Crazy Strength

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWK5mfRGkiE

Oh my gosh, I get goosebumps every time I watch that.

I think the physiques displayed are fine representatives of what a truly strong and healthy body looks like – much like the old Greek ideal that you can see in their art. I’m hoping that with the wellness revolution en route, we’ll see physiques like this representing more of the ideal – rather than big, bulbous, barrages of biomass.

Your Question of the Day is: How would you rate the physiques, aesthetically, of those performers on a scale of 1-10? Please click here and explain your answer.

Be strong. Be well.

To your health and success,

P.S. Have a GREAT weekend!

image courtesy of Norman Conquest Encyclopedia

In trying to define my Real World Strength Training blog, I’ve been wrestling with ideas about who I am and what my purpose is. I have been asking myself the questions, “how can I help the world around me, and how can I help you?”

Strength training is something that has changed my life in dramatic ways. Among many other things, strength training is one that has literally given me so much to be thankful for. (I’d like you to think to yourself if you can identify with any of the following benefits.)

I enjoy vibrant health and abundant energy. I can do almost any physical activity I choose from scaling a mountain to keeping up with toddlers. My health is so great that I rarely get sick, so I can enjoy life with others around me. Strength training has given me the mental acuity and confidence to progress in my career. Strength training has allowed me to inspire other people to change their lives, and has even solidified my role as husband, brother, son, friend, coach, and leader. Strength training has also shown me the fragility of life, and the blessing that it is to be living, breathing, and active.

I could go on and on, but the truth is that for me, strength, health, and athleticism are the glue that holds John Sifferman together. I don’t deserve any of this, but I will accept it with open arms. And with open arms, I will freely give it away to as many people as will accept it.

What is the goal of this Real World Strength Training blog? And more importantly, what is your responsibility by coming here and absorbing this lifestyle?

I want to create massive change in your life. I want to show you the way to work for true health, in all areas of your life. I want your newfound strength and health to shine brightly in your relationships, in your career, in your spiritual walk, and in your leisure time. Most importantly, I want to impart on you the privilege and responsibility of caring for others. It starts with taking care of yourself, but it must progress from there. The people around you, your “circle,” are your responsibility. The truth is that we need each other, we depend on one another – and one of the greatest things you can do is set a superb example and inspire others to do the same.

One of my favorite quotes is by Coretta Scott King who said “It doesn’t matter how strong your opinions are. If you don’t use your power for positive change, you are, indeed, part of the problem.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. We’re here to interact with others, to set an example, to lead from the front.

Now, I’ve been thinking long and hard about what characterizes you and I. What are the quintessential qualities that we have? Better yet, what word or phrase best describes people like you and I?

warrior – that’s what comes to mind. Put it into context and we are “wellness warriors.”

I think that phrase sums up an ideal that we are meant to pursue. Wellness is a broad term, but paired with warrior and it becomes a character, a persona, an ideal to aspire towards.

Wellness Warrior

One definition of wellness that I like is: a state of optimal well-being that is oriented toward maximizing an individual’s potential. This is a process that can take a lifetime to perfect, as you ultimately seek wellness in your physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, familial, social, financial, and vocational lifestyle.

I’ve used the pursuit of health and strength as a channel to radiate positive energy into the rest of my life. I don’t mean to sound mystical or vague – it’s simply a means of mastering one area of your life and watching as that mastery spreads into other areas. Ask anyone who has overcome a challenge, and they will assure you that they are stronger because of it. That’s what being a wellness warrior is all about – taking on the challenges of life, seeking strength and health for yourself and your loved ones. Becoming the master of yourself, and admitting that you are strong, smart, attractive, confident – you ARE everything you want to be.

It wasn’t my goal to give a pep talk, because over-hyped energy is misleading. I DO intend to offer you a new perspective, and ask you a very important question.

Are you on board with the wellness revolution? It’s coming!

To your health and success,

P.S. Post your comments by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom.

(it was nice meeting some of you there!)

Zach just created this awesome (free) video and I wanted to share it with you because in it he shares his “favorite and most powerful training tool.”

You can watch it here:

http://www.undergroundstrengthcoach.com/public/464.cfm?

If you’re into ‘real’ No B.S. training then you’ll definitely want to see Zach’s video that he put together for you.

He demonstrates some great exercises and he flat out tells you where you can get your hands on this training tool in your home town for cheap!!

I think you’ll like it:

http://www.undergroundstrengthcoach.com/public/464.cfm?

Add this item to your home gym and I know it will help you.

If there is anything I can do for you, please use the contact form on the site, any and all feedback is appreciated.

P.S. – Enjoy the video and be sure to Opt-In because Zach told me he is going to be giving away some more free NO B.S. training videos this week.
http://www.undergroundstrengthcoach.com/public/464.cfm?

I’ll get right to the point on this post – I have a challenge for you today. If you want to achieve your strength training goals, then you better take me up on it because this will be an opportunity to learn and grow. I know what you’re thinking, “I don’t want to learn and grow, I want to get stronger!” Trust me, this one activity could mean the difference between enjoying your stronger dream body or not.

Everyone has a dream lifestyle. I was once asked by my friend and training partner, Kyle Battis, what my perfect “average” day would be like. I told him that it would start early in the morning so I could watch the sunrise while exercising. In my mind, I still know what kind of day I would like to have everyday if I could choose – the idea of a “perfect day” is constantly on my mind.

My perfect day would include time spent reading literature and poetry, learning how to improve my business, helping other people somewhere and somehow, spending quality time with my wife and family, getting adequate exercise, spending time in prayer, enjoying the outdoors, making the most of my hours spent working (high efficiency and productivity), and time spent relaxing. It sounds like a lot to fit into one day, but I think I can do it with the right mindset and a little planning.

So, here’s a lifestyle exercise that I want to encourage you to try out tomorrow. I want you to strive towards having a perfect day – a day that is optimized for not only your strength training goals, but for all of your lifestyle goals. Granted, this is probably impossible since there are so many unexpected things that CAN happen to put a wrench in your progress. Regardless, your goal will be to do everything in your power to push towards achieving your daily goals, if only for one day – even if something comes up to put a stop to it from happening.

Here is my idea of a perfect day and what I want to accomplish tomorrow, and everyday:

Paired with the correct nutrition and lifestyle strategies, this program can be used for fat loss and muscle building goals, or for general conditioning. This program will require a gym membership. As with all general programs, you will need to adjust this program to your individual needs. For example, some exercises may need to be increased in difficulty, and others may need to be decreased. A lot of people have trouble with strict, deadhang pullups, for instance. I recommend substituting pullups with resistance bands as assistance or negative repetitions (eccentric only). Please post to comments if you have any questions.

For the first 3-4 weeks:
Frequency – 3x/week, preferably spaced apart throughout the week.
Number of exercises – 4-6
Order of exercises – Do challenging exercises first, especially when you’re learning a new exercise (you want to learn while you’re fresh), save supplemental and isolation exercises for last
Sets – 2-3 per exercise.
Reps – Each set will consist of 12 repetitions (try to leave one or two reps left “in the tank”, so that you’re not going to exhaustion) – so select the appropriate weight with this in mind.
Rest times – 2 minutes between sets at first – try to work your way down to 60 seconds of rest between exercises, but move at your own pace.

Instructions: do a cardiovascular warm-up first, then do a “light” set of each exercise to prime your body for the movements. Also, you could do a joint mobility warm-up, my preferred modality for priming the body for exercise.

Week 1 (Circuit Sets)

Session 1 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Flat BB Bench Press 3 x 12 120 sec.
A2 – Bent-over Dumbbell Rows 3 x 12 120 sec.
A3 – Squats 3 x 12 120 sec.
A4 – Deadlift 3 x 12 120 sec.
B1 – DB Hammer Curls 3 x 12 60 sec.
B2 – Standing Calf Raises 3 x 12 60 sec.

Session 2 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Incline DB Bench Press 3 x 12 120 sec.
A2 – DB Upright Rows 3 x 12 120 sec.
A3 – Front Squats 3 x 12 120 sec.
A4 – BB Good Mornings 3 x 12 120 sec.
B1 – BB Bicep Curls 3 x 12 60 sec.
B2 – Tricep Dips 3 x 12 60 sec.

Session 3 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Decline BB Bench 2 x 12 120 sec.
A2 – Pullups 2 x 12 120 sec.
A3 – Step-ups 2 x 12/leg 120 sec.
A4 – BB Deadlift 2 x 12 120 sec.
B1 – Standing Calf Raises 2 x 12 60 sec.
B2 – BB Lying Triceps Extensions 2 x 12 60 sec.

Week 2 (Supersets)

Session 1 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Flat BB Bench Press 3 x 12 90 sec.
A2 – Bent-over DB Rows 3 x 12 90 sec.
B1 – Squats 3 x 12 90 sec.
B2 – Sumo Deadlift 3 x 12 90 sec.
C1 – DB Hammer Curls 3 x 12 60 sec.
C2 – Standing Calf Raises 3 x 12 60 sec.

Session 2 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Incline DB Bench Press 3 x 12 90 sec.
A2 – DB Upright Rows 3 x 12 90 sec.
B1 – Front Squats 3 x 12 90 sec.
B2 – Good Mornings 3 x 12 90 sec.
C1 – BB Bicep Curls 3 x 12 60 sec.
C2 – Tricep Dips 3 x 12 60 sec.

Session 3 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Decline BB Bench 2 x 15 90 sec.
A2 – Pullups 2 x 15 90 sec.
B1 – Step-ups 2 x 15/leg 90 sec.
B2 – Barbell Deadlift 2 x 15 90 sec.
C1 – Standing Calf Raise 2 x 15 60 sec.
C2 – BB Lying Triceps Extensions 2 x 15 60 sec.

Week 3 (Circuit Sets)

Session 1 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Sumo Deadlift 3 x 12 75 sec.
A2 – Neutral Grip Pull Ups 3 x 12 75 sec.
A3 – Incline DB Press 3 x 12 75 sec.
A4 – Preacher Curls 3 x 12 75 sec.
B1 – Front Squats 3 x 12 75 sec.
B2 – Standing Calf Raises 3 x 12 75 sec.

Session 2 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Squats 3 x 12 75 sec.
A2 – Bent-over DB Rows 3 x 12 75 sec.
A3 – Glute-ham Raise 3 x 12 75 sec.
A4 – DB Military Press 3 x 12 75 sec.
B1 – DB Curls 3 x 12 60 sec.
B2 – Lying DB Tricep Extensions 3 x 12 60 sec.

Session 3 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Lunges 2 x 12/leg 75 sec.
A2 – DB Flat Bench Press 2 x 12 75 sec.
A3 – Good Mornings 2 x 12 75 sec.
A4 – Barbell Bicep Curls 2 x 12 75 sec.
B1 – Tricep Dips 2 x 12 60 sec.
B2 – Standing Calf Raises 2 x 12 60 sec.

Week 4 (Supersets)

Session 1 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Sumo Deadlift 3 x 12 60 sec.
A2 – Neutral Grip Pull Ups 3 x 12 60 sec.
B1 – Incline DB Press 3 x 12 60 sec.
B2 – Preacher Curls 3 x 12 60 sec.
C1 – Front Squats 3 x 12 60 sec.
C2 – Standing Calf Raises 3 x 12 60 sec.

Session 2 – Sets / Reps / Rest
A1 – Squats 3 x 12 60 sec.
A2 – Bent-over DB Rows 3 x 12 60 sec.
B1 – Glute-ham Raise 3 x 12 60 sec.
B2 – Military Press 3 x 12 60 sec.
C1 – DB Curls 3 x 12 60 sec.
C2 – Lying DB Tricep Extensions 3 x 12 60 sec.

Session 3 Sets / Reps Rest
A1 – Lunges 2 x 15/leg 60 sec.
A2 – DB Flat Bench Press 2 x 15 60 sec.
B1 – Good Mornings 2 x 15 60 sec.
B2 – Barbell Bicep Curls 2 x 15 60 sec.
C1 – Tricep Dips 2 x 15 60 sec.
C2 – Standing Calf Raises 2 x 15 60 sec.

To your health and success,

Circuit, no rest between exercises, 2 minutes rest at the end of each circuit :

1A. Squat with dumbbells: 3 x 12
1B. Stiff leg deadlift with dumbbells: 3 x 12
1C. Swiss Ball bench press with dumbbells: 3 X 12
1D. Dumbbell rows: 3 x 12
1E. Dumbbell Shoulder press: 3 x 12
1F. Swiss ball crunch: 3x 15
1G. Isometric Plank on elbows: (Hold for 30 sec-1min)

After three weeks switch to this program:

Perform the following program three non-consecutive days per week. Perform the exercises in a superset format (A1 then A2 with no rest). Rest 30 seconds to 45 seconds after each superset and repeat each superset three times (3 total sets then move on to the next superset). Continue in this fashion until you have completed all supersets. Try to use slightly heavier weights during this three week segment. Start off with 3 sets of 8 reps of a given weight and each workout try to beat what you did last time for reps. If you can do 3 sets of 12 at a given weight make a note to increase your weight the next time you perform that workout.

A1. Squat with dumbbells: 3 x 8-12
A2. Stiff-legged deadlift with dumbbells: 3 x 8-12

B1. Swiss Ball bench press with dumbbells: 3 X 8-12
B2. Dumbbell rows: 3 x 8-12

C1. Dumbbell Shoulder press: 3 x 8-12
C2. Supine bench dumbbell rows: 3 x 8-12

D1. Swiss ball crunch: 3x 15-20
D2. Isometric Plank on elbows (Hold for 45 sec to 1min)

After six weeks of this training take a week of ‘Active Recovery’ where you perform physical activities every day but totally different then what you did above (for example: try swimming, hiking, biking, kickboxing class, spinning class, go for walks, play frisbee, etc). When you start your next six week block of training, work in some different exercises for the various muscle groups to add some variety to your training and to keep the results coming.

Some tips:
-Record your training sessions in a journal.
-Increase your water intake during these first couple weeks.
-Use a stopwatch to make sure you’re staying on target with your rest times.
-Save static stretching for the end of your strength training sessions.
-Get adequate post-workout nutrition consisting of protein, carbs, and healthy fats, if you can.
-Last, but not least – Have fun!

To your health and success,

This program requires minimal equipment and can be performed at home or at the gym.  There are three, full body strength training sessions per week, performed on non-consecutive days, for four weeks.

Session scheduling, sessions A, B, C, and D.
Week One:
A B A

Week Two:
B A B

Week Three:
C D C

Week Four:
D C D

Sample schedule for week one:
Monday: strength training session A
Tuesday: other activity such as athletic skills practice, cardio, leisure activities, etc.
Wednesday: strength training session B
Thursday: other activity such as athletic skills practice, cardio, leisure activities, etc.
Friday: strength training session A
Saturday: other activity such as athletic skills practice, cardio, leisure activities, etc.
Sunday: rest

Equipment required: Stopwatch or Clock, Dumbbells, Pullup Bar, Bench or Chair, and Floor Space for bodyweight exercise.

Special Notes on How To Maximize Your Progress:

There are a total of 4 different sessions, each one will be performed 3 times over the 4-week period.  This gives you two chances for each designated session (A, B, C, or D) to outperform your previous results.  Your goal should be to set new personal records each time you repeat a session, otherwise you will not make optimal progress.  The two easiest ways to progress in this program are as follows:
1.    Increase the total amount of circuits per session.  For instance, if you went through the dumbbell circuit in Session A twice when you performed it for the first time – go through it three times the next time through.
2.    Increase the amount of time that you perform each exercise.  If you did bodyweight squats for 30 seconds the first time through, try aiming for 35 or 40 if you’re feeling strong.

Constantly seeking improvements in performance will ensure that you are pushing your limits and will see the best results.  Do you think you will receive the best results by putting in a marginal effort? I don’t think so!

Here are three more rules to keep in mind when doing the exercises:

Discomfort rating: Don’t move into any pain during these exercises.  Don’t confuse pain with discomfort, they send very different signals.  If an exercise is uncomfortable, that is OK, just don’t push into pain – learn to tell the difference.

Effort/Exertion rating: Try to aim for at least a 60% level of maximum effort during each exercise.  This means that 100% would be working as hard as you possibly can be.  Generally, your goal should be to stay between 60-80% of your maximum effort capacity.

Technique rating: I cannot stress the importance of using proper technique that is both EFFICIENT and EFFECTIVE.  Make sure that you are performing the exercises nearly perfectly – think 8 out of 10, 10 being perfect technique or form.  If you cannot perform an exercise listed below with near perfect technique, either drop down a skill level (ie doing knee-pushups instead of regular pushups) or substitute another exercise.

4-week Sample Strength Training Program for your Workout Routine: Using Only Dumbbell Weight Training and Bodyweight exercise

Strength Training Session A (30-60 minutes)

Joint mobility warmup: 5-10 minutes

Bodyweight circuit, repeat 2-4x, no rest between exercises 60-120 seconds rest at end of each circuit:
•    Bodyweight squats 30-60 seconds
•    Pushups 30-60 seconds
•    Pullups (negatives or hanging on bar are substitutes for beginners) 30-60 seconds

Dumbbell circuit, repeat 2-4x, no rest between exercises 60-120 seconds rest at end of each circuit:
•    Dumbbell swings 30-60 sec/arm
•    Bent-over dumbbell rows 30-60 seconds
•    Overhead presses with dumbbells 30-60 seconds

Cool down with joint mobility and yoga, 5-10 minutes.

Strength Training Session B

Joint mobility warmup: 5-10 minutes

Bodyweight circuit, repeat 2-4x, no rest between exercises 60-120 seconds rest at end of each circuit:
•    Reverse lunges 30 sec/leg
•    Close-hands pushups (AKA diamond pushups) 30-60 seconds
•    Bodyweight rows 30-60 seconds

Mixed circuit, repeat 2-4x, no rest between exercises 60-120 seconds rest at end of each circuit:
•    Dumbbell bench or chair step-ups 30 sec/leg
•    Front plank on forearms 30-60 seconds
•    Side plank 15-30 sec/side

Cool down with joint mobility and yoga, 5-10 minutes.

Strength Training Session C

Joint mobility warmup: 5-10 minutes

Mixed circuit, repeat 2-4x, no rest between exercises 60-120 seconds rest at end of each circuit:
•    Dumbbell front squats 35-60 seconds
•    Bent-over dumbbell rows 35-60 seconds
•    Lateral lunges 15-30 sec/side
•    Pushups with hands on dumbbells (get deeper into range of motion) 35-60 seconds

Mixed circuit, repeat 2-4x, no rest between exercises 60-120 seconds rest at end of each circuit:
•    Forward lunges 30 sec/leg
•    Mixed grip pullups (negatives or hanging on bar are substitute for beginners) 30-60 sec.
•    Incline pushups 30-60 seconds
•    Front plank 40-70 seconds

Cool down with joint mobility and yoga, 5-10 minutes.

Strength Training Session D

Joint mobility warmup: 5-10 minutes

Mixed circuit, repeat 2-4x, no rest between exercises 60-120 seconds rest at end of each circuit:
•    Dumbbell deadlifts 30-60 seconds
•    Bodyweight rows 35-60 sec.
•    Single-arm dumbbell swings 35 sec/side
•    Pushups 35-60 sec.
•    Hold top pushup position for 15-30 seconds after finishing repetitions – contract abs and lengthen out your spine in two opposing directions.

Mixed circuit, repeat 2-4x, no rest between exercises 60-120 seconds rest at end of each circuit:
•    Walking lunges 30 sec/leg
•    Inchworm exercise 30-60 seconds
•    Alternating overhead presses with dumbbells 30-60 seconds
•    Side planks with elbow locked (arm straight) 20-40 sec/side

To your health and success,

John Sifferman, NSCA-CPT

John pretending to be a monkey in Maui.

If I could teach you one thing it is that you ARE strong and you DO know what is best for your health. This advice will echo throughout all of the Real World Strength Training themes, principles, and articles.

You have an amazing gift that you can use for any physical goal, be it strength training or not – intuition. Deep inside of yourself, you know what is best for your health – you have an internal awareness that provides direction. While many trainers and coaches will belittle you by saying that their workout routines are over-your-head, that you need professional help (or a “specialist”), or that you’re not capable of taking care of your health – they couldn’t be further from the truth. One of the best things you can do to immediately jump-start your progress in your exercise program is to listen to that inner voice – your “physical conscience,” if you will. This will provide more direction for your training than any workout routine, exercise program, or even a professional trainer.

Now, I’m going to tell you something that many other coaches, trainers, and even some corporations won’t tell you…

You are 100% capable of developing your body into a powerful, vibrant display of strength and health – with a physique that is beautiful and a body that is functional. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need any assistance doing this – you don’t need specialized bodybuilding workout routines, supplements, or fancy strength training equipment to obtain the body you’re after. You’re not too old, too young, too skinny, too fat, too sick, or too injured to start working towards better health and a beautiful physique.

Here’s a hard truth: only you are responsible for your health. Let me say that another way: every single choice you make contributes to your health, and only you make those decisions.

If you are unhappy with your body, then it’s not your doctors fault, it’s not your environment or social structure that is causing your body to stay the way it is – the responsibility ultimately rests on your decisions and actions. I trust that you already know this, which has led you to this site. You’re taking responsibility for your actions and using your intuition to guide you. You’re on the right track!

While everyone develops in an unwavering, predictable manner, it is always an individual process – so you will get to learn so much about your body as it develops into that powerful physique you want so badly. While I will provide you with recommendations for exercise programs and workout routines, the real value that I will offer you is in the instructions on how to customize these strength training programs to your individual needs and goals.

It’s best if you take a long-term approach to strength training and health improvement. If you commit right now to take baby steps everyday towards your goals – you will find that your progress is permanent. Don’t rush to find the “solutions” to your problems – this isn’t a contest. Instead, commit to improve daily, and enjoy the process of your personal transformation.

6 Strength Training Principles From Real World Strength Training:

Address the Whole Body – we train movements, not muscles since it is impossible to isolate a muscle and counter intuitive to make substantial progress towards a leaner, healthier physique that is functionally-sound. We train “all the body, all the time.” If you’re looking for a bodybuilding workout routine, or a split exercise program, you won’t find it here because we know those techniques are ineffective and outdated for building real world strength.

Integration – you must integrate your breathing, movement, and structure to excel towards your goals.  Each exercise has a proper breathing technique (control), movement technique (execution), and structural technique (posture).  Inefficiencies in any of the three will affect your total performance, and each component can be adjusted to change the dynamics of the exercise.  All strength training exercises must keep these three components in line.

Sophistication – contrary to popular belief, simplicity is the worst enemy for your health,  strength training-wise. You need to sophisticate (not complicate) your strength training techniques to continue to reach and surpass your goals.

Symmetry – is there any reason you would only train the left side of your body? We can’t think of any either. We train movements, not muscles, so when you train a forward movement, you also train it backwards, etc. Symmetry within strength training workout routines, is important and helps to prevent muscle imbalances and the other host of problems that ensue when breathing, movement, and structure are impaired consistently.

Compensation – Each of us carries a lifetime of stored tension throughout our bodies, while we could go really deep into this, we’ll just stick with the rule for simplicity sake. Whatever your daily activity is, both in training and not, you need to compensate for that activity. For example, if you sit at a desk for work all day, you need to compensate for the imbalances which this creates – perhaps by improving your hip, shoulder, and neck mobility and by strengthening your hamstrings.

Fun – We would never ask you to do something that you don’t enjoy. Strength training should be fun, and we’ll do our best to show you how it can be. While there are many techniques and games to enjoy strength training, what usually must happen first is a mind-set adjustment. Don’t ever look at strength training as a bore, or a dreaded experience. Instead, see it as your own adventure of exploring your potential. Remember that strength training is “me time,” where you get an opportunity in your schedule to do something for yourself. Strength training games help, but are a superficial supplement if substituted for the right attitude.

These are some of the underlying principles which guide Real World Strength Training.  Take them and run!

To your health and success,

John Sifferman NSCA-CPT
Strength Training Expert

Here at Real World Strength, we have a health-first perspective on fitness and athleticism.  We know that strength is a skill that anyone can develop with practice, and reap the benefits of a stronger, leaner physique – and ultimately what we’re all after, better health and quality of life.

Please enjoy this short video:

Welcome, and please enjoy your stay!

John Sifferman, NSCA-CPT