Today is the last day to save money on the Early Bird Registration for the Integrated Power Workshop!

Check out that link and if you are in the New Jersey area on February 25th, next month, you need to come check us out and take your training to the next level. Uncle Mike and the Milkman run a hugely successful training business at the Jersey Shore and we all have our popular online training business as well. You can pick our brains about your personal training, learn the best proven techniques to enhance your performance and learn the best progressions to to get to where you want to be. 


INTEGRATED POWER WORKSHOP <<<link

If you are trying to build an athlete that will dominate their chosen sport, you need to know how to make them as strong, powerful, mobile and stable as possible to perform at their best on a consistent basis. The video is a great way to help you accomplish that goal!

I used to do all kinds of crazy shit in the gym, looking for a better way to get big, get strong, and dominate my competition. Unfortunately, there is no magic exercise, and no crazy drills that are going to turn you into some wizard of the field in a day. What there is, however, is proper application and execution of the basics exercises and drills that have produced beasts forever. With a few tweaks to your program and your execution, you could enhance your training tremendously. Smitty from the Diesel Crew and I are holding a workshop based on kettlebell technique and application, barbell exercise for strength and power, bodyweight training to feel and perform better, and more. This will surely be a great workshop with tons of knowledge being delivered. 

If you want to get more powerful

If you want to increase your stamina and explosiveness on the field

If you want to train yourself and your clients more effectively

This is the workshop for you. We will deliver and guarantee a great day of training. No doubt, one of the best training days of your life! Don't miss out!

I am very excited right now for many reasons. I have been back home in Virginia for a few weeks now and have been enjoying the summer. I have been getting some serious training in with my compadres at TSS. I have a serious goal in my training because I recently registered for the North Carolina State Weightlifting Championships in Winston-Salem in September. I'm not sure how this will go, due to some recent shoulder issues from the football season I just played in Poland, but I shall do my best and I will surely meet some awesome people. It will be an amazing learning experience and I will share that with everyone, especially those who might be interested in competing in something similar in the near future. Also, the membership area on my website is steadily growing and more info is going on there daily. If you want several months worth of training for a nominal price, it is truly a great resource. But, most importantly and most recently, James Smith, from The Diesel Crew, and I have announced our soon to come training workshop, Back To Basics - Bars, Bells, Bodyweight and Better Movement, to be delivered at The Strength Shop on August 20! 

Over the years I have attended many seminars and have been inspired by all of them. I always come away with something that takes my training to new levels. It might be a game changing tweak in my movement, additional exercises in my repertoire, or a fix in my programming. Regardless, I always learn something that I apply and make myself better at what I love. I have had the amazing opportunities to train and learn from guys like Dave Tate from Elite FTS, Zach Even-Esh, the Underground Strength Coach, Jeff Martone, a world reknowned kettlebell instructor, Olympic level weightlifting coaches, and many more. Needless to say, I have learned a tremendous amount of training information over the years and I am constantly learning more everyday.  It is absolutely mandatory to do so in today's fitness industry or you will get left in the dust.

In just a few short weeks, Smitty and I will deliver this awesome, jam packed workshop full of info to get you feeling better and training more effectively.  This is a great opportunity for anyone who trains themselves or trains others for performance enhancement and general fitness. We are cutting through all the bullshit and getting back to basics. Too many people are looking for gimmicks and following the fads and trends and find themselves spinning their wheels, or worse yet, injured. In the most extreme cases, we have even witnessed some well intentioned but misinformed trainees and coaches actually murdered in their own gyms by fitness nazi unicorns when performing exercises with poor movement patterns. This is a total shame and could have been avoided if they only knew how and why to perform the proper exercise progressions to get them as awesome as possible.

I hope to see you at the workshop on August 20! If you're curious about the info on the workshop, check out this link below

                Back to Basics Workshop

Don't just take my word for it, listen to what others have said about my previous workshops...

I've been away and now I'm back. My team and I worked hard in Poland, but came up a little short to finish third in the nation. I've put together a short video to show some recent events and training. Also, keep an eye out for new athletic strength and conditioning seminars coming soon to TSS with special guests!

When I decided to hold my first kettlebell and bodyweight training seminar, I knew I would have a few hours to teach several people the very basics of the style of the training I use with high frequency in my daily life. Being a busy man with a schedule that has me traveling regularly, with limited time to get to the gym as much as I would like, and having limited equipment while on the go, I knew there was a way for me to keep things simple and brutally effective to get amazing results with a minimalist approach. 


Even if I am not traveling, I regularly use bodyweight training because it makes me feel good, increases my relative strength and dramatically enhances my mobility. This, in turn, reduces any pain I might be experiencing from the rigors of daily life. Spending long hours in bad positions with poor posture can cause anyone serious body pains in their back, hips, neck and shoulders. But a few minutes of strategic bodyweight movements can help strengthen the body and reverse the pains and issues that we put ourselves through. 


I regularly travel by car, so bringing a bunch of gym equipment is not an option, and finding a gym on the road is a guaranteed hassle I don't want to deal with. As long as you have your body, you have the very best piece of equipment ever invented. And anyone can throw a kettlebell in the back seat to add some external resistance as well. 

Get videos now

In my personal training, nothing gets my conditioning to higher level than some bodyweight drills combined with high intensity kettlebell training. The problem most people make with this type of training is not having good technique with a single movement or lift, then doing it for high repetitions. This not only will give you minimal results, but can also have detrimental effects in the long run of your training. 


A major, and often overlooked, aspect of fitness and strength training is alignment and positioning. If your body is in poor alignment while moving heavy loads or performing many reps, you are unnecessarily risking injury, as well as cheating yourself better results from your training. Putting your body in the best position possible allows for enhanced strength, better health and increased fitness, which is what we all want anyway...better results. 

The specifics of the workshop weren't primarily geared towards crushing people with high rep bodyweight conditioning workouts. It was, however, focused on  learning and teaching the fundamentals of kettlebell lifting technique and proper progressions to gain strength with bodyweight movements from beginner to advanced level athletes. 


There is something for everybody, regardless of your fitness level. I show how to do beginner pushups to advanced level one arm variations, and everything in between to prevent plateaus from occurring. The same goes for other basic movements like squats, pullups, and myriad other less common bodyweight strength training movements to add to your arsenal for athletic domination. 


Once you learn exactly how to do the movements with sound technique, you have infinite different programs and systems you can use to enhance your current training and athleticism. Don't continue training with horrible form and sweating through ugly reps. Take the time to learn proper technique and watch your performance skyrocket in no time. Stop skipping steps in your bodyweight strength training and continue climbing the hill instead of spending most of your time on a plateau. 

To be completely honest about the videos from the workshop, they are not the highest quality. If you have seen my YouTube videos, it is very similar, and was recorded with the same camera. There are times in the video when the audio isn't very great, and there are times when I stutter, because I am not the greatest speaker. It is what it is, you will, however, get some really great audio of some of us farting and burping pretty loud as we train for a few hours. I didn't edit out all the weird stuff, it's in there. I only edited out the resting. So, if you are a TSS fan, like our style of training, and have trained for a while yourself, you know what goes on in a home or garage gym. Shit happens, you laugh it off, and continue to get strong as hell. My intentions were to put on a great seminar for those that attended. They were not intended to create a top selling DVD. But I was asked by many who could not attend if I would record it, so by popular demand, here is what I got. In the future, I will have million dollar cameras and fitness models in bikinis demonstrating exercises while I yell like Gilad, but for now, this video set is me and a few athletes training in a garage, getting strong and learning some damn good training techniques. I hope you enjoy. 

The Strength Shop Kettlebell and Bodyweight Training Workshop

A comprehensive and progressive approach to increased bodyweight strength training and kettlebell lifting technique for improved posture, fitness and athleticism.

Available soon:

When I decided to hold my first kettlebell and bodyweight training seminar, I knew I would have a few hours to teach several people the very basics of the style of the training I use with high frequency in my daily life. Being a busy man with a schedule that has me traveling regularly, with limited time to get to the gym as much as I would like, and having limited equipment while on the go, I knew there was a way for me to keep things simple and brutally effective to get amazing results with a minimalist approach. 


Even if I am not traveling, I regularly use bodyweight training because it makes me feel good, increases my relative strength and dramatically enhances my mobility. This, in turn, reduces any pain I might be experiencing from the rigors of daily life. Spending long hours in bad positions with poor posture can cause anyone serious body pains in their back, hips, neck and shoulders. But a few minutes of strategic bodyweight movements can help strengthen the body and reverse the pains and issues that we put ourselves through. 


I regularly travel by car, so bringing a bunch of gym equipment is not an option, and finding a gym on the road is a guaranteed hassle I don't want to deal with. As long as you have your body, you have the very best piece of equipment ever invented. And anyone can throw a kettlebell in the back seat to add some external resistance as well. 


In my personal training, nothing gets my conditioning to higher level than some bodyweight drills combined with high intensity kettlebell training. The problem most people make with this type of training is not having good technique with a single movement or lift, then doing it for high repetitions. This not only will give you minimal results, but can also have detrimental effects in the long run of your training. 


A major, and often overlooked, aspect of fitness and strength training is alignment and positioning. If your body is in poor alignment while moving heavy loads or performing many reps, you are unnecessarily risking injury, as well as cheating yourself better results from your training. Putting your body in the best position possible allows for enhanced strength, better health and increased fitness, which is what we all want anyway...better results. 


The specifics of the workshop weren't primarily geared towards crushing people with high rep bodyweight conditioning workouts. It was, however, focused on  learning and teaching the fundamentals of kettlebell lifting technique and proper progressions to gain strength with bodyweight movements from beginner to advanced level athletes. 


There is something for everybody, regardless of your fitness level. I show how to do beginner pushups to advanced level one arm variations, and everything in between to prevent plateaus from occurring. The same goes for other basic movements like squats, pullups, and myriad other less common bodyweight strength training movements to add to your arsenal for athletic domination. 


Once you learn exactly how to do the movements with sound technique, you have infinite different programs and systems you can use to enhance your current training and athleticism. Don't continue training with horrible form and sweating through ugly reps. Take the time to learn proper technique and watch your performance skyrocket in no time. Stop skipping steps in your bodyweight strength training and continue climbing the hill instead of spending most of your time on a plateau. 


To be completely honest about the videos from the workshop, they are not the highest quality. If you have seen my YouTube videos, it is very similar, and was recorded with the same camera. There are times in the video when the audio isn't very great, and there are times when I stutter, because I am not the greatest speaker. It is what it is, you will, however, get some really great audio of some of us farting and burping pretty loud as we train for a few hours. I didn't edit out all the weird stuff, it's in there. I only edited out the resting. So, if you are a TSS fan, like our style of training, and have trained for a while yourself, you know what goes on in a home or garage gym. Shit happens, you laugh it off, and continue to get strong as hell. My intentions were to put on a great seminar for those that attended. They were not intended to create a top selling DVD. But I was asked by many who could not attend if I would record it, so by popular demand, here is what I got. In the future, I will have million dollar cameras and fitness models in bikinis demonstrating exercises while I yell like Gilad, but for now, this video set is me and a few athletes training in a garage, getting strong and learning some damn good training techniques. I hope you enjoy. 



The Strength Shop Kettlebell and Bodyweight Training Workshop

A comprehensive and progressive approach to increased bodyweight strength training and kettlebell lifting technique for improved posture, fitness and athleticism.



TESTIMONIALS:

This final installment of this article is long overdue. If you have forgotten, or haven't read parts 1 & 2, you can do so here...


part 1


part 2 


8. Recovery/restoration 


Martin Rooney, pioneer of physical training for MMA and trainer to many superfreaks, said to "Schedule recovery first. Recovery is priority number one. Always build your schedule around it, not training." That alone should strike a nerve as to how important it is to get healthy and always feel on top of your game. If you are feeling banged up, tight, sore and stiff, you will not be prepared train at your best. We need to take the time to get our bodies prepared for the stresses that we put it through. Several things that must be considered for recovery are your nutrition, sleep, mental relaxation, contrast baths, massage, self myofascial release, and more. Mike Burgener, olympic lifting coach extraordinaire has been known to say he does not believe in overtraining, but under recovering. There will be a big difference between varying levels of athletes and their recovery methods, but make no mistake, if you are not scheduling rest and recovery into your lifestyle, your engine is bound to break down sooner or later. So do yourself a favor and make a little time for prevention and feeling healthy, or you will be forced to spend a lot of time and money on rehabilitation and injuries. The choice is yours. 


9.  Consistency/ sustainability


It is well known that olympic style lifting requires and develops lots of power for athletes. However, if one performs the movements with bad technique, there is a risk of injury to say the least. If you get injured, you can't train, if you can't train, you can't be a dominant athlete. That being said, the athlete needs to consider what they are going to be able to commit to on a regular basis. Just because the olympic lifts are ridiculously awesome, does not mean they are right for all athletes. It is not wise to force an athlete to train a particular way, it is better to adjust the training to the athletes needs and abilities.  This goes for any style of training, I'm not picking on snatching or cleaning here. If the only place where an athlete can train a particular way is over an hour from home, and can only be done once a month, it might not be best to prioritize this type of training. The BJJ practitioner might need to be rolling with a partner, but making it to the mats only once every third Wednesday of the month will not help them dominate their chosen sport. 
What you do must be practiced regularly and consistently. Dan John, author and world renown coach, has said, "If it's important, do it everyday."  Eric Cressey, author and owner of Cressey Performance near Boston said, "that the best strength and conditioning programs are the ones that are sustainable. I'll take a crappy program executed with consistency over a great program that's only done sporadically."  Of course, a great program executed with consistency is the ideal option. 


10. Mastery


Every once in a while a young kid from outer space picks up a golf club, swings it, and magically a little ball lands in a cup somewhere off in the distance. This occurs in every sport, some kid is just head and shoulders faster, stronger, and better than the rest without putting forth any real effort. They have these innate abilities and natural talents that allow them to progress through the ranks faster and easier than everyone else. These are the anomalies, they are not included in this discussion. For those of us non mutants born here, on Earth, we need to work hard, really hard, for a long time to get to be better than average at our chosen sport. Now if you want to be dominant at your chosen sport, this needs to be taken to a whole new level. The basics of most skills and sports can be taught and learned in a matter of minutes. However, to master these very skills can take a lifetime. Most people will see a ton of progress right from the jump, but then their improvement may slowly start to decelerate. Don't think because you have been throwing a football for 2 months that you're ready to destroy all opponents in your path. Just think, Brett Favre has been a PRO for 20 years and surely he hasn't mastered his craft yet, but the key is to always be trying to get better. Never stop learning. Mistakes are probably your best learning lessons, so make a lot of them in your experiences and grow from them. Surely Brett has made his share. One becomes better at their craft by mastering the basics and fundamentals. Once these foundational skills have been acquired and mastered, they must be repeated constantly. The level of training must also match the level of athlete. For example, you don't have a white belt practice the drills of a black belt. Likewise, you don't teach calculus to a second grader. One of the worst things an athlete can do is train in a way that is too demanding of their skill level. Just because the gold medal olympic athletes are using program X, does not mean that it is the right program for you. Beginners should focus only on the basics and make practical progressions from there.  Every step is based on the previous knowledge and skills acquired. After years and years of progressive training, you too can be a master of your sport. 


Every day you can get just a little better than yesterday by eating better, sleeping better, training better, etc. Utilizing the principles discussed above will help keep you on the path to athletic domination. What can you do right now to get better? Whether it's go stretch, eat, sleep, meditate or train, something can be done to make you better. 


If you're in or near the UK, you need to check out the Strength & Conditoning for Athletic Domination Seminar I am co-hosting with Sean Keefe and Zoran Dubaic at Strength & Performance in Manchester on Saturday, May 14th, 2011. Its going to be an amazing seminar with tons of information covered from bodyweight and kettlebell training, strongman and olympic lifting, sandbags and anything else that can enhance your skills and make you a more dominant athlete!


Also, please add any comments and ideas which you feel are essential for an athlete to achieve domination in their sport or life. 

This is going to be a very exciting workshop geared towards learning the basics of kettlebell and bodyweight movements and several progressions and regressions to maximize your training and coaching. Lots of people "do kettlebells" these days, but not everyone uses proper mechanics and trains optimally with this incredible tool. I have decided to have this workshop to help athletes and coaches learn the basics and a few variations to enhance their training and coaching style.  I tell people frequently that kettlebells are kind of like a sports car, driving one can be very fun, but driving it the wrong way can be very dangerous. Don't jeopardize your health and performance. Learn the proper technique and watch your performance skyrocket. The most functional tool we all have available to us is our own body. Combining our natural bodyweight movements with kettlebells is an amazing way to have a lot of fun and blow your old training program through the roof. 


Why train with kettlebells?


Kettlebells are a very functional tool that allow your body to move freely through space without restrictions.  You can generate tons of force for power production and athletic enhancement, as well as burn a ton of calories in a short period of time for fat loss.  Whatever your goal, there is a way that kettlebells can help you be successful.


When is the workshop?


It is going to be held on Saturday, November 6th, 2010 at 11:00 am EST - about 3:00 pm.  If more time is necessary, I will stay and make sure you learn what you need. 


Where is the workshop going to be?


The Strength Shop 
2424 Castleton Commerce Way Unit 1111
Virginia Beach, VA 23456



I'm new to kettlebells, is this for me? 


The workshop is based off of beginners movements and their progressions and regressions. There will be tons of stuff for beginners and seasoned athletes and coaches. 


I can't do a pullup, is bodyweight training for me? 


There will be lots to learn from the regressions and systems taught at the workshop. 


I kill pullups, I can do like 100 in a row, what am I going to learn? 


Awesome, Dude, you're the man! Now come learn advanced bodyweight progressions and get crazy strong!


How much is this amazing workshop going to cost?


Only $97 for the first 6 signups, then the price goes up to $127 for the next 6 signups. We are capping the attendance to 12 people. 


Times are tough, I want to come, but can't afford it. Is there something you can do?


There will be only 1 scholarship available to the person who best writes about why they would benefit from this engaging learning experience from The Strength Shop K & B Workshop! So get crackin, let me know why you're the one, drop a paragraph in the comments before Friday 10/15 at noon, and let's get strong and ripped up like Rambo.  I'll announce the winner on Saturday the 16th. 


How do I sign up?


Email me at matt@tssathletics.com for payment details via paypal.  Act now, the first 6 spots get the discount.