The Value of the Hip Snatch: Building Strong Third Pull Mechanics and a Solid Receiving Position
In Olympic weightlifting, few things separate beginner lifters from advanced lifters more than the quality of their third pull and the strength of their receiving position.
It’s not enough to simply "catch" the bar overhead — elite performance demands that athletes aggressively pull themselves under the bar and stabilize into a tensed, strong bottom position.
One of the best tools to develop these crucial qualities is the Hip Snatch.
Understanding CRAC Stretching in Mobility+ Programming: Why It Works and How to Apply It
With Mobility+, our mission is to help you not just move better, but move stronger. One of the cornerstone methods we use to improve flexibility, mobility, and joint resilience is the CRAC method — Contract-Relax-Agonist-Contract stretching.
This technique is simple in concept but incredibly powerful in practice, and today, we’ll break down why it works so well, the science behind it, and how we apply it in our Mobility+ sessions.
Fitness Racing and CrossFit: A Powerful Complement, Not a Clone
At Synergy Strength, we’re proud to build athletes who are strong, capable, and resilient across all areas of fitness. As part of that mission, we offer both CrossFit and Fitness Racing classes—two distinct but complementary approaches to developing full-body fitness.
While they share some surface similarities—functional movements, high intensity, and a community-driven atmosphere—CrossFit and Fitness Racing are fundamentally different in purpose and structure.
One is a comprehensive sport.
The other is a specific and valuable training stimulus.
And together, they make athletes better.
The Importance of Creatine: From Strength to Cognitive Support
Creatine is one of the most widely studied and effective dietary supplements available today, particularly for improving strength, increasing lean muscle mass, and enhancing high-intensity exercise performance. But its impact goes far beyond the gym floor. Over the past two decades, new research has uncovered a host of additional benefits—from supporting brain health and cognition to improving bone density and even protecting against neurological diseases.
This article explores the deep pool of evidence supporting creatine's benefits for both physical and mental performance and shines a spotlight on why it’s no longer just a “bodybuilder’s supplement.”
Contract-Relax Stretching: Why We Use It in Mobility+
Mobility is more than just being flexible — it’s about owning your range of motion with strength and control. In our Mobility+ program at Synergy Strength, we prioritize methods that go beyond basic stretching to create real, usable mobility. One of the most powerful tools in that toolbox is contract-relax stretching.
Let’s break down what it is, why it works so well, and how it adds another level to your performance and longevity in training.
Scapulohumeral Rhythm: Understanding Shoulder Mechanics Under Load
The shoulder is the most mobile joint complex in the human body. Its ability to move freely in multiple planes is what enables pressing, pulling, reaching, and throwing—but this mobility demands finely tuned coordination between several anatomical structures. One of the most critical—and often underappreciated—of these is the scapulothoracic articulation.
When we talk about overhead pressing, benching, or any loaded upper-body movement, we must understand a key principle: scapulohumeral rhythm. This concept describes how the scapula and humerus work in concert, alongside the thorax, to create full, functional shoulder elevation. Without this rhythm, movement becomes dysfunctional, compensation increases, and injury risk skyrockets.
Aerobic Capacity vs. Aerobic Power: Understanding the Difference and How to Train Each Effectively
In the world of fitness, endurance sports, and hybrid competitions like functional fitness races, two terms often get thrown around when we talk about "cardio": aerobic capacity and aerobic power.
While they’re both part of the aerobic energy system, they’re not the same thing—and understanding the distinction is crucial for athletes and coaches who want to train smarter, not just harder.
This article will break down what the aerobic system is, define the differences between capacity and power, and provide sample workouts and time domains to help you program and train more effectively.