Day 61 of 365: IF You're Feelin' SPICY...

I've got a special "treat" for you guys today! 

One that will change everything you thought you knew about "training hard".  

What I'm about to share with you will, quite possibly, be one of the hardest, most diabolical methods of training that you'll experience.  It is also one of the most effective methods by which to generate ridiculous power output and receive amazing returns in the areas of speed and conditioning....

all while transforming you into a F*#king MACHINE!!!

If I haven't scared you away, and you're still reading this, this is exactly what you need to add to your training!  

You ready?

BAND-RESISTED SPRINTS

B-R Sprints are a potent exercise that not only deliver on all of the previously mentioned benefits, but they cause a pukie sensation that is unmatched as far as I'm concerned.  The only drills that can come close are steep hill sprints and prowler sprints. 

 These are excellent options if you don't have a "buddy" to dig your ass into the ground.  

With that being said, whatever you do - you MUST start adding this to your training!!!  

Just be sure that you are smart about the volume.  Don't hit this stuff everyday and expect to see massive gains in speed and strength.  You'll most likely wear yourself out and possibly sprint your way straight to the point of overuse injuries.  I recommend getting one good day of sprinting in at least every two weeks.  Some do it more often, but I have found that my athletes work extremely hard on each sprint when it is more spaced out.  And, as you can imagine, max effort output is the name of the game when talking about any form of sprint work, but especially when hitting Band-Resisted Sprints.

Now, the question is: 

"Are you tough enough to do something that you KNOW will suck...BIG TIME?"

If you are, welcome!  

You are one of the few that works under the HARD ROUTINE mentality....and you are my family!  Go Get It!!!

Day 60 of 365: Take This SWOD For a Spin!

What's up guys

I've got a spicy SWOD for y'all to take on! 

This was actually a warm up that I put my Strictly Strength athletes through every once in a while, but as I've already discussed with you:

THE WARMUP IS YOUR WORKOUT!!!  

This SWOD is a great example of the new idea.  

To prove it,  I want you all to knock this one out and see for yourself what a true warmup should feel like and accomplish.

Also, if you read yesterday's post, you now have an understanding of how to perform a technically-sound shoulder press.  Remember, there is untapped power and strength hidden in the details of the press.  If you dial all the small pieces in, you'll find your press creeping up and up!  

During this video, you'll see Strictly Strength athlete, Ashok performing a rock-solid press - one that you can model yourself.  

Check it out! 

Day 59 of 365: Pressing The Pressing Issue

This week at CrossFit Central, our athletes are crankin' on the CrossFit Total. 

If you don't already know, the CrossFit Total is comprised of 3 lifts:  The Back Squat, the Shoulder Press, and the Deadlift. 

  

In each of the lifts, the athlete is attempting to set new 1RM maxes that will be summed and Totaled (Get it?) for a resulting score equal to the pounds lifted.  The Total is the way we test an individual's overall strength, which I'm sure you probably guessed by the selection of the exercises, right?

It's funny, though.  As I watched my athletes take on each lift, I realized that the lift that  they were having the most trouble with was the the shoulder press - by far the most simplistic lift...on the surface, but we are about to dive a bit deeper to uncover why the press is the hardest movement to improve on.  You ready?

Alright. So to start us off on the right foot here, I am going to show you a video.  This is pretty much the way I teach the press, minus a couple points that we will hit a bit later.  Watch this and you'll be up to speed.

 Seems pretty straight forward, right?  Well, let's quickly make a checklist of the basics:

1. Grip right outside of shoulders(make sure it's symmetrical)

2. Unrack the bar by creating a platform with your anterior delts(front of your shoulders)

3. Set your feet at hip-width, squeeze your butt, quads, and abs as tight as possible.  This creates a rock-solid foundation to press from.  VERY IMPORTANT!!!

4. Lift your elbows so that your forearm is completely vertical.  Basic rule here is that your forearms need to point in the direction you want the bar to go; straight up and slightly back.

5. Take a quick, deep breath just before initiating the press.

6. Drive the bar straight up keeping it close to your face and forehead.

7. Once the bar has cleared your forehead, press slightly backwards while also driving your upper-body under the bar.

8. Lock the B#tch out!!!

So now that we have a basic understanding of what needs to happen to succesfully perform a quality press, here's the one major idea that I want you to grasp:   

BARBELL SPEED!!!

We have discussed this before, but when performing any lift, the athlete has a specificed timeframe in which he or she can make the lift.  Any slower and the bar will stop dead in it's tracks and leave you in no-man's-land, wondering what the hell just happened.

Here's the deal.  Once you have set up and you are rock-solid in that position, you must maintain it as you punch that bar towards the ceiling...making it a point to keep the bar path as close to your face as possible!  This deliberate effort to move quickly will ensure that that nasty little thing called GRAVITY doesn't catch hold of that bar - closing that window of possible PRs.

So, next time you hit some presses, focus on the details of your setup, the bar path, and especially your speed!!!  You will find that the press, when done with these things in mind, is not as simplistic as you originally thought....BUT, you will also realize that there is a ton of POWER and STRENGTH hidden in those details!!!

GO GET IT!!!

Day 57 AND 58 of 365: Do You REALLY Get JACKED UP!?!

If you didn't notice, I did not make a post for yesterday.  I know, I know....I messed up, but it was for a good reason.  Yesterday was my girlfriend's birthday, so the two of us and some friends went up to a cabin just south of Lampases for Friday evening, night and Saturday evening where we soon made our way downtown!  As you can imagine, it was a pretty eventful, jam-packed weekend.  So with that being said, I want to first apologize for missing a day.  

So in order to set it straight, I am writing a post with a dual-purpose!

As you can tell from the title, this is all about getting yourself amped up to do some serious damage to anything from a PR deadlift to a heavy workload this week.  My point here is this:  If you approach every aspect of you life in the same way you get pumped for a big lift, you may find that the end result is a powerful one.  

Think about it.  

What is it that you are actually doing when you are getting yourself "pumped up"?  You are creating a new, high-energy stimulus that your body reacts to in a beneficial manner.  It increases the levels of adrenaline and other high-intensity promoting hormones - all to boost the body's ability to DO WORK!!!

  

In the video that I'm about to show you, I want you to notice a couple things:

1.  He is a massive human being!

2.  He is NOT deadlifting in F#@king running shoes!

3.  He "primes" his body/Central Nervous System(CNS) for the work that is about to be done.

4.  Before he even approaches the bar, this lift has already been done!  The decision has already been made to make this shit happen....THEN, he does not mess around.  He attacks it(albeit with a bit of a tip-toe-sneak approach). 

5.  No Hesitation

p.s.  That "warmup" lift was 858lbs!!!  Not sure what the 2nd attempt was, but the bar nearly snapped, so....Yeah.

Some of the very same tactics will work wonders for preparing yourself for the week ahead.  Get EXCITED about the work you have to get done this week!  It is a challenge, and challenges only make you stronger....I

t's that why you read this blog?  

To increase STRENGTH?

Thought so.  

Attack this week with focus and commitment to excellence.

Then, be sure you CELEBRATE the accomplishment!!!

Celebration is our way of saying to ourselves, "OUTSTANDING job!!! You have earned this!!!"

It keeps us coming back for more...

It keeps us pushing ourselves for the BIGGER & BETTER.

It is what drives a POWERFUL, FULFILLING LIFE!

Day 56 of 365: "The Equalizer": Post Turkey Day SWOD.

YO!!!

I'm guessing that you all had a ton of great food yesterday, and that maybe, just maybe, you're not feeling so hot today?  Especially since all you've eaten is the leftovers, right?  

Well, I've got the answer to solve all of your GI disscomforts, your hindered self-image, and your lethargic-ass tendencies!

From this...

"The Equalizer"

3 Rounds NFT:

Max Effort Shoulder Press For Reps @ 55% of 1RM

  20 Heavy Russian KB Swings

15 Bent-Over BB Rows @ Same Wt. As Above

To THIS!!!

It brings you back to a state of confidence and strength, and gives your body the kick it needs to make use of all the shit you just ate.  

It does all of this without being too much to handle.  

I highly recommend you give this one a go and see how great you feel after bustin' it!

Here is one of my athletes performing one round of this 3 round SWOD...

CHECK IT!

Day 55 of 365: GRATITUDE

Happy Thankgiving!!!

I hope that everyone is having an amazing day with family and friends!

On Tuesday morning, I polled my TTh 7am Strictly Strength athletes to see if they wanted to hit a SWOD on Thanksgiving day, and of course, they were all about it!  So, today I was lucky enough to spend the morning with my CrossFit Central/RedBlack Gym family and friends as they cranked out a badass SWOD and then followed it with a 5K fun run.  Honestly, I can't think of a better way to spend the day...I guess the only way it would have been better is if my actual family came down from Wyoming to be a part of the CC community.

It's funny.  This week, as it led up to this day, I found myself wondering why it is that we don't have Thanksgiving on every single day of our lives?  No.  I am not talking about the extreme portions of food, although, that wouldn't be so bad either.  I am talking about GRATITUDE for what we have received in our lives.  Our bodies and the amazing potential it holds....The people and the relationships that shape us....The opportunities that arise and offer us the chance to be GREAT! 

  

My point here is that  the GRATITUDE that we celebrate on one special day of the year can be recreated every day to build a beautiful, powerful life! 

Doesn't that sound EXTRAORDINARY!?!

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving Day, and the many days after it, I have put together a quick video that I would love to share with you!  

Check it out and see what thoughts and feelings it may spark.

All I can say is that we truly have a lot to be grateful for.

 

Day 54 of 365: Another Angle

Hey Guys!!!

Just a quick post tonight.  It's episode #2 on the deadlift and sumo deadlift, just from another angle. 
If you remember from yesterday's post, I said that I like to give you small bits of information so that you can absorb and apply it, piece by piece.

On that note...oncne you watch this video, combo it up with the first, and read my previous posts on the deadlift, you should be ready to rock'n'roll on this shit!  

Let me hear how it all goes.

Day 53 of 365: You Wanna Get SillyStrong?!

I'm sure that by now you can tell that there are some "MUSTS" when designing an effective strength training and hypertrophy program, right?  

Let's list them out all together....

1. Squats- Box Squats and Back Squats...

while we're at it, any damn variation you can think of!

2. Presses- 

We haven't quite gotten there yet, but when we do, you will know why they are so important to the overall affectivenes of your training!

3. THE DEADLIFT-  This is the grand-daddy!  

If you are serious about building raw strength, the one lift you MUST include is the deadlift!

Start'em Young!!!

Now, I have put together a quick little video on the deadlift, it's basic variations, and the most effective way to perform the lift for the average strength athlete.  Let it be known that there are hundreds of tiny, minuet details to all of the lifts listed above.  We are simply only scratching the surface.  Remember, the goal of this is to give you the right information in the proper doses so that you feel confident to take them on and implement them.  If we went into every single detail of each movement, you would be just as confused and frustrated as you were before you started following this blog.

That being said, I feel that the information I have given you in today's video on the deadlift and sumo deadlift is quality stuff.  It covers the pieces that you need to know in order to perform the movement safely and as it was intended.

One final note before I send you into video viewing pleasure....

As you have probably guessed by now, I will be posting a lot of information on topics that have already been discussed.  No.  This is not the result of some rare form of blogging Alzheimer's, but rather my attempt at giving you every bit of information I know on these topics. I would reccommend that you consistently go back and refreash yourself on those "repeater" blog topics just so you are on top of your strength game!

For example, here is the link to the first couple of blogs I wrote on the deadlift.  Read back through as soak that shit up like a sponge, people!

http://travisholley.blogspot.com/2011/10/deadlift-freakish-strength.html

http://travisholley.blogspot.com/2011/10/day-5-of-365-upping-your-deadlift-iq.html

http://travisholley.blogspot.com/2010/11/active-lat.html

On to the video!

Day 52 of 365: You Don't Know Squat...YET!

What's up people!!!

As promised, here is the instructional/informational video on the most potent and effective movement I have found to date:   

THE BOX SQUAT.

Watch, then let me know if you have any questions or comments that pop up.  

I would love your feedback on this one, guys!

ENJOY!

Day 51 of 365: What I Do On A Sunday...

What's up everyone!!!

Hope your weekend was packed full of awesome!

I'm sitting here in front of my computer, mowing down some leftover Salt Lick BBQ(Go ahead, be jealous), and I gotta say...

Today was a really good day!!!

I was able to sleep in for the first time in as long as I can remember!

I then met up with some CC coaches and friends at Red Black Gym for some heavy lifting; my favorite kind!

During our SWOD, we had the option to do box squats and/or back squats for 4 sets of 10 at a heavy load.  Let me just say this, if you monsters out there want a SWOD that will bust you up...here's one:

4 Rounds

10 Back/Box Squats @ Heavy Load

5 Heavy Bent-Over BB Rows

-THEN-

3-5 Rounds

15 GHD Situps 

25 Band GoodMornings

I know what you're thinking....You think that this doesn't look too bad, right?  

Well, if you load the squats to a challenging weight, the aftermath creates a whole new experience for the remainder of the SWOD.

Test this one out, but be SMART about the movements and loads.  Don't be a jackass and hurt yourself doing something that you may not be ready for.  

Just be SMART!

Finally, before I return to my BBQ(beginning to drool), I wanted to let you know that I am posting this video of the today's SWOD before the box squat video simply so that you'll have more viewing exposure to the actual movement.  I feel like the more reps you see, the more you'll get out of the lecture and demo video I have of tap for tomorrow. 

Check back here tomorrow for that! 
Until then...Don't bother me...I'm eating!

Hahaha.

Game On!!!

Day 50 of 365: Roadmap to SillyStrong - The Back Squat

YO!!!

Today, I spend about 2 hours creating informational/instructional videos on how to perform the BIG lifts that anyone serious about getting big and strong needs to hit on a regular basis.  I gotta say, as weird as it sounds, it was pretty fun spending time in RedBlack Gym on my own cranking this content out!  I guess I really am a meathead.  I good with that!

Can you tell which famous meathead this is?!

Anyway, today's movement - the back squat - is a foundational piece to any program.  

I'll say this: 

If you're not performing some form of squat everyday, you are failing!  

Mix it up and GET ON IT, STAT!!!  

Here's how:

Now, I know that in the video I said that we would be discussing the Box Squat as well, but I am going to wait until tomorrow to unleash that info on you.  I want you to absorb the info that I've given you for today so that you are ready to really pick up on what goes down tomorrow, because, as far as I'm concerned, the box squat is in fact more important than the back squat....

Tomorrow, we will discuss why?  

Be sure to tune back in for that!  

LATA!

Day 49 of 365: How Was Your Warmup?

Guys...

I'm going to be 100% honest with you.  I had all the intentions in the world to do another video for today discussing the major movements that you must include in your program.  But, as you can probably tell, there is no video.  Today has been an action-packed day and I have not had the time to create a video that, I feel, would be truly beneficial for you.

So, rather than throw some crappy video up....I am going to simply ask you how your warmup went?  Did you find that approaching your warmup with more focus and intention had a beneficial effect on your workout?  Chances are, you found yourself nearly smoked-out by the end of the warmup - if you did it right.  But, I would imagine that once you started the "meat" of your workout, you felt mentally and physically ready to move heavy shit, right?

Columbo didn't F*CK around during his warmup...You shouldn't either!!!

I would love to hear what you guys did for your warmup and the result of the new focus.  Be sure to drop a comment below.  

I will be continuing the Road To SILLYSTRONG tomorrow with a detailed video of the 3 BIG lifts that have to be included in any program designed to get you big and strong!!!

Be sure to tune back in for that.

PEACE.

Day 48 of 365: The Warmup IS Your Workout!!!

This is a long-ass video, but I feel like this one is loaded with tons of great information designed to help you help yourself get SILLYSTRONG!!! 

So, please, spend the time to watch it and then let me know how the implementation helps you during your workout.  

CHECK IT!!!

Day 47 of 365: A Roadmap To SILLYSTRONG

If you have picked up any muscle magazines lately, or read any online articles claiming that, "They know how to get YOU strong!", you most likely found yourself more confused than before you started the search for all the right answers.  Chances are you came across some year-long, periodized plan consisting of 62 lifts for your legs, 103 for you back, and another 78 for your chest, shoulders and arms. 

 A bit overwhelming if you ask me.

A perfect example of the "information" available in this "resource".

 Just check out this video for an explanation of what I have planned in order to set the record straight!

It's easy to get caught up with all of the SH!T that is out there.  Especially when all you want is to get as big and as strong as you can in the shortest amount of time possible.  But here's where I'm going to let you in on a little secret....

You Ready?!?

Getting STRONG is not rocket science!  It does, on the other hand, take a hell of a lot of work to get there!  But, as I'm sure your elders told you; Anything worth having takes time and energy.  The good news is this:  Getting STRONG is not rocket science!  Yes, I know I already said that, but I am trying to make a point to you all.  If you want to get strong....What do you think you might have to do every once in a while?  That's right, LIFT SOME HEAVY SHIT!!!  And whenever possible, move that heavy whatever as FAST as you possibly can(while maintaining proper form and technique, obviously.)

 You see, the road map to getting SILLYSTRONG has already been laid out there for us by the strong men and women of the past.  It involves, as I see it, these categories:

The Big Lifts: 

Squat - Deadlift - Press

The Quick Lifts: 

All variations of the

Clean - Snatch - Jerk

The Auxiliary Work: 

These essentially mimicked manual labor-type activities such as 

pulling, pushing, jumping, towing, carrying, throwing and swinging.

Gymnastics:

Any form of exercise that utilizes only your body-weight as the resistance.

(Don't underestimate this!!!)

Now, you're probably saying to yourself, "That's fine and all, but how many reps of this?", and, "Should I follow this with that?", etc.

Everyone's opinion will differ when it comes to program design.  

Let me try to make this as simple as I can for you so that you actually retain and use what I am offering here.

  I am about to tell you what has worked the best for me, personally, as well as for my athletes

I have found that when you format your daily SWODs, you should take the approach that  

your warmup is, in fact, part of your workout.  

Don't go through some bullshit warm up consisting of a couple situps, maybe 10 arm circles, and finishing up with a quick sip of water and a toe-touch attempt.  

That is a waste of time!!!

The point is that over the next couple days and weeks, we will be covering the topics that I've already touched on in more detail, and go over some additional information that will have you on the way to SILLYSTRONG! 

Stay Tuned!!!

Day 46 of 365: Box Squattin' My Face Off!

What's Up, People?!

First off, I wanted to check in with you to see how your day went after waking up with a new routine?  I can tell you mine was much better! 

It's crazy to think that by simply declaring what you want of the day and yourself on that day, you can create that exact thing all throughout the day!  

Pretty powerful tool if you ask me.

As a result of my newly established morning wake up routine, I was able to smash the SWOD today, and more specificlally, I set a new PR on my 1-Rep Max Box Squat!!!  

Previously it was set at 385.  Today, I maxed it out at 405!!!  

Why am I so STOKED about this?

Well, obviously it is a new PR, and that's always something to celebrate.  But the real reason I'm so pumped about this new weight in the box squat is that it will definitely correlate to a new PR on my back squat, which was 405.  

I'm thinking I got 415 in the bag!!! 
I'll be sure to film that when it comes up, but until then, enjoy this video!

Thanks to all the coaches that showed up today!  Awesome crew!!!  Great SWOD!!!

Day 45 of 365: The Wake Up Challenge

(I look SOOO intelligent here, don't I?  Should be changed in the next 24hrs.)

Day 44 of 365: Here's Your Complex

Hey Guys and Gals

Hope y'all had an amazing weekend and are now ready to crank it this week!

I know I promised you all the video of the CrossFit Central coaches doing a barbell complex(performing one BB movement for reps, linking it right into another, and another...) during this week's Friday SWOD at RedBlackGym, and trust me, I wanted to deliver.  But, this weekend was our very first CrossFit Central Staff Retreat, which was an awesome experience in it's self.  Unfortunately though, this weekend's circumstances proved to make this small upload to YouTube a huge ordeal.  Sorry. 

That being said, here's is the footage that I promised you guys!

Just to refresh your memories, the complex goes as follows:

4 Rounds

8 Power Cleans

6 Front Squats

4 Push Jerks

Weighted Walking Lunges--->

OH Barbell Walk<---

Definitely a SPICY SWOD that will test your limits!

Day 43 Of 365: I'm So Grateful

I just wanted to quickly say that I am so grateful for the clients that I come in contact with on a daily basis!  It's now very often that the coaches get to show their gratitude and respect for the the clients we have, and I wanted to take this opportunity to do so.

I love the fact that I have clients that take all the punishment of the programming I throw at them.  I love that I have clients that hold themselves to a higher standard than what they thought was previously possible.  I love the hard work and dedication that my clients bring to the gym day in and day out.

These people are the reason I am passionate about my career.

Just wanted to say THANK YOU!!!

Day 42 of 365: SWOD For The Weekend

Hey Guys and Gals

I wanted to share today's SWOD with you guys in hopes that you may give it a go this weekend.  Trust me, if you decide to hit it, it won't disappoint.  When discussing barbell complexes, it seems like there is always a common theme: You gotta have guts and you better be ready to work!

I'm sure that those of you out there that have ever hit any form of complexes just threw-up in your mouth a little bit.  For those of you that have not yet experienced your first complex, they're extremely potent in the response they elicit.  The reason they are so effective in developing strength and mental toughness is because of the time you are under load.  You see, once you pick up the bar for the first lift, you don't set it down again until all the work has been accomplished.  As you can imagine, this requires just a bit of toughness and stick-to-it-iveness.

Test it out for yourself. 

Here's the SWOD we knocked out today:

A) 5x3 Max Effort Box Jump(for Height)

B) 4 Rounds of Barbell Complex:

8 Power Cleans

6 Front Squats

4 Push Jerks

Wtd. Lunges ----->

OH Walk <------

I will be posting a video of the CrossFit Central coaches hittin' this SWOD tomorrow, so be sure to check back here tomorrow!!!

Day 41 of 365: UT Rugby Knows How To Work!

In case you didn't know....Red BlackGym is the official training facicility of the University of Texas Men's and Women's Rugby Clubs!  These athletes know how to work hard, and they bring that champion-like attitude to the gym every day!  

This SWOD was a nasty little creation of mine that left these studs looking more like duds by the end of it.  But, don't you worry...they were back today workin' harder than ever to be the best.  

I truly appreciate the work ethic y'all bring to every session!  

I couldn't ask for a better group of outstanding athletes!

For anyone watching, the combo of exercises you'll see in the video below is POTENT!  IF you're up to the challenge, try this....or some variation of it....at home this weekend.  

Let me know how it goes for you.  

BTW...the stones they are holding are 120#....just FYI. ;  )

Day 40 of 365: LISTEN UP!!!

What's up Silly-Strong people!!!

 Tonight is your lucky night! 

My post tonight is a video of my man, Zach Even-Esh interviewing another strength training legend, Dan John!!!  I am currently reading Dan John's books....

 

 

These are MUST READS if you're serious about strength.  The same goes for this video/interview - you MUST watch this video!!!  This 15 minute clip provides a wealth of knowledge.  

Don't miss out on picking up some next level information and insight.  

CHECK IT!!!

Day 39 of 365: Something To Think About...

Tonight's post is designed to get you thinkin' about how hard you really work to get better each day.  A lot of us think we do whatever it takes to get to where we want to go, but sometimes we have to act as our own critic and dig deeper.  

Powerful things can happen if you're willing to question yourself and your efforts.

Day 38 of 365: Help Your Body Help YOU!

It's sad to say, but most likely you are dehydrated at this very instant.  

You may not think that that's a big deal, but you are very, very wrong!!!

HERE'S A TEST!!! 

As you learned in the 3rd grade, the earth is made up of 71% water.  It's the same for you....or at least it should be.  Some of us(including myself) do a shitty job of staying hydrated.  As a consequence, we are severely punishing our body and making it work overtime.  This is especially true when we require so much from our bodies and it's systems.

  Just think about it this way...If you were to go out and buy a brand new Ferrari, bring it home, drain all the oil out of it, then fire it up and FLOOR it - do you think it would run well and/or last very long?  

Hell No!!!

(If you did, I would hunt you down.)

 

You know better than that, right?!  

That idiotic move would result in a completely broken down, busted up, useless vehicle.

So why is it that we allow ourselves to do essentially the very same thing to our most valuable vehicle: 

OUR BODY?

It doesn't make any damn sense!!!

Here's the deal, people!  

I have committed myself to drinking, as a bare minimum, half my body weight in ounces each and every day!  Do you know why?  I'll tell you. 

I want to be a STRONG MOTHERF*CKER!!!  

If I restrict the amount of fluids I have, my body is forced to pull it from somewhere and/or take over and take control of my dumb ass, shutting me down whenever I try to run this "hot rod". 

You see, our body is a fantastic thing!  They do certain things to prevent us from redlining or "blowing the engine".  For example, if you take naps every single day, consider that your body is taking control and shutting you down so that IT can go to work to repair all the stupid shit you just did to it.  Whether that's eating 4 Big Mac's or if you simply haven't had enough water.

So here's my challenge to you:

HELP YOUR BODY HELP YOU!!!!  

Stop being an idiot and drink water; 71% of YOU is H2O...

Here are some great resources to get you started!!!

WATER! - Crystal Nelson

Dehydration Check - Kelly Starrett

Day 37 of 365: The Power of Proximity

What's up Everybody!!!

Today is the last day of the Tony Robbins' seminar - Unleash The Power Within.

It's been an absolutely OUTSTANDING experience so far, and I know for a fact that there is a whole lot more to come!!!  

You may ask, "How do you know that for sure?"

Well, if you haven't ever had the privilege to see Tony in flesh, you MUST!!!  The man's passion and energy is infinite!  We have been at this seminar for the greater part of 3 days, going into our 4th.  I, personally, have gone through swings of high-energy down to nearly zero.  BUT...The energy Robbins radiates powers you up to another level that you didn't think possible.  It's a truly amazing thing to watch!!!  This man is jumping, screaming, laughing,and crying with every ounce of himself, and he's giving it all to 4500 people!  

He is our solar panel.

Here's the lesson that you MUST take away from this:

PROXIMITY IS POWER!

Let me explain....

If you surround yourself with shitheads....What do you think you become?  A SHITHEAD!!!

If you surround yourself with mediocre people....What do you think you become?  Mediocre!!!!

You get the idea, right?

Now, let's take it in a different direction.  If you are not where you want to be in regards to your physical strength, what do you think you need to do?  You MUST surround yourself with the strongest mother-f*cker you can find!  You MUST immerse yourself into that life and that experience.  Now, you can use this example in any area in your life, you fill in the blank.

It's a very simple(simple does not mean easy!)idea that will pay off HUGE in that area of your life, but how many times have you done this or even seen it?  Not very often, right?  Consider this post my contribution to you so that you may have whatever it is that you want.  

Pretty exciting!!!  

Go Get IT!

Day 36 of 365: What Do You WANT?

GOOD MORNING!!!

So tell me, How did it go yesterday?

Maybe a little bit more difficult than you thought, huh?

Well, that's perfectly OK.  If it were easy, everybody would do it. And we KNOW that that doesn't happen very often.  It's rare to find someone that is so absolutely comfortable with who they are that they exude a magnetism and energy that you can simply just feel.  But, when you find those people, they impact your life in a greater way than you know.

Now, I know there are a lot of you "Muscle Heads" (I'm one of them)out there that are not diggin' this mushy-be-yourself crap.  I get it.  

This is supposed to be a blog, "Dedicated to bringing you the world of strength one day at a time."  I'm sure that there are people out there that can not make the connection between what I'm writing and the world of STRENGTH. 

Let me just ask this:  

What would you be capable of if you were able to control your emotions, thoughts, actions, reactions, and outcomes?  I'll give you the answer, as I'm sure that some of you "Shut Down" at the mere mention of emotions.  By the way, those of you like that have the most to gain by gaining control of that thought.  Just saying.

I think you are getting the idea here.  So, before I lose you, I want you to watch this video.  I'm nearly positive that you have seen this before, but here's the deal....

YOU ARE NOT THE SAME PERSON YOU WERE YESTERDAY!!!

Watch this with new eyes, new thoughts and yes, new emotions.

Day 35 of 365: Firewalker

YEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

(This is NOT the Lil' Jon "Yeah".  This is a F*cking PRIMAL "Yeah"!)

Yesterday had many lessons and insights that I am very excited to share with you!!  Unfortunately, I will not get to put the time needed to do it well...for right now.  We had about 4.5 hours of sleep after a very intense day, and now we are rushing around the hotel room trying to get our asses out the door!  So, as I'm sure you'll understand, I gotta make this quit!

Yesterday...

I WALKED ON FIRE!!!!

I'll be honest here...I wasn't really that nervous about it.  Don't get me wrong! When it came to crunch time, I had a bit of a "gut check".  Actually, it was a lot like going for a huge lift in a competition.  I found myself doing the same moves, the same actions as I do when I am getting JACKED to do something big; Bouncing up and down and shaking my arms and hands out.  

Funny...

 

I can't make you walk on fire, so here's my challenge(it will be a challenge!)for you:

I ask that today, you are whoever you want to be. 

This is no bullshit!!!  Be the REAL person you want to be TODAY!

That's it.  

It sounds very simple. 

But trust me, you will find yourself checking yourself.  

Don't let that safe-guard prevent you from being GENUINE!  

Do this, and you will have an amazing day filled with STRENGTH that I can not even explain.

Day 34 of 365: Strengthening the Mental Side

YO!!!

First off, I wanted to apologize for not realizing that Day 31's video of Brannon was not a public video.  I was wondering why no one was dropping comments in regards to the general badass-ness of the video, but now I have figured it out and we should be good!  Let me know otherwise.

 Now, on to day 34.

I wanted to let you all know that I am in L.A. for a Anthony Robbins(BIG, strong dude!) seminar.  I am STOKED to have this opportunity, and I'm really looking forward to want comes of this weekend!  

Whatever IT is....IT's GONNA BE BIG!  No doubt about it!

At the beginning of this project, I stated in the video that I would be bringing you into the world of STRENGTH...of ALL kinds!  This is going to be one of those times.  I ask that you don't "tune-out".  Stay with me on this, because there's a very good chance that something that learn and/or experience will have huge potential to help you build your strength holistically.  Sounds like an appealling offer, right?

I'll be sure to keep you guys posted, but as any of you that have done his seminars will know, they are very long days!  This means my posts are going to be pretty short.  I just didn't want y'all to think I was flakin' out on you.  Cool?

Day 33 of 365: Mix Up Your Push Up!

Hey Guys and Gals

I opened up CrossFit.com and saw this BADASS picture, and was inspired to write a post on it.

Bare minimum?  I think NOT!!! Next Level BADASS!!!

In yesterday's post, there were also a ton of different variations of pushup.  Some with sandbags, some with chains, some with bands, some with all of the above....and that's not even talking about hand positions or pressing off of something other than the floor, like a set of rings or dumbells!  

It pretty obvious that there are a million different styles of pushups out there for the picking.  

So why is it that you rarely see people mixing it up?

Well, my theory is that most people don't change it up because they are either unaware of the options, OR they are just plan SALLY.  They don't want to do anything harder than the bare minimum.  

You know those people, right?  

Isn't that shit annoying?  

It should piss you off a little bit.  I know I can't stand that crap!  

Take another look at the video from yesterday or the photo above and ask yourself if you think they are OK with the bare minimum?  

HELL NO!!!

They are bustin' it to get better at even the most simplistic movements.  

These people should inspire you to mix up your push up for some ridiculous strength and mass gains!  

Go right now and knock 3 sets of 10 pushups, using a different variation each set.  Let me know how it goes and which option YOU like the best! 

I dig on the band and chains, personally!

See y'all tomorrow.

  

Day 32 of 365: Do YOU Work This Hard?

It's that time again, people!!!

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am going to be posting a video each week of hard-working people bustin' their ass to get STRONG! 

This week, it's all about my Tuesday/Thursday 7am Strictly Strength crew.  

These guys never let up, and are always ready to take on the next SWOD I throw at them.  

Great work, guys(and Mary)!!!  

Y'all are killin' it!!!  

I see the result of your hard work paying off BIG TIME.

In the video below, you'll see the crew hitting some sumo deadlifts(20sets of 2 reps each) for a Dynamic Effort Day, which basically translates in to SPEED work!  

--We will be discussing the dynamic effort days, as well as the complete Conjugate Method in the near future....Definitely look forward to that!!!--

For now, though, I'll let you see what it's all about.

You will also see a clip, later in the video, of the fellas bustin' through the second part of our SWOD.  This is a perfect example of what STRICTLY STRENGTH is all about; 

Hardcore, Bust-You-Up-type workouts!!!

  Check out these studs wreckin' shop at Red Black Gym.

Don't be jealous....Just get your ass to work! 

Period.