Training Like A Champion

Quick post tonight! Take a few minutes to read this article by Greg Everett, one of the best Olympic Lifting coaches in the nation.

Train Like A Champion: Technique, Habits, and Positivity

Like the wind...

7/23/13

Warm-up: #1

Strength: 5X2 1 Clean Pull + 1 Clean + 1 Push Jerk @ AHAP
Rest 60-90 secs

Workout: Fun Day!


Barbell Club

Warm-up: #1

Strength: 10 min EMOM
1 Snatch 1st Pull + 1 PS + 1 OHS @ AHAP

1) 4X2 Snatch Balance
2) 4x10 T2B
Rest 45 secs

Back Squat
Work up to 5RM

Open House Saturday, July 20th from 9-3 (Best post on the subject to date)

"I go to this really awesome gym with a bunch of super cool people and they are throwing a blowout bash with a free workout, Hawaiian food, bounce houses, corn hole, Organic Gluten/Sulfite Free alcohol, free massages, contests, supplement giveaways, and Lululemon is even going to be there selling clothes. It is going to be wicked awesome! I'm not going though."

Don't be that person. That person will end up like this...

Remember when you heard all about the awesome party over the weekend at school that you didn't go to? Remember how cool you felt? Yeah, it was about as cool as a fanny pack. It's simple, just come out, bring a small army of friends and family, and enjoy a day with fun events and people. Oh yeah, eat, drink, and win free stuff while you're at it.

Check out the itinerary below and  see what interests you. All of it? Yeah, I know.

See you all there!!!

Like the wind...

7/19/13

AoS

Warm Up: #2

Skill: Handstand Kick Ups

3X5 with 10 second hold

Strength: Deadlift

2X5 @ 70%
1X5 @ 80%
2X3 @ 90%
1X2 @ 95%

Workout: 12 Min EMOM

Even: 5 BB Thrusters
-Heavy with perfect form
Odd: (3R/3L) 1A GUSU
-Heavy

Barbell Club

Warm Up: #2

Skill: Handstand Kick Ups

3X5 with 10 second Hold

Strength: Deadlift

Work up to a heavy set of 3
Then...

Drop weight and complete:

1X5
1X8
1X10

How KB Swings Relate to Oly Lifting

Jesus was a great teacher because he taught in parables, gave examples, and was exceptionally talented at making his disciples see likenesses in things they may not have seen otherwise. He also taught principles that governed his followers lives.

I am no Jesus and never will be but it is my job to Coach everyone who walks through the door and help them connect the dots when it comes to movement and to teach you all principles.

One thing that we always say is that there are certain principles that never change and will always remain a constant no matter what exercise you are doing. For example, a flat back is a strong back. An athletic position allows for the most versatility. The more tension you have in your posterior chain the more power you can produce.

That last one is what I want to speak on. Today we did a ton of exercises with Kettlebells that required tension in the posterior chain for efficiency and power like KB snatches, high pulls, cleans, and swings. They all require the same amount of tension in the loading phase as you would need in the Hang position of a clean or snatch. In both positions a flat back is created by pushing the butt back allowing for the chest to protrude as far as possible over the bar or KB, to create tension in the hamstrings while maintaining a whole footed.

Here is the Hang Position in a Clean:

Here is the loading phase of a KB Swing:

 

You can see in both pictures the chest is as far over the toes as possible with tension in the hamstrings and the weight is balanced in the feet. That is always a position of power. This allows your posterior chain to fire efficiently and powerfully.

When you are doing any exercise remember that skills and principles transfer for one exercise to another so always recognize what principle is governing the exercise you are doing and practice is flawlessly so it transfer over to other movements.

Like the wind...

7/18/13

Warm Up: #3

Skill: Seated Box Jumps
3X6

Strength: Bulgarian Split Squats w/ Bar in Rack
3x6 (L/R) @ Heavy

Rest 60-90 seconds

Workout: Rough one...

Barbell Club

 Warm Up: #3

Skill: Seated Box Jumps
3X6

Strength:

Take 10 mins to work up to a heavy clean double

Front Squat:
1 FS every 15 secs for 1min (5 reps) @ 70% (don't rerack)
Rest 2 minutes
1 FS every 10 secs for 40 secs (5 reps) @ 80% (Don't rerack)
Rest 3 minutes
1 FS every 10 secs for 30 secs (4 reps) @ 90% (Don't rerack)

Versatility....and signing in online

Jimmy and I had a great reminder tonight about how important it is to be versatile as a coach and expect the unexpected. At the 5pm class tonight we had a few (11) extra people show up and due to logistics, we needed to change a portion of our workout to accommodate various levels of skill. It's always an adrenaline rush for us when we have to think on our feet and be creative within a workout and thankfully it worked it out well and went off without a hitch. Thank you guys for making it easy for us!

With that said, please understand that sometimes we have to completely change workouts when we have more people than expected, which changes the dynamics of the class. You all know we are passionate about quality and try to hold ourselves to a standard of excellence, so please help us help you. SIGN IN AT LEAST 24 HOURS AHEAD OF TIME. Doing this allows us to be completely prepared for each and everyone of you, making your class as epic as possible.

Reminder!!!! Open House this Saturday! Lululemon will be in the building along with an impressive list of local vendors all day so please bring your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and anyone else you can think of to what will most definitely be an awesome day!

Like the wind...

7/17/13

Warm-up: #1

Skill: BL Side Lunge 3x5 (L/R)

Strength:
1) 4x5 Push Press @ 80% of Strict Press
2) 2xme Negative Pullups (3 count down)

Workout: KB Complex
Using maximal weight for perfect form, complete the entire list from start to finish without putting the KB down. When finished, rest for 30 secs and repeat by starting on the opposite side.

3 Rounds
TGU
3KB Snatches
4 KB High Pulls
5 KB Cleans
6 KB 1A Rack Squats
7 KB 1A Swings
6 KB 1A Rack Squats
5 KB Cleans
4 KB High Pulls
3 KB Snatches
Reverse TGU

Rest 1 min between each round


Barbell Club

Active rest day!!

The Quest for a Flat Back (Bye Bye Hunchback)

 

Two weeks ago we had the current 69kg American Open Champion, Spencer Arnold, stroll into the gym for a two day Oly lifting seminar. Besides his talent for being able to brave through country music while lifting absurd amounts of weight, he also has as keen of an eye as any 25 year old on the planet when it comes to lifting, fitness, and the body.

He noticed a rounded back in one of the baseball players we train while trying to perform a Pendlay Row and we quickly chatted about ways to correct it. Before he offered a solution he asked me a question. He said, "You sound like you are frustrated that his back is rounded. You know why it is?" My response, in a "come on and school me" tone was, "No, is it because he doesn't listen to me?"

He replied, "Probably but also it's because kids today spend a half of their time hunched over. They are either leaning over a desk, a computer, or over their own laps playing video games."

Boom! He hit the nail on the head. How can a trainer correct Kyphosis in one hour a day 5 days a week when over half the other time spent away from the gym is stuck in a Quasimodo like position.

There are ways to focus on strengthening the muscles that have become weak from these structurally unsound activities like chatting with Malaysian teens while playing Modern Warfare 3.

One way is to correct the internal shoulder rotation and weakness in the thoracic spine is Static Holds in Extension. You can see this pictured below but what I like to add in to activate the muscles that support the scapula is holding that static position while holding a stick out in front of the person's head with arms locked out and shoulder blades squeezed together. This will work the entire posterior chain all the way up into the thoracic and cervical spine.

 

 



Another great exercise would be a standing Row with a Theraband focusing on strict form and squeezing the shoulder blades while pulling.

Whether you are a teen, parent of a teen, an accountant, or a world class gamer, these exercises can help you make you straight as an arrow instead of crooked as a question mark. Good luck!

Like the wind...

7/15/13

Warm-up: #5

Skill: 5-10-5 x 3

Strength: 10x1 Clean and Push Jerk @ AHAP
-Rest 60 seconds between sets

Workout:

2 Min AMRAP
BL Rows at Maximal Angle

Rest 2 minutes

800 M

Rest 2 Min

400 M

No Rest

2 Min AMRAP
BL Rows at Maximal Angle


Barbell Club

Warm-up: #5

Skill: 5-10-5 x 3

Strength:

8x1 Snatch Pull + 1 Power Snatch @ AHAP

1) 4x2 Snatch Balance
2) 4x10 Supermans
-3 Second Hold

Back Squat
6x2 Pause Squats (3sec pause at bottom) at AHAP - work your way up

Benefits of Unilateral Training

Our philosophy at Art of Strength Tampa Bay is simple. We will do whatever we have to do to make a person move the way God intended them to move. God loves it when we squat deep, press our head through the window on a press, keep a vertical shin when lunging, and a flat strong back when it is necessary...which is always.

To help people learn to master movement patterns with balance and control, we mix in unilateral training in our skill segments, strength regiments, and workouts. We believe doing this will drastically increase strength and balance in bilateral lifts like the Squat, Deadlift, Clean, and other compound traditional lifts.

Put simply, unilateral training means developing one side of the body independently.

As an example, a barbell squat would be a bilateral exercise because you are using two (bi-) legs to lift the weight. A lunge would be an example of a unilateral strength training exercise, because one (uni-) leg is dominant in the movement.

Unilateral strength training provides several benefits, that traditional bilateral training often doesn’t, or can’t provide.

First, unilateral training helps activate deep core muscles, small stabilizer muscles, and creates more neurons to fire engaging and training your CNS (Central Nervous System). The benefits of this are endless and unilateral training will also illustrate in real time where inefficiencies may lie that you could not detect with bilateral movements.

Second, most activities on a day to day basis are unilateral. Thus, unilateral training is "functional". Think how often you use one side of your body when doing an activity. Picture yourself carrying groceries in one hand and talking on the telephone with the other. Think back to college when you held a beer in your left hand and punched an opposing teams fan with you other. See, unilateral training is very useful and practical.

Training like this will help improve your quality of life and your ability to perform at your best.

Speaking of daily activities, most of us have a dominant side.  Meaning we over-develop our stronger side and under-develop our weaker side.  As time goes on, muscular imbalances develop, putting us at risk of injury.  Most causes of back pain originate with weak abdominal stabilizer muscles.  This imbalance from front to back causes injury.

Rounded shoulders often mean weak upper back muscles, or overdeveloped upper body pushing muscles.

Golfers and Baseball players are at big risk for muscular imbalances and overuse injuries.  Performing the same movement, with the same side over and over again predisposes you to injury. Unilateral strength training will help offset the effects of these types of activities.

One thing to consider when doing unilateral training is to always train your weaker side first. This is important because if you train the stronger side first the weaker side will fire to aid it and by the time you do your weaker side it will not be strong enough to work at it's full capacity.

I hope this was useful guys. Make sure to incorporate this into your training to create a balanced body that is free from injury. 

Like the wind...

7/11/13

Warm-up: #3

Skill: KB Lateral Walkouts 3x20

Strength: Bulgarian Split Squats with KB/BB in rack position 3x6 (L/R)

Workout: 20 on 10 off for 8 Rounds

Box Dips

Rest 3 Minutes

8 Min EMOM (M: 20kg/W: 12kg)

6 DBL KB Swings to a Squat
10 DBL KB Reverse Lunges

Barbell Club

Warm-up: #3

Skill: KB Lateral Walkouts 3x20

Strength: 5x1 1 Clean Pull + 1 Hang Clean  + 1 FS  + 1 Jerk

Rest 2 min

Front Squats
5x3 AHAP

Last Samurai-Self Discipline

This whole scene is incredible but really pay attention around 1:45 in

"Excellence is a talent or quality which is unusually good and so surpasses ordinary standards. It is also used as a standard of performance."

At Art of Strength Tampa Bay, as trite as it may sound, we believe in the Art of Excellence. Excellence in motion, strength, character, and determination.

We believe that when each of you shows excellence in your work (whether your work at that moment is in the gym, at home, or at your job), amazing outcomes happen and lives are changed through the diligent pursuit of excellence. 

There is nothing better for us as coaches than to see your dedication pay off and you realize the results you worked so hard for! That is why we are so strict on your form, why we ask you to fold the ropes up correctly, why we show you how to put the kettlebells in line and even for some of you, clean the gym. Pursuing this excellence in the little things daily will translate to the bigger things in your life.

Aristotle put it best when he said: "We are what we repeatedly do . . . excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." 

Actively choose excellence today. Then do it again tomorrow.

Like the wind...

7/10/13

Warm-up: #1

Skill: Shoulder Mobility - Band Work 1x15 of each

Strength: Superset
1) 3x5 Crossover Press - Thick grip DB
2) 3xME BL Pikes
Rest 45secs

Workout:
Part 1: 3 Min AMRAP - 70% GUSU Max

Part 2: 6 Rounds
5 Chin-ups
8 BL Reverse Fly's
30 secs Max Circles

*Advanced
5 Chin-ups
8 Bent Over TGDB Reverse Fly's
30 secs Max Circles


Barbell Club

Active Rest Day

Go swim in the ocean/pool. Nice easy pace for about 15mins - watch out for water spouts.

5-10-5 Drill and Analysis

We always say that our goal as coaches is to prepare you for whatever activity, goal, or situation you may be faced with. Preparation is the key to success and with that being said it is our job to prepare you for everything.

For example, you never know when you will be caught in a vicious game of pickle so drills like the 5-10-5 drill will help you shine when that moment comes.

The 5-10-5 drill is a staple for finding out how quick an athlete is because it defines agility to a science. It will test how quickly a person can accelerate, decelerate, stop, and reaccelerate without losing their balance and body control. The ability for an athlete to change directions at top end speed is crucial for optimal performance and that ability to be honed by the skills learned in the 5-10-5 drill, L-Drill, and Star Drill.

Keys to the 5-10-5 drill are:

• Keeping a low center of gravity
• Keeping the arm action "lip to hip" and near the body to keep the athlete running in a straight line
• Planting without taking too may stutter steps and then pushing off the instep of the outside foot to get as much power as possible on the backside to change directions
• Taking 3 steps on the 5 yard portion, 5-6 on the 10 yard portion, and 2-3 on the final 5 yard segment

Use this drill to test agility and see where you stack up against the pros by clicking here. The 5-10-5 drill is listed as 20 yard shuttle.

Enjoy and learn from this analysis of two of our stud high school baseball players going at it.

Like the wind...

7/9/13

Warm-up: #5

Skill: Rope Climbs - Alt w/ Partner for 5 Mins
Strength: 10 Min EMOM
2 Clean Pulls + 1 Clean @ AHAP

Workout:
Ropes  for 2 rounds (20 on/10 off)

1 Round:
Alternate wave with a squat
Speed Skaters
Criss Cross Slam

5X100 M
-1 minute betwen sets
After last sprint immediately go into a 2 minute recovery jog

Then...

Ropes (20 on/10 off) for 2 rounds
Alternate wave with a squat
Speed Skaters
Criss Cross Slam

Barbell Club

Warm-up: #5

Skill: Rope Climbs - Alt w/ Partner for 5 Mins
Strength: 8 Min EMOM
2 Snatch @ AHAP

1) 3x3 Push Press - work up to heavy set - heavier than last week
2) 3xME Pullups
Rest 45 secs between sets

Back Squat
5x2 Pause Squats (3sec pause at bottom) at AHAP - work your way up

Two Weeks to the Day! Open House on July 20th!

Art of Strength Tampa Bay's Open House...
where kids, AoS Pride, and sheer joy are combined.

To those brave souls who came out this morning to roll around in the grass, chase each other around the parking lot, and bask in the sweet coolness of the shade, I say thank you. You ballers straight merked that workout. For those that missed it...well you're still a little cool. From now on, we will be having FREE bootcamp style workouts on the corner of Forest Lakes and Racetrack every Saturday morning at 9am...except for July 20th.

Speaking of July 20th! (Perfect lead in, I know) Exactly two weeks from today we will be holding our first ever Art of Strength Tampa Bay Open House! It's going to be the ish because not only will we have delicious Hawaiian food brought to you by Jen Byrd, a free workout, fitness contests, organic beers and wine, TEN Product giveaways, a bounce house for the kiddos, but a certain apparel company known as Lululemon will be gracing our hallowed grounds with their perfectly svelte clothing. You will have the opportunity to browse various styles of athletic apparel while sipping on a refreshing adult beverage and relaxing as your kids go ape shhhh in the bounce house.

This unforgettable day will start at 9am and end way too soon at 3pm so make sure you stop by, eat some food, take part in a contest, grab some swag, and drink a brewski...can I make that sentence anymore toolish? Anyways, this day is going to be a time for us coaches to give back a little to you and thank you for making this gym the best, the strongest, and by far, the dopest (tool?) gym in Tampa Bay.

All we ask is for you to please tell your friends, family, strangers on the street corner, next door neighbors, co-workers, and anyone else you can think of about it and literally bring them with you. It will be an incredible day with a ton of chances to win some sweet prizes, grab some new clothes, and even give blood! So grab your peeps and join us at the gym on July 20th!



Like the wind...

Gehrig's Farewell Speech

This country was built around perseverance, hard work, and the ability to change your own fate. 74 years ago tomorrow, a man who embodied that gave one of the greatest speeches of all time in the greatest country there is while playing a sport that is as American the Red, white, and blue.

Have a wonderful day tomorrow celebrating the Independence of our great nation. Thank you to all the fearless men and women who fight for our freedom daily. This country is built around your courage, strength, and loyalty.

Happy Fourth of July.

Like the wind...

Jimmy's PR Back squat Analysis (405lbs)

"Lift that sternum up. Deep Breath, hold it, explode out of the hole. Drive those knees out. Stay in your heels. Activate your glutes. Speed, speed, speed! Use that stretch reflex. Stay strong through your midline."

Those are just a few choice phrases you will hear buzzing around the gym during squat day. Each one is as important as the previous one and the one following it.

Cale and I are constantly barking out words of encouragement and little nuggets of knowledge with hopes that it will help propel you to a new PR and a new level of understanding of the movement.

In theory, you should practice what you preach so today Cale will take out his multimedia marker and break down two separate PR's of mine in an attempt to illustrate the nuts and bolts of the back squat and what a happens to the movement when individual necessary components break down.

Cale is the John Madden of Squat Day. He will draw up some X's and O's on this play and perform verbal surgery on my squat.

P.S. Shirts are in tomorrow and we will pass them out beginning Friday at our one and only 10 AM class.

Like the wind...

(6/3/2013) AoS

Warm up #2

Skill/Mobility: Shoulder Mobility Strength: 1) 2x5 Push Press @ 100% of Strict Press 2) 2xME Negative Pullups (5 count down) Rest 60 seconds between supersets 3XME Push Ups -Rest 1 min between sets Workout: 6 Min AMRAP 20 Sink n' Presses 20 DBL KB Duck Walks (1 rep is one step) ***Stay in heels and practice perfect squat form*** Rest 2 minutes Repeat The Barbell Club Warm Up #2 Skill/Mobility: Roll out, mobilize, smash, and stretch your way to a new you Strength: None (Active Rest Day) Workout: Warm Up #1 X2 -No rest between drills Rest 2minutes Ladder Drills 10 Separate Drills X2

4th of July and all it's Perks

Nothing like following up a PR filled max week like celebrating Independence Day in all it's glory the week after! This year's 4th has quite a few perks...4 day weekend, Rays are at home, beautiful beaches just a few miles away, and ridiculously easy ways to save some moolah at your favorite bad a$$ gym. But first things first.

Schedule change this week. Thursday, July 4th, the gym will be closed for the 2nd greatest holiday ever behind Christmas. On Friday, July 5th, we are going to accommodate all of you crazies by having one class at 10am.

Now onto the perks! We have started a new program that we are extremely pumped about and pretty sure you will be too, unless of course you don't use Facebook/Twitter and hate saving money. This program is called Perkville and it's really easy. Just sign up and start earning points towards $25+ off your membership. You earn points by referring a friend, posting to Facebook and Twitter about the gym (make sure to tag us in it), and more! Basically now you get rewarded for doing all the stuff you already do, making your life easier, healthier, and wealthier.

Reminder! Our Open House will be on July 20th from 9am - 3pm. It will be the best day of your life. Hands down. There will be more to come on that but in the mean time, just get excited.

Like the wind....

7/2/13

Warm up: #3

Skill: Windmills -> Curl -> Press 3x3 (L/R)

Strength: 3 Position Cleans (1 Power Clean, 1 Hang Power Clean, 1 High Hang Clean)
8x1 @ 70%

Workout: 4x400m Rest 1:1



Barbell Club

Warm up: #3

Skill: Windmills -> Curl -> Press 3x3 (L/R)

Strength: Power Snatch + 1 OHS
6x2 @ AHAP
Rest 60 secs between sets

1) 3x3 Push Press - work up to a heavy set
2) 3X60 sec Jump Rope

Back Squat
5x2 Pause Squats (3 sec pause at the bottom) @ AHAP - work your way up in weight

Max Week Concludes in Style!

Max week is over!!! Here are some highlights:

Tanner Guy set's a new 400 M Course record with a time of 1:02 (Our course has a few more sharp turns and curves than a track)

Hedric Carella sets a new Squat record with a PR of 455lbs. He is 18 years old and the only thing bigger than his squat is his mouth.

Tracy Trenck steps up to the plate and PR's everything from her Get Up Sit Up to her time from home to the gym.

The Sexton family came to play! Tracey, mother of 4, sets a women's Deadlift record with a 285lb pull. Her daughter Abbie, 15, back squatted 200 and front squatted 185 and my man, Alex Sexton, 13, PR'ed in everything and skyrocketed from 0 pull ups 6 moths ago to 14 today. Dead strict, son!

Tony Lisotta went from not being able to air squat with his concrete hips to going ass to grass on a 300lb back squat.

Twins separated at birth, Christina Brown and Kristen Pusch, both PR'ed in all 9 categories and did so in style.

Melissa Sewell showed major improvement and had sizeable gains to PR in deadlift, clean, clean and jerk, pull ups, and southern accent.

In the push up realm, Tricia Lolkus and Shannon Shipley both left the crossfit worm behind and knocked out new PR's in push ups and they were done military style with hips never even sniffin'the ground.

Jackie Bernard is still riding her Coache's Eye debut high with her 125lb clean and her husband Jason was feelin' it too with a Pull Up, Squat, and Clean PR.

Jackie Rosenstein left her tap shoes at home and dominated in newbie fashion establishing PR's with the vigor and grit of the Shark's in a Westside Story.

Chris "Father Time" Scott showed why he gets a sick nickname by crushing 27 strict pull ups.

...and...as of 8 minutes ago Cale and I watched max week conclude with a class that was 7 for 7 in deadlifts PR's. My cuz, Mari Ebert pulled 190lbs, D.J. "Papa" Carney pulled 305lbs, Jen "Big Cat" Ruszczyk crushed 145, the Sutton Family (Stuart a former Virgina Tech Linebacker and Beverly a former WWE Diva) set a new couples record with a 600lb combined total, Kristen "Little Baby" Pusch who weighs a mere 90lbs forcefully levitated a 175lb bar to her waist that was to small to hold a weight belt.

Every single one of you who participated made us so proud and we can't thank you enough for making our jobs so awesome.

For any of you who want to continue to PR on pull ups, here is a month long program that helped our member's skyrocket to numbers they never thought they could reach. Ladies, you can do unassisted pull ups and guys, you can reach that 20 and 30 milestone. Use this program created and tested here and it will happen.

Test Week

Test-With a overhand grip and thumb around the bar (thumb around the bar creates more shoulder stability) do as many pull ups as possible while pulling your chin over the bar each time and getting a full lockout at the bottom. This test is done using strict pull ups. There is absolutely no kip. Legs can bent but there can be no kick or kip to get your chin over the bar.

Complete this test a week before you start your pull up program.

Are you ready for this program?

If you have shoulder mobility issues, you can complete this program but do the program using bodyweight rows. Make sure you use a maximal angle. There are many tests to find out if you have shoulder mobility issues but for this program our test will be simple. Place you back against the wall and make sure everything from your heels, butt, back, and head are touching the wall with as little of a back arch as possible. Bring both arms up to a 90 degree angle like you are signaling a made field goal. At this point every part of your arms including the back of your arms should be touching the wall. From here, keeping all parts of your body on the wall including your arms and back of your hands, slide your arms and hand up the wall to the angle at which you would be at a dead hang with your pull ups. If you have to arch your back or if you can not keep all parts of your body against the wall including your arms and back of your hands your shoulders are not quite mobile enough to safely complete the program.



We will do this while standing and make sure arms go to full extension

Week 1
Day 1-Volume (Monday): 30 Pull Ups in least amount of sets possible. If you can do over 20 unbroken then make that number 40. Make sure to log the number you do each set, what band you used if any, and absolutely rest at least 45 seconds to a minute between sets.

Day 2-Negatives (Wednesday): 10X1 Negatives with a 5-0-0-3 Tempo. You will jump up and put your chin over the bar so there is no concentric phase (muscle contraction phase), you will then hold at the top for 3 seconds, then in the eccentric phase (muscle lengthening phase) you will lower yourself down for 5 seconds, when you reach the bottom jump down. That is one rep. Do 10 sets with 1 minute between sets. Each rep should be challenging so add weight to your body if needed and if you can't hold the recommended time then use a band that challenges you.

Day 3-Volume (Friday): So this is the portion of the video where we ran out of space on the iPod. On this day you will do 2 Max effort sets of Pull Ups, Chin Ups, Close Grip Pull Ups, Off Set Grip (One hand forward and one back) and then switch hands and do it the other way for your second Off Set Grip set. Do each max effort set once with a minute rest between sets and then do it one more time. Make sure you log how many you do each set and what kind of pull ups they were.

Week 2
Day 1-Volume (Monday): 40 Pull Ups in least amount of sets possible. If you can do over 20 unbroken then make that number 50. Make sure to log the number you do each set, what band you used if any, and absolutely rest at least 45 seconds to a minute between sets.

Day 2-Negatives (Wednesday): 6X2 Negatives with a 5-0-X-3 Tempo. This week there will be a concentric phase (muscle contraction phase) so you will actually pull yourself up from a dead hang, you will then hold at the top for 3 seconds, then in the eccentric phase (muscle lengthening phase) you will lower yourself down for 5 seconds, when you reach the bottom pull your self back up again, hold for three at the top, and then lower yourself down for 5. Then jump off the bar. That will complete your two reps. Do 6 sets with 1 minute between sets. Each rep should be challenging so add weight to your body if needed and if you can't hold the recommended time then use a band that challenges you.

Day 3-Volume (Friday): Do 2 Max effort sets of Pull Ups, Chin Ups, Close Grip Pull Ups, Off Set Grip (One hand forward and one back) and then switch hands and do it the other way for your second Off Set Grip set. Do each max effort set once with a minute rest between sets and then do it one more time. Make sure you log how many you do each set and what kind of pull ups they were.

Week 3

Day 1-Volume (Monday): 50 Pull Ups in least amount of sets possible. If you can do over 20 unbroken then make that number 60. Make sure to log the number you do each set, what band you used if any, and absolutely rest at least 45 seconds to a minute between sets.

Day 2-Negatives (Wednesday): 6XME (Max Effort) Negatives with a 5-0-X-3 Tempo. This week you are pulling up from a dead hang, holding above the bar for 3, lower yourself down for 5, and then pulling yourself right back up and repeating that until you can't do anymore reps. Do that until you have completed 6 max effort sets. Do 6 sets with 1 minute between sets. Each rep should be challenging so add weight to your body if needed and if you can't hold the recommended time then use a band that challenges you. Log how many you do each set and if you used added weight or a band, log that too. You should be shooting for 3-10 reps each set. If the number is lower than 3 you may need to use a progression that gets you to 3 or more. If the number of reps is over 10 then use a progression that will challenge you to stay between 3 and 10 reps.

Day 3-Volume (Friday): Do 3 Max effort sets of Pull Ups, Chin Ups, Close Grip Pull Ups, Off Set Grip (One hand forward and one back) and then switch hands and do it the other way for your second Off Set Grip set. Do each max effort set once with a minute rest between sets and then do it one more time. Make sure you log how many you do each set and what kind of pull ups they were.

Week 4

Day 1-Volume (Monday): 30 Pull Ups in least amount of sets possible. If you can do over 20 unbroken then make that number 40. Make sure to log the number you do each set, what band you used if any, and absolutely rest at least 45 seconds to a minute between sets.

Rest 5 Days and retest with a new and improved PR


Like the wind...

Cut Yourself Some Slack

Hannah Schimpf's 110lb Clean PR

So maybe old Schimpanzee didn't reach full extension and maybe her high pull was non existent but what she did do was hit a 20lb PR on her clean and if her clean used to be Snookie, now it's Marissa Tomei. That sucker is looking way better! So even though it's not perfect, old Schimpf is still smiling and having a blast. Look at that smile mid pull!

 

Guy's and gal's, this blog is a simple one. All I want to say is, be proud of yourself. So you missed a PR attempt. Big friggin' deal. You had to PR a half dozen times to even get to that point. Be proud of how far you came to get to where you are. Be proud that you have learned new skills, have new goals to meet and exceed, and have a place to let out aggression from a day filled with spreadsheets and boring office talk.

 

You all are incredible and you exceed Cale and my expectations daily. Walk in here with a goal to get better than you were the day before. It can be anything from proper breathing to staying patient and actually taking advantage of rest periods so you can properly complete your next set. What ever it may be, attack it and aim to exceed your previous attempt. If you do that, you will PR daily.

 

We are pumped to see you all PR on front squats, 300 M shuttle, and pull ups tomorrow. Come and get it!

 

By the way, tomorrow we will have a blog on a subject very close to my heart. I'll give you a hint, it has to do with swinging your body like a monkey with vertigo to get your chin over the bar for a meant to make your jaw drop amount of reps.

 

Also, after you all PR on your pull ups tomorrow, we will post the pull up program we used to get everyone to their goals.

 

Like the wind...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PR's for Days, son!

Before we break down Jackie Bernard's PR in this coaches eye. I wanted to share a few thoughts.

This job is so much friggin' fun it's not even fair. I could watch y'all PR all day long and it would never get old. As a matter of fact, I've been doing it for the last two days and I'm thirsty for more.

Since Monday we have seen over 50 new PR's on everything from Clean and Jerk's to Back Squats. Tomorrow we will find out where you stand in the 400 M, 5-10-5 Drill, and push ups in a minute.

I seriously can not wait to get in here everyday. The energy this week is electric. It's as if Tiesto was mixing under a full moon in Miami as Pyrro Dimas PR's his Clean and Jerk on a Fiat.

Tomorrow is may just be a Wednesday but it is a bad ass Wednesday that will be full of camaraderie, celebration, sick videos, and proud coaches. Call in the dogs, piss on the fire, it's time to go home.

Like the wind...

(6/26/13)

Set a new PR...

400M
5-10-5
Push ups/minute

Premiere Boot Camp

(Cue high pitched overly excited voice speaking to musical beat)

"And 1, and 2, and 3 and kick. Nice, grapevine left, grapevine right, and lunge. Aaaaaaaaand, let's repeat again, now go!"

Now picture those same cues spoken by Cale and I...

Never going to happen! I'll tell you what is happening though, beginning Monday, July 1st, Art of Strength will begin the Art of Strength Tampa Bay Premiere Boot Camp. We will take out all the cheesiness and give the same great instruction, operate by the same sound philosophies, still give you workouts for the ages and will do it in a gorgeous tree studded setting right around the corner from our gym.

The Boot Camps will be 45 minutes long and will be ran at a much faster pace with shorter rest periods than our regular classes at the gym, we will use less weights (we will still have ropes...), and the classes will be offered Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 8:00 AM and 6:30 PM.

Furthermore, they will be ran by fitness extraordinaire, Maggie Owen. Yes, she is Cale's lovely wife and yes, she is the girl in the background of class that is squatting double her body weight, snatching her body weight and then some, and clean and Jerking small humans with perfect form.

Any member who currently attends the gym can go to the boot camps any time they want with no extra charge. Consider it a chance to give you a nice change of pace and yet another service on top of our Barbell Club, regular classes, and yoga. For any of your friends who want to join, you can tell them that they get access to the Boot Camp for $99/month and if they want to upgrade to full membership which includes gym access, they just pay the difference of the $150/month we charge, and just like always, if you recommend your friend to the gym or the boot camp, you get half off your next month.

Here is some even more exciting news. We will open the Boot Camps to your little ones as well. Don't be selfish! Why should you get fit and your kids shouldn't? We take ages 8 and up so if you want to have a sweet little bonding time over a pool of sweat, this is perfect for you.

Now that you are privy to our weekly outdoor extravaganza of fun and fitness, let me inform you about next Saturday the 29th. So you all can see what the program will be like, we are encouraging you to bring a friend and meet us in the Tri County Parking lot on the corner of Racetrack and Linebaugh for our first outdoor Boot Camp. We will have it in place of our 9AM class (We will still have yoga after in the gym). This will give you all a chance to meet Maggie "Mags" Owen as well.

Last but not least, do not forget that the open house is changed from July 13th to July 20th from 9 AM to 3 PM. We will have the blood bus, food from Aloha to Go, contests, free giveaways by our Antlered friends, the TEN Institute, chair massages, chiropractic tests by Dynamic Total Health, and last but certainly not least, a trunk show by our close friends, Lululemon Athletica!!!

The cat is out of the bag. You heard it straight out of the horses mouth. I came, I typed, I conquered. Have a great weekend.

Like the wind...

(6/22/13)
AOS

Warm up:   Rope a Dope, son! Mobility: Get those hips and ankles silky smooth Workout: Partners are directly across from one and other 100ft apart with one set of KB's on one side. Partner one will complete a set task and when they are done they will pick up the KB's and carry them to their partner and then run back to their original position. Once they are back the second partner can begin the same task their partner just finished and then carry the KB's back to the and once they sprint back to the original position partner one will move onto the next task. This format will be repeated until all tasks are complete. M: 24-32kg /W: 16-20kg Tasks: 15 KB Thrusters (Using one KB only) 15 Super Planks 15 Long Cycle Swings 15 Burpees 15 KB Swings to a Squat 15 Push Ups (5 seconds down, explode up)  15 KB Presses 15 Dive Bombers

Rips Big Bowl of Goodness

Quick post tonight, ladies and gents. Remember that Saturday's workout is moved to 8am and NO yoga!

Here is an easy recipe for a delicious breakfast called Rip's Big Bowl. Check it. Add some hemp seed for a high dose of fat and protein.

Ingredients:     

1/4 cup raw old-fashioned oats

 1/4 cup Grape Nuts or Ezekiel brand equivalent

 1/4 cup bite-size shredded wheat

 1/4 cup Uncle Sam cereal

 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal

 2 tablespoons raisins

 2 tablespoons walnuts

 1 banana, sliced

 1 kiwi, sliced

 Segments of one grapefruit and juice

 ¾ cup milk substitute of choice

Instructions:

Toss all ingredients except the grapefruit and milk substitute into a bowl.

After cutting grapefruit in half, use a small, sharp knife to remove the segments. Add segments to the top of the bowl and squeeze in the juice.

 Top the bowl with milk substitute.

 Variations:

In a pinch, simply add water (the fruits blend with the water and give it a sweet taste)

Like the wind...

6/21/13

Warm up: #4

Skill: BL Core Work

2x20 of each:

Mountain Climbers

Circles

Pikes

Strength: Deadlift

1x5 @ 40%

1x5 @ 50%

1x5 @ 60%

Workout: You Pick Friday – pick one of the following

-         10x100m Sprints – Walk Back

-          3x400m – 2:1 Rest Ratio

-          10 Rounds of:

o   10 Sec Sprint, 20 Sec Moderate, 30 Sec Easy on bike or run

-          2 Mile Jog

-          8 Rounds of:

o   50 Jump Rope/20 Secs on Rope

§  Rest 20 Secs

Barbell Club

Warm up: #4

Skill: BL Core Work

2x20 of each:

Mountain Climbers

Circles

Pikes

Strength: Deadlift

1x5 @ 40%

1x5 @ 50%

1x5 @ 60%

2x3 @ 70%

Hips or Ankles? + Open House Date Change

Hey all you squat fiends, take a gander at this quick little video done by the mobility wizard known as Kelly Starrett. If you have trouble trying to figure out if it's your hips that are tight or your ankles, this is a simple test to do that takes all of 3.7 seconds. Once you are able to pinpoint what is hindering you from achieving that perfect squat, you can target that area with some serious mobility work.

Our Open House Event for the ages will now be held on July 20th from 9am-3pm. We are still having all of our planned vendors including the Blood Bus, a Hawaiian Food Truck, bounce house, an international clothing company loved by millions, craft beers and wines that are gluten free, competitions and more!!  It's going to be an amazing day and we just ask that you kidnap 2-7 of your friends and bring them!!

ALSO!! This Saturday our class will be at 8am! Meet at the gym then we will move to a top secret location for an outdoor workout! No 9AM class and no Yoga this Saturday!!

Like the wind...

6/20/13

Warm up: #5

Skill: Sprint Work
4x10m
2x30m
1x50m

Strength: Strict Press
1x5 @ 40%
1x5 @ 50%
1x5 @ 60%

Workout:
100 Jump Ropes
20 (10 L/10 R) 1L High Jumps
ME Clapping Push Ups

Rest 30 seconds

100 Jump Ropes
20 Speed Skaters
ME Clapping Push Ups

Rest 30 Seconds

100 Jump Ropes
20 Tuck Jumps
ME Clapping Push Ups

Rest 30 Seconds

100 Jump Ropes
20 Jumping Lunges
ME Clapping Push Ups

Rest 30 Seconds

100 Jump Ropes
20 Duck Walk Hops Forwards and Backwards
ME Clapping Push Ups


Barbell Club

Warm up: #5

Skill: Sprint Work
4x10m
2x30m
1x50m

Strength: 8 Min EMOM
1 Clean pull + 1 Clean + 1 Split Jerk @ 70%

Then

Front Squats:
2x5 @ 55%
2X3 @ 65%
1x3 @ 75%

Wacky Wednesday

Welcome to Wacky Wednesday. Nothing says wacky like two dudes hooked up to an electrical impulse machine that simulates giving birth by shocking their guts into submission. Probably feels like 100 Bandit Loop Pikes for time....don't tell Crossfit, they might actually try that. Enjoy :)

Like the wind...

6/19/13

Warm up: #2

Skill:

Strength: 10 Min EMOM
4 DBL KB Snatch - AHAP

Progressions are in order from hardest to easiest:
1. DBL KB High Pull
2. 3 (L/R) KB Snatch
3. 2 (L/R) KB High Pull + 1 Snatch (L/R)
4. 4 (L/R) KB High Pull

Workout: Tabata (20 on/10 off for 4 sets per station for 6 rounds - 30 secs rest between rounds)
1. Superplanks
2. Dead Swings
3. BL Lunges
4. Leashed KB Swings
5. Alternating Rows
6. Slams


Barbell Club:

Active Rest Day

The Perfect Angle

The Gauntlet proved to crush souls as advertised today. We don't enjoy seeing you all suffer and break but we do enjoy watching you suffer and then push through the wall while making it look pretty. Great job!

As you will find on many a Tuesday, we are showcasing some awesome lifting technique.

In this video, Spencer Arnold, American Open Champion, and teacher at this week's Oly Camp at AoS, is talking through this lift and showing how to keep the same back angle from the start of the lift, through the first pull, and into the hang position. Notice how as the bar sweeps back, the back angle stays exactly the same allowing for maximum leverage. This allows for more tension to build, creating more vertical power. So check it and learn it!

Eric Rosenstock Back Angle

Like the wind...

6/18/13

Warm up: #1

Skill: Seated Box Jumps 2x5

Strength: 5x2 Hang Clean + 1 Split Jerk AHAP (no misses)

Rest 60-90 secs

Then with same weight

3x3 Clean First Pulls

Workout:
1 Mile Timed Run

Rest 3 Minutes

ME Power Abs
50 Russian Twists on Ropes
2X10 Clockwise Circle to Super Plank to Counterclockwise Circle


Barbell Club

Warm up: #1

Skill: Seated Box Jumps 2x5

Strength: 12 Min EMOM
2 Snatch + 1 OHS @ Moderate Weight - NOT HEAVY WORK FORM
3x3 Snatch Pull @ Moderate
5x3 Strict Press @ Heavy - work up in weight

Father's Day News and Announcements

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

 

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,  but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.  Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

 

Happy Father's Day to all the members of the gym who have children and to anyone else reading this blog. Thank you all for providing us with an example of how we should live and for helping us grow through love.

 

Speaking of love, I would be remised if I did not let you all know how much you will love the Tom Foolery, Ballyhoo, and all around fun and excitement that will be spreading through the gym over the next month.

 

First and Foremost, our Gable Challenge, Abolution, and Bear Club shirts are in and are ready to be picked up by any of you who completed the challenges. Great job and make sure to stay on this month's pull up challenge to become a member of the Shut Up and Pull Up Club.

 

In other news, our July 13th Open House is right around the corner and we have some star studded businesses who just committed to joining our event. Rigby's Barbershop will be giving haircuts from 9-11 and Primetime Liquors owned by our very own Dion Falzone will be serving Organic and Gluten free beer and wine.

 

 

 

Make sure to save the date on your calendar, July 13th, 9-3 PM. There is no better way to have a post 4th of July party than with your friends at the gym, sweet bounce houses, bad @ss haircuts, healthy yet tasty alcoholic libations, feats of strength (Push up, pull up, and rope contests) , supplement giveaways, and a very special international clothing vendor...

 

...bring at least 2-7 friends to join in on the fun.

 

Thank you all for the support and let's have a great deload week so we can crush max week a in 7 days!

 

(6/17/13)

 

AoS

 

Warm Up: #3

Skill: KB Complex X3 UB (L/R) 1A KB Swing, 1A KB Swing to Clean to Squat to Press, 1A KB High Pull, 1A KB Snatch to OHS) 1 (L/R) Strength: Back Squats 1x5 @ 40% 1x5 @ 50% 1x5 @ 60% Workout: The Gauntlet (M: 24 in jump on and then off box to 2 lateral box jumps over 16 in W: 20 in jump on and then off box to 2 lateral box jumps over 12 in) 3 Rounds with 1 Minute break between Rounds. Each Round has two sets that consist of: -5 sets of the above mentioned box jumps and lateral jumps -10 Burpees on Rope with Push Up -(2) 20 M Suicides ***Clock each round and take the average time for your actual time*** The Barbell Club Warm Up: #3 Skill: KB Complex X3 UB (L/R)   1A KB Swing, 1A KB Swing to Clean to Squat to Press, 1A KB High Pull, 1A KB Snatch to OHS) 1 (L/R) Strength: 10 Min EMOM 1 Clean & Jerk @ 70% Then... Back Squat 1x5 @ 50% 2x5 @ 60% 3x3 @ 70%