4 Fitness Scams and Land Mines.

Those who can’t do, teach.

Right off the bat I figured I would agitate someone out there.  I am not sure who, but I know every time I have made that comment and/or heard somebody utter those words, someone takes their ball and goes home.  Am I knocking teachers?  Jeez I hope not, I am married to one.  What I am knocking is people in the fitness industry, coaches, trainers, writers, bloggers and experts who insist on giving away…or worse charging for information that is bunk.  Stealing peoples hard earned scratch and giving them crap in return.  Would you take lifting advise from a kid that looks like a pipe cleaner just because he has a certification?  Would you train with a fighting coach because he wears a Tapout shirt and has all the gear?  I sure the hell hope not.; but it happens all the time.  There may be some guys out there that is an exception to the rule but for my money, when it comes to coaching, strength and conditioning and fitness I will tell you the vast amount of my information comes from guys in the industry that have been in the gym, under the bar and cutting there teeth with clients and athletes for decades.  Some of them may even have some college and certs BUT any of them will tell you they have learned 10 times more hands on and competing.  In fact 2 or 3 of my favorite S & C coaches have no formal eduction, but have not only trained world champions for 50+ combined years, but have competed at a high level and won some world titles themselves.  The lesson, when finding a teacher or a coach, see if they can walk to walk and not just talk the talk.  Find someone that can teach AND do.

Net Carbs.

What a crock of shit.  Sure fiber (cellulose) is none digestible so it does not have calories, but sugar alcohol?  Not a carb?  Doesn’t count?  REALLY?  It is true the body can’t use alcohol directly as fuel; but what does happen?  It goes to the liver and it is converted to an aldehyde then to ketone bodies which are used as fuel.  A carbohydrate contains 4 calories per gram just like protein.  Fat on the other hand has 9 calories per gram.   Alcohol contains about 6.9 calories per gram; it is calorically closer to fat than the carb cousin that gets subtracted from, because its not a real carb.  So no carbs, maybe (by definition) no sugar?  Not quite.  The lesson?  Get your carbs from fruits, veggies and roots; if man made it, don’t eat it.  It is very easy to eat low carb or low fat with real whole food.  Net carbs are a scam.  If you want to eat something bad for you, your an adult deal with the consequences.

Squatting is bad for your knees.

Well the way YOU squat is bad for your knees.  Read my “You don’t know Squat” articles, change your form and tell me how your knee feels.  Because in over a decade of training, everyone that had bad knee’s and squatting supposedly hurt them, fixed there knees, most of their knee problems, got strong as hell, and more physically fit by squatting the right way.

High reps and low weight tones you up.

To much high reps and low weight tears up your joints.  85% of all weight loss is diet.  You get toned by lowering body fat.  I don’t even like the word “tone”.  It just sounds weak and like a cop out.  Grab some freaking weight and do some work. Light weight and high reps is for rehab.  Eventually you got to make it heavier.  If you want to stop training and looking like a punk, do heavy weight for high reps!  Now we are talking tone.  Time to get shredded and jacked.  Just don’t training this manliest of ways all the time.  It’s very hard to recover.  The lesson?  I have girls that squat, bench, deadlift, press, snatch, clean, and row HEAVY!  Heavier than some guys I know.  They also knock out chins, dips and push ups like champ.  They are not “boxy”, they don’t look manly.  They look “TONED”.

The Definition of an Expert

The Definition of an Expert
by Tim Henriques – 5/18/2012

An ad hominem is an attempt to negate the truth of a claim by attacking the person rather than the argument.

As an example, imagine a guy at Starbucks discussing the economy with the bubbly 24-year-old barista. If she suggested that raising taxes would be a good idea and his response was, “Well, you think that way because you’re a spoiled, entitled child who could never survive in the real world,” that would be an ad hominem, not to mention a truly awful way to score an extra shot in your Americano….

Read the rest of this article here on T-Nation.

How I Train

I have not posted in a while; many things going on in my life over the past couple weeks.  Family functions, the death of my grandma, my 30th birthday and moving 25 minutes away from my old condo have been taking up much of my time.  For about two weeks I wasn’t even able to train.  I would screw around and get something in, random sets of 50-100 reps on the bench say, but no real training.  Today I decided to put up my current training scheme.  I do this because I am always asked what I do, and I couldn’t think of anything else to post.  Since today was my first real hard training session back I though my template would be a great way to start blogging again.  I am simply going to start with the basic days and movements.  Anyone that knows my training knows that I try to keep as small of a plan as possible, training almost chaotically.  I believe this guarantees faster and more solid growth as well as almost erasing plateaus.  So the reason I do not write down sets and reps I this template is because I really don’t know what I am going to do until I get to the gym and start feeling the weight.  Note that event training changes depending on the upcoming meet.  Deadlifting and Overhead work do not count as event training because they are woven into the basic fabric of this template.

Day 1
Squat
Romanian Deadlifts or Good Mornings
Heavy Shrugs
Blast Strap Rows
Abs
Neck

Day 2
Snatch Grip Combo’s
Strongman Event Training
Strongman Event Training
Prowler or Sled
Abs
Grip/Forearms

Day 3
Overhead (Log or Axle)  (Chin or Pull Up For Every Press)
Slight Incline Dynamic Bench 40% 50 % 60%, Band Tension Varies. (Chin or Pull Up For Every Press)
Dips
Curls
Lateral/Rear Delt Work

Day 4
Deadlift  (Add 3 Singles  18” Deads)
Bulgarian Split Squats
Axle Power Cleans
Dumbbell Rows
Abs
Neck

Day 5
Snatch Grip Combo’s
Strongman Event Training
Strongman Event Training
Prowler or Sled
Abs
Grip/Forearms

Day 6
Bench (Pull Up For Every Press)
Dynamic Overhead 40% 50% 60%  (Pull Up For Every Rep)
Close Grip Bench
Curls
Lateral/Rear Delt Work

Very basic, but high volume.  Steal some ideas and get stronger!

Diabolical Delt Destruction

As most of you know I am into training more total body for my clients or for my strength athletes movement/zone based protocols.  Very few and far between do I just pick a body part and run with it in a specific workout.  Sometimes though I will encounter someone looking for more size, or has a muscle group so lagging that extra attention needs to be paid.  With the delts, it is a combination of the latter AND delts are my favorite body part to not only train myself, but make others train.  Something about throwing a big poundage over your noggin just makes you want to grow more facial hair and get aggressive with people.

Here is a list of some of my  favorite movements that I not only inflict upon myself but other as well.  In my last post “Big, Thick, Powerful Lats” I explained the need of strong and dominate traps and rear delts.  The obvious tie ins between all these groups is why for the normal Joe, traps and upper back can either be trained on a delt day or a lat day.  Personally if I press anything at anytime I am always doing lats as well so this never presents an issue.

Pressing Movements -

Standing Overhead Press – These can be done with a bar, log, axle, dumbbells, keg, sandbag or any other implement you can get your hands on.  Normally I prefer the weight to be cleaned into place from the floor before a press is completed.  Some prefer to take it out of the rack and avoid the clean for a myriad of reasons.  When it comes down to it if you want to become more jacked and athletic stop being a pussy and just clean it at least once and then press away.  Standing press can be done strict, push style or even with a jerk.  You can perform them for any amount of reps, sets or methods, just press.

Personal favorites include but not limited too…

1)  Max Effort Axle – Clean and press every rep.  Perform sets of 3 until sets of three are no longer possible.  Continue singling up until you reach a PR.  Same can be done with the Log.  Occasionally after I reach a max I like to drop the weight and hit 3 downs sets of 3, 5 and 7+ reps.

2)  Dynamic Effort Axle – Take the bar from the rack and perform 8 sets of 3 with 50-60% of your current max.  45 second break at the longest.  To develop more force I typically perform these with 100+ of band tension from the bottom.

3)  Standing Strict Barbell Press -  German Volume Training is the name of the game here.  Only try this method if you are angry at yourself.  10 sets of 10 with a 1:30 break in between is what we are looking for here.  I like to keep the weight around 55% of my max.  This is miserable; but doing so will make your beard thicker and your back hairier.  If your a chick buy some Nair before you perform these.

Seated Military Press – Like the standing variety these can be done with a bar, log, axle, dumbbells, keg, sandbag or any other implement you can get your hands on.  You can perform them for any amount of reps, sets or methods, just press.  Now, however, we are seated, this means no leg drive and much more dependence on the delts.

Personal favorites include but not limited too…

1)  Fall Back Dumbbell Press – I must warn you this is a ton of volume but it turns you shoulders into bowling balls.  Snag a set of dumbbells and hop on an adjustable bench.  In the military setting knock out a set, put down the dumbbells, adjust the bench a notch down and continue.   You will run through sets at Military, Slight Military, High Incline, Incline, Low Incline, Slight Incline and Flat Bench.  Your delts will be on FIRE!

2)  Z Press – Named after Strongman Žydrūnas Savickas the Z Press is a seated style over head press that involves no bench.  You simply sit on the floor and press the bar out of the pins above your head.  All the standard rules apply to this form of overhead, but I am here to tell you the pressure on your middle back, and core is tremendous as you try to keep yourself tight through the movement.

Add these movements in and have fun with them.  Play around with the sets, reps and implements.  Change up the routine and watch your overhead confidence and delt size grow!  Remember big movements.  I can hear some of you asking where the  lateral raises, front raises, and all other manner of raises are?!?!  To be honest everyone already does enough of these little movements.  Perform some of the treats listed above and put your heart and balls into it.  If done right you won’t have the energy to add in the little stuff.  Better yet try this…

Standing Bar Push Press – Start with an empty bar and perform 5 reps.  Add 10lbs to the bar and continue doing 5 reps until you can’t.  Takes breaks as needed, but on your last set, cut the weight in half and knock out one last set to failure.

Clean Grip High Pull/Clean/Clean Grip Snatch Combos – With a clean grip on a bar high pull the load 3 times, perform one power clean, and one clean grip snatch.  This constitutes as one set.  Take a break and perform 8 more.

Don’t forget for every press you do, you really should be doing a pull; this means you owe me a pull up, chin up, or row for every press you did today.

Upon completion of these 3 simple moments feel to do all the raises you have energy for!

 

Big, Thick, Powerful…Lats!

I am not quite sure why, but most people just don’t seem to have the obsession I do with lat and upper back training.  Folks will press all day, be it bench or over head.  People will curl till the cows come home.  I even see the occasional grip and forearm work.  Just have to shake your head at it I guess.  More back work and all these issues would be solved.  I can tell you at Manassas Ironworks  this is not the case, I love lat work and make most of my clients do something for it every time they come to the gym.

1)  As far as pressing work, the extra lat work will help out tremendously a few ways.  For one it will fix that Pringles potato chip upper body of yours.  All caved in with bad posture.  The extra lat and upper back work, will also help to keep you tighter, resting the bar on your lats when you over head and lowering the bar with your lats in the bench.  Your bar track will increase, your weights will go up and you will cast a larger shadow.  Let us also not forget the injury prevention that comes along with bring up your weak points as well as the larger shelf for squatting, and the awesomeness that comes from having “Lat Syndrome”  as opposed to “Imaginary Lat Syndrome”.

2)  Ahh curls for the girls.  I always laughed at that statement seeing how some of the biggest arms in the world were built on heavy back work before they were ever peaked and shaped by curls.  Just look at my client Mike; not a body builder, but I’ve made him into a chin and pull up machine.  This is the kid that banged out 800+ reps in under an hour.  His lats are thick yes, BUT his biceps and forearms are jacked!  Jacked I say.  He does no direct forearm or biceps work.  Wonder where it came from?!

3)  Grip; this is very easy.  Increase your lat work by 200% and never use straps.  Tell me how your grip starts doing in a  month or two.

So you may be saying to yourself, “Hey Josh, how do I get on the right track”? 

Lets start with pull ups and chins.  Everyone should be doing them.  Now.  I weight 400lbs and I do them, so I don’t want to hear it.  Oh and lets get this out of the way real quick.  Pulldowns are for tools.  If you are to fat, to weak, or to hurt to do chins, strap a reverse band to the rack and do them anyway.  5 sets of 10 is the goal here, AND every time you do these in a workout change your grip.  Double over hand, double under hand, over under, parallel grip, fat bar, etc.  It will only help.  Once you get to the point where you can perform 5 sets of 10 with your body weight, add 10 pounds and start over.  This is not a race.  Look for months or even a year for your poor ignored back to catch up.

Next we look at rows.  Bent over rows with a barbell are up first…If you pull to your gut you are wrong.  If you bounce them on the floor you are wrong.  If you do them under handed, you are wrong.  If you use straps, you are wrong.  If you don’t think I am right, you are wrong.  Follow the cues below and stretch out your t-shirts.

Coach Stevy P. showing some proper rows.  Before anyone says hay he is bouncing a little know that its 396lbs, not your 95-135 behemoth of a pull.

Stand in front of the bar.

Bend about to 90 degrees.

Take a shoulder with, over hand grip, with no straps.  Straps only if you are maxing reps of weight, but not for normal lat work.

Pull to the base of the sternum, about where you would touch in the bench.

Pull with your elbows, and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Return the bar to the floor for a dead stop and do it again.

Let us not forget the stress on the low back will strengthen it thus helping your squat, dead, and general core power.

These should be heavy and treated like a deadlift or a squat.  5 sets of 5 will do the trick after your chins.

Next up are the 1 arm rows.  I like to do these Kroc Row style.  Standing with a hand supported  but no knee supported on something.  Sling and ding them.  These are a big power movement and will put slabs of muscle on your forearms, biceps, lats and upper back.  Sometime straps are ok for big reps sets, when the goal is lat decimation.  I like to do these Kroc style; 2 sets of 10 followed by a set to failure, always looking for a weight or a rep PR.  These are not done the same workout as the bent bar rows.

Last but not least I like the upper back, upper lat, rear delt, neck and traps development from high pulls, clean and snatch combos.  Snatch grip combos being my favorite.  Not only do they make you jacked, but they are far more powerful and athletic than plain old shrugs.  I won’t lie and say I don’t shrug anymore, but I am pretty close to abandoning them all together.  I like  8 sets of 3 with all of these movements, keeping them very heavy, but VERY explosive!

Add these movements  in you daily training now and your body and performance will change drastically.  If your lats really suck and you are way behind after your first day I would perform this protocol again 72 hours later!  Happy widening.

PS – Before people freak out these are the big bread and butter movements.  Inverted Rows with the Blast Straps and Face Pulls are also high on my list, amongst others.  These movements are what you size are power should be based around.

Example Sessions -

Strength -

Chins – 5 sets of 10

Bent Bar Rows – 5 sets of 5 as heavy as you can!

Snatch Grip Combo’s – 8 sets of 3

Hammer Curls if you must curl, 5 sets of 20 is what I like for a pump!

Size  -

Pull Ups – 5 sets of 10 / Super Set / Face Pulls – Light 5 sets of 20

Kroc Rows – 10, 10 10+ as heavy as you can!

High Pulls – 8 Explosive sets of 3 / Super Set / Inverted Rows – 4 sets of 10 mixed in to every other high pull set.

Hammer Curls if you must curl, 5 sets of 20 is what I like for a pump!

Rant!

My gym doesn’t have/doesn’t allow; general facility bitching.  This grinds my gears on so many levels.

This may agitate me more than anything I can think of in the industry.  I hear it all the time!  My gym doesn’t allow deads.  My gym doesn’t allow chalk.  My gym doesn’t have a GHR.  My gym doesn’t allow _________!  Fill in the blank, it doesn’t matter.  “I want to be strong, and awesome, but my gym is holding me back!”  First thing is first.  You don’t train at a gym.  You train at some pussified, half-assed, poor excuse for a fitness/wellness center, that in today’s world is called a gym, because we as a country have become pussified, half-assed, poor excuses of our former selves.  If you are curious what a gym looks like, acts like, and houses stop by Manassas Ironworks.  Sadly if you are interested in the prior though I doubt you have the scruples to train any place serious.

Another level would be the fact that gym bitching shows a lack of heart, passion, determination and hard work.  I know for myself, many I know in the industry, training partners (both past and current), and head instructor of sister training facility Manassas MMA, Dave Trader…we have driven hours, HOURS to train.  Different gyms, in different counties and sometimes different states.  All for the sake of training.  I hear people complain about driving across town sometimes.  Are you serious?  When the trip to the gym you are training at is 3 times longer than your training session itself, then I will listen.  If your gym does in fact suck, leave!!!  With a hardcore gym right in the heart of Manassas like ours, nobody within 30 miles has reason to bitch; and that’s being kind.

I don’t have the time?!?!  Really?  You can play video games for hours, tell me about the plot of 5+ tv shows, always go out of town for the weekend, go to happy hour, stay up late, sleep in, etc.  But you can’t find time to train at a real facility because you may have a hike?  Now I am not talking about anyone specific I hear these excuses day in and day out everywhere.  Many from people I don’t know, forums and such.  It still makes no sense.  As far as people I know it always seems to be someone who is single, or doesn’t work, or is in high school, or doesn’t go to school at all that has time constraints.  How can someone with a spouse, or a kid, or both…A job or two, a commute, may still be going to school on top of it to list a few responsibilities make time to get to the gym, kick ass and take names?  Priorities.  I guess it is just a case of laziness.  It is far easier to bitch about a bad gym, lack of equipment, bad traffic, no money, being sick, spotty training partners and a myriad of other excuses that you feel you have no control over than to just man up.  Who wants to drive to a real facility 20 minutes away when there is a wellness center right down the street.  Plus if you go to the wellness center then you don’t have to worry about training hard, because its the facilities fault you are not getting jacked, just complain about it.

No money for a membership is another one that makes me laugh.  Where did you get the money you are paying for the places that suck?  Where did you get the money for fast food everyday?  Where did you get the money for that new game, those new clothes, that pile of new cd’s, the new car, whatever?  $50 a month you can’t handle that?  Drink 10 less Starbucks and you will even out.  Legitimately have no money?  I have heard 100′s of cases of people cleaning the gym, or doing odd jobs in exchange for membership, I’ve done it as a kid.  If you want something bad enough it will always work out.  Plus remember we are talking about folks that have the money anyway because they are already some paying for a membership some place else, not some broke kid that really has no money and is bitching about being poor.  If he/she wants to train bad enough and shows me they have the heart I’ll train them for free, and pay their gym membership.

I don’t know.  I just don’t get it.  This subject gets me so fired up I’m just ranting now, veering off coarse.  I guess not everyone has what it takes and that is fine.  Some people may have what it takes and just don’t want to, that is fine too.  If training is not a priority no problem, just don’t bitch about it.  The people that work in gyms 12 hours a day don’t want to hear or read about it anymore.  Plus there are better things to bitch about, like bad traffic, expensive gas and liberals.

Remember, if this post pissed you off something about it must have hit a little close to home.  You now have two choices.  Nut up or shut up.

Conditioning Poll!

Exercise Effective in Cancer Patients

Guest Post by David Haas

Exercise Effective in Cancer Patients

Exercise can be an important tool for recovery from cancer and the side effects of cancer treatment. Getting a few hours of exercise each week can pay off in the form of more energy, lower weight, and higher spirits. Exercise plans are available that are tailored to the needs of the individual cancer patient, taking into account your stage of cancer, current fitness level, and energy level.

The U.S. seems to be lagging behind when it comes to recommending exercise as a complement to more traditional cancer treatments. A study by Macmillan Cancer Support in the UK recommended cancer patients should be advised to perform two and a half hours of exercise weekly. Being told to take it easy and rest following treatment is outdated advice in their view.

The study showed that physical exercise doesn’t result in increased fatigue and can actually increase energy following treatment. Other benefits are lower risk of developing heart disease and osteoporosis.

Other studies have shown that regular exercise can lower the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 40% and the risk of death from prostate caner by as much as 30%. Six hours of moderate exercise per week can reduce bowel cancer patient’s risk of death from the illness by about 50%.

The head of Macmillan Cancer Support said physical exercise is vital to the process of cancer recovery.

“Cancer patients would be shocked if they knew just how much of a benefit physical activity could have on their recovery and long term health, in some cases reducing their chances of having to go through the grueling ordeal of treatment all over again.

“It doesn’t need to be anything too strenuous, doing the gardening, going for a brisk walk or a swim, all count.”

Another benefit of exercise for cancer patients, even those with mesothelioma, is a more effective immune system. Exercise increases the number of T-cells. At the end of the day, it is your own immune system that will defeat the cancer; so maintaining its strength is a key benefit here.

Exercise also increases levels of important brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters. One type, endorphins, helps to decrease feelings of pain. Endorphins are the body’s innate painkillers. Regular exercise will boost endorphin levels and may even enable you to lower any pain medication you may be on. And unlike narcotic painkillers, endorphins have no side effects and you will not build resistance to their effects.

There are a variety of physical activities available to you if you would like to see the positive benefits. Running, walking, swimming, and resistance training are just a few. Partaking in some of these physical activities is not only beneficial to your health but also can completely change ones mood and outlook on life. A diagnosis of cancer is extremely rough on anyone, help fight this diagnosis by exercising.

Capital Classic Strongman Challenge

This past Friday night I headed to The Edge 2.0/South Arlington Crossfit to weigh in and check out the event site that would be holding the 2nd Annual Capital Classic Strongman Challenge.  This was to be my first Strongman meet.  After arriving and checking out the location I tested out some of the implements I would be using the following day since I have never touched some of them.  I weighed in and then after speaking to Owner/Promoter Barry Von Perkins it was strongly suggested to me that I not enter the novice and compete in the open with the bog boys.  Needless to say this freaked me out a little as not only had I been training for Strongman for a grand total of 6 weeks, but I’d been training with novice weights, and I had/have a combination sinus infection and bronchitis.  I got no sleep that night, but I figured it’s time to nut up or shut up!

The Viking Press – This was the first event, and the weight was listed at 310lbs; most reps in 60 seconds wins.  As my max axle is 325lb and my max log is 285lbs all I wanted was a double.  I was fortunate all day to be the last competitor in the last category so I was able to watch forms and tricks.  I ended up with a PR 7 reps.  This tied me for 3rd out of a field of 9 in a sport I have never competed in; in a class I thought I didn’t belong in.  Needless to say the butterflies were gone and I was able to have fun for the rest of the day!

The Shield Carry – The Shield Carry was up next and this thing weighed 404lbs; max distance to first drop would win this event.  I have not had the chance to train with a  shield or Husafell Stone so all my practice was done with a giant sand bag.  I was able to pick the shield with ease and once I turned and started walking I was damn near running with it.  Unfortunately I forgot to breathe and started blacking out causing me to drop it and stumble forward trying not to bust my ass.  The way everyone was having issues with this I am actually very confident that between my height and wing span that with a little more oxygen, I would have won this event.  As it stood though I was tied for 7th.

Hummer Tire Deadlift – Last man standing rules.  The bar started at 545lbs and the loaders increased the weight by 30lbs every rep.  I was confident I would do well in this event with all my years in powerlifting and my build.  I was right.  With successful lifts at 545lbs, 575lbs, 605lbs, 635lbs 665lbs, and 700lbs I was 1 of 3 men left.  All lifts done this day were PR’s because I have never lifted this implement before, BUT at a bar height of 16″ this was also a 25lb lifetime PR as most of my power comes from the floor and I am not very good at rack pulls.  700lbs was a cake walk.  725lbs was even easier.  775lb was the final weight that I was not able to break from the floor; tied for 2nd in this event is what I would have to settle for.

Bigg Dogg Strongg Frame Carry – With my back already fried from the Shield and Deadlifts this event was very tough for me.  Having to pick a 700lb frame and walk it as fast as you can for 80 ft was a chore.  I was able to make it a distance of 40ft, but after my second drop I was unable to deadlift it again to continue the trek and I was forced to stop.  I was relatively prepared for this as I had been working with very heavy Farmers Walks, but between the extra weight, my tired back and the fat grip on the frame this was a difficult event for me.  Tied for 7th on this event.

Atlas Stones – With the stones ranging from 270lbs to 370lbs this was a tough event for most of the competitors.  It was the end of a long, lower back intensive day.  I was able to make light work on the 270lbs and the 300lbs stones, but when I reached the 320lber I ran out of steam.  This would have been a PR for me as I have never lifted a stone heavier than 300lbs, and this was only the 3rd time I have worked with stones.  4th place in this last event had me feeling very unsure yet optimistic about my overall outcome on the event as a whole.

When it was all said and done I placed 5th, missing 4th by half a point and 3rd by 1.5 points.  One more rep in the Viking Press and I would have placed.  Over all I am very happy with my performance.  Everything I did was a PR, and I had a great experience.  The other competitors were very friendly, humble and willing to help.  I was able to meet and speak to pro’s like Andy Deck and this years winner of the Arnold Classic Big Mike Jenkins.  I also ran into old friend and strongman vet Kevin Irwin who will being joining the gym and helping to guide me through this new sport.

Thanks again to my friends and family that came to support me!  My wife for taking video the event and screaming her heart out.  Manassas Ironworks for being the only hardcore training facility in northern Virginia.  To Stevey P. of Iron Sport Gym for helping me with my training plan.  And to Barry Von Perkins for running a top notch event!

What’s Your Excuse? Please Watch…