The Strength Shop

W1D1-New Cycle

2010-08-23T22:07:00.001-04:00

http://www.tssathletics.com/

get on board with the new cycle

Training- Carry Medley

2010-08-20T11:26:00.001-04:00

A video of the loaded conditioning we did today is at the blog. Carry medley's...

Training-New Cycle

2010-08-18T12:47:00.001-04:00

The new cycle has begun, I will be posting on the new blog.

Strength Coach Clinic Part 1

2010-08-17T10:27:00.002-04:00

New article posted at http://www.tssathletics.com/article-2.html regarding a great strength coaches philosophy. Coach Ethan Reeve has coached and influenced thousands of athletes and coaches. Listen to some of his inspiring words here.

New Post at the new blog- Personalizing training

2010-08-08T15:26:00.001-04:00

please check out the new blog

New website

2010-08-02T14:01:00.003-04:00

Sorry for not updating for a while. I am working on a new site that i think will be a much more valuable resource very soon. Please check it out

www.consummateathlete.com

Also, i hope most of you were able to check out the article I wrote for this months Performance Menu regarding conditioning in a strength program.

Finally, The Strength Shop is featured in My Mad Methods Magazine this month, awesome resource.

Deload workout

2010-07-19T23:10:00.003-04:00

A little lighter workouts this week, recover, lots of mobility work and enjoy. Be prepared for a kick ass cycle next week.

Keg clean and press 5x5

Kettlebell windmills 3x5-8

Sandbag get ups 5 minutes of work, switching sides as necessary

MG-W9D3

2010-07-18T09:35:00.003-04:00

1.) 3 Position Snatch x6

(Snatch from floor, then immediately below, then above knee)

2A.) Sumo Deadlift 6x4

2B.) Hanging Leg Raise 6x6

3.) Banded KB Swings 4x10-15

4.) Bulgarian Split Squats 3x8-10 L/R

5.) Farmers Carries 3-5 x Max Distance

MG-W9D2

2010-07-14T21:20:00.002-04:00

1.) Barbell/Dumbbell Push Press 5x4-6

2A.) Barbell Incline Bench Press 6x4 (ascending)

2B.) Weighted Pull Ups 6x7-8

3A.) 1 Arm DB Bench Press 3x8-10

3B.) 1 Arm Bent Over Row 3x10-15

4A.) Weighted Back Extension 3x10-15

4B.) Weighted GHB Situps 3x10-15

MG-W9D1

2010-07-14T21:15:00.002-04:00

1.) BB Power Clean 3x3, 2x2, 5x1

2.) Front Squat 5x4

3.) Double Kettlebell Swings 3x10-15

4A.) RDL 3x8-10

4B.) Walking Lunges 3x8-10 (L/R)

5.) Ab Rollouts 4x10-15

MG-W8D3

2010-07-11T11:36:00.002-04:00

1.) Hang Snatch 6x2

2A.) Sumo Deadlift 6x4

2B.) GHB Sit ups 6x10

3.) 2 KB Swings 4x10-15

4.) Step ups 3x8-10 L/R

5.) Farmers Carries 3-5 x Max Distance

Chat with Chip

2010-07-08T22:34:00.006-04:00

Chip Conrad
Me
Him

Matt Wichlinski July 8 at 7:48pm

i was just interested in what gives you ideas to write about. I've never been much into writing articles, but am finding it more compelling and even necessary to get my name and business out there. But more so, I have ideas I would like to share that i feel are helpful and useful that others really aren't touching on as I see it. Where did you start? What gives you ideas? Any info would help. Do you just write about experiences of yours or what?

Chip Conrad July 8 at 8:55pm

Here's a secret... I hate writing. But something in me needs to do it. Ya ever watch Dexter? Writing is my "dark passenger."

But you are astute in your observation of the necessity of writing to promote yourself. I started years ago with a crappy little newsletter that I published that I'd hand out to people at the crappy little gym I worked at. I typeset it by hand and photocopied it on my gym's xerox.

Then this world wide web thing started growing. Mel Siff had a wonderful online forum which I participated in, and that got my feet wet (and my ass handed to me... his forum was full of folks with more brains and experience than I had, and if you weren't prepared to fully support everything you stated, they were quick to educate you. Folks like Louie Simmons, Dr, Verkoshansky, Dr. Michael Yessis and a bunch of other folks with more titles and initials after their names than I'd ever had were regular contributors, not to mention Mel Siff himself, the reigning king of Physiology and Biomechanics at the time). Then other forums followed, and although the intellectual sparring wasn't near the level of Siff's forum, at least I could hone my skills and sharpen my ideas.

Eventually my own forum began, and my newsletters went digital. About 7 years ago I started collecting some of my writing together, improving on it and then putting it together in my first book. Since then there has been the blog world, and many websites have taken notice and asked me to write for them.

Now I blog weekly and am almost done with my second book, for the same reasons you find the need to write. It helps spread the gospel of your philosophy, and there might be some stuff that needs saying. My gym is built on a philosophy that was created, tested and shared from my writings. As my tribe grows, so does the need to keep the information flowing, but frankly, as mentioned earlier, I dislike the process. But the brain needs a vent, so I write.

My first breakthrough idea was when I asked myself and the universe why am I doing all of this? Why am I hoisting around heavy toys and straining myself to limits I didn't understand? Starting like most folks, it was to get bigger and look better, but after a couple of years of that, it seemed silly. What's the point? Any goal based on external feedback exclusively is shallow, or at least lacking in true empowerment.

That got the words flowing, figuring out what the purpose of strength and fitness truly was. I'm still figuring it out almost 13 years later.

I don't know if that helps at all, but that's the genesis of my writing. Being an avid reader helped too, and reader other iron heads who are superior writers... Dave Draper, Krista Scott Dixon, Dan John... always keeps the flame stoked.

chip

Chip Conrad is the owner of Bodytribe Fitness in Sacramento and I've been a huge fan of his for a long time, but this is the first contact I've had with him. Awesome dude. Learn a little more from an older interview he did with Jim Wendler from EliteFTS.com.

MG-W8D2

2010-07-07T23:19:00.004-04:00

Yoana Snideman of Revolution Fitness exemplifies fantastic athletic mobility

1.) Barbell Power Jerk 4x3

2A.) Barbell Incline Bench Press 8x3 (ascending)

2B.) Weighted Pull Ups 8x5-6

3A.) 1 Arm DB Bench Press 3x8-10

3B.) 1 Arm Bent Over Row 3x10-15

4A.) Weighted Back Extension 3x10-15

4B.) Weighted GHB Situps 3x10-15

Projected 1 Rep Max Chart

2010-07-06T13:45:00.001-04:00

MG-W8D1

2010-07-06T13:34:00.003-04:00

Erik Power Clean
Matt and Nik sandbag front squat

1.) BB Power Clean

Work up to heavy single, then do 80-85% of that by 5 singles

2.) Front Squat 8x3

3.) Reverse Hypers 3x10

4A.) Good Morning 3x8-10

4B.) Bulgarian Split Squat 3x8-10 (L/R)

5.) Ab Rollouts 4x10-15

MG-W7D3

2010-07-04T12:28:00.004-04:00

Happy 4th of July! Freedom ride today, baby. Enjoy your training and everything else that brings you joy, peace and happiness. I got crazy love for all you badass, hardcore, heavy lifting, weirdo training sickos! Be safe and don't drink too much.
1.) Power Snatch Build up to a heavy single, then 80% of that x 5 singles

2A.) Sumo Deadlift 6x4

2B.) GHB Sit ups 6x10

3.) 2 KB Swings 4x10-15

4.) Walking Lunges (Heavy) 3x8-10 L/R

5.) Farmers Carries 3-5 x Max Distance

Question: what do you do to get rid of fat arms??

2010-07-04T12:23:00.003-04:00

Start doing real strength training, lots of squats, deadlifts, lunges, presses overhead, bench presses, pull ups and variations for beginners, etc. These exercises build muscle on your whole body, and get you very lean quickly. There is no such thing as getting fat off of your arms without getting it off your whole body as well. Think of the fat on your body like the water in the tub. There is no getting water out of one part of the tub exclusively. Once you pull the plug, the water level of the entire tub goes down, not just the part of the tub nearest the drain. So the bigger your drain, the faster your tub goes down. Likewise, the bigger your exercise, the faster your bodyfat content goes down. Your biggest exercises are squats, deadlifts, cleans and snatches, presses and pulls, and all types of unilateral and bilateral variations with different implements such as sandbags, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc. Things as simple as pushing a car or running up a hill can be done by anyone, anywhere, anytime. But we find excuses why not to do them as opposed to just getting it done. Now go do it. If you do not know how to do it, come see me, I'll show you how.

MG-W7D2

2010-07-01T11:54:00.003-04:00

Discuss how these pictures and their respectful topics could possibly benefit you and your performance

1.) Barbell Incline Bench Press 6x4 (ascending)

2A.) DB Bench Press 3x8-10

2B.) Weighted Pull Ups 3x8-10

3A.) Weighted (if possible) Ring Dips 3x10

3B.) Bent Over/Inverted Row 3x10

4A.) Weighted Back Extension 3x10-15

4B.) Weighted GHB Situps 3x10-15

Questions and comments, athlete feedback...

2010-06-29T12:32:00.005-04:00

Setting the record (straight)

Matt,

My report on the last 6 weeks.

I've worked hard at changing what I eat. I snack on walnuts and fresh fruit, and forego sandwiches at lunch for salads and fish (on most days). Dinner is whatever the wife makes (which on most days is well balanced). I don't bother counting calories. I am just focusing on eating better, and think the change in diet and increased activity will be enough in the long-run. As for an exercise routine, I have been doing a lot of experimenting. Your posts have been very helpful here. You discuss quite a few exercises I had never heard of, providing plenty to research, which usually expands into a entirely new area of fitness for me (example, muscle-ups).

My favorite from your catalog is the Bulgarian Training Bag. Your dyi version was very cool, but I opted to meet with Greg Maurer at the Hockessin Athletic Club to get a hold of the original design. I dug it, and ordered one for my own (26 lbs.). This thing kills me in less than 20 minutes.

My current routine is:

D1 (Saturday) - Run/walk Alapocos Run. Can't run the whole thing yet so I do what I can and walk the rest. I change this up freely with uphill sprints, which are brutal on this trail. Appreciate your thoughts on running more than 400m and think this is a fair compromise. I enjoyed running distance in the past, and would like to regain that experience eventually.

D2 (Monday) - Gym: squats 3x15 with in between sets of pull-ups; bench press3x15 (both squats and bench turn out to be 2x15 with muscle failure on the last set, once I get to ten reps on the last set I bump-up the weight. I am leaving weight off here because it’s a little embarrassing, give me some time).

D3 (Tuesday or Wednesday) - 30 minutes w/Bag

D4 (Thursday or Friday) - 30 minutes w/Bag

I'd like to change this up to include another day at the gym, but it will have to wait until after July 9. My Bag days are work-out at home days. I plan to incorporate pull-ups, some ab work, and other body-weight exercises on these days, but haven't gotten around to hanging a pull-up bar. All in good time. Overall, I am feeling much better and am 12 lbs lighter than the last time I emailed you. Weight loss is not a huge priority for me, but it is a favorable metric right now so I'll use it.

Still working on defining goals, and still thinking about how to change-up my weight-lifting routine when the time comes. You do a lot of Olympic style lifts that I understand are best for strength building. But I would need to invest the time to learn them and develop good form. On my own that could be challenging. That's a few months down the road though. As always, thoughts, comments and criticism are welcome.

Talk to you soon,

Cuba Gooding Jr

Thanks for the update, Cuba, its great to hear how well you're progressing. The beauty of your situation is that at one time, you were in the military and fit, by general standards. Therefore, your body recognizes that and it is easier to get back to that state of well being than it would be for someone who was never there before. And still, because of your fitness hiatus, you are training as a beginner. When beginners train, every single thing they do works, unfortunately, it will not work forever. Our bodies adapt to everything. I choose to work hard on a few things at a time, then switch every 4-8 weeks before things get stale, yet I have benefitted from the gains I made while on the program. Other programs like CrossFit, for example, are constantly varied and change daily, so many people never really get to benefit from a particular exercise because they may not repeat it again for a very long time. All this depends on the programming at the particular institution, not CF in general. My primary goal is increased strength, not endurance, so I focus my energy that way. I also feel that strength will have more carry over to all facets of fitness more so than any other aspect such as flexibility (yoga lovers), endurance (runners and bikers), agility or what have you. Strength can enhance all these other attributes more so than they can enhance strength. So, one thing I like to do in a training program is perform regular maximum effort exercises. Rotate the exercises regularly. The best exercises to choose from are squats, deadlifts, presses and pulls. Add in some unilateral training and you got a great start.

Using things like the Bulgarian Training Bag are a great way to enhance your mobility, cardio and stamina, but anything you can do for more than a few seconds won't help your strength much beyond beginner levels. For a new trainee not sure where to begin, a great 2 day split to use goes something like this for the primary exercises.

Day 1

Squats 5x5

Pull ups 5x submax

then whatever else you want to do that keeps you happy, this assistance work could vary greatly depending on the athletes needs.

Day 2

Deadlift 5x5

Bench 5x5

Then trails or BTB or anything else that provides joy and excitement, see above.

This is very simple, and can be used whether you train heavy 1, 2, 3, or 4 times a week. If you train once a week, you would do workout 1 this week, then workout 2 next week. If you train heavy twice weekly, you could do W1 on Tuesday, then W2 on Friday or Saturday. Three times goes W1, W2, W1 one week, then W2, W1, W2 on week 2, rinse and repeat. Four times a week goes W1, W2, W1, W2 on something like Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. I would even change the reps from 4-6 on Mon and Tues to 8-10 on Thurs and Fri. Beginners need not get too crazy and sexy, just add weight and reps and get really good at the basics. Then you will progress to intermediate status quicker and will only then need more detail and variety in training.

The olympic lifts are not for everyone, but with sufficient strength can be a wonderful tool for power development. I recommend seeking professional guidance when starting to incorporate the quick lifts. If you are not relatively strong, the quick lifts may be a waste of time and can be potentially dangerous. So have fun, keep asking questions and seeking out new information, I'll be here for ya.

Train to win,

Matt

MG-W7D1

2010-06-29T10:21:00.005-04:00

Ab Crawl (oven mitts to protect from heat only, not hard, rocky ground. If ground is cool I don't use gloves to toughen and condition skin)
KB 2 Hand Backward Overhead Throw
Pistol
DB Push Throw
Ab Crawl

1.) 2 DB Power Clean 4x5

2A.) Front Squat 6x4

2B.) Reverse Hypers 6x8

3.) Good Morning 3x8-10

4.) Bulgarian Split Squat 3x8-10 (L/R)

5.) Ab Rollouts 4x10-15

Feel free to sub ab crawls for the rollouts. You can use a wheel, but I like to use a basic piece of wood. You put your feet on it, and drag it for distance. Try 3-4 sets and beat your best distance every time you try. Shoot for 100 meters. Enjoy.

MG-W6D3

2010-06-25T11:55:00.004-04:00

1.) Power Snatch 80% x 2 reps x 5 sets

2A.) Sumo Deadlift 5x5

2B.) Reverse GHB (Hanging) Leg Raise 5x10

3.) RDL 3x10

4.) Walking Lunges 3x8-10 L/R

5.) Farmers Carries 3-5 x Max Distance

MG-W6D2

2010-06-22T22:45:00.003-04:00

I understand not everyone has the same goals at the same time, if anyone has any questions about their training, post em up.

1.) Swiss Bar Floor Press 5x5

2A.) Incline DB Press 3x8-10

2B.) Weighted Pull Ups 3x8-10

3A.) Weighted (if possible) Ring Dips 3x10

3B.) Bent Over/Inverted Row 3x10

4A.) Weighted GHB Situps (SLOW) 3x10-15

4B.) Weighted Back Extension (SLOW) 3x10-15

MG-W6D1

2010-06-22T14:01:00.005-04:00

Billy vs. the Beast
Mikey on the Fat Bar

Post deload, back at it again...

1.) 2 DB Power Jump 3x6

2A.) Front Squat 5x5

2B.) Reverse Hypers 5x10

3.) Good Morning 3x10

4.) Bulgarian Split Squat 3x8-10 (L/R)

5.) Ab Rollouts 3x15

Question to the giant rock standing in front of me

2010-06-17T00:27:00.004-04:00

What is the next logical step to making yourself better? What if you have a talent that others are interested in, and you choose to not share it with anyone? Are you providing a disservice? Are you just lazy, or are you making a bad moral decision? People need to know the good that you have to offer. Stop hiding yourself and let yourself be known. Publicize your skill and your image. In the end your skills will diminish, but your image will remain.

Train to win,

Matt Wichlinski

The Unnatural Athlete

2010-06-16T11:05:00.003-04:00

The following is an excerpt I stole from The Unnatural Athlete, by Charles Staley of Staley Training Systems:

“Habits are like cobwebs at first, cables at last” — Proverb

with the New Year upon us, I thought I’d use this installment of The Unnatural Athlete to

explore the relationship between our habits and the outcomes we experience in training and

in life.

The concept of “New Year’s resolutions” has always been interesting to me, primarily because so

few people manage to keep them. Since the conventional route rarely works, let’s explore a less

conventional approach...

What Are Habits?

Habits are consistent patterns that reveal our character and determine our effectiveness in life.

Steven Covey describes habits as “the intersection of knowledge, skill, and desire.” In Covey’s

representation, knowledge represents the paradigm we apply to a situation, or the “how to do.”

Skill is the “how to do,” and desire is the motivation or the “want to do.”

Benefits & Costs

Anthony Robbins has suggested that we do not change “bad” habits until the negative consequences

of those habits begin to outweigh the perceived benefits. For example, you might find yourself in

the habit of eating a pint of ice cream every night before going to bed. You enjoy the experience

of eating that ice cream, and, at least for the short term, that enjoyment greatly outweighs the

negative outcomes of your habit, since it takes time for those extra calories to cause weight gain.

After several weeks however, it becomes evident that your ice cream habit has caused you to gain

15 pounds. At this point, the negative outcome of the habit is quite tangible, and because you have

been eating that ice cream every day for weeks, you don’t get the same enjoyment from it that you

used to. Because the negatives are now outweighing the positives, you’re now much more likely to

change your ice cream habit.

CHAnging UnprodUCtive HABits

Knowledge

In some cases, we are unaware of the negative consequences of our habits. For example, excessive

intake of processed carbohydrates can promote inflammatory responses in the joints. You may

assume that your painful joints are simply part of life, or the outcome of old athletic injuries. It

isn’t until you reduce your intake of processed carbs that you realize the negative consequences of

your former habit. On a similar note, we often do not realize the benefits of our good habits until

we discontinue them for a period of time.

We commonly assume that it takes discipline to change bad habits. It’s interesting to note that the

word “discipline” evolved from the root word “disciple” which means “one who learns.” And in fact,

when you encounter a highly disciplined person, you’re not looking at someone who gets his/her

kicks from self-denial, but instead, someone who has learned that the negative outcomes of certain

behaviors is not worth the benefits associated with them. It really comes down to self-awareness.

skill

The skills required to change undesirable habits can be learned by anyone and are widely available

to those who seek it. The primary skill involved is the simply decision to take action. I recently saw

a great sketch on a television show, where Bob Newhart played a psychologist who billed himself as

being able to cure anyone’s problems in 5 minutes. A female patient comes in whereupon he asks

“How may I help you?” She proceeds to explain that she has a terrible eating disorder where she

eats copious amounts of food, only to purge the meal shortly thereafter. “Is that all?” Newhart asks?

“No” she replies, and begins to describe her terrible drug and alcohol problems. “Anything else?”

Newhart inquires. “Yes,” the patient continued, explaining that she also has Obsessive-compulsive

tendencies, and can’t manage to leave her house without making sure that the stove if off dozens

of times.

Finally, the patient had fully detailed her numerous psychological problems. Newhart reflects for a

moment, and then simply says “OK, here’s what you need to do: STOP IT!”

“Huh?”

“STOP IT!”

“But...”

“Just STOP IT!”

“I also pull my eyelashes out”

“Stop that too”

Substitution

Unfortunately, simply stopping your bad habits, in and of itself, is an insufficient strategy. A much

more effective plan is to substitute a new, more productive habit in place of the one you’ve decided

to end. For example:

Sitting in front of the television at night is the enemy of good eating habits. You’re being bombarded

with tremendously effective food commercials, and you’re in close proximity to the fridge. If you

find that you’re most vulnerable to making poor eating choices at night, this could be the reason

why. If you can terminate the night-time TV habit and substitute it with (for example), a bike ride,

a lot of good things start to happen:

1. You’re away from the pervasive food commercials and the access to the fridge

2. You’re burning calories while you exercise

3. Exercise tends to blunt your appetite

4. When you exercise, you’re more likely to eat right, as a way of further leveraging the good effects

of the exercise

Motivation

The motivation required to change bad habits comes from the realization that the benefits you

experience from your habits are not worth the negative outcomes of those habits.

The following is an exercise to help you become more aware of the benefit/cost ratio of your habits.

Spend a few minutes on this exercise right now:

My 3 most effective/empowering training/nutritional habits are:

My 3 most destructive training/nutritional habits are:

Now take a moment to identify the benefits or rewards you experience from each habit, and also

the negative outcomes (if any) of each habit.

Example: Under the effective habit list, you may have listed that you eat 5 times a day (as opposed

to 2 or 3). The benefits of this habit are that your energy levels are more stable, your

cravings for sugary foods has diminished, you can eat more without gaining weight, and

that your body composition has improved. The negative aspects of this habit are that it

is occasionally inconvenient to eat so often, and that you need to give more thought to

meal preparation than you used to. Are the benefits worth the cost?

Momentum

The nice thing about establishing new habits is that most of the hard work takes place in the first

3-4 weeks...after that initial period of time, the amount of effort required to sustain the new habit

diminishes considerably.

The bottom line is that whatever strategy you choose to change undesirable habits, at some point,

you simply need to take action; you need to interrupt the pattern. You might find it helpful to

recall a positive experience from your past as you managed to stop a bad habit. How did you do it?

Was it worth the effort? Was it really as hard as you had anticipated?

Deload workout

2010-06-15T22:53:00.003-04:00

A little extra rest should have you feeling well. Now we'll do a deload workout to get the weight off the spine and lots of mobility work to get the body primed for some more heavy lifting in a few more days.

2 Kettlebell snatch 15/15 x 10 minutes

15 seconds on 15 seconds off. This is 20 total sets, shoot for 5 reps each set for 100 total reps.

Spend a good amount of time performing samson stretch's, scorpions, sitouts, iron cross's, hindu push ups, cossack squats, and hip circles.

MG-W4D3

2010-06-12T13:34:00.003-04:00

1A.) Double Kettlebell Power Jump 3x5

1B.) Box Jump 3x5

2A.) DB Bench Press 5x5-8

2B.) Bent Row 5x8-10

3.) Double Kettlebell Clean & Press 3 x 8-10

4A.) Ring Dips 3 x Submax (weighted)

4B.) Hanging Leg Raise 3 x 10-15

4C.) Chin Ups 3 x Submax (weighted)

-Don't rush these sets, if you are trying to gain strength or mass stay heavier, keep a faster pace if you want better conditioning

5.) Reverse Hypers/Back Extensions 3x10 (Light for Recovery)

Fat - food for thought

2010-06-10T09:35:00.004-04:00

Fats - we need you more than ever!

Here is something I found regarding fats, I can not say I agree with it all, I actually cut out the part about saturated fats as i did not agree at all with it. Personally, I cook with coconut oil and organic butter. I use pure extra virgin olive oil with very low heat or raw on salads and stuff like that. An avocado a day keeps the Dr at bay. Fish, fish oil, krill oil, hemp and flax oil seem to have great benefits. I eat tons of nuts and seeds, a good variety will ensure ample amounts of quality nutrients. I eat them by the handful and refuse to count 9 almonds to fit in the zone, it's just a personal choice. If I was stepping onto a bodybuilding stage, I know paying attention to my caloric intake would be imperative, but since my goals entail running through brick walls and lifting heavy objects for fun, I only count in kilos and pounds, not grams. I am not too concerned with saturated fats, they get a bad rap. It is actually a fact that bacon cures cancer. And if you wrap bacon in bacon, you will actually win the lottery and go straight to heaven with 12 virgins eagerly awaiting your arrival when your time is up. Here is a link to another fat article worth reading. Now go get your fat on...

All fats are NOT created equal.

It's an interesting title, but are there really such things as "good" fats? Seems as though all we ever hear about is how bad fats are for you. But there are differences in fats. There are fats that your body actually needs for energy, heart health, essential fatty acids and to transport vitamins throughout your body.

So, here's the simple truth about fats:

The "Good" Fats

The good fats are the unsaturated fats - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats lower the risk of heart disease. They also lower total cholesterol and "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and increase "good" (HDL) cholesterol.

Foods that are high in monounsaturated fats include nuts (walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, hazel nuts, peanuts and pistachio nuts), olive oil, olives, avocados, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds.

Polyunsaturated fats also lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids, which protect the brain and nervous system, bolster heart health and prevent certain types of cancer, Alzheimer's disease and diabetes, are included in this category.

Foods that are high in polyunsaturated fats include fish (salmon, trout, catfish, and mackerel), nuts, some vegetable oils (sunflower, safflower and corn), seeds, dark leafy greens and flaxseed.

The "Bad" Fats

The bad fats are trans fats - they raise total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and clog your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease.

Trans fats are the worst of the worst because they raise total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol. They are produced when liquid vegetable fats are changed into solid fats. Many processed foods contain trans fats, including cookies, cakes, microwave popcorn, margarine, and the foods in many fast food restaurants.

Be smart about fats and stick with poly and monounsaturated fats. Read food labels, especially commercially processed foods, to avoid trans fats. Use reduced fat or fat-free products when cooking, whenever possible. Limit your intake of sweets, processed foods, fried foods and fast foods.

What's your take on fat?

MG-W4D2

2010-06-09T23:40:00.004-04:00

Work on that back!

After performing a proper warm up, the following workout should take no longer than 45-60 minutes. An example of an adequate warm up can be found here.

1.) BB Deck Snatch - 3-3-2-2-1-1-1 ascending

2A.) Trap Bar Deadlift - 4-6 x 3-4

-ascending, no rest

2B.) Box Jumps - 4-6 x 4-6, mid-thigh to hip height, full rest

3A.) Weighted Pull Ups - 4x8-10

3B.) Weighted Dips - 4x8-10

trying to use at least the same weight as last weeks 6-8 reps

4A.) Good Mornings, barbell & light/mini bands with necessary weight- 3x8-10

4B.) Bent Over Rows - 3x12-20

5A.) Elbow Plank (weighted) - 3 x max time (find a weight that challenges you for a minute or so)

5B.) Rope/Towel Hangs - 3 x max time

MG-W4D1

2010-06-08T12:45:00.004-04:00

You might be a new man, but you'll always be an old friend.

1.) Power Snatch + Overhead Squat + Hang Snatch X6-8 ascending

2.) Squat - 8x2

3A.) Push Press - 5x4

3B.) Pull Ups - 5x4-6 weighted

3C.) Weighted Pistols - 5x4-6 R/L

5A.) Sled Drive - 5x100' Heavy

5B.) Double KB Swing 5x10

MG-W3D3

2010-06-05T00:41:00.005-04:00

6 eggs, lots of peppers, onions, mushrooms and kale cooked in coconut oil, some black beans, salsa, a banana, and a handful of nuts for breakfast.1.) Seated Box Jumps x15-20

2A.) Bench Press 6x4

2B.) Bent Row 6x6-8

3.) Double Kettlebell Clean & Press 3 x 8-10

4A.) Close Grip Push Ups 3 x Submax (weighted)

4B.) Hanging Leg Raise 3 x 10-15

4C.) Supine Row 3 x Submax (weighted)

Preferably with thick rope or towel

5.) Reverse Hypers/Back Extensions 3x10 (Light for Recovery)

MG-W3D2

2010-06-02T22:50:00.006-04:00

1.) Double KB Snatch 3 x 8-10

2A.) Deadlift 6x3

-ascending, no rest

2B.)Banded KB Swings 6 x 6-8, full rest

3A.) Weighted Pull Ups 4x6-8, rest 30 seconds

3B.) Weighted Dips 4x6-8, rest 60-90 seconds

4A.) Reverse Hypers light/recovery 3x8-10

4B.) Fat BB or DB Power Curls 3x8-10

MG-W3D1

2010-05-31T22:35:00.005-04:00

Big weights and big food...
Great Mustache and lots of milk from the guys at 70's Big, which is a great site by the way, check it out

1.) Clean Grip Power Snatch + Hang Power Clean 6x2

2.) Squat - 6x3

3.) Push Press - 5x4

4A.) Weighted Pistols - 3x4-6 R/L

4B.) Handstand Press - 3 x Submax

5A.) Sled Drive - 5x100' Heavy

5B.) Double KB Swing 5x10

MG-W2D3

2010-05-31T22:22:00.005-04:00

Ideas for a homemade prowler...
1.) Box Jumps x 15-20

holding small DB's

2.) Bench Press 8x3

3.) Bent Row 4x6-8

4A.) Close Grip Push Ups 3 x Submax (weighted)

4B.) Hanging Leg Raise 3 x 10-15

4C.) Supine Row 3 x Submax (weighted)

Preferably with thick rope or towel

5.) Reverse Hypers/Back Extensions 3x10 (Light for Recovery)

MG-W2D2

2010-05-28T10:22:00.003-04:00

1.) Power Snatch + Snatch x 8-10

2.) Deadlift 6x3

-ascending

3A.) Weighted Pull Ups 4x6

3B.) Weighted Dips 4x6

4.) Banded KB Swings 3 x 10-15

5A.) Reverse Hypers light/recovery 3x8-10

5B.) Fat BB or DB Power Curls 3x8-10

MG-W2D1

2010-05-24T23:03:00.006-04:00

These guys know a thing or two about a powerful sled drive.

1.) Power Clean + Clean + Push Jerk - x5-6 sets

2.) Squat - 6x3

3.) Push Press - 5x4

4A.) Weighted Pistols - 3x4-6 R/L

4B.) Close Grip Push Ups + Chains - 3x12

5.) Sled Drive - 5x10 seconds (Heavy)

MG-W1D3

2010-05-23T14:59:00.005-04:00

Sorry, ex-callous, I'm starting over new.Hanging leg raise

1.) Box Jumps x15-20

-Trying to jump as high as possible while coming down onto the box, not snaking feet around the top of it.

2.) Bench Press 6x4

3.) Bent Row 3x8-10

4A.) Close Grip Push Ups 3 x Submax (weighted)

4.B) Hanging Leg Raise 3 x 10-15

5.) Reverse Hypers/Back Extensions 3x10 (Light for Recovery)

Mass Gain Cycle Week 1 Day 2 (MGW1D2)

2010-05-21T11:10:00.006-04:00

1.) Snatch 2x3, 3x2, 3x1

-cater to your needs and abilities, sub DB or power snatch, etc.

2.) Deadlift 6x4

-ascending

3A.) Weighted Ring Dips 4x8

3B.) Weighted Pull Ups 4x8

4A.) GHR 3x8-10

4B.) BB or DB Power Curls 3x8-10

Mass Gain Cycle Week 1 Day 1

2010-05-18T23:44:00.005-04:00

Time to put on some more meat, the body responds well to mass gain after a fat loss loss phase. This is an older photo, but my current bodyfat levels are much lower, in fact, they are negative. I'm the first human to achieve this feat. My bf% is -6%. If you want to know how to accomplish this extraordinary attainment, please mail $100.00 cash to the above address. You will not actually be getting anything for your money, but you will be giving me $100.00, so everybody wins.
1.) Clean & Jerk - Heavy Single

2.) Squat - 6x4

3.) Push Press - 5x5

4A.) Weighted Pistols - 3x4-6 R/L

4B.) Triceps Extensions - 3x12

5.) Weighted Plank - 3x60-90 seconds

Mass Gain Cycle

2010-05-18T09:39:00.003-04:00

After some much needed restoration, it is time to begin another cycle! I have discovered that the best time to put on some muscle mass may just be after a fat loss phase. If you're putting 2 and 2 together, you know where I'm going from here. I'm packin on the beef, kids! The conditioning will be scaled back for this cycle so we don't waste any calories and put all of our efforts into getting seriously-deliriously jacked. This is my favorite style of training. Lift heavy, then sit around on your ass and grow. But, if you pay attention to my blog and videos, they are all my favorite style of training, it's just what my current goal is that motivates me and maintains my focus and discipline. The key is to not do too much volume, increase the intensity, keep workouts less than an hour to elevate testosterone and keep cortisol low. Our conditioning will be short and intense, nothing too long and draining, just get the heart fired up and get out. Think of a 3-5 minute all out fight, or a few sets of 100 meter sprints. If you have different goals in mind, post questions here and we will discuss modifications to suit your needs. I chose this cycle now because wrestling season is long gone now, baseball is coming to a close, and football is a few short months away. Lift heavy, eat big, sleep well, get massive.

Back Off Week Day 2

2010-05-12T00:06:00.003-04:00

Practice something that you suck at, then practice something that you rock at. But do not go too heavy and get frustrated, nor should you think you're a rock star when practicing your great skill movement, Just be like water and move fluidly.

For me:

1.) Snatch Balance 10-15 x 3-5

2A.) Rope Climb 4x1

2B.) Double Unders 4x50

There is a lot of talk nowadays about becoming a better athlete or to be more fit, you absolutely must spend most of your time doing the things that you hate, or suck at. While there is validity in these statements, you must be careful not to take it too far. If you are good at something, then damn it, you should enjoy it and work your butt off to be really great. Specialize in what you are great at, but do not neglect your weaknesses. Some people have the problem where they spend all of their time working hard to eliminate their weakness, and they allow the great skills to diminish. Do not let that happen, it is your great skill set that is your money maker. Maybe you could get a scholarship or something, who knows, but don't lose your flavor.

To summarize, work hard to eliminate your weakness, but work even harder on the things you enjoy and are good at, because it takes great discipline to be great at something, and we want you to be known for something phenomenal. Think about it, the worlds best pitchers make millions of dollars to throw a hard ball, but nobody gives a shit if they can do a crab walk or clean double bodyweight. My point is, I want you to cross train, but if you are on to something great, keep working hard on that skill and don't give up on it before you reach your max potential.

Back Off Week Day 1

2010-05-09T23:55:00.005-04:00

Don't forget your mobility!
This will be a deload week, have some fun, take care of business, stretch, roll out, practice mobility and flexibility, etc. but don't put too much weight in your hands.

5 Rounds

Muscle-Ups x3

One Arm Push Up x6/6

Squat Jumps x9

If you spend as much time as possible trying to improve yourself, you will have no time to criticize others. The world is on your side, we're all routing for you.

LS-W6D5

2010-05-08T10:02:00.005-04:00

Start with weights by your side with straight arms and jump.
Pull yourself down under bells and land in a split position with bells aggressively locked out overhead.
Make Buddy happy during your doubles! Remember...WWBD? (What would Buddy do?)

Last day of this cycle

5 Rounds for time

1A.) 2 Arm DB Split Snatch 6 Right/6 Left alternate every rep

(Right means split right leg forward, left means split left leg forward, you basically jump with weights by your side, and land in a deep lunge position with weights fully extended and locked out overhead, with elevated scapulae, aggressive shoulders, locked elbows, and firmly planted feet slightly toed in. your foot stomp and DB lock out should be synchronized. A good weight to work with would be a weight that equals half your body weight. i.e. a 200 lb person would use two 50 lb DB's, but do not limit yourself there, push it, like Salt and Pepa.)

1B.) 12 Explosive Push Ups

(I clap behind my back, but you can just do the best you can to just push up as aggressively as possible every rep with or without a clap, in front or behind.)

1C.) 50 Double Unders

(If your DU technique is whack, I would perform lateral hops quickly and athletically over a small object like a 2x4 or an empty barbell, use your imagination. But you are trying to accomplish quick feet. Hold small 2-5 pound weights in your hands during this exercise with fully extended arms and palms facing forward to mimic the jump rope position.)

LS-W6D4

2010-05-07T09:25:00.003-04:00

1.) Thick Bar Push Press 6x4

2A.) Muscle Ups 4 x submax

2B.) 2 KB Clean and Jerk 4 x 8-10

3A.) Ring Dips 3 x 8-12

3B.) Chin Ups 3 x 8-12

4A.) Tire drag 5 x 100'

4B.) Sledge Hammer 5 x 10/10 Right/Left

LS-W6D3

2010-05-06T17:20:00.002-04:00

1.) Power Clean 5x2

2.) Trap Bar Deadlift 6x4

3.) Stiff Leg Deadlift 3x8

4A.) Bulgarian Split Squats 3x8-10 each leg

4B.) Back Extensions 3x12-15

5.) Sprint 10x50-75 meters

LS-W6D2

2010-05-04T00:34:00.004-04:00

Always on a mission for strength and knowledge

1.) Bench Press 6x4 with chains

Keep rest periods as short as possible while still recovering for next set

2A.) Rope Climb 3x1 (15')

2B.) Weighted Dips 3x8-12

3A.) Pull Up Variation 3 x submax

3B.) Push Up Variation 3 x submax

4.) Hanging leg raise 3 x 15

5.) Row 10-15x100 meters 30 seconds rest

try to keep every set sub 20 seconds, if no rower, sub swings or sprints

LS-W6D1

2010-05-02T15:42:00.002-04:00

Last week of this cycle. We build strength by lifting heavy, we get lean by being disciplined with our nutrition. Its pretty simple, but never easy. We continue for one more week before moving onto next cycle. I'm interested what most of your goals are? What are you trying to achieve? To you have a specific goal, or is it undefined? General goals like "to get stronger", or "to get in shape" never work. Be specific. For example: I will squat 365 lbs for 20 reps by August 2nd. This is a more specific goal, so we know how to prepare. It could be as simple as adding ten pounds a session til you get your goal. It doesn't always work out so easily, but it gives you a plan to work with.

July 26, 355x20

July 19, 345x20

July 12, 335x20

July 5, 325x20

June 28, 315x20

June 21, 305x20...

...

May 10, 245x20

There are obviously other variables and always obstacles that need to be considered and adjusted for, but having a general plan with specific goals is the best way to go.

Todays workout:

1.) DB Snatch 5x3-5

2.) Squat 6x4

3.) 2 arm DB squat clean + thruster 3x6

4.) Ab Roll Outs 3x10-15

5A.) Overhead plate walking lunges 3x100'

5B.) GHR 3x10

6.) Sprint 5x100 meters

LS-W5D5

2010-05-02T15:39:00.001-04:00

KB Long Cycle, clean and jerk 15 reps

200 meter run

5 sets

LS-W5D4

2010-04-29T23:16:00.004-04:00

1.) Thick Bar Push Press 5x5

2A.) Muscle Ups 3x6

2B.) 2 KB Clean and Jerk 3x12

3A.) Weighted Dips 3 x 8-12

3B.) DB Bent Over Rows 3 x 8-12

4A.) Prowler 5 x 100'

4B.) Burpees 5 x 15

LS-W5D3

2010-04-29T01:01:00.003-04:00

When you train like a Dinosaur, there's always room for pizza

1.) DB Box Clean 20 x 12 inch box

Hold DB's at arms length by your sides, jump and land on box in power position (quarter squat) with DB's cleaned up to your rack position (outside shoulders). Your feet should land on the box simultaneously with catching the weights in your rack.

2.) Trap Bar Deadlift 5x5

3.) Stiff Leg Deadlift 3x8

4A.) Reverse Lunges 3x8-10 each leg

4B.) Reverse Hypers 3x12-15

5.) Sprint 10x50-75 meters

LS-W5D2

2010-04-26T23:48:00.003-04:00

1.) Bench Press 5x5 with chains

Keep rest periods as short as possible while still recovering for next set

2A.) Weighted Dips 3x8-12

2B.) Rope Climb 3x1 (15')

3A.) Push Up Variation 3 x submax

3B.) Pull Up Variation 3 x submax

4.) Sprint 5-10x100 meters 60-90 seconds rest

LS-W5D1

2010-04-26T09:29:00.002-04:00

Here is an old video of kids swinging Indian Clubs, which is coming back today as another rage in the fitness industry. It really helps promote joint integrity and mobility. Check it out...

1.) Squat 5x5

Increase weight anywhere from 1-5% from LS-W1D1, depending on your level

2.) 2 arm DB squat clean + thruster 5x6-8

3.) Ab Roll Outs 3x10-15

use wheel or suspension trainer

4A.) Run 3x400 meter

4B.) KB Swing 3x20

LS-W4D5

2010-04-24T00:49:00.004-04:00

PMacStrong &
Jason C Brown, Kettlebell Athletics

Kettlebell Workout

Totally ripped off from Jason C. Brown at Kettlebell Athletics, I love the stuff he does with PMacStrong!

2 KB Workout

21 Swings

21 Pull Ups

200 meter run

15 Clean & Press

15 Pull Ups

200 meter run

9 Trusters

9 Pull Ups

200 meter run

LS-W4D4

2010-04-24T00:41:00.003-04:00

1.) Thick Bar Push Press 10x2

2A.) Handstand Press 3 x Max (No Rest)

2B.) Pull Ups 3 x Max (Rest @ 2 minutes)

3A.) Weighted Dips 3 x 8-12

3B.) High pulls 3 x 8-12

4A.) Prowler 5 x 100'

4B.) KB Swing 5 x 15

LS-W4D3

2010-04-22T09:27:00.004-04:00

Option 1
Option 2The choice is yours. Don't be a wanker.

1.) Box Jumps x20 submax height

2.) Clean & Jerk 6x2

3.) Trap Bar Deadlift 6x2

4A.) Reverse Lunges 3x8-10 each leg

4B.) Reverse Hypers 3x12-15

5.) Sprint 10x50-75 meters

Questions and comments

2010-04-20T20:33:00.006-04:00

sup Matt... just thought I'd let you know what I'm weighing right now. remember when I told you, back in January, I was 343 lbs.... I'm currently 280 lbs and still goin. Thanks to you, you are such an inspiration bro. Keep postin those great videos... peace & blessings

-YouTube subscriber

MATTY, who's more bad ass than you??? NO ONE!

-Zach Even-Esh

Hi matt!

First – I am a huge fan of your work and I am following your blog and youtube channel every day. I start my day and I end my day by looking for updates or just reading older posts and videos….

Thank you for being such big a inspiration source.

To my question: I am born 1977 so I am 32 years at this point. I am about 185-183cm (6ft1-6ft?) and 81kg weight. I am born with really thin wrists, ankles and long joints (or muscle attachments?) etc etc…

I started to train when I one day woke up and realized that this is going straight to hell if I am not taking care of my health. It was 3 years ago.

Past these three years I have trained some martial arts, some conditioning, but I stuck at weight training. I really enjoy it and I always look forward to it. My problem is that I feel that my strength gains is not at all what I would like to have…. And in one month I will have even less time to train because I am opening my own motorcycle shop in Gothenburg. So I figured that if I train three times a week I hopefully could get some kind of results.

My nutrition:

06-07.00 Breakfast: Oat, eggs, and fruits. Sandwiches with some 17% fat cheese, or turkey. (some days I cheat with salami, just love it…) More or less same every morning.

10-11.00 Snacks: Some times, not often but if I have it is some fruits, nuts or a protein drink.

12-14.00 Lunch: Whatever I can find at a restaurant…. I work as a sales on field so I travel a lot.

18-19.00 Dinner: Chicken or beef with pasta or potatoes

20-21.00 Snack: some cottage cheese

My physique is at the moment not so nice….. Belly is too big. I measured 97cm round my stomach a couple of days ago. I have been 93-93cm but never down to 90cm…. So I have some fat around my body and I am born with exceptionally thin shoulders and superlong arms…. Looking a bit like an ape????? ;) without all the hair.

I have my home gym: barbell and about 130kg weight to go with, dumbbells, chin rack, dip station (homemade), bench for pressing. I deadlift about 113-117kg, squat 93-95kg, and bench press 70-75kg an my overhead press is just ridiculous with struggling at 35-40kg on barbell overhead press….. Sucks big time. Chins 8-10 in one set and dips around 12-13 reps.

I would like have the chins to at least 30, my dips 30-40 reps, deadlift 180kg (first goal), squat 130-150kg and bench at least 100kg. Overhead press? As strong as possible.

Due to lack of time on every day being a father, having a full time job (or more) and house I try to make my training at the morning. I eat some carbs 30-45 minutes before workout.

Could you help me with a program that I could follow and what would you suggest? Is there any main changes you fell that I need to do?

It would mean so much to me, really. I am planning on during next winter to perhaps move my home gym to my shop. I believe I have some more space to have the gym at and perhaps I could even start to work with some outdoor sprints, sled dragging, tire flipping etc etc

I hope you find this letter as a big thanks from a guy in Sweden that really is a big fan,

Tacke care! Cheers

Best Regards

Markku

Thanks for the support! Incorporating any type of strongman training would be a great addition to your training. Tire flips, heavy sandbag lifts, heavy farmers carries, stone lifts, log lifts, etc. Most of these objects can be easily acquired, yet they are not necessary. What some people fail to acknowledge is the beauty of simplicity. Brooks Kubik, author of "Dinosaur Training", is a Huge advocate of intense, abbreviated training. Meaning heavy singles and doubles of just a few exercises a few times a week. But you must constantly be increasing the weight. One of these simplest ways to add muscle mass to your frame is very simple, yet could quite possibly be the hardest thing you ever do. Squats and milk, thats it. With the addition of just a few supplemental exercises, you can pack on big strength and mass with this simple program. Pick a weight that you can typically squat for 10 reps, then get under it and squat it for 20 reps, taking 3-5 deep breaths between each rep. It will make a new man out of you. Not just any man can handle this. You must be determined and committed to your goal while your body is quivering and begging for mercy. But while your body is experiencing a ton of time under tension, your muscles are being shocked to death and will be forced to grow beyond what was possible in the past. This has been proven effective by many strongmen of the past, and most notably by Randall Strossen in his book, "Super Squats". After your squats you will do a few light rib stretch exercises such as pull overs and add your favorite exercises to complete your program. Finally, add a few more vegetables and berries to your diet and most importantly add a gallon of whole milk everyday. The fruits and vegetables will give you more vitamins and minerals, and the milk will provide you with a ton of protein, carbs and fat to fuel you for massive gains. Give Super squats a try and watch yourself forge a new, stronger, more massive frame. Now go buy some bigger clothes.

Matt

Hi. Do you recommend trying lose weight first then tone or what? I still 25 pounds of baby weight to lose. I have already lost 45 with eating right and thr treadmill but I noticed I have no muscle especially where it counts the most, my butt. I am scared to use weights because I still need to lose weight. I trust your advice. Please let me know. I wish you lived in the area I would hire you as my trainer!

C.F.

The best thing you can do is get off the treadmill like a hamster and start doing full range of motion functional movements, as heavy as you can possibly manage with great form. Full depth squats, deadlifts, presses overhead, pull up variations, push ups, lunges and certainly you should be carrying heavy things up hills all the time. Get a backpack or something, fill it with sand and carry it up the nearest hill as fast as possible, rest and repeat. That is how you "tone", not by doing hours of mindless cardio machines. All that does is eat up your muscle along with the fat and keep you further away from your goal. Every time runners come to me, or any other cardio freak, they have tons of postural, strength and flexibility issues. Stop doing it now and start strength training with every ounce of energy you have. Incorporate intense conditioning routines at the end or on separate days from your weight training. I recommend every other day. You will obviously start light and easy if you have little or no experience, and I recommend getting quality coaching to emphasize technique. But you must focus on getting stronger if you want tighter muscles, trust me, you won't bulk up.

Matt

Hope new questions and comments keep on coming. Sorry if you asked and I didn't get back to you yet. Keep training hard, people.

LS-W4D2

2010-04-19T22:42:00.004-04:00

know when to say when, buddy
1.) Bench Press 10x2

Keep rest periods short, 45-60 seconds

2.) 1 Arm Snatch 4-6x4-6, choose your weapon

4 rounds straight thru

3A.)KB Swing x 30 seconds

15 seconds rest

3B.) Burpees x 30 seconds

15 seconds rest

3C.) Prowler x 30 seconds

15 seconds rest

Typically I would program the snatches first, being a power movement, and the strength movement second (bench press). But in this cycle I am prioritizing strength so i am doing the bench first, but you can feel free to change the order depending on your goals and priorities.

LS-W4D1

2010-04-18T23:22:00.006-04:00

Lift and eat. Period. One of my favorite breakfasts is a bunch of eggs, salsa, and sweet potato, cooked in a little evoo.

1.) Squat 10x2

Rest 60 seconds between sets. Go up a little weight from last weeks 3's.

2A.) Ring Dips 4 x SubMax, rest 30-45 seconds

2B.) Row 4 x 250 m, rest 60-90 seconds

3A.) Pull Ups 5 x SubMax, rest 30-45 seconds

3B.) Sprint 5 x 100 m, rest 60-90 seconds

LS-W3D5

2010-04-17T02:12:00.003-04:00

Saturday is COMPLEX DAY!!!

Barbell

Muscle Snatch x 5

Overhead Squat x 5

Push Press Behind Neck x 5

Good Morning x 5

Squat x 5

Bent Over Row x 5

Stiff Leg Dead Lift x 5

5 sets increasing weight as you go. 2-3 minute rest between sets. How heavy can you go without putting bar down. I want numbers, people. What can you fools do?

LS-W3D4

2010-04-16T00:47:00.004-04:00

After fasting yesterday, I think I lost my mind when deciding what to have for dinner tonight.
In retrospect, this decision was so much more awesome than I anticipated it to be.
I decided to not take pictures of dessert because that would have just been gluttonous.

1.) Thick Bar Push Press 8 x 3

2A.) Body weight Bench Press 3 x Max (No Rest)

2B.) Pull Ups 3 x Max (Rest 3-4 minutes)

3A.) DB Hang Cleans 3 x 8

3B.) Ring Dips 3 x max

4A.) Prowler 5 x 100'

4B.) KB Swing 5 x 15

If these workouts don't look much like fat loss sessions, then maybe you aren't pushing the pace fast enough. Also, building muscle is the best way to combat fat as far as I'm concerned.

LS-W3D3

2010-04-15T00:14:00.004-04:00

1.) Power Snatch + Overhead Squat + Hang Snatch 6x1

2.) Trap Bar Deadlift 5x3

3.) Stiff Legged Deadlift 3x10

4A.) Box Jumps 5x5 submax height

4B.) Handstand Press on paralettes or DB's 5x5

5A.) Sprint 5x75

5B.) Ball Slams 5x15

LS-W3D2

2010-04-12T21:56:00.004-04:00

Master Mahler on the Snatch
1.) Bench Press 8x3

Keep rest periods short, no longer than 60 seconds

2.) KB Snatch 45 seconds work/15 seconds rest x 8

4 rounds straight thru

3A.)KB Swing x 30 seconds

15 seconds rest

3B.) Burpees x 30 seconds

15 seconds rest

3C.) Prowler x 30 seconds

15 seconds rest

LS-W3D1

2010-04-11T22:56:00.006-04:00

Jocelyn is one bad mama who trains at Catalyst Athletics

True strength icons
1.) Squat 8x3

Rest 75 seconds between sets. Try to go up a little weight from last weeks 4's, but not drastically, maybe 5% or so.

2A.) Row 3 x 300 m

2B.) Push Ups 3 x Max

3A.) Sprint 3 x 200 m

3B.) Pull Ups 3 x Max

Perform push ups immediately after row, rest 2 minutes after pushups. Record time and pushups performed. You can do ring push ups, add chains or any other variation you want. Do the same for the run/ pull up sets.

LS-W2D5

2010-04-10T08:37:00.002-04:00

Dumbbell Bear Complex

Begin every set at the start of every minute. Your goal is to complete 5 reps of each movement then proceed to next movement. The quicker you finish each set, the more rest you have. Do 20 minutes, which would be 20 sets.

Hang Power Clean

Front Squat

Push Press

Complete 3 reps each if you're a beginner, then progress to 4 and eventually 5. Try using a weight that equals half your body weight. If you weigh 200 lbs, use 2x50lb DB's.

Hit the sleds after the workout

LS-W2D4

2010-04-09T00:06:00.002-04:00

1.) Thick Bar Push Press 6x4

2A.) Explosive Chest Slap Push up 3x10

2B.) Ring Dips 3x7

2C.) Incline DB Flies 3x8-10

3A.) Power Shrugs 3x12-15

3B.) Chinups 3 x submax

4A.) Prowler 3x100'

4B.) KB Swing 3x15

4C.) Prowler 3x100'

4D.) Burpees 3x15

LS-W2D3

2010-04-08T00:53:00.004-04:00

1.) Power Snatch 10x2

Go up 5-10 lbs from last week

2.) Trap Bar Deadlift 5x4

Rest/Pause, (deload after every rep)

3.) DB Stiff Legged Deadlift 3x8

4A.) Box Jumps 5x5 submax height

Jump as high as possible in an attempt to come down onto the box

4B.) Handstand Walk 5x20 meters

5 Rounds 30 seconds on/30 seconds off

5A.) Sprint (not run, not jog, but sprint)

5B.) Battling Ropes

LS-W2D2

2010-04-05T23:17:00.003-04:00

1.)Bench Press 6x4

2.) KB Snatch Test AMRAP X 5 minutes

Beat last week's numbers

Max rounds in 15 minutes

3A.) Double KB Swings x 12

3B.) GHB Situp x 12

3C.) 20# Ball Slams x 12

LS-W2D1

2010-04-04T23:48:00.006-04:00

1.) Squat 6x4

Rest 105 seconds after each set, 5 minutes after last set. Begin first working set with the heaviest set of 5 from last week and work from there. Don't go up more than 10% from last week.

5 rounds, Rest 1 minute between rounds

Row 250 meters

Push ups x 20

Run 400 meters

Pull ups x 20

I know, same as last week, but a few more pull ups and a programmed rest. Get it done, faster. Hoped you timed it last week. Time it here and now and work hard, but make every rep count. If you have a lap timer, use it to time your laps and your rest period. You can be as precise as possible, or just get through it. If you're a competitor, then you should time it.

LS-W1D5

2010-04-02T23:38:00.003-04:00

Barbell Complex

5 sets, complete 5 reps each exercise before moving to next exercise. Start light, go heavier every set. If one or two movements are very difficult for you, and the weight would be severely limited by said exercise, then practice it exclusively before the complex, and eliminate it from the complex. Do not execute a new skill in a high rep set. Simply practice the exercise with little or no fatigue, then when you acquire proficiency you can include them in your complexes. The first three movements are performed with a snatch (wide) grip, then before the fourth movement adjust quickly to a clean (shoulder width) grip with the weight at the hip.

Muscle snatch

Overhead Squat

Push Press Behind Neck

Bent Over Row

Hang Power Clean

Front Squat

Push Press

Good Morning

Back Squat

Dead Lift

LS-W1D4

2010-04-02T11:08:00.003-04:00

1.) Thick Bar Push Press 5x5

2A.) Explosive Chest Slap Push up 3x10

2B.) Ring Dips 3x7

2C.) Incline DB Flies 3x8-10

3A.) Power Shrugs 3x12-15

3B.) Chinups 3 x submax

4A.) Prowler 3x100'

4B.) KB Swing 3x15

4C.) Prowler 3x100'

4D.) Burpees 3x15

LS-W1D3

2010-04-01T00:06:00.004-04:00

Breakfast: 5 free range eggs topped with salsa, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 cup steel cut oats with lots of cinnamon and a little honey, blueberry-acai tea
1.) Power Snatch 10x2

2.) Trap Bar Deadlift 4x4

3.) Tabata Circuit

A.) Box Jump 24"

B.) Handstand (against wall if necessary)

C.) Jumping Lunges

D.) Battling Ropes

Perform 20 seconds of work with precisely 10 seconds of rest for 8 sets, then proceed to next exercise. Handstands are for stability and balance while stressed. Should be fun after box jumps. Have fun keeping your heart in your chest.

LS-W1D2

2010-03-29T22:22:00.002-04:00

1.) Bench Press 5x5

2.) KB Snatch Test AMRAP x 5 minutes (you choose weight, I recommend 1.5 pood)

Max rounds in 15 minutes

3A.) Double KB Swing (skiers) x12

3B.) GHB Situp x12

3C.) Ball Slams x 12

Lean Strength Week 1 Day 1 (LS-W1D1)

2010-03-28T21:13:00.004-04:00

Sox said I gotta tighten up, so this is my attempt at putting myself out there for accountability.

Talk about vulnerability. Lookin a little shabby. Its time to get freaky up in here.

We have a definitive goal here: to get lean as hell while maintaining strength. The use of multiple implements is not necessary. I am going for simplicity and effectiveness. I'll be putting away most of my toys for this cycle and staying with the basics. If you don't have a particular item, just make an intelligent substitution or ask questions. There are no frills here, just flat out hard work. Sound familiar? It should.

1.) Squat 5x5 rest 120 seconds between sets, 5 minutes after last set

5 Rounds

2A.) Row 250 meters (or 25 KB swings)

2B.) Push ups x 20

2C.) Run 400 meters (or 25 burpees w/o pushup, or 50 double unders...)

2D.) Pull ups x 15

Have fun, work hard, don't forget your SMR, mobility and flexibility afterwards. Drink at least 1 oz water / lb body weight everyday.

Basic Nutrition Guidelines

2010-03-28T09:56:00.004-04:00

I'm going to put some things out there, it's up to you to follow or not. Freedom of choice and self expression is a wonderful thing. First of all, throw out all the crap in your kitchen. If its not crap, good for you, eat it. Secondly, don't buy any more crap, that's it. Simple stuff, really.

In no particular order, avoid and eliminate the following as best you can...

-Food made with refined flour and corn products, such as bread, cookies, crackers, pasta, chips, cereal, cakes

-High fructose corn syrup, almost any drink other than water, salad dressings, ketchup, this crap is in so many items, watch closely

-Trans fats, margarine, vegetable oil, yes, that means Velveeta

-Artificial sweeteners, essentially anything that says sugar free or diet

-Commercial pasteurized dairy, as awesome as bovine growth hormone sounds, just say no. If you're not going to get down and drink it straight from the tit of a "clean cow", don't do it (figuratively speaking of course), avoid pasteurized milk, cream, yogurt, cottage cheese

-Commercial meat and fish, such as canned meat and fast food, eat grass fed and wild caught

-Soy, no more tofurkey burgers

-Sports and energy drinks, just drink water, and green tea sometimes

-Protein and energy bars, they are crap, yes, you hippie, even your Kashi bar

-Processed foods, prepackaged meals, instant anything, rice cakes, pop tarts

I know, I hate being told what I can't do also. So here's some things you should do. Eat 17 colors a day. This ensures you are getting a wide range of micronutrients. Don't get too literal here, just be sure to get a wide range of real food in you. Think nutrient dense and calorie light. Every meal should contain all the macronutrients to maximize your hormonal response. Eat a quality protein, fat, and carbohydrate source with every meal. Put the emphasis on quality and you won't have to worry much about the quantity. Obviously there is an optimal amount per individual based on needs, levels of abilities, and even time (pre and post workout). Eat a little extra carbs after you train hard, like a potato. Some good choices of proteins to consider are beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, venison, and lamb. Good fats are olives and olive oil, coconut oil, avocados and a variety of nuts and seeds. Great carbs sources are green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, asparagus, collards and mustard greens. Vibrant berries are tremendous, such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and even cherries. Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Your higher carb foods will include sweet potatoes, brown and wild rice varieties, gluten free brown rice pasta, black, red and pinto beans, steel cut oats, raw honey and pure maple syrup. Use lots of fresh herbs and spices, such as basil, thyme, oregano, cilantro, cinnamon, cayenne, turmeric, curry, ground cloves, ginger, paprika, chili, parsley and pepper. I do recommend "cheating" as a strategy to optimize fat loss. Every 4-6 days have a meal or three with lots more carbs and fats than usual. It shakes the body up and keeps it primed to achieve the things we're after here. In this case, cheating is good and recommended, not only for our bodies, but our minds as well. Now I'm not recommending Taco Bell and Hardees all day, but utilizing this principle will enhance the desired effect.

A sample day meal plan:

Breakfast:

1 teaspoon coconut oil

5 free range eggs

1/2 cup fresh salsa (tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, orange pepper, pineapple, black beans)

1/4-1/2 cup steel cut oats with a little honey and lots of cinnamon

Snack:

Fresh berries

Non pasteurized cottage cheese with cinnamon

Raw almonds

mix all together if you want, I do

Lunch:

Curried grilled chicken

Bowl of spinach, garlic and onion, lemon juice, olive oil

Wild rice or sweet potato

Avocado

Snack:

Jerky

Bell pepper

Brazil nuts

Dinner:

Salad with homemade Olive oil & vinegar dressing

Grilled fish, seasoned to taste

Lots of vegetables, no starch or high carb

Snack:

A few ounces of turkey

Nuts/seeds

Bite of DARK chocolate :)

Add lots of krill oil/fish oil to your routine if you're not already. A good rule of thumb is to start low, and keep adding a pill or so every now and then until your stool gets a little runny, then back off a bit and that is the right amount for you. Never mind the dosage recommendation on the bottle. This is just my opinion and I am not a doctor, so exercise free will when making decisions and don't blame anyone except yourself for your actions, as I didn't force you to do anything.

Take it as you want it, but this is a decent plan to follow. Post questions and comments below. I'm sure I neglected several key aspects, but it will all come out over time.

Lean Strength Challenge

2010-03-28T09:21:00.007-04:00

Ok, I'm challenging myself to an abbreviated "Lean Strength" challenge. It will begin now and run through April. I'll take before and after photo's to see if I'm full of shit, or if this shit really works. Try to do the same for yourself. I'm not calling it "fat loss", and definitely not weight loss. This is my version of "Lean Strength". Nothing new here, lots of guys are doing very similar things, such as "Lean Hybrid Muscle", from Elliot Hulse and Mike Westerdal, which is phenomenal stuff by the way. It pushes the pace and challenges you consistently. But, all the hard work in the world will not get you to your maximal potential without proper nutrition. So, I will be addressing these key points over the next few weeks. Today I will post the basic guidelines to eating for enhanced health and performance. I am not an expert on the subject matter and I realize there are many varying points of view on the subject, many of which are very controversial because people want to promote their products, etc. I will not get too detailed into carb cycling and special diets and hyperinsulinism and eating this not that, and hormonal response to particular foods and effects of leptin on fat loss, etc. This is not my area, but I will provide basic guidelines to adhere to for best results. Get ready to clean out your pantry and sweat your ass off, its gonna get interesting to see how far we can push ourselves in our quest for Lean Strength! Let us begin...

Feelin good

2010-03-25T23:03:00.004-04:00

Even though this week is supposed to be a deload, I was feeling good so decided to go for it a little bit. I did some trap bar deadlifts, which are one of a few favorites of mine, and took it up to a top set of 470x5. One of my goals this year is a 550 pull, so I know its going to happen. I have always been a poor puller, damn short arms, but I'm just gonna have to overcome. After that I did some KB juggling for about 20 minutes or so. It is so much fun, I hope some of you have the opportunity to juggle weights in your training. It provides you with an opportunity to burn some fat and work a skill while having a blast. Get outside this spring, buy your own kettlebell and go for it, you won't regret it. I'm interested in how everyones training is going? Any stories, questions or concerns? I'm planning out the guidelines for the next 4-6 weeks of a fat loss program. Should be a good one, its different from how I normally train, but like I said, it's only a few weeks.

Herman Goerner

2010-03-23T10:58:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite ladders to work with is inspired by a girevik of yesteryear, Herman Goerner, I discovered via Zach Even-Esh. It entails performing a snatch followed by a press, returned to the hang and immediately cleaned and pressed again. Any variation of the movements is acceptable, and in my gym welcomed. I've been doing these movements for a long time, but put together in this precise manner was something that I knew immediately I should have been doing for a very long time. I use DB's, KB's, or even BB's. I get a much different response from all the different implements, but if I only had ONE tool to use, I would be super excited about it nonetheless. The KB's allow a more fluid, cyclical and circular movement, so to speak, while the DB's are more linear. Both address the unilateral elements of training, which often gets ignored by many athletes. One the other hand, the barbell will allow a much greater load to be used. I use a clean grip when using a barbell, and personally always use the power version of the lifts. So it goes like this...

snatch+press+clean+press

You have a few options here, three of which are repetition ladders, timed ladders, and weighted ladders. Pick the option that best suits your goals. I'm a strongman kinda guy, so I usually pick a light weight, do the complex for 1 rep with each hand, then go to the next biggest weight and go again for 1 rep. Start with maybe a 30 lb DB, and go up 5-10 lbs every time until you hit you're limit, then work back down. If you do repetition ladders, just add a rep every set, snatch press clean press snatch press clean press, then switch in that manner. And for time, just do what you can in a given time frame, and add some time to every set, say 10-20 seconds, it adds up quickly. I prefer doing timed sets with just one movement, like a snatch only for example, but there are no rules here, except the "Don't be a wanker" rule. I might even do some heavy rack quarter squats after my Goerner sets as well. See you on the other side.

Underground Strength Mentorship

2010-03-21T23:23:00.002-04:00

The day has come and gone, and it was a huge success. Everyone got a ton of info to take home with them and transform their clients and business' into the beasts they want them to be.

On another note, we have concluded a 12 week program and I hope those who participated have seen some tremendous results. We have a week of back off "fun training" to enjoy before I start another cycle. I'm leaning towards a 1 month fat loss program. It's not something I do often, but it is like a cleansing of the soul for me. I spend so much of my time focusing on strength and technique, so this feels like a good time to change things up and put a focus on cleaning up. Not everyone is going to want to participate in this short program, and thats ok. If you need more strength or are on a good roll, I would continue with any 4 week period of your choice from the last cycle after this deload week concludes. Feel free to post comments and bash me for this, but it's just a month out of a lifetime of training to see how I train with a fat loss focus.

Week 12 Day 4

2010-03-20T07:51:00.002-04:00

Try to set PR's here

1.) Clean & Jerk work up to max

2.) Squat 5-3-1-1-1-1

Rest 10 minutes

3.) Double KB Clean & Jerk AMRAP 10 minutes

Week 12 Day 3

2010-03-18T20:16:00.002-04:00

1.) Floor Press 8-5-3-1-1-1-1

2A.) 2 DB Clean & Jerk 5x3-5

2B.) Muscle ups 5 x max

3A.) Hand over hand sled pull/drag 3 x 60 feet

3B.) Ring Push ups 3 x max

4A.) KB Swings 5x15-20

4B.) Double Unders 5x30-40

pick a number and stay with it, doing twice as many DU's as swing. You are trying to improve from last week, doing more work in less time.

Week 12 Day 2

2010-03-16T21:34:00.004-04:00

- It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again. Because there is no effort without error and shortcomings, he who knows the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the high achievement of triumph and who at worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his place shall never be with those timid and cold souls who know neither victory nor defeat".

Theodore Roosevelt -

1.) Power Snatch + OHS 10x1

2.) Sumo Deadlift 6-5-4-3-2-1-1-1

3A.) GHB Situps 3x10 weighted

3B.) Stiff legged deadlift 3x8

3C.) Plank 3x60 seconds

4A.) Row 3x250 meters

4B.) Pull Ups 3x15

Last minute local sign ups for the Underground Strength Mentorship, sign up here...

Week 12 Day 1

2010-03-15T09:20:00.006-04:00

Last few days to sign up for the Underground Strength Mentorship with Zach Even-GEsh and myself. Its going to be a serious day jam packed full of training and business info with one of the most passionate and knowledgeable strength coaches out there! Get in here...
1.) Double KB Snatch 5x8-10

2.) Press 8-5-3-1-1-1-1

3A.) Supine Row with thick ropes 3x10-15 add weight with chains or vest

3B.) Ring Push ups 3x10-15 add weight with chains or vest

4.) Bulgarian Bag around the worlds 3x10-15 each direction

For time:

5A.) Sprint 5x100 meters

5B.) Burpees 5x10

Underground Strength Workshop...

Week 11 Day 4

2010-03-13T00:00:00.002-05:00

1.) Clean & Jerk x Max (Give yourself 3 misses)

2.) Zercher Squat 5x5

3A.) Double KB Swing 3x10-15

3B.) Hanging Leg Raise (toes to bar) 3x10-15

For Time:

4A.) Sprint 3x200 meters

4B.) Burpees 3x10

Week 11 Day 3

2010-03-10T23:58:00.002-05:00

1.) Floor Press 5x5

2A.) Bottom's up Clean & Press 5x5/5

2B.) Muscle ups 5 x submax

3A.) Pull ups 3 x submax

3B.) Ring Dips 3 x submax

For Time:

4A.) KB Swings 5x15

4B.) Double Unders 5x30

Week 11 Day 2

2010-03-09T21:27:00.004-05:00

Speed through the middle
1.) 1 Arm DB Hang Power Snatch 5 x 3-5

2.) Sumo Deadlift 5x5

3A.) Good Morning 3x10

3B.) Hanging leg raise 3x10

3C.) Reverse Hypers 3x10

4A.) Burpees 8x7

4B.) Ring Dips 8x8

4C.) 24" Box Jumps 8x10

Begin every set at the start of every 2 minutes. The quicker you complete your set, the more rest you have.

Week 11 Day 1

2010-03-08T08:47:00.002-05:00

1.) Hang Power Snatch 3-3-3-1-1-1

2.) Thick bar Press 5x5

3A.) Ring pushups 3x submax weighted

3B.) Rope Climb 3 x 15' weighted, no feet

4A.) GHB reverse crunch (leg raise) 3x10-15

4B.) Double KB swing 3x10-15

5.) Sprint 5-10 x 75-100 meters, hills are good

Week 10 Day 4

2010-03-06T09:10:00.002-05:00

1.) Power clean+front squat+hang clean 6x1

2.) Clean & Jerk work up to heavy single

3A.) Zercher squat 3x8

3B.) Double KB swing 3x10-12

4A.) Concept 2 rower 4x200 meters

4B.) Sledgehammer 4x20 (10 each arm)

week 10 Day 3

2010-03-03T23:47:00.004-05:00

New toys at The Strength Shop

My new bells! I'm so excited, these baby's are like water in my hands, so clean and smooth. I'm so glad I decided to go for it.

As soon as I opened my new KB's today I immediately did a single bell ladder (2,4,6,8,10,8,6,4,2), I did it non stop, got fired up and was instantly pleased with my decision to purchase these bad boys. I got a feeling I won't be putting these fellas down for the next few weeks!

1.) Floor Press 4x8

2A.) Kettlebell clean & press (bottoms up) 5x6-8

2B.) Muscle ups 5x5 (add 5-10 lbs from last week)

3A.) Bent over row 3x10

3B.) BTB halos 3x10-15 each direction

10 rounds for time

4A.) Sprint 50 meters

4B.) 10-15 pushups (pick a number and stay with it)

Only a few weeks left to get off the fence and sign up for the Underground Strength Mentorship. Get info here...

Jungle Gym

2010-03-03T00:08:00.002-05:00

Week 10 Day 2

2010-03-02T23:55:00.005-05:00

Anyone know how to use these things?

1.) Hang Power Snatch 3-3-3-1-1-1-1

2.) Sumo Dead Lift 3x8

3A.) Bulgarian Split Squat 3x10

3B.) GHR 3x8-10

4.) 8 Rounds, Every 2 minutes start set of:

A.) 6 Burpees

B.) 8 Dips

C.) 10 Double kettlebell clean & press

1000 YouTube Subscribers!

2010-03-01T21:52:00.002-05:00

We hit 1000 subscribers today, thanks to all you fine strength advocates. Good job, people. Now I want to make a challenge for myself. Maybe 50 videos in 50 days? I'm gonna need some really good ideas. What are some of the most important things you guys want me to make videos of? Anything at all... I'll try my best to accommodate. Please leave comments and questions. Thanks.

Also don't forget about the Underground Strength Mentorship. We recently had a dude sign up from England, he means business. You guys can get info and sign up here

Week 10 Day 1

2010-02-28T23:50:00.002-05:00

Move the bar as fast as possible on the concentric phase, pause 1 second, return quickly to starting point, breath deeply, brace and repeat.

1.) Press 3x8

2A.) KB Clean & Jerk 3x8

2B.) Muscle ups 3 x submax

3A.) Handstand Walk 3x max distance

3B.) Chin up 3 x submax

4.) 5 rounds for time

A. C2 row x 200 meters

B. Ball slams 20lb x 15

Week 9 Day 4

2010-02-27T09:24:00.002-05:00

1.) Clean Drills

-Power clean+front squat+hang clean x 6

2.) Clean & Jerk work up to heavy single

3A.) Front Squat 6x2

3B.) Bent over barbell row 6x5-6, heavy

4A.) RDL 3x8

4B.) Step ups 3x8 each leg

5.) Hanging leg Raise 3 x 15

Article with Zach at Elite FTS

2010-02-26T12:12:00.001-05:00

Had my interview with Zach Even-Esh published in EliteFTS, so I'm pumped about that. Time to crush the gym. Enjoy the read here...

Week 9 Day 3

2010-02-24T23:24:00.003-05:00

This is one really cool lookin trunk! I hope everyone who is following along is making good gains. Its a 12 week cycle, so a few more weeks to go jack up some PR's before we switch things up a bit. I am heavily favoring a short 4-6 week fat burning cycle through April. Anybody have any ideas or wishes? Please let me know so I can make a utilitarian decision. But really, I'm gonna do whatever the fuck I want anyway :) But i love to hear your thoughts.

1.) Incline Bench Press 10x2

2A.) (KB bottoms up) clean & press 5x5

2B.) Muscle ups 5x5

3A.) (Sandbag) Zercher lunges 3x10 each leg

3B.) (Keg) Carry 3x200 feet

3C.) Farmers Carry 3x200 feet

3D.) Power Wheel 3x100 feet

4.) Foam rolling, mobility, etc. Prepare for heavy cleans and squats on Saturday

Anybody have any questions, comments or concerns about the Underground Strength Mentorship being held at The Strength Shop on March 20? I will be happy to discuss any queries anybody might have. Zach Even-Esh and I have a big day planned for all attendees, so I hope you get on board!

Week 9 Day 2

2010-02-24T15:27:00.002-05:00

1.) Snatch 4x2, 3x1

2.) Snatch Grip Deadlift + chains 8x2

3A.) Walking lunges 3x8-10 each leg
3B.) Good Morning 3x8-10
3C.)GHB Situps 3x8-12 weighted and slow

3D.) Back Extensions 3x12-15

4.) Hill sprints or sled drags 10-15 minutes

Week 9 Day 1

2010-02-22T10:07:00.005-05:00

I'm just kickin it with my homie, you know how we do!

1.) Push Press 8-5-3-1-1-1

2A.) Muscle ups 5 x submax

2B.) Kettlebell Clean & Jerk 5x8-10

3A.) Ring pushups 3 x submax
3B.) Double KB highpull 3 x 10-15

4A.) Backwards sled drag 5 x 30 Meters
Follow immediately with:
4B.) Sprint 5 x 50-75 meters
4C.) Rest 90-120 seconds

Maybe this is a time in your life that you feel you should be kickin some major ass. Maybe you are, maybe you're not. If you want to take your training to the next level for you are your clients, and grow your business as well, come to the Underground Strength Mentorship hosted by Zach Even-Esh and Matt Wichlinski on March 20, 2010. There is going to be some serious information on training and business from some of the best in the business, come check it out!

Week 8 Day 4

2010-02-20T09:39:00.002-05:00

1.) Power clean 3x3, 2x2, 3x1

2.) Front squat 8x3

3a.) Good morning 3x8-12

3b.) Lunge 3x8-12 each leg

4a.) Russian Twists 3x20

4b.) KB swings 3x20

5.) Sprint 5x50-75 meters

Athletes in Action

2010-02-18T23:58:00.002-05:00

Underground Strength Mentorship on 3/20 info click here

Week 8 Day 3

2010-02-18T23:48:00.002-05:00

1.) Handstand Skill Work x 5 minutes, practice 1 arm handstand

2.) Single KB Clean and Press 8 x 3-5

3.) Bottoms up Bench Press w/ chains 8x3

4A.) 1 Arm FAT DB Bench Press 3 x 8-12
4B.) 1 Arm FAT DB Bent Rows 3 x 8-12

5.) Pullups 3 x submax

6.) Row Concept2 x 500 meters for time

7.) Foam Roll, massage, mobility work and prepare for saturdays clean and jerks and squats