Too often we allow volume to dictate our programs rather than skill development. In the past month I’ve reviewed workouts from many different coaches and athletes. These workouts are aimed at building strength and power. Two of my athletes was given a workout by his football coach and the volume on one day of knee bending exercises was 120 repetitions per leg (this is just one day, not the entire week). Not to mention, many of the exercises were done on machines. Read more »

Workouts have been going really well. We’re all seeing strength gaines each week. My workout partners have the same goals except 2 want fat loss and 1 wants to gain weight. Me? I just want to keep my strength goin up as long as possible, no weight gain and Im sportin 140 lbs bodyweight and 7-9% bodyfat. That’s usually a year round maintenance so I’m good!

So it was a late night the night before this workout so needless to say I look TIRED in the face but it actually turned out to be a really good workout.

Let’s get busy!

DB Bench Press with 100# DBs for 4 reps. This was my last set. Started with a couple warm ups, a few sets at 75′s, 85′s, 95′s and went to:

Next lift-under the bar…Decline Bench 225 x 6 reps on last set:

We finished up with some specialized push ups and moved on to Weighted PULL UPS again! Last set 1 x 4 – 80 lb DB

And ending our workout with Heavy Bent Over Rows 8 reps at 175#

And that was it. We did some ab work but that’s top secret right now..Sorry lol!

First up we started with Power Cleans 4 x 3 reps @ 155#…

We followed up with squats and our newest attendee to join our workouts is Matt, is demonstrating today. He previously was only able to squat 135# but only just below a 1/4 squat. That aint flyin here..So after some form work and adjustments he’s up to 205# for reps and going much deeper so that’s pretty cool! He started a little over a month ago and can only meet every other week bc of his job. Just think where he might be if….

We then moved onto Good Mornings for a heavy lift (yep that’s me) doin 155# for 3 reps..tho I will be honest that was heavy for me that day and so prolly shouldve gone a tad lighter…

We then did a finisher with Cable Good Mornings and Cable Front Squats and off to abs..

I am at the point in time to keep stuff nice and SHORT! I’ll get back to posting articles soon!

A couple of my high school athletes that I’ve been working with since December of 2009 have made tremendous gaines in strength, weight gain if needed and much improved technique on their lifts.

I’ve put together an undulating program for purposes of change, size, strength and explosiveness. This is just another day at the shop getting it done!

Daniel is a Junior at Cherry Creek who started out with me after a shoulder injury and could barely get 155# up on the bench, no overhead work and squated 315 x 2 reps (my expected true lift).

Though there are no max lifts in this video I want to acknowledge that he now Benches – 225 x 5, Squats 380 x 1, and can Overhead Press 185 x 5 static start.

Next is JP..Another kid who has improved his numbers greatly inside 3 months. He started with a poor form squat (which he owned up to and did the necessary things to clean it up) and also his bench numbers went up too, 175# x 3 to 225 x 3.

Sorry video is having upload probs…get that figured out!

Hope you enjoyed it though..

I seem to keep having chest and back lifts recoreded and not enough of shoulders, legs and arms. A few camera mishaps on some of those days so I will be sure to do so.

Next up 2 lifts for this post…

So we got blow your mind stuff with 30 L – Pull Ups!

Another lift for the day – DB Bench Press with 95 lb DBs for 5 reps..

That’s it for this post. Just some lifts lol..

So we’re back to chest and back for a couple of lifts and one leg lift for the day.. These were all last set lifts by the way.

Close Grip Tricep Press at 205 lb for 3 reps…

Lunges with 185 which looks and truly felt easy – thank goodness for that!

Bench Press at 230 lb for 3 reps… though form broke on last rep. Not good!

A decent workout for my focal lifts for the day…

One of my chest workouts doin some barbell bench press with 225…

Followed up 80 lb DB Incline Bench with sets of 10…

then went on to do some Pull Ups with a 70 lb DB for sets of 5 x 5…

Did a few other lifts like heavy Bent Over Rows for 8 with 175 but these were my focal lifts for the day.

Damn good workout though.

What’s the biggest mistake trainers are making in this industry?

What most people don’t’ understand about the training and conditioning industry and every trainer I know TALKS about how great they are, but very few are actually TRULY great. Read more »

Unbeknownst to me I’ve been doing a version of the Westside Training style for some years minus the bands and chains. Basically, I wasn’t quite comfortable and really questioned how much of a difference it would make for what I was training for. Read more »