January 2012
80 posts
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A final "test of will" for 2011. Passed it, now...
Well, this was officially my last workout for 2011, and I finished with a little bit of a “challenge” based workout. It was a conditioning day, but I wanted to close out the year doing something a little different. I was inspired by seeing a few other fitblrs here (who are also on fitocracy) do the 100 burpee challenge.
Now, burpees gas me like nothing else, so let’s just...
December 2011
80 posts
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How to be Successful at All You Do – 7 Crucial...
I always like good articles/posts that hit upon the traits of successful people, because there truly are great similarities in characteristics. I came across this post at http://www.blogtrepreneur.com/2010/06/08/how-to-be-successful-at-all-you-do-7-crucial-personality-traits/ and it makes some good points:
Successful people are…
1. Optimistic. People who have achieved success in life tend to be...
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Final day of lifting for 2011!
Wow, another year is coming to a close and today was my final lifting session for 2011. I rounded things off with good form, setting a 3RM PR on Sumo DL with 315. It felt good to rep 3 plates (per side) off the floor on sumo’s for the first time!
I’ll finish the year up with a conditioning session tomorrow and will be trying to be on my best behavior throughout the weekend to see if...
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Are New Year's Resolutions BAD? & How to make 2012...
I’m not a “New Year’s Resolution” person…never have been. It’s just not my thing, I guess. When I make a decision to achieve a goal or work to improve something, I find a way to start, right then and there. A bit impulsive, maybe, but I’ve learned that all the planning, plotting & promising in the world do you no good if you don’t take...
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Hesitant today
I was fairly hesitant today with trying to go big on the final workout for shoulders this month. I wanted to go for some good increases, but after the pain I had in my R shoulder after last week’s shoulder day, I decided to keep things in check a little more today. I still worked hard, I just kept wt. levels in check and focused a lot more on shoulder/scapular position, overall posture...
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nopityfitness replied to your post: rippedfuel replied to your post: Well, that kinda…
My question to you is, if the speed is controlled, is it really a sprint? Also, try tread pushes. Turn it off, grip the front handles and move the tread with your legs, as fast as you can, it simulates a sled/prowler. Its awesome.
Yeah, I know what you’re saying. It’s not quite the same...
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rippedfuel replied to your post: Well, that kinda sucked…
I dont like the treadmill because it seems to disengage my hamstrings and my glutes and my lower back suffers. Plus calves, oh god and my ADD just wont allow it. I used to be able to push myself to 5kms but I had to be motivated to do it.
Yeah, it gets my calves screaming pretty good. Even back when I used to run distance and...
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Well, that kinda sucked...
Aside from sprints, I’m not generally a big fan of treadmill work…but, today’s conditioning called for 30 min. on the TM at 8% incline. The goal: get as far (total mileage) as possible. Now, I can’t just do 30 min. straight of steady state work on a TM, so I had to mix it up and do some intervals to get through it.
First of all, again, other than sprints, I don’t...
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"What gets measured gets done." - Peter Drucker
Do you have a training goal that’s always seemed out of your grasp? Have you been struggling to stay on track or make progress?
If you are truly committed to achieving a goal, it’s imperative that you not only develop a plan to reach it, but that you track and measure your progress along the way.
Tracking your workouts could prove to be one of the most valuable things you do...
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Random Retro Movie of the Week
This week I hit up the RRMW “Traffic.” It has a great cast, is visually pretty cool, and has great interweaving story lines.
Traffic (2000)
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What a difference a good night's sleep can make!
I finally had a decent night’s sleep last night and man, what a change in how I felt heading into my workout today. I also maintained much better energy and focus throughout. Oh, if only every night could be like that…
I still couldn’t make too much progress on bent rows. I’m not making excuses at all, as I will continue to work at it and get stronger, but damn if my...
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Final push for '11!
Today’s workout felt pretty good. I wasn’t rushed, so I felt like I could take the recovery I needed, although I still held myself to task. Seeing slow but steady improvement on the sumo squats, but no progress on bench press as I was still being a bit protective of the right shoulder. It feels pretty close to 100%, which is crazy based on how it felt only a few days ago, but that...
mentalcreation asked: Tag, you’re it! Here are the rules: Each tagged person must post ten things about themselves. You have to choose and tag ten people. Go to their blogs and tell them you tagged them.
zachpress asked: Thanks! My next question is night workouts. Is it bad to work out at night because that seems like the only good time for me to go!
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Merry Deadlifts Everyone!
Yes, I’m that guy, squeezing my workout in on the morning of Christmas Eve and blogging about it. But, no traveling or get-together’s today or tonight (that’s tomorrow), so it was actually a low-key day at home.
Well, my shoulder’s feeling a bit better today, so that’s very promising. I had one of my trainers evaluate it yesterday, who’s also an AT &...
Thank You all for the Support!
I wanted to thank everyone for their support yesterday after my tough day.
btownshreds , you’re reblog & comment really uplifted me and I appreciate your comment. I certainly don’t “feel” like I’m any type of inspiration, but it sure is a great feeling to know when even one person thinks that. It’s just another reason why I’ve come to appreciate this tumblr & fitblr community so much.
I...
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Rough start today
I can’t even begin to describe how rough my day started out. Let’s just say by noon I felt like I just went through 2 days worth of time & exertion & was already beyond exhausted. I was still able to squeeze in my workout, but to be honest, was only partially there with motivation and focus, and barely there with energy.
I never really felt like I “got going”,...
awesomefit-deactivated20120307 asked: Hey! just had a look at your "more is less" program. It looks amazing! I'm going to give it a shot in the new year. Just wanted to say thanks for posting the great information.
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Don’t sweat the small stuff…but appreciate the...
Don’t get too wrapped up in insignificant details, and waste energy unnecessarily. Don’t nitpick things that aren’t really that important in the grand scheme of things. You’ll only feel bad and regret it later. Don’t take yourself to seriously. Don’t be jealous of others and what they have, and let that blind you from the great things in your life and all that YOU have.
Do, however, try...
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Just another Tuesday...
Pretty standard day today, which was welcomed after yesterday’s craziness. I felt pretty good today, but those damn barbell rows still kill me. The main issue is that maintaining posture through my middle back (damn long torso) is really tough and is still a limiting factor. I need to keep working on this, though, as I’m convinced this thoracic area (along with other things) is still...
fitnessfoodfaith asked: Hi, i've been following for a while...love the blog! question... any good ideas/links for a semi-begginer strength program/routine? (I was doing pretty good, then fell off the wagon aug-oct... starting up again. so i AM a beginner at the moment, but i've done strength training somewhat before.) I incorporate a basic crossfit schedule as well, just incase that has any pros/cons to your...
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Mini-Challenge overcome! No excuses...not today!
Today presented an interesting challenge - How to get a workout in when you have to stay home from work with a sick 10 month old? Not easy to say the least. I could have waited until the evening and got it in then, but Monday’s are my most intense workout and my body is used to working out earlier in the day now. By evening, I know it would be even tougher to get through. I’d do it...
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5 Causes of Failure You Want to Avoid - by Dave...
Five Causes of Failure
The following is from http://articles.elitefts.com/articles/iron-brothers/under-the-bar-five-causes-of-failure-you-want-to-avoid/, written by Dave Tate. Happy Meathead Monday!
1. Lack of Purpose - I’ve written about the importance of finding purpose many times in the past, but this goes beyond just finding your purpose – you need to”define” it. If you don’t have a...
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Strive for Balance
Do your best to create balance in your life: relationships, physical and mental health, career. Live your life with purpose, focus and discipline, but stay loose and flexible enough to adapt when you need to and actually enjoy it. Call it the Yin and Yang, or whatever you like. Nothing is more challenging in life, but nothing is more important.
Without balance, you will always feel stress...
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blissmanifesto replied to your post: Does body-typing (ectomorph, mesomorph, or whatevermorph) actually have any merit? Like is it really that significant?
Dude, 6 feet 150 lbs!! That is thin. I am so full of respect for all the hard work you have put in! Very, very impressive.
Why thank you, I appreciate that. Actually when I graduated high school, I was just over 6’ tall (I continued to...
gurusports asked: I keep a lot of it basic; most inhibitions of movement I'll pick up from their general posture, from when they're walking towards me to when I get them to prep for testing. If I am unsure on anything then I'll complete a specific test. I have screening sheets they complete beforehand for any previous injuries they have had and their history in correcting this (i.e. physiotherapy or...
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gurusports replied to your post: gurusports asked you: To continue: flexibility…
If I may ask, what type of movement screening do you undertake. I use the overhead squat as a major screening tool in preparedness for level of weight training.
Sure. Yes, a barefoot overhead squat is probably the key movement pattern I evaluate. I also do shoulder tracking, as well as a series (usually...
gurusports asked you:
To continue: flexibility testing hasn’t really shown that good results are representative of injury prevention. To add to this, those with tight calf muscles/achilles have a better running ability (there is a limit here). So any flexibility tests won’t really show the possibility of strong ligaments/tendons/muscles in a dynamic environment. However those with...
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gurusports replied to your post: Does body-typing (ectomorph, mesomorph, or whatevermorph) actually have any merit? Like is it really that significant?
ISAK uses formulas (Heath-Carter method) to work out somatotype from 10 measurements. This can have an impact on injury prevention, growth, and performance; and also determine if you are suited to certain events/sports and be successful at...
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nopityfitness replied to your post: Does body-typing (ectomorph, mesomorph, or whatevermorph) actually have any merit? Like is it really that significant?
There are way more than 3 body types, 90% of people are a mix of all 3 of the classifications. The only time body types really come into play is when a hardgainer wants to get big, or a big dude wants to get lean.
You bring up a good point...
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snapsforsantoro replied to your post: Does body-typing (ectomorph, mesomorph, or whatevermorph) actually have any merit? Like is it really that significant?
essentially what you are saying is that we can all achieve the same results, but the timelines may be different? just making sure I’m reading you correctly!
Well, that’s tricky…The exact same results, no, similar, yes - but to a...
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ninakristine-deactivated2012040 asked: Does body-typing (ectomorph, mesomorph, or whatevermorph) actually have any merit? Like is it really that significant?
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To Ditch Dessert, Feed the Brain →
Great share by fitaesthetic:
This is really cool to see for me, as I’ve been telling clients for years that I believe there’s more that occurs than just hormone changes when they let their blood sugar levels drop or fluctuate too greatly. I always believed that the brain & body become “conditioned” to know which foods will provide a quick spike in blood sugar when it...
Conditioning, Core & a Re-feed
Good day today! Great sprint session this morning, followed up by a little bit of core work, and then an awesome re-feed day. Even though it hasn’t been intentional, my total calories have stayed pretty low for the last couple of weeks, and I was due for a little bit of a metabolic re-feed.
Plus, I knew I would be going to a party this evening (with tons of great food), so I planned...
fitness-swagger asked: What type of music do you like?
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Week 2 Complete - With Notes
Yes! Week 2 is in the books (at least the lifting part) and I’m happy to move to the back half of this program and focus on how much ass I can start kicking! It usually only takes the first week for me to settle in and start ramping up for the next few, but this program has challenged me in some different ways than I’m used to and it’s taken me two weeks to get a decent handle...
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rippedfuel replied to your post:
Thanks dude, I’m loving the program so far. Its nice to not really have to think about it for a change, and its a slightly different way to training then I am used to as well. Change is as good as a holiday, well thats what they say anyway.
I feel you on that. I followed my own programs for more than 8 years & finally one day realized I was getting burnt...
sans-fear answered your question: I need a new workout playlist…Pronto!
I listen to a lot of Flogging Molly, helps me to keep a pretty good pace for running
Ooh, good call. Good to throw in a song or two of theirs on my conditioning days. Thanks!
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rippedfuel:
Hello Grip Death.
Ha, yeah, that’s sort of an underlying by-product of DL & Back day. Ah, it’ll only make you stronger! ;)
Also plugging it again; My program (though tweaked by feeling) comes from WARRIOR FITNESS
Thanks again for the plug…and I...
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Follow-up on "Correlation does NOT imply...
thespartanwarrior said: One of my favorite phrases: correlation does NOT imply causation
Mine too. From my experience, though, it’s not something most people think about when presented with research findings. So, since you brought it to light, I thought I’d take the opportunity to explain it for anyone that it may help.
Essentially, the phrase...
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Some good stuff so far...
sfcaveseekers answered your question: I need a new workout playlist…Pronto!
Alter ego-tame impala, time is the enemy-quantic, hyper music-muse
Thanks! The 1st 2 have cool, unique beats with kind of a chill vibe & I totally forgot about looking into some other Muse songs. That’s definitely a good one!
melaniecanrun replied to your post: I need a new workout...
fitaesthetic answered your question: I need a new workout playlist…Pronto!
anything dubstep, seriously. “strobe” by deadmau5 is the shit, the drop towards the end is awesome.
Thanks, I’ll check it out for sure. If you’re into dubstep, you should check out mallabel music at http://mallabelmusic.com . It’s actually my cousin’s label.
I need a new workout playlist...Pronto!
While I do like my current workout playlist, it’s been quite a while since I’ve changed it and it’s starting to get stale. Anyone willing to help me out with recommending songs for a new workout playlist? Maybe your top 3 workout songs right now? I have fairly broad tastes when it comes to workout music. Something with energy, good beats and motivating! Not a big fan of...
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The "easy" day...relatively, anyway
Shoulders and biceps today, so out of all of the workouts, this one tends to be the easiest, at least cumulatively. And “easy” is a relative term in this case. In relation to the other workouts, sure, it’s easier, but it’s still a good workout for me, especially because my shoulders are one of my weak links.
I was able to bring total volume up quite a bit on standing...
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Diet soda - still think it leads to weight gain? →
Here’s an article by Dr. Mike Roussell, who’s another guy I respect and find highly, highly credible. He addresses the still commonly debated topic of diet soda in correlation with weight gain.
I know this a topic The Spartan Warrior has discussed many times as well on his site.
I’ll be honest, I used to buy into the studies that showed correlation between diet soda and...
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Alan Aragon Interviewed by Wisconsin’s Polytechnic... →
Great Share by The Spartan Warrior, here. I respect the hell out of Alan Aragon. He’s been a long-time go-to for me when it comes to research reviews. He does an amazing job of breaking down the technical aspects of in-depth, complicated research and explaining it in terms most can understand.
He also filters it really well and connects the dots to what truly has good application in...
Ha, thanks for the comments! Yeah, it never really gets old for me. I can always get some great laughs watching this one. And yes, I stand by it as Christmas movie as well! ;)
gurusports replied to your post: Random Retro Movie of the Week
This movie is the shiznit! I watch this any time I want a good laugh.
muscleforthought replied to your post: Random Retro Movie of the Week
I thought I...
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Take care of Y-O-U.
Nurture your mind, body and soul. You only get one body and one life - respect that and make the best of it. If you don’t take care of yourself properly (in all areas), how can you expect to care for others properly, to maintain and nurture relationships, to raise and care for your children and loved ones, and to have the physical and mental focus and energy to live your life to the fullest?