Post 2: Beyond the Barbell

Think smelling salts are only for guys in 7mm knee sleeves? Think again. While the powerlifting community is the home of the "Smack," athletes across all disciplines are finding that a quick hit of ammonia is the ultimate performance hack.

• Hockey & Football: Look at the benches of any pro game. Players use salts to stay sharp during the third period or the fourth quarter when fatigue sets in.

• CrossFit: When you’re mid-WOD and your brain is telling you to quit, the sensory shock of a smelling salt can snap you back into the zone.

• Combat Sports: BJJ and MMA athletes use them to heighten awareness and "wake up" the central nervous system before stepping onto the mats.

If your sport requires a 0-to-100 explosion of energy, you belong on the Beast Coast.