The twisted views and life lessons of a gym rat and fitness professional 2010.

As I sit here and ponder daily the many issues that have crossed my plate over the past few months, the past year, and decades that I have spent in the gym as a coach, athlete, mentor and student, I thought it might be fun to write down just a few of the lessons learned. Lessons many coaches, athletes, training partners and facility owners miss the boat on. This is by no means a list that’s has any rhyme or reason to it. It has no order of importance or chronology. It is not all inclusive, and certainly just because I write more on one part doesn’t mean it’s more important of a point, some things are better left unsaid or in minimal. These are just a few things I have seen, and dealt with close enough in the past year that they stick in my head now at this moment as I go to peck this out.


Live life to the beat of your own drum.


























Yes we should all use and borrow the footsteps of others to guide us. There is not much that hasn’t been done, but only the path of those who trekked the journey you are meant to before you. Dont get side tracked down trials meant for others. Walk in the footsteps of those that have been there done that, but don’t fear or delay when it’s time for you to go on that part of the path that is all you, and you alone.

Separate is not equal

Easy enough I don’t need to explain this just read here,

Don’t judge a book by its cover.















This one is deeper than any of you might think, but oh so true on so many levels. I am not talking only about a subject I have written extensively on, that of not judging a person’s worth not by what they look like, but what they can do or have done. Though sadly like no other time in the past that’s what our sick shallow world has come to. I am talking about not judging anyone by how they look on the outside. The way they appear, or the persona they portray to the world. Sadly many times that is a false façade. This has come back to bite me more than once. A person puts out this projection to the world of being this upstanding respected person, only to find out when you dig deeper and get closer they are nothing they appear or project. Keep your doors open to new friends, relations, and mentors, but don’t judge the worth of the house by its paint job, paint can hide a lot of flaws you don’t want a part of.

Joy

Plain and simple it should be first and foremost in all you do. If you don’t enjoy what your doing stop and find something you enjoy. This means all things in life. Relationships, work, and yes training. This was a huge one for me this year on many fronts. I often do see this in training. People trudge away doing what they feel they should in fitness, usually endurance based activity, all the while hating every minute of it. It takes a level of maturity even in fitness to accept and pick what you enjoy. For me that was accepting and enjoying getting stupid strong even if that meant not being uber lean. What happened when I accepted this? I was sure not as lean as prior but for once I was happy, I was proud, I was self confident, and I find passion, progress and joy each and every time I walk in the gym to train. I am training for me, my passion, and my joy, not for what someone says I should do. Find your joy in training, find your one in life, find the things that make you tick and don’t worry so much about what others think. None of their thoughts really effect you and will all not matter one bit when you feel the joys of someone or something your truly passionate about. Start living your life by some I wants and I loves, not I should.


Perfection
















Strive for perfection but also have the maturity and humility to realize and admit you are not perfect. I started to learn this and love this in art graduate school as I worked toward and attained my masters degree in oil painting and then found it as well in training. A love for striving for perfection and an equal joy in knowing I would never reach it. No matter what in art, in training and life there is always more we can do, it’s never perfect. If it were truly perfect we might as well stop as we would never do better. There is always a better painting we can do no matter how good our last was, and there is always one more pound to add to the bar that will trump that perfect lift.

I’ll stop there. I think even those few lessons if learned and lived by all can help to form a great 2011 and life to follow. Don’t continue to miss the boat on such lessons one can learn in the gym but relate so well to the rest of life

Power Update #2

In this episode Mark and I talk Meets, Deadlift, Duct tape, big vs Fat, Chad Aichs DVD, Big squats and more.



Click Here to Listen

Christmas Eve Training

Speed box squat
135 x few
225 x few
315 x 2 x 2
365 x 2 x 2
405 x 2 x 2
465 x 2 x 2

speed DL
315 x 2 x 2
405 x 2 x 2
495 x 2 x 2
585 x 2 x 2


and a nice little holiday Message From Ginger Lady and Christmas Tree. Some of my best editorial production work yet.

Traibning Peaks and Valleys

One Can’t Live at the Summit

Upon getting to the top of one mountain, take a gaze and see what other mountains are within your reach. Just make sure to take a little break before tackling it.1

We all want to be on top of our game. Yet, no matter how much we think we can or want to be, we have to get it through our heads- WE CAN’T BE ON TOP ALL YEAR LONG!

Plain and simple, I don’t care what the fitness magazines and/or the popular media portrays. It is all lies. If you’re training hard and trying to get to the extremes in your chosen sport or profession, you cannot peak all year long. Individuals must realize that the majority of time is spent ramping up or coasting down the sides of a mountain. In between we spend a brief moment at the summit, enjoying the view.

The Journey

At times, you’re going to face hurdles, injuries, etc, during the ascent. During this time period, it may feel like each successive step is like trudging through quicksand. We all have these moments. They are something we have to accept and move past. By overcoming this difficult step, or even taking a few steps back, we can get back on our way towards whatever summit we’re striving towards. Upon reaching the summit, be sure to enjoy it. The view from the top is great. It allows us to see things we’ve never seen before… This includes summits that reach even higher than the one you currently find yourself standing on.

Take Pride but Don’t Rest on One Peak.

You have a few choices upon reaching the peak of one mountain. You can either rest on the mountain you’re on or go after the one you see in the distance. This is a simple choice. You are done if you try to live life on the memory of one crest, one trip to the top. It’s a continuing journey. We must press on to new goals. However, before you can ascend the next mountain, you must first get off the one you’re currently standing atop. This involves a journey back down into the valley for rest and recovery. This is required such that you’re physically and mentally ready to ascend the next, more challenging mountain. In other words, you must stop, step back, and reload before you can reach for those new heights.

Having the ability to accept that your trek now leads to a temporary state of being de-conditioned is key. It’s those who realize and accept this fact that climb the entire mountain range; not just one peak. They learn their mental and physical limits; when to take a step back and when to push on in their training. They are fully aware that healing, resting, and having fun at all stages of the journey, not just the summit, is key to success. This is in contrast to those who never rest in the valley. This latter group often burn hot, burn bright and burn out in a short matter of time. They never really reach what they are capable of accomplishing simply because they never taking a rest from “pressing the limits” in order to break new ground.

A Perfect Example – Elite Athletes

Athletes train months on end to peak for a single day or event. During this time, they are slowly ramping things up, taking their bodies to higher and faster extremes in order to stand at the summit. With each successive step towards the top, they add increasingly greater amounts of stress to their bodies. In return, their body physically adapts in a way that allows them take a swing at the fences for one event or season. Although these moments at the top are nice, the journey to get to that peak level of skill often leaves athletes physically and psychologically drained. Upon completion of the season/event, a period of rest and de-conditioning is needed such that they are prepared for their next trek.

The same goes for a nutrition protocol that has you reaching for extremes. The body can only take so much before it has to begin to break. You can only sport that ripped “veiny” six pack so long before you MUST, take a break. The body will limit you. You will start to lose things. Muscle mass will go, general health, cognitive function, state of well being will as well. It’s just like being obese, the body can only handle it so long before it breaks.

Remember, extreme leanness IS NOT a state of fitness or a marker of great health. One’s body cannot naturally sustain itself for extended periods of time at ultra low body fat. Again I don’t care what popular media or supplement companies portray.

Wrapping it up…

You have to take an athletic mindset to your passions, your work, and realize it has to be a labor of love. Look forward to training, to the next challenge. Take each step knowing that the way to the top is usually not a straight line. There is inevitably going to be a few plateaus or even steps backwards on your journey to the top. When these events occur, keep your focus and refuse to let your eyes drift from that final destination. Similarly the downward journey may be a quicker descent than you’d like. This is not a bad thing. Both physically and psychologically your body needs to recover as it has just been pushed to the point of breaking in order to stand at the summit. Accepting a fall to reach that next top is what separates those who will succeed from those who will continue to widdle away in mediocrity. Upon recharging the mind and body you’ll be ready for your next great ascent. I look forward to seeing you at the top.

References

1 Image taken by Rick Kimpel. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.Image accessed on Dec 23, 2010 from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/18606128@N00/181622538

Separate Is Not Equal

Do you give the same intensity that I do? In my real world, and always in my gym or fitness related world that is all that separates any of us from one another. I don’t care how many plates are on the bar. If I am pulling 800 and there is a young lad next to me trying for his first 135, If he is giving the same intensity, focus, drive and passion as me that’s all that matters, he has my respect.

There are simply too many variables to measure things any other way. Any other way would have you comparing apples to oranges. Jill may be into marathon running, Jack into highland games, Tommy is a bodybuilder, Cheryl is into Olympic weightlifting, Billy is a powerlifter and Joanne is a fitness model. Add onto that each of these people is at a different stage in their development of their respective goals. Then as well let’s say Jill had this injury, Jack was born with this defect, etc. etc. we all have our own hurdles. In the end they are all equal if they aim, shoot, strive, and pursue their passion each and every day with the same intensity as one another. (Just so it is said, to actively and purposely pursuit rest and recovery, and do so intensely, is also part of the game. Many people forget this and you are missing the boat if you don’t. Billy the powerlifter, or Jill the marathon runner may be actively sitting on their butts, eating,and getting massage for a week. That doesn’t mean they are slacking. They are making advances to their goals. Maybe Billy just got done with an intense cycle of training that saw him hit his first 500lb deadlift, and Jill just ran a 50K. Both of them need, and their bodies demand, rest and recovery to advance.)













The sad thing is you won’t see this across the board in the industry. Not from the trainees, athletes, and sadly not from all coaches and facilities. What you sadly see in most is segregation. Segregation not just among the emphasis (ie. Bodybuilder, powerlifter, thrower, crossfitter, runner etc.) but also segregation within a group by skill or strength level. You will not however see this at the facilities that are producing the most astounding results and individuals in mass numbers. The best facilities and gyms I have been in there is a collectiveness, not a segregation. The physically strong are side by side with the weak, the bodybuilder with the runner, the ying is with the yang. You all can learn, grow, and feed off one other. In my mind the perfect facility in much like the ones I trained in during my time in Thailand and much like many I have chosen to call my home since. A facility not of sheeple, not a facility where everyone is trying to fit a singular mold, or a facility of segregation and separatism, but one more akin to an ant colony. A facility full of individuals. ( ie worker, drone, gatherer, soldier, caregiver, all different but all equal) Individuals with goals as varied and wide as our own tastes and passions, and yet a facility where everyone, as long as they are striving passionately toward their own goals at bettering themselves, is held in the same regard, and is seen as someone to look up to, respect, and learn from. It breeds an atmosphere that’s has everyone excelling, everyone accepting and giving constructive criticism for further growth as well as positive praise. An atmosphere that weeds itself, those who don’t have the drive and will power to push to their goals with the same passion, or those who are full of themselves to the point of it being harmful are self weeded.

















What happens when you throw Daniel in the lion’s den? He steps up and becomes stronger than ever. The same happens to Johnny 95lb deadlift when he is thrown in, accepted as an equal, and trains side by side Jimmy 800lb deadlift and Sally 700lb squat. He gets stronger, more confident, and does so in leaps and bounds. When there is a collective nature everyone benefits. When I see an endurance athlete push themselves to their limit in search of their goal it pushes me, it pushes me as a strength athlete to keep doing the same toward my own passion even though it is far different





























In the end we have much more in common with one another than we have apart. Over my years I have lived and learned from all walks of the physical trade. I have been mentored and taught by those physically weaker and stronger than me. I have trained and excelled in facilities that’s work as a collective whole, and seen the passion, education, growth, and community it bleeds across the spectrum. As well I have been in and trained in facilities that shun and segregate those weaker or those of different sects, closing their windows and doors to further growth and seen the mediocrity they produce even among their internal elite. (think globo gym with their segregation of anyone strong enough to pick up a weight that will make a noise when its set down regardless of how much you try to lay it quietly to rest)

Those who grow and excel don’t dismiss, they accept others, others of difference and learn what they can from them, draw from them, grow form them and take what they can use. They breed a positive and proactive demeanor to all they come in contact, and surround themselves with the same. As well, the best and strongest are also the most humble of their ability. The most kind and giving. The most confident and full of pride and first in that’s self comfort to accept others even those of a different feather knowing they can help and learn from them.






















Lose the separatism, lose the chip on your shoulder, realize no matter how damn good you are there is someone better, and no matter who much different someone is or how much stronger you are than the other they just may have faced something that’s gives them the ability to help you learn and grow. Be an ant, not a sheep.

Bench training

easy day

It was a long night with a sick little girl and long day. I went in just long enough to hit an easy bench opener even though I was dead tired and elbows sore

worked up and hit an easy and long paused 380 lbs then called it and hit two sets of inverted body weight rows.

Openers are set

Monday last somewhat heavy day.

squat
just work up close to an opener and find out how the hip will react
135 x a ton
225 x some reps x some sets
275 x 1
315 x 1
365 x 1
405 x 1 easy cheesy
Ill open at 430ish and then hit 500ish and 525 none should be hard and hopefully wont hurt the hip to much. if I can get thriough the pain as well the 525 should have me rank elite on my opening deadlift even with a bum hip

Rack pull at knee
just wanted to feel 800 in my hands
405 x 1
495 x 1
585 x 1
675 x 1
756 x 1
800 x 1 easy cheesy it felt light.

few abs and back extensions

Friday and sat training getting ready for the deload and coast

Friday

I did speed squats
nothing fancy just working the squat vs bands to pretty much parallel

worked up to 405 x 2 x 8
started to hurt less and less as it went on

then speed pulls 3 inches from ground 585 x 1 x 8 vs quaded minis.

I alternated sumo and conventional none of them felt great but not horrible

some abs and hyper extensions


Saturday
just decided to push the strict press again

worked up to another new PR 280lbs thats not bad if I am able to keep this up in 280 weeks I will be strict pressing 1000lbs LOL

did a few pull ups but my elbows were light up so stopped thats after about 5 sets of 5

thats except some stretching.

I was doing some stretching and massage at home as well and has really aided the knee aches.

Adding a picture just to see how much adding this image spikes the page views when I post this on facebook. I know all your dirty bastards will follow the link to view the page when you see the thumbnail.

Chad Aichs DVD Final Review

I will keep it short and simple and use a line I use often and one Chad uses at the end of this 3 hour, 2 DVD set.

"Perfection is likely unattainable, but that doesn't mean I am not going to strive for it on every set and every rep and in everything I do"



Thats what this DVD is all about teaching people what perfection is and how to get that technique. I have some variances from what Chad does here but thats across the board in any coach we learn and borrow and find whats works for us and thiose we work with to get them into the positions we want.

Over all this is a great DVD and I love the huge stress throughout on the importance of form and that yes these moves (squat, bench and deadlift) are inherently simple, but behind the curtain there are all these little things going on and even at the highest level you have one or two ques in your mind at all times while you strive for big weights and perfection and that technique is not something learned in a weekend it's something you work on every singles session as long as you lift.

I really think you all will like this DVD when it comes out,

good work Chad on your first DVD

Chad Aichs New DVD coming up

I'm reviewing it now and will have more thoughts later but for now....

Just a few minutes into it I'm loving his stress on form and technique. That's actually what the whole first DVD is about, not making you strong but technique, technique, technique, and some stretching thats will aid that technique and let your body reach the right positions.

That Strength is good alone, technique is good alone, but neither are great stand alone, Put them together and now you got something.

I firmly beleive this and it is what has gotten me as far as I have, Just hours and hours and days of technique work and its what has lead to people telling me more than once after a big deadlift. "you just lifted more then your physically capable" and its true. I couldn't lift the loads I have unless I fine tuned and continued to fine tune exactly what I needed to technique wise and get in the correct positions for me to be my most efficient.

Bench Training Wednesday

warm up = shoulder stuff

Floor Press
bar x some
135 x some
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 1
365 x 1
405 x 1
415 x miss

CG Floor press
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5
315 x 3

incline DB Press
some x 3 sets

inverted rows
some x 6 sets

triceps work right arm
3 sets

Power Update #1

Listen to Hairy and Smelly (AKA. Phil Stevens and Mark Bell) in Power Update #1, Mark and Phil discuss current issues in powerlifting, strength training, CrossFit, etc. in the first of an informal series audio podcasts.













Just what is Mark Looking at On me???

click here to listen

GM's

some warm up crap

Spider bar GM's
135 x some
225 x somr
275 x 3
315 x 3
365 x 1
405 x 1`
455 x 1
495 x 1
545 x 1
585 x 1
635 x 1
675 x 1 epic fail I just folded and aborted see in video below

SSB Supported squat
135 x somer
225 x some
315 x 5
405 x 5

foam step ups
10 x 3 sets

GHR
x 2 sets

abs x 2 set

Iron Radio With Johnny Pain

John (pictured below) joined us to talk shop on Iron Radio.

Click the here to listen to the show



















Next week we have Jesse Burdick from Prevail Powerlifting joining us.

Benchin wednesday

shoulder warm up
various things plate halos, some rows, etc

Chest supported row,
one light set of 5 for each set of bench

Bench pres
bar x some
135 x some
185 x some
225 x some
275 x 3
315 x 3
335 x 3
365 x 3

Bench v Monster Mini bands
135 x 1
185 x 1
225 x 1
275 x 1
315 x poop
255 x 2
225 x 5

DB OH press
4 sets of some weight x some reps

Chest supported rows
4 sets some plates x some

triceps push downs
4 sets

Pull downs
few x a lot

F&%K Average

Pushing anything past that of the average will have negative impacts. Aches, pains, giving other things up to achieve that which you strive. Being the best athlete, the best artist, guitar player, or mommy & daddy. Accepting other some things will suffer is all part of not being average. Simply accept that fact first, ...who wants to be average anyway.

Average is easy and painless, its also passionless and empty.

Two Great Progress reports from clients

I had to great progress reports come in form clients that I have worked with in person and now at a distance.

First John.

His progress is good but very impressive when you consider the fact we had to not work on of his arms at all due to a jacked up shoulder we had to work around and let heal. No pressing and limited pulling with that arm

He was still able to do the following in 12 weeks

Squat from 285 max to 325 max
DL from 315 max to 365 max
Bodyweight down .4lbs
BF% down 1.2%
LBM up 2.55lbS
Waist down .5 inches
Chest up .5 inches
Shoulders up 2 inches
Thigh down .25 inches
Calf down .5 inches
Upper arm up .25 inches

I've also gotten some major thickness in my back, and veins are popping out in my shins and arms. If it wasn't for the shoulder, I'm sure I'd be doing even better.

Then we have Paul the incredible

This progress was frigging amazing to where I had to call Paul and question him.

we added nearly 85 lbs to his bench in 6 weeks and 10lbs to his deadlift and hit all his year end goals three months early.

OK, so now for the bragging. In week 5 I hit 300 on my bench...for 2! ya baby, 3 months ahead of schedule. in week 4 I hit 405 on my DL and Im repping my squats with 205. I havent tried a max on the squat yet but its no doubt up. I cant hit 15 chins yet but I hit an easy 10 strict ones and usually do my 10 sets x 5 reps now instead of 3.

My weight was 195lb, loose 36" pants, 15 1/2" arms, 48" chest. I dont really care about my weight but use it as just a barometer, however I am now 205lbs, loose 34" pants, 17" arms and 50" chest...and I feel great! Stronger than I've ever been. Oh ya, lost 2.5% more body fat. Down to 15%. This is way beyond my expectations and making me hungry for more. :)

UM are you getting that? waist down 2 inches and weight up ten lbs. Up wards of 100lbs added to big lifts in 6 weeks, inch and a half on his arms, Bodyfat % down 2.5% despite his weight going up. and no Paul is not 18 years old, he's in his 40's.

However, with all that said the best thing is..my wife. She really noticed and it turns her on! I decide one day to help her go grocery shopping before Thanksgiving, as were moving along through the grocery store, i'm pushing the cart up ahead of her (you know, trying to speed things up) and she comes up behind me and says, "Wow". Im like, "what"? she says, "man, you should see your back when your pushing that cart, you have muscles popping out all over. That's worth the price of admission right there as far as Im concerned. After 22 years, not much gets her going that I don't already know about. :) This does.

So, you want to throw caution to the wind and eat like theres no tomorrow for thanksgiving with out feeling guilty? I did. I did an A session the day before, ate like a starving Somali on Thanksgiving, did a B session the day after and lost a freaking pound. Nice.



Great work Guys and thanks for the progress reports.

ME lower Training

Zerchers
bar x some
135 x some'
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 3
365 x 1
405 x 1

sumo Rack pulls few inches below knee
405 x some
495 x few
585 x 1
675 x 1'
765 x 1
785 x 1
slow as molasses but didnt feel heavy just slow

back extensions
some x some x 3 sets

abs
some x some x 3 sets

glute bridges
some x some

rows
some

700 deficit DL from the other day

Press and Pull-Ups

Pull up ladder
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, 11, 12

strict press
bar x some
95 x some
135 x 5 x 2
185 x 5
225 x 3
245 x 1
265 x 1
270 x 1 PR
275 x 1 PR
185 x some x 2

shrugs, band push downs and band curls,
some x some x some

Speed squat and DL

man I can tell I have been lifting heavy of late things felt pretty damn slow today not heavy just slow.

pull sled x some

box jumps x some

speed squat
me x some
135 x some
225 x some
add briefs and strong bands
225 x 1
315 x 2
365 x 2 x 3 sets
385 x 1
405 x 2 x 1 set
415 x 1

never worn briefs, I tried on Jesse's old worn out briefs, they didnt give me any help I could squat right down in the with nothing on me but just gave pressure on my bad hip. did it help?? not sure but these felt ok On the hip

speed DL from a deficit
135 x 1
225 x 1
315 x 1 405 x 1
495 x 1
545 x 1 x 4
585 x 1 x 2

foam steps ups x 100 reps
1o sets of 10 reps

abs
some sets for some

How did white get so good?

As I sit here and eat white potato to cram in more caloires in a tasty way I ponder the state of white in the world.













In so many things in life white is seen a positive. White wedding dress vs black funeral dress,






























white magic vs. black magic, on and on. Even though its a touchy subject, rightly so, even skin color in our oh so recent past and sadly today for some; pale, white = good, and color, black = bad.

Yet in the food industry white vs color in reality is usually bad, and foods devoid of substance. Much akin to the two colors in the art world. How White is the lack of color and black is all color.

White bread vs your hearty whole grain bread, white potato vs a nice dark sweet tater.. HMMMM??

In the end it's just not a black and white world, food included. No color IMO in anything in life is inherently good, bad, or better than another, white for damn sure included. I know some white things, and people who I wouldn't even pee on if they were on fire.


















To have a full, fruitful, happy, and healthy life we should embrace the gamut of the color spectrum in all aspects of our life. Food, friends, family and surroundings.

I'm just a big ole white boy that's loves to lift heavy weights, and enjoy all things in life from dark green brussel sprouts, to red of blood as it trickles from the nose of a lifter during a max effort attempt, from a purple egg plant, to the golden glow and rich brown that comes from a big hunk of meat cooking over an open flame. Color is the spice and variety of life. Embrace them all and learn to see things for what they are not how they appear. Food included.

There is some interesting discussion going on about this here if you care to read it

Bench Training Wednesday

I was tired feeling ran down beat up. losing sleep and appetite so just came in and did the main move and walked away to get some extra rest.

This close to the meet I didn't want to miss out but know the extra rest will pay off.

Bench
bar x some
135 x some
225 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 3

3 Board
365 x 3
385 x 1
405 x 1
415 x 1
375 x some x 2 sets

Iron Radio With Geoff Starling

Today's Iron Radio show with Geoff Starling
Great show we talked about bouncing back from surgery.


Listen Here