Sweet Jeezus! I've had this blog post editor in front of me for about 20mins now and I've still got nothing. I did have a few scraps of ideas but by the time I got logged on, all I could think about was how many bowls of pasta and chicken I've eaten in the past 3 weeks.
I've written many times about gainning weight. I even have an article on my website. HERE
But what I'm dropping on you right now is fresh. Fresh as in, been discovered by me in the last 6 months.
1) Eating to gain weight is WAY EASIER than eating to lose fat. When eating to lose, I've never had to force feed myself bowls of rice to the point of gagging. I've never become so sick of eating that even junk food doesn't get my appetite going., Fuck... a phone call threw me off! Anyways, eating to gain weight is tough.
2) Going through "food cycles" seems to help me get through. For a while I was just raw doggin' the rice and chicken with soya sauce and hot sauce. Things started to grind to a halt. I could barely even look at a bowl of rice. Then I discovered Korean BBQ sauce. It worked wonders, I hit 5th gear again and was pounding meals like a champ. I "cycled" the Korean BBQ for about 8 weeks and then hit the wall. Can't stand it, hate the smell, the taste, the goddamn picture on the bottle.
So now I'm on a hard cycle of pasta and red sauce. It's been going down pretty good. I can even trick myself by swithcing up the shapes of the noodles. This week is bowties. Who knows until I gag at the thought of pasta.
3) Work and other isssues will try and stop you from eating. Fuck that! I take a cooler everywhere and this morning I was shoveling oatmeal into my face while training a client. You do what needs to be done. But just be aware of the pitfalls that try and take you back to skinny land.
4) I'm pretty much out of mojo now.
As always, I will attempt to spruce up my sub-par posts with entertaining videos.
I know Greg enjoys them, as I usually am greeted with a funny quote from the most recent clips.
I want to set this next one up a bit, as I've posted it on other forums and it drew some confusion. It is a parody of a Blink 182 song from a while back. It's performed by band called taintstick. Yes, I said TAINT. The members of taintstick are also the cast of the "Ellismate Show" that I enjoy listening to on Satellite radio. If you've ever followed the "Jason Ellis Show" you will thoroughly enjoy this.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Ultimate Fitness Push/Pull Meet 2009
So the 2009 version of the Ultimate Fitness Bench Press and Deadlift competition was a great success. 17 Lifters participated in the event, that was held at the Ultimate Fitness Arnprior Location.
The thing that has made the biggest impact on me is that we had 11 Ultimate Fitness members lifting in the competition. And to top it off, 8 of the 11 UF lifters were women. That's right, the ladies were out in full force. All of them for the first time in competition. Before I move onto the guys and the stats, I again just want to point out that these girls came out and didn't care whether or not they were "strong enough" for our meet or going to get beat. (which is exactly why we only had 3 guys)
Huge props to our UF ladies.
Jayne Major (Ladies Winner) 95lb bench, 225 D/L
Angie Burgess (2nd) 105 bench, 280 D/L
Tracy Alf (Tie 3rd) 120 bench, 280 D/L
Hilda Siegel (tie 3rd) 105 bench, 225 D/L
Melanie Liard 105 bench, 260 D/L
Kerri Dunsmore 85 bench, 185 D/L
Ellynne Dickson 140 bench, 175 D/L
Kirstin Martel 95 bench, 205 D/L
We had 3 UF men swing the axe on Sunday. David Droeske, Dane Blimkie and Keith Kapow. Dave and Kapowski are seasoned vets but for Dane "Vomit" Blimkie, it was the first time in a meet. The guys represented well putting up some great numbers and getting some PR's in the process. We also had 6 men visiting from outside the walls of Ultimate Fitness.
Here's how the men's side unfolded.
Raw Men
Darren Mallette (Winner) Bench 340, D/L 585
Nick Morneau (2nd) Bench 350, D/L 600
Keith Kapow (3rd) Bench 315, D/L 545
Dan MacDonald Bench 330, D/L 495
Dane Blimkie Bench 215, D/L 455
Jeremy Siegel Bench 140, D/L 235
Dave Droeske Bench 365, D/L 135
Equipped Men
Peter Wagner (winner) Bench 425, D/L 560
Scott MacDiarmid (2nd) Bench 445, D/L 455
All of the winners/placings were determined using the Wilks calculator.
Congrats to ALL the Lifters!
A Huge THANK YOU to Curd Hos, The Bench Freak at NEO-GENIXX, for sponsoring the event and providing the T-shirts and prizes. Curd also threw down a Raw double with 500lbs on the bench press. WITHOUT A WARM-UP! Rediculous.
I had a great time, thanks to all the volunteers that helped out. Shane, Brian and Sarah. (and the nameless kid we called "Florida"
The thing that has made the biggest impact on me is that we had 11 Ultimate Fitness members lifting in the competition. And to top it off, 8 of the 11 UF lifters were women. That's right, the ladies were out in full force. All of them for the first time in competition. Before I move onto the guys and the stats, I again just want to point out that these girls came out and didn't care whether or not they were "strong enough" for our meet or going to get beat. (which is exactly why we only had 3 guys)
Huge props to our UF ladies.
Jayne Major (Ladies Winner) 95lb bench, 225 D/L
Angie Burgess (2nd) 105 bench, 280 D/L
Tracy Alf (Tie 3rd) 120 bench, 280 D/L
Hilda Siegel (tie 3rd) 105 bench, 225 D/L
Melanie Liard 105 bench, 260 D/L
Kerri Dunsmore 85 bench, 185 D/L
Ellynne Dickson 140 bench, 175 D/L
Kirstin Martel 95 bench, 205 D/L
We had 3 UF men swing the axe on Sunday. David Droeske, Dane Blimkie and Keith Kapow. Dave and Kapowski are seasoned vets but for Dane "Vomit" Blimkie, it was the first time in a meet. The guys represented well putting up some great numbers and getting some PR's in the process. We also had 6 men visiting from outside the walls of Ultimate Fitness.
Here's how the men's side unfolded.
Raw Men
Darren Mallette (Winner) Bench 340, D/L 585
Nick Morneau (2nd) Bench 350, D/L 600
Keith Kapow (3rd) Bench 315, D/L 545
Dan MacDonald Bench 330, D/L 495
Dane Blimkie Bench 215, D/L 455
Jeremy Siegel Bench 140, D/L 235
Dave Droeske Bench 365, D/L 135
Equipped Men
Peter Wagner (winner) Bench 425, D/L 560
Scott MacDiarmid (2nd) Bench 445, D/L 455
All of the winners/placings were determined using the Wilks calculator.
Congrats to ALL the Lifters!
A Huge THANK YOU to Curd Hos, The Bench Freak at NEO-GENIXX, for sponsoring the event and providing the T-shirts and prizes. Curd also threw down a Raw double with 500lbs on the bench press. WITHOUT A WARM-UP! Rediculous.
I had a great time, thanks to all the volunteers that helped out. Shane, Brian and Sarah. (and the nameless kid we called "Florida"
Monday, June 8, 2009
I Couldn't Resist
This vid gave me a serious ab work-out, while I laughed hysterically.
Classic Chris Rock.
Classic Chris Rock.
Dirty Word Of the Day
GRIZZLED: (griz-uhld) A bodily/muscular state of discomfort, that often requires soft tissue massage.
Usually caused by intense training or heavy lifting.
Tom trained his biceps with 14 different exercises today, his guns are grizzled.
Frank got so much action this weekend that his package is grizzled.
Watch out for that grizzled, old sea-donkey.
If you don't get grizzled up once in a while, or even once a week, you're probably not working to your full capacity. Hopefully this new dictionary type format will help you better understand the common lingo used in different training circles.
I can't help posting a another music vid. Most often, if the last song playing on the radio before I get out of the car is a good one, I pull up a youtube vid to listen to the end.
This was todays last chance qualifier.
Usually caused by intense training or heavy lifting.
Tom trained his biceps with 14 different exercises today, his guns are grizzled.
Frank got so much action this weekend that his package is grizzled.
Watch out for that grizzled, old sea-donkey.
If you don't get grizzled up once in a while, or even once a week, you're probably not working to your full capacity. Hopefully this new dictionary type format will help you better understand the common lingo used in different training circles.
I can't help posting a another music vid. Most often, if the last song playing on the radio before I get out of the car is a good one, I pull up a youtube vid to listen to the end.
This was todays last chance qualifier.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Locked and Loaded
No, not loaded on the liquor. Loaded on adrenaline. Only a couple weeks out from OSM (Ontario's Strongest Man) The provincial qualifier for open Pro strongman.
All the training I've put in all winter has pretty much been focused on improving on my 2nd place finish at last years OSM. We now have the final details and the hotel rooms are booked. It's go time.
Training is peaking this week and will taper the week after. Timing is pretty important.
Yes, I'm rambling, because I'm FUCKING PUMPED right now.
This event is the climax point of the long hard winter of sore backs and stiff legs. Forcing downs meals that didn't taste good and giving meals that taste great.
Time to get fired up for back to back events training this Saturday and Sunday.
Bob's yer Uncle!
All the training I've put in all winter has pretty much been focused on improving on my 2nd place finish at last years OSM. We now have the final details and the hotel rooms are booked. It's go time.
Training is peaking this week and will taper the week after. Timing is pretty important.
Yes, I'm rambling, because I'm FUCKING PUMPED right now.
This event is the climax point of the long hard winter of sore backs and stiff legs. Forcing downs meals that didn't taste good and giving meals that taste great.
Time to get fired up for back to back events training this Saturday and Sunday.
Bob's yer Uncle!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Hard As F++K!
This is Mark. He is not a gangbanger from South Renfrew. He's an Ultimate Fitness Bootcamper. Although you can hardly tell from this photo, he's got a badly mangled left ankle and he shows up to train with an air cast on his leg. (he trades the air cast for a sneaker to do the work-out).This is the meaning of "getting it". He didn't let a mangled up leg take him out of the game. He simply found a way to work around it. The results he's reaping from busting ass in Bootcamp 2-3 times a week were an easy trade off for some pain and discomfort for this badass.
This is Patti. She tore her calf muscle off the bone and has some yet to be determined knee damage. (we are hoping its not torn ligaments) She, like Mark, is powering through the shit and keeping the bootcamp work-outs going. We obviously have to modify the hell out of the work-outs for her, but she still shows up, and is willing to do whatever she can. She is keeping the focus on the "Can" and not worrying about the "can't".Where most people look to find excuses why not to train, these people have looked for ways to train around the obstacles. And I feel these efforts need to not only be applauded, but we need to learn and apply this type of commitment to our own training and lifestyle.
I also want to note, that both of these Bootcampers mangled themselves playing basketball. WTF? So the final take home message here is; Don't play basketball, and don't be a pussy when its time to train around obstacles.
Nuff Said.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
4 World Records
The UF Crew was down in Toronto this past weekend so Sarah and Shane could compete in the CPO nationls (powerlifting).
This was the first time Sarah has competed in the CPO. Its a different federation than she normally lifts under, but the rules are basically the same. Especially since she was lifting RAW.
She weighed in at 66.8kg (147lbs), and was lifting in the 67.5kilo open womens class.
Here's the lifts she lifted.
Squats: 245lbs, 265lbs, 271lbs (missed the last one)
Bench: 165lbs, 175lbs, 187lbs (187 is a PR)
Deadlift: 321lbs, 335lbs, 341lbs (missed the last attempt)
Total: 787Lbs
All 3 lifts and her total are both Canadian and World Records.
Good Job Sarah! And as usual, she's not satisfied with the squat and dead, due to hitting better numbers in the gym. Now it's time to put a plan into action to get ready for the Ottawa Open in July.
Shane was competing in the 242lbs Men's open Pro class.
He Squatted: 804lbs, 860lbs, 900lbs. (The 900 was a Huge PR and also would've been a Cdn record)
His bench press didn't pan out and he missed all three attempts.
Time to re-fuckulate the carbonator Ricky. He will no doubt get the bench sorted out and be ready to go very soon.
I also want to mention a Douchenstein we call Beartrap. He's part of our strongman training group but also powerlifts with the Capital Barbell club from Ottawa.
He was also lifting in the Mens open Pro @ 242lbs. He had trouble with his squatting, which I thought he got robbed on the judgeing, but I'm not a judge. He's always whining about never getting props on the blog. I wouldn't call this props, since he bombed, but at least you got mentioned, cock-knuckles.
It was a really long meet, but was a good time. I really wish I would've entered and lifted Raw also. Lifting raw looks like a lot of fun.
If you want to lift, come out and lift at our Ultimate Fitness Push/Pull on Sunday June 14th, in Arnprior Ont. Shoot me an email for more details and to register.
paul@ultimatefitnessgyms.com
Last Song I heard before bed last night
Is it fucking good, or what! The guitar gets rediculous around the 5:40 mark.
And Yes, Ozzy is wearing eye liner, you can too, when you start biting the heads off of live birds. (send me the vid and I'll post it up)
This was the first time Sarah has competed in the CPO. Its a different federation than she normally lifts under, but the rules are basically the same. Especially since she was lifting RAW.
She weighed in at 66.8kg (147lbs), and was lifting in the 67.5kilo open womens class.
Here's the lifts she lifted.
Squats: 245lbs, 265lbs, 271lbs (missed the last one)
Bench: 165lbs, 175lbs, 187lbs (187 is a PR)
Deadlift: 321lbs, 335lbs, 341lbs (missed the last attempt)
Total: 787Lbs
All 3 lifts and her total are both Canadian and World Records.
Good Job Sarah! And as usual, she's not satisfied with the squat and dead, due to hitting better numbers in the gym. Now it's time to put a plan into action to get ready for the Ottawa Open in July.
Shane was competing in the 242lbs Men's open Pro class.
He Squatted: 804lbs, 860lbs, 900lbs. (The 900 was a Huge PR and also would've been a Cdn record)
His bench press didn't pan out and he missed all three attempts.
Time to re-fuckulate the carbonator Ricky. He will no doubt get the bench sorted out and be ready to go very soon.
I also want to mention a Douchenstein we call Beartrap. He's part of our strongman training group but also powerlifts with the Capital Barbell club from Ottawa.
He was also lifting in the Mens open Pro @ 242lbs. He had trouble with his squatting, which I thought he got robbed on the judgeing, but I'm not a judge. He's always whining about never getting props on the blog. I wouldn't call this props, since he bombed, but at least you got mentioned, cock-knuckles.
It was a really long meet, but was a good time. I really wish I would've entered and lifted Raw also. Lifting raw looks like a lot of fun.
If you want to lift, come out and lift at our Ultimate Fitness Push/Pull on Sunday June 14th, in Arnprior Ont. Shoot me an email for more details and to register.
paul@ultimatefitnessgyms.com
Last Song I heard before bed last night
Is it fucking good, or what! The guitar gets rediculous around the 5:40 mark.
And Yes, Ozzy is wearing eye liner, you can too, when you start biting the heads off of live birds. (send me the vid and I'll post it up)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Breakfast Slayer
I am still not giving into the whole twitter fad. I've been advised from a business standpoint, that it's a great way to build relationships and contacts. This I can respect, but I know for sure it would just turn into another shit show of constantly trying to keep up.
This morning while I was making my breakfast, I was pondering what I would post up if I was a part of the twitter community. This was a "come and go" thought that really didn't mean jack shit, but it did inspire me to share with my readers here what I have for breakfast.
On Mon, Wed, and Friday mornings I drink a breakfast shake. The exact recipe has been a work in progress for many months now, but I think I finally have it nailed down.
Here's the recipe;
In a blender,
4 ice cubes
1 cup of liquid egg whites
1 cup of dry oats
some splenda (how much depends on how afraid of artificial sweeteners you are)
2 scoops of Chocolate Whey Fusion
a double shot of espresso (or coffee)
(very important that it is brewed, I used to just put the ground coffee in and that sucked)
1/2 cup of cold water
Blend until smooth
It's a big shake. It is very filling and the espresso gets you going eary in the morning.
(Disclaimer: if you are on a diet to lose fat, this shake may not conform to your programing. If you are creative you can adjust the measures to better reflect the macro nutrient needs of your diet. I will not be held responsible for your retarded behaviour at work due to being jacked up on espresso)
On the drive to work today I also came up with a name for this chocolatey brown bastard of a meal.
"The Breakfast Slayer"
This is the last song I heard on my drive to the office today.
Crank up the speakers and listen to the opening drum track just as it picks up.
This video is a good depiction of what's going on in your belly after you guzz-zizzle a breakfast slayer
This morning while I was making my breakfast, I was pondering what I would post up if I was a part of the twitter community. This was a "come and go" thought that really didn't mean jack shit, but it did inspire me to share with my readers here what I have for breakfast.
On Mon, Wed, and Friday mornings I drink a breakfast shake. The exact recipe has been a work in progress for many months now, but I think I finally have it nailed down.
Here's the recipe;
In a blender,
4 ice cubes
1 cup of liquid egg whites
1 cup of dry oats
some splenda (how much depends on how afraid of artificial sweeteners you are)
2 scoops of Chocolate Whey Fusion
a double shot of espresso (or coffee)
(very important that it is brewed, I used to just put the ground coffee in and that sucked)
1/2 cup of cold water
Blend until smooth
It's a big shake. It is very filling and the espresso gets you going eary in the morning.
(Disclaimer: if you are on a diet to lose fat, this shake may not conform to your programing. If you are creative you can adjust the measures to better reflect the macro nutrient needs of your diet. I will not be held responsible for your retarded behaviour at work due to being jacked up on espresso)
On the drive to work today I also came up with a name for this chocolatey brown bastard of a meal.
"The Breakfast Slayer"
This is the last song I heard on my drive to the office today.
Crank up the speakers and listen to the opening drum track just as it picks up.
This video is a good depiction of what's going on in your belly after you guzz-zizzle a breakfast slayer
Monday, May 25, 2009
Deload Week
This week is a deload week. But not for me.
Its a deload for my wife Sarah and one of my training partners (Shane). They are both lifting at the CPO nationals this weekend in Toronto.
Sarah will be lifting Raw. (meaning without supportive equipment) Just a belt. She's not the only one pumped about a raw meet. Her lifting raw means a pretty easy day for me. Her numbers should be pretty good. I believe her planned openers are:
Squat 245lbs
Bench 165lbs
Dead 315lbs
Shane is not lifting raw. He'll be wrapped up tight in polyester pajamas that are thick enough to support an elephant heard. This is going to be a huge meet for him. He needs to get a good pro total so he can hopefully move onto bigger and further away places in the powerlifting world.
I'm not sure on his openers but I think they are in the neighborhood of:
Squat 800ish
Bench 600ish
Dead 600ish
Either way, its gonna be a pretty good meet. Its a different federation than we are used to. The rules are different. The rules are more conducive to lifting big numbers. I'm looking forward to seeing both our lifters smash some big weights.
Its a deload for my wife Sarah and one of my training partners (Shane). They are both lifting at the CPO nationals this weekend in Toronto.
Sarah will be lifting Raw. (meaning without supportive equipment) Just a belt. She's not the only one pumped about a raw meet. Her lifting raw means a pretty easy day for me. Her numbers should be pretty good. I believe her planned openers are:
Squat 245lbs
Bench 165lbs
Dead 315lbs
Shane is not lifting raw. He'll be wrapped up tight in polyester pajamas that are thick enough to support an elephant heard. This is going to be a huge meet for him. He needs to get a good pro total so he can hopefully move onto bigger and further away places in the powerlifting world.
I'm not sure on his openers but I think they are in the neighborhood of:
Squat 800ish
Bench 600ish
Dead 600ish
Either way, its gonna be a pretty good meet. Its a different federation than we are used to. The rules are different. The rules are more conducive to lifting big numbers. I'm looking forward to seeing both our lifters smash some big weights.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Repair and Replace
Apparently my goddamn copy and paste funtion needed to be re-fuckulated.
Here's the video that supposed to be posted yesterday.
Here's the video that supposed to be posted yesterday.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Lazy Man's Post
This is definately a lazy post on my part, but this video contains some pretty solid info.
Check it out.
Check it out.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Back to the DIRTY JERZ!
Well, I just noticed its been over a week since I posted here. No use crying over it. I'm back.
Back from the Dirty Jerz. On thursday morning, last week, I made a dumb-dumb move and drove to Toronto. (More on why it was dumb later) From Toronto, I jumped aboard what would later be dubbed the "canadianwrestlingbus.com" with a couple of other strength coaches and we made a b-line for New Jersey.
The itinerary for the next three days looked like this:
-Arrive at our hotel in Park Ridge NJ aprox 2am friday morning
-Wake up @ 5am in order to watch a Football team work-out at Bergen Catholic High School
-Visit Defranco's gym to watch an NFL conditioning session at noon, and hit up some strongman training afterwards.
-Leave Defranco's and drive south to Edison to visit Zach Even-Esh's undergroundstrengthgym.com
-Saturday 8am, attend the "All Pro" training seminar. Presenters included: Jerry Palmeiri (NY Giants), Jeff Mangold (NY Yankees), Reg Grant (NY Rangers), Buddy Morris (Pittsburgh University), James Smith (Pittsburgh University), Lon Record (Villanova Basketball)
All I'm going to say about the seminar is that Buddy Morris and James Smith are without a doubt 2 of the best minds in the business. These guys melted our faces off with super solid info and could've went on much longer. And Lon Record was pretty decent too.
And that was it.
-Sunday, wake up and make the extremely long drive back.
We crammed a lot of great stuff into a very short time. It felt like I was gone for a week.
I will be posting up details about each event of the weekend over the next few days.
Stay tuned
Back from the Dirty Jerz. On thursday morning, last week, I made a dumb-dumb move and drove to Toronto. (More on why it was dumb later) From Toronto, I jumped aboard what would later be dubbed the "canadianwrestlingbus.com" with a couple of other strength coaches and we made a b-line for New Jersey.
The itinerary for the next three days looked like this:
-Arrive at our hotel in Park Ridge NJ aprox 2am friday morning
-Wake up @ 5am in order to watch a Football team work-out at Bergen Catholic High School
-Visit Defranco's gym to watch an NFL conditioning session at noon, and hit up some strongman training afterwards.
-Leave Defranco's and drive south to Edison to visit Zach Even-Esh's undergroundstrengthgym.com
-Saturday 8am, attend the "All Pro" training seminar. Presenters included: Jerry Palmeiri (NY Giants), Jeff Mangold (NY Yankees), Reg Grant (NY Rangers), Buddy Morris (Pittsburgh University), James Smith (Pittsburgh University), Lon Record (Villanova Basketball)
All I'm going to say about the seminar is that Buddy Morris and James Smith are without a doubt 2 of the best minds in the business. These guys melted our faces off with super solid info and could've went on much longer. And Lon Record was pretty decent too.
And that was it.
-Sunday, wake up and make the extremely long drive back.
We crammed a lot of great stuff into a very short time. It felt like I was gone for a week.
I will be posting up details about each event of the weekend over the next few days.
Stay tuned
Monday, May 11, 2009
What were they thinking?
I've gotta start this one out with a topic unrelated to training, but more related to the lack common sense.
I got to the gym this morning and started my monday opening routine. Set up the debit machine, check for leaks, check to see if we have any clean towels to put out (usually never), and then head to mens locker room to dump the massive heap of dirt towels that builds up saturday night and sunday. Today was a bit different, before I even went to the change room I noticed that the laundry hamper was out in the hallway. So I expected a pile of dirty towels on the floor.
But thats not what I found. Nope. I found the garbage can to be loaded with dirty towels and garbage. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING? DON'T BE SO GODDAMN LAZY. If you are too tired from your training just throw it on the floor. But the garbage can was loaded.
Very nice.
And moving right along, I want to give a shout out to my training partner Beartrap. He travelled 6 hours to compete in 4 events at the Woodstock Strongman. Every time you compete, you learn many valuable lessons about your skills, your strengths and weaknesses, and how well you prepared for the comp.
I just want to point out to you Trap, that you will shit your pants a few times, but hopefully you've got things figured out now. Saying and doing are 2 entirely different things.
Learn and move forward.
I've got a few good vids that I'm almost done editing and should have up on our website soon. Yes of course I will post them here too.
Especially once I get a hold of the video Shane made this weekend at Montreal Barbell, where he benched 600lbs. Congrats on the 600 club douchenstein. (among other great feats achieved this weekend)
And now it's time to blow my own horn. I bench pressed a PR of 385lbs RAW, on sunday.
That's pretty much it. I'm looking for someone to give me a great performance on the prowler and show us how well they deal with the prowler flu. To sweeten the deal. The first guy to push it till he pukes, will get a free T-shirt from me when we get a new batch.
I got to the gym this morning and started my monday opening routine. Set up the debit machine, check for leaks, check to see if we have any clean towels to put out (usually never), and then head to mens locker room to dump the massive heap of dirt towels that builds up saturday night and sunday. Today was a bit different, before I even went to the change room I noticed that the laundry hamper was out in the hallway. So I expected a pile of dirty towels on the floor.
But thats not what I found. Nope. I found the garbage can to be loaded with dirty towels and garbage. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING? DON'T BE SO GODDAMN LAZY. If you are too tired from your training just throw it on the floor. But the garbage can was loaded.
Very nice.
And moving right along, I want to give a shout out to my training partner Beartrap. He travelled 6 hours to compete in 4 events at the Woodstock Strongman. Every time you compete, you learn many valuable lessons about your skills, your strengths and weaknesses, and how well you prepared for the comp.
I just want to point out to you Trap, that you will shit your pants a few times, but hopefully you've got things figured out now. Saying and doing are 2 entirely different things.
Learn and move forward.
I've got a few good vids that I'm almost done editing and should have up on our website soon. Yes of course I will post them here too.
Especially once I get a hold of the video Shane made this weekend at Montreal Barbell, where he benched 600lbs. Congrats on the 600 club douchenstein. (among other great feats achieved this weekend)
And now it's time to blow my own horn. I bench pressed a PR of 385lbs RAW, on sunday.
That's pretty much it. I'm looking for someone to give me a great performance on the prowler and show us how well they deal with the prowler flu. To sweeten the deal. The first guy to push it till he pukes, will get a free T-shirt from me when we get a new batch.
Friday, May 8, 2009
The Long Haul
How long have you been hitting the iron pile? How long has it been since you seriously began training, with direction and a plan? A plan that has either been well thought out, or built by a fitness professional.
The reason I'm asking, is because lately I've noticed a lot of people in my gyms that are frustrated and dissatisfied with there results after only a month or three.
And these are people that we are working with directly and I know for sure there training is well planned and they are working hard.
Everyone wants to get to there Ultimate goal as fast as possible. I know I do. But the reality is, it often takes much longer than we ever expected. (If they reach the ultimate goal quicky, they've probably set there sights too low and/or have settled for less than desired result)
I've been at this game for over 10 years and I still haven't reached my ultimate goal.
The key is to set that ultimate goal, know exactly what it is, and then work backwards and set many smaller goals that will move you towards the ulitmate goal.
The timeline is different for everyone. How fast things happen depends on YOU. (and don't you ever fucking forget that!)
It depends on how much YOU are willing to sacrifce, how much YOU are willing to listen, who YOU surround yourself with, how strict YOU keep your eating habbits, how often YOU show up for your training sessions.
The speed of your success rests square on YOUR shoulders.
Set a small reachable goal, set a deadline and then do whatever it takes to get that goal completed. Start piling these little goals one on top of the other and over a period of YEARS, you can reach that ultimate goal.
Now that we've got that clear.
Have a great weekend.
The reason I'm asking, is because lately I've noticed a lot of people in my gyms that are frustrated and dissatisfied with there results after only a month or three.
And these are people that we are working with directly and I know for sure there training is well planned and they are working hard.
Everyone wants to get to there Ultimate goal as fast as possible. I know I do. But the reality is, it often takes much longer than we ever expected. (If they reach the ultimate goal quicky, they've probably set there sights too low and/or have settled for less than desired result)
I've been at this game for over 10 years and I still haven't reached my ultimate goal.
The key is to set that ultimate goal, know exactly what it is, and then work backwards and set many smaller goals that will move you towards the ulitmate goal.
The timeline is different for everyone. How fast things happen depends on YOU. (and don't you ever fucking forget that!)
It depends on how much YOU are willing to sacrifce, how much YOU are willing to listen, who YOU surround yourself with, how strict YOU keep your eating habbits, how often YOU show up for your training sessions.
The speed of your success rests square on YOUR shoulders.
Set a small reachable goal, set a deadline and then do whatever it takes to get that goal completed. Start piling these little goals one on top of the other and over a period of YEARS, you can reach that ultimate goal.
Now that we've got that clear.
Have a great weekend.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Prolwer Season
You may remember the end of prowler season last fall. It was a sad affair.
Things are warm and for the most part dry and the prowler has been out a few times already.
I'm going to go on record and say that May will be the official start to the prowler season at Ultimate Fitness.
On a side note, I've been shipping prowlers all over the country, so I'm hoping we will see and hear of the prowler flu from all corners of Canada.
Last night was my 5th prowler session of 09. The first 2 sessions came in march, when the warm and rain cleared up the snow for a couple of days. I was getting pretty bored with the rower and we jumped on the chance to push. I can't remember what the protocol was but it didn't feel too bad.
Sessions # 3&4 came last week. They sucked. I felt like a true beginner. My legs were't co-operating and my lungs burned from start to finish.
I did single plate suicides for both sessions. We push in the one way street beside the gym and I use the parking spaces as markers for the suicides. Roughly 10yds per parking space.
(Suicides means you push to the end of the first parking space and back to the start, then without stopping, to the end of the second space and back, then all the way down (aprox 40yds)
and back.
Last night was the first night I dared to put my hands on the low handles. I did 2 singles (low/high) and 3 double ups (low/high) all with one plate per post.
Here's Sarah hitting a double-up last May at the EFTS compound
Things are coming around.
I noticed that Elitefts has put the call out for the most cases of prowler flu caught on tape. I'm going make sure the camera is out from now on to document our suffering and improvements.
You can buy a Canadian Made prowler HERE
Things are warm and for the most part dry and the prowler has been out a few times already.
I'm going to go on record and say that May will be the official start to the prowler season at Ultimate Fitness.
On a side note, I've been shipping prowlers all over the country, so I'm hoping we will see and hear of the prowler flu from all corners of Canada.
Last night was my 5th prowler session of 09. The first 2 sessions came in march, when the warm and rain cleared up the snow for a couple of days. I was getting pretty bored with the rower and we jumped on the chance to push. I can't remember what the protocol was but it didn't feel too bad.
Sessions # 3&4 came last week. They sucked. I felt like a true beginner. My legs were't co-operating and my lungs burned from start to finish.
I did single plate suicides for both sessions. We push in the one way street beside the gym and I use the parking spaces as markers for the suicides. Roughly 10yds per parking space.
(Suicides means you push to the end of the first parking space and back to the start, then without stopping, to the end of the second space and back, then all the way down (aprox 40yds)
and back.
Last night was the first night I dared to put my hands on the low handles. I did 2 singles (low/high) and 3 double ups (low/high) all with one plate per post.
Here's Sarah hitting a double-up last May at the EFTS compound
Things are coming around.
I noticed that Elitefts has put the call out for the most cases of prowler flu caught on tape. I'm going make sure the camera is out from now on to document our suffering and improvements.
You can buy a Canadian Made prowler HERE
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Shouldering a load
For a lot of you out there, what I'm going to cover here is common knowlegde and pretty much goes without saying.
But for some, this is your wake up call!
Quite often, I have people (mostly men) tell me about how their shoulders are really sore and explain how the pain is near the front of the shoulder, right near the armpit.
My first response is usually a question. "How often do you perform rows, chins and face pulls?"
They answer, "what the hell are face pulls? I just bench 4 times a week and pump my biceps for 1 hour every day."
This is why your shoulders hurt kids. If you bench, a lot, and pump the gun show, you most likely have strong pecs and biceps. These muscles over power the smaller and neglected muscles of the upper back. The shoulders are also going to get a shit kicking from your horrible bench press form. This leads to what the doctors and science people refer to as "shoulder impingement". (They think they're so cool using their big book words)
How do you know if this is your problem?
1, You have a hunch back
2, Your shoulders almost touch together in the front
3, You walk around with imaginary lat syndrome
4, You bench press more than 2 days per week
5, Your upper arms are bigger than your upper legs
6, You always wear long pants to hide your peg like lower legs
7, Okay, I'm getting a little carried away, but I think you get the point.
8, shitty posture throughout the day
But for some, this is your wake up call!
Quite often, I have people (mostly men) tell me about how their shoulders are really sore and explain how the pain is near the front of the shoulder, right near the armpit.
My first response is usually a question. "How often do you perform rows, chins and face pulls?"
They answer, "what the hell are face pulls? I just bench 4 times a week and pump my biceps for 1 hour every day."
This is why your shoulders hurt kids. If you bench, a lot, and pump the gun show, you most likely have strong pecs and biceps. These muscles over power the smaller and neglected muscles of the upper back. The shoulders are also going to get a shit kicking from your horrible bench press form. This leads to what the doctors and science people refer to as "shoulder impingement". (They think they're so cool using their big book words)
How do you know if this is your problem?
1, You have a hunch back
2, Your shoulders almost touch together in the front
3, You walk around with imaginary lat syndrome
4, You bench press more than 2 days per week
5, Your upper arms are bigger than your upper legs
6, You always wear long pants to hide your peg like lower legs
7, Okay, I'm getting a little carried away, but I think you get the point.
8, shitty posture throughout the day
What can you do to avoid or reverse this problem?
-Make sure you do a lot of rows, and chins.
-Chins can be done almost everyday, even if it's just a set or 2.
-Make sure you get as much rowing volume in your upper body day as you can handle.
-Superset all your bench pressing with face pulls.
-Stretch the hell out of your pecs and biceps. Stretching your imaginary lats is probably a good idea too.
-Stop benching so goddamn much and let those sore shoulders heal up.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Playoff Beards
Fuck it, I'm growing a playoff beard. It's a great way to support the most exciting time of year when it comes to hockey. And a great excuse to look like a samsquench for a couple weeks.
As usual it's a mayhem monday. I got the bright idea to do some outdoor barbell lunges on Saturday in lieu of heavy event training at the Garage. I used a 135lb barbell and lunged down and back on the 100' long driveway at Pete's Garage.
Not extremely heavy, so I did 4 trips.
Needless to say I'm walking a little slow today.
The point that I want to convey here is that even though I wasn't able to beat myself to a pulp with the usual flurry of heavy event training, like stone lifting, farmers walks, yoke carry's and tire flipping, I was still able to get some forward progress.
Here's what a typical Saturday would look like:
Warm-up
Log jerks
Farmers walk, working up to a heavy weight (300+lbs per hand) or distance.
Atlas stones, either runs, reps or heavy singles
Tire fliping
This is what I did this Saturday to change gears a bit (mostly because I'm still nursing a fucked up back)
Warm-up
Light log press (no jerk pressing)
Kicked a soccer ball around for about 10mins
Barbell lunges
Arm over arm sled drag
running sled drag for cardio
I know how easy it would've been to just stay at home. But I wanted to show up and help out loading plates and coaching the other guys that train at Pete's Garage.
I ended up having a pretty intense leg session via the lunges and I feel that the movement that I did do has helped me improve my mobility in the tight hips and low back.
Lets review.
Don't be a pussy and stay home, get out and do whatever you can and then go and pat yourself on the back on the internet like any internet tough guy would.
As usual it's a mayhem monday. I got the bright idea to do some outdoor barbell lunges on Saturday in lieu of heavy event training at the Garage. I used a 135lb barbell and lunged down and back on the 100' long driveway at Pete's Garage.
Not extremely heavy, so I did 4 trips.
Needless to say I'm walking a little slow today.
The point that I want to convey here is that even though I wasn't able to beat myself to a pulp with the usual flurry of heavy event training, like stone lifting, farmers walks, yoke carry's and tire flipping, I was still able to get some forward progress.
Here's what a typical Saturday would look like:
Warm-up
Log jerks
Farmers walk, working up to a heavy weight (300+lbs per hand) or distance.
Atlas stones, either runs, reps or heavy singles
Tire fliping
This is what I did this Saturday to change gears a bit (mostly because I'm still nursing a fucked up back)
Warm-up
Light log press (no jerk pressing)
Kicked a soccer ball around for about 10mins
Barbell lunges
Arm over arm sled drag
running sled drag for cardio
I know how easy it would've been to just stay at home. But I wanted to show up and help out loading plates and coaching the other guys that train at Pete's Garage.
I ended up having a pretty intense leg session via the lunges and I feel that the movement that I did do has helped me improve my mobility in the tight hips and low back.
Lets review.
Don't be a pussy and stay home, get out and do whatever you can and then go and pat yourself on the back on the internet like any internet tough guy would.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Powerlifting Criticisms
Okay, most people, by now have heard about my wife and her powerlifting endeavors. She's getting pretty good. She's strong, and just starting to get better with the powerlifting equipment. (most specifically bench shirts)
We traveled to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan way back at the start of April so she could compete at the Canadian Nationals.
If I've discussed the results of this meet with you in person, you already know I was a fair bit dissappointed in her performance. I'm not really going to get into what went wrong (mostly because we are still not 100% sure exactly what the fuck up was on her squats)
What I am going to say is that while everyone thinks that second place is "oh that's great", it's not to Sarah or me. Even if she had won the gold on the lifts that she lifted, she would be pissed off. Powerlifting isn't about beating the other lifters in your weight class (actually it is, but there's more to it) It's about lifting the best lifts you have ever lifted. You can't control what the next person can lift, you can't play defence. All you can do is prepare yourself and lift your ass off on the platform.
Here's a clip of some of her lifts. I'm sorry that it has no sound. The sweet soundtrack that I laid down on this vid was apparently not suitable for Gheytube. Youtube is really outgrowing it's coolness. It's starting to get too scrambled with rules.
We traveled to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan way back at the start of April so she could compete at the Canadian Nationals.
If I've discussed the results of this meet with you in person, you already know I was a fair bit dissappointed in her performance. I'm not really going to get into what went wrong (mostly because we are still not 100% sure exactly what the fuck up was on her squats)
What I am going to say is that while everyone thinks that second place is "oh that's great", it's not to Sarah or me. Even if she had won the gold on the lifts that she lifted, she would be pissed off. Powerlifting isn't about beating the other lifters in your weight class (actually it is, but there's more to it) It's about lifting the best lifts you have ever lifted. You can't control what the next person can lift, you can't play defence. All you can do is prepare yourself and lift your ass off on the platform.
Here's a clip of some of her lifts. I'm sorry that it has no sound. The sweet soundtrack that I laid down on this vid was apparently not suitable for Gheytube. Youtube is really outgrowing it's coolness. It's starting to get too scrambled with rules.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Still Kickin'
So..... I missed just over 1 month of posting here. That kinda sucks ass.
Not that I feel I need to justify myself to anyone but the shit-slide started out due to me not having any creative or productive thoughts to put down on the blog. Then it kind of spiraled further down the pipes as I fell out of the habit of hammering out daily ideas.
This is a good example of how developing good/productive habits is extremely important to becoming and staying succesful.
I broke the morining habit of hammering down my thoughts and the blog went to sleep.
Well this is the post that is proof to say I'm going to bring it back from the dead.
A lot has happened in the past month. It's been a whirlwind of chaos. And I've developed some new views and ideas that I will share here.
I also have a few vids and stories from competitions that occured recently.
So there it is. This is going to mark the beggining of the end of my shitnami of shitacular proportions.
Not that I feel I need to justify myself to anyone but the shit-slide started out due to me not having any creative or productive thoughts to put down on the blog. Then it kind of spiraled further down the pipes as I fell out of the habit of hammering out daily ideas.
This is a good example of how developing good/productive habits is extremely important to becoming and staying succesful.
I broke the morining habit of hammering down my thoughts and the blog went to sleep.
Well this is the post that is proof to say I'm going to bring it back from the dead.
A lot has happened in the past month. It's been a whirlwind of chaos. And I've developed some new views and ideas that I will share here.
I also have a few vids and stories from competitions that occured recently.
So there it is. This is going to mark the beggining of the end of my shitnami of shitacular proportions.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Big Balls`
Well the feedback from the previous post has been just as I intended it. I've heard back from a few good men and women that took the call to action and kicked ass last friday after seeing the video.
One guy got it all the way from India.
Here's a link to his blog post over on Kettlebellplantet.
I really love hearing about it when you get it right. I hope we always have something beneficial to offer.
In the meantime, lets talk about gaining some muscle mass.
My buddy Curd Hos of Neo-Genixx.com and current Ontario Bench press champion stopped by the gym today. He was delivering an order of supplements to me and while we were standing at the counter shootin' the shit, he called out a couple young bucks that were on the bench press.
He told them about a rep scheme that helps add muscle mass, strength endurance and helps you bench more weight for more reps.
Take a weight you can just get 10 good reps with, now try and hit 30 reps in as few sets as possible. If it takes you 7-8 sets and you're down to singles at the end, so be it. But whatever it takes this weekl, is the goal to beat for next week. Example, it takes you 7 sets to hit 30 reps with 225, then next week do whatever it takes to do it in 6 sets.
The young guy on the bench didn't take Curd seriously at first and continued with his usual bullshit routine. Curd then asked him if he would be willing to do the protocol if Curd jumped on the bench and pressed 4 plates (405) without a warm-up. Of course the young lads wanted to see this, and I think they were doubting. Curd took off his watch and smacked 2 reps with 405 without even swinging his arms around for a stretch. Needless to say the young guys did the 30 reps protocol.
Bob's your uncle!
One guy got it all the way from India.
Here's a link to his blog post over on Kettlebellplantet.
I really love hearing about it when you get it right. I hope we always have something beneficial to offer.
In the meantime, lets talk about gaining some muscle mass.
My buddy Curd Hos of Neo-Genixx.com and current Ontario Bench press champion stopped by the gym today. He was delivering an order of supplements to me and while we were standing at the counter shootin' the shit, he called out a couple young bucks that were on the bench press.
He told them about a rep scheme that helps add muscle mass, strength endurance and helps you bench more weight for more reps.
Take a weight you can just get 10 good reps with, now try and hit 30 reps in as few sets as possible. If it takes you 7-8 sets and you're down to singles at the end, so be it. But whatever it takes this weekl, is the goal to beat for next week. Example, it takes you 7 sets to hit 30 reps with 225, then next week do whatever it takes to do it in 6 sets.
The young guy on the bench didn't take Curd seriously at first and continued with his usual bullshit routine. Curd then asked him if he would be willing to do the protocol if Curd jumped on the bench and pressed 4 plates (405) without a warm-up. Of course the young lads wanted to see this, and I think they were doubting. Curd took off his watch and smacked 2 reps with 405 without even swinging his arms around for a stretch. Needless to say the young guys did the 30 reps protocol.
Bob's your uncle!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Horn Blowin'
Yesterday, while eating one of my 7 meals, I was reading the elitefts Q&A. I came across a post by Joe Defranco that was titled, "Need a reason to train today?"
Of course it was a pump up video compiled of highlights of the training that goes on at his facility. Some of the noteables; Mike Guadango's 54" box jump, The Spoon running a 4.16 40yd dash, Deon Anderson, being Deon Anderson and most recently Brian Cushing's doing a really high seated box jump(with a weighted vest on).
It was a pretty damn good compilation. It definately gets the job done. I was pumped after watching it.
Check it out. Watch closely right around the 19 second mark. (This part is my personal favourite)
So obviously I was feeling pretty good about myself, having made the cut on a montage as good as this one. I immediately emailed Joe, and thanked him for including me in the Dirty Jerzy Highlight reel. I also told him that I would promptly be kicking ass in the gym, as the video is intended.
Here's a portion of his Reply;
You don't have to thank me...you definitely DESERVE to be in that reel
amongst the best athletes/performances in the gym!! All the athletes
here were like, "who the fuck is that dude doing the trap bar
deadlift?!" HAHA!!
It sure made my day. And hopefully the vid will inspire you to kick some ass, today and all weekend.
Of course it was a pump up video compiled of highlights of the training that goes on at his facility. Some of the noteables; Mike Guadango's 54" box jump, The Spoon running a 4.16 40yd dash, Deon Anderson, being Deon Anderson and most recently Brian Cushing's doing a really high seated box jump(with a weighted vest on).
It was a pretty damn good compilation. It definately gets the job done. I was pumped after watching it.
Check it out. Watch closely right around the 19 second mark. (This part is my personal favourite)
So obviously I was feeling pretty good about myself, having made the cut on a montage as good as this one. I immediately emailed Joe, and thanked him for including me in the Dirty Jerzy Highlight reel. I also told him that I would promptly be kicking ass in the gym, as the video is intended.
Here's a portion of his Reply;
You don't have to thank me...you definitely DESERVE to be in that reel
amongst the best athletes/performances in the gym!! All the athletes
here were like, "who the fuck is that dude doing the trap bar
deadlift?!" HAHA!!
It sure made my day. And hopefully the vid will inspire you to kick some ass, today and all weekend.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
More 150 Action
Hopefully I'm not burning your interest in this blog to the ground with my recent batch of video posts.
I honestly don't know what the fuck is wrong with me, but I have not an ounce, of creative or even productive thought lately.
I've got 2 things on my mind all the time. (of course besides doing a good job of running my business)
1) Getting Sarah ready to win the nationals at the end of the month
2) Getting myself ready for the soon to start strongman season. AND SMASHING EVERYTHING IN MY PATH LIKE A RABID SASQUATCH! (I'm notorious for getting my mind so into a competition that all other aspects of my life suffer. Luckily it's only been my creative thought process so far.)
So here's a couple more vids. (Like logs on the fire)
150 DB rows for 20 reps
Sarah Squatting 345
I honestly don't know what the fuck is wrong with me, but I have not an ounce, of creative or even productive thought lately.
I've got 2 things on my mind all the time. (of course besides doing a good job of running my business)
1) Getting Sarah ready to win the nationals at the end of the month
2) Getting myself ready for the soon to start strongman season. AND SMASHING EVERYTHING IN MY PATH LIKE A RABID SASQUATCH! (I'm notorious for getting my mind so into a competition that all other aspects of my life suffer. Luckily it's only been my creative thought process so far.)
So here's a couple more vids. (Like logs on the fire)
150 DB rows for 20 reps
Sarah Squatting 345
And if you really are getting bored of these vids, quit being such a nancy and send my a vid of you doing something cool. Of course you'll be the only one interested in watching it.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Fern Boucher, Richard St.Cyr and Brent Cecchini
Here's some more action from the trenches.
I think Brent told me Fern is like 4000 years old. Brent came across him one day while fossil hunting.
Nice Work Fern!
Richard
Brent
I think Brent told me Fern is like 4000 years old. Brent came across him one day while fossil hunting.
Nice Work Fern!
Richard
Brent
Monday, March 16, 2009
Mayhem Mondays
I don't know about you but I thought this weekend was pretty awesome for outdoor training. We got outdoors for a couple of events on Saturday and then on Sunday I thought about pushing the prowler. It never happened because I ended up sleeping off some kind of stomach flu for most of the day.
I'm still getting a few vids from strong MF's that want to get famous here on SAS, but not nearly as many as I expected. Doesn't anyone have a camera? Or are you all just a bunch of weak little girls?
I'm going to get you started with a recent vid of my own. Nothing too exciting in the performance dept. but I was demonstrating that even with smashed and mangled fingers, one can still move some iron.
And here's Kapowski giving the brand new 150's a ride.
What did you do on the weekend?
I'm still getting a few vids from strong MF's that want to get famous here on SAS, but not nearly as many as I expected. Doesn't anyone have a camera? Or are you all just a bunch of weak little girls?
I'm going to get you started with a recent vid of my own. Nothing too exciting in the performance dept. but I was demonstrating that even with smashed and mangled fingers, one can still move some iron.
And here's Kapowski giving the brand new 150's a ride.
What did you do on the weekend?
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
I'll Make You Famous
Okay kids, here's the deal.
I want to see your best lifting vids. Gym lifts, competition lifts, garage lifts, just bring it.
Talk is cheap.
Post your vids on Youtube and send me the links (paul@ultimatefitnessgyms.com)
If I think your lifts cut the mustard, I'll feature your video in a future blog post.
Get off your ass and grab the camera, it's LIFTIN' TIME!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. My 150lb DB's have finally made it up all the stairs to the Renfrew Location. Come see if you can lift em!
I want to see your best lifting vids. Gym lifts, competition lifts, garage lifts, just bring it.
Talk is cheap.
Post your vids on Youtube and send me the links (paul@ultimatefitnessgyms.com)
If I think your lifts cut the mustard, I'll feature your video in a future blog post.
Get off your ass and grab the camera, it's LIFTIN' TIME!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. My 150lb DB's have finally made it up all the stairs to the Renfrew Location. Come see if you can lift em!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Respect Yourself
Think about this for a second and see if it sounds like you.
Somebody says something really ignorant about you, but you let it slide because the confrontation isn't worth it.
You get screwed over by the phone company but you let it slide, because the few bucks you lose every month aren't worth the hassle.
I'm guilty.
I've been that guy. I rollover because it's not worth the hassle.
Why? I don't know. I would never do this in the gym. I would never skip a squat day because its not worth the hassle. I would never quit on set of rows because I didn't want to deal with the discomfort.
I've recently decided that if I have what it takes to step over any obstacle in the gym, why the hell should I not step over any obstacle otherwise.
I'm calling the phone company back and telling them the can stick it up their ass.
I'm placing a formal complaint about the poor service I get from the postal courier.
And if you talk smack on me, get ready to hear about, immediately.
Oh yeah and I'm gonna smash some fucking weights in the gym on Thursday night too.
Somebody says something really ignorant about you, but you let it slide because the confrontation isn't worth it.
You get screwed over by the phone company but you let it slide, because the few bucks you lose every month aren't worth the hassle.
I'm guilty.
I've been that guy. I rollover because it's not worth the hassle.
Why? I don't know. I would never do this in the gym. I would never skip a squat day because its not worth the hassle. I would never quit on set of rows because I didn't want to deal with the discomfort.
I've recently decided that if I have what it takes to step over any obstacle in the gym, why the hell should I not step over any obstacle otherwise.
I'm calling the phone company back and telling them the can stick it up their ass.
I'm placing a formal complaint about the poor service I get from the postal courier.
And if you talk smack on me, get ready to hear about, immediately.
Oh yeah and I'm gonna smash some fucking weights in the gym on Thursday night too.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Oh Poor Me!
I just want to share with you a story about a guy that trains in my gyms. A story about a guy who is mentally tough and makes no excuses. He just gets shit done.
He walked into my gym about 4-5 months ago, like many men in their late 30's and early 40's and inquired about getting some training to help lose some fat.
Almost everyday I hear a story about how some dude, used to be strong, used to play football in high school, used to be in great shape. But now being a lazy fat ass has caught up to them and their health and appearance has gone in the shitter.
So what set my guy apart from the rest? On that particular day, not a damn thing. He inquired, I showed him what we offer, he bought a small personal training package.
He was about 60lbs overweight and his knees were so bad he could barely walk up the stairs in his home.
We scheduled some appointments and got to work. Still nothing out of the ordinary.
Fast forward a couple of months and now we've got something to talk about.
This guy has lost a pile of weight (not sure on the exact amount but it's somewhere around 30lbs), he's now running upwards of 13 miles on the treadmill in a single session, and is looking like a totally different man. It's very inspiring. He really found the way to making himself better.
The coolest part is, he never makes excuses. He knows sometimes scheduling can be tough, especially when he works 12 hour days, goes to Karate 4 times per week with his daughter (they both do the Karate) and still manages to get to the gym to train with weights and run.
He told me today that it sometimes means hitting the gym at 4am. No big deal.
I love it.
What's stopping you?
He walked into my gym about 4-5 months ago, like many men in their late 30's and early 40's and inquired about getting some training to help lose some fat.
Almost everyday I hear a story about how some dude, used to be strong, used to play football in high school, used to be in great shape. But now being a lazy fat ass has caught up to them and their health and appearance has gone in the shitter.
So what set my guy apart from the rest? On that particular day, not a damn thing. He inquired, I showed him what we offer, he bought a small personal training package.
He was about 60lbs overweight and his knees were so bad he could barely walk up the stairs in his home.
We scheduled some appointments and got to work. Still nothing out of the ordinary.
Fast forward a couple of months and now we've got something to talk about.
This guy has lost a pile of weight (not sure on the exact amount but it's somewhere around 30lbs), he's now running upwards of 13 miles on the treadmill in a single session, and is looking like a totally different man. It's very inspiring. He really found the way to making himself better.
The coolest part is, he never makes excuses. He knows sometimes scheduling can be tough, especially when he works 12 hour days, goes to Karate 4 times per week with his daughter (they both do the Karate) and still manages to get to the gym to train with weights and run.
He told me today that it sometimes means hitting the gym at 4am. No big deal.
I love it.
What's stopping you?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Max Effort Method
I just got a copy of Jim Wendler's Max Effort Book. So I guess this will be literature review.
This book, much like his III book, is pretty simple and to the point. It has a lot of the stuff that you think you know inside and out, until you read it again. If you are a fan of Wendler humour, you will enjoy this book as it is full of it. It reads as if he was sitting in the room and telling you how it is.
It covers all the basics in regards to a "Westside" template. (and he even explains why not everyone should be running around claiming to train "westside" or just throwing the name out there for improved street cred.
One of the things that I like most about the way he explains the exercises is that he straight up tells you the ones he likes and why he likes them (or why most people like them), but doesn't take a shit on the ones he doesn't like. It's biased, but somewhat not biased. (if that makes any sense at all)
Bottom line is, it's a good read, loaded with good info, and simple enough for the rest of us. I'll be honest, Super Training is WAY over my head. I've got a copy, and it's really good for a one board press. (although I've recently put it in the bathroom at home to try and read a few more sections)
I'm gonna get off topic now and touch on a subject that needs mention. If you come up to me and start blabbering on about neuromuscular this and rigormortis fasciata that, I tune you the fuck out. I'm not University educated. Is it important to know all the fancy words and flow charts and graphs and skeleton diagrams? Not so far. Everything I've learned has been from books (that I could understand), seminars, and trying shit out in the gym myself over the last 15 years. Knowing all the big, book learnin' words may impress some people, but it just confuses the hell out of 99% of the people you will ever work with in the training business. Lucky for me, I have a good buddy who knows all the book learnin' words and flow charts and diagrams, but he also knows how to lift a barbell and work hard in the gym. So when I get stuck, guess who I call on?
Anyways, if you want a good book to help pass the time you spend in the crapper, as well as further your skills and knowledge in the game of getting stronger, buy the book.
This book, much like his III book, is pretty simple and to the point. It has a lot of the stuff that you think you know inside and out, until you read it again. If you are a fan of Wendler humour, you will enjoy this book as it is full of it. It reads as if he was sitting in the room and telling you how it is.
It covers all the basics in regards to a "Westside" template. (and he even explains why not everyone should be running around claiming to train "westside" or just throwing the name out there for improved street cred.
One of the things that I like most about the way he explains the exercises is that he straight up tells you the ones he likes and why he likes them (or why most people like them), but doesn't take a shit on the ones he doesn't like. It's biased, but somewhat not biased. (if that makes any sense at all)
Bottom line is, it's a good read, loaded with good info, and simple enough for the rest of us. I'll be honest, Super Training is WAY over my head. I've got a copy, and it's really good for a one board press. (although I've recently put it in the bathroom at home to try and read a few more sections)
I'm gonna get off topic now and touch on a subject that needs mention. If you come up to me and start blabbering on about neuromuscular this and rigormortis fasciata that, I tune you the fuck out. I'm not University educated. Is it important to know all the fancy words and flow charts and graphs and skeleton diagrams? Not so far. Everything I've learned has been from books (that I could understand), seminars, and trying shit out in the gym myself over the last 15 years. Knowing all the big, book learnin' words may impress some people, but it just confuses the hell out of 99% of the people you will ever work with in the training business. Lucky for me, I have a good buddy who knows all the book learnin' words and flow charts and diagrams, but he also knows how to lift a barbell and work hard in the gym. So when I get stuck, guess who I call on?
Anyways, if you want a good book to help pass the time you spend in the crapper, as well as further your skills and knowledge in the game of getting stronger, buy the book.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Road Trip
I took a road trip to Montreal on Saturday. It was a last minute plan that came together after I got a message from a buddy who was heading down to work in his bench shirt at the Montreal Chapter of the Metal Militia Powerlifting Club. I also had heard from another friend on Friday morning that he had moved all his strongman equipment to the Metal Militia gym.
Sweet. I could go do some benching and throw in a few events.
The Montreal Barbell is owned by Ross Saldan. Saturday was my first time meeting Ross but we were treated like old family members the second we walked in the gym. They just moved into a new building and are set up with some rediculously good powerlifting equipment.
They have 2 monolifts, 3 competition benches, DB's up to 180lbs, a reverse Hyper, lots of good bars, and 74-45lbs plates. (Thats 3330lbs of 45's) Sweet!
The MM is affiliated with the CPO. The CPO is a powerlifting federation with ties to the now extinct WPO. This is the fed where you can use open back bench shirts, squat in a mono lift. The rules on the powerlifting gear are not totally clear to me, but it's basically like the stuff you see on elite.
I benched using my old Titan Fury but was introduced to a new style of benching with my feet tucked way underneath and a huge arch in my back. I hit a shirted PR of 455lbs and just missed a 475 attempt. (I will be hunting down the videos of both very soon)
All in all it was a fun day. I made some new friends and good contacts. It was well worth the drive.
Sweet. I could go do some benching and throw in a few events.
The Montreal Barbell is owned by Ross Saldan. Saturday was my first time meeting Ross but we were treated like old family members the second we walked in the gym. They just moved into a new building and are set up with some rediculously good powerlifting equipment.
They have 2 monolifts, 3 competition benches, DB's up to 180lbs, a reverse Hyper, lots of good bars, and 74-45lbs plates. (Thats 3330lbs of 45's) Sweet!
The MM is affiliated with the CPO. The CPO is a powerlifting federation with ties to the now extinct WPO. This is the fed where you can use open back bench shirts, squat in a mono lift. The rules on the powerlifting gear are not totally clear to me, but it's basically like the stuff you see on elite.
I benched using my old Titan Fury but was introduced to a new style of benching with my feet tucked way underneath and a huge arch in my back. I hit a shirted PR of 455lbs and just missed a 475 attempt. (I will be hunting down the videos of both very soon)
All in all it was a fun day. I made some new friends and good contacts. It was well worth the drive.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Grow a Pair (Of legs)
Hey Chicken legs, check out this little paragraph I found on a training log today.
Coach Foley posted it and says he found it on a facebook profile.
I like it.
Your leg development is a direct reflection of your character. Weak legs mean a weak will. Show me a man whose upper body is larger than than his lower body and I'll show you a man who will settle for mediocre success in all walks of life. Never will he win a championship. Deficient legs are a sign that he cannot take the strain of a leg workout that would be of maximum benefit, because a good leg workout bears no resemblance to a good workout for any other body part. The only pure substance for your training, and the only faculty that produces mass and separation, is irrepressible lust to find masochistic ecstasy in a level of pain unendurable by any other human being. When you're pumped to a rage that melys your skull, blisters your eyes, and burns your thighs with a madness that makes you want to chew them off at the hips just to ease the agony, then you can go home. You've worked your legs!!
Coach Foley posted it and says he found it on a facebook profile.
I like it.
Your leg development is a direct reflection of your character. Weak legs mean a weak will. Show me a man whose upper body is larger than than his lower body and I'll show you a man who will settle for mediocre success in all walks of life. Never will he win a championship. Deficient legs are a sign that he cannot take the strain of a leg workout that would be of maximum benefit, because a good leg workout bears no resemblance to a good workout for any other body part. The only pure substance for your training, and the only faculty that produces mass and separation, is irrepressible lust to find masochistic ecstasy in a level of pain unendurable by any other human being. When you're pumped to a rage that melys your skull, blisters your eyes, and burns your thighs with a madness that makes you want to chew them off at the hips just to ease the agony, then you can go home. You've worked your legs!!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Stone Loading
On Saturdays I train strongman events in a garage. And I always get some of the best training sessions ever in that garage. It's dirty, the music is loud, the place is full of primitive strength tools. It's a place where great strength is built and tested.
One of the mainstays of saturday garage training is Stone Loading. My training group is lucky enough to have atlas stones. Atlas stones are the concrete spheres you may have seen on TV while watching Worlds Strongest Man.
We have a set of atlas stones that ranges from 188lbs to 385lbs. We load them to platforms ranging in height from 51" to 72".
One of the mainstays of saturday garage training is Stone Loading. My training group is lucky enough to have atlas stones. Atlas stones are the concrete spheres you may have seen on TV while watching Worlds Strongest Man.
We have a set of atlas stones that ranges from 188lbs to 385lbs. We load them to platforms ranging in height from 51" to 72".
Loading 265lbs stone to 72" at Canada's Strongest Man 2008
Stone loading is very taxing on many different parts of the body. It tests your arm and grip, upper back, lower back, legs, hips, abs and most importantly your mental toughness. I have never loaded stones and not been sore all over. (and I'm not talking about the scrapes on my chest and arms) This past Saturday was no exception. I had a really hard time getting out of bed on sunday.
Here's what I did: (After log press and farmers walk)
320lb stone to 54" X2
320lb stone to 54"X3
320lb stone to 54"X3
320lb stone to 54"X3
320lb stone shouldered to 56" + 350lb stone to 51"
320lb stone shouldered to 56" + 350lb stone to 54"
350lb stone to 54"
I did try to shoulder the 320 one last time but I was out of steam. I got a bit frustrated with myself for missing lifts near the end of the sets, but it wasn't until I wrote out my training log that I noticed the large volume of heavy stones I did.
This is one of my training partners, Peter Wagner, he is the owner of the garage I train at. He is also one hell of a stone loader. Peter is almost 50 years old. What's your excuse?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Head Games
I've been wanting to touch on how important I feel the "mental aspect" to success in strength gains.
It's a pretty broad topic so to keep this from becoming 7 volumes long, lets focus on desire and mental toughness.
It's a pretty broad topic so to keep this from becoming 7 volumes long, lets focus on desire and mental toughness.
Developing a successful attitude in the gym is paramount to improving your strength, fitness level, appearance, just about everything. If you're walking into a gym, at least you had enough motivation to get off the couch. But is there enough drive there to do more than take up space at the gym? You must believe that your efforts will lead to achieving your goals.
I cannot explain exactly what drives me. It's somewhere between pride and greed. I always demand more from myself and I always want to be better than the next guy. This attitude or desire to constantly be better is the driving force behind many succesful training sessions.
I see many different levels of drive or desire everyday. I work with people who have so much drive that they wear themselves out. I also work with people that seem like they are one notch above suicide. Obviously the ones with massive desire for change in their appearanc or strength levels get the best results and they get them as quickly as possible.
Once you've developed the desire to work hard, you need the mental toughness to ride through the storm of hard training. My favourite example of mental toughness is from an unlikely source. 30-50 year old women that want to get their 20 year old body back. I've got clients that bust ass through some very challenging training sessions week in and week out and never complain, and never give up. Have you ever seen a guy at the gym load up a bar and do a set of squats to 20 reps or above? There are thousands of great examples of mental toughness, the key is to be one of those examples.
No summary here kids. Just get your brain in gear and don't be a wanker at the gym today. Train till the sweat is dripping and your muscles are burning.
Monday, February 9, 2009
More Bang For Your Buck
With all the doom and gloom news about the economy I think a few tips on value and savings is in order.
But I am not talking about financial value and savings....I'm talking about training economy.
What exactly is training economy? I could be off a bit by what a textbook would tell us, but my version of training economy is getting the best bang for your buck when training.
I want to get bigger and stronger, Sally wants to lose fat and get leaner, and we both want to do it as fast as possible. We want results yesterday. So naturally Sally and I are going to choose the training plan, and exercises that yield the biggest results in the shortest possible time.
First I will tell you what is NOT a good "bang for your buck" exercise; (there are a lot of them)
Calf press
Wrist Curls
Crunches on a fitness ball
Triceps Kickbacks
Anything involving a bosu ball
Pedalling a recumbant bike
The list could go on for a while, but I think you get the point.
Here is my qualified opinion on what the most common and most effective "bang for your buck" exercises ARE:
Squats
Clean and Press
Deadlift
Bench Press (any variation of)
Chin-ups
push-ups
Sit-ups
Sprinting
Prowler Pushing or Sled drags
Rower Sprints
If I was heading to the gym and only had 30 minutes to train, I would choose 1 of the first 4 on the list and get to work. If you or me or Sally applied ourselves to working our asses off at any of these, or any combination of 2-3 of the listed exercises, there would be results on the way, without a doubt.
When you're in a hurry and/or just want to get results faster, pick a couple of the "bang for your buck" exercises and look the hell out. These are garaunteed to make the sweat drip from your face and have you crawling for the exit in no time.
But I am not talking about financial value and savings....I'm talking about training economy.
What exactly is training economy? I could be off a bit by what a textbook would tell us, but my version of training economy is getting the best bang for your buck when training.
I want to get bigger and stronger, Sally wants to lose fat and get leaner, and we both want to do it as fast as possible. We want results yesterday. So naturally Sally and I are going to choose the training plan, and exercises that yield the biggest results in the shortest possible time.
First I will tell you what is NOT a good "bang for your buck" exercise; (there are a lot of them)
Calf press
Wrist Curls
Crunches on a fitness ball
Triceps Kickbacks
Anything involving a bosu ball
Pedalling a recumbant bike
The list could go on for a while, but I think you get the point.
Here is my qualified opinion on what the most common and most effective "bang for your buck" exercises ARE:
Squats
Clean and Press
Deadlift
Bench Press (any variation of)
Chin-ups
push-ups
Sit-ups
Sprinting
Prowler Pushing or Sled drags
Rower Sprints
If I was heading to the gym and only had 30 minutes to train, I would choose 1 of the first 4 on the list and get to work. If you or me or Sally applied ourselves to working our asses off at any of these, or any combination of 2-3 of the listed exercises, there would be results on the way, without a doubt.
When you're in a hurry and/or just want to get results faster, pick a couple of the "bang for your buck" exercises and look the hell out. These are garaunteed to make the sweat drip from your face and have you crawling for the exit in no time.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
More Goods from the Mentorship
It was a good trip okay. I've still got lots to share.
The training and business end was most important, but I also went down there with a goal for myself in mind. I wanted to break the "washed up meatheads" (Not highschool or college athlete) Trap Bar Deadlift record.
I figured it would be pretty cool to get my name on the Defranco's Record Board. Hell, it's the board that inspired us to start record boards at our gyms.
So did I get on it? You're goddamn right I did! I beat the old record by 150lbs!
"Right there, above Zach Even Esh" and yes I pull a stupid face when I'm excited
Not be outdone by her ol'man, Sarah took a stab at the ladies Trap Bar Deadlift record too.
And hell yeah, she beat the old record by 90lbs.
"Look mom, I made it on the big board" (and with room to spare)
Alright, enough horn blowing and back patting. You already knew we were pretty awesome to begin with. (HAHA) We believe in walking the walk.
I'm really happy for Sarah this weekend and not because of the deadlift record, but because of the confidence she has developed as a strength coach. She knows her shit when it comes to training. It would be impossible for her to not know a lot. It's all we talk about, it's all we read, it's what we do. The mentorship and hanging out with Joe and 4 other great coaches from around the world has brought it out in her mind that she doesn't need to take shit from regular schmoes that walk into our gyms and look down there nose at her as trainer because she is a female.
The way I look at is that we should never blow off the opportunity to learn from everyone we come across. And Sarah is no exception. She has a lot to offer when it comes to training. And in addition to knowing it, she's also stronger pound for pound than about 90% of the men that train in our gyms. SO THERE!
I'm really getting geared up for the summer program again. I can't wait until hockey season is over and our guys get back. I love working with them and seeing them progress and get better.
I can't wait to dust off the prowlers and sleds. And I've also got a few new tools to get everyone stronger and faster this summer.
I actually got a call yesterday for an appointment to start working with a teenage girl that plays competitive hockey and fastball. We're ready and fully loaded to bring any athlete closer to their goals. You don't have to wait until the snow melts to get started. In season, pre-season, off-season, we're ready for it.
What does your wife do in her spare time?
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
A Few New Moves
Sarah pumpin' the gun showSo, I'm back to the grind and still high on the fact that I was at Defranco's for the weekend.
Everyone keeps asking me what the main points that I learned were and yada yada.
Here's my summary of the Defranco's Mentorship:
-Attittude and Atmosphere are probably the most important factors to having a good training session.
-Keep things simple, there is no need to follow your clients around with a stop watch and a clip board. Teach them how to squat, bench etc and let them get busy.
Joe tells the group how it's gonna be
-Small group training is the best way to get the best attitude and atmosphere mentioned above. Of course you have to weed out people that are not looking for the same success and not willing to give 100% all the time.
-Rest periods during max effort lifts should not be regulated. Take as much time as needed.
-Super setting the accessories and utilizing bands and DB's will alow the groups to keep working hard without much equipment.
Mike "the asshole" Guadango about to set a 10yd PR
-One day a week should be dedicated to recovery work. (wednesdays works best if possible)
-I learned how to perform assisted PNF stretching the way Joe performs it on his athletes. This little routine will make a huge difference in anyones day to day operations and mobility.
-Kids that train at Defranco's scare the shit out of their competitors on game day. The DTS t-shirt is a badge of honour that must be earned throught hard work and dedication.
-The "Asshole" is really a great guy. Don't let the title fool you.
-I was doing a good job of warming up my athletes last summer. Joe's warm-up at the sprint session was almost identical. (although I picked up a couple new things too)
-There is nothing fancy about WSSB, just simple and hard work, the way I like it.
There are probably 1000 other little tid-bits that will help me do my job better and help me help kids get ready for their sports but those are the things that I learned by "just being there" and seeing things unfold.
If you are like me and seriously want to be known as the trainer that creates scary athletes then you should definately try to get in on a mentorship with Joe in the future.
Thanks Joe.
Okay Kids, who wants to slay the competition like never before?
Monday, February 2, 2009
Back From the Dirtee Jerzee
I'm just droppin' in to say we made it back alive and loaded with ideas and info.
Great weekend. (How could a weekend at Defranco's not be great, Seriously?)
I'll post some words and vids soon.
Have a great day
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Layin' the Smack Down
I was reading a Q&A Question on Elite yesterday, and the answer was way over my head, but something caught my attention and had me worried I was missing the boat when conditioning our hockey players in the summer.
So, since the answer was way over my head I sent it off the Coach Foley to translate it for me.
After he translated and explained a few things, everything made good sense and I was relieved to know I was using proper programing with our hockey players. (Not that I needed any other proof than the fact that our guys kick ass in training camp)
I'm sure glad to have the kind of resources that I do. Thanks Jordan.
Tomorow morining I'll be packing up and heading south to not so sunny Wykoff New Jersey.
My wife and I will be 2 of the first 6 people to take part in the Defranco's Mentorship Program. We will be spending the weekend shadowing Joe and his staff while they run work-outs for their NFL combine athletes, some college guys and also some high school athletes. We are going to learn all the ins and outs of how Defranco's Training systems is run as a business.
I hope to bring back as much info and experience as possible to help our summer athlete program flourish. We had great success with all the guys we worked with this summer (using the WSSB template) and I am anticipating even more top level athletes in 2009.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Put Your Head Down and WORK!
Today's title is inspired by my excuse for not posting more frequently lately.
January is always a busy month in the fitness business and I've been putting my head down and getting the work done. Plain and simple.
This mantra can also be applied in your training.
Instead worrying about picking the best special exercises or compiling perfect rest periods and tempo's, just pick a couple of the big 3 (Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Military Press) and get to work.
Last week on our squat night, we used what's called the boring but big template from Jim Wendler's III manual.
The boring but big calls for the main exercise (in our case squats) to also be the accessory work. So after our Max Effort squats, we deloaded the bar and did 3 sets of 10 squats. Crazy, I know but by the beard of Zeus it blasts the legs and just about everything else. And in the last month I've noticed some size increase in my legs.
It's not exciting but it works. Hence the name "Boring but Big".
Less talk, more Rock.
January is always a busy month in the fitness business and I've been putting my head down and getting the work done. Plain and simple.
This mantra can also be applied in your training.
Instead worrying about picking the best special exercises or compiling perfect rest periods and tempo's, just pick a couple of the big 3 (Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Military Press) and get to work.
Last week on our squat night, we used what's called the boring but big template from Jim Wendler's III manual.
The boring but big calls for the main exercise (in our case squats) to also be the accessory work. So after our Max Effort squats, we deloaded the bar and did 3 sets of 10 squats. Crazy, I know but by the beard of Zeus it blasts the legs and just about everything else. And in the last month I've noticed some size increase in my legs.
It's not exciting but it works. Hence the name "Boring but Big".
Less talk, more Rock.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Strong Ones (Part 2)
So in part 1 we've identified the why's and the what-nots (yes, I think I just made that up now) of finding and surrounding yourself with strong/good training partners.
So how does on go about getting on board with the people they aspire to be like?
I don't think there is one single answer to a question like this. There could be many different ways to aproach it and I'll share with you how I've gone about it myself.
The first thing you have to ask yourself is what do you have to offer these people. You can't always expect to get, get, get, and never contribute back. (See the "Piss Pucks in Party Town Post" Nov. 18th 2008)
The fastest and often the easiest way to get help from people is with money. Plain and simple. I've spent almost $4000.00 on attending training seminars alone (before travel and lodging) in the last 3 years. This gaurantees you are going to get your questions answered. I know of one top strength coach that even hired another top strength coach for a 1 hour session at the going rate just so he could ask questions and pick the brain about coaching athletes. (I just got an idea for a future rant here.)
Another method is to become the "plate monkey" of the guys you want to train with. This is the most entry level aproach. You have nothing to offer but your sweat and effort. Start by showing up at the same time they train. Chat it up with them when its appropriate and offer to load plates and spot. This sounds kinda shitty but you can learn a tonne just by being a spotter. You get to observe from mere inches away. You get to here all the cues and learn the lingo. You are also doing the lifters a big favour because you can never have enough plate monkeys and spotters.
Once you've developed some status as a guy in know, you can also trade info with people. You may be a really good warm-up or stretching guy but need to get better at benching. Find the best benchers through association and offer to help them with their mobility in exchange for some bench coaching.
The list could go on and on, but the bottom line is, you have to have something to offer. Even if it's just a good attitude and the fact that you show up on time all the time, ready to kick ass in the weight room. You don't have to be bull ass strong to get into the club, but you have to be dedicated and ready to give. Many times I would pick a weaker athlete with a good attitude over the guy who is naturally strong but has a poor work ethic. The good attitude will take you much farther.
Okay kids, talk amongst yourselves.
A Huge Congratu-Fucking-Lations To UF Team Member SHANE CHURCH for his WIN at the Montreal CPO powerlifting meet. I'll have to confirm his numbers but he did Squat 7 bills (700lbs) and won the 242lbs open division. This is not an unusual thing for an Ultimate Fitness athlete to WIN, as we always train with the attitude that winning is everything and second place is only defeat. Nice work buddy! I won't tell how much prep he did for this meet though. (NONE, greasy greasy bastard. Just signed up and won.)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Strong Ones (Part 1)
Matt Kroc does chins with Wendler and Rob Pilger looking on. In the background is AJ Roberts, Currently of WestSide Barbell, and if you look closely you can see Alwyn cosgrove in the far corner (blue t-shirt). That's a group that gets my full attention.I wrote an article that published on EliteFTS a while back about surrounding yourself with like-minded people, successful people and going out and finding them if they are not in your current circle.
This is such an important thing to do, not just for the strength gains you seek but for success in all aspects of life. Think about it this way, if you hang around with a group of friends that spend every single weekend getting shit-faced at the local bar, I'll bet there's a good chance you get your drink on every weekend too. If you always dreamed of being the local alcoholic and waste case, then by all means, seek out the town drunks and start smashing that liver.
On the other hand, you may want to be a succesful business owner (yeah, I'm refferring to myself here) so you seek the advice and company of other succesful business people.
And most importantly you want to be BULL ASS STRONG! Don't be the hater that talks shit under his breath about the crew of bulls that are squatting bar bending loads. Start chatting with them (not when they are about to get under the bar though), ask questions, show up when they train, watch, listen, let them know you are not only interested but also dedicated to improving. Find the strongest guys and learn from them. Ideally you will want to train with them. Don't expect to get the invite instantly.
In part 2 I will outline where to find these people and how to go about getting in the clique.
Later masterbaters
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Empty Jugs = Success
I've been saving all my empty protein jugs since I started dieting in September.
I've got a shit load of them. I am actually suprised by the amount of Whey Fusion that I have gone through.
A long time ago, when I was just getting started and interested in taking care of my nutrition in order to improve my fitness results, I bought my first ever jug of protein.
It was a 2lber of Pro-Lab Whey. Strawberry flavour. I bought it at the nutrition store in the mall near my apartment.
Now keep in mind, at this time I was in college, on my own dime, no loans. Just my hard working future wife and my 3 part time jobs to pay the bills. So when I went out on a limb and bought some protein, I wanted it to last a while, because it probably took a big chunk of my monthly budget to buy that 2lbs of whey. I used to make sure the scoops were perfectly level and took every action to not spill or waste a single grain. I also remember rinsing the cup out and drinking the diluted "left overs". I only drank a shake after training, no matter what.
I was conservative. I don' t remember exactly how long that 2lbs lasted but I know it was way longer than it should've.
Empty Jugs = Success.
Somewhere along the line (probably when I started to have a few extra bucks), I realized that the protein powder wasn't doing me any good sitting in the jug on top of the fridge. It only helps build muscle and lose fat when you eat it. (or drink it)
Before I was so proud to have that full jug of protein on top of my fridge. Now I'm proud to have a massive stack of empties on top of the fridge. (And I stopped buying 2lbers long ago)
Not only do I have the empties, I also am starting to develope the physical attributes that I so badly wanted when I was younger.
So to summarize, buy a jug of Whey Fusion, eat it, drink it, whatever. Lift weights, sleep, repeat. Success doesn't happen over night. It's a long journey, and I'm loving every step of this journey.
These guys have some empty, but they ain't Whey Fusion
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Baptized By Fire
I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemyFire is really starting to piss me off.
I've already talked about our ordeal. It sucks.
I don't know all the details, but a house down the street in my neighborhood burned last Sunday night. I saw the fire department finishing up on my way to work last monday morning.
It put things in perspective for me as I thought about how much more it would suck if it was my home that burned and not my business.
I really feel for these people as they lost there home and I hope that nobody lost their life.
Dave Tate's log post sums it up real well. http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/training-logs.asp?qid=87551&tid=
Lesson learned.
To lighten things up a bit. I did 100reps of chins on Sunday and by the beard of Zeus is my back feeling it. It took 10 sets.
I'm gonna piss the group off tonight when I announce we are gonna do 100reps of GHR.
Check us out on Wednesday walking around like a bunch of penguins.
All in the name of Strength.
No I don't smoke weed.......anymore, just love this song.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Rant Time!
Okay kids, put your seatbelts on, it's Rant Time.
As you may or may not know, my wife and I make our living by teaching people how to train. We own a pair of gyms, we work in them full time and we are 2 of the 3 trainers that work in our clubs. Basically what I'm trying to say here is that my paycheck or lack thereof comes from me knowing about strength and fitness training (especially fat loss) and being able to help others achieve there physical goals.
I don't really have a good term or title to describe exactly what I do, but to the average Joe, I'm a personal trainer. BUT, I am not certified (like thats some glorious, godly thing) by any personal training company or organization. And let me tell you why.
When I first got into the business I had already been training myself for about 10 years. I had already competed in bodybuilding and powerlifting and was a pretty good student to the ways of the iron. I even had a client that I was training privately in his home 3 days per week for 6 months. Needless to say I knew a bit about training and nutrition and how to achieve success.
I looked into a few of the different companies that offered personal training certs and was horrified by what they had to offer. I did find one company that seemed to have it's shit together but they seemed to be out of business or not interested in new members because I never got a reply to any calls or emails.
One point that I want to make here before moving on is that personal training companies that offer certifications are just that, independant companies that offer certification courses on what they feel are the important skills and knowledge to be a personal trainer.
Just because you have a nice website and charge $400.oo for a weekend long certification course doesn't neccesarily mean you offer the best product.
I'll get the point here. I've come across a few individuals, that feel it neccesary to stop by my gyms or meet me in the street and want to look down there nose at our business because we are not certified. These people are often certified by one company in particular (rhymes with fan-bit) and are usually mortified that we answer their questions about certification with "I'm not certified by anyone".
This rant was fueled by one person in particular that recently came into our gym and inquired about some of our rates and training programs. The person then proceeded to tell us they were a 15 year veteran of personal training and were certified by a company that rhymes with fan-bit. The person then (as usual) inquired about our certs and had little to say about our answer.
Here's the question I have all you fuck tards with a fancy piece of paper with gold foil and your name on it from fan-bit. How many people have you trained? How many of them achieved their goals? If you are such an awesome personal trainer then why in hell aren't you making a living teaching others how to get fit?
If you want to feel high and mighty about your paper certification from the 2 day course you took about personal training, don't try me. From now on, I will be asking the hard questions.
My wife and I have been training clients for over 4 years. We started with nothing and built our business into something I'm very proud of. We did it without paying some companies bullshit fees to have a piece of paper on the wall. We did it with a lot of trial and error, a lot of reading, a lot of travelling to seminars, a lot of phone calls and emails to people who already had great success in the business. I've spent thousands of hours reading and studying training methods. I've logged thousands of hours in the gym trying shit out on myself. I've logged hundreds of hours in the gyms training others to reach there goals. And guess what? I've never bragged about how awesome I am (or used to be) to another trainer. I've never looked down my nose at another trainer with less experience. I'm willing to pay it forward and share what I've learned, and most important of all....I never stop learning, studying, trying hard to stay on top of what works.
That's all.
Have a great day.
As you may or may not know, my wife and I make our living by teaching people how to train. We own a pair of gyms, we work in them full time and we are 2 of the 3 trainers that work in our clubs. Basically what I'm trying to say here is that my paycheck or lack thereof comes from me knowing about strength and fitness training (especially fat loss) and being able to help others achieve there physical goals.
I don't really have a good term or title to describe exactly what I do, but to the average Joe, I'm a personal trainer. BUT, I am not certified (like thats some glorious, godly thing) by any personal training company or organization. And let me tell you why.
When I first got into the business I had already been training myself for about 10 years. I had already competed in bodybuilding and powerlifting and was a pretty good student to the ways of the iron. I even had a client that I was training privately in his home 3 days per week for 6 months. Needless to say I knew a bit about training and nutrition and how to achieve success.
I looked into a few of the different companies that offered personal training certs and was horrified by what they had to offer. I did find one company that seemed to have it's shit together but they seemed to be out of business or not interested in new members because I never got a reply to any calls or emails.
One point that I want to make here before moving on is that personal training companies that offer certifications are just that, independant companies that offer certification courses on what they feel are the important skills and knowledge to be a personal trainer.
Just because you have a nice website and charge $400.oo for a weekend long certification course doesn't neccesarily mean you offer the best product.
I'll get the point here. I've come across a few individuals, that feel it neccesary to stop by my gyms or meet me in the street and want to look down there nose at our business because we are not certified. These people are often certified by one company in particular (rhymes with fan-bit) and are usually mortified that we answer their questions about certification with "I'm not certified by anyone".
This rant was fueled by one person in particular that recently came into our gym and inquired about some of our rates and training programs. The person then proceeded to tell us they were a 15 year veteran of personal training and were certified by a company that rhymes with fan-bit. The person then (as usual) inquired about our certs and had little to say about our answer.
Here's the question I have all you fuck tards with a fancy piece of paper with gold foil and your name on it from fan-bit. How many people have you trained? How many of them achieved their goals? If you are such an awesome personal trainer then why in hell aren't you making a living teaching others how to get fit?
If you want to feel high and mighty about your paper certification from the 2 day course you took about personal training, don't try me. From now on, I will be asking the hard questions.
My wife and I have been training clients for over 4 years. We started with nothing and built our business into something I'm very proud of. We did it without paying some companies bullshit fees to have a piece of paper on the wall. We did it with a lot of trial and error, a lot of reading, a lot of travelling to seminars, a lot of phone calls and emails to people who already had great success in the business. I've spent thousands of hours reading and studying training methods. I've logged thousands of hours in the gym trying shit out on myself. I've logged hundreds of hours in the gyms training others to reach there goals. And guess what? I've never bragged about how awesome I am (or used to be) to another trainer. I've never looked down my nose at another trainer with less experience. I'm willing to pay it forward and share what I've learned, and most important of all....I never stop learning, studying, trying hard to stay on top of what works.
That's all.
Have a great day.
Slackin ?
Well I hope this post will mark the end of my blog slackin'. I've now got a computer in both offices so there is no excuse.
Do you have any definative goals for 2009?
I'm not talking about some bullshit new years resolution. How about something measureable?
I'm assuming that if you are reading this blog you are at least slightly interested in strength. Why not figure out what your biggest weakness is and test it somehow?
Lets use grip strength as an example. You have a really shitty grip. You are the king/queen of the deadfish handshake and you have trouble holding 35lb DB's when doing lunges.
Lets test it out. How long can you hang from a chin-up bar? What's the heaviest gripper you can close?
So now we have a baseline. Get to work with a plan. Start with the end goal and work backwards to where you are now. Set out mini goals along the way and deadlines to achieve them by.
The same system can be applied to any weakness. Bench, deadlift, whatever.
Friday, January 2, 2009
X-Mass, Come and Gone
Well I'm back in the office for the first time in a while. It's almost great to be back. We live our lives so dependant on our daily/weekly routine that after a while the holidays make me nervous. Things just don't seem right and I get worried that I may fall of the horse for good.
Despite being on vacation I am definately NOT one to skip training. I did pass on some cardio sessions but they didn't make or break me. I did have some really great training sessions and some not so great. I missed my goal of a 700lb deadlift. On Dec 30th 2008 we trained lower body and deads were the main course. I was having a poor work up, pitching forward over the bar off the floor. My lifts went as follows;
315X5
405X5
495X2 (only wanted to do a single here but the first rep was so pitched forward I decided to take a second)
585X1 (also pretty pitched)
675Xmiss (I dumped forward off the floor but it still came up well but near the top my legs and hips were locked before I got my shoulders back so the lock-out was not there. I keep asking myself if I should've hitched it up, but it doesn't matter now. )
So the goal was missed.
Is there anything gained from the whole ordeal?
You're damn right there is. I aimed high, worked hard, and had great confidence going in. I got a little hasty and didn't give the proper respect to the work-up weights and fucked things up. I've learned another lesson that can only be learned by missing weight and that was to treat the work-up like a meet lift, everytime. My sloppy work-up may or may not have been the deciding factor but it won't be in question ever again.
How did your year end go?
Did you meet the call to action?
Lets hear about it.
Happy 2009.
Despite being on vacation I am definately NOT one to skip training. I did pass on some cardio sessions but they didn't make or break me. I did have some really great training sessions and some not so great. I missed my goal of a 700lb deadlift. On Dec 30th 2008 we trained lower body and deads were the main course. I was having a poor work up, pitching forward over the bar off the floor. My lifts went as follows;
315X5
405X5
495X2 (only wanted to do a single here but the first rep was so pitched forward I decided to take a second)
585X1 (also pretty pitched)
675Xmiss (I dumped forward off the floor but it still came up well but near the top my legs and hips were locked before I got my shoulders back so the lock-out was not there. I keep asking myself if I should've hitched it up, but it doesn't matter now. )
So the goal was missed.
Is there anything gained from the whole ordeal?
You're damn right there is. I aimed high, worked hard, and had great confidence going in. I got a little hasty and didn't give the proper respect to the work-up weights and fucked things up. I've learned another lesson that can only be learned by missing weight and that was to treat the work-up like a meet lift, everytime. My sloppy work-up may or may not have been the deciding factor but it won't be in question ever again.
How did your year end go?
Did you meet the call to action?
Lets hear about it.
Happy 2009.
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