusted by the top strength coaches in the world - Pedestal Footwear is on a mission to get athletes out of traditional sneakers and into Pedestals to help mitigate injury and improve performance. They're durable enough to handle all of your training needs; I LOVE them for deadlifting because they keep me in contact with the ground and have a patented grip design for added traction. They're made in the USA and can fit in your pocket. Pedestal also offers cool customization and wholesale options. If you head to www.PedestalFootwear.com and enter the coupon code EC20 at checkout, you'll get 20% off on your order.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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LEARN
HOW TO
DEADLIFT
- Avoid the most common deadlifting mistakes
- 9 - minute instructional video
- 3 part follow up series
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