I'll admit it openly: I am simply unable to comprehend how a person can live without abandon, undying passion and a relentless pursuit of goals. As human beings, I believe strongly that we were meant to strive for our absolute best emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and physically. I can not live my life any other way.

Since this is a training blog, I will limit this to the physical only.

1. Know who you are.
2. Pick a goal and commit to it.
3. Embrace discipline.
4. Face your weaknesses.
5. Keep what works. Drop what doesn't.

1. KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
Reaching a training goal will take years, if not decades. If you do not have a strong sense of self, you will fall for every fad out there and give into every excuse to fail.

2. PICK ONE GOAL AND COMMIT TO IT.
Pick ONE goal. Commit to your ONE goal. Mental and physical strength go hand-in-hand. You are personally responsible for your life. The weak-minded dodge responsibility and blame others (and outside events) for their failure(s). Grow as a human being; adversity is a gift which makes you a stronger and better person. You will be fighting to achieve this goal for decades. Be prepared to do so.

3. EMBRACE DISCIPLINE.
Discipline leads to a job well done, but requires that you do not stray from the path leading to your goal. Follow your plan no matter what. No excuses. Everyone encounters adversity. The strong and disciplined use adversity to steer them to their goals. The weak shrink away and use excuses to justify their failure(s). I've heard this called "pussification". (Great term.)

4. FACE YOUR WEAKNESSES.
Be humble. You have a lot of weaknesses (everyone does). An athlete (or person, in general) should never overestimate him/herself. Personally, my physical weaknesses look like Mount Everest, but I still strive to climb to the top, step-by-step. I can see clearly how many athletes are ahead of me (far ahead of me). I accept the challenge. I will obsessively work on addressing my weaknesses and then construct a plan to conquer them.

5. KEEP WHAT WORKS. DROP WHAT DOESN'T.
Research the most efficient method(s) to reach your goal. Keep records. Track your progress. Do NOT fall into the trap of a routine. Routines are comfortable. Progress is highly, highly uncomfortable. Get used to being uncomfortable and constantly challenged.

TODAY'S TRAINING:
9 a.m. UXF
500 Meter Row for Time = 1:50
15-12-9-6-3 +.25 Mile Run
28 kg KB Swings
10 kg Push-Presses
16 kg Goblet Squats (DEEP!)
10 kg KB Push-Presses
Run
18:01

10:30 a.m.
10 sets of loaded pull-ups paired with 10 sets of DB-loaded walking lunges
5 sets of BB SLDLs paired with 12 sets of loaded pull-ups
7 sets of plyo-Bulgarians paired with 7 sets of single arm DB rows
5 sets of loaded lunge jumps paired with 5 sets of heavy reverse grip rows
8 sets of high rep leg extensions paired with 3 sets of heavy T-bar rows

Work on what your body NEEDS, not what you LIKE.

It's time to dig deep and figure out what you really NEED to train, rather than merely what you LIKE to train. I know you've seen it: Everyone and their dog does biceps curls at the gym. Really? Will the easiest of exercises get you where you want and need to go as an athlete and competitor?

I know that I NEED to improve my squat. I train some variation of the squat 4 or 5 x week. So here we go:

WORKOUT ONE:

SQUATS (really deep)
20 x body weight, 10 x 45 lbs., 10 x 65 lbs., 5 x 95 lbs., 5 x 95 lbs., 3 x 105 lbs., 3 x 105 lbs., 2 x 115 lbs., 2 x 115 lbs., 1 x 125 lbs., 1 x 135 lbs., 8 x 95 lbs., 9 x 95 lbs., 10 x 95 lbs, 11 x 95 lbs.

I supersetted this with the BENCH PRESS:

20 x 45 lbs., 18 x 65 lbs., 5 x 95 lbs., 5 x 95 lbs., 5 x 95 lbs., 5 x 95 lbs., 5 x 95 lbs., 5 x 100 lbs., 3 x 105 lbs., 3 x 105 lb.s, 2 x 110 lbs., 2 x 110 lbs., 1 x 115 lbs., 1 x 115 lbs.

WORKOUT TWO:

BULGARIANS (really deep)
20 x body weight, 20 x body weight, 10 x 12.5 lb. DBs, 5 x 15 lb. DBs, 5 x 20 lb. DBs, 3 x 25 lb. DBs, 3 x 25 lb. DBs, 3 x 25 lb. DBs, 3 x 25 lb. DBs, 10 x plyometric version, 10 x plyometric version, 10 x plyometric version, 10 x plyometric version, 10 x plyometric version

I supersetted this with WIDE, REVERSE GRIP PULL-UPS:

15 x body weight, 15 x body weight, 5 x 25 lb. plate, 5 x 25 lb. plate, 5 x 25 lb. plate, 5 x 25 lb. plate, 4 x 25 lb. plate, 3 x 25 lb. plate, 3 x 25 lb. plate, 3 x 25 lb. plate,  2 x 35 lb. plate, 2 x 35 lb. plate, 2 x 35 lb. plate, 2 x 35 lb. plate, 2 x 35 lb. plate

WORKOUT THREE:

A QUICK CARDIO BLAST
100 deep squats
90 long-arm sit-ups
80 prone runners (each leg)
70 ice skaters (each side)
60 TRX rows
50 push-ups
I completed this with a time of 7:06.

WORKOUT FOUR:

A QUICK CARDIO BLAST
30 dead lifts to high pulls - 28 kg KB
10 burpee box jumps - 28" box
30 KB swings - 24 kg KB
10 burpee box jumps - 28" box
30 plyo-push-ups
10 burpee box jumps - 28" box
30 lunges (each leg) - 55 lb. olympic bar
10 burpee box jumps - 28" box
30 bent-over rows - 18 kg KBs
10 burpee box jumps - 28" box
30 long-arm sit-ups
I completed this with a time of 10:37.

Insane Workout of The Day

Here's my insane workout of the day:

Wide, Reverse Grip Pull-ups with a 25 lb. Plate Attached to a Weightbelt supersetted with Squat Jumps with 55 lb. Olympic Bar on Back. I completed 20 sets in 1 hour. Just ask the members at NYSC, Princeton North!
1. 6x + 10x
2. 5x + 10x
3. 6x + 10x
4. 4x + 10x
5. 4x + 10x
6. 3x + 10x
7. 3x + 10x
8. 5x + 10x
9. 4x + 10x
10. 3x + 10x
11. 3x + 10x
12. 3x + 10x
13. 3x + 10x
14. 4x + 10x
15. 4x + 10x
16. 4x + 10x
17. 3x + 10x
18. 3x + 10x
19. 3x + 10x
20. 3x + 10x

Let's Get Serious About Training: 6 Rules to Get You There

 

If you view lifting weights as merely a "hobby (a.k.a. working out, exercising) and never seriously map out a plan (a.k.a. make the important switch from exercising to training), then your results will be mediocre at best.

This concept applies to all aspects of your life.

Your goal may be to start a business, write a series of articles, get a graduate degree or become an athlete. The more important a new venture is to your personal development, the harder you will fight ALL roadblocks.

RULE #1: SHOW UP

Yes, it's that simple. No excuses. If you are scheduled to train. Do it. I really don't care if your dog just died. SHOW THE F UP!

RULE #2: DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WOULD DO

Not hard, right? If you said you would do 15 sets of ass to grass squats. Shut up and do it. If you said you would increase your deadlift by 50 lbs., then figure out how to get there...or hire someone who CAN get you there.

RULE #3: BE PATIENT

OK, that's more challenging. Hard work will pay off, but the end results may take years. Believe in yourself and ability to plan, work hard, eat correctly, and the results will eventually come.

RULE #4: STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE

Successful people schedule every day tightly and carefully to ensure their goals are being accomplished. That's not to say that your life has to be totally boring in order to be successful, but a high level of structure is an absolute requirement.

You can't succeed in the gym if the rest of your life is chaotic (unstructured). Staying out late, missing meals, forgetting your gym bag, stressing out over trivia – these are all signs you will fail on your quest.

RULE #5: PREPARE

You must prepare your grocery shopping and meals in advance. You must prepare your training sessions in advance. You have a life, a job, a family. Plan in advance so you have no excuses to fail! The more structured and organized your life is, the easier your preparation will become.

RULE #6: YOUR ENTIRE SELF-WORTH IS NOT FOUND IN YOUR RESULTS

Training is what you do, not who you are. Create a healthy degree of separation between yourself and your talents. Only then will you have the freedom to commit yourself fully to your craft. Do all this, and all that's left is to collect your accolades.