Main Blog RSS feed

I really have no goal or specific performance aspirations as they don't peak my interest. What I want your opinion on is, what is the reason for me to do this??  Am I just going to be a good "worker outer"?   I love lifting weights but at some point you have to ask yourself, what's the point? 

On the flipside of conditioning, you have “easy” or the standard conditioning. What this offers is a way to zone out and relax. A way to discipline yourself to adhere to a schedule. To escape the constant mind-hustle and the mental gymnastics that goes on all day and night.

It's easy to say “I don’t need to condition now” because many people technically don’t. But I guarantee you will.

It’s that time again and everyone you know is ready to make a change. More times than not, this means they want to get their ass in a gym and get in shape. Well, I have no idea what “in shape” means to everyone but 99% of people fail for the following reasons:

I'm 5'9", 195 pounds. I've lifted all kinds of programs for twenty years now, so I'm not experiencing beginner gains or whatever. I've been all 5/3/1, a little bit of a Wendler homer, and pleased with every result I've gotten since I decided to go all in with 5/3/1 about 14 months ago. I'm an average guy: literature and writing professor, dad and husband. I'm definitely not someone who can do things most others aren't physically capable of doing...

Basically, we kicked the rest of the world’s butt, stole their lunch money and slept with their girlfriends when it came to track cycling. When the performance director was asked by the outside media about the key practices they had implemented in pursuit of this success, he told them with a bone dead straight face that they had super round laser cut wheels which gave them a major speed advantage. The morons lapped it up. The foreign newspapers printed the story. Everyone laughed...

I messed up my leg (Stress fractures in femur, pelvic bone, and i pulled my hip flexor) When I got back I didn't want to be a pussy though, and immediately tested my bench and did a cycle of 5/3/1 for bench only because my leg still hurt too bad for the other lifts. Now...

Lead yourself to greatness. And greatness is not measured in medals, money or public opinion - it is measured in happiness and freedom. And when you strip all the crap away, the noise and bullshit of a fucked up, commercialized world that makes you constantly bow and suck at it's sick, diseased teat - you will have found freedom and happiness...Your "gut" check is here and now - mold yourself with your own hands.

6 Week Training Template for size: So this template is not easy but it is very doable – but only if you are dedicated to making it happen. “Dedicated” doesn’t just mean that you want to do it; it means you are dedicated to doing what it takes to get it done and that means EATING right. I had 4 people run this and all of them ate like champions – all ate at least..

But there is another thing that makes a person with passion so damn awesome: They tend to stay the hell out of your business. This is because they are too damn busy to gossip, to force their shit down your throat. Their ego isn't so big that they claim to know what to do with your money, your time, your beliefs. Hell, there are actually adults out there telling OTHER ADULTS what words they can or cannot say. The ego on people these days. Unbelievable.

"Read a book and go to class. You don't need to be a genius to do both of these things. People get VERY upset when you have interest outside of what they peg you to be. It makes them uncomfortable because they usually suck at everything. This is good. Make them upset by being better."

Chinatown simply rules. This is because film noir rules. To quote Juliet Wendler - "This is when men were men." This 1974 classic revolves around the water crisis in Los Angeles in the late 30's. Jack Nicholson stars as J.J. Gittes, a private detective that gets wrapped up in political corruption, sex and murder. This is a long movie and one that requires several sittings to really appreciate. Also, notice that the POV is always of Gittes - what he sees and knows, you do too.

What does it mean to become a better man? A great man?

As much as I am impressed and amazed at watching the videos of Ed Coan, Dmitry Klokov, Stan Efferding and the other great lifters I admire, these videos offer a different perspective and attitude I think we all can learn from. Once again, the only thing you have control is your attitude. You can choose to be/associate with the gossip scum, the Facebook fucks and the petty Life Suckers that martyr their lives and jobs - "poor, poor ME." Or you can choose to turn off the negative and realize that this short life deserves the best of you. Don't waste your life surviving. Find your passion and go forth, full bore.