FREAKFEST09: Review part 1

Good morning beez in peez!  It’s drizzling, cold, and I gotta get out the door to bust some ass and play therapist slash trainer.  Let’s make it fast and to the point.

Shi* changes.

This month I’ve decided to pay a tribute to “Freakfest09″.

Unfortunately, this year there will be no Freakfest10.  This month is dedicated to preparation.  We are preparing for the inevitable war that is soon to take place.

It’s crazy how much shi* changes in the course of a year.  Some good, some bad.  But, nothing stays the same.  Nothing.

Due to self inflicted problems, and a lack of consistency on recovery- I have definitely had to take a step back in regards to some of the workouts.  But don’t get your panties in a bunch…it’s not like I’m chilling on an elliptical and doing the pec deck 3x a week either.  I took some time off, did some rehab crap…and once again putting in some dirty, dirty, work again.

I can’t say I’m very upset with the step back either.  I have learned an absurd amount of quality knowledge in the last 12 months, and I will continue the same pursuit.  Some of which, the majority will not agree with.  Some of it has helped me personally, and some of it has been passed on and definitely helped others.  There is one thing for sure;  Once you stop learning, you stop growing.  Once you stop growing, you die.

Even though it has been a rough ride to say the least, we are still here.  Maybe not 100% up and up with the rules and regs imposed by others…but we are here.  I still got my beastmobile, my tire, and my mission.  I’ve picked up a few clients, and great friends..and gone thru twice as many quitters and whiners.  It’s life  In a matter of 12 months, mini-B went from being my cool 2 yr old nephew, to practically being my 3 yr old son…for whom I would shift my focus and future plans on.  Don’t be jealous, beez in peez- I am still here for ya!

Let’s start with some good ol’ fashion BURPEES.  If you’ve trained with me, you know how much we love burpees and jumping around like monkeys.

Next is day 16, this is a short movie (approx. 9mins) and has plenty of F bombs within the content.  It was pretty damn fun to make.

Normal people are stupid anyhow…

Much more to come- Stay tuned!

-Mike.

End of the week, and a workout

What’s up beez in peez?  Hopefully this Friday has found you well.  You know, happy-healthy- and full on beastly!

Today is momma-B’s birthday, so we’ll make it short.

A mother birthday and going thru part of relocating this weekend, I already expect a cheat day coming up.  That’s fine.  I must admit, my body is a little tattered- mostly from lack of restoration work- but I am feeling good.  The diet has held up for a few days now for the most part, and I have been sticking with my planned workouts.

We are approaching the end of the ‘2 week trial’ and the next 3 days will be big in determining the changes I will make.  I feel like I have really tightened a few areas, and I also feel I have exposed some weakness I need to address.

For starters;  I will be adding some ‘walking’ into the routine as well.  Yeah, I know…sounds silly- but you can’t argue with movement.  What do you think happens when you go ZERO mph for 90% of the time, then 95mph for a while, then stop…you break down.

For the next phase, I also plan on making an appointment to get my ‘blood work done’.  And then making another appointment on my visit to do it again before the end of the year…before my deductible ‘resets’.  Whatever the fu** rule that is…man, insurance- what a bitch!  Good thing we all eat right and live healthy lives…right?

So yeah…we will be making changes, more specifically- advancements on the next phase.  For now, the feeling is good and lean and energized.  Just a little sore.

So, it’s off to get some shi* done!  But, I’ll leave you with the circuit workout of the week.

3 rounds, 45 seconds each station, 90 seconds rest after each round.  Count each rep as a point.

-KB Swings 60# KB

-Lateral Jumps over 60# Sandbag

-Double 44# KB Step Ups

-Double 44# KB Push Press

-Air Dyne Bike for “clicks”

Ass kicker in less than 20 minutes.  And it’s not just wild cardio either, these weapons have the potential to pack on some serious lean muscle as well.  Not to mention, it’s a true test of will to push yourself to get more reps in- even after exhausted.  “That’s stupid Mike, taxing the CNS will cause negative effects on your muscle stimulation and will reduce growth.” Fu** Off!

Enjoy the vids!

Alex does the dungeon in this one below:

No funny captions in the one below, just another view of the CNS smashing circuit!

It’s Friday.  Out here in Cali, the weather is awesome.  Go eat like a caveman, get some sun- and kill somethin’ over the weekend!

I’ll be in touch.

-Mike.

Farewell and Good Fortune, Vic Magary!

I was fresh off some fat loss, it was the last 15lbs.  I got down to a pudgy 185.  It had taken me quite a while, and required the help of some ‘juice contraption’ that was labeled a master cleanse….and technically starving myself.  I was doing ‘weights’ on my lunch, and then ‘cardio’ after work.  The cardio was about 60-90 minutes on a combination of the machines; treadmills, ellipticals, and the stair stepper.  2 or 3x a week, I would also play rugby. I was very active, but still a loose, flabby, fat guy who had lost some weight.

Then, I found myself searching for new workouts online.  I stumbled upon www.GymJunkies.com and Vic Magary was talking about a 31 day challenge he would be holding soon.  So I followed…

That’s when things changed forever.

Burpees, man makers, pull ups, box jumps- and workouts done in under 20 minutes.  How the hell can you expect to get an effective workout in such a short period of time? I thought it was stupid.  Then the food started, don’t eat this- no, Sweet&Low is not on the list, what?!  It’s no calories, asshole!  Eat nuts, almonds?  You read the fat content in those things?  Whatever…  I pushed on, did the workouts and did some reluctant dietary changes.  The weight came off. Fast.  First 6lbs the first week.  WTF?!  I had been sitting on this plateau for months.  So I listened.  I was very interested now…and surprisingly, this guy was around to help.  He really helped.  He was not one of those send a cheezy email daily with a marketing ad attached.  Those are completely annoying, and I have unsubscribed to many.

Vic is an awesome guy.  Free of charge, he went thru our diet logs posted online and reports from our workouts.  Two weeks in and I was completely tired of the food changes.  No diet sodas, no 4 packs of sweet&low in my Starbucks, and no more chicken sandwich from Carls Jr for a post workout meal.  Instead, try carrots and tuna….great.  I was ready to call him a tard, and pack it in…but he continued to come thru with his relentless help.  He kept us motivated.  “It’s 31 days.  You can do ANYTHING for 31 days!”  He encouraged, motivated, and corrected. Half way thru, I was deeply in to it.  I now wanted to win.

I slowly started to move out of the gym.  Yes, OUT of the gym.  He was all about no nonsense advice.  The days I was responsible for my own workouts, I took them outside.  I started to build the arsenal.  I left my comfort zone and went to battle.  My body tattered, and mentally focused- we finished very strong.

Vic announced 2 winners, and I was one of them.  He was a huge help.  I remember the 3rd week I was ready to throw in the towel and he kept me focused.  I cut 15lbs off and got much stronger.  But, the mental aspect of the training is where I really reaped the rewards.

I won a sweet new shirt, the infamous- “Treadmills are for Gerbils” t-shirt that I so proudly sport on a regular basis. I get at least 2 comments every time I wear it into public.  And, I am sure a few more comments that I don’t hear.  Shit…if the treadmill was my only source of exercise 4x a week- I’d be a little irritated with the shirt as well!

He also hooked me up with 4 SOLID coaching calls.  Vic was extremely busy, battling his own issues,  so this was greatly appreciated.  By helping me, there was no financial gain promised…I had nothing to offer.  Still, he reached out.  I am very fortunate Vic was open to discuss anything, not just technique in the gym.  Just a genuine dude, and a great help- he shared some info and items with me that has helped tremendously in my own personal journey as a trainer now.  We are very thankful, Vic!

If anyone motivated me to follow my heart, and continue to fight thru the mayhem and bullshit- on this crazy new journey that I decided to take…it was Vic Magary.  Thanks, man!

Vic cut thru the bullshit and gave straight forward answers.  There was no marketing pitch, or some side product to sell.  He was sincere, honest, and an all around ass kicker when it came to training.  He designed some awesome workouts and always cranked out very informative and entertaining posts.  His dog was pretty cool, too!

Even though, he will be greatly missed- we are grateful for what he has done.  Today, Vic has decided to take a different direction down life’s path.

From all of us (me) at OC Strength, and Jabmax.com- we wish you the very best in all that you do!

If you put forth even half the effort you did in helping others succeed, there is no doubt that you’ll be highly successful in all that you do.

We’re sad to see the man who started it all go, but we’re excited to see what him and Coda will get into next.

Good fortune to ya, BEEEEAST!  I appreciate all that you do!

-Mike.

PS:  Check out www.GymJunkies.com for some kick ass downloads and great instructional videos.  Get on it before anything changes. We can only hope the new owners bring forth half the effort Vic once did.  But, once Vic is gone…there is no guaranties.

Thanks again, Vic and GymJunkies.com

This video below has ‘pushed me thru failure’ during plenty of workouts.  It is flat out BEASTLY.

WOD files: Deadly Deads at The Dungeon

Okay beez in peez, here in Cali the weather has been awesome!  I mean, no muggy crazy heat- no heat index warning thing-a-mabobs, no crazy smog- it’s been a great summer…so we’ve been fortunate enough to get some kick ass outdoor sessions in.

Today we stayed inside and banged out the 5 round deadly deads challenge-  it goes as follows:

-DL 225 x 5 reps

-Hit the stairs, 2 flights up and down.

-Bear crawl, 20 yards.

-Jump rope, 50 jumps.

-Box jump, 10 jumps.

-Return to DL bar.

Repeat 5 rounds for time.

You can see the highlight reel at the end of the post.

I shouldn’t have to say this; but if you haven’t done a dead lift in a few months- or ever, this probably isn’t a good idea to attempt.  If you’re a ‘public gym dweller’ you can substitute the bear crawls for ‘mountain climbers’ if there isn’t enough room.  If there are no accessible stairs, do lunges, up downs, or if you’re really sick- burpees.  For bear crawls, I would probably stick with 20 steps each leg, and maybe 10 up downs or 5 real burpees.

Here’s the session on video:

Kill it!

-Mike.

PS:  Time to end on a rant!  I’m starting to see the ugly comfort zones popping up again, and I need to take responsibility for it!  Results we DESIRE, die in comfort zones.  It’s time to crank things up a notch again.  We train like warriors.  Save your excuses and your time. No more trainin’ like a punk!  You go hard, or you go home!

WOD Files: King of the Hill II

Good Monday morning to ya, beez in peez!

It’s Monday morning, so you know what that means…people running late, lagging from the weekend, traffic jams, and a packed gym filled with people trying to ‘work off’ this weekends sins.

But, you know better than that.  Your weekends are disciplined; you relax and enjoy it, but you don’t overdo it to the point of ruining a weeks worth of training sessions.  You’re not stupid.

It’s Monday, so that means we have a new workout to add to the files, the WOD Files.

Try this workout when you have the chance.  You can use any size hill.  But, if you can, find a hill approximately 1/4 mile long at least.

I realize there is a few things you may not have handy, but you can use substitutions.

This workout was done with a partner, rotating on the way up the hill.

King of the Hill II:  1/4 mile up, walk back down

* Heavy Bag Haul, use style of carrying

-Top of hill: Heavy Bag Lunges x 10 each leg

* Farmer Carry (2) 44# Kettlebells

-Top of Hill: Heavy Bag box squats

* Sled Drag, 45# plate added

-Top of the Hill: Keg Clean n’ Press, plus up down x 10 x 3 sets

Hill Bonus: Drag sled backwards 10 yds x 3 sets

Do for time, rest when needed.

Here is the workout on video below.

Substitute Suggestions:  Tire sled- find an old tire, and a rope.  Heavy bag- buy one for your garage.  Or use a barbell, or some sort of odd object to carry.  Farmer Carry, find 2 things to carry.  Dumbbells work great, as do 25, or 45# plates.  Plates will work the finger and hand strength much more.  Keg clean n press- use dumbbells or barbell.

I strongly suggest you start building your inexpensive, yet very effective, arsenal ASAP.

Keep killlin’ it!

-Mike.

For the new folk, Im “Anti Your-Gym”

Happy Friday folks,

Listen, don’t cheat yourself…Friday is not an excuse to be a fu** off and ruin any hardwork you have put in.

This video explains my thoughts about your local gym. It’s not new..

I suggest you ask me questions pertaining to real training, and not anything to do with the stupid curl cables… Unless you’re at 24 rehabbing something..

Seriously, your better off picking up a 10# rock and tossing it as far as you can, then sprinting to it.  Sounds funny, but im not joking…

Anyone do push ups, pull ups, chin ups,  or dips anymore? I’m just sayin’…  When I go to 24 there are about 2 or 3 things I use…simply because I do not have room for it.  I hate the place.  Its cold all the time, it stinks, and everyone wears a sleeveless shirt.

For $12 per month I can go to any one any place after a killer workout and shower and be back on the road to help make beeeeasts again…so yeah, it does have it’s place.

Get comfy doing un-comfy things, or stay the way you are.

Killlit!

5 Full Days Left: Mile Move

5 Days left.

This is it, 4th quarter.  Last drive of the game. Score and win, don’t and go home a loser.  Nobody grows up saying they want to be a loser.  Every fight has a winner and a LOSER.

BEEEEEASTS will not go down as a loser without a fight.  Let’s get it on.

Diet has been solid the last couple of days.  Much more veggies and much less what and oats starting day 4.  I will need plenty of carbs for todays workout.

Workouts have been SICK!

Its probably best if you just let me finish up my goal..and leave me alone until then.

I’m feelin’ Eminem this week.  Not his lim shady bullshit either, more like this…

Sorry guys, I did my best to try and be civil…and it just did not work.

KILLITYO!!

To come: Pics, body fat testing done @ 24 fitness…hopefully.  Recap of the month.

7 Days Left

Well, this was the personal goal.  I will conquer this and then move into getting the forum set up and my own beasts in progress listing their goals and progress.  Everyone is doing awesome, it’s pretty sick!

I only gave myself 18 days from the pictures.  I have done 3 insane workouts, 2 came prior to the pictures.

That’s ok…im not fu**ing joking, and I am going to make this happen.

Today, well, Wednesday, I did 250 burpees in all types of variations.

Tomorrow’s WOD will be my own variation of Fight Gone Bad or Karen, both borrowed from the CF arsenal.

My food intake will be near perfect.

Talk soon, folks.

-Mike

Enjoy the music, that’s how I’m feelin!

The Big 4 in September

Kill it folks!

And for all you HATERS out there, EAT IT!

Two down, two to go. We’re gonna hit these last 10 days hard.

To recap, we have already done the GRAND which was 10 rounds of 10 reps of some beastly exercises.  Here is the workout below.

Then we did the tire flips to sledgehammer strikes, 20-1.  Thats 210 each…for the 19th time! HA!

“Don’t you wish your trainer was a beeeeeeast like me…dontya!” HAHAHA!

Still to come…

3. 250 burpees Done.

9.23.2009

I took this one to 24 Fitness in Orange, since it was about a million degrees out today.  This was simply, well just…retarded.  Sorry folks, told you there was no censorship here.

Anyhow, the fact is 250 of anything gets boring…and very tiring.  Coupled with the fact that it was burpees, and I can now see why prisoners come out so YOKED.  You can do 250 a day without missing a beat in there.

So I went straight to burpee box jumps.  Even though, it was the middle of the day and the gym is EMPTY, of course the cable machine is being used where I do pull ups.  People LOVE those straight bar bicep curls and tricep extensions….seriously.  I knocked out about 30 box jump burpees and said…”OK, seriously…wtf did you get us into this time?”  Then I worked in some box jump height lateral jumps, bad idea…almost ate shit.  Back to the box jumps, I knocked out 50 there.I just jumped in the middle of peoples rest sets and did 5 burpee pull ups at a time.  Did 25 more there.  That was gangstr…lots of swinging… then I tried to see if i could do a burpee to dip…another bad idea.

Flying burpees.  I just went back n forth in that yoga room or whatever the hell it is they do in there.  Back to boxjump burpees, regular and another 25 pull up burpees, then remembered tuckjump burpees…obviously not very good form pull ups tho.  That got me up to 165, so i headed down stairs to the front side of the cardio machines, better known as, BURPEE BLVD.  Killed there for the next 85…regular, tuck jumps, flying, and lateral jumps.  For the last 25, I went around 2 side of the treadmills…HAHAHHAHHA!

Wow…but then i fell asleep at Starbucks for 15 minutes after my post workout spinach wrap.

This shit was NO JOKE…and I will probably never do it again.

4. 1 mile heavy bag MOVE.  DONE, ONE HOUR AGO. Finished at 7pm on 9.26.09

Stay tuned…10 days to getter-done!

-Mike

Tire Workout of the Month

20-1 ladder

It is done with tire flips to sledge hammer strikes.

20 Tire Flips to 1 Hammer Strike

19 Tire Flips to 2 Hammer Strikes

18 – 3, 17 -4, etc.

That is 210 tire flips and 210 hammer strikes.  By far, the most I have done.

I feel like a BEAST, and the ab work was noticeable the same night!

Here is the ‘Trailer’ for the movie…full showing coming SOON!

KILL IT!

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