Oct 30th: Sunday Funday!

Time for another installment of the “Deadlift Diaries.” Being a high rep day I was 100% ready for the action ahead.

After a quick warm-up set worked into deadlift.

250-30 reps (with straps)

-legs were SCREAMING.

Incline Log Bench (Log+60)-7 (log)-40

One Arm FG Row (65)-5 (35lb)-30 per arm

Finished with a 10 minute walk.

8:30-P3 Pre Workout

10:30: 10g BCAA

11:30-Cup Fage, ½ cup cottage cheese, 2 F1 Caps

2:30-Chicken sandwich, handful fries

4:30-Dried Mango

6:00-Golden Grahams with Fage yogurt, banana, chicken breast, 2 F1 Caps

Did so much today. Crashed at 8:30. Slept like a baby.

Oct 17th: Training Journal Series

October 17^th: Monday

A “transformation” is one that must be worked on EVERY day. Not three days a week or five days a week but every minute of every day. Is it hard? Yes. Is it time-consuming? Yes. Would it be more fun to do almost anything else? Yes. But a true physical transformation will yield benefits far greater than any costs paid.

12:00-Pre workout P(3)+10g BCAA

12:30-Train

Bench:

65%-165-7

75%-190-5

85%-215-3 (felt weak. Did inclines yesterday. That didn’t help)

Fat Grip Curls (100)-8,7,7

Bar Dip (36kg)-7,7,7

90 seconds between

Ring Pushups (45)-10,10,8

Ring Row (45)-10,10,8

Reverse Wrists curls (forearm strength) (65)-8,8,8

Finished with sprints on spin bike (20on/40off) for 10 minutes.

PW: 2 scoops Biochem, waxy maize, 8oz milk, 2 cups white rice, 8 oz steak. (SO FULL!)

5:00-6oz chicken, salad

8:00-3oz steak, ¼ cup white rice, bowl chili

9:00-1/2 cup Fage, brownie, 1 glass wine

I am finding that my intensity and dedication with my training is already transferring over into my work. More to come on this!

Oct 16th: Training Journal Series

October 16^th: Sunday

Was excited as hell because I moved deadlift day to today. Now, first off, even though I love to train it doesn’t mean I’m always excited to train. I force myself some days just like anyone else. However, the prospect of beating my numbers really excites the hell out of me and I’ve heard the same from clients. Trust me.

Deadlift

60%-270-5

70%-315-5

80%-360-10 (about 15-20 seconds between reps)

-2-3 minutes betweens sets.

I can’t explain to you the excitement of hitting bigger and bigger numbers. My goal is not to deadlift 1000lbs. I have no intention of entering the World’s Strongest Man contests, but lifting heavy FEELS AWESOME. Simple as that.

Double Outside Leg Clean: 32kgs-8,7,7

Incline Log Bench: Log+55-7,6,6

90 sec between

Corner Fat Grip One Arm Row (changed from rope row because back was tight)

50lbs-7,6,3+3 (put down after 3)

Bulgarian Lunge (L+R)24kgs-8,8,8

Had my P(3) before and then 10g BCAA and then another 10g BCAA an hour later

11:45-plate of pasta with ground turkey and vegetables

2:00-dried fruit, raw cashews

6:00-big ol’ steak, salad, white rice, piece of brownie

9:00-Fage yogurt

Great training day. Love days like this. I enjoy training on Sundays because then I can be a little more liberal with my food and take a nice long nap (all guilt free)

Oct 15th: Training Journal Series

October 15^th: Saturday

Woke up early, got some work done on MBodystrength.com and then hit the bootcamp. After I took a few fighters and boot campers to the local university (CSUF) to do stadiums and sprints. My legs were Jello. It was a blast though.

We were there for about 40 minutes. I pushed myself so hard I almost puked. Love itJ

Pre-Sprints: HPPN (Pure Powder)

Post-10g BCAA

2:00-Protein Shake with 40g protein

4:00-Small sandwich.

8:00-big bowl chili

10-Fage yogurt with casein protein

Didn’t eat too much today. More tomorrow!

Oct 14th: Training Journal Series

October 14^th: Friday

I changed my training day to Sunday for a couple of reasons.

1. I enjoy being a little more liberal on my diet on the weekend. Weekdays are no problem for me (as most people) so I want the few extra carbs and calories to go to recovery rather than just sit on my off day. Didn’t mean I was going to sit on my arse today!

Did a 12-minute plyo workout. I’m not a huge fan of plyos in regular training, but every now and then is good.

Finished that off with a 10 min portion of the MB45 Essentials and 10 sets of 20 double-unders with 20 seconds between sets. Damn that sucked.

Ate fairly light today. Was going to a party later that night so I wanted to give myself a little wiggle room.

11:45-12ish: Panda Express (2 servings chicken with a lot of steamed vegetables)

3-Pre-workout HPN, PW-10g BCAA

4-1 cup Fage non-fat yogurt, 1 scoop Biochem whey, ¼ cup chocolate almond milk

8-Anti-pasta salad (salami, cheese, olives) a few crackers with dip and a lot of red wine (maybe, too much)

11-3/4 cup Fage with 1 scoop Casein Protein.

A true transformation is happening. I’ve always been consistent with training, but the diet was always a struggle. Easier said than done for some people. This has not been the case. The last few weeks I’ve been more dedicated because I’m not thinking of it in 4,6,8 or 12 weeks. I’m thinking of it as 4-week chunks for the rest of my life. Lifestyle, people! I know it’s so cliché with training, but this HAS to be a lifestyle. If you don’t see yourself doing this in 6 months, don’t bother.

Oct 6th: Training Journal Series

October 5^th: Wednesday

Today was a MUCH needed rest day. Most fitness enthusiasts/athletes do not take their rest days seriously enough. A rest day is as needed if not more than a proper diet, training, etc. A rest day (where you do nothing except maybe a walk) will allow your body to recover and train harder your next session.

Rest days pump me up for training! They give me a mental break from the rigors of my training and allow me to come back harder and stronger the next day.

Use this day to recoup, hit the Indian clubs, foam roller, spa, whatever. Just rest. Resting is crucial!

12:45: 10oz Chicken thigh filet, spinach salad, salami with cheese, tomatoes (basically a giant salad) 8oz pineapple

4:00: ½ cup cottage cheese, 2 scoops biochem whey protein, Chia seeds

9:00: 4 eggs, cheese, spinach, cooked in butter.

Rest days (or non lifting days) goal is 2200-2400 calories

180-200g protein

130g fat

80-100g carbs

This is why tracking is so vital. You can’t expect to spend carelessly and then have an exact knowledge of how much money is in your bank account. Budget your calories and you WILL see results

October 6^th: Thursday

7am: 198.9

Today’s workout was a fun one. I was looking forward to it all day! I love those days.

Military Press Day (I use the log because I like the neutral grip position)

55% @ 93lbs (log weighs 88)-7

65% @ 106- 7 (felt tough)

75% @ 123lbs- 7 was all I could do. This was definitely my 7RM. Started to see stars!

-2.5 minutes between sets

Ring Pull up (Dead Hang)( 20kg kettlebell)-5,5 (BW) 9

Incline Bench Barbell Shrug (225)-8,8,8

-90 seconds between sets

Double Snatch (28kg)-5,5,5

Lateral Raise (25lbs)-12,10,10

-90 seconds between sets)

Finished workout with a brutal cardio set.

Prowler-30 seconds

Weighted Jump Rope-30 seconds

Deck Squat to Jump-30 seconds

Rest-30 seconds

--8 rounds.

Broke fast at 12:30 with HPN P(3)

Trained with 10g BCAA

1:45-Flame Broiler Beef Plate with white rice

5-1/2 cup cottage cheese, 2 scoops Biochem, ½ cup chocolate almond milk

8-1/2 Chicken, sweet potato fries, and little coleslaw (mayonnaise-less)

10-1/2 cup 2% milk, scoop Casein protein, ½ cup frozen cherries

This day brought me to 45g fat, 202g carbs, and 202g protein

Amazing dinner. Didn’t stuff my face. Just ate till I felt comfortable. That’s the beauty of Intermittent Fasting. Larger meals (within reason, of course)

Training days:

180-200g protein

40-50g fat

240-260g carbs

The Law of Accumulation

I met a client of mine, who is also a very successful business owner, for lunch one day and we just happened to start talking business. Go figure.

I asked him what the key to his success was. How did he build his fortune in an industry that seemed to be over-flowing with competition?

While most people would be expecting some insane marketing ploy or sales strategy he just told me one thing:

The Law of Accumulation.

He wasn’t trying to sell me some long drama of how he fought his way to the top and stood over his empire like Caesar over Rome. He just said, “Everything counts.”

There was a lot of power in that statement. It seems so simple and it is. Every single thing counts. This applies to all areas of life. Great books written took a page at a time, great fortunes built started with a dollar. Every journey begins…you get the picture.

How this applies to fitness is simple. Every single meal counts. Every training session made or missed counts. Every late night counts. It all adds up just as in a business’ balance sheet.

If you are not where you want to be start keeping a detailed journal of everything. Not just training sessions where you killed it or days when your diet was spot on, but everything! The workouts missed, the nights you stayed up late, and the amount of beer you drank. It all counts in moving you in one direction or another. This will give you a clear picture of where you stand.

This is not news. It’s just a reminder to take inventory of everything that you do. That everything counts whether it’s building your business, your body, a relationship, etc. The more you make this a part of your life the less likely you’ll be the person that says, “Why can’t I ever get down to the weight I want” or “Why can’t I ever hit my target body fat?”

We’ve all been guilty of brushing a thing or two under the rug, but now is your chance to take a stand! Take inventory of yourself on a daily basis. If you were a business are you thriving or about ready to close your doors? Start right now because of every second counts, but you already knew that.

Outdoor Kettlebell Fun

Now that the weather is taking a turn for the bright and sunny it’s time to take your workouts outdoors!

Kettlebells are the ultimate in fat burning, time saving cardio, and frickin’ portable! Build your strength and stamina with this easy to follow, simple workout that will have you sweating in the sun in no time.

Directions: Grab your kettlebell and your MBody Kettleback (go to www.mbodystrength.com for more info) or a sturdy backpack. Bring a towel, some water; of course your iPod and you’re good to go.

You’re going to hike with your MKB or pack on for ten minutes. A trail works best but a track or open field works well. Once your ten minutes is up you’re going to take the kettlebell out of your MKB or pack and perform the following with little to no reset between exercises:

25 snatches per arm
25 cleans per arm
25 swings per arm
25 pushups on the kettlebell
25 bodyweight squats

This totals 200 reps. You’re going to then put your MKB back on and set the timer for another ten minutes. After ten minutes, hit the kettlebell again for another grueling circuit. Perform this circuit at least two times. If you can get more than five in you need a heavier bell!

This workout won’t just leave you a sweaty mess of an athlete but will also build your grip strength and stamina BIG TIME.

Time this workout and try it every few weeks. Aim to beat your time EVERYTIME.

Fun lil workout today...

Had a great session today. Wasn't feeling in the mood for heavy kbs so decided to take this opportunity to get a little blood pumping.

Woke up early for a long walk with the dogs. Felt nice

Did the following routine right after:

Morning cardio. walk, meditate, got some work done and then did the following with a 16kg (can't always go heavy!):

30 sec kettlebell snatch l, r
30 sec kettlebell mid pull (like a high pull but lower. dominates the biceps) l, r
30 sec swing flip l,r
...-5 min jump rope
--repeat 3x no break.

Finished with some BCAAs. lunch in a few.
As my good friend Gerard would say, feeling good like I knew I would.

As the day went on worked in some body weight training.

Did Pike Push ups on the push up rails followed by wide grip pull ups
5 sets of 10 of each with a minute break.


Worked in some A Frame push ups, thick grip curls and close grip push ups.


Felt strong even just using my own body. A nice break on the joints to have a light day.



Give it a shot so you don't burn yourself out. This little workout will definitely help you lose fat, build conditioning and get your heart pumping.


Not too shabby for under an hour!

Enjoy.

Quick Fix?

There are no quick fixes. Why does this topic still exist? When will people learn? You don’t out-train a crappy diet, there is no magic pill and there is no “best” method of training. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love kettlebell training. For my clients and me it is one of the best ways to get strong, get lean and get athletically and functionally fit.

But, and it’s a big ol’ butt, it is NOT the end all be all. Nothing is. Nothing ever will be.

There is no “one way,” there is no “right way. There is only your way. I touched on this in regard to nutrition. Well, the same holds true with training.

A quick fix is a quick break. When you try to drop 12lbs of fat in a week or gain 30lbs of muscle in a month you’re destined to end up right where you started when you were looking for the initial fix.

I just saw a before and after pic of some guy on a site that will remain unnamed and they specifically wrote, “Quick Fix!” First of all, I loved how the before pic of one guy had a tattoo and the after pic (30 days later) there was no tattoo. Hmm...I call shenanigans. Of course, he might have had tattoo removal in the four weeks but my guess is a guy using “Quick Fix” in his marketing is bound to try a few other things.

After working with the test subjects for our MTS program it shows that nothing comes easy. 20+ pounds lost and a few pant sizes down don’t come easy. They’ve been working hard with the kettlebells, but that wasn’t the “quick fix.” All the pieces put together are what turn it into a powerful machine.

So, there’s no quick fix. There’s no “one way.” We get that. Then what? Where do I turn?

Worry not! I won’t leave you hanging.

For those looking for optimal strength and conditioning with minimal equipment or want to free themselves from traditional gyms here’s what I recommend.

-A couple of kettlebells (different sizes. Heavy enough for double work that will stimulate strength)

-A Jungle Gym or pair of gymnastics rings

-A Weight Vest

-Your Body

None of these tools are anything new, nor is there anything magical about them. You don’t NEED these tools in order to get into phenomenal shape but I have found what I do need is a set of tools that allow me the freedom to train where I want and allow for plenty of progression. From awesome core strength to flexibility and mobility these tools hit just about every area.

Mission accomplished. No quick fix, just hard, disciplined work. Of course, throw in your own methods as I do occasionally with barbells, sandbags, Macebells, and ropes but the bulk of my training is performed with the aforementioned trio (weight vest and body count as one in my book.)

Have fun, stay hungry and learn to love the process. Don’t worry. Results will come quicker than you think.