My Back Hurts (Wait, so do my hips).
I have congenital scoliosis. As I was exiting the birth canal, Nomgar, the fire dragon from the North, attacked me. I parried against his fire and claws with a ball of infant explosion and savagery described with adequate vim as Ginger Fist. During the battle, however, I over-utilized my supple infant tissues to dodge fire and inflict damage–as a result my spinal [...]
How important is an education?
A few weeks ago I had a high school junior message me through Facebook to ask if I would take some time to answer a few questions on going to college for exercise science. OF COURSE I said yes… And my answers were some things I wish that I had heard before starting college as [...]
The Magic of Cluster Sets, Part 2
Yesterday on T-Nation they publushed my article “The Magic of Cluster Sets.” I didn’t name it that–I actually sent it in without a title–but it’s cool that they called clusters magic. It makes me feel like a wizard–or at least like a dude that knows card tricks. I don’t know any card tricks. What I [...]
Do Your Intentions Match Your Actions?
Do your intentions match your actions? It’s a matter of congruency. My guess is no. I’m not saying that you, in part from everyone else, have anything wrong with you–it’s just a numbers game. Most people intend to do more–training, living, growing–but fail to act accordingly by what they envision. It’s like playing a movie in [...]
8 Weeks to What?
As many of you know, my gym is adjacent to a mixed martial arts school. So, you would think that there’s a constant flow of fighters strolling through the doors. And while there are some, it’s not nearly as many as you think… You see, there’s a common term thrown around in the MMA game: [...]
Easy Ways to Completely Avoid Making Progress
Earlier this week Chris asked us a question, have you progressed? Hopefully you took some time to think objectively on the question. Have you written a good movement history, or does it need a greater effort of penmanship? Are you learning? Do you have a support system? I thought about Chris’ questions a lot over [...]
Have YOU Progressed?
I’ve come a long way… Sometimes my clients think that I am superhuman. I move well, I’m damn strong pound-for-pound, I’ll leap a building, I can stay lean rather easily, I’m- okay, okay, I digress… But in all seriousness, most of my clients can, should, and will eventually surpass me if I’m doing my job. [...]
Was it worth it?
When I was growing up I kind of got in trouble- a lot. Not big trouble, but I definitely pushed the envelope quite often. For instance, in the first grade I got in trouble in class for something I don’t even remember. But, I do remember that the punishment was to take a letter from my [...]
Why Habits Determine Success
Last week Chris talked about about the construction of BSP NOVA, One Piece At a Time. His analogy for training progress is perfect–our bodies, and our goals, change as we manipulate one variable at a time. What’s frustrating, though, is this isn’t how we think. We envision the whole rather than the thousand meaningful parts that [...]
Lift For Boston!
I’m sitting comfortably in my bedroom as I write this. My dog is dreaming on my bed behind me, wimpering and huffing at rabbits yet to be caught. The cracked window in front of me welcomes a cool breeze as I sit listening to “Murder in the City” by The Avett Brothers. Tomorrow, if all [...]
One Piece At a Time
Coach Chris here… Your body and my gym have a lot in common. When I opened my gym in October of 2011, I had no idea what it was going to look like a year down the road. I mean, yeah, I had ideas, visions, dreams- but I didn’t really KNOW. On day one it [...]
A Better 3/4
Each year, just past the first quarter of the year, I celebrate my birthday. This one happens to be 27–the first number I wore on my football jersey in college. I wasn’t fond of having that number–I didn’t pick it–and I changed to number 40 for my sophomore season to honor Pat Tillman. I also grew [...]
Youth Training: Building a Base that Builds a Monster
I have a favorite client. She’s not an Olympian, nor is she a professional athlete. A few years back she learned how to read and she’s now on her way to mastering long division. She’s my neice, Kendra. That’s her nailing the is0-lunge hold a few months back. Since then she’s been introduced to a [...]
Intermittent Eating 2: Paleo
A few years ago my ex-girlfriend’s mom gave me a copy of Eat Right for Your Type. If you’re unfamiliar, the book is about eating foods that fit your blood type. The book is based mainly on conjecture; there’s minimal–if any–solid research supporting the author’s claims. But at the time I was enthralled. I’m Type O [...]
Bad Grip, Bad Hips
If I were a rapper my stage name would be Hot Red Nasty. I’d be like a white Trinidad James–or maybe I’d be a black Eminem. My first album, Sunburnt But Flexin, would sell two million copies the first week. It would be a concept album telling the story of how we roll in New [...]
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