TRAVIS HOLLEY

Day 125 of 365: Facta Non Verba

2012-02-03T14:51:00.000-08:00

Winchester about to BEAST 295

Today marked the 6th week of the Super Squat program that I and some of the other CrossFit Central coaches have been hitting. Michael Winchester and I both started this program at 265, and now I am sitting pretty at 295 and Michael is about to enter the realm of 3 bills!!!

When we started this program, we knew that it would be difficult, but we really underestimated how much it would test our resolve and our character. I will tell you this...as Friday approaches, my mind goes into *that* mode of operation...of complete focus...of tunnel-vision. I find it hard to fall asleep on Thursday nights and the anticipation on Friday mornings is almost unbearable.

As a result, though, we have all seen increased gains in all of our other lifts. The carry-over from the massive workload is pretty damn obvious in regards to how we are moving weight and attacking new PRs. But I have to say that the most distinct and valuable pay-off has been in the mental toughness that this program requires and creates each week.

Every week, we step under more weight knowing how difficult it was the week before.

This alone takes a massive dose of "SACK THE F*CK UP!"

The Aftermath

In addition to that, not every week is considered an "On-Week". We've all been there. Things just are flowing the way that you would like, but what we've learned is the invaluable lesson of being able to flip the switch. To turn your mind off and focus on one thing for a specific purpose, knowing full well that it will be the hardest f*cking thing you do until next Friday. This ability to focus your mind, body, spirit and the combined energy from all three has been a truly spiritual experience for me.

The gym is where I connect with myself. The gym is where I connect with others. The gym is where I grow, where I learn from my mistakes and build upon them to become stronger on all levels of being human.

Facta Non Verba

I only hope that you all have something this special in your life that gives you all of these gifts...and moreover,

I hope that you appreciate every moment you get to be in that space.

If you don't...Find it.

Growing(on any and all levels) is Living.

Day 124 of 365: SPRINT!!!

2012-02-02T15:50:00.000-08:00

If you've been following me for a while, you probably have a snapshot of my type of programming. To put it simply; I train my athletes HARD, HEAVY, and FAST.

If we aren't moving max effort loads, we are moving sub-max loads as fast as possible - whether that means for 10x2 or in a sprint effort SWOD like you'll see below.

The idea behind this training is all about the hormonal response elicited. High-Intensity work has a huge hormonal response that essentially kick-starts your body to start building more lean mass, burn more fat, and build raw, brutal strength - Exactly what we are looking for, right?!!!

Not to mention, you get the work done and you get to go home.

You're not living in the gym, hating your life, wondering why you're still the smallest, skinny-fat guy on the floor.

When you get serious about strength, this is how you need to train!

Check it out!

Day123 of 365: Injection #4...Another Great Message

2012-02-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

Here's another great video from The Ultimate Warrior that is seemingly a little late, but I think that finding it tonight is perfect timing...

Why?

It is human nature to get motivated at the start of every new year. It is also in human nature to see people quickly fade out of that motivated and inspired space.

This video is coming at you right as you need it the most! It is about to kick your ass back into that focused and dedicated state that allows you to do what is necessary to make your life OUTSTANDING!

Why OUTSTANDING?

Because "Good" or "Comfortable" is an miserable way to live.

No one out there wants a "good" life.

Set your F*cking standards so high it scares you!!!

That's the way to live!

Day 122 of 365: First Edition Strictly Strength Shirts!!!

2012-01-31T15:32:00.000-08:00

That's right!!!

After much antipaction, I have decided to create the first-ever STRICTLY STRENGTH shirt!!! I worked with Cris Remus of Chalk Monster to design a shirt that encompasses the brand and the lifestyle of those that live with strength.

On the front is the STRICTLY STRENGTH logo in white and red, dead-center in the chest. In the lower left corner is a "ghost" image of the same logo. On the back of the shirt is where the work gets done. Anyone that has spent a lot of time in the gym squatting big weight has undoubtedly chalked-up their back for increased friction between barbell and lifter. In my eyes, that chalk smear is a symbol of someone that is dedicated to strength, so we have placed that iconic mark on this shirt as a sign to others that you take this shit seriously.

I am stoked to share these with you all, and hope to see "the mark" everywhere!

This is the beginning of something BIG!

Be a part of the ever-growing STRICTLY STRENGTH crew.

$25 For the 1st Edition SS Shirt

"THE MARK"

Day 121 of 365: The UnderGround Returns!!!

2012-01-30T15:44:00.000-08:00

What's up people!!!

As you may know, The Strictly Strength Project, The Strictly Strength Classes, and the way I LOVE to train were all built on the foundation of what I learned at Zach Even-Esh's UnderGround Strength Certification. The experience I had and the awesome information I got from the certification in the Dirty Jersey has helped me create a program that is not only extrememly effective, but it is a program and training style that people freakin' love!

Needless to say, Zach's personality and energy is worth the price alone! This dude will fire your ass up so much so that you won't be able to wait to get back home to start "Kicking Ass"!!!

I am super stoked to be assisting Zach again during this next UGS Cert.!!! I hope to see all you bad mama-jama's out there too! I know you will love it!

Check out Zach's website HERE for his most recent post on his upcoming visit to the Red Black Gym!!!

Days 119 &120 of 365: Playground Warrior

2012-01-29T10:03:00.000-08:00

First off, I tried to upload this yesterday afternoon, but for some reason I getting shut-down time after time. So, that is why there was an absent post for yesterday.

But, I am stoked to share this with you!!!

Michael Winchester and I had the awesome experience of holding a combine for the University of Texas Men's Rugby Team yesterday morning. Some of UT's best athletes came out to show what they had to offer in hopes of being selected as one of the club's new additions. There were some absolute studs out there that crushed every test we threw at them, but I will be honest....I was most impressed with the athletic abilities of an unassuming, middle-aged man named Pat.

Pat was wondering around the UT campus while his son was at a swim practice. Luckily, we were around the playground the same time he was, because the show this man put on was AMAZING!!! I will just let you see for yourselves, but more importantly than what he did was what he was doing - in the broader sense. This guy was seeking out ways to stay active and strong, and in doing so, going against the grain of our society.

Society says that, as you age, you need to be more cautious about the physical activities you engage in...

BULLSHIT!!!

This man is a perfect example of why you must continue to push your limits and live like a kid.

PEOPLE!!!

GO AGAINST THE GRAIN!!!

Your life will be so much richer if you do!

Enjoy your Sunday.

Day 118 of 365: The Feather-Weight Fury Throwdown VIDEO!!!

2012-01-27T13:58:00.000-08:00

THIS. WAS. EPIC.

I hate to use such a douche-bag term as "Epic", but this event truly embodies the word.

I will just let you all watch this and see for yourselves!

Amazing efforts from both athletes!!!

Feather Weight Fury - Randal Setzler v. BPalm from Media Playground on Vimeo.

Day 117 of 365: Massive Injection of Inspiration!!!

2012-01-26T13:41:00.000-08:00

This Injection of Inspiration is super INTENSE, so I will warn you to turn down the volume if you're at work or any other place that may frown upon an extremely large human screaming as loud as possible. It may not be work appropriate, but YOU MUST WATCH THIS!!!

Make time to sit down and take this message in.

One final note...

The video from the Feather-Weight Fury Throwdown will be posted tomorrow!!! I've seen the final cut and it is BADASS! You won't want to miss it, so be sure to check back here tomorrow!

Day 116 fo 365: Weighted-Vest Warmups

2012-01-25T15:48:00.000-08:00

Here's a question for you:

How can you easily and effectively increase your overall strength?

If you read the title of today's post, I'm sure you've figured it out, but the answer is:

Add a weight vest in the mix!

Many of you out there probably don't correlate the implementation of gymnastics movements into your workouts and achieving ridiculous overall strength. But, I am here to tell you that performing body-weight movements - or gymnastics - has huge potential to build raw strength that will correlate to bigger pulls, massive squats, and powerful presses. Especially when you wear a weighted vest, which technically cancels out the gymnastics out of the movement, but you get the idea.

There are a couple reasons for this, but the one that really stands out is the idea of external loading. It's pretty simple, but often overlooked as a extremely effective way to increase strength and mass. The idea is that as you externally load your body - which can range from a 20# vest to a 600# standing back rack, to using the lightened method to move loads exceeding your 1RM - the body and the Central Nervous System are forced to adapt to new and extreme loads place on them.

Makes sense, right?

If you are building a massive house you would probably build an equally stable and strong foundation for that weight to rest upon. Your body, the amazing machine that it is, does this automatically when it is forced to. You just have to know how to trick the machine into making those changes happen.

This is where wearing a vest comes in. If you usually perform a gymnastics-style warmup, an easy way to stimulate your body to grow bigger and stronger is to add a weighted vest in the mix.

This will load the body effectively and, obviously, get you warm and ready to rock and roll!

Check out this warmup and test it out yourself next time you're in the gym!

Day 115 of 365: Bad Mama-Jama Matt

2012-01-24T17:59:00.000-08:00

As I was preparing to right tonight's post, I saw that Coach Big Mike made an awesome post on one of his clients that also happens to be one of my Strictly Strength athletes. Matt is one of those athletes that, as a coach, you can always count on "Bringin' It"! He is super dedicated to achieving success in his classes and helping those around him do the same!

I couldn't ask for a more badass athlete to be a part of my program, and Coach Big Mike feels the same. I recommend that you all check out his post on Matt as well! Just another perspective with the same outcome. Check it out HERE.

Day 114 of 365: My Frankenstein

2012-01-23T15:41:00.000-08:00

I think that we can all agree that when you find yourself in a rut - whether in a job, a bad habit, a workout routine, etc. - you will do whatever you can to get out if it. It's a horrible feeling when you begin to dread doing the thing that you once loved.

As a trainer, I pride myself on always coming up with new, challenging and interesting ways to push my athletes past mental and physical barriers, and keep them out of the rut and hungry for more big results! It's not always an easy job, but it's totally rewarding when a client says,

"How do you come up with this shit?!"

That's all the feedback I need to know that this is an effective tool to keep handy for when athletes drop in that rut.

Enough chit-chat... I'll let y'all see what I'm talking about.

Let me know what y'all think!

Days 111, 112, &113: Busy, But Loving It!

2012-01-22T18:03:00.000-08:00

What’s up guys?!
I’m sure that those of you that follow my blog regularly noticed that I have not posted since Friday! You may also be aware that the 5th annual Fittest Games went down Saturday! There is a direct correlation between these two. I’m not going to waste your time explaining detail, suffice to say, that I have been extremely busy getting everything ready for the competition, carrying out the competition, and recovering from the competition...Not leaving a lot of time to produce quality posts. For that, I apologize.
So, back on track.
There is a ton to get y’all caught up on! When I last left you, we were gearing up for the 1st annual Feather-weight Fury Throwdown. I will tell you this…the competitiors, spectators, and “event” was ridiculous!!! These guys blew me away with their heart and efforts! I knew they would bring it, so I asked our very own media master, Jonathan Haynes to be there to film the carnage.
I am stoked to see what kind of video he comes out with…I know it’s going to be SICK!!! Be ready for that to drop soon!

In other news, The Fittest Games happened! Yes, I know that many of you were there or at least knew about the event. I just quickly wanted to give my two cents on the event and all the people that made it what it was.
I ran Pad 1,which, as it turns out, was the heavy lifting area. Needless to say, I was JACKED not only to be running that section, but also be so close to these amazing athletes doing extraordinary things with extreme loads!
Obviously, that alone is pretty badass, but on top of that, the people that were assigned to me as judges and volunteers rocked it!!! I received many complements on how smoothly everything ran, and how impressed spectators were with how everything ran right on time. None of that would have been possible without the hard work of my judges and volunteers. I truly appreciate everything that each of you did, no matter how seemingly insignificant or important it was. We ran that pad with excellence and people took notice!!! Thank you!
One final note….I want to give a quick shout out to Michael Winchester and Ingrid Kantola for the excellent work they did to produce this outstanding event. The countless hours of planning paid off big time. I’m so proud of you two!!!

Day 110 of 365: BPalmer Answers The Call!!!

2012-01-19T14:38:00.000-08:00

I'm sure many of you have seen this video on Facebook already, but for those of you that haven't....

THIS IS AWESOME!

Benjamin Palmer answered the "Call Out" posed by Mr. Randal Setzler.

This is his response...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151199474945355

BPalmer weighing in at 132 of pure MANimal

VS.

Randal Setzler, THE Renaissance Man...at a weight of 140 of FURY!!

Remember...this Feather-Weight Fury Throwdown goes down tomorrow morning at 9am at Red Black Gym. There will be a professional videographer there filming this epic challenge, so as soon as I can, I will have it posted right here for your viewing pleasure. If you live in the area, you are welcome to come witness it first-hand. All I ask is that you bring your F*CKING "A" Game for these athletes!

Day 109 of 365: Feather-Weight Fury THROWDOWN!!

2012-01-18T17:53:00.000-08:00

I am excited to announce the first-ever Feather-Weight Fury THROWDOWN!!!

That's right, people!!! We are about to witness two of CrossFit Central's lightest male athletes, Benjamin Palmer and Randal Setzler, take on an epic challenge, a dual to the death of body-weight back squats!

It's going to be packed full of AWESOME!

The Throwdown goes down Friday morning at 9am, so anyone is welcome to come witness and pump up our pint-sized studs!

They may be on the smaller side, but they throw the weight around! It will be worth missing work...TRUST ME!

Here's a little bit of a teaser, just to get you JACKED for what's about to happen.

Now, to be fair, I didn't give BPalmer a chance to make his trash-talk video yet, so y'all can expect that tomorrow!

Day 108 of 365: Kid On Christmas

2012-01-17T15:34:00.000-08:00

I hope this video doesn't freak any of you out...It is a bit out of the ordinary for me. The video pretty much explains everything, so I'll let you guys go a head and watch.

I hope y'all get something from the message.

Day 107 of 365: Boat Burners!!!

2012-01-16T15:42:00.000-08:00

For those of you that don't know...The 2012 I Am CrossFit - Civil War challenge kicked-off a little over a week ago! This 8 week challenge is CrossFit Central's largest and most intense. Participants set big goals in the area of body composition, athletic performance, nutrition, and any over-arching areas that they want to make a massive impact!

This past weekend, I set our team's first Team Boat Burners WOD. I was stoked to see that all but one athlete showed up and kicked ass!!! I will say that this is the most JACKED I've been for a challenge, and it's all because of the energy and intensity that my athletes are bringing!

On a semi-related note - I've also encouraged my athletes to create a vision book of their own that displays what they want for their life. This is where our team name comes from.

BOAT BURNERS!

We are going to kick-start the life that we've always wanted and deserve...

We will BURN THE F*CKING BOATS to get it done.

No hesitation.

No doubt.

No other option but to succeed!

I urge you all to live by this same code!

Check out my athletes crushing their first team WOD!!!

Days 105 and 106 of 365: The Race To 300

2012-01-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

Hey guys...I have to apologize for not getting a post up yesterday. I had a ton of trouble uploading the video below yesterday and ran out of time and resources to get it done before bedtime.

In any case, it's ready to share. This is from Friday's Super Squats session. Winchester and I have now thrown down the challenge to each other that whoever is the first to hit 315 for 20 reps owes the other a dinner at the restaurante of the winner's choice. Just something to make it a bit more exciting! I will keep you all posted on the progress we make, but this will probably be the last Super Squats video for a while. I want to get back to more informational and instructional stuff for a while. So, look forward to that.

Anyway, here's the video of us both hitting 285 for 20.

104 of 365:

2012-01-13T18:44:00.000-08:00

Here's another Injection of Inspiration for you guys!

Enjoy!!!

Day 103 of 365: Step Into Something NEW!!!

2012-01-12T18:31:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys

I wanted to share this video of my Thursday 7am Strictly Strength class knocking out some serious lunges! WHY?

To open your eyes to the wide variety of weighted lunges you can use to get f*cking STRONG!!!

Remember this simple rule yet very important rule:

If you are comfortable, you are not growing!

Day 102 of 365: Just A Lil' Reminder...

2012-01-11T18:17:00.000-08:00

I am posting this video of some pretty serious gym injuries and accidents in hopes of keeping you guys on your toes! A lot of these clips illistrate the importance of having a great spotter that you trust! You'll see that many of the accidents that happen, happen in the blink of an eye. If your spotter is not 100% there for you and your lift...GET A NEW SPOTTER!!!

Just a personal note here: The video is titled, "Funny Gym Moments". Some of them are, but by no means to I take this stuff lightly. I just want to be clear that this video is serving a purpose!

Day 101 of 365: Super Squats_Video#3

2012-01-10T14:11:00.000-08:00

Here's the final video from last week's session.

Check it out!!!

Day 100 of 365: Super Squats_Video#2

2012-01-09T17:40:00.000-08:00

Here's the second video of 3 that I will be posting from our Super Squats session last Friday. In this video, you'll see Coach Jeff McKinney and THE Lisa Bender Thiel.

These two rocked it out!

Check it out!!!

Day 99 of 365: Lessons From the Elderly

2012-01-08T15:18:00.001-08:00

I was completing my 3rd trip to HEB this week this morning, and while I was waiting in line, an elderly lady was checking out in front of me. This is usually my entertainment for the shopping experience - most older folks write checks still, and write them in even the smallest amount and take the longest time doing it - but, this lady was a bit different. She had nearly $200 worth of groceries in her cart...none of which was quality, but we'll leave that alone for now.

What was so cool about this lady is that she kept saying that, "Life is Good". Not something you hear very often coming from an older person. It was obvious that she was loving her life, even in her later years, which I admire greatly!

But the awesomeness doesn't stop there.

As most baggers do, the young lady loading her items into bags asked if she "needed help out with that?" The elderly woman quickly responded with, "No, thanks. I've got it." Keep in mind that this shopping cart was packed!!! I was totally inspired by this woman.

It's truly amazing when you get the privilege of seeing someone display their own strength when it's least expected.

Now, to bring this story to a close...the lady began pushing her cart, but before she was too far away, she said once again, "Life is good!"

FREAKING AWESOME!

Sad to say, though, the young lady at the check stand replied under her breath with, "Yeah, I guess... some days."

WTF?!?!?!

I wanted to tell this girl to wake the F#CK up and take a lesson from this badass old lady!!!!

There is a lot to be learned from this experience, and I am sure that each of you will come to your own conclusions. So, I'll just let you do that!

Let's realize our own strength this week and KICK SOME ASS!!!

Day 98 of 365: More Super Squats!!!

2012-01-07T19:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the SWOD Crew's dedicated "Super Squats" day.

This is when we all up the weight and go for a new 20-rep max. Now, as you'll see in today's video, each lifter performs a rep and the follows it up with 3 deep breathes. This is what makes this training method so potent - Don't neglect that piece if you decide you want to take on your own 20-rep gut-check!

The first lifter is Cris Remus, aka Chalk Monster. You'll see this in the video, but Cris does a excellent job with his breathing. Again this is the key to getting the maximum benefits from the program. You'll feel the need to rush the breaths when you start to panic around rep 12 or 13...

DON'T SKIP THIS!!!

YOU MUST KEEP THE CADENCE.

You'll also see Crystal Nelson banging out 20 reps with ease. It was her first go with this 20-rep experience. You'll notice that she performs her 20 relatively easily, but to be fair, when you do this your first go, you'll most likely not go heavy enough either. That's really not a problem. In fact, it's probably a good thing to stay on the lighter side for your first set of 20 just so that you are introduced properly without ruining yourself completely and never wanting to do it ever again....trust me...even if you go slightly lighter, you'll still get a crushing SWOD.

There are plenty more videos from this session that I will be posting tomorrow, so be sure to check back here for some more amazing efforts and some big weights being moved for a load of reps!!!

Lastly, I urge you guys to try this for yourselves! This is an amazing way to develop your physical strength, your mental toughness, and cause your body to release huge amounts of beneficial growth hormones - only further promoting your physical strength. It's straight-forward and very simple(NOT easy). It's a beautiful thing...

DO THE WORK!!!

Day 97 of 365: My GO-JUICE!!!

2012-01-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

What's up people!?!?!

I gotta say...today has been an OUTSTANDING day!!!

In fact, as I will share with you in the video, this week has been one of the best that I can remember.

What's the reason?

It's my attitude, my beliefs, my values and my daily rituals.

It's that simple.

I have made several posts recently to get you started down the path to an EXTRAORDINARY life.

It is up to you to take the information and tools I have given you - with the help of others - and DO THE WORK!

One way to start is to implement a morning routine of absolute excitement and full-out energy as soon as you wake up. Look back to this post I did, highlighting my new morning ritual for some ideas that you can use. The other side of the coin is how you fuel your body first thing in the morning.

Think about this...

You can have this amazing ritual that you use everyday that does the trick and gets you FIRED UP to take on the day, but if you're not fueling up the machine that is your body, the positive effects will quickly fade. You have to feed the machine JET FUEL!!!

Here is what I have found works best for me.

Check it out!

Day 96 of 365: FireSWOD!!!

2012-01-05T13:57:00.000-08:00

As promised...Here is just a little footage from yesterday's FireSWOD with Austin's ELITE fire-fighters.

These guys and gal are BADASS!!!

Check out this video, listen to my explaination of what's going on and what the SWOD entails, then knock it out for yourself!!!

I dare ya!!!

Haha.

Day 95 of 365: Another Dose Of Inspiration.

2012-01-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

I have had a ton of positive feedback about my recent posts of The Ultimate Warrior's, Injection of Inspiration. I feel the same way...this shit will rock your face off, for sure!!! And...if you truly adopt the information he's offering to you, I have no doubt that your life will drastically change for the better!

Anyway, let's get to the good stuff!!!

Here another dose of inspiration!!!

One final note:

I will be posting a BADASS SWOD that my Austin Fire-Fighters knocked out today!

I'm just gonna say that you need to check it out tomorrow!

Day 94 of 365: A New Exercise To Light You Up!!!

2012-01-03T15:33:00.000-08:00

This is a movement that was shown to us at the CrossFit Powerlifting certification.

Let me tell you...This will LIGHT YOU UP!!!

If you are struggling with the strength development of your posterior chain, you need to be doing these in your warmups!!!

That's it.

Try it out during the next SWOD, and let me know what you think.

Lastly, this is a potent movement, so I highly recommend that you start light and with lower reps.

Otherwise, you WILL BE WRECKED for at least a week.

Day 92 and 93: Check This New SWOD Out!!!

2012-01-02T17:44:00.000-08:00

A real quick post today, folks!

I was on the road yesterday and got home late, and now I am getting back up to speed with work and training.

I'll be back 100% ASAP.

Anyway, here is a badass SWOD that I came up with today for my client, Mike.

3Rounds

<---->Barbell Walking Lunges w/ Chains

10 Barbell Back Squats w/ Chains

20 BentOver BB Rows w/ Chains

(35# Bar + 40lbs of Chain)

Check out Mike's 1st round...

Day 91 of 365: 2012 -- What's It Gonna Be For You?!

2011-12-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

In the past several months, I've been doing a ton of self-development work, as many of you are aware from previous posts. Two Tony Robbins seminars, goal-setting, and my most recent endeavour; the creation of my vision book.

First pages of my vision book

To some of you, this stuff is a bunch of foo-foo crap, and that's fine....It's not for everyone.

It doesn't have to be your way, but it is mine.

What I'm getting at here is that you MUST find your way to continue to push yourself to reach for those things that seem to be out of reach, and basically impossible to grasp.

The video I posted last night of The Ultimate Warrior's - Injection of Inspiration is yet another way to find that juice that makes you take the steps necessary to live an OUTSTANDING life.

Again, you must find what lights you up and drives you!!!

So, as 2011 comes to a close,

<>What will be your motto for 2012?<>

If you can't, You Must!

Live and Lead COURAGOUSLY!!!

<>What song will remind you of how to live in 2012?<>

<>What will your core emotions be in 2012?<>

LOVE<>GRATITUDE<>COURAGE

<>What will your deepest values truly be in 2012?<>

<>What is possible(not probable)in 2012?<>

These are questions I urge you to ask yourself TODAY! And as you ask, ask the questions in a state of positive expectancy, anxiously awaiting what this life has in store for you!!! It should bring chills down your spine to think that you can do, be, have whatever you want in 2012!!!

These questions and these daily rituals, vision books and self-development seminars are the fuel.

FUEL UP!!!

Have an INCREDIBLE 2012!!!

Day 90 of 365: Warrior Knowledge...Must Watch!!!!

2011-12-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

The Ultimate Warrior...In his younger days.

Some of you may remember watching the WWF growing up, and watching wrestling heroes like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and The Ultimate Warrior. These guys were legends to me when I was younger, and when I saw that The Ultimate Warrior was regaining popularity again - albeit by a different means - I was drawn in to what he had going on. Little did I expect that I would find his YouTube videos as inspiring as I have. He is an extremely passionate and genuine person that lives his life to the max and while doing so, adds value to the lives of others.

I have this in common with this man.

I, too, drive myself to live life to the fullest and bring others along for the ride, contributing to others with unconditional service.

Please take some time to watch this video of The Ultimate Warrior. I will warn you, there is some language that some of you may find offensive. If the words trouble you....to you I say, "SACK UP"!!!

Enjoy.

Day 89 of 365: Sprint Effort!!!

2011-12-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

One of the hardest things to do is to push yourself past all mental barriers during a SWOD.

I experienced this firsthand on my latest attempt at my 20-rep breathing squats. The mind is obviously super powerful, but sometimes with that power, the mind also gets in the way of what the body is capable of.

This week I've been putting my clients through a grueling SWOD that demands that the athlete "turns off" the mind and let the body take control. It is a true SPRINT EFFORT workout - meaning that you push as hard as you fucking can to reach the last rep...no matter how bad it hurts.

This workout is seemingly benign, but it will kick you in the teeth during the first round and just keep punishing you 'til you're done.

I love this kind of SWOD - hard, heavy, and fast!!!

Watch my client, Matt push through the hurt.

Give this one a try, if you dare. A word to the wise...Go as heavy as you can on the power cleans, but not so heavy that you are forced to rest after each rep. The idea is SPEED!!!

Also, go as high as possible on the box jumps. These should be 5 max effort jumps.

GO GET IT!!!

Day 88 of 365: Here's My Go

2011-12-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

As promised, I knocked out the workout I posted yesterday.

For those of you that haven't had a chance to see it yet, the workout was a 10min. AMRAP of 3 Bench Press and 6 Heavy Barbell Walking Lunges. Now, Rob Orlando did this workout with 315lbs for both the bench and lunge!!! Pretty freakin' amazing! I, on the other hand, did this workout at 225lbs for both movements.

Now, I will warn you. The video is nearly 13 minutes long, and probably not that exciting. If you're short on time just watch the beginning and the end.

Here's the video... Check it out!

Day 87 of 365: This Looks Spicy!!!

2011-12-27T19:23:00.000-08:00

I was floating around all of my usual websites and came across this jewel of a SWOD!!!

Check it out.

Rob Orlando, of Hybrid Athletics, is a BEAST for sure!!!

And for those of you that didn't know, Red Black Gym will be hosting Rob's CrossFit Strongman Certification in the coming weeks!!! I am super stoked to be taking part in this certification! I will be sure to get as much video footage as possible for y'all, as well as share all the skills, drills, and knowledge that I can with y'all!

Until then, I plan on hitting Rob's heavy bench/lunge SWOD tomorrow, albeit, at a lighter weight...

I'll video my version and share it tomorrow. If anyone else decides they want to try this one out, in any variation, do it and video it!

I would love to start posting other SWOD'ers killin' their workouts!!!

Days 86 of 365: Squats For Christmas...Of Course!

2011-12-26T19:03:00.000-08:00

On Christmas morning, Michael Winchester and I met at Red Black Gym to knock out some Christmas squats.

We warmed up with a quick body-weight AMRAP and some light box squats. Once we felt ready to rock, we loaded up the bar to our new challenge weight of 275.

For those of you just joining the conversation, we have begun a new squat program inspired by the book Super Squats. Here's the program details if you're interested...

Anyway, here is the footage...or at least some of it....

I had just enough space on my phone for you guys to see me fail miserably at my 20-rep attempt and then for Winchester to get started...BUT not enough space to see him finish.

PERFECT!!!

You guys will just have to take my word that Winchester smashed his 20 reps!!!

The dude is gettin' SILLYSTRONG!!!

As for me...I did not. It's not always a PR day.

But, I will get it the next time we hit this up...

I guarantee it!

Day 85 of 365: Christmas Card

2011-12-25T17:54:00.000-08:00

Day 84 of 365: Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-24T12:29:00.000-08:00

A little rendition of a Christmas classic from the CrossFit Central family to you and yours.

Merry Christmas!!!

As a Christmas Eve gift, I will have the registration info up and ready for y'all by the end of today so that you can give the gift of STRENGTH to those around you or yourself!

Remember, the next session starts:

Tuesday, January 3rd --> Tuesday, February 21st -- For those of you looking at the Tues. offerings.

(11am-12pm and 12-1pm)

Saturday, January 7th --> Saturday, February 25th -- For those of you looking at the Sat. offerings.

(6-7am, 7-8am, and 8-9am)

Day 83 of 365: Holiday SWOD From: ME To: YOU!

2011-12-23T17:57:00.000-08:00

Many of you CrossFit Central athletes are probably aching for a WOD right about now, right?

With the stress of the holidays and the unmentionable food items you've been ingesting already...

...your body is craving some attention!

Here's just the thing! It is quick and simple. You can do this complex using kettlebells, as the video will show, or, if you don't have KBs, then use dumbells or any other semi-symmetrical weights you have around the house. In fact, this may be a great SWOD to knock out with uneven loads...Worth a go for sure!

I recommend that you go for 3-5 rounds of this complex, resting only about 90 seconds between efforts. And if possible, attempt to increase the load as you progress through your sets!

This will definitely make you feel like you've earned that egg nog!

Just doing my part to share the love during the holiday season... : )

ENJOY!

Day 82 of 365: Something to KICK Start Your Day!!!

2011-12-22T22:28:00.000-08:00

TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY, FULL OF NEW POSSIBILITIES...

ATTACK IT AS THOUGH IT'S YOUR LAST!

THEN DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN....DAY AFTER DAY!!!

Day 81 of 365: Cutting & Pasting My Extraordinary Future Together

2011-12-21T22:09:00.000-08:00

As I am sure most of you are aware, CrossFit Central is currently closed for the holidays and will not be open again until January 2nd. I would guess that a lot of you are sitting at home, wondering what to do with all your newly freed-up time...Right? Well, maybe not. There is a likely a ton of holiday shopping left to do, and the family is probably soon to arrive. I'll give you a second to take a deep breath...

So, IF you make it through the holidays : ), I want you to challenge yourself...

I want you to create a eye-catching vision book/board that displays all of the compelling POSSIBILITIES that are in store for you in the future!!!

I have started mine, and I gotta say that although it is not even close to complete, I am stoked about what I have in store!!!

I know that there are some of you out there cussing Tony Robbins and his influence over me, but I'll have you know that the staff at CrossFit Central has been practicing this stuff for several years - long before I traveled to a T.R. seminar.

...Back on course....

People are often amazed at how successful CrossFit Central is, and that is definitely the case. Jeremy and Carey have done the nearly impossible by creating a CrossFit gym that now is a world-renowned symbol of quality and success. In doing so, they have attracted the top trainers and most dedicated and focused individuals to work with them. This is why CC is so successful - success attracts success.

It's pretty simple really...It's those sneaky little laws at work again:

The Law of Attraction and The Law of Proximity.

My point here is that this shit does not just magically happen.

You must first live in the world of POSSIBILITY and work to avoid the old world of PROBABILITY.

For many of you, this will be very difficult.

You'll want to "dream big", but you'll end up selling yourself short because of logic.

"That will never happen"

"That's way too much money"

"I'm too old to do this now"

If you're still breathing and you want to live a F-ING OUTSTANDING Life...

ENTER THE AMAZING WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES!

Here's how to make get started:

1. Find as many old magazines as you can, and just start flipping through. If an image or some words catch your eye, cut them out!

No filters on this...Keep your damn logic and reasoning out of this!!!

2. As you're searching and cutting, DREAM BIG!!!

What is it that you want your life to be?

Now, a lot of you go right to the material things like cars and houses, which is great, but how do you want to be? What purpose do you serve? What is the primary emotional state you want to be in?

These questions are far more important than, "What color Bentley do I want?"

3. Once your fingers have started to bleed from all of the page turning and picture cutting, then it is time to build your book or board, and therefore, your future!!!

The key here is to make it as attractive to your eyes as possible. Each person is different, but you want to make it eye-catching so that any time you walk by, you are drawn in to it.

Get it?

My first two pages. More coming soon!

4. Once you've finished, put it some where that you'll see it often.

Whether you realize this or not, your mind is extremely powerful - especially your subconscious mind. It is able to pick up any and all info that is in your line of sight...including your peripheral vision. So, without you even having to look directly at your board or book, your mind is able to gather and process that information any time you come near it!

5. The last tip I'll give y'all is the idea of FAITH.

Before you get all uppity...Let me explain.

I don't really care what religion you practice or what you believe in, but it is my assumption that you do, in fact, believe in something larger than you at work...

If this is the case, then practice a little bit of faith. Faith that

LIFE DOES NOT HAPPEN TO YOU>>>

MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, LIFE IS HAPPENING FOR YOU.

That's a massive change in thought, right?

But isn't a much more empowering one?

Try it our for at least 3 months.

If you find that it has absolutely no effect on you or your life, then you can call me a crazy bastard.

I will eagerly await your updates and I'll keep you posted on mine.

Day 80 of 365: Ashok Is A BEAST!!!

2011-12-20T15:42:00.000-08:00

Today was the last day of the latest STRICTLY STRENGTH PROJECT, and this session, just like the others, did not fail to produce some silly results!!!

This most recent session of the SSP was much lighter than previous offerings due to my schedule and availability, but nevertheless, people were still demanding it be ran. So....with one group of two, we set off on an 8-week journey to SILLYSTRONG.

Athletes meet once each week for 8 weeks(weeks 1 and 8 are CFTotal testing) to dial in technique and build raw strength through intense work and consistency.

Today, was Ashok's day to be tested! I knew that he was much,much stronger than the first day, but he was pretty nervous about being "tested". I told him that it is obvious that you're much stronger - you told me all about your successes in classes recently - so just have fun and move some heavy shit!!!

He did just that!

Here were his results!!!

2 new PR's, a matched effort, and +45lbs to Total in 8 training sessions!!!

Congrats, Ashok!!! And thank you for all the hard work you put forth during the last 8 weeks!

The next session of the STRICTLY STRENGTH PROJECT will be starting

Tuesday, Jan. 3rd or Saturday, Jan. 7th, and will run until Tuesday, Feb. 21st or Saturday, Feb. 25th.

The dates will make sense when you you visit the info page and/or the registration page(once it's open), but if you have any questions please don't hesitate to email me.

Stay tuned for more details and the link to the registration page...Should be up very soon!!!

Day 79 of 365: And So It Begins...

2011-12-19T11:00:00.000-08:00

After arriving home after my week in Palm Springs, I was quickly thrown back into the world of strength, which I couldn't be happier about, by the way. Last Friday marked the beginning of the implementation of 20-Rep Heavy Breathing Squats, which I introduced to you all through my post on Super Squats!

Let me quickly run-down the details of this training method:

First, you are to pick a weight that you consider your 10-Rep max - That is to say, a weight that you barely lift the 10th rep successfully. Anything lighter than that and you will be wasting your time.

NOTE: This should be the fuckin' hardest thing you've done in a gym! Keep that in mind, and then decide on the appropriate weight.

Second, step under the loaded bar, un-rack it, and knock out the first rep. Going below parrallel is minimum...ass to ankles is preferred! Once you stand it back up, take 3 slow, deep, controlled breathes, holding the last to maintain tightness throughout the next rep.

Third, proceed in this fashion until you have moved your 10-Rep Max 20 times!!! Yes, 20!!!

Remember what I said?

This will be the most difficult thing you have done in a gym IF you do it correctly!

Go into it with that mindset!

Now, This Friday's SWOD was our first attempt at this beast, and as I watched others perform their sets, I quickly realized that most everyone was performing the 20 reps with too light of a load. Not because they meant to, but only because no one had ever tested themselves in this manner. So, if during the first time doing this you realize that you too went too light, all you need to do is make a bigger jump the next effort. Easy.

Super Squats recommends only adding 5, maybe 10, pounds each session. So for example, I was originally thinking about doing my 20 reps at 245, but new that that would be too light. So I went up to 265 and knocked it out! It was difficult, which you will see here shortly, but I know that I should have gone even heavier. So the next time we attack this beast again, I will be moving 285 for 20 reps.

This should be just about impossible...key words: JUST ABOUT, which is actually perfect!

Then, the next time we do it, I will only add 5-10 pounds and continue in that fashion for as long as I wish to carry it out!

See how it all works?

Pretty straight-forward stuff. The biggest things are choosing the right weight, full range of motion, 3 deep breathes, and having an excellent spotter that you trust with your life!

Chances are that if you do all of the other things right, your spotter will come in very handy, so make sure it's someone you trust 100%!!!

Alright! Check it out, then go get some of your own!!!

Day 78 of 365: The Method

2011-12-18T13:40:00.000-08:00


The BEASTS

The Dynamic Warmup

The Intro

Mobility

The WORK Begins!!!

Day 77 of 365: Just A Lil' Something

2011-12-17T22:37:00.000-08:00

Today's The Method seminar was a huge success!

We were lucky enough to have some amazing athletes show up and throw down! The Method participants got some 1st hand schoolin' on the versatile and deceptively difficult sandbag, the power-generating tire flip and iron-will-building KB carries, and finally the technically acute dumbell quick lifts! These studs busted their asses learning and applying all the information we threw at them!

Thank you all for spending your Saturday morning with us, and allowing us the honor to educate and train with y'all. We will definitely be doing this again soon, so be ready to pull the trigger on the next offering!

Until then, I will be posting some footage from The Method seminar soon!

Now, on a side note, this video is to get you jacked up and ready to do work tomorrow - whether that's at the gym or at the office, this jam will surely have your heart pumpin'!!!

Enjoy!

Day 76 of 365: Wake Up Call

2011-12-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I am finally back to the ATX and settled in now, so I loaded my new morning routine video to YouTube! I am excited to share this with you all, but if I'm being a 100% honest, I not really sure what you'll think. I'm sure it'll seem a little crazy - especially crazy if you have a negative image of what goes on at a Tony Robbins seminar. You're going to wonder what the hell went on during the last week. Rest assured, I am better than ever! I wake up and get my day crankin' with this routine. It gives me the kick in the ass that I need. It provides time, first thing in the morning, for me to give thanks for all the amazing gifts I have in my life, and that gratitude for my mind, body, and spirit stays strong throughout the day.

Now, I didn't film this part, but I also perform a series of encantations in the mirror. I know, I know...this shit sounds crazy, but just in the short time I've been doing this, I've noticed a major shift in my psychology! Things seem to simply FLOW now. It's a hard thing to explain, but I'm sure if you try this for yourself you will notice the shift as well. So, now's it's your turn! Tomorrow morning, wake your ass up, jump out of bed, and start moving! You can do what ever you'd like, just do what comes naturally at the time. When you've knocked that out, stand in front of a mirror and repeat one of the following with some fucking conviction!!!

"I am a badass motherfucker!!!"

"Anything is possible!"

"I am Grateful, I am Loving, I am Courageous!"

"Positive, Powerful, Influential!"

"All I Need Is Within Me Now!"

This is what I use for me, feel free to steal it or create your own!!!

It's as easy as that.

As goofy as it looks and sounds, you will probably feel even goofier doing it yourself, but remember -

this will change your life if you own this process and give it everything you've got!

You'll wake up and will have already accomplished more shit than most do in a day, all while experiencing true gratitude for the gifts in your life and that you are alive and you have limitless possiblities today!

Amazingly powerful!

Please get right to this ASAP!

Day 74 &75 of 365: It's Been A CRAZY Week!!!

2011-12-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

Alright Guys

I gotta apologize AGAIN for missing a couple days. As I'm sure you know by now, I was at a Tony Robbins seminar in Palm Springs, California. It was a life-altering experience for me, to say the least, but in the process I found myself awake at 3 and 4am regularly. SILLY!!!

Anyway, I just want you all to know that I am not losing momentum or neglecting this project. In fact, this past 6 days has only fired me up to do it bigger and better....Not for me and what I get out of it, but for you all! I truly want to serve you the best way possible. So, that being said, I will be posting some programming tips and tricks per a friend's email request. I am stoked to share my program design methods with you all, so be sure to tune it in here again tomorrow!

Until then, check out this badass UnderGround workout from my brotha, Zach Even-Esh! He is the man and always gets me JACKED UP to crank on a workout!

Day 73 of 365: Building Anticipation

2011-12-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

Guys

My morning routine is becoming stronger and stronger with each day I do it! I am popping out of bed, and knocking this thing out, and as a result, I am feeling more alive and more energetic than I have for a while! I'm sure my clients are a little nervous at the sound of that...

"Oh great! What kind of crazy shit is he going to make us do now?"

Hahaha! Only the best shit, guys and gals! Only the best!!!!

My point is this:

I share this new routine with you as soon as possible, but don't let that stop you from starting one of your own! Do what you gotta do to jump out of bed with positive anticipation for the great things that are going to happen in your day!

Remember...

IF YOU CAN'T, YOU MUST!!!!

This song should help you get up and rockin'!!!

Days 71&72 of 365: IF YOU CAN'T...YOU MUST!!!

2011-12-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gents-

I want to apologize for not getting a post up yesterday. I thought that I would have some time to knock it out after my day at the seminar, which I did...at 2:30am. The problem was that my internet access code had expired. So I just wanted to get that out in the clear. I hope you all had just as an amazing day as I did!!

The post that I wanted to say with you yesterday was all about your morning routine. I know that I did the WakeUp Challenge a while back, and I heard that a lot of you found that it really did help you kick ass during your day.

That's great!

I now want to take that shit to another level.

How are we going to do that? I am going to video myself performing my new morning routine, albeit slightly edited for what should be obvious reasons. : )

This morning process came about on morning number two(yesterday) when I applied one of Tony's teachings:

IF YOU CAN'T...YOU MUST!!!

To make a long story short - previously, every morning I would wake up and bitching to myself about having to be up. Not what I had to do or that day's work, but just the fact that I felt like I was not rested and therefore extremely frustrated. It drove me nuts, because I want a life of energy and vitality that is unmatched, and I wasn't living it. I applied this simple yet profound principle yesterday morning, and I found amazing energy, strength, power, aliveness, and gratitude as a result!!!

Sounds pretty fuckin' amazing, right?!!

Well, it is.

I am going to share this with you, which, in and of it's self, is a huge testimony to the things I am learning and applying at Tony Robbins', Date With Destiny.

Now, I am just as excited about sharing this with you all as I hope you are to learn it and make it your own. Although, I'm sure some of you out there are saying to yourself, "Good Lord! What is with this guy? What does this have to do with strength?"

The answer is:

EVERYTHING!!!

Tell me this...If you woke up every morning feeling true energy, strength, power, aliveness, and gratitude?! Don't you think that you may, just may, be a little stronger in all aspects of your life - including, but not limited to weights?!!!!

HELL YES!!!

That is why I want to share this with you. I will get this done ASAP, but I tend to have trouble with uploading videos from my phone to YouTube when I'm not at home.

Expect it to change your life!!!

IT HAS THAT POWER BECAUSE YOU HAVE THAT POWER!

Until then...Just see if you can't dig this song! It may be an old one....I don't know. But this song had me jammin'!!!

ENJOY.

Day 70 of 365: Just A Hint...

2011-12-10T00:48:00.000-08:00

This video will act as both a hint and a warning of things to come.

Check it out and be ready to bust out 20 reps of back squat with your 10-rep max!!!

Shit's about to get real SPICY!!!

A great effort!!!

Day 69 of 365: Super Squats!!!

2011-12-08T19:26:00.000-08:00

If you are at all serious about getting strong and building a powerful physique,

YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!!

One of my Strictly Strength athletes bought this book for me, which was a pretty badass! I started reading it today on my flight to California(another Tony Robbins seminar!!!), and I soon found myself reading the last page and wanting more.

I have to be honest, I have never sat down to read a book and then actually finished it in one go! Granted, the book is only 96 pages, but for me to knock this out in a single effort speaks volumes about the wealth of knowledge this book provides.

I will tell you this...I am FIRED UP to get back to the Red Black Gym to put some of this info into action!!! The potential for my athletes, the CrossFit Central coaches I train, and myself is exciting, to say the least!

Strossen's book, "Super Squats", not only has me stoked to implement his training protocol, but it has me thinking about writing my own book, detailing the way I train and the amazing results that come as a result!

Anyway, I urge you all to buy this book ASAP!!! It's going to change the way you look at squatting and the way you train! Don't worry. Even if you don't rush out and buy this book, I will sharing some of the info from the book with you all over the next couple days.

But, I still think you should get it!

Great Stuff!!!

Day 68 of 365: Spice Up Your Press

2011-12-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

How many of you out there are tired of the same old press routine?

I know that as a coach, I find myself becoming bored with all the usual training methods. So, I always take it upon myself to mix it up as often as possible for my athletes as well as myself. I can't stand doing the same, lame shit all the time. That's why I love the Conjugate System that Westside Barbell utilizes to build the strongest mothas on the planet! The same goes for Zach Even-Esh's, Underground Strength training style - that shit is intense, but is varied enough that athletes see huge gains quickly.

My point here is that if you are using a routine, you are not tapping into your true, ultimate strength.

Here is one way to throw your body a major curve ball and elicit a potent response...

Check it out!!!

Day 67 of 365: Are You Ready To Learn THE METHOD?

2011-12-06T18:55:00.000-08:00

WHAT: THE METHOD seminar is designed to expose not only CrossFit Central athletes, but all serious athletes in the ATX area to the type of training methods used at Red Black Gym in our specialty programs to take athletes to the next level of performance and strength.

This is a hands-on training seminar in which individuals will learn how to perform and utilize the dumbell quick lifts(db clean & jerk and db snatch), the tire flip, kettlebell work, strongman training tools, chains and various forms of accommodating resistance, and the versatile sandbag.

Respect The Sandbag

To put it simply:

THIS IS GOING TO BE BADASS!!!

YOU NEED TO BE THERE!!!

WHEN: Saturday, December 17th at Red Black Gym from 10am-1pm

(Doors open at 930am for pre-event paperwork)

WHO: The Method Seminar will be led by Underground Strength Certified Coaches, Michael Gregory, Jen Cardella, and myself. We've been taught by the very best:

Zach Even-Esh

Now we are bringing the UNDERGROUND to YOU!!!
HOW MUCH: $75 per person...Capped at 30 people

Day 66 of 365: Strength: In All Forms

2011-12-05T21:18:00.000-08:00

Let me just say that the videos below are in no way meant to upset or offend anyone. I posting them in order to display to you all that there are many forms of strength, all of which should be respected. So, that being said, I could really give a shit less if any of this offends you.

That's on you!!!

Check it out!

Day 65 of 365: About Me

2011-12-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

I did a bit of editing to my blog today. Just some minor tweaks, but one section I really worked on was my "About Me" tab. In doing so, I realized that in order for you guys to really trust me and follow my advice, you need to know who I am and what I'm about. So, this is my effort in sharing that with you all.

Travis Holley
My mission is to add value to the lives of others and impact the world with my knowledge and passion for living powerfully through strength.

I grew up in the wonderful and exciting town of Evanston, Wyoming(look it up). It was a great town to grow up in, but with not a whole lot to do, I spent most of my time outside causing trouble in the neighborhood or playing sports. This is where I developed my passion for fitness and an active lifestyle.

My main sport in high school was soccer, but I also wrestled, played hockey and football. As a high schooler, I was already certain of what I wanted to do for a profession, so I enrolled in Western Wyoming Community College where I was able to start on the road to becoming a personal trainer and coach. My time here was extremely valuable, and taught me the basics of being a top-level trainer. I became certified as an ACE personal trainer at the age of 18 and started training college students and professors.
I loved it and was hooked!

I finished my college career at the University of Northern Colorado with a BS in Exercise Science. While wrapping up my final semester and internship, I was introduced to CrossFit through my mentor, Dennis Marshall. My first WOD was “Cindy”….I was wrecked!!!
I was also addicted!!!

I soon started the first CrossFit program at the gym of my internship and was able to build it to a successful program that 40 people took part in. I soon moved to another gym where I started another CrossFit program from the ground up. This time, we(my staff) developed it to the point that it was the primary source of income for the globo-gym it was housed in!

As a avid CrossFitter, who had drank all the Kool-Aid, I followed CrossFit Central’s website closely. This turned out to be extremely valuable when the CC staff posted that they were looking for CrossFit Coaches. I applied, as suggested by my girlfriend, Crystal, and here we are!!!! It was the best move I could have ever made for myself and my career!

This is where I'm privileged to work

Today, I am a certified Level 2 CrossFit Trainer, certified Underground Strength Coach, certified CrossFit Powerlifting Coach, and CrossFit Mobility certified.
I am responsible for coaching approximately 75 CC clients, training numerous PT clients, creating and running the Strictly Strength program, programming for and running the Strictly Strength classes, co-training the University of Texas Men's Rugby Team, and training Austin’s elite-level firefighters.

I love what I do!
I am a GIVER!

My mission is to add value to the lives of others and impact the world with my knowledge and passion for living powerfully through strength.

Day 64 of 365: Be Thankful...

2011-12-03T22:40:00.000-08:00

This is gonna be really short, but also extremely entertaining!

Just be thankful that you chose hardcore weight training instead of this silly-ass, home gym-wanna-be-workout shit.

Also, be grateful that you are not this dumb!

ENJOY!!!

Day 63 of 365: The Lightened-Method Does The Body GOOD!

2011-12-02T20:00:00.000-08:00

I am willing to bet that most of you out there have not heard of the Lightened Method, right? Understandable. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to "lighten" something when you're trying to get sillystrong. But, today, at the Red Black Gym, we hit a crazy-ass SWOD centered around exploring the Lightened Method for the first time---It did not disappoint!

So, what is the Lightened Method? Well, to put it simply, it is a form of training that allows athletes to actually lift more than what they are capable of otherwise. This already sounds pretty badass, right? Well, before you get too excited and run to your nearest gym, let me dive in a bit more.

I'll show you a video of us knocking out some deadlifts using this technique so that you get the idea of how to set this up. The first time you set this up it may be a little tricky to get it just right, but once you have a system, it's all good.

Here's are SWOD...

Looks pretty badass, right? It also appears to be pretty straight forward if you don't have the "WHY?" that drives it, so let's talk about that right now.

You see, your body is freaking awesome in the way that it works....AND... if you train smart enough, you can use it's amazing ability to adapt to get sillystrong.

The Lightened Method is one way that we can trick our bodies into building lean mass and increasing strength. As far as your body is concerned, it only remembers certain segments of any lifting effort; the top or finishing position. It remembers the external load it experienced as well as the speed at which it moved to get to the end range of motion. So, as you are probably figuring out, by adding the bands that assist the lifter the most in the bottom and the least at the top, the athlete is able to move heavier loads than their 1RM. Doing so allows the body to only remember holding X weight in the finish position. This training phenomenon, when supplemented properly with the Lightened Method, stresses the body and CNS - forcing it to adapt to the new, heavy weight that it just experienced.

Badass, right?!!!

Now, I understand that a lot of you probably don't have access to gym that accomadate this training method, but it is important that you know it's out there. There are also other, more accessable was to get the same end result that I will share with you later, but until then....

KEEP LIFTIN' HEAVY and FAST!!!

Day 62 of 365: Don't Be Afraid To Grind.

2011-12-01T14:29:00.000-08:00

Alright. Alright. Get your mind out of the gutter, people!

We are not going to be discussing that type of grind, but rather the grind you find yourself in when you're pulling a huge deadlift. Not quite as enticing, but stay with me here.

I promise it's worth it.

My good friend and training partner, Michael Winchester sent a link to me today to a article on T-Nation that is worth a read! Check it out HERE.

As I read it, it got me thinking...

"Do people even know what it is to fight through a deadlift repitition?"

I found it scary and a little sad to think that there are those of you out there that have never actually fought for every inch of something so seemingly meaningless as a deadlift.

I hope that you all have had the experience of a 10 second deadlift. For those that haven't yet, these "grinding" reps are the longest, toughest, and most humbling experiences you can imagine. I remember the most epic pull I've ever had - at the time, it was a PR lift of 385lbs. I got myself jacked up and went right for it. I started the pull, the bar slowly broke from the floor, and where most deadlift become easier as the momentum builds, on this occassion, it did NOT. It seemed as though the bar was slowing down with every inch. Although the speed was painfully slow, I was not going to give up! What felt like 30 minutes passed and I was now at the top of my knees with a long-ass way still to go! I hit several sticking points along my thighs that resulted in what I like to call, the "jack-hammer effect". This, as you can imagine, is when your body begins to quiver and bounce around uncontrollably under the shear load and stress of the movement. Pretty hilarious stuff when you see someone start convulsing like they've just stuck there finger in an electrical socket. But, again, I was not going to be stopped. I finally reached the top of the lift, where I quickly dropped the bar to the floor so that I would be able to catch myself if I were to pass out. I saw my own personal light show with all of the stars I was seeing when it was all said and done.

Almost

Now, you may be asking yourself,

"Why would anyone want to keep lifting at that point?"

"Why does this crazy bastard want ME to have this experience? It sounds horrible!"

Let me be straight with you...It is absolutely horrible! It really is. But, it is also one of the most rewarding and most symbolic experiences you can have. You see, you just fought through hell to lift a silly-ass bar off the floor. That has to be one of the dumbest things to fight for, right?

NO!!!

It would have been so easy to just say,

"This is too heavy!"

"I can't do this!"

"Today's a bad day."

"I'll try it tomorrow."

BULLSHIT!

If you don't fight for yourself and your strength, you will never fight, and you will never have the strength required to live an OUTSTANDING life.

So next time that bar doesn't break off the floor as easy as you had hoped -

DO NOT STOP!

You are fighting for something bigger than a PR.

Remember that!

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

2011-11-30T07:20:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-11-29T19:01:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-28T19:31:00.000-08:00

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!?!

2011-11-27T17:57:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-11-25T13:07:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-23T17:55:00.000-08:00

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?!

2011-11-22T20:01:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-11-21T15:29:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-11-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-19T18:06:00.000-08:00

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?

2011-11-18T19:47:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2011-11-17T18:22:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-16T18:53:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-11-15T19:22:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-14T17:59:00.000-08:00

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

Day 44 of 365: Here's Your Complex

2011-11-13T20:17:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-12T23:05:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-11T20:23:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-11-10T18:13:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2011-11-09T19:17:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-11-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-11-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-06T07:56:00.000-08:00

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?

2011-11-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

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

2011-11-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

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

2011-11-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-11-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-11-01T19:19:00.000-07:00

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.

Day 31 of 365: Pulling BIG!!!

2011-10-31T19:18:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys!

Tonight, I want to give a shout out to Brannon Muska of CrossFit Texas. He is the owner and head trainer of the gym and just a badass guy.

It never fails...whenever I see Brannon, he always walks right up to me, asks how I'm doing and shakes my hand.

You couldn't find a more humble, or nicer dude.

Well, this past weekend was no different. The first day of the CrossFit Powerlifting Certification, Brannon walked right up to me, shook my hand and asked how everything was going. This time there was an added bonus, though. We got into a conversation about my Strictly Strength program, and my blog project, 365 Days of Strength. During that conversation, Brannon called me the "regional strength expert"!!!

Now, you have to understand, Brannon is a massive human-being

(You'll see a video of him pulling a new deadlift PR of 565# here soon - for now just take my word for it.) For him to call me the "strength expert" was a huge compliment!!!

It is something that I aspire to be, for sure, and I definitely feel like I am on my way!!!

Nothing's getting in my way to the top!

Just like Brannon pulling a massive deadlift PR, I too, am setting new standards for myself - both as an athlete and as a professional.

As I reach new benchmarks and standards, I will bring you all with me.

You have to keep pulling BIG if you want to move the world!

Just think about that...As you do, watch Brannon take it to the next level!

Day 30 of 365: An Amazing Investment!!!

2011-10-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

YO!!!

I am back in Austin, and I am FIRED UP!!!

This past weekend was FREAKIN' AWESOME! Ihave come away with a new insight into how to train OPTIMALLY....and the prospects are exciting, to say the least.

L-->R: Me, Laura Phelps, Shane Sweatt, Jeff McKinney, Conner Moore

In my post yesterday, I mentioned that a lot of the information covered during Day 1 was actually a refresher for me. Well, today had tons of new information that I soaked up like a sponge!

I gotta say, I am stoked to begin implementing more of the Westside Barbell/Conjugate Method into my Strictly Strength Project and Strictly Strength Classes. I have no doubt that my athletes, as well as myself and the CrossFit Central coaches that I train, will see some amazing progress during the next few weeks and months....and that's just the beginning!

BIG THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN!

Ask anyone in my Strictly Strength Project/Class what they enjoy most, and I am willing to bet that their response would have something to do with the huge variety of training modes and tools we use.

Well, it's the very same thing for the Conjugate Method. They rotate through a crazy amount of exercises, all with tons of different variables that allow for consistent and massive gains while staying mentally and physically healthy and fresh!

Pretty amazing stuff when you consider the amount weight they move and the intensity at which they work!

My point here is this: This weekend definitely validated the type of training that I utilize for myself and my athletes. On the other hand, it opened my eyes to where my programs are lacking. All in all, this weekend was one of the best investments I could have made in to Strictly Strength, the Coaches' SWOD, and myself!!!

Thank you, Laura, Shane and especially, Louie Simmons for providing this opportunity!

All I can say is that you all better be ready for some SIC content coming your way!!!

Day 29 of 365: Day 1 Down

2011-10-29T22:00:00.000-07:00

Day one of the CrossFit Powerlifting Certification is complete, and it was AWESOME!!! I'll be honest, a lot of the stuff that was taught I already knew, but to receive validation was well worth the cert. price and travel expenses! I mean, we all like to be told that we are doing things right, right? Well, this cert. is doing that for me, as well as providing me with new ideas and thoughts that I know will prove to be extremely valuable.

The perfect example of this is our "hands-on" session today. We worked a light box squat with light band tension for 12 sets of 2 reps, moving as quickly as possible through all 24 reps. As soon as that work was complete, we quickly started our deadlift lecture and demo, and before we knew it, we were going for new PRs!!!

Now, I am very comfortable with the box squat, and found myself coaching the technique nearly as much as the cert.coaches(validation). But the deadlift technique that they taught us was something completely foreign to me. In fact, I had a hell of a time just getting into the start position of a conventional deadlift!!! I quickly forced myself to forget everything I thought I knew about deadlift, and soon I was pulling a new PR of 465# with relative easy. Mind you, this is a 10# PR where afterwards I felt crippled and wrecked. The really badass part of all of this was that I was definitely not the only one pulling massive PRs!!! People were setting PRs left, right, and center! One guy actually increased his PR from 405(he said he had been stuck here for over a year) to 455!!! It was freakin' awesome!!!

Trust me! I am super stoked to share the footage I have with you all ASAP!! I plan on posting my first cert. video tomorrow, so be sure to check back here for that!!!

Until then, hang in there, have a great Halloween weekend and be safe!

Day 28 of 365: More Schoolin'!!!

2011-10-28T21:06:00.000-07:00

What's up, People?!!?

Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell

I'm in San Antonio eagerly awaiting the first day of the CrossFit Powerlifting Certification(!!!), so I am going to make this one quick.

I'm super stoked to participate in this certification for several reasons. But I gotta say, the main reason is to reinforce what I already know with what the experts know. I love learning from the best and using what makes sense to me. I know that this weekend will be jam-packed with tons of awesome information and skill practice. I will be filming as much of the cert. as I can, and I'll be sure to share it will you as soon as I can!

Until then, here's what will be going down this weekend!!!

Go ahead....You should be jealous!

Day 27 of 365: Try, Try Again

2011-10-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

My job as a coach is simple.

(Remember, simple does NOT mean easy!)

I challenge people to be better than they think they are capable of.

This is a never-ending quest, as no one in this world has ever met their full potential.

In that sense, I am in the right business! Hahaha.

The reason I am so passionate about what I do is that I get to watch people break through barriers - both physical and mental - on a daily basis. I get to experience the thrill and excitement of smashing through old limitations with my athletes.

THIS IS WHAT DRIVES ME!

It creates momentum in my world so that I, too, can continue my quest for self-improvement. And for that, I am extremely grateful for my athletes and the effort they bring, day in and day out.

You may be asking yourself, "Where is this guy going with all of this?"

Well, have no fear. I am coming to the end of this rambling.

I want to share a video with you all of my client and friend, Dr. Sam Sneed of Next Level Chiropractic breaking through one of these said barriers.

And trust me....this one is most definitely a physical AND mental task!

(BTW...You'll hear me doing my JOB when Sam questions himself. Hahaha.)

Sam was not the only one to blow old PR's out of the water. Sam's business partner, Dr. Dave Yancey also set a new record box jump along with fellow Strictly Strength'ers, Erik Ditmer(40" @ age 100, as he put it.) and Melissa Bustama who jumped on a 24" box for the very first time, and then continued to stack bumpers on top!!

Great job, crew!!!

Thanks for relentless work ethic you all bring.

Day 26 of 365: Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk

2011-10-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

BEASTS

What sets CrossFit Central apart from the vast majority of other gyms is the fact that we TALK the TALK and WALK the WALK. We practice what we preach. We live the code!

More specifically, I run my program, Strictly Strength, in the very same fashion. I do all of the same SWODs that I put my athletes through. I will not ask them to do anything that I am not willing to do myself. Plain and simple.

I have a duty to LEAD FROM THE FRONT, as my mentor, Zach Even-Esh puts it.

I take great honor in doing so.

Without the willingness to suffer with your troops, you will lose respect and your integrity.

This just can not happen!!!

So, as a practice in application, Michael Winchester and I threw down a nasty SWOD at our usual 1pm coach's hour.

This was NO JOKE, people!!!

Take a quick look...

WARMUP-

20 minute AMRAP

3 Wall Walks

10 Up-Downs

5 In and Outs

10 Grasshoppers

SWOD-

3 Rounds NFT

Yoke Carry OR Zercher Walk ----->

Handstand Walk <-----

Prowler Sprint <----->

Dual KB Front Rack Carry <----->

Check out the footage of this beast of a SWOD and let me know what y'all think!!!

Day 25 of 365: Take ANOTHER Walk

2011-10-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

As promised....here are a few videos discussing the farmer's carry, as well as some variations that you can use to spice up your routine. Check it out and let me know what you guys think by leaving your comments at the bottom of the post.

GO HEAVY or GO HOME! : )

Day 24 of 365: Take A Walk

2011-10-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

Today, I am going to introduce you to one of the most simplistic, yet most effective ways to strong. Chances are, you have in fact done this movement many, many times in the past, but you did not realize it's potential to build both mental and physical strength. Can you guess what it is?

It's the Farmer's Carry!

The farmer's carry is right up there with "Old School" lifts such as the deadlift, squat, and press. In fact, just like the lifts previously mentioned, the farmer's carry was a necessity in everyday life and still is, albeit a bit more rare...sadly.

Think about it, how did we get our suitcases from one place to another?

Note: Before they had wheels and a fold-down bench seat for the weary(weak) traveler.

We Farmer's Carried it!!!

As kids, how did you manage to transport all of your fort-building material?

You guessed it....

We FARMER'S CARRIED that shit!!!

So, now on to the important question: Why is it that you don't see it implemented into training program very often?

Answer: I have no freakin' clue why some choose to ignore the obvious. I have a theory that many of today's trainers tend to over-complicate things to make themselves feel like the all-knowing, superior trainer. It's just a theory...

Point is, I will not let you miss out on such a potent exercise!

So, here's the deal....Tomorrow, I will be posting a video of how to actually perform the Farmer's Carry. We will discuss some of the details that often get ignored, as well as show some different variations of the carry. After reading/watching tomorrow's post, I want you to use the carry in some form or fashion for EVERY workout you have this week. Simple, right? When the week has come to a close, let me know how the carries helped you get warm and/or what effect it had on your workout.

Until then...

TAKE A WALK!

Day 23 of 365: GETTIN' YOU JACKED!!!

2011-10-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

This post has a very simple purpose:

To get you JACKED UP for what ever you have going on this week!

Whether you're a student and you've got a big exam....if you're an athlete with a major match up...a businessman or woman with a huge proposal to make...or simply "Average Joe" and just in need of a kick in the ass....

What ever IT is. Whoever YOU are.

Pursue that next BIG THING with relentless strength and hunger.

It's all about YOU vs. YOU!

This video always gets me STOKED and ready to rock! Let me know if it does that same for you!

Day 22 of 365: Finding Your Strength

2011-10-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

Team Tryptophan

Today, after finishing with my Saturday morning Strictly Strength athletes, I met my Lean Turkey team, Team Trytophan, for our first team workout! We met at the Austin High track where I was pleasantly surprised to find monkey bars, pullup bars, dip bars, tires, and various other odd objects!!!

These are the makings of something SPICY!!! : )

My co-coach, Jess Estrada, got the group warmed up and then proceeded to put them through a bought of speed work...Just enough to get them ready to rock the SWOD I had in store for them!

This brings me to purpose of this post; I want you to have plenty of SWODs in mind if and when you may need them, say, when you don't have a gym to go to, or if you are in a hotel with a bunch of crappy equipment.

So, here is what we had them do:

3 Rounds with a partner:

Monkey Bar down OR 15 Partner Pullups(partner B simply assists the pullup by lifting partner A)
50m Buddy Carry(fireman's carry or piggyback)
6 Partner Tire Flips(both members lift at the same time)
10 Mixed Pushups each(using various versions of the move't)
5 Partner Jumps (partner A sits on the ground w/ legs extended and arms up and out from the sides, forming a "T". Partner B jumps over R arm, then the legs, then the L arm. That's 1 rep.)

Needless to say, this was a hell of a SWOD that everyone really enjoyed. In fact, many of the team members completed their first monkey bar traverse in as long as 40 years! Pretty freakin' impressive!

It just goes to show that you are completely capable of beginning a strength-training program at any time. You just have to work hard and work smart.

Try this SWOD out for yourself and a friend and let me know how it goes!

Day 21 of 365: Do YOU Work This Hard?

2011-10-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

Guys and Gals-

Check yourself before you wreck yourself!

I had a badass day of training, and wanted to share the workout that made my day with you all! Dani is a freakin' BADASS! She is an rock climber, and only takes on the most extreme stuff

So, today was a chance for me to program a SWOD specifically for her and her sport of climbing. She was stoked about it and killed everything I threw at here, including 2-finger strict pullups!!!

You gotta check in with yourself every once in a while and ask, "Do I work that hard?"

If the answer is NO, then you better step up your game! Dani, and all of my other athletes, will make you look silly if you don't!

Check out this BADASS CHICA kill this climber's SWOD!

Be sure to leave your comments afterwards!!!

Day 20 of 365: Be Grateful.

2011-10-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

YO!!!

Tonight's post is going to be short and sweet because I have come down with some nasty cold thing, and I need to slam some fish oil and get to bed.

BUT,

before I do, I want to quickly share a thought with you...

Why, if I am sick and feeling like crap, am I still concerned with blogging?

Why, when I can barely whisper, would I show up to coach my class, rather than find a sub?

These may seem like silly questions that most people would answer, "Because you're an idiot!"

Maybe so, BUT...

for those that live a life driven by STRENGTH(of all types), you know the answer.

It's the same reason you wake up every day with a mission to accomplish.

It's the very same reason you bust your ass in the gym.

It's the exact reason you work to be the best person you can be every day!

The answer???

YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO AND YOU ARE GRATEFUL!

Let me tell you something...You and I are among a very select group!!! Not many people in this world get to do what they are truly passionate about. Not many people get paid for something they would gladly do for free. And even fewer people are grateful. Period.

That is why I am here now writing this blog with a snotty nose, watery eyes, sore throat, and body aches.

I freaking LOVE what I GET to do!!!

I am simply sharing my passion with you.

THIS IS MY PURPOSE.

Day 19 of 365: For the Traveling SWOD'er

2011-10-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

PEOPLE!!!

Check it out!

You WILL use this sometime down the road. Be sure to leave a comment after watching.

Just nothing about my girlfriend!!!

I'll find you! Hahaha. : )

Day 18 of 365: 1st Workout with Zach and Big Mike

2011-10-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

YO!!!

I am back in the ATX, and have now had some time to upload some of the videos from this past weekend's Underground Strength Certification. The video below is from the workout that Big Mike and I hit up with Zach Even-Esh, himself!

As I posted a few days ago, this was a complete honor for me. Programming a workout for my idol and mentor was mind-blowing!!! Not to mention, the workout rocked us all...Hahaha! Check this out and drop a comment below.

What did you think of the workout? Do you find that "simple" is the way to go, or do you prefer complex, technical workouts? Let me know!

Keep in mind, I want you guys to be a part of this community! I can't service the community as well I'd like to if I don't know what you guys think of these posts, or want to know about in the future. If you read it....post your thoughts and opinions.

They matter!

Until tomorrow,

PEACE!!!