Athletic Lab

05/21/2026

Congratulations to the latest Athletic Lab Coaching Academy CHPC Level 1 graduates.

Athletic Lab Coaching Academy CHPC Level 1 held in São Paulo, Brazil. The course marked the 4th in-person course of 2026

05/14/2026

Memorial Day is coming up. Check out our special schedule for the holiday.

In observance of Memorial Day, Athletic Lab will have a modified class schedule on Monday May 25th, 2026.

05/12/2026

Athletic Lab's Mike Young provided a 4 day CHPC Level 1 and 2 Course for Athletic Lab Coaching Academy in Istanbul, Turkey.

Learn more about how coaches who attended the Athletic Lab Academy CHPC in Istanbul elevated their sports performance knowledge.

05/11/2026

Have you ever wanted to do a handstand or muscle up? We can help. Join us for a special gymnastics skills workshop on May 24th.

Join the athletic lab gymnastics workshop to enhance your skills and learn from experts in the field.

05/10/2026

Congrats to Angelo Oclese our May Member of the Month:

Meet the Athletic Lab member of the month for May: Angelo Olcese

04/19/2026

Athletic Lab's Mike Young provides workshop for NSCA North Carolina State Clinic. This marks the second consecutive year an Athletic Lab staff member has been an invited guest to present at the state's top clinic (Craig Kleinberg - 2025). Young previously presented at the state clinic in 2017 and has presented at NSCA national events 4 times.

Athletic Lab's Mike Young presented on agility at the 2026 NSCA North Carolina State clinic in Wilmington.

04/09/2026

Athletic Lab's Mike Young provides 3 part lecture series for Quadro Athletics in advance of an Athletic Lab Coaching Academy Certified High Performance Coach Level 1 & 2 course in Istanbul April 30-May 3.

Discover the Mike Young webinar series Turkey, a unique opportunity to gain knowledge from expert speakers and grow your skills.

04/01/2026

Thank you to all who assisted or competed in our March Madness weightlifting meet.

And special thanks for our sponsors:
919Spine
Output Sports
Sorinex Exercise Equipment
TeamBuildr
VALD Performance
WCC Cafe by Tribeca
Wooten Agency
Restore Hyper Wellness
The Athlete's Archive

Explore the highlights of March Madness weightlifting, featuring 69 athletes and thrilling competitions throughout the day.

03/01/2026

“Got so many W’s it looks like a dot com.”

Our coaches have trained professional athletes in the NFL, CFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, NHL, NWSL, and PGA. These same coaches train high school athletes, and fitness enthusiasts just looking to live their best life.

The Athletic Lab model treats everyone as a high performing human, whether that performance is on the world stage, on a high school field, at a weekend 5k for charity or a morning walk through the neighborhood.

You’d think the pros get the most complex, extensive, fancy training. But in reality the training starts out pretty much the same for everyone’s goals. We then use the principles scaling exercises and training loads to meet the individual needs of our members.

Ready to train where the pros train? We can’t wait to meet you! ❤️💙

02/28/2026

You might have seen people around the Lab doing weighted pull-ups, or even had them suggested as a progression or RX+ in a class. But when are you really ready to advance to a weighted pull-up?

The answer can vary based on who you talk to but a good, safe starting place is when you can perform 10-15 strict bodyweight pull-ups. Additionally it’s recommended you have demonstrated good scapular control, a controlled eccentric (lowering) phase during bodyweight pull-ups, and overall no significant pain during the movement.

If programming loads at lower reps, targeting more maximal strength adaptations, you may want to add weight sooner than doing achieving 15 reps at bodyweight. Healthy shoulders and movement control should remain a common denominator.

Lastly, for those of you using bands for assisted pull-ups wondering “I can’t even do one bodyweight squat when will I ever get to do weighted pull-ups?!” If you’re wanting to do “heavier assisted pull-ups” to target a lower rep range, try swapping for a lighter band (less assistance) and it will be very similar to adding a weight plate or dumbbell to a bodyweight pull-up.

Remember: movement standards of full arm extension to chin above the bar are still required for weighted pull-ups. Always complete the rep in full ROM unless advised otherwise by a coach!

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