Keeping The "Leg Day" holy..

Back in the days, the dynamic band starts/runs were always a focus and a fun way to train.

Plyoman... Imagine, he did dunk a few times, even with his tiny hands :)

The girls always appreciated the squat rack, maybe a little too much...

Masochistic Much?


As I crawled my way up the stairs at the local YMCA this morning, I realized that with almost every step I was actually, if you can believe it, giggling. I haven't felt that kind of pain and muscular damage in some time.

It reminded me of my blind days when I was a 'youngn', you know training legs till I couldn't walk, then again, when we only trained legs once a month, these things were bound to happen :)

As you get older and realize that everything comes from the legs up, and only then you decide to pay a little more attention to them.

The "LEG DAY" for me, is almost always Sundays, and it is given a day of priority all unto itself, not like all other SRX style workouts, which combine body part strength/hypertrophy training , crossfit and conditioning.

The one problem with the leg day on Sunday, is if it so particularly brutal that it affects your training for the rest of the week... ANYWAY

The emotional attitude towards going into the gym, knowing you do not have to do cardio or some crazy drawn up conditioning program has lead to some of the most productive workouts over the years.

There's something to be said about just going in and giving sole focus to the legs that usually can bring out some excitement, even in the most dieted down of figure contestants/bodybuilders...

Tell a woman she is going in to work on her ass and legs and usually that would bring out the best in anyone... Telling them after a long week that you need to go in a do and hour of cardio, would likely yeild to my ultimate demise, via the vulcan dagger stare of death.


Tuesday's Workout

45 minutes recovery walk ( geeze, I was 3.0mph and 3 incline)

Then: ( Credit to Metz on this one)

50 pushups
50 kb swings (5o pounds)
50 crunches
50 DB Clean and press ( db touches the flor every time)
50 Ball Slam
50 Knees to elbows ( or reverse crunch)


Then
Shoulder Press 5-5-5-5
Push Press 5-5-5
Push Jerk 3-3-3

Javorek Shoulder Complex ( you need to try these)

Start with a heavier weight

DB Shoulder Press
Side Lateral Raise
Front Alternate raise
Bent Raise
Upright row

5 reps each, move from one to another without rest. After the set is done, do 50 crunches or floor wipers, then go to the next lightest weight and repeat. Keep going until you are torched. For me I was 35lbs, 30, 25, 20, 15 and I was done.

I tried to add some cable laterals, but it was fruitless.

Sunday Morning Mayhem = Monday Morning Crappola

Some photo's courtesy of Gym Jones.. Sorry Mark, they are some sweet photos!

The new gym, will have a similar feel to it as the infamous Gym-Jones gym in Utah.

The possible location... we're still scouting out some places.

Nothing here, but a cool picture..

Weaknesses?

Well, it all started so nicely.

A simple workout, brutal in it's design coupled with a pair of enthusiastic lifters is not always a good thing.

Squats - Max 5's
Deadlifts Max 5's

then

"Renegades of Squats"

115 pounds

1 minute, as many back squats as possible
1 minute rest
1 minute as many Plie Squats as possible (70 lbs)
1 minute rest
1 minute as many air squats as possible
1 minute rest
1 minute DB Deadlifts as possible

Repeat 3 times.


Well, to say my legs are f*cked, would be a understatement of biblical proportions.

That said: it's times like this that most would say "I'm never doing that again"...

I say, obviously I need to do them more.


It's a lesson learned..

Obviously, given my pain, I have been neglecting working in the higher echelon of rep ranges... Cause I can do max 5's, triples and singles till the cows come home with no after effect whatsoever.

And for someone who preaches complete fitness, this must be remedied.

So therefore, the "Renegades of Squats" will be now a regular addition to the SRX prescription. Hopefully, it does not go the way of the Dreaded Burpee and disappear from the face of the earth!

Needless to say, today's workout was about as productive hammering a nail with hotdog.

My attempt at sprints, and then merely walking on the treadmill was..um.. comical to say the least.

I am here, in pain, and I'm smiling...

Cause I found another kink in the armour.

-------------

Gym Stuff

Still looking for a location, right now, it looks like Oakville will be the area. We're hoping for a July opening, but we will see how it goes. The project is very much a go, just going to start working on a marketing plan and get some more people signed up...

The dream of a perfect "industrial" style of hardcore training/transformation centre, looks like it will become a reality.

Your "A-HA" moment?

Jay had his AHA moment and lost 41 pounds in 8 weeks, got first place in a transformation contest and won $1500!

A-HA!

A lot people sit on the fence with regards to getting their ass in shape. I've heard it, and seen it year after year. That same guy, who three times a year squarely looks me in the eye and says "this is the year I'm going to get in shape" and subsequently asks...

"Can you do me up one of your programs?"

At which point, I roll my eyes and remind him that I have given him a program a year, for the last 3 years free of charge. One which he would did for two weeks, lose 5 pounds and quit, apparently due to his massive successes. ( "Rolls Eyes", and yes Brian, I'm talking about you)

Fitness and the need to get off one's ass is usually brought on by an A-HA moment.. as examples:

Your doctor tells you that you need to lose weight
Your clothes don't fit
You see a horrible picture of yourself, sporting a new double chin and a 5 pound meat belt wrapped around your tummy.
You've had a health scare
You're dating again.
Someone says "Are you pregnant?"

You know...



When you have your A-HA moment, it needs to come from within, and it needs to drive you to succeed. These are the type of people I like to work with.


Two years ago, a guy I know, named Jason Girard stepped on the scale at the in-house competition, weighing an astonishing 239 pounds with 44% bodyfat... He had joined the competition for several years before that, and summarily backed out, much to the delight of everyone at the company, who ribbed him mercilessly for being a failure.

The contest, being 16 weeks in length, was well into the 8th week... And there was Jason, who had lost a total of 3 pounds, sitting at the cafeteria table, drinking a pepsi and eating a hot dog..

I said to him... "aren't you tired of everyone ribbing you? myself included?"

He stated "ah, I'll just go on atkins and lose wieght the last couple of weeks"

I rolled my eyes, made fun of him, and called him a "walking heart attack" and went off to my office.

Later that afternoon, Jason showed up to have the afternoon chat..

He was pale white and said he was having heart palpitations... He left, and went to the doctor.

A few days later he came into my office, we went on to discuss how he needs to be healthy for his family and that he was willing to take the last 8 weeks seriously, under one condition, that I train him.

I said no.

He begged, I said no.

He pleaded and offered to wash my car... I said no.

Finally I gave in.

I said fine, but I needed him to write me a cheque for $750 dollars. If he dropped out, I would donate the money to chairty. If he finished, I would rip it up. Now Jay, is world renowned in his frugality, so there was no way that he would give up that money.

Something happened after that talk, and his subsequent feeling of having a heart attack... the guy who used to walk on the treadmill for 6 minutes and call it a day was started training insatiably.

He started working out twice a day, running, sprinting, lifting weights, throwing kettlebells, dieting with absolute compliance... It was a joy to be around, as once you've been bitten really good by the bug, it's a sight to behold...

8 weeks later, Jay had lost over 41 pounds, ( 50 pounds of fat, and gained 10 pounds of FFM), he won the competition, the sweet $1500 bucks was only gravy.


Point being... What's it going to take to get you going?

For Jay: a health scare, fear of failing in front of his peers and cash drove him... Granted, he was a tough nut to crack.. :)



I personally had my AHA epiphany, spring of 1997... I remember it to this very day...

As I sat on my lazy boy, I flipped the channel changer and this commercial came on. (And this still gives me goosebumps to this very day)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZxQDAyFY6s

Here I was, a 308 pound behemoth, moved to tears.

Yes, that's me. 308, complete with a smoke! Oh brother!



What had I let myself become? Why am I sitting on my ass?

How could I let myself slip so far?

How can I ever get myself back?

How can I get off these painkillers from my accident..?



It was at that very moment, I was determined to change my life.


I started training that day. Ferociously. I devoured health information all day, every day.

I immersed myself in rehabbing my body, mind and spirit.

I read all I could about human health, exercise physiology and nutrition.

I was an animal and anytime I got a little lazy, that damn commercial would slap me in the face.

So I kept going and I lost 108 pounds in just over 8 months (and have kept it off for 11 years) ..

So here we are today...


Perhaps this is an "A-HA" moment for you?


Workout for Tuesday
45 8 second sprints/12 seconds rest ( 12mph )


3 inverted Rows
5 KB swings 50 lbs
7 balls slams
9 Floor wipers
20 rounds

Back

Row
Pulldown
Pullover + Face Pull Combo
Hammer Strength Row

4x12-15

Heavy week next week..

Where you train makes a difference!

405, previous Pr..

Training Atmosphere...

A lot of people come up with the crazy assertion that they can in-fact have a successful home gym... I'm here to tell you.. no... you can't. I'm as hardcore as the next arsehole, but even I, who had access to a treadmill, basketball court, heavy bag, squat rack, power blocks and speed bag, would only workout "hardcore"if friends were over watching and judging me.

Say what you will, there are very few successful "solo" types out there. Even if you don't have a partner, training in a gym always brings out the best in you. Case in point today, some guy at the Y was pressing 85's for incline press and cranking out reps..obviously, a very respectable weight... I, in all my ego, needed to grab the 90's and do the same...well...just because... someone was watching!

My point is, yes, you can get in moderate shape at home training alone, but with the right atmosphere, your boundaries are limitless... Even more so if you are going head to head against someone, the stopwatch or if people are looking.

Trust me, the power of influencing/impressing people can add 15-20 pounds to your bench press/lift.... whatever... a trip down to the local crossfit will show you that..

I hadn't ever been able to pull 450 from the floor in my life, yet there I was, at Crossfit Mississauga about 6 weeks ago, putting my name up on the board for the 3rd place record.... Suffice it to say, my previous PR was 405.....

My training partner, topped out at second on the deadlift next to an actual Olympian at 215 pounds. The last 5 months or so, her max was 165lbs

Did I magically gain 45 pounds on my deadlift without doing max effort lifts? No. The atmosphere brought the best out of me. I would likely not be able to post the same numbers on Joe Schmoes Soloflex machine in their basement....

It's times like this where I hold back, but in this case I won't.

Listen, you likely can't get in GREAT shape at home, alone, with nobody else there to judge, impress, or to push you. If it were that easy, personal trainers like myself wouldn't be getting $100 bucks an hour to help push you.

Atmosphere and training partners are not the only thing... it's EVERYTHING...

Take a look at these videos and tell me.. would these guys do better at home? Now really...watch these videos.....

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUaNHvJm_60

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVBgKB4Gnsw&feature=related


Now although I don't particularly like JF, his gym looks like a pretty cool place to train, albeit the total rue of Gym-Jones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y4qAHU4Zpg


Now back to the question: Would these people actually do better at home?

Of course they wouldn't .. the group setting brings out the best in all of us, it always has. It's the same mechanism that explains why an 85 pound lady can lift a car off her trapped child..

Adrenalin, fear for your life and fear of failure can bring the best out of everyone..

So ask yourself this next time you step in the gym...

If you aren't actually fearful of the workout ahead.. is it really the most productive?

I myself only get truly amped when I think i can possibly die of a coronary on the box jump or aneurysm right there on the bench press. Or better yet, if a prettly lady is within the vicinity!

:)

Our gym will have the same mentality as Gym-Jones and Crossfit.. but, with all due respect to both, we bring a slightly different approach, and one that makes more sense from a "looking great naked" standpoint... Functional, Conditioned and a sexy Mofo!
:0 )

Where crossfit and gym jones fail is in the hypertrophy aspect....we of course want people in shape, conditioning wise first... but we also want them to look... " in shape" or.. "look the part"

That's why the last 20 minutes of every SRX workout is dedicated to "beach work" or as Jermaine O'Neal of the Miami Heat calls it... " my prison workout!"

Refeeds and Workout for Saturday

What 5 pounds of fat looks like... ( so be proud of modest weight loss)

What 5% bodyfat looks like...

Re-Feeding

Ah, you've "earned" it. You've eaten clean all week, and now it's time to have a little fun with the food, non? You've heard the old adage, need to keep that metabolism primed and pumped...

Well, refeeding/carbloading is a double edged sword. In one regard, the psychological break from dieting is one that can lead to greater compliance in the longer term. Superstrict diets are usually the ones that fail in the long run. That said, 5-6 days of strict eating and one day of eat what you want typically can work for most, provided those days don't turn into an all out orgy of food. I personally have put back almost 10K calories on a refeed day a few years ago, and let me tell you... it wasn't pretty.

That said, on the "myth" of the slowing metabolism not letting you lose weight.

In the Minnesota Semi-Starvation study, they put men on 50% of their maintenance calories for 6 months... and indeed, their metabolism dropped.. ( the greatest drop) 40% ... but it was still not enough to offset the caloric deficit. And these men continued to lose fat ( no stop in fat loss) till they hit 5% bodyfat.

So, unless you are 5%.. refeeds are nessecary... or are they?


The other side of the coin has a different picture. Take a dieting figure competitior, for example.

A typical figure contestant or someone just looking to get really lean, will at some point get to such a low calorie rate, that they simply cannot cut calories any further, nor add more activity, nor add more fat burners.... Now, although they are not "quite there" and definitely do have fat to lose.. for some reason it simply isn't happening ( or happening fast enough) Typically, I would claim "bullshit" and say that they are either "underreporting" or making mistakes with their measurements.


But when this dreaded stall does happen and is legit, then the only cure I've seen is to have a couple days of above maintenance calories.

In this case, from what I have gathered over the years, this seems to work. Now the reasoning behind it... well.. that hasn't exactly been ironed out.. but

A high calorie/carb refeed can raise Leptin ( a hormone that communicates with your brain to tell you how much fat to store, also effects your appetite, energy levels and metabolism), it will also decrease Ghrelin..

But beyond that... well.... we're not quite sure why it happens, but trust me, it does.

True Stall + Refeed = more weight loss the following week.


ANYWAY...

Saturday

45 - 8 Second Sprints , 12 seconds rest

Squat's 5x5

DeadLift 5x5

Hang Cleans 5x3


X-FIT - Big 55 legs

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

KB Squat/KB Deadlift Combo

So, do 10 kb squats then 10 kb dead lifts - then 9 of each - then 8 of each

You get it. Yes it hurts.

I'm ornary...

Circling your way around training dogma....


Up until recently, I had the unique experience of working out in a private gym exclusively for 10 years, where almost everyone knew how to train,... or if they didn't they learned pretty quickly, as the funny looks and snickers from our co-workers would eventually point you in the right direction.

There was no such thing as curling in the squat rack, half rep bench presses, 1/4 rep squats...

A place where most women trained like the guys, and seeing women rip off 10 squats at 135, doing 10 pullups and power cleaning 100+ pounds was not uncommon.

Rarely would you see people doing things like "shrugs" or weighted side bends, and even though it was equipped with them, many of the machines ( besides the hammer strength) collected dust.

As I have moved out to the "real world" it's frightening to see that nothing has changed since I was an 18 year old snot nosed, testosterone fueled kid at powerhouse gym, doing.. you guessed it... 1/4 rep leg presses, curling in the squat rack, weighted side bends etc.

Almost 20 years later, the mistakes remain and the destiny of these young trainees remains the same as it did for all of us...

They will injure your shoulder trying to bench too much. They will neglect their legs. They will talk to much between sets. They will incessantly check out their arms and walk around with imaginary barrels under their arms... etc..


If only I listened to those old fuckers when I was young, I would have been in a better place today.

They said "squat" and do full reps... And I said fuck that! I would rather say"Its all you bro" as I was spotting my training partner on the bench press.

( Really, it was me and my training partner doing a tag team exercise of one half bench press and one half upright row. )

I am loathe to mention form mistakes or correct anyone in the gym nowadays, for fear of being treated like that old bastard who tried to correct me when I was doing seated rows with the whole stack and swinging my body in all kinds of contorted directions. Ah... If only I had listened.

I see people grabbing 45 pound plates and doing side bends with it... I cringe.

I see fanboys in wife beaters hogging up the squat rack do curls..

I see alternating bosu ball punches....with side steps

All is not lost however, since we've been at the Y, I am noticing a slight change. People are doing some core lifts, sprints and cleans... Maybe it's a monkey see monkey do phenomenon.

I digress..

We have decided that we are going to be opening a new training studio/hardcore gym...

A place that it going to be about real work, real accomplishments and REAL fitness.

A place where its a sin to do silly exercises and where you look at the WOD (workout of the day) and actually fear for your life.

Cause its in those workouts that your greatest gains happen...

We're not going to try to kill you, but we do want to challenge you...I want at the end of your hour and 15 minutes to not have to say it was great, that merley a look with tell me all I need to know.

That you earned it.

We won't have any easy workouts or easy days at the "Hangar"..do those on your own.

Do those at the park with your kids, at the y on your treadmill. Get out and enjoy life and activities and walks..

Cause when you walk in to the gym, you're there to have blood come out your nose, froth come out your mouth and you are ready to work, train, gain and become a modern day warrior. (sounds corny, but I mean it)

Cause when it all ends, when natural ability, strength, skill is all gone.. conditioning is king.

And you'll never, ever get beaten on conditioning again.



Workout For Friday

5 minute Warm up

30 seconds run/ 1:30 seconds walk
10 rounds
Speed is 10mph or faster

then

DURTY THIRTAY

30 KB Swings ( or db's)
30 boxjump
30 clean and press ( women 55/men 75)
30 Ballistic Push ups
30 kb high pulls
30 Floor Wipers
30 Kb Swings

For time...

Arms

You know how to train them...

A1 - Alt DB Curl
A2 - Dips

5-5-20-20

b1 - Ez Curl
b2 - Rope press downs

5-5-20-20

c1 - Cable Curl
c2 - Reverse cable press downs

4x12

Abs and crunches done between each set.

Ps
These workouts should be less than one hour and 15 minutes.

Workout For Wednesday

5 minutes warm up
20 minutes of 8 second sprints, with 12 second recoveries.

Push Press
Goblet Squat
Burpees
Pullups
Deadlift @135 pounds

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

( now for those who hate burpees.. like I do.. you can do floor wipers and for those too weak for chins, do inverted row)


Shoulder Press 5x1
Push Press 5x3
Push Jerk 5x5

Side Raise 3x8
bent raise 3x8

Upright Row + Face Pull 3x10

Black Burns ( side, rear, front, press)

Back at it!

Well,

A weekend of refeeding, training and getting your NEAT in... ( Non-exercise activity thermogenesis) , also known as "walking about town"

Monday's workout

45 - 8 second sprints, with 12 second recoveries.

The Chief - full weight - 20 rounds

135 Power Clean from the Floor - 3 reps
6 Ballistic Pushups - 6 reps
9 squats - 9 reps

Back
Pulldowns, rows, face pulls, staright arm pullovers ( all with abs between each set)



Sunday's Workout

Legs

Squats 5-5-5-3-3-1-1-1

Power Clean 3-3-3-3-1-1-1

Good Morning 4x8
Plie Squat 4x8

Box Squat 8x3
DB Deadlift 8x8

Overhead Squat 5x5
Step up 3x5

Leg extensions 3x10


We will look to really ramp up the volume and intensity this week, and taper down Tuesday and Friday.

Exercise vs Activity... A topic for later in the week...

Cardio Compensation Theory

A typical sight at the Y... Yep... fatties.

:)

What does fitness look like to you?

To me it looks like this:

Yes, I don't think they only "jog or walk" on a treadmill

Beauty and functionality. Not quite a prerequisite of SRX training, but close enough. :)





All of these girls have a 185 pound plus deadlift, over a 135 squat and 100 pound overhead press. Hardly masculine to look at non?

That'll keep him skinny!

Kudos to Brad Pilon for "rethinking" outside the box.

Think of your treadmill, if you will.

60 minutes of 3.5 mph and at whopping 10 incline...

burns...

405 calories

Wow...WTF?!?!...that's it?

You know what else has 400 calories?

4 tablespoons of PB

3 tbls of Olive Oil

1/2 cup of almonds

3.5 ounces of cheddar cheese

3.5 tbs of Mayo

1/4 cup of peanuts

1 small McDonald's french fries

Ok,

So you get it right?

You exercise and toil away on the goshdarned treadmill for an hour a day, and all you have to show for it is one of the above? WTF?

Problem is, most of the people on treadmills are doing what I call.. Cardio Compensating.

Typical conversation: (within someones head)

"Sooo, if I do an hour on the treadmill, I will:

>make up for last nights Pizza..

>burn off that ice cream

> make up for that spinach dip

( ps.. why do girls love spinach dip so much? :))

This is, essentially, exercise bulimia. And a pretty bad idea, in general.

Problem is:

Your medium pizza was in excess of 2100 calories

Your 2 cups of Ben and Jerry's was in excess of 1400 calories

Your serving of spinach dip, was 1800 fckn calories!

To effectively burn this off, you would need to spend 4 hours on the treadmill per day.. and that is just to stay at your maintenance calories.

Now I can say, with pretty good authority, that I am about as active as a human can get. One day last week, I did an SRX program, ran 8k, and played basketball all in the same day. But when I had that third pint of stella, I effectively erased any deficit I had.

So I say this to you, and excuse my curtness...

You ( Yes you) will never be able out train, out work, out exercise a bad diet. Ever. Nobody.

Vince Gironda had it right, DIET is king.

It's not everything....it's the ONLY thing.

You cannot make up for calories the next day and you cannot burn what you've over eaten unless your job is to walk on a treadmill 8 hours per day.

Here's a good tip to start with:

Go to the gym to build or maintain muscle and improve or maintain conditioning.

Not to lose fat.

Re-read that. Ten fckn times.

Second Tip:

To lose fat, put less on your fork , spoon or spear.

It's really quite simple, yet we don't often follow the rules...

Girls especially fall into the trap of trying to "erase" what they have done the night before, or as John Berardi calls is "do damage control" for the night ahead.

I'm here to tell you, that in this case, John is an idiot.

Eat the food at your wedding, vacation, birthday party etc. and get the fuck over it.

Really, stressing over one meal is intellectual masturbation.
It's stupid and you won't win

Enjoy the food. It tastes good, and you won't be able to "work it off" tomorrow and don't "prepare" for it with a large workout ahead of time.

Take it for what it is, it will probably raise your leptin and metabolism anyway. haha.

I call this the "crying over spilled milk" syndrome. You ate it already, no sense in feeling bad now.

Just make a better decision next time, and learn to love your bloat: )

Lyle McDonald ( basically, the best diet mind in the industry) said it best:

"Guess what, that’s dieting. Or at least how many dieters approach dieting. Many diets are predicated on some food being bad, off-limits or what have you; dieters go into the diet thinking “I can’t ever eat XXX again in my life” which just makes them want XXX that much more. This is one of the psychological aspects of hunger I mentioned in the introduction.
And, of course, the followup to this is that when dieters do eventually eat XXX (and they will), then they just feel guilty and miserable, figure the diet is blown and eat the entire bag or box of XXX and abandon the diet altogether.

It’s truly a damaging approach to dieting and research has clearly shown that the type of rigid dieter I’m describing above (who expects absolute perfection from their diet or it’s a failure) do worse than more flexible dieters.

The reality is that, within the context of a long-term diet, even small deviations don’t really do much harm (unless the person goes berserk and makes it harmful). That is, say you’re on a diet and you eat a couple hundred calories of cookies because you really wanted them. If you’ve dieted the past 6 days, that’s no big deal. However, if you decide that you are a worthless piece of crap with no willpower and eat another 1000 calories of cookies; well you made it into a problem. Understand?

Ending, I leave you with this pearl of wisdom from Charles Glassman from Crossfit fame. Probably some of the most straight forward and pertinent info regarding diet/fitness ( although he doesn't quite practice what he preaches)

"Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and NO sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.
Practice and train major lifts: deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics:pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstands, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast.
Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. ROUTINE IS THE ENEMY. Keep workouts short and intense.
Regularly learn and play new sports!"

Big day tomorrow...have a great weekend....

oh yes.. i forgot.. random hot fitness chick...

So here's the take home message...

Trainers..

Let your trainees do steady state cardio no more than three times per week. Let them know that diet is their only savior.

Skinny Jeans Responsibility

Recently, I left the office world, one where I would be forced to the confines of business casual clothes and “dress down” Fridays. Of course, when working in the health industry, dress down Fridays always meant that you had to wear good looking jeans or at least something that showed off your hard work… No matter what happened that week, I knew I had to keep my diet/workouts in check, for fear of not fitting into my “cool jeans”..

Being a former 300 pound behemoth, I would always stay lean and very cognizant of any weight gain. This weekly ritual kept me in check although I didn’t go on the scale much, the jeans told me what I already knew. I knew that if I was out drinking beer and eating wings on Thursday, that I would feel it on Friday, or if I was gorging on a few fries and chips on Wednesday, the jeans would be snug on Friday.

And most people know (girls especially) nothing in the world feels worse than jeans or pants that are a little too tight in the tummy…

A short story…

Anyway, after leaving the office to start my own gig, I found myself bumming around in shorts and a hoodie, or K-way style pants and an under-armour hooded jacket...for several weeks.

Anyway, an event came up where I was forced to wear my jeans… when I went to my trusty sized 34 jeans, they told me a story that, I didn’t want to hear. I was paying too little attention to my diet. Here I am, “fitness guy” with a sweet new muffin top. EW!

It's so incredibly easy to out eat any workout program..

Point being, make damn sure you get into your skinny jeans at least once per week. It will keep you in check and will offer more solace than the scale ever will. I mean, with the crazy water fluctuations that women always face. No more should you go for your super comfy LULU’s just because they don’t “dig in”

I will even go as far to say that you should hit the scale every day. Even though this type of obsession is usually met with hesitation, and people usually respond with comments like:

“they say you shouldn’t do that, it’s bad behaviour”
“ that’s obsessive”
“that’ll make me crazy`

My point is that, what’s worse? Being obsessive about being lean and not overweight? Or actually being overweight? I'm sure stepping on that scale a few times a week might keep you away from that extra serving of wings :) it does for me!

I'm not saying to not enjoy life, quite the opposite... A wise man once said...
everything in moderation, even moderation ;)

Friday : Rest Day

Weight 202

Plowing through when times are tough - will lead to greater success...

DAY 4

No weigh in today...


And after the last three days of hell, a much deserved LOW INTENSITY DAY. Isn't it funny, that if you type "low intentisty" in capital letters it still sounds intense?

Anyway..

45 minutes of a recovery walk on the treadmill 3.5 mph 8 incline
16 sets of Biceps and Triceps...



Pushing Through


When your goal is ultimate fitness, and/or show preparation, it's the days that you plow through that are going to make the difference. Working through fatigue, general malaise and soreness is something that usually separates the "haves" from the "have nots" when it comes to accomplishing your goals.

Its so fckn easy for that little voice in your head to tell you "oh, you did so much this week, I'm a little beat, yeah I'll get back to it tomorrow".


Truth is, fitness isn't easy. If it was, everyone would be in great shape with abs and glistening muscles...

Obesity and general poor weight management is easy.


Everybody feels like shit sometime, and yes, sometimes its in your best interest to "shut er down" for a day... but..


For those involved in all aspects of training, the phrase OVERTRAINING is thrown around all too blatantly.

Moreso blantantly, if you can believe, than the phrase "best wings in town" :)

True overtraining is something that I have yet to see, in my all my years of experience in the trenches.

I've seen tired athletes, who may have "overreached", but true clinical overtraining takes months/years and not weeks... Female athletes can slip in close to a state of overtraining, what is commonly known as the Athletic Triad (diet + excessive training) which can lead to amenorreha and bone density loss, but this is only rarely seen and is most notable to figure contestants or Olympians.

Anyway.. one more day of low intenstiy and right back on the SRX bus!

Day Three!

What hard work, dedication and a food obsession looks like.








Day Three...

Today was a struggle getting out of bed, after the brutal workout yesterday and the subsequent 60 minutes of sub-free basketball... That said, I dragged my sorry old ass out of bed, took my ripped freak and slugged back some BCAA's and headed off to the gym. Suprisingly, by the time I got up the stairs at the Y, I started to feel energized and focused again ( suprisingly again, as I forgot my F%^$*&%*(^ing Ipod)....

Day 3
Bodyweight 203.5 wow....

25 minutes of 8 second sprints, 12 second recoveries for 60 total sprints

21-15-9 reps of

Thruster/push press
Floor wipers/abs
Deadlifts

women 65 lbs, men 95 lbs

done as fast as possible

Body Part Training
Delts

DB Press 5x12
Side Lateral Raise 4x12
Front Plate Raise 3x12
Bent Raise 3x12
Upright Row + Hammer Strength shoulder press compound set 3 x failure

ab bicylces between each and every set for 50 reps..

Well, the ripped freak is certainly helping with the energy, focus and helping me smash through fatigue. The weight loss is a little excessive, 7 pounds in three days is not normal ( but then again I did eat like a madman on Sunday :) )

From here, we go to one day of low intensity tomorrow, off Friday and a Saturday weigh in.

Day Two in the RF Zone!

Not exactly traditional cardio!

Well, after a super intensity packed day one ( followed by an additional 45 minutes of low intensity cardio yesterday, we headed back to the gym this am...

Day 2 - Weight - 206 ( this is an unusual drop, as the refeed water from the weekend just dropped)
Minus 5lbs..

SRX Program two:

20 Minutes of Sprints, 8 seconds on 12 seconds recoveries for 45 rounds

XFIT
100 squast
50 pushups
50 inverted rows
50 Kettle bell swings
50 Floor Wipers
50 box jump
50 DB Clean and Press
100 squats

Bodypart training:

Back
4x12 Pulldown
4x12 Row
4x12 Straight Arm Pull down and face pull combo:

Abs were done for 10-12 reps between each and every set.


Another day of intense focus and lot and lots of sweat! The feeling from the product is almost euphoric after about 45 minutes.. I was actually looking forward to more intervals!


ps
Ok,

Here's one for you, take a look around your gym.. how many people jogging on the treadmill are actually "in shape"?

I'm, mortified to say that I have yet to see a single person this week even remotely in shape at the local y doing traditional cardio. Granted; diet is EVERYTHING, but I'm not sure if it is a chicken before the egg mentality. Perhaps these people feel they can eat whatever they want because they "put their hour in" on the "dreadmill' . Or maybe, just maybe, the people in the weight section have a little more "vanity" per se, and actually care what goes in their mouth..

All I know, is that when I head down to the local crossfit ( and no, crossfit is not the only answer, but part of the answer) they have exactly ZERO treadmills, yet, over half of the people in there are in, what I consider, "GREAT SHAPE" and at least another 25% or so are in GOOD SHAPE...

Just something to think about.

A week in the "Ripped Freak" Zone

A back built on heavy weights and chins...

For those who know me (and, since you are on my Facebook Page) you'd better! You would know that I have been involved in the health and wellness industry for over a decade. Back when Smilax, boron, Dibencozide and Deer Antler were the best products in the industry ;)

Anyway, I received a sample of Ripped Freak from the good people at http://www.pharmafreak.com/ to try out.

You will also know, that I am not in the habit of simply recommending products of any kind... to any body, unless I truly believe in them personally...And to be frank, I've only ever truly recommended three products ( fish oil, whey protein and creatine)

(Yes it was about 7 years ago that I told people that eventually omega 3's will make into every product on the market Milk, baby formula, bread, juice, yogurt etc etc etc. )

So I will give you an unbiased opinion of this product and give you a peak into our training regime and diet throughout that week...

Day 1 - Monday
Weight 211 ( refed)

Training - (SRX* Training) This is modified version of what SRX is... A complete conditioning and training prescription for those who want more than "Just Show"

25 Minutes of 8 second sprints, followed by 12 second recoveries. Max Speed 12.5 mph

This ends up being 45, eight to ten second sprints.

25 Rounds of THE CHIEF "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZt9XPWWnR8&feature=related"

* My partner got 35 rounds... which of course, pisses me off to no end.

Bodypart Training

Bench Press 5x5 @ 225 lbs
DB's Incline Bench 4x8 @ 85lbs
Hammer Strength Wide Press 4x6 @ 300lbs
Cable x overs 3x20

Abs done in between each set. ..

Now, to say that energy and focus were though the roof would be an understatement. I was literally throwing the weights around like a rag doll today.

Yes, the volume is high, and the intensity insane... and it's not your typical "dready state bordio" you know, "steady state cardio" and weight lifting (which still does work very well for many, as the years of successful bodybuilders are a testament to) ...but for training junkies, extreme heart rate seekers and those who want to be more than "all show and no go" this is our current RX for fitness.

I definitely "felt" the product within 40 minutes and my focus was electric. I was sweating like a dyslexic on wheel of fortune... literally buckets sweat poured off my head... yes... I know... not incredibly sexy, but interesting none the less.. I tore through the intervals and ran most of them well above 10mph, as Tool's Lateralus kicked in the background...

THE Chief was an experience all unto itself, as the 3 power cleans almost got the best of me at about round 14 .. ( click the link to see what that is all about ) -

* Note - Does anyone ever notice that those same people on the treadmill "jogging" have some of the worst physiques? Yet there they are....day after day... anyway, that is a topic for another day.

After I regained my composure, we moved on to the bodypart training, which after my nervous system calmed down was surprisingly great considering....

So all in all. Day 1 in the books. A very nice start to the training week :)