How to Break Records

There's not many feelings that compare to breaking a personal record. Lately, that's all I've been doing. I've been pushing my physical limits every time I step in the gym. Every record I've attempted to break has fallen with very few attempts. My deadlift, bench press, and clean & jerk personal records were all broken by at least 10 lbs. And it wasn't due to my diet, programming, sleep, supplements, or anything else people may ask about. It was because of my mindset and work ethic in the gym.

What's the take away?
The hard work and dedication pays off. Anyone who says otherwise isn't working hard, and/or consistently enough. There is no secret that will magically make you lose fat, build strength, or gain size. The only thing that matters is the amount of effort you put in to every rep and the attitude you have while performing. You HAVE to give absolutely everything you've got on every rep. And you've got to tell yourself that you will complete the task at hand. You've got to be confident in your abilities without a shadow of a doubt. Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right.

Here are what my workouts have looked like lately.

-Chest-
Warm up
1x5 Bench press @ 205 lbs
1x3 Bench press @ 225 lbs
3x1 Bench press @ 235, or 245 lbs
3x5 Weighted dips @ 90 lbs

-Legs-
Warm up
2x1 Power clean progression @ 185 lbs
2x2 Squat cleans @ 185
3x2 Split jerk @ 185 lbs
3-5 Heavy single squat clean & jerks.

Here's my current PRs
Sumo deadlift - 365 lbs
Clean & jerk - 225 lbs
Bench press - 255 lbs

Fulfilling Your Potential

The last two days I have been at peak performance, academically and athletically. There's not much to say except that life can be amazing if you are willing to put in 100% effort into everything you do. I love the feeling I get from knowing I put anything and everything I had into something. It's also a great feeling to see those around you at their best. The harder you work, the luckier you get. If you constantly push your limits, things will go your way. Everyone has the potential to be great. Most people just don't want to put in the work. Wasted potential is one of the things I HATE the most. There is absolutely no reason you shouldn't be doing everything in your power to become the greatest you can be. Why wouldn't you want to better yourself? When you slack off you are hurting yourself and everyone around you. It makes me sick to my stomach when I see people looking for the easy way out. There are no shortcuts. Shut up and work your ass off. Too many people in this world complain about their circumstances and make excuses about anything that doesn't go their way. There's always a way to accomplish the task at hand.

What's the takeaway? Fulfill your potential. There's never been anyone who did absolutely everything they could and still didn't get what they wanted. If you didn't get what you want, you didn't work hard enough. It's as simple as that. And don't be fooled by "what is impossible" and "limitations." There's always room for improvement. Chase your dreams.

Here's my workout for today

Warm Up / Stretching
1x5 Bench Press @ 205 lbs
1x3 Bench Press @ 225
3x1 Bench Press @ 235
2x10 Weighted Dips @ 90 lbs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb_dtIto4oQ)
4x5 Military Press @ 155 lbs (smith machine)
3x10 Shrugs @ 275 lbs
1x10 Shrugs @ 315 lbs
3x20 Bodyweight Dips

Getting back in the Groove (Day 12)

Day 12 start off horribly. I awoke for school, after only 3 hours of sleep, dreading the day to come. Even though I didn't do a real workout today, it turned out to be a pretty good day. I had a lot of fun with life. The only thing that bothered me today was my shoulder. It hurts to bench press, and it's really taking away from my workouts. I'm going to start doing some rehabilitation exercises for my shoulder. Hopefully it will get better soon. I also have to be careful to not over work myself. I'm still sick and I don't want to push it while my body isn't at 100%. I'll do what I have to today to make tomorrow a little bit easier.

What's the takeaway? When life has you down, don't forget to have some fun. You've got to enjoy what you do, or you won't do it to your best ability. Also, you have to slow go through the motions until you can build up to full speed. You can't create a tall building on a weak foundation. Make sure you have mastered the essentials and basics before moving on.

That's all for today.

Setbacks Happen (Day 11)

Day 11 was a minor setback, but it wasn't my fault. I was pretty sick from the time I woke up until the time I attempted to go to sleep. My throat hurt whenever I tried to swallow or even breathe. Working out was just not an option. I was in bed all day. I had to keep a towel over my mouth and nose the entire day because it hurt too much to breathe cold, unfiltered air. Lightheadedness, congestion, and inability to eat; you can bet I had a wonderful day.

What is the takeaway from today? Setbacks are inevitable, and you must account for them ahead of time. Some things in life are out of your control. Tight schedules are daily offset by minor setbacks. Allow yourself some wiggle room in your schedule, or you could fall behind. Often, its not the setback itself that is a major problem. The snowball effect that a minor setback can have is what you should look out for. Don't let an inconvenience turn into a disaster.

That's all for today.

Person Life vs Professional Life (Day 10)

Day 10 was memorable, but not for what happened in the gym. It was very emotionally stressful. Life can become very unpleasant, very quickly. Everything seems to pile up until you have a complete breakdown. It's hard to stay focused in the gym when you have so much on your mind. I put in a short back workout today. It's not even worth listing what I did. From now on, I'm going to try to not to not let my personal life interfere with my workouts. Life is rough, but you've got to do what you've got to do.

What's the takeaway? Your personal life and your work life should be as separate as possible. Don't let stress from one affect the other. You have to be able to give your undivided attention to the task at hand. Any outside interference will only take away from what you're trying to accomplish.

That's all for today.

Every Step Matters (Day 9)

Day 9 was a step in the right direction. More was accomplished than not. Sunday I rested. I spent the day with friends, one of which was on leave from her military duties. I felt that it was more important to spend some time with her while she was here than to use another day on myself. Today was labor day. I went to the gym for a short chest workout. The rest of the day was spent at a cookout by the pool. I don't think today was a very good today, but it wasn't very bad either.

What's the takeaway? Life isn't one long journey. Life is a series of events and experiences. Every step in the right direction, no matter how small, is still a step in the right direction. Everything you do affects your future. Make sure what you're doing is going to take you down a path that you desire.

That's all for today. Here's my pathetic excuse for a workout.

Warm up & stretching
4x5 DB bench @ 95 lb DBs
3x8 Chest fly machine @ 145 lbs
3x10 Weighted dips @ 70 lbs

Partying vs Progress (Day 8)

Day 8 was a complete joke as far as physical progress goes. I didn't do anything to better myself today. Horrible diet coupled with partying, you can bet I'm disappointed about today. Most people would think today was an amazing day and it's only getting better, but that's not my perspective. Today was very counterproductive. Although, it is a holiday weekend. What did you expect? I'll make up for it another day. I owe myself that much.Party on Friday and Saturday, and rest on Sunday, because on Monday it's back to the grind.

What's the takeaway?  Don't give half of today up to last night. Although you may want to enjoy your social life as much as possible, don't let it affect your progress. Prioritize your dreams and aspirations.

That's all for today.

Rest Days & Active Recovery (Day 7)

Day 7 was put off as a rest day. In reality, I was just being lazy. I decided to put some work into my social life instead of going to the gym after school. I did play basketball for 30 minutes, so at least I didn't do nothing at all. It turned out to be a pretty good day, although I am mildly disappointed about not making time for the gym when I know I could have. I might put in two workouts for Day 8 to make up for it.

What's the takeaway? You can't change the past, but you can make it right in the future. Also, make sure you're getting some type of physical activity in every day. Light cardio is great for recovering faster, and you can do it every day of the week.

That's all for today.

Plan B (Day 6)

Day 6 was back day! It's been a little while since I've worked out back. It started out as a leg day, but my training partners decided on Plan B. Usually I'm really excited about training legs, but I really wasn't feeling it today. The last thing I wanted to do was waste my time in the gym half-assing a work out.

What's the takeaway? If you aren't going to put forth every single ounce of effort you have into it, then why are you doing it at all. Don't waste your time doing things you aren't excited about. Time is very precious and it shouldn't be wasted under any circumstances. Have enough self respect to not waste away your life doing things you don't want to. Also, life doesn't always go as planned. You need to be able to make decisions and adjustments on the fly. When in doubt, go with your gut feeling.

That's all for today. Here's my workout for today.

3x10 wide grip lat pulldowns @ 130 lbs
3x10 medium grip lat pulldowns @ 130 lbs
3x10 underhand close grip pulldowns @ 130 lbs
3x10 seated rows @ 140 lbs
3x10 smith machine shrugs @ 275 lbs
3x10 straight bar curls @ 50 lbs
         super set w/ 3x10 resistance tubing curls
3x10 ez curl bar preacher curls
3x10 cable curls @ 80 lbs

Let me know what you think.

The Days We Wish For (Day 5)

Day 5 was another heavy chest day. It came pretty easily though. Days like this are a lot of fun. The entire day just flowed pretty well and I had some fun in the gym. These days give are what people like me hope for. I don't need overly amazing days in any way. I just want alright days where I'm mildly happy the entire time without having to really work for it. Life seems so easy and I feel content with my performance for the day. Not much to say about today.

What's the takeaway? Just know that some days will come easy, and others will be harder. Roll the dice and deal with whatever you get.

That's all for today. Here's my workout for the day.

Warm up
5x5 db bench press @ 95 lbs dbs
3x10 chest flies @ 145 lbs
2x10 weighted dips @ 70 lbs
1x20 weight dips @ 45 lbs
1x30 dips
3x30 triceps pushdowns x10 close grip @ 130 lbs, x10 regular grip @ 130 lbs,                          x10 reverse grip @ 110 lbs

Maintenance Required (Day 4)

Day 4 was my first rest day. Here's a quote that completely sums up my day.

         "The time to relax is when you don't have time for it."
                                                                                             -Sidney J. Harris

I have been on a nonstop grind for 3 straight days. Two or three hours of sleep a night isn't enough when you are engaged and active for the other 21 hours of the day. If you're the same exact person as you were yesterday, that means you aren't making any progress. And sometimes, to progress, you have to give your mind and body time to recover. Machines require maintenance. If you run a machine 24/7 without taking time to maintenance it, you will lower it's efficiency, and eventually break it. Without rest days, you run a high risk of over training or injury. You have to find how much time your mind and body needs for rest and recovery.

What's the takeaway? Everyone is different. Even though you may be extremely dedicated and passionate, you still have to take a day off every so often. It will make you better at your craft.

That's all for today.

Building Momentum (Day 3)

Day 3 was a good example of overcoming obstacles and doing what you have to. The day started out kind of rough. With only 2 hours of sleep, I was debating even going to school. So I made a proposition with myself. I told myself, "just take a shower, then see how you feel." And after I showered, I felt awake enough to school. When I got to school, I was still very tired, but I told myself, "just make it through your classes, then see how you feel." The day was good enough that I decided to hit the gym after school. I had a great time at the gym. Leg day always puts me in a good mood. Then I got invited to play some basketball and box with friends. The day had been long, but I could push myself through a couple more hours. I had a pretty good time while getting in some cardio. It was actually fairly productive day. And to think that I wasn't even going to get out of bed this morning.

What's the takeaway? Sometimes you have to start off slow and build momentum to get through tough times. Anything can be accomplished with a positive attitude and enough will power.

That's all for today. Here's my workouts if you're interested. 

9 am weightlifting class:

Clean & jerk progression with 135, 155, 185 lbs

Clean & jerk max (I maxed out 205 lbs)

2:30 pm workout

Stretching and warm up squats

5x5 Back squats @ 185 lbs

3x10 Leg press @ 315, 315, 405 lbs

3x10 Pistols (one leg squats)

3x10 Reverse hype extensions with 45 lbs plate super set 

              with 3x10 leg curls @ 25 lbs

4x15 Calf raises @ body weight + 55 lbs 

3x10 circuit of calf raises, leg curls, leg extensions 

5 pm cardio

basketball and boxing on and off for 2 and a half hours.  

How to be Successful (Day 2)

Day 2 started out feeling like a setback. I awoke very late in the afternoon, hungover. I didn't get out of bed until 4 pm. I went out with family for dinner expecting to just do what I had to then go home and get back in bed. After I got fully awake and moving, I decide that I better drag myself to the gym. A wise man once said, "Successful people do what they have to, whether they want to or not." So that's exactly what I did. Tonight was a fairly heavy chest workout for me. My shoulder has been giving me problems so I've had to alter my workout a bit, but I got a very satisfying workout in nonetheless. My numbers are on track to win the state title. I'm still under my daily caloric intake by quite a bit though. I'm going to have to force feed myself some to catch up.Today is the type of day many people can learn from.

What's the takeaway? Success about doing what you have to, rather than what you want to. It is about never giving up until the final whistle blows. You can salvage any day. You can transform a wasted day into a very productive day just by changing my mental approach. Consistency is also very important. You'll never be as healthy as you want to be if you follow your diet 4 out of 7 days of the week. You've got to put in 100% every day. Anything less than 100% is wasted potential and you deserve better.

That's all for today. Here was my workout and weights if you're interested.

Warm-up: stretching and light dumbbell bench
5x5 DB bench @ 90 lbs dumbbells
3x10 Pec fly machine @ 145 lbs
3x10 Weighted dips @ 70 lbs
3 sets of a 3 part superset for 10 reps each of: Close grip tricep pushdowns,                             regular grip TPD, reverse grip TPD
3x10 Smith Machine shugs @ 275 lbs

I weighh 148.8 lbs and I'm 5'9"

Day 1...

Day 1 of anything always seems to be the easiest and the hardest. This is the first day of my blog "Road to State Championship." This will be primarily about my dreams of a state championship ring around my finger as well as the journey preceding it. I hope to inspire and help as many people as possible in any way possible, whether it's related to fitness or not. Here goes nothing!