J-E-T-S! Jets, Jets, Jets!!!!!

And with today's 23-3 domination of the Oakland Raiders the Jets are 10-6 and heading into the playoffs!!! Congrats to Coach Mangini and the Jets, after a 4-12 season last year these guys are the underdog team to watch out for!!!

J-E-T-S! Jets, Jets, Jets!!!

The Lift and Carry of Kviahellan (The Husafell Stone)

http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/Husafell.big3.mov

In order to achieve the title "Fullsterker" (fully strong) one must lift and carry Kviahellan (roughly 418lbs) approximately 50 meters around the old goat pen built by Sira Snorri Bjornsson in the Husafell Valley of Iceland many, many years ago. Erik Suave and Bill Crawford did just that! Congrats guys! Fullsterker!!!

For more information on Kviahellan and the history of this manhood stone visit www.ironmind.com and purchase Steve Jeck's excellent DVD "Kviahellan: The Pen Slab".

Jon Pall Sigmarsson

Unbelievably cool does not begin to describe this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRe8BDUfzIo

This will most definitely be an awesome movie!

Tis' the Season for Resolutions.

I had a great conversation with a journalist last night. A freelance writer from California contacted me as she is preparing to write an article for an Atlanta-based sports and fitness magazine. The article is on the "non-resolution" workout. The interview ended up turning into a great discussion on training, motivation, goal setting and making health and fitness a lifestyle choice rather than a resolution.

The one thing we decided was that resolution has such a negative quality about it. Think about it, resolutions for the new year have more to do with self-deprivation and making some type of sacrifice. Why do we constantly set ourselves up for failure? Think about this. You go through the year skipping workouts and eating poorly. By the time October rolls around and we're breaking out the Halloween candy you start making those promises (or rather excuses). We've all made them. "I'll get on track after the holidays because I know I can't eat well through Thanksgiving and Christmas. And New Years? Forget about it!" So we blow it an additional 2 months! All we've done is make excuses and put off dealing with our personal health and fitness 8 more weeks! You've already set yourself up to fail by making excuses!

Why not take a different approach. Don't make a resolution, rather set some goals.

• Goal #1 - Instead of waiting until Jan 1st to start my program, I am going to start now.
• Goal #2 - I haven't been in the gym in 10 years, so I am going to start slow and build myself up gradually.
• Goal #3 - I will begin with three 15-30 minute strength training sessions focusing on bringing up my strength in 3 basic exercises.
• Goal #4 - I will perform three 15-20 minute low-intensity cardiovascular exercise sessions per week in addition to my strength training sessions.
• Goal #5 - I will start cleaning up my diet by cutting out refined and processed crap. I will enjoy the holidays with my family and enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

There you have it. 5 simple goals that you should have started at the beginning of November that will, at the very least, do damage control through the holidays and have you ready to begin upping the intensity in the workouts and really cranking down on the nutrition plan come January 1st!

Don't be part of the weak-minded herd that shows up at the gym full of piss and vinegar ready to take on the world Jan 1st and ends up burning out only make the dreaded resolutions again next year. Start now, start small, set yourself up for success and if for some reason you get a little off track, just pick it back up with the next meal and the next workout! Good luck and I hope 2007 is your best year yet!

Why Do We Do It?

People often ask us why we do what we do. Why do we go to the extreme and not settle for moderation. To me moderation is synonymous with mediocrity. If you're a powerlifter it's all about your 3-lift total, if you're a kettlebell sport lifter it's about taking a pair of 32kg kettlebells for a ride overhead for 10 minutes straight, if you're a weightlifter it's about your 2-lift total, etc. That is what drives us to get better, to risk injury (both temporary or permanent) to excel at our given endeavor. Granted, for some it's about world records, trophies and titles and there is a point of diminishing returns.

I don't buy into the philosophy that says do ANYTHING to get stronger. I don't believe in performance enhancing drug use, and even as a powerlifter I think gear is getting carried away. I don't think it's necessarily right that a 400lb squatter can throw on a suit and wraps and squat 700lbs. Personally I would like to see gear a bit more controlled - maybe nothing more than single-ply poly gear across the board? If the powers that be outlawed gear alltogether I wouldn't lose a bit of sleep over the decision. I didn't get into powerlifting because of the gear. I use it, and abide by the rules of my federation, but would give it up in a second if the fed outlawed it. I would like to see the rules tightened up a bit too. Squats are all over the place - should they be? Is breaking parallel THAT hard to judge that we need new definitions like "convincingly legal depth"? C'mon folks, it's not rocket science! It's breaking parallel, that's all. I think the feds that allow high squats to pass are just as much to blame as the feds that give you red lights even when your calves and hamstrings are practically touching. Yes, humans make mistakes but some of this stuff is utterly ridiculous. Bench presses are all over the place. Some feds allow belly benching, some don't. Some require you to pause for a long time, some don't. Some give you a long press signal, some a quick one some give no press signal at all.

Now, I didn't intend for this post to be a rant on the rules of powerlifting, so let me save that for tomorrow's post! I just want to make it clear that I don't belive drug-use and powerlifting gear equals real strength. Gear is acceptable to me because it is for sport use and the feds allow it. If it wasn't legal then I would be opposed to it. However, I keep two sets of PR's in my logbook - 1. My meet lift PR's 2. My raw (real) PR's. All you gear junkies, don't jump down my throat - but I don't belive my gear numbers are what I'm capable of and I can admit that. Drug use is not acceptable to me period. It's cheating. I won't point fingers and condemn anyone, it's not my place. However if you use have the honor to lift in a fed that is untested, yeah, in a perfect world maybe.

Now, back to why we do what we do. I get this question all the time - why can't you just do things in moderation and train for health. Granted, I want to be healthy and want to lift into my twighlight years. However, I want to push myself to my limits and set and demolish my goals. We are living on borrowed time and our life span, in the big picture, is nothing more than a blink of an eye. I've got things to do while I'm here! Why do we do it? I've only been stone lifting for a few weeks now and already sport the bruised and raspberried forearms. The blood shot eyes that accompany a squat PR. The aching back the day after. Why do we do it? Unfortunately, sometimes the injuries are more extreme. Sometimes they require serious time off, surgery or worse yet, never lifting again. Why do we do it? Because we understand personal achievement and the exhileration that accompanies great accomplishments. Is it really living if we shelter ourselves from experience because of the possibility of injury? Is living in fear really living? I am not suggesting we jump into our chosen sports haphazardly. You have to be smart, train smart and use good judgement if you are to ever succeed and accomplish your goals. Life is meant to be lived, not vicariously through the accomplishments of others, but through your personal experiences. Whether you want to scale a sheer rock cliff, hoist a barbending weight overhead or jump out of an airplane at 10,000 feet above the ground, do it! Don't just imagine it. Don't just watch it on TV. Grab hold of the rock, barbell or parachute. Employ proper safety techniques and never work outside of your skill level, but always strive for betterment.

Don't become a cold, timid soul who sitting in a rocking chair in the latter stages of life looks back and says "I could have". Be the person who inspires younger generations to strive for greatness through the stories and legacy of your personal accomplishments, but most importantly do it because you want to, scratch that, because you KNOW you can do it!

Journey Into Stone Lifting

I saw a gentleman by the name of Steve Jeck speak at a strength coaching clinic last year. Steve is a pretty awesome guy. Was a thrower in track and field and competed in the Highland Games. Steve became interested in Clach Cuid Fir (manhood stones) and went on to tackle some of the most famous testing stones in the world including the Inver Stone in Scotland and Kviahellan, the Husafell Stone, in Iceland. If you are lucky enough to own Steve's videos or the book he co-authored with Peter Martin "Of Stones and Strength" then you know of his accomplishments and should have a good understanding of the history of stone lifting. If you aren't familiar with him, get over to www.ironmind.com and get familiar! Steve uses stone lifting as part of his presentation, presenting a lesson then a corresponding lift, for instance Steve speaks of the importance in using one's head in life as well as lifting - he then attaches a head harness to a 225lb stone and lifts the chunk of granite with his head!

Here is the beauty of lifting a stone - it is raw, simple power and strength at its best! As a competitive powerlifting I always hear arguments about squats not being deep enough, benches not being paused enough or a lifter's knees weren't locked out in the deadlift. This fed is TOO lenient, this fed is too strict, blah blah blah. I'm only a class 4 lifting and I am already sick of hearing it. I am not in danger of setting any world records and all I care about when I take the platform is getting personal records and supporting my fellow lifters. There is no debate in stone lifting - either you get the stone off the ground and pull it up to your waist or you don't. either you shoulder it or you don't. Simple as that!

I love the distinction Jeck makes between barbells and stones in his essay "The Choice" from Milo and his book: "The barbell is designed to be lifted... No, I'm in no way saying that lifting barbells is easy. The distinction I'd make is that barbells are heavy while stones are defiant." This is beautiful and yet very true. While my best deadlift is 463lbs, I found that pull to be MUCH easier than the first time I hoisted a 200lb stone to my chest!

While my strength levels are not where they need to be to try my hand at some of the famed testing stones resting "across the pond" in Scotland and Iceland - one day they will be. Fortunately I've been able to converse with some very accomplished stone lifters and I have been able to construct effective workouts to help me on my journey to lift these immortal stones. Stones that have been here long before you and I arrived on this earth and stones that will be here long after we're gone.

Change things up a little...

Last night after hitting a couple PR's in some rack deadlifts I wanted to do some type of squat exercise for the supplementary lift. I opted for front squats. I haven't done a front squat with a barbell, aside from demoing the lift to trainees with an unloaded bar, ever. Since I don't have a powerlifting meet on the horizon and since I just started focusing on stone lifting I decided to add the front squats into my program. An accomplished stone lifter recommended this exercise to me as it more closely resembles stone lifting with the load in front of the body and not on the upper back. My favorite front squat variation is with a pair of kettlebells racked at the chest, however you are limited to the total amount of weight you can lift. A barbell is necessary to increase strength on this lift. My best competition squats in powerlifting gear are 425 at 198lbs and 430 at 217lbs. Let's just say my first attempt at front squats humbled me beyond belief! I went 95lbs for 5 reps/2 sests, 115lbs for 3 reps/2 sets, 135lbs for 3 reps and 155 for 2 reps. Right now my goal is to get a single rep at 275lbs in the front squat and go from there. Just holding the bar on the front of the body is a challenge. You have to keep the torso erect and not lean forward at all. This is tough for me as I tend to lean forward when I back squat. Adding front squats into my routine can only make me stronger. I feel by training what is weak can only make me stronger all around. However, the ego has to get put away for a while as my training poundages will be significantly reduced. I think if more people subscribed to this methodology, they would see greater faster increases in strength. Work outside of your comfort zone and your favorite lifts for a while, I bet you will set new PR's in all your pet lifts as a result!

Six-Pack Abs, Functional Training and other Musings for a Monday Morning.

I got an email this weekend that really got me thinking. A person who works for a local sports and fitness magazine had emailed me a questionaire pertaining to exercise and nutrition methods on how to get that 6-pack going. The questions were good. Most had to do with exercise methods, equipment recommendations and training protocol for sculpting the envious abdominals. A couple of the questions related to food choice. Here's the cliff notes version of what I recommended.

• Strength Training - perform strength training workouts 3-4 times per week, utilize "big bang for your buck" exercises (i.e. squats, deadlifts, presses, chin ups, rows) focusing on moderately-heavy to heavy weights. The goal for the strength training workout should be building strength and muscle. Building muscle is probably the best non-nutrition related thing you can do for fat loss as lean mass requires more calories to sustain itself, even at rest, than fat mass does.




• Cardio/Energy Systems Work - perform 3-5 sessions per week. If you are really out of shape and new to exercise lower intensity forms of exercise should be used. If you are in good shape and have a good base of GPP (general physical preparation) higher intensity drills may be used. Exercises that should be implemented are, but not limited to, walking, sprints, sled dragging, battling ropes drills, high repetition kettlebell exercises, BW calisthenics, etc.




• Nutrition - granted I am not a nutritionist, nor do I play one on TV. However, is this stuff really that difficult to figure out? Eat as fresh, raw and whole as possible, avoid refined and processed crap and when you grocery shop stick mainly to the outside perimeter of the grocery store. Most people know what to do, they just lack the discipline because, well, Pop-Tarts taste oh so good.
  

This email got me thinking. What works hasn't changed since the dawn of physical culture. Look at the physiques of the old time strongmen like Arthur Saxon (pictured above left). Saxon sported this awesome physique before steroids, pilates, and body pump class. That's right faithful readers, no wobble boards or balance discs were used by Saxon or the rest of the founding fathers of the physical culture movement. They lifted heavy weights and ate much cleaner foods than we eat now.

Why is it then that so-called professionals are trying to convince us to give up our barbells and dumbbells in favor of balance boards, balls and other "functional training" equipment? Functional training as defined by today's "experts" is a crock! To them the only way to activate your "core" (I get sick saying that word) is to stand on an unstable surface. I suggest that putting a barbell twice your bodyweight across your upper back and shoulders will activate your "core" much more than standing on a piece of foam.

All training can be "functional" and all training can be "non-functional". The application is what is important. There are too many pencil-neck weenies who can't squat or deadlift their way out of a wet paper bag in this industry. They can't squat twice their bodyweight so they come up with a circus trick variation of a squat, label it "functional" and sell it to the unsuspecting public. Then they label those who actually know how to get stronger meatheads using outdated methods. It's crap and it makes me sick.

If you want to get stronger and bigger add more weight to the barbell and put more food on your plate. If you want to get leaner put less food on your plate and burn more calories than you are eating. This simple formula has worked for a long time and it will continue working long after wobble boards and balance balls are out of "vogue".

The Underground Strength Training Movement

Any of you who know me know the current state of the strength training and fitness industry makes me sick. There are those of us - trainers, coaches and hardcore lifters affectionately known as "the darksiders" - out there taking matters into their own hands. No, you don't find these people in flashy mega-fitness centers with neon lights, cardio-bar, pump and burn aerobics and fancy weight machines. You'll find these people, these "darksiders" in garages, basements, backyards or "hole in the wall" gyms that you would need special directions to find as they are usually located in storage spaces or warehouses. People in this industry I respect, guys like Zach "The Underground Strength Coach" Even-Esh, Smitty & Jedd from the Diesel Crew and my good friend Steve Mosley are all doing a great job of this.

These guys are out there showing what can be done outside the confines of the mega-fitness centers. They are operating out of garages, backyards and basements and using barbells, kettlebells, sand bags, stones, ropes and the hardcore basics of training - getting people results.

I had a pro-basketball player contact me and come out to my "dungeon" training facility (the picture at the top of this article). Apparently he wasn't impressed cause' it didn't look like the Ritz, and not even considering the quality of training I could provide him he had obviously made up his mind. When I asked him what he was doing for training he said smith machine squats, leg extensions and leg curls at the local fitness empire. Some people just don't get it. He never came back. Oh well, his loss.

I have been fortunate enough to work with athletes on all levels from recreational to high school, college and professional level. The one thing they all have in common is their desire to succeed, to get results. They are realizing it is not the facility, but rather the intensity and attitude put into their training that produces results. Judging by the recent trend in the commercial fitness facilities to cancel memberships for grunting under a heavy load we can safely say noone is getting strong at the local McFitness centers. What do you need to get strong, powerful and dominate your competition as an athlete or someone who is serious about their training program? The underground!

Granted it is only a movie, but who doesn't love Rocky?!?! Remember Rocky 3, after training in the flash and flair of high profile fitness centers and stationary bikes Stallone gets his ass handed to him by Mr. T. Then Carl Weathers steps in and gets Stallone ready for a re-match. Just where does Apollo take Rocky to train? The gym he grew up in, in downtown LA. It was beautiful! Water leaking from the ceiling, dimly lit and hardcore! Did you notice how tough those other fighters training there were? Watch the movie again and look in their eyes during that scene when Rocky and Apollo walk in dressed in their 3-piece suits, it would make your average fitness-center-going-metrosexual crap his pants!

If you want to get strong, tough and make serious progress you need to train like an animal. You can't do that at Pump 'n' Burn Express or wherever else your bank account gets debited monthly while you watch CNN. So forget about the corporate fitness empires and get back the basics of training. Take yourself outside of your comfort zone and fight the war on metro-sexuality. Bring the sweat, blood and tears back into training. What happened to those days? Remember those pictures that inspired you to pick up a barbell for the first time? The black and whites of Arnold, Franco and Lou training at the old Golds in Venice. Remember how intense that looked? Remember how it lit that fire deep in your gut and you couldn't wait to join a gym? What happened to those days...

They are around you, you just have to look for them. Look for the kid dragging a weighted sled through his yard, or someone hoisting stones overhead. Look for the dimly lit basement gyms full of rusty barbells and cold iron. Look for people with hard, jacked physiques and the look of a stone-cold killer in their eyes and you'll find it. It's the underground and we're taking over!

I have decided to stop posting my training log as a blog and will rather use this space to try my hand at "witty anecdotes" about the industry I've come to loathe, er uh, I mean love! If you want to see what I'm doing for my training look over at my links list as I've provided a direct link to my online training log. Please feel free to leave feedback or even to just tell me what a jackass I am.

So, here' my first stab at fitness literary "genius"..... enjoy! BTW - I'm not the most politically correct writer so if you are easily offended you may want to skip my blog!

The Mediocrity that is the Fitness Industry.

I spend the better part of my day working as a personal trainer. I train people all day, everyday. Some people I train are hardcore athletes and some are concerned simply with general fitness and health.

Regardless of who I train they are expected to get better and work hard. We train out of my basement gym - no neon, chrome, tanning beds, gimmiks, or smoothie bar. There are no mirrors on the wall to check out the bicep pump after a set of curls. All we have is a pile of weight, some bars and some pieces of equipment I deem absolutely necessary to improve strength and function.

It burns me up when someone comes up to me and starts a conversation with "Oprah says..", YEAH that's where I go to get my fitness info. Training is basic, it's simple. Today everyone is looking for a better way to workout. I think there are a few reasons:

1. People have the attention span of a gnat. They lose interest in something after a workout or two. Notice the cyclical nature of cardio classes, spinning, kickboxing, pilates, body pump, etc.?!?! One thing is popular one week then something else takes it's place.

2. People are too influenced by what "celebrities" are doing. I don't care if freakin' Madonna is doing kabala-yoga-lates or if Demi Moore drinks Red Bull to supercharge her cardio-bar workout, or that Oprah does 300 crunches every morning because her trainer (who is published so he knows what he's talking about) tells her to. Guess what? You ain't Madonna, Demi or Oprah. You need to find what works for you and it may require a little professional help. In short - don't go to celebrities for fitness advice unless you have an entourage of trainers, cooks, nutritionists, hair and make up people and everyone else these people have kissing their pompous asses on your payroll.

3. People like to be coddled. Go into a gym today and you'll see women decked out in high flash fitness fashion, complete with fresh hair-do and make up or yuppies jabbering away on cell phones. No one likes to freakin' sweat. Guess what, if you want to make progress you have to work friggin' hard. Do yourself a favor, go rent Arnold's movie "Pumping Iron" and see what a gym is supposed to be.

4. People lack discipline - the following statement will sum this up "New Years Resolutionists". You see them every Jan 2 in the gyms and don't typically see them after Feb 1. One old-timer who works out in a fitness center I run calls them "new shoes".

5. People are too sensitive. Why do we have to be so PC? Some people need to be told that they are unmotivated, fat and going to die. Perhaps that would light a fire under their collective asses to do something about it.

I don't know why people make the process of getting into shape so difficult. There is no magic formula. It's as simple as this:

1. Lift progressively heavier weights to build muscle and strength, focusing on the big basics, like squats, pushes and pulls.

2. Get in shape - keep your bodyfat low, this doesn't mean you need to be sportin' a six-pack, but there's no excuse for becoming a fat-ass.

3. Eat right. Eat fresh, raw and whole as much as possible. Get rid of the refined and processed shit. Eat to fuel performance and build lean mass. Every now and then eat something bad - in addition to not being a fat-ass you don't need to be a tight-ass either. Lighten up and have some pizza or a snickers every now and then.

4. Don't wear lycra.

5. Don't listen to Oprah or any other self-proclaimed "gurus" on exercise.

Pretty simple right? What's your excuse?

Dec 04, 2006
Monday

ME SQ/DL

warm up - mobility

1. SSB Low Box Squat - 115x3, 135x3, 155x3, 175x3, 205x3, 225x3, 245x3

2. SSB GM - 115x5, 135x5, 155x5/2

3. KB Snatch - 16kgx8+8, 24kgx6+6, 32kgx4+4, 40kgx3+3

4. RVS Sit Up - 3 sets

5a. Neck Harness - 3 sets
5b. Rolling Thunder DL - worked up to 130x1+1

Cardio - 25min. Treadmill Intervals

Squats felt much better than the previous week. SSB is a great bar.

Dec 02, 2006

Saturday

DE Bench Press

1. Speed Bench w/bands - 95+mini bandsx3/6

2. Sushi Style Bench - 135x3, 155x3, 185x3

3. Pin Press (#10 pin) - 225x3, 245x3, 275x3

4. Bent Over BB Row - 135x7/2, 155x5/2, 185x4, 135x10

5a. DBL KB Shrug - 24kgx20/3
5b. BB Curl - 70x8/3

That's it. Speed on band benches was great and the set up was tight. Time for Christmas shopping, fun fun fun!

Dec 01, 2006

Friday

DE Squat/Deadlift

warm up - mobility

1. Box Squat w/bands - 135+green bandx2/6

2. Box Squat - 185x2, 225x2, 235x2

3. DBL KB Clean - 24kgx5, 32kgx5, 36kgx5

4. Stone Lift - lift to chest x 4

5. Sled Drag w/ 2 plates - foreward x 2 laps uphill, backward x 2 laps uphill

6a. Side Bend - 32kgx7+7/3
6b. Sit Up - 35x7/3

7a. Neck Harness - 16kgx8/3
7b. Hub Lift - 25x1+1, 30x1+1, 35x1 (missed left hand)

That's it. I am doing these squat cycles raw so I had to drop my training weights based on raw lifts. Stone lifting is freakin' awesome!