Getting Healthy

I initially wanted to make a vlog about this since I think it's a really important and overlooked topic, but I haven't had much time in front of a camera lately, so this will have to do.

The fitness industry has become so wrapped up in gimmicks, politics, recognition, and gossip that it is starting to overshadow what fitness should really be about: health.

I absolutely do not think that fitness and health are synonymous. In order to look good or to be strong, competitive individuals use terribly unhealthy tactics to give them an edge over their competition: drugs, starvation, dehydration, risk of bodily injury, you name it. Just look at what happened to Brandon Lilly at the American Cup this last weekend. In laymans' terms, he snapped all his shit up!

Now I had always thought I was taking the healthier route in terms of fitness. I was eating well, resting well, and being cautious with my training. What I couldn't figure out is why I always felt terrible, bloated, tired, and was gaining weight so rapidly during my powerlifting training. Some weight gain was to be expected, but I know my body and I recognized something was off.

After a few lab tests and vague advice from my doctor, "You're eating 200 grams of protein a day?! Reduce that to 50 grams and you'll be okay!" Doc, do you even athlete? Anyway... I needed real help.

I was lucky enough to have someone around who had experience in the industry. We watched my diet, tweaked things around, and started using natural supplements to get things functioning again. I severely decreased my caffeine intake, increased my water, and am finally feeling healthy again. I'm able to eat more, move more, and still get leaner as the weeks go by because my body is becoming more and more functional and efficient.

It's very easy to overlook your bad habits when you're the only person monitoring yourself. I had never known the true value of having good coaching until these last few months. The help I've been getting with both my nutrition as well as my training has been invaluable to me, and I recommend that anyone who is serious about getting healthy and fit, and becoming a well rounded athlete gets the help they deserve.

Until next time.

Bathroom Swolfie

Camp Pendleton Open

Strength Society

My crew had been working hard for four months leading up to this meet in Camp Pendleton. Everything had gone according to plan, except for the fact that I was fifteen (15!) lbs over my competition weight, and I got deathly ill the week leading up to the meet, all the way through meet day.

But that wasn't going to stop me.

I had decided early on that I was going to go up a weight class, but that I was going to go into the meet as light as possible. After losing only a pound in the sauna the night before weigh-ins, I decided it would be healthier for me to be sipping on pedialyte so that I would have some chance against whatever flu has been going around.

At a body weight of about 156, I entered the competition excited to hit some PRs.

I was one of the first flights up. There were two competition platforms, so a few of the guys were also up first on the next platform over. The nerves were getting the best of me. I was pale as a ghost, nauseous, and could not focus on my lifts, so after a not-so-successful final warm-up set, Tyler, who had been helping me all the way up to the meet, decided to drop my opener down a bit to get my first lift in.

Squat

1st attempt: 225. Redlighted for depth

2nd attempt: 225. Two white lights. Knees not fully locked out at start of squat

3rd attempt: 259. Three white lights. Woo!

So then we waited around a bit, grabbed a bite, found a change of clothes. I told the guys to give me a call once warm-ups started for bench press. Somehow we lost track of time, and I found myself walking into the gym as they were calling me up. No time to warm-up, had to drop my opener down.

Bench Press

1st attempt: 110. Three white lights. We're in!

2nd attempt: 132. Three reds. Couldn't get it up.

3rd attempt: 132. Three reds. No lift. 

Without a proper warm-up, I realize now I should have been a bit more conservative with my attempt selections on the bench, especially seeing as that's always been my weaker lift, and I wasn't doing so well in the health department. Still in the game, though! Waited around for deadlifts, decreased my opener once more. Better safe than sorry.

Deadlift

1st attempt: 297. Three white lights. Phew!

2nd attempt: 325. Three white lights! Time for a PR...

3rd attempt: 341. Two Reds. Hitched at the top. No PR. Sadface!

At the end of the meet, I got 5/9 successful lifts. I learned a lot, and got to see some really strong people push some incredible weight! I finished it out with a 694 total which got me 2nd place in the 165 class, which isn't bad after such a giant screw up on the bench. I was a bit shy of my personal goal of 700, but I know I'll get it. It's just a matter of time. There's still a lot of room for improvement in my methods as well as my attempt selection. 

I'm really proud of my team. We came in strong and took home four medals. After all this hard work, we've gotten a lot closer, and we've become like family. 

...But Winter will pass, and Summer will be here before we know it, so it's time to get shredded. 

Here is a vlog update on what I think of the strength program I followed leading up to the meet, and what my training will look like in the future. 

Until next time!

Setting Goals for Success

These last several weeks and months have been incredibly eye-opening for me as an individual, a competitor, and a lover of the sport of powerlifting. Every single experience brings me one step closer to understanding myself, and giving me the capability to use what I learn to help others achieve their goals. Here are a few key ideas to keep in mind when aiming for success.

Figure things out

Pick a goal. Are you competing in bodybuilding, powerlifting, strongman or are you simply working out to be healthier, to lose fat, or to gain muscle? Whatever it is, you need to decide on it. Be reasonable, but don't limit yourself. Aim high! Create a timeline and set small mini-goals to keep you motivated in the long run.

Keep your eyes on the prize

When you have a goal in mind, focus all your efforts on the best possible way of achieving that goal. If your methods to attaining a goal conflict with one another, you will be spinning your wheels. One example of this is eating at a caloric deficit while running a strength-training program. You will get negligibly stronger if at all, or you won't be able to adhere to your plan and  you will drop a negligible amount of weight, if any. Be efficient with your methods to achieve optimum results. Time is the limiting factor, make sure you use yours wisely.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

Stick to what works. Many of us over-complicate things trying to optimize them, when what we need to do is just stay consistent with training and nutrition methods that have consistently given us the results we want. What works for one person may not work for another, so once you find a program or protocol that works for you, your search is over. That's not to say that you shouldn't...

Keep learning about what you love

Your program may work well for you, but it's always fun to try new things if you have the chance. Learn, grow, challenge yourself, and keep yourself in the loop! Some of the most rewarding aspects in lifting isn't in just moving the iron around, but in the relationships that you can build and the discussions you can  have with those in the field. There are always opportunities to network and connect with people who can really open your eyes to techniques that you haven't yet stumbled across, and at the very least, people who have been successful doing what you love can motivate you to pursue your dreams as well!

But most importantly

Follow through and never give up! There may be bumps on the road, but you have to dust yourself off and get right back on track. Your success is in your hands.

Countdown to Camp Pendleton!!

COUNTINGDOWNTO.COM

Bryce Lewis, Barbell Brigade, & Training Updates!

The meet at Camp Pendleton is officially one month away!

Yesterday the team and I went to a powerlifting seminar at Barbell Brigade hosted by elite powerlifter Bryce Lewis. We got a chance to learn quite a few things about form and mobility, and Bryce gave everyone a chance to ask questions and get his help on their form. This was pretty awesome because most of the guys who attended didn't have much training under their belts, which made all the information that much more invaluable. I know if I had that kind of coaching, I would have been a lot better off at my first meet.

Seminar selfies

One of the important things I learned from the seminar was about bracing instead of arching during a lift. It's something that Dean (pictured, far left) had been telling me to practice, but until I saw Bryce show us the exaggerated version, I couldn't grasp what exactly my body looked like and how I was setting up improperly on my squat. My lower back is arched at the beginning of my squat, which is terrible for my spine and results in lower back soreness that tremendously affects my other lifts. Here is a good article on the subject that sums up what it is, and how to fix it.

Aside from minor tweaks in form and programming, I also need to dial in my diet over the next few weeks so I'll have less water to lose during peak week. I've noticed that a more controlled diet helps with my training as well as my mental well being during these weeks leading up to the meet. My OCD and anxiety goes through the roof without having a really strict game plan. I've even made charts and calendars, it's pretty ridiculous. My nutrition is structured so that I'm in a slight caloric deficit while carb cycling, which will help me shed weight while maintaining my performance during training days.

The plan is all laid out, all that's left is to execute it. Until next time!

Aesthetics vs. Strength: Battle of the Gawds

Ah, the never ending debate between bodybuilders and powerlifters.

Bodybuilders train for aesthetics. They want to look good, so their programs consist of mainly hypertrophy training with lots of repetitions at relatively low weight. Once they attain some mass, they diet down to lose excess fat so they can show off the muscles they've worked so hard for. During the dieting process, it's not out of the ordinary to lose strength or to stall on lifts because the body cannot support as much of a load at a caloric deficit for an extended period of time.

Powerlifters train for strength. Their programs consist of heavier weight for less reps, and in order to fuel their workouts, they eat. Powerlifters just care about having enough energy to push as much weight as possible, which often means loading up on carbs for fuel. It's not uncommon that they put on plenty of fat mass along with muscle mass, especially at the competitive super heavy level.


So which is better? Training for aesthetics?

Always make your bed before selfies, shredu.

Training for strength?

Strongman. Photo Credit: http://crossfitfringe.com

Powerlifter. Photo Credit: http://www.howtofightdojo.com/

There will always be arguments and debates between the two sides. Bodybuilders claim that powerlifters don't have the discipline to diet down, and powerlifters claim that bodybuilders are weak, and that it's pointless to be shredded when you can't deadlift three times your bodyweight.

But why not have both? I think the tides are turning, and that more people are becoming aware that both are important if you want to be a well rounded athlete. You definitely don't need to give up one for the other. Olympic lifters are a classic example of both strength and aesthetics, combined into a functional athlete who is also not too bad to look at.

Ivan Stoitsov

Dmitry Klokov

Not bad at all.

So let's put these debates to rest and become the strongest, most shredded versions of ourselves. Jacked and shredded. Don't limit yourself. If you're a powerlifter, enter a bodybuilding competition. If you're a bodybuilder, participate in a powerlifting meet. You'll be a well rounded athlete at best, and a more humble athlete at worst.

Squat Progress

This past Sunday marked the end of the first half of my Madcow 5x5 training cycle. I've been making good progress on my lifts, and the squats on Sunday felt really easy so I went for a PR with a bit of coaxing from the team. Here are some videos:

180x5

210x3

A bit dark, but here's my PR vid -- 235x2

Aiming for a 700 lb total at Pendleton in January.