1. Stop wasting time hanging out with energy vampires. 

-You know the type, the person who is always mentally and emotionally draining. Let them go. They are negative, they bring nothing to the table, they don't appreciate you. All they want is the communal energy to be focused on them. They never even want to try and solve their problem, they only want to complain about it and have you listen and console them. Or worse yet, they complain about everything that is wrong with you. You are important and you need some focus too. Your time is valuable, spend it with those people who support you and embrace you for the person who you are. 

2. Make your move. 

- The time is never going to be perfect to do that thing you have been planning to do for so long. Something will always be in the way, between school, work, family, friends, money, kids, etc. That's never going to change, it is time to make that jump and get started. You will need to make adjustments as you go, but lots of learning will be made in the process. Nobody achieves greatness from doing everything right the first time, you learn the most through mistakes and adversity. Embrace the opportunity that you have today, accept the challenge and follow your dream. 

3. Stop taking care of everyone else before you take care of yourself. 

- Make yourself a priority. I am not saying disregard everyone else. But sometimes you need to look out for number one. If you are not going at 100% full throttle, than you can not be your best to help others as well. Charge yourself first, then help others when the time permits. 


4. Let the real you shine through. 

- Too often people try to be someone that they think others want them to be. This is a disservice to yourself by not being real. The world already has everyone else. The world needs you. Be proud to step up and represent who you are.  If you try to be someone you're not, everything will be fake and meaningless. Be yourself and you'll attract the people that you want to be associated with. 

5. Be conscious and actively experience life. 

- Notice and appreciate what is going on around you right now. You can never get this moment back. What you do right now will greatly shape what happens to you down the road. If you do nothing now, you'll be nowhere in the future. Experience as much of life as possible, it's really pretty amazing. 

6. Make an honest evaluation of yourself. 


- Be brutal and figure out what you like and dislike about yourself. Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. The path to self discovery can be harsh. You will find out things that you did not want to admit, then ask why it is the way it is. Do it again, and again, and again. You will eventually come to the root of your issues, not just obvious symptoms. Dig deep inside you and change that thing that has been holding you back from being a better you. You can avoid the truth for a long time, but you can't make real change until you accept what you do not like. 




7. Appreciate what you have. 

- There really isn't a need for most of us to constantly get new toys, or seek happiness with a new relationship, etc. Take the time every day to appreciate the things you already have and may be taking for granted. You might think that the new shiny object is going to give you what you want, but it really only cost you time and money and soon you will want something else thats just out of reach. If you get a Maserati, you'll want a Lamborghini. You have something great right now, enjoy it. Besides, the best things in life are free anyway. 




8. Don't try to be the person you used to be. 

-We grow up, we get older, things change, it's inevitable. Some people try to reverse the clock and conceal the truth with surgery, makeup, transplants, pills, lotions and potions. You used to be younger, leaner, faster and stronger, but now you're wiser, you know how to work smarter and use your gifts to your advantage better. Don't try to be what you used to be, just be the best you can be for today and tomorrow. 

9. Be happy for other peoples success. 

- Never be jealous for someone else's achievements. Jealousy is a wasted emotion. Your time will be better spent building happiness for yourself. Genuinely let the other guy know how excited you are for them, and more people will cheer for you when you accomplish something great. 


10. Stress less. 

- I know, it's not so easy, but it can be done. Don't make excuses, find a way to reduce your negative energy levels. Eat better and sleep more for better energy. Smart exercise will help you feel and move better, which can make you more productive. Change one small thing at a time until it becomes a habit. Don't change your whole life, it is too overwhelming. Be accountable for your own life. Be ready to tackle the tough decisions head on. Nobody can change you but you. Sometimes things get worse before they get better. Stop resisting change, trust me, the hard road is a more joyful journey.  


Please share your thoughts on having a better year, or a more prosperous life in general. If you have any questions about any of these topics, please ask and share. 


Announcing our latest workshop at The Training Room at the Jersey Shore on February 25th. Our sign up page will be coming very soon. If you are anywhere near the Jersey Shore, you definitely do not want to miss this training workshop with the Milkman, Uncle MIke and myself, it's going to be an advanced athletic extravaganza. See YOU there!


Here is a link to the Kettlebell & Bodyweight Workshop I held last year at The Strength Shop. It is loaded with tons of great exercises and progressions to get you stronger and take your training to the next level. Also, if you are ready to take a free week long tour of our private membership area, The Consummate Athlete, CLICK HERE. 

Don't forget to grab a hoodie or a tee shirt to keep you warm, ready and looking like you have a clue while you hit the weights this winter! Click the photo below to get yours now. 

1. Avoid doing anything fast except your 20 minute metcon, keep working on that lean and toned look. Fast singles, doubles and triples are for de-conditioned meatheads.  

2. Avoid eating fat because its going to turn your 32 inch waist into a blobby mess. Remember that there is no fat in whole grain cereal and thats the key to being healthy. 

3. Focus on the doing the bodyweight plank as your hardest abs exercise. Doing a heavy, uneven loaded carry would certainly cause you to become imbalanced and grow crooked. 

4. Always do full body training to limit your strength and mass gains in any one area. Avoid any body part splits so you won't to get too bulky. 

5. Never push too hard against the resistance, maintain a slow and controlled tempo to avoid injury. Safety first, protect your joints. 

6. Avoid any accessory work to address your weaknesses, focus only on the things you're good at, like 5k runs and carbohydrate consumption. Never try anything new, you might learn something. 

7. Accuse any strong athlete, who trains with high levels of intensity, of being on steroids. It's not possible to train more than once a day without secret sauce. 

8. Complain about how expensive organic meat and healthy eating is and continue regularly consuming Ramen noodles for 17 cents a pack. The key to health is cheap food and expensive insurance. 

9. Never go too heavy or too hard on an exercise. If you have been doing it so well for the past few years, it'll work for the next few as well. 

10. Never do any big time lifts like squats, deadlifts, cleans or presses. You might get overly coordinated, pack on some quality muscle, get too much attention from hot women, and your confidence levels will most likely get out of control. This could cause an initial depletion of monetary funds due to the high occurrence of new dates and potential coital experiences. 

There you have it, 10 tips to stay the same and avoid working towards gaining some hard earned strength and muscle to enhance your life. 


If, in fact, you DO want to gain strength and enhance your athletic skill, please check out The Consummate Athlete!  You have nothing to lose because it is free for a week and cancel if you don't want to stick around. We have something new for you everyday, including tutorials, exercises and demonstrations, articles and interviews and more. Check it out HERE!


As always, if you have a strong desire to enhance your kettlebell lifting technique and improve your strength and mobility with bodyweight exercise, please CLICK HERE FOR OUR KETTLEBELL AND BODYWEIGHT WORKSHOP VIDEO. 

Here is a sample day of strength training at TSS, every day is different, but the goal is the same... get stronger and better. If you are interested in learning more about our online training program, check this out. 
1. Box Jump 12-15 single hits

2. Senders 3 sets of 6-10 hits
-you can hop over kegs, hurdles, paralletes, plates, or nothing at all, just hop in a controlled manner, make sure you add a flip at the end, its crucial, or you are a huge failure ;p

3. Sandbag bearhug squat 3x8-10
-sub goblet squat if necessary, this is for mobility only
-a second video of sandbag bearhug squats, they are a favorite of mine for mobility

4. Squat 5-5-5-3-3-3
-no guts no glory, but make sure you get appropriate depth

5. Hollow Rocks 30/30 x 6
-30 seconds on, 30 seconds off x 6 minutes, try to rock the entire last minute (or two) without resting

6. Sleds 5 minutes


Don't forget to check out my Strength & Conditioning for Athletic Domination Seminar in the UK coming May 14th at Strength & Performance in Manchester! Its going to be an amazing time with tons of ass kicking going on!!  See you there. 

If none of the experts ever gave back, we would have only a bunch of idiots walking around telling others what to do.

For those of you interested in training with us, training for yourself, to make you a better person, here are some guidelines to follow. They work for life in general. I stole this from Michael Rutherford, from Crossfit Kansas City, Coach Rut is the real deal. So much can be taken from these 10 key points, please consider them before making a decision that could change your life.  


Coaching assessment

1. I am willing to make the coaching process an 
investment in myself. I view it as a long-term 
approach to creating changes in my life. I am 
not looking for a quick fix. 

___________

2. I am ready to do the work necessary to get me  
where I want to be, and I will let the coach do 
the coaching.

____________ 

3. I am willing to change any self-defeating  
behaviors that are creating a barrier to my 
success. 

____________

4. I accept responsibility for my actions and will not 
expect the coach to “fix” me, because I know 
I’m the only one who can make it happen. 

____________

5. I have adequate funds to pay for coaching  
and will not regret the investment. I view 
coaching as a worthwhile investment in me, 
not an expense, and I will not allow finances to 
be a barrier to coaching. 

____________

6. I am willing and able to be completely truthful  
with my coach, and I’m ready to hear the truth 
from my coach even if it is uncomfortable at 
first. 

____________

7. Coaching is the appropriate process for the  
changes I want to make. 

____________

8. I am able to commit the time needed to make
and keep scheduled coaching sessions and to 
do the fieldwork that my coach asks of me. 

____________

9. I’m open to trying new things when my coach 
asks me, even if they aren’t completely 
comfortable or I’m not convinced they will 
make a difference. 

____________

10. This is the right time in my life for me to accept 
coaching. 

____________



Realize that life changes take an investment, not necessarily monetary, but mentally, physically, emotionally, etc. If you aren't willing to pay the price, don't waste your time. For those of you who want to make a serious change, invest in yourself and join our membership area. Enhance your training, and watch your strength grow. Contact me and get started today. 

Check out our private membership area for full video tutorials on exercise progressions and programming! Send me a request to join or post a comment with your email and I will provide you with all the info you need to get started today!

Building something from scratch, awesome.

Learning from cool ass mentors, who kick you the real shit, awesome.

Loading the bar to the edge with bumps instead of iron to feel better about a sub 4 pull, awesome.

Sled sprints in the rain when no one else is watching, awesome.

Hitting deads after work because you missed the morning session, awesome.

Greeting your "one" at the airport after that horribly long trip, awesome.

Enjoying a cold one after a beast session, awesome.

Getting in a fresh stack of toys to play with, awesome.

Being the freak in a room full of ordinaries, awesome.

Realizing when it's too late that you've gone too far, awesome.

Making a PR feel as smooth as a peanut butter and banana sandwich, awesome.

Gettin crunk witcha homiez in da garage cause it's Friday, and you ain't got shit to do, awesome.

Max effort jerks, followed up with a few dozen ring dips, awesome.

Lessons learned from the strongmen of yesteryear, awesome.

Homemade tools that get you lean and mean on a budget, awesome.

A great friend introduces you to the cool little newbie in the group, awesome.

Having some stupid strong fun in sunny Florida, awesome.

Being the big dog in the pack, awesome.

Having more than your share of natures finest available at your fingertips, awesome.

Having a great rack, awesome.

Putting over 20K miles on your Harley before you sell it, awesome.

Being there for the Big Day, awesome.

Driving for way too many hours to get it the fuck done, awesome.

Having good looking friends that don't suck, awesome.

Mobilizing your bits and pieces so you feel like a rock star, awesome.

Squat butt, awesome.

Actually reliving your glory days 10 years later, and putting your money where your mouth is, awesome.

Beer pong with margaritas, ugh, awesome?

Lifting heavy kegs from the ground to overhead, awesome.

Reconnecting with the jokesters of your past, awesome.

A strong gut, awesome.

Acknowledgment and recognition, awesome.

A never ending supply of the greatest protein source on earth, awesome.

Celebrating and honoring the Queen, awesome.

Relinquishing your cherished stack of Playboys because you've moved on, awesome.

Having a good sense of humor about bad jokes, awesome.

Enjoying a really great beer over a great game, awesome.

Enjoying any beer with great friends at the local town festival, awesome.

Knowing how to progress safely to performing difficult skills, awesome.

Being on the inside of an impenetrable bubble, awesome.

Being strong enough to do what the others can't, awesome.

Your first stone, awesome.

Sharing the bed with an angry beaver AND a happy beaver, awesome.

Daring to let it all hang out, even when you're dressed like a light switch, awesome.

A room full of snatch, awesome.

Going overboard to exaggerate a point, awesome.

Knowing that you could, awesome.

Dragging the sled at 6 am so your not dragging your ass at 6 pm, awesome.

Ridiculous amounts of over-the-top sushi, because ordinary just isn't your style, awesome.

Sharing with thy neighbor, awesome.

I'm glad you took the time to check out this post, it's a special one to me.  Following suit with the last way to be awesome here, I want to share my most valuable stuff with you. If you want to be more awesome, you will really want to join my private strength & conditioning membership area. I provide weekly programming and videos on how to perform exercises with progressions from beginner to advanced. If you want to learn and have a desire to get better, don't miss this. It is only $50 for 4 months of extremely valuable info.  I answer all questions, most with video tutorials. If you got a problem, yo, I'll solve it.  Contact me and lets get you started today. You'll be a more awesome person for it.

Whenever the weather and time permits, and sometimes even when it doesn't, I get outside and enjoy the elements for some underground training. If you're not sure what that means, watch the video. Use the tools that are available to you and get stronger. Pick up rocks and throw them. Run and jump on and over various things. Get dirty and rage with no rules. Post a comment on your favorite way to beast out, let loose and blow off some steam while making yourself a stronger person.

I put together a video last week of a workout I did using kettlebells and bodyweight, it felt great to move around a lot and essentially hit the whole body. I tried to balance my pushing and pulling exercises, as well as hit a good amount of power and stability. Sometimes people neglect certain aspects in their training, but this is a good way to cover the bases. Let me know what you think in the comments and I will explain the exercise selection if necessary.

1. Barbell Power Snatch 8x1

2a.  Squat 6-8x2-3
2b.  Box Jump from seat 6-8x3
2c.  Bulgarian Bag Halos 6-8x6/6

3a.  Step ups 3x10/10
3b.  Walking RDL's 3x10/10

4a.  GHR 3x12-15
4b.  HLR 3x12-15

5.  Sprint 6x60 meters

6.  Prowler 5-10x30 meters