Vicious Strength & Conditioning

My New Book Comes Out Today! And so do your bonuses!

2011-09-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

Attention Attention,

Over the last 8 months I have been working on a book with some of the top fitness elite from all around the world. In the process of writing this book, we all agreed to reveal our top secrets that help you lose fat, build muscle and change your life forever. It was tough to get some to agree, but the only way we were going to do this, was if everyone was held to the same code, share the best secrets you’ve got.
The great news is that we got everyone to agree, and the book that we all wrote together, “The Definitive Guide to Losing Fat and Building Muscle!” is coming out Later Today!

Just for purchasing the book today on Amazon.com, and helping us get off to a great start, I’ve put together a huge bonus package for you! I will send you a link to buy the book later for Amazon, but here’s a sneak peak at all the great stuff you’ll get JUST for spending $19.99! Click here to check out the bonuses!

Just for purchasing the book today on Amazon, and helping us get off to a great start, you'll get all of these great bonuses!

I will send you a link to buy the book today for just $19.99, and once you buy it, just email your Amazon.com receipt to bonus@celebritypresspublishing.com and they'll send the bonuses right over to you!

Stay Strong!

Gain 10 Lbs of muscle in 30 days

2011-08-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

In my last workout post, I talked about how to gain pure, raw strength and power with a pyramid workout. Today I want to tell you about a mass/strength workout that I found to be very useful for me personally.

As you know our bodies adapt very quickly to different simuli so one must continue to change things up frequently to avoid long-duration plateaus. So similarly to the pyramid workout, this mass/strength workout should only be followed for about 4 weeks. What you will do is 5 sets of 5 repetitions for each exercise. Now when I say 5 reps, make sure the weight is heavy enough so that you cannot get 6 reps. And its ok to lighten the weight to ensure you will get no less the the 5 reps as well. Just make sure that you don't decrease the total weight from workout to workout. You must increase the total weight lifted as a whole or set to set.

For this set/rep scheme, stick with the major compound muscle group exercises like bench, squat, dead lift, and power clean. And be sure to write down all of your poundage both for each set and exercise and then total it all up at the end of the workout. That way you will ensure you are increasing the weight in one way or another from workout to workout or set to set. This will make you big and strong. I guarantee it. One last thing. You should perform a maximal 1 rep test for each exercise the week before you want to start your 4 week program. This way you can begin the program at 70-80% of your maximal effort. This is one little tidbit of information that the "other guys" wont tell you.

Let me know how this goes for you and if you need more detail let me know and I can get real specific based on your maximal 1 rep efforts.

Dragon Door/RKC Sponsors Fedor

2011-07-30T08:01:00.001-07:00

Dragon Door/RKC sponsors legendary MMA fighter, Fedor Emelianenko in upcoming battle against Dan Henderson, on Showtime
Dragon Door, the originator of the modern kettlebell movement and the world's premier site for Kettlebells, strength conditioning and advanced fitness resources, is proud to announce its sponsorship of legendary fighter Fedor Emelianenko in his upcoming battle against Dan Henderson on July 30th at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates, IL.

The fight will be broadcast at 10:00 EST on Showtime:
http://sports.sho.com/#/tvschedule

Shrouded in mystique in the world of Mixed Martial Arts, many aficionados have hailed Fedor as the greatest to ever do it, the Muhammad Ali of his sport. He remains one of the most fearsome and talented heavyweights in the world -- and practically a national hero in Russia. The Fedor-Henderson fight is being heavily advertised and promoted in the homeland and some fans are calling it 'Fedor's Second Coming'.

Dragon Door launched its RKC kettlebell training system in 2001, sparking a worldwide revolution in effective strength and conditioning for elite athletes, martial artists, military and all those seeking a supreme level of functional fitness.

Dragon Door's RKC programs offer a wealth of kettlebell information for generating superior strength and power -- including books, seminars, training certification programs, equipment and DVDs. Many of the resources are considered modern classics, including Enter the Kettlebell: Strength Secret of the Soviet Supermen (http://www.dragondoor.com/b33/?apid=114336 written by former Soviet Special Forces physical training instructor Pavel Tsatsouline.

American hardmen of all stripes were quick to recognize what their Russian counterparts had long known -- nothing beats the kettlebell, when you're looking for a single tool to dramatically impact your strength and conditioning.

"This is an ideal fit for our team," writes John Du Cane, Founder and CEO of Dragon Door . "A great believer himself in kettlebells, Fedor embodies strength and power, and that's what our company has been all about for the past 20 years -- no gimmicks or fads, only hard work and training that builds resilience, strength and power."

Look for Dragon Door's RKC double-eagle logo displayed on Fedor's shorts on fight night!

Don't forget to check out: ViciousStrength.com and BodyFactoryDurango.com

As originator with Pavel Tsatsouline of the modern kettlebell movement, Du Cane has spent decades building the world's most informed and proficient community of kettlebell instructors, now in 43 countries and every U.S. state.

Dragon Door/RKC offers Certification Workshops (http://www.dragondoor.com/workshops/?apid=114336 the globe -- from Budapest to San Diego to Philadelphia, to Korea to Belfast -- providing the highest quality kettlebell instructor program available. Pavel's Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certification Workshop gives professionals a crash course in Advanced Strength Skills, ignites new business opportunities, and propels attendees into the front ranks of physical excellence. An enthusiastic following of leading fitness and athletic authorities, trainers, doctors and therapists around the world have supported and attended their workshops since 2001.

Fitness Expert Victor Crawford Signs Publishing Deal

2011-07-20T20:05:00.001-07:00

Victor Crawford, fitness and strength training expert, has recently signed a publishing deal with CelebrityPress, a leading fitness book publishing company, along with Matt Furey and other leading health and fitness experts to release the book, The Definitive Guide to Burning Fat and Building Muscle.

Victor Crawford, of ViciousStrength.com, ViciousStrengthMMA, and The Body Factory, LLC, recently joined a select group of the world’s leading health and fitness entrepreneurs and “The Zen Master of Health & Fitness™”, Matt Furey, to co-write the forthcoming book titled, The Definitive Guide to Burning Fat and Building Muscle.

The forthcoming book will feature top advice from health, fitness and wellness experts from across the globe on the subjects of total body health, fitness and nutrition. The Definitive Guide to Burning Fat and Building Muscle will offer proven strategies to help people achieve the level of fitness they have always desired.

Victor Crawford has a Black Belt in Aiki-Jiu-jitsu and has been training Martial Arts and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) for 17 yrs. He is now an MMA coach and has several competitive fighters training in his gym. Victor’s gym, The Body Factory, LLC, focuses on Bootcamps, Kettlebells, Kickboxing, Boxing, MMA and Aiki-Jiu-Jitsu.
Learn more about Victor Crawford at http://www.ViciousStrength.com

Increase your Bench-Squat-Deadlift in 30 Days

2011-07-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

So way back in college, which seems like a million years ago, one of my friends from the team showed me a method to increase my core lifts very quickly. Undoubtedly you guys have heard of performing your exercises in a pyramid fashion where the repetitions are as follows: 10-8-6-4-2-4-6.

Well this method was very similar only in a 5-4-3-2-1 fashion without going back up the pyramid. What this does is lets you lift with maximal effort each set since the repetitions are so low. Now, there's no question that you don't want to perform your sets and reps in this manner for very long periods of time due to its taxation on the CNS. But if increasing your maximal lift poundage is your objective, this method will do the trick. It is very effective if you have a meet coming up and wish to add the last 5lbs onto the bar during your meet. Anyway, give this a try and be sure and let me know how you perfrom.

The Deep Six Workout by Sr. RKC Jon Engum

2011-03-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

The RKC Deep 6
N. Amer. informal get rid of; destroy utterly.
– ORIGIN 1920s (as the deep six ‘the grave’): perh. from the custom of burial at sea at a depth of six fathoms.

The RKC Deep 6 Workout is a takeoff of the old Omelet, but is limited to the RKCs core 6 lifts. The Deep 6 allows the trainee to practice and develop deep skill in all of the basic six RKC lifts, hence the name Deep 6. It consists of three different levels and is appropriate for Kettlebell practitioners of varying levels of conditioning. The RKC Deep 6 will be great practice for people looking to gain muscular endurance such as fighters or for people who would just like to up their conditioning level to have an easier time at the RKC. It can also stress-proof the “getup” by practicing it in a pre-fatigued state.

The plan goes like this:
All lifts done right handed without setting the bell down between moves.
- 5 swings
- 5 snatches
- 5 clean and presses
- 5 front squats
- 1 Get up * from the top down ala Shawn Cairnes “the Get down”
- After the last clean and press, from the lockout do the down phase of the getup until you are at the firing range position and then get back up.
- Now switch hands and repeat the sequence on the left. Try for 5 rounds.

Beginners: Rest 30 seconds after every hand switch, rest 1 minute between rounds.
Intermediate Level: Rest after you have competed both right and left. 30 seconds to 1 minute
Advanced Level: No rest, go through all 5 cycles.
Suggested weight: 24k for men and 12K for ladies. For people with masochistic tendencies use a 32k or 16k respectively.

RKC Deep Six Update. The Double Deep Six. Just try it with double bells, but after the Squats go and do a single getup on each side and call it a rep.

Intermediate Kettlebell Workout

2010-01-05T13:52:00.000-08:00

This workout is a lot easier that the last one I posted. so for those of you who are fairly new to Kettlebells, this workout is only swings, high-pulls, and snatches. Should take you 20-30 mins.

You need a light (M-16kg, W-8kg or 12kg) and a heavy (M-20kg, W-12kg) kettlebell.

1st set-light

1 hand swings 5L/5R rest 10 secs

High pull-5L/5R rest 10 secs

Snatch-5L/5R rest 60 secs

1 hand Swing 5L/5R, High pulls 5L/5R, Snatch

Crazy Tuff Workout

2009-10-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

Give this a try, a workout that I saw from a Sister RKC:

1 swing 1 transfer x 10 (5x each side, 20 reps), 30 sec work/30 sec rest
2 sw, 1 tr, x 10 (30 reps) 45 sec work/30 sec rest
3 sw, 1 tr x 10 (40 reps) 60 sec work/30 sec rest
4 sw, 1 tr x 10 (50 reps) 1 min. 15 sec work/30 sec rest
5 sw, 1 tr x 10 (60 reps) 1 min. 30 sec work/30 sec rest
6 sw, 1 tr x 10 (70 reps) 1 min. 45 sec work/30 sec rest
7 sw, 1 tr x 10 (80 reps) 2 min. work/30 sec rest
8 sw, 1 tr x 10 (90 reps) 2 min. 15 sec work/30 sec rest
9 sw, 1 tr x 10 (100 reps) 2 min. 30 sec work/30 sec rest
10 sw, 1 tr x 10 (110 reps) 2 min. 45 sec work/done....and then squats (goblet & double cl/sq)......and then practice get-ups!650 swings in 21 min. 25 secs. Basically 900 swings per 30 minutes, or 1800 swings per hour!

Tracy is Crazy!

Connie Mack World Series

2009-08-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

Well It's that time of year, when the 17-18yo young men invade Farmington, New Mexico for the annual Connie Mack World Series Baseball Tournament. Every year Farmington hosts the tournament and has some great facilities and hospitality to do so. Well this year the host team is the Four Corners Thunder. There are kids from Farmington and Durango on that team and I believe the Durango High School coach manages the team.

So I think I'll gather up the boy and head down there to Farmington tonite and take in the game. This is always a big highlight of the summer for the youngsters as they get to watch really good baseball teams from across the country and Puerto Rico and dream of one day playing in front of the professional scouts that attend the tournament.

Anyway, say hello if you see me there!

Tips for the Pistol-Franz Snideman-RKC TL

2009-07-25T09:31:00.001-07:00

Here is a link to Franz Snideman's-RKC Team Leader blog that will give us a better idea how to perform the perfect pistol.

http://www.franztrainingblog.blogspot.com/

Charles Staley Article

2009-07-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Here is an article by Charles Staley that I find very interesting. Please enjoy:

The Problem with Periodization
By Charles Staley, B.Sc, MSSDirector, Staley Training Systems

I know, I know, I've written about this a lot. But the subject is deserving of ongoing discussion. After all, periodization is frustrating- on the face of it, the premise is both compelling and logical. Dig a little deeper though, and the problems become evident.
To illustrate, I'm sharing a question that was recently sent to me from a trainer in Australia- I'll keep his identity private since it's not germane to the subject at hand:
"Hey Charles, I'm training a Muay Thai fighter, he has had 18 fights. Wants to fight in about 18 weeks. I was planning to do some periodization for him. Was thinking EDT for the first 6 weeks: Core routine from Muscle Logic: Dumbbell Snatches Left/Right side, Squats/ Pullups, Dumbell Turkish Get-Up, and abdominal work.
Then the next six weeks I was going to introduce kettlebell work, more speed/power work etc. Increasing speed & power component as we get into the 2nd and 3rd six week blocks. As you probably know, Muay Thai fighters need to keep their weight down, and cut a bit of weight as they get close to fighting. What do you suggest to keep the program challenging and interesting with a strong weight training component without him gaining too much weight (even if it is all muscle?)"
Of course, the first problem (in this case) is that I don't know the fighter's relative strengths and weaknesses. So my response will be only generally useful at best. But with that said, this question illustrates what is perhaps the primary decision facing you when you're thinking about how to assign workloads over a period of weeks: do you assign one type of work for a while (let's say 3-4 weeks for the sake of this discussion), then another type of work for a while, and finally, a third type of work for the final phase of training.
Or…
Do you basically decide what type of work is needed most, and then just keep doing that type of work for the entire training cycle?
Or is there a third option?
"Traditional" Periodization
The first option is how most people think of "traditional" or "classical" periodization. After all, the very word "periodization" is rooted in the work "period," and is defined as breaking up a long period of time into several shorter periods of time, each with a distinct character and/or objective. Now this approach hinges on two important premises, otherwise you'd never even consider using it:
#1: Jack Of All Trades, Master Of None: One important premise of the traditional approach is that if you try to improve a number of athletic attributes simultaneously, your efforts (and results) will be diminished. And this is a valid point.
#2: The Development Of Some Attributes Can Form The Foundation For The Development Of Other, More Specific Attributes: To cite an example, the development of muscular hypertrophy can help to maximize the acquisition of maximal strength during a subsequent cycle. This is because all else being equal, a thicker muscle fiber can produce more force than a thinner fiber. So the idea is you first make the fibers thicker during the hypertrophy phase, then train the nervous system to recruit those fibers more effectively during the subsequent maximal strength phase. Again, a valid premise for the traditional approach.
Before There Was Traditional Periodization, There Was…
I thought it might be worthwhile to consider how athletes trained prior to the advent of periodization. And as you might have guessed, athletes basically just practiced their sport event, whatever it happened to be. Fighters fought. Runners ran. Weightlifters lifted the heaviest weights they could, all the time. SO what premises (if any) was this approach based on? I'd submit two:
#1: Training consisted of the most specific activities possible. The principle of specificity rules.
#2: No better option had been developed (yet).
OK, so there you have it: 2 approaches, both with valid conceptual underpinnings. What I haven't yet mentioned however, is the down-side of both approaches, so let's explore that right now…
The Downsides
Problems With The Pre-Traditional Approach
Whenever you employ highly-specific means over long periods of time, you risk neural accommodation, psychological burnout, and overuse injuries. You also lack a procedure for taking advantage of advantages gained through more modern approaches to load-distribution. No foundational progressions, no deload cycles, and so on. Another problem as I discussed earlier is that you still have the jack of all trades problem.
Problems With The Traditional Approach
Interestingly, the traditional approach solves all of the problems I just mentioned, but in the process, new problems arise. The most troubling of these problems is the lack of continuity that plagues the traditional approach: time and energy spent on developing one attribute (for example, hypertrophy) is wasted, because said attribute deteriorates during the subsequent phase where attention is re-directed toward the development of a new attribute. As I've mentioned in the past, it's like learning Spanish in first grade, French in second grade, and Italian in third grade- you never get bored, but you also never make any real progress.
Toward A Better Approach
Interestingly, the best approach to periodization may be a cross between both approaches - a concept that I've never seen anyone else write about. It's an amalgam of the "serial" approach and the "concurrent" approach. In other words, you use a multi-stage, serial progression against the backdrop of a high degree of specificity. The best of both Worlds.
Let's look at how this might look for the sport of powerlifting. Using the oldest approach we covered earlier, if you had 18 weeks to train for a meet, you'd go as heavy as possible, using sets of 1, pretty much every workout, unless you were sick or injured.
Using the second approach, you might do general fitness training for the first 3 weeks, then work on hypertrophy for 6 weeks, maximal strength for 8 weeks, and finally a deload on the 18th week.
What would a "better" approach look like?
First, you'd always put the lion's share of your energy into the 3 competitive lifts. You might (and probably would) perform a handful of "assistance" lifts to bring up weak attributes that can't be addressed purely by working the competitive events. These attributes might include things like injury rehab, hypertrophy, speed-strength, or work capacity. As competition nears however, less-specific work recedes to free up resources for more-specific tasks.
If recovery is needed, it is not obtained by switching to non-specific tasks or lower intensity brackets, it's facilitated by lowering training volume. In other words, instead of performing 6x2 with 90% on the bench, you might perform 2x2 with 90%. As a powerlifter, you must live and die by the 3 competitive events. They always take priority over everything else. The only exceptions to this rule are as follows:
1) One or more of these 3 lifts causes or exacerbates an injury which now must be addressed.2) One or more of these 3 lifts is no longer a primary weakness. An example of this might be a lifter with an exceptional bench but a poor squat. In this case it becomes prudent to redirect resources away from bench training and toward squat training.
Finally, any approach worthy of being called "better" must be capable of "turning on a dime:" as the weakest link is improved, it is no longer the weakest link, and a new weakness becomes the new weakest link. Your training approach must be flexible enough to address this reality at any given time.
The approach I've outlined is how all smart athletes train, and it's how all smart trainers and coaches train their athletes. All successful training systems utilize the principles I've discussed above, even if you don't know it, and even if the people using those systems don't know it.
I hope this article sparks your creative thinking on the subject. If it has, please share your thoughts by clicking the discussion link below!

Just Do It

2009-06-30T08:02:00.001-07:00

Well I hope Nike doesn't sue me for using their slogan but what the hell I really love it. Anyway, I see a great deal of blogs everyday and I regularly review YouTube and I have come to a conclusion; there are tons of workout programs out there and many of them are very good. However, a great many of them focus on people that are already in pretty decent condition.

Well what if you're not in very good condition? Today I've decided to give you guys a little advice. JUST DO IT! Do what? you ask. Anything but sit on your duff on the damn couch and watch TV. If you must watch the boob tube at least get up and knock out a set or two of hindu squats and pushups. You could even do them at work. Yes your co-workers will laugh, snicker, and talk behind your back, but hell, they do that anyway so you may as well give them something real! You may even find a partner who is willing to exercise regulary with you. And it might take you all of 5 minutes but you'll be glad you did.

A great deal of fitness experts and such think they must beat the crap outta their unsuspecting victims in order to get them into shape (I'm just as guilty sometimes). But what if you simply got yourself breathing hard for 10 or 20 minutes at a time? Yes according to the law of progressive overload, you must increase something in the workout in order to move forward (or decrease rest time). But thats down the road a ways. The trick is to get yourself breathing hard with maybe a drop or 2 of sweat running down your forehead.

Ok, ok, I know you ladies like to go to a 60 degree schnazzy gym and do aerobics (so you don't sweat-after all you like to look pretty right?). That's great, at least your there doing something. But I would recommend breaking a sweat and breathing really hard though. Do something that will tax your entire body and nervous system. It doesn't need to be all the time, but at least once or twice a week you should be cranking up your training for 10-20 minutes. And not at 3 mph for 45 minutes on the treadmill. Man I hate LSD training.

I mentioned earlier, hindu squats and pushups. Well those are two of the best bodyweight exercises on the planet. Add some burpees and jumping jacks and you have a good short workout. And don't forget this one simple fact: once you're up and doing exercises, your kids will join right in. I have seen this firsthand! Kids absolutely love to get up and move. You can make it a game of sorts to see how many of each exercise each member of the family can do.

So this isn't the SuperAbs 3000 workout, but just by getting your body up and moving at a rate that will make you breath hard for 10-20 minutes, you'll be doing far more than you think. So as I started this little write-up, Just Do It!

Victor Crawford-RKC
ViciousStrength.com

Workout #2

2009-06-18T06:23:00.001-07:00

Alright, so earlier this week I posted a real short, quick 10 minute workout for those of you who are soooooooo damn busy that you just cant make the time to workout. Well as far as I'm concerned, thats just an excuse. Yes working out is difficult and it requires discipline and commitment to get your ass to a gym or your living room to do a workout but your health, in my opinion is the most important part of your life.

The point could be argued that your faith or your family, are most important, but I say they're not as important as your health. Why? Well how are you supposed to take care of your family if your not healthy yourself? If you're not disciplined and committed to be a good example when it comes to your body, how do your kids get those qualities instilled in them? Yes, there are many ways to instill discipline and commitment into your kids but being healthy and conditioned is a great way to show your kids these qualities.

Ok, so enough ranting and raving about overweight, and undisiplined people. Onto the workout. Now this workout is pretty difficult so make sure you're up to the challenge before you try it. And make sure you're getting your annual checkups with your Doctor and that he/she approves of you doing high level physical activity. Remember there are many ways to warm up and there are many varieties of workouts. I like the dynamic motion of my warm-ups compared to most personal trainers who have you walking on a treadmill or biking for 5 minutes (plus I absolutely hate LSD training).

This is a Kettlebell workout:

Warm-up(You always need to warm up):

*100 Jumping jacks
*10 push-ups
*10 jump lunges each leg
*10 burpees-can add jumps if you'd like
*20 squats
*50 mountain climbers

Workout (You need a heavy bell and a lighter bell-Ladies need an 8kg and 12kg-Men need a 16kg and a 20kg). This workout will take you 25 minutes:

1st set-Light KB-Men16kg-Women8kg-Dont stop when switching hands:
*1 hand swing-5 left hand and 5 right hand-rest 10 secs
*High pull-5 left and 5 right-rest 10 secs
*Snatch-5 left and 5 right-rest 1 minute
The folowing exercises are back to back; no rest when switching hands or exercises:
*Swing-5 left hand and 5 right hand
*High pull-5 left hand and 5 right hand
*Snatch=5 left hand and 5 right hand
*Rest 1 minute after the above is completed without stopping
*Snatch-37 reps with left hand then 37 reps with right hand-do not stop to rest-Rest 1 minute. That is the end of the first set.

2nd set-Heavy KB-Men20kg-Women12kg-Dont stop when switching hands
*Swing, High pull, snatch-5 left hand-Swing, high pull, snatch-5 right hand(all 3 exercises back to back equals 1 rep)-Rest 30 secs
*Swing, snatch-5 left hand-Swing, snatch 5 right hand-rest 1 minute
*Snatch-19 reps with left hand-19 reps with right hand-You're done!

Remember to make sure you're in decent shape before attempting this workout. It's fairly tough. If you must rest for a longer period than what is listed, feel free to do so but it will take longer than 25 minutes if you do. If you do this workout a couple times week, you will soon become the envy of you friends. Enjoy!

Sample Workout

2009-06-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

Who says you don't have time to workout? Below is a sample 6 minute Bodyweight and Kettlebell workout with a 3-5 minute warm-up. Enjoy:

Warm-up:
*100 Jumping Jacks
*10 push-ups
*10 jump lunges each leg
*10 burpees-can add jumps if you'd like
*20 squats
*50 mountain climbers

Workout:
*Right hand swing-20 secs-rest 10 secs
*Left hand swing-20secs-rest 10 secs
*Right hand high pull-20 secs-rest 10 secs
*Left hand high pull-20 secs-rest 10 secs
*Right hand snatch-20 secs-rest 10 secs
*Left hand snatch-20 secs-rest 10 secs
*Repeat

This workout should take you 6 minutes if you do the work for the required time and only rest for the 10 seconds. You'll be done in a flash and you'll feel 100%. People sometimes get caught up in "I have to workout for 1 hour or longer to get into shape." I say BS! Do short bursts of work with short rests and you'll be kickin' tail in no time at all!!!!

Goals

2009-06-12T06:09:00.000-07:00

So I was thinking the other day about the goal setting and achieving process. And I wondered why more people don't take the time to truly think about the things they want to accomplish in life and then make a plan to achieve those things they want. Well today, I'm goin to give you some of my thoughts on achieving goals and making goal setting part of your daily life.

"Before anything can happen, you must first decide what you want." Ben Stein

This quote is spot on with the goal setting and goal achieving process. Most people go through life without really knowing what they want and they're always too busy doing mundane and ordinary tasks to really stop and think about what they want in life. This is unfortunate because most people who are extraordinary achievers know what they want and they take the time to follow the process I'm talking about.

Once you know what you want to accomplish, you must give yourself a timeline. Is what you want a short-range goal or a long range goal? In other words is it something you can do within a day or week? Or is it more like 6 months, a year, or even 5 years? Knowing the timeframe is crucial because once you know the time frame, then you can begin planning.

This is called back from the future planning. What this process involves is this: Figure out a date that you want to accomplish your goal(s) by and plan in reverse from that date back to today. Where do you want to be a week from your goal deadline? 2 weeks from your deadline, etc. Hopefully you are understanding this process because its a great way to achieve whatever it is you want in life.

What I do is I develop a top 10 goals list each and every year and put them on a 3X5 card so that I can carry them with me. I first learned this from Matt Furey and Jim Rohn. You simply make some of them short range and others longer range goals. The key here is to hold yourself accountable by writing them down on the card. As I have said before, writing your goals down is very powerful. Another key is that you make sure you review your list regularly to ensure that you are on track for achievement.

Now there are many methods and thoughts on the goal achievement process but this is the one that I use and it has proven itself time and again for me. I will tell you that back from the future planning is somewhat difficult at first but it gets easier the more you do it. Also, don't be too rigid with your timelines. Goals should be achieveable but challenging. And don't be afraid to change your plans or even your goals as you move along. This is absolutely ok to do.

Anyway, those are some of my thoughts on the process. Let me know if you would like more specifics around the goal setting process, maybe I can help you. Good luck!

Now is The Time

2009-06-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

Now that it is the beginning of summer, people have vacation trips and camping plans at the front of their minds. And while leisure time to rejuvenate body and soul is critical for us a human beings, I wanted to remind people that now is the time to be thinking about a Strength & Conditioning (S & C) program in order to achieve athletes goals for their particular fall sport.

Whether you're talking about American Football, Soccer, Volleyball, or the other fall sports, athletes and their parents need to seriously consider the importance of a good, solid S & C program. Because I coach youth sports and train others to get into better condition, this is continuously at the front of my mind. However, I see it all the time, athletes training only when their sport begins. This is a gigantic mistake!

Now most people think about a huge guy power cleaning or snatching some enormous amount of weight when we begin talking about an S & C program. This is far from reality. Strength and Conditioning is for all people. What exercises you perform are dictated by your age, current condition, and any medical limitations.

Therefore the 12 year old that is going into 7th grade football at the Middle School level, will have a very different S & C Program designed for him than the Division I College football player. Does that make sense? Even though their activity is the same, they are very different people and require much different programs.

However, most people dont realize what a good basic S & C program can do for a 12 year old youngster. Pushups, pull-ups, kettlebells, maybe even an introduction into lifting weights, and speed drills are excellent for him/her and should be started soon. Fall sports are only 2+ months away people!

There is tons of research that has been done that contradicts the myths about youth and lifting weights. And as long as you have a good S & C coach that takes the particular individuals maturity level and health into consideration and truly knows what they are doing, the youngster will be stronger and will accel at their particular sport in the fall.

To sum it all up, I just want to remind you that fall sports are coming and we need to be thinking about a good training program for the youngsters (including high schoolers) so they can have some fun playing sports and give their teams a better chance of success in the fall.