Congratulations Malcom!

Congratulations to my training partner Malcom Gunter for making Powerlifting USA's Top 100! Malcom's 501 bench press at the 2006 AAPF/APF GA State Powerlifting Championships puts him at #78 in the top 100 of all USA competitive lifters in the 198 lb. weight class in the competition year 2006. Malcom is drug-free and is a great example of what hard work and a laser-focus can do. Nice work!

Apr 14, 2007
Saturday Meet Report

WNPF GA State PL Championships

Weighed in at 212 lbs morning of...

SQ - 405/425/450-(20lb meet PR) 9 white lights, squats felt solid, probably 25-50lbs left on the platform.

BP - 265/285-(tied meet PR)/300-missed, got it halfway then ran out of gas.

DL - 405/435/465-missed, would have been a meet PR.

TOTAL - 1170 a 35 lb meet PR.All in all a pretty good day. Squats are coming along very nicely, but my dead is not where I want it. Back to work in a few days.

One of my lifters I train, David, had a GREAT meet. Here's his report:

BW - weighed in at 111 lbs!

SQ - 360/400-missed/400 (26 lb meet PR!)

BP - 265-(reds cause the handoff guy was in the judges way)/265/275 (10 lb meet PR!)

DL - 385/425/435-missed, would have been a 5 lb meet PR

TOTAL - 1100 this was his 2nd elite total and a 31 lb meet PR and ALMOST a 10x bodyweight total! David won his division in both full powerlifting and deadlift only, and won best lifter in both full powerlifting and deadlift only! GREAT job David!

Optimal Strength Training and Conditioning - book NOW available!


Click the following link to view information for and purchase a copy of my new strength training and conditioning book. For half the price of a personal training session this book covers, in detail, the best exercises for huge gains in strength and muscle mass, alternative conditioning methods and energy systems drills to improve conditioning and body composition, factors to consider when building a training program and much more!

http://stores.lulu.com/sshetler

Thanks and I hope you enjoy the first edition in my upcoming series on Optimal Strength and Conditioning methods!

Scott

March 31, Mastering the Football Combine Tests Hands-On Clinic...

This was the first clinic I've ever offered to help prospective pro-football players enhance their performance in the combine tests. We had four athletes register and it turned out to be a great day. Over 4-hours we covered the 40 yard dash, 20 yard shuttle, vertical jump and bench press. As a bonus we added the "L" drill and the broad jump. These athletes are participating in a Pro-Scout Combine that only tests the 40, shuttle, vertical and bench, but I wanted them to know the correct way to perform the "L" and the broad jump as well.

After our dynamic warm up I had the athletes perform each test their way. We then corrected their technique and practiced the drills then we took new times, everyone improved across the board! They are still not where they need to be for their combine, but at least they have 2-months of practicing the correct technique and will now stand a much better chance of putting up the numbers they are shooting for. Here are our results:

Player 1 - OLB:

40 yd dash - trial 1 = 4.72, trial 2 = 4.47 (dropped almost .3 seconds!)

10 yd dash - trial 1 = 1.57. trial 2 = 1.49

20 yd shuttle - trial 1 = 4.37, trial 2 = 4.29

vertical jump - trial 1 = 28.5", trial 2 = 31.5" (a 3" gain!)

bench press - 18 reps w/225

Player 2 - WR:

40 yd dash - trial 1 = 4.98, trial 2 = 4.54 (dropped .44 seconds!)

10 yd dash - trial 1 = 1.49, trial 2 = 1.38

20 yd shuttle - trial 1 = 4.90, trial 2 = 4.81 (we need some work here)

vertical jump -trial 1 = 30", trial 2 = 31"

Player 3 - WR:

40yd dash - trial 1 = 4.95, trial 2 = 4.71 (dropped .24 seconds, needs to come down still)

10yd dash - trial 1 = 1.59, trial 2 = 1.41

20 yd shuttle - trial 1 = 4.38, trial 2 = 4.30

vertical jump - trial 1 = 29.5", trial 2 = 31.5" (2" gain!)

bench press - 11 reps w/225

Player 4 - WR:

40 yd dash - trial 1 = 4.98, trial 2 = 4.79 (dropped .2 seconds, still needs to come down)

10 yd dash - trial 1 = 1.65, trial 2 = 1.41

20 yd shuttle - trial 1 = 4.73, trial 2 = 4.63 (needs some more work)

vertical jump - trial 1 = 28.5", trial 2 = 31.5" (a gain of 3"!)

As you see technique made a HUGE difference in their test performance! While the improvements are great, they need to get back to work now for the next 8 weeks and make the improvements they need to put the finishing touches on their scores. They are a group of great and motivated guys and I hope to have the good fortune to work with them more in the future.

Latest musings, rants and other happenings...

Sorry I've been absent from the world of blogging lately. Unlike some internet training experts who seem to have all day to post on forums and blogs, I've actually been out training, both my clients and myself.

Powerlifting events....
I have a powerlifting meet coming up on April 14, the WNPF GA State Championships. This is going to be a tough meet for me. First my training cycle has been pretty lack-luster lately. I don't blame anyone but myself. I have been slammed with new clients, workshops and clinics since the new year fell upon us. I have been making time for my workouts and thanks to my training partner and good friend Malcom for keeping me honest in the basement. Right now I am hoping to go 475/303/501 in the squat/bench/deadlift at this meet. I'm a little off target, this year I wanted to crack 500 in the squat, 350 in the bench and 550 in the deadlift at about 198-200lbs BW. I'm getting there! Hopefully by the Worlds in November I'll be closing in on those numbers. This meet will mark the end of my second full year of powerlifting competition and third year training for the sport. My first meet I went 375 in the squat, 255 in the bench and 405 in the deadlift with a 1035 total. We'll find out in a few weeks what I've been able to accomplish these past two years!

Wearing two hats....
In addition to lifting in this upcoming meet I have to keep my coach's hat on too. A powerlifter I coach, David, is an exceptional 114 lb weight class lifter. Since training with me he achieved his first elite total of 1069 at 111 lbs of bodyweight at the 2006 Nationals last July. If you want to check this cat out he has a profile on my athlete profiles page of my website at www.extreme-fitness.org. David's best meet lifts so far are 375 squat, 265 bench and 430 deadlift. He's gunning for a 415-420 squat, 280-290 bench and a 450 deadlift at this meet and his second elite total. Good luck David!

What I did this past weekend....
Finally attended my first kettlebell certification workshop. I've been playing with the little iron bells for a few years now and have trained with some exceptional guys. People like Steve Cotter, Marty Farrell and Dave Randolph have really helped me develop my kettlebell skills over the years. I recently made the decision to join the American Kettlebell Club and get certified through Valery Fedorenko's program. Valery is the real deal. A former girevoy (kettlebell) sport world champion and world record holder, I honestly feel there is no better person instructing people in the use of kettlebells in the USA than Valery. It was very educational weekend and I learned many new techniques in the CORRECT kettlebell lifts. From using the right style of kettlebells to proper execution of the lifts, everything was covered in great detail and I look forward to continuing my journey with the American Kettlebell Club both in teaching people the correct way to train with the kettlebells for fitness and helping the sport grow here in America. I want to extend a huge thanks to Valery, Eric and John from the AKC and my friends Steve Cotter, Marty Farrell, Dave Randolph, Jim Eggers and Matt Macnamarra (I am pretty sure I butchered Matt's last name!) for a great weekend. It was also great meeting the other participants of the workshop including Steve Maxwell. I had the pleasure of seeing Steve present at the Wake Forest University Strength Coaches Clinic a couple years ago. It was great to finally get a chance to talk with Steve, an accomplished athlete and trainer, and attend the course with him. Great things are going to happen with this organization! www.americankettlebellclub.com

Football combine preparation continues....
Ahhh, it's that time of the year again. With the major NFL combine over and pro-days underway, college seniors and free agents who weren't able to participate in the combine or pro days are getting ready for Scout Camp regional combines in the hope of making it to the Scout Camp Elite Combine in June at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. I have been fortunate to gain a whole slew of new clients preparing for this event and it has been both rewarding and challenging. Talk about heart! These are the guys who aren't guaranteed to make the NFL and are doing everything in their power for the chance to workout in front of NFL, CFL, and AFL scouts and coaches. These guys are hungry and are a complete joy to train. In addition to working with them one on one and in small groups, I have been consulting for some athletes out of state on their combine prep programs and will be holding a clinic at the end of March to teach optimal performance in the combine events. It is a total honor to work with these athletes and am excited to see what lies in store for them as they try to advance to the professional ranks.

SWAT stuff...
A huge thanks to my buddy Steve Mosley for inviting me to present at the GTOA (Georgia Tactical Officers Association) clinic last week. I had the pleasure of working with about 40 or 50 tactical law enforcement officers and present our brand of strength and conditioning for military and law enforcement types. It was a great day and the LE officers were a true pleasure to work with. Steve and I have big things in store for 2007 in this arena!

Products....
I FINALLY got off my butt and began writing a couple of books. One is going to be titled "Optimal Strength Training and Conditioning for Young Athletes" and will be a training manual to introduce a solid, basic strength training and conditioning plan to the young athlete. The target market for this book will be the high school coach or athlete and anyone who needs a refresher in the performance of the often overlooked, basic strength and conditioning exercises. The second book I am co-authoring with Steve Mosley and will be titled "Optimal Strength Training and Conditioning for Military, Law Enforcement and Fire Fighting". This book, just as the title indicates, will cover all concerns for optimal physical preparation in these demanding fields. Stay tuned for release dates and information. Both should be ready in the next month or so!

New business...
I received a call from my friend Gary a couple months back. He, a couple colleagues and myself are starting a company that will help raise the bar on strength and conditioning and performance training on all levels. We are very excited about this project and hope to "go live" with in by mid May. Stay tuned for details!

Well, as you can see my life has been quite a bit crazy lately! Hopefully I can hold it all together a little while longer and get back to posting a little more regularly.

Scott

Yuri Vlasov

This is intense! I was watching Steve Jeck's "Stonelifting" video the other day and on it Steve talks about the importance of building your mental arsenal, in this case it came just prior to Steve performing a set of 20 rep breathing squats, no-no-no style, with 415lbs on the bar! The quote he shared was from the great Russian weightlifter, Yuri Vlasov. Repeat this to yourself next time you are stepping up to the bar going for a PR!

“The blood of your fathers has turned to water in your veins. Not your lot is it to be strong as they were. Having tasted neither life’s sorrows not it’s joy, like a sickling you look at life through a glass. Your skin will shrivel, your muscles grow weak, tedium will devour your flesh destroying desire. Thought will congeal in your skull and horror will stare at you from the mirror. Overcome yourself, overcome yourself. I tremble, I seethe, I clench, I seize the haul.”

Training Articles and Internet Gurus

Sometimes I get the feeling some trainers just like to write to hear themselves talk. I know everyone is entitled to their opinions about training and many things work, but one of the biggest things that bothers me is when a trainer tries to act like the personal trainer, strength coach, physical therapist, ART therapist, massage therapist, exercise physiologist, head coach, dietician, podiatrist, orthopedic surgeon, general medical practitioner, and all around know it all. I don't care how many freakin' letters are after their last name or how many articles they've had published on the internet muscle zine'. There are some great trainers out there sharing info for sure, but it seems that there are a lot of people more interested in making a name for themselves rather than training people. It kills me when you see some internet famous trainer who pumps out articles on a weekly basis on why you need to train your athletes this way, then the only testimonials they have are from their network of trainers they work with. I respect trainers like Joe DeFranco, Jason Ferruggia, Alwyn Cosgrove, etc. who actually show who they've helped on their various websites, they include testimonials from real clients, real athletes and not just their buddies. If I see a trainer I respect and know does good work endorse another, that speaks volumes to me, however I want to see who they've worked with too. Anytime I see someone say they can't reveal their clients due to contract negotiations I put absolutely zero stock in their methods. I don't think you necessarily have to coach great athletes to be a great coach. Heck, anyone can take a gifted athlete and put them on a program and they'll still be great athletes. I respect the guys that can take no-names and underdogs and do great things. I think Joe DeFranco's "Miles Austin project" is incredibly motivating. This kid went from no-name university to making the Dallas Cowboys line-up through smart training and hard work. DeFranco is one of the few people in this industry who really does a great job, in my opinion. I don't care how much someone knows, experience speaks volumes to me. I trust the word of someone who's been in the industry for 30 years more than someone who's been publishing articles for 3 years. Take Mike Boyle, a great strength coach, probably one of the best. Some of his stuff I like, some I don't. This cat's been doing this job and doing it well for a long time. People should listen to Mike, you don't necessarily have to agree with everything he says, but you can learn a helluva lot cause' he has more experience in the field than most. Competitive experience is important, but isn't the be all end all. I've met some really strong dudes, who can't articulate how to do a bench press. A good trainer or coach knows what it's like to get under the bar and push themselves (they don't have to be a world champion though), knows how to set up programming for their clients and athletes based on the trainees INDIVIDUAL needs, can get around their egos and realize they can learn something from everyone, listens more than they talk, isn't afraid to refer a trainee to someone who might be able to help the trainee better, and doesn't try to be the final word on every sub-category in the health and fitness field.

Just a little rant before the weekend, I need a beer!

Q&A Post

I've been getting a lot of questions regarding how I train my athletes via email through my website recently so I thought I'd share some of them.

Q: Hi Scott,
What have you had the most success with when training your athletes, two lower body days a week or one lower body a week? Thanks.

A: It depends on where we're at in the training cycle. I structure all my athletes programs based on the annual plan. There are different considerations for different levels. The biggest problem I have are multi-sport high school kids. One of my star high school athletes NEVER has an off season. Football in the fall crosses over with school basketball in the winter which crosses over with AAU basket ball in the spring which crosses over with football pre-season camp at the end of summer. For athletes like this we work heavy legs once a week. Usually I go heavy one week (i.e. work them up to a heavy set of 3 or 5 reps in a squat or squat variation - for example front squat, low box squat, etc.) the next week we usually work 8-10 sets of 2 reps with approx. 60% of their 1RM in a parallel box squat with either chains or bands attached to the bar. The next week we're back to a heavy 5 or 3, etc. After the main lift we usually hit a 1-legged squat (i.e. Bulgarian split squat, step up or 1-leg box squat), then a posterior chain lift (we like romanian deadlifts, glute/ham raises, 45 degree back raises, good mornings and kettlebell swings and snatches), then we'll hit abs, neck and grip. If the athlete has a TRUE off season (for instance a college football player or a high school football player who plays no other sports) we will usually train legs twice. One day is the max effort day (i.e. work up in a squat or deadlift variation to a heavy 3 or 5 rep max). The other day is the dynamic effort day (i.e. hit 8-10 doubles off a parallel box with 50-60% of the 1 rep max with chains or bands on the bar). We always follow with a 1-leg squat variation, posterior chain lift, then abs, neck and grip. When we work jumps and various plyos we do them on the dynamic day and ONLY if it is an athlete with an offseason. Athletes who are in-season year round are jumping enough.

Q: Do you find the dynamic effort being as beneficial for a pre-college athlete who needs to put on as much mass as possible?

A: Yes, athletes need to be explosive - once I have an athlete that can squat around 1.5x his bodyweight we begin dynamic work. However, for a youngster or someone brand new to strength training we do a LOT of BW squat variations and BW box squats with a broom stick to groove perfect technique. While we are doing this we are also doing slow negatives and altitude landings to teach the athlete to absorb force, VERY important for the later dynamic work and plyometrics and shock method training. We find that on the max effort day working multiple sets of heavy 5's is quite beneficial for gaining mass AS WELL AS strength, 5x5 with an appreciable load gives you the best of both worlds brother, provided the athlete is getting the appropriate calories in his system.

Q: Do you do any foam rolling, dynamic warm up, or Olympic Lifts?

A: Foam rolling - yes, I am a big believer in rehab/prehab methods, our favorites are: foam rolling, ART (I send people to Dr. Dave Radaszewski at the Soft Tissue & Chiropractic Center here in Atlanta), massage, contrast showers, ice, heat, some static flexibility work, contract relax stretching, etc.

Dynamic warm-ups - YES - HUGELY important, we use a variation of the Parisi School Warm-Up Method (Martin Rooney's stuff is incredible- www.parisischool.com).

Olympic Lifting - I don't do a lot of Oly-lifting or variations. Sometimes I don't have a lot of time to spend with a kid so we go for more bang for your buck exercises, I can teach a kid to box squat in 5 minutes but teaching a kid to clean properly takes longer. If I have a kid for a while and I know his coach is going to make him clean I will make sure he knows the lift well. I like kettlebell variations as in the swings, cleans and snatches the weight swings back behind the midline of the body and your limbs move more in a pattern that replicates a jump allowing you to display force through a greater range of motion, plus the kettlebells teach you to absorb, store and redirect a force - similar (but not the same) to the effect of plyometrics without the shock/impact - GREAT for athletes in season.

Q: Do you think athletes that are in high school, which are not as efficient with their CNS (central nervous system) are affected as much by not having an off season?

A: I feel everyone needs an offseason and if we trained our athletes properly they would be specializing in one sport by the time they are in high school. The early developmental years (up through 9 or 10 years of age) are the time for general skill development - kids should be playing a multitude of different sports and exposing their bodies/organisms to a variety of motor skill development activities. By 9 or 10 dominant traits should begin emerging (i.e. is the child showing traits of power, strength, speed, endurance, etc.) then optimally the child would be exposed to a few different sports in the vein of their dominant skill with the goal of specilization by high school age. I feel this would reduce the number of sport-related injuries, allow the athlete to peak later in their career, and increase the length of the athlete's career, not to mention contribute to optimal levels of preparedness and performance in the athlete's chosen sport.

Thanks for the questions!

Well, it's that time of the year again!

My phone has been ringing off the hook and my email box is getting slammed. Between the Jets getting knocked out of the playoffs, new years resolutionists, football players prepping for combines and pro days, my regular calendar of athletes and clients, and future clinics and seminars, as well as writing my magazine articles and book/DVD projects I'm working on, my January-June is pretty much slammed. I probably won't be posting on blogger much, but will do my best!

Since everyone is in the "goal setting" frame of mind right now, I thought I would use this post to share my 2007 goals. First of all, my business has been growing by leaps and bounds and my goal for this year is to get a trainer contracting some of my overflow and open my first satellite location, all this is currently in the works and I hope to have it up and running in a couple of months. My strength goals are as follows:

Gym Lifts (raw - no powerlifting gear other than a belt and wrist wraps):

Squat - 400lbs
Bench Press - 300lbs
Deadlift - 500lbs
Front Squat - 315lbs
Military Press - 225lbs
Pull Ups - 20 reps with no additional weight, 1 rep with additional weight equal to bodyweight
Rolling Thunder Deadlift - 200lbs each hand
Hub Lift - 50lbs each hand w/the Ironmind hub and an old York 45lb plate with each hand
COC Gripper - close the #2 and start working on the #3
Ironmind Head Harness Lift - 200lbs
Stone Lift - 280lb stone lift to chest, 190lb stone press overhead

Those are my goals for the year! Let's get to work!

Stay Strong,

Scott

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.