Before the internet, the world of strength and serious bodybuilding was in it's very own little world. A small culture of people who shocked the rest of the world for doing what they did: - Lifting HEAVY and straining the body - Eating like Gladiators - Transforming their body / Growing Muscles that stretched shirts - The ability to perform feats of strength Well, after this weekend's USC Cert, we had a few guys in attendance who were in their 20s and they had never seen the … [Read more...]
Louie Simmons: Westside Barbell Training Methods, Part I
Article by Louie Simmons There is much talk about training philosophies, methods, and methodologies. It seems everyone has their own, which they devised on the basis of their own experience. They recommend such strategies as doing reps to failure to eliminate assistance work and doing only the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Have you ever wondered what the author has accomplished as a lifter, a trainer, or a scientist? Did they ever total Elite or field a team of Elites at a national … [Read more...]
How to Kick Ass, Get STRONGER & Get JACKED in a 1 Car Garage Gym
I remember I was 25 or so, and decided to stop training at the local gym. I was finishing Graduate school which was an hour drive each way. Graduate school was wiping me out in addition to working full time, studying my ass off and trying to train in a hard core gym. Hard core gyms were dead..... Somehow, someway, people in the mid 90s began thinking that being Strong & Jacked was not a cool thing. I swear to you this is NO lie. Magazines came out for this specific look and many gym … [Read more...]
Mark Rippetoe Interview on Building Functional Muscle & Brute Strength
Enjoy the audio interrogation with Coach Mark Rippetoe. Apologies for the little static during the first 2 minutes but it clears up after the 2 minute mark. Have mercy on me as my office is out of a military back pack since moving out and awaiting for our new home to be ready and I don't have a land line :) Regardless....The information in this interview is Golden and make sure you READ the article linked below. It is what I would call EPIC!!". … [Read more...]
Can Circuit Training Build Muscle?
Many people equate circuit training with light weights, conditioning or fat loss. Not so. my bruddahs. I use circuits frequently AND with heavy weights with my own workouts, and they DO pack on muscle and strength. BUT, you gotta prepare for the pain, because this style of training can get brutal as each set continues..... The fast pace does boost conditioning as well, which I love, but, take a look at how I crank a circuit below with HEAVY weights. I wanna hear your thoughts on circuit … [Read more...]
How to Use Kettlebells to Build Muscle, Build Strength & Mental Toughness
I'm here in Louisville, and on the way out here I stopped through Ohio to meet some friends of the iron game, took a trip through Westside Barbell club & recorded 15 minutes of it for Underground Strength Academy members. Above, the custom Harley Davidson of Jim Wendler I Spent a few hours in the Elite FTS Compound with Jim Wendler and AJ Roberts. Jim showed me his new Harley, and we talked training and life. We got to talking training and how Jim is evolving from his powerlifting … [Read more...]