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.