Training Videos From The Week That Was – Part II
July 6, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I hope everyone had a great 4th of July. Although I’m sure you all enjoyed a beer and a burger (I know I did), I hope you still managed some holiday training!
My parents were in town from Illinois to meet their grandkids. We had them and a few friends over to cookout, swim, and do a little celebrating. But before that took place, me and my clients made sure we got work done in the gym! …
Here is Coco doing push-ups with a pause in the bottom position. The goal was to perform 5 reps at a tempo that made it so the 5th rep was very tough. This was her first set, so she was just “feeling out” the proper speed. In the sets to follow, she actually went slower on the way down, and paused longer in the bottom position.
It had been awhile since I tested chins for max reps. So I woke up Sunday morning, met some of the high school kids at the gym, and got a training session in with them. The end result…
BTW, my abs were killing me the next day. NOT the 1st time that has happened after a touch chin/pull-up day. Just goes to show you how much the abs are working during a properly executed chin!
Dumbbell holds are up next. This is the last exercise the b-ballers perform before calling it a week in the weight room. I like to have them finish with an exercise that challenges their mental toughness a little bit. It also builds a little team camaraderie as the kids quite often heckle/raz/push/encourage one another when their teammate’s turn is up. Fun to watch too!
Brandon performs 3 chins with 55 pounds added…
Coco does a set of RDLs with 135 pounds for 8 reps. She always does a great job, but I’m still trying to get her to keep her head neutral (in line with her spine), and I’d like to see her back with a little bit of a tighter arch. Hey, I am aim for perfection, what can I say. 
Jerome performs dumbbell incline presses…
I’ll leave it there for now. Check back for more videos in the weeks to come.
Don’t forget, you can follow me on Facebook and Twitter. Have a great, healthy week!
Training Videos From The Week That Was…
June 12, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
What’s up y’all! Another great training week in the books – below, you’ll see me and my clients putting in work…
First up, Coco hitting 155 X 8 in the deadlift…
Overall, great job by Coco. She is fairly new to deadlifting, so we just have to try to make a couple tweaks…
1) Sometimes, her hips rise slightly before her torso – we want them to go up “as one.”
2) Her neck is extended and I’d like to see it in more of a neutral position (in line with her spine).
Brandon nails 300 X 5 in the trap bar deadlift. He made it look fairly easy… not bad at all for a guy that weighs about 135 pounds!
Another video of one of the guys from the Dougherty Valley Basketball team (along with Brandon from above), Kenrick front squats 220 X 5. He easily has more left in him! But I would like to see him get about an inch lower on a couple of those reps, because he is mobile/stable/strong enough to do so.
I’m not sure why the video of Kenrick repeats itself and shows the set twice.?. My learning disability when it comes to computers once again rears its ugly head! One of these days maybe I’ll even learn how to add music and cool other features to my YouTube videos. Maybe.
Carson (age 10) headed over to the gym with me today to train. In between my sets, I taught him how to perform the basics; push-ups, static lunges, and TRX Rows. My goal was just to drill home proper form, and not even worry about adding weight yet. He did a great job! His push-up form was really good! …
And finally, this was the finishing leg complex to my workout today…
-Jump Squats X 10, Reverse Lunges X 10 (total), Squats X AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible). I got 16 reps on the squats today, 3 more than last Sunday. Yeah boooyyyeee!
I’ll try to get my camera in the gym as much as possible in the weeks to come and continue to post videos of me and my clients working our ass off! Have a great week and stay tuned for more fun to come.
Processed Meat, Big Arms, and What’s In Your Toolbox?
June 5, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I actually meant to send this out awhile ago, but with the arrival of the twins I’ve been just a little busy. Holy poop! Holy middle of the night crying! And holy cuteness… all factors keeping me EXTREMELY busy.
Below are a few good blogposts for you to check out…
Dr. Bowden is one of my favorite nutrition experts. In this post, he talks about red meat and why it is actually GOOD for you, as opposed to the devil of the world that many make it out to be. The flawed studies on red meat has led to a bunch of misinformation. Meat that is highly processed (coming from large factory farms) is WAAAY different than meat that comes from grass-fed cows. In the end, the studies should NOT lump processed meat and grass-fed meat in the same category.
I think of it like this; Kool-Aid is not good for us, we know that. Since kool-aid contains water, does that mean we should avoid water? I think not. Get rid of all the sugar, and you are left with good, healthy water. Same thing with meat; get rid of all the processing in some of these meats, and you’re left with a food that has many benefits. Check out Dr. Bowden’s as it goes into more detail than my brief summary…
Processed Meats: What’s Inside May Kill You – by Dr. Jonny Bowden
Many coaches/trainers are not big fans of direct arm work (i.e. curls for the girls and tricep pushdowns). Now, I too get frustrated with those dudes that spend 75% of their time doing concentration curls RATHER THAN the big-boy movements like deadlifts, push-ups, chin-ups, and squats. BUT, if you want bigger arms, you better be doing some direct arm training. Right Jason? …
My Take On Direct Arm Work - by Jason Ferruggia
This one is a older blogpost by me. One of my biggest pet peeves in this field is when someone says that they are a “TRX guy” (or whatever piece of equipment they choose to define themselves as). Those that do this – stupid, just stupid…
Tools In Your Training Toolbox – by me
Hope you all have a great Sunday!
Don’t forget, if you haven’t done so already, connect with me on facebook and twitter.
Achieving Your First Chin-Up And The Twins Have Arrived!
May 28, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I’m in the hospital as I type this, taking a break from daddy-duty. If you didn’t hear already, we had two beautiful babies delivered yesterday morning at 8:02 and 8:03 a.m. Capri Robin McLarty and Daxton Grey McLarty. One boy and one girl… EXACTLY what I wanted. We are so happy – what an amazing experience!
Now, onto chin-ups. Not many females are capable of achieving a chin-up. Whenever I do see a lady doing chin-ups (and this is not often), it always impresses me. To learn the chin-up progressions that I use with many of my female clients (and many males as well), check out this article that I did for Zen to Fitness… Achieving Your First Chin-Up.
Now, back to babies …
Babies Are Coming – Last Chance Workout
May 25, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
We are only 2 days away from our scheduled C-section. And I can’t wait to find out the sexes (twins if you haven’t been following), I can’t wait for Shondra to stop being so uncomfortable, and I can’t wait to meet them. Because of the craziness that is about to enter my world, I plan on taking a few days off from training – although I am going to bring my Superbands to the hospital, so I can get a few sets of push-up, curls, and a little glute work in.
But that will most likely be nice and easy, just to get the blood flowing, and give me a reason to move around. My ADD will be working in full force as I can’t sit for more than 22 seconds without going crazy.
Due to the fact that my training will be taking a back seat for the next week or so (or the next 18 years or so 
), I kicked the crap out of myself at yesterday’s training session. And plan on doing the same today. Training to failure on a consistent basis is usually not the best idea. Here is what I consider training to failure; when you literally can’t get another rep; when you have to start to use “body english” to finish the set; when you have to reduce the range of motion to finish the set. A summary of my thoughts on training to failure…
-consistently training to failure can lead to a decrease in performance
-consistently training to failure can increase the chances of injury
-consistently training to failure can lead to overtraining (if not the true definition of overtraining, it can at least hurt performance and in time, make a person NOT feel motivated to hit the gym)
-training really close to failure on the last set of an exercise can be a good thing, but be careful not to over do it.
-training to failure on occasion can be a good thing, and help “toughen” a person up (but again, be VERY careful not to over do it).
-there is a bit more “wiggle” room in training to failure with “isolation” exercises like biceps curls, compared to big, compound movements like squats. In other words, it will be easier to recover if you have a couple sets of ALL-OUT curls, than it would be to have a set of two of ALL-OUT squats (plus the chances of injury are lower with the curls).
Last Chance Workout
Yeah, I know. That is what they call it on the Biggest Loser. Overall I am not a big fan of that show because 1) quite often I think the exercise selection is atrocious for an obese person, and 2) The “motivating” techniques used often border on belittling.
But, if you watch the show, I get it – it does have some entertainment value. With that said, here is my last chance workout from yesterday…
Put 10 minutes and the clock and get as much work in as possible before the 10 minutes expires…
A1) Incline DB press with about a 10 rep max (RM), Dips (parallel bars)
A2) Reverse Grip Curls, EZ Bar Curls
I performed the incline press and reverse grip curls for the first 5 minutes, and Dips and EZ bar curls for the second 5 minutes. Take a minute or so break, and then…
Put 10 more minutes on the clock and did this…
B1) Wide Pull-ups, Chin-ups, TRX Inverted Rows
B2) Seated Calf Raises
I performed a couple sets of pull-ups, 1 set of chin-ups, and then the remainder of the time performed TRX Rows. Seated calf raises were performed the entire time. Once again using about a 10 RM.
C) Lateral Raises – 2 X 10-12
Let me tell you, this was VERY tough due to the fact that I took a number of sets close to failure. The reason for this? Because I am about to take a little time off, I am finishing up the week “overreaching.” Today’s leg workout will be similar. If you know you are about to take a little break (i.e. you are about to go out of town on vacation), this style of training can be beneficial. But again, do NOT abuse this very intense, training to failure thing… it will catch up to you!
I may be blogging in the middle of the night in the hospital if I can’t sleep or whatever. But then again, I may be craving any second of shut-eye that I can get. With that said, I may or may not being seeing you soon. Happy training…
Preparation For “Beach Season”
May 23, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
With Memorial Day, trips to the beach, and pool parties right around the corner, it’s time to get lean. I’ve spent the last ~ 6 months trying to add a few lbs of muscle, even if it meant I added a little fat in the process. But, my mind-set has shifted – now is the time to shed any extra body fat in attempt to let the muscles show through. If you’ve been reading my work for any period of time, you know that I am the guy that has a VERY difficult time adding size, but can get lean relatively easily. So I’ve only just had to make a few simple adjustments. Simple as in; simple in theory, difficult in practice. To get lean, all I have to do is decrease my calories a touch and maybe add in a little cardio (if I am strict enough with the nutrition, I really don’t need any cardio, unless I’m trying to get uber lean).
But this is still difficult because like most any other human being out there, I’ll be craving pizza, desserts, beer, etc. I find that I crave this stuff less when I can have it – like during the winter months when I’m trying to add a few pounds. Don’t get me wrong, I still eat mostly clean in the winter, just not as clean. But when I’m trying to get ripped and eating really clean, I seem to crave some of the foods that I mentioned above. Like the song says: “You can’t always get what you want…”
I’m no robot, so I will make sure to enjoy life and treat myself to a beer(s) and pepperoni pizza from time to time. But I just have to “pick my spots,” making sure my “cheats” are few and far between. After all, goals and behaviors must match, right!
As you can see in the picture above, my abs are showing, but I have a little excess flab to remove. So, that is my goal right now: get as lean as possible without muscle loss. It’s going to be extra challenging since our twins are about to enter the world. Sounds like a good challenge though. And who doesn’t like a good challenge!
Below is what my nutrition looked like yesterday…
-Oatmeal + Blueberries + Protein Powder + Almond Butter + 1 Fish Oil Capsule
-Ground Turkey + Sweet Potato (just a little bit) + Broccoli
-JayRobb Bar
-Beef + Sweet Potato + Broccoli + 1 tsp liquid fish oil (I’m currently using the orange flavored by Carlson)
-Beef/Chicken + Broccoli
-2 pieces bread (sprouted grain) + almond butter + chicken + 1 scoop “Superfood” (a veggie/fruit powdered mix)
-Steak + Cauliflower
Oh yeah, a ton of water all day.
I try to make sure my beef is grass-fed as much as possible, and I buy organic fruits/veggies as much as possible as well. And by the way, this was a non-training day.
I can get away with eating a decent amount of carbs/cals and still get pretty lean. But as June approaches I will probably reduce them a touch. And probably increase my cardio a bit. You know, from once every 4 months to one every week or two.
That’s about it for now. You all have a great day and go stock up that kitchen with healthy foods, as preparation may be the biggest key in getting that sexy beach body!
If you haven’t done so already, connect with me on facebook, twitter, and YouTube (I add new videos almost every week). Just scroll up and click on the icons on the upper right hand corner of the page.
Random Training Sessions vs Planned Training Sessions
May 10, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
Most people that have read my work and/or that have worked directly with me, know that I typically like to have a pre-determined plan going into my training sessions (and for my client’s sessions). Random training, where you just walk into the gym and “wing it,” has some definite drawbacks. At least in my eyes. Don’t get me wrong, there have been many trainees that have taken the wing it approach and gone onto have great physiques. For most people however, I believe working off a pre-planned workout to fit your goals/needs gives you the best opportunity to reach your goals.
I write up programs into “training blocks” that usually last 4-weeks (written up prior to day 1 of starting the program). The advantages here are…
- it allows you to track progress and gives you motivation to build on your numbers from week to week
- if you are newer to training it helps you more quickly determine what weight to use on weeks 2, 3, and 4
- it gives you enough time to stay with a movement and improve your form with that movement (if you randomly do a technically challenging movement, and do not perform that same movement again for a couple months, it will be very difficult to make progress with that movement)
- it helps to keep soreness down
Above are some of the main reasons that I like to work off a pre-written training plan. And just so you know, I am a BIG fan of “cybernetic periodization,” (going “by feel”). After all, if my program says 3 sets of 6 for chin-ups but I just feel UNREAL that day, I give myself the freedom to add a set or two. So, I like to work off of a program, while giving myself (and again, my clients) the option to slightly modify where necessary/optimal. If you want to get more of my thoughts on periodization, check out this older post – Some Thoughts on Periodization.
For this post, I want to talk about the last bullet point that I made above; “it helps to keep soreness down.” For anyone that works hard, some soreness is inevitable. When you switch to a different exercise and/or a different rep scheme, soreness is quite often going to be there. For example, if I haven’t done RDLs for awhile, my hammies are usually sore for 3-5 days. When I repeat that exercise on week 2 of the program however, often times I am not sore at all. Remember, soreness does NOT equal results. Those that go out of their way to be sore (by always adding more sets and/or tourcher techniques, and random workouts are the norm), usually spend more time recovering, and less time working out. Even if they workout frequently, performance can be greatly impaired.
I finished my last training block about 4 weeks ago. After that program I decided not to write up my next block because my wife is due to deliver babies (yes plural, as in twins!) any day now. At the time where I usually would be putting the finishing touches on my upcoming program, I decided that I didn’t want to get a week into it only to have to stop and take a break for the babies. I figured that I would wing it for a week or two, get situated to the babies while helping take care of my wife, and then get back to writing up my new programs every 4 weeks, like usual. Well, here we are about 4 weeks later, and those babies are still cooking – which is a good thing. They are already behaving look a good boy and girl, or a good boy and boy, or a good girl and girl. Who knows? We decided not to find out the sexes, should be a FUN day in the delivery room!!!
Where was I? Oh yeah, my rare random training phase. How do you think this has been going for me? Pretty damn bad! I am sore pretty much everyday of the week (not fun). But that’s what often happens when you just walk into the gym, throw a workout together, and don’t allow your body time to adjust to the program from week to week. My motivation to train isn’t as high as usual, and due the constant soreness, my performance is down.
If this sounds anything like you, I hope this motivates you to get on a plan (a “training block”) and stick with it for ~4 weeks before jumping onto the next program (hopefully one that builds on the previous training block). My always sore glutes, pecs, hamstrings, and triceps are constant reminders that all this randomness is not the way to go. I’m really looking forward to getting back to my pre-planned training programs!
How Many Times Can I Deadlift My Body Weight? …
January 29, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I just finished a training program (“training block”) on Thursday and will be starting a new one on Monday. So, for whatever reason I became curious as to how many times I could deadlift my body weight. I thought with this little break between programs, that today would be the day to try. I’ve never really done high rep deads (never above 15), so I honestly had no idea what I could get. I was thinking that I could get 35 maybe 40, and possibly even a touch over 40.
I decided to make a post about my upcoming test on facebook to see what others thought I would get. The range I received from my FB friends was anywhere between 35 and 54. Actually my friend Matt Brewer predicted 642 reps. But #1) he’s not very bright, and #2) he’s high on life right now because his Steelers are playing in the Superbowl. Therefore, he really doesn’t know what he’s saying on any topic in life right now. My buddy Jamie Connelly even came up with a formula that looked like this…
“35 is my number. I had to think about it in terms of elasticity, fatique, etc. Everyone is different, but you are in excellent shape. I factored with each lift, it is increasing those factors above by 5% on avg. So 5% of 165lbs = 8.25lbs…8.25lbs * X(#of lifts) = Xlbs + 165 starting weight means the last lift should feel like 471lbs. Lets see how close I am with my BS math ”
As you see, he did say “my BS math” (with a smiley face). So I think he was just messing around with this formula, but who knows, maybe he was onto something.?. Now, lets get to the test…
I finished training the high school team in the weight room earlier today, and luckily I had a few of the guys hang around afterwards. One person to tape, the other to cheer me on. And the results…
So there it is, 56 reps with 165 pounds. Not easy! Actually it was exhausting. 56 was definitely more than I thought I would get. But, as I started to get closer to the highest prediction from FB (54 reps), I thought to myself; I have to beat that – c’mon, I can get 55! Then, as you heard in the background, Coach Dwayne Norfleet yelled out, “55!” So of course, I had to beat that! So 56 it is.
Surprises
I figured either my, not-so-strong grip, or low back endurance (or lack of) would be the limiting factor. But, I’m happy to say that neither really came into play, as far as holding me back. My grip did slip just a touch, but I was able to quickly re-grip and continue on. And I didn’t feel my low back at all. There was a HYOOGE burn in my hams and glutes though! Which was perfect, as a properly performed DL will hammer the hammies and booty.
A couple reminders, plus something that I learned today…
Reminder # 1: Setting the bar high is very important. If the number of the top prediction from my friends was 38, who knows, maybe I only get 39 reps.?. But when 55 became the number to beat, there was no way that I was not going to beat it!
Reminder #2: High reps on compounds movements (you know, chin-ups, squats, push-up, deadlifts, etc), are brutal! Whoever said that weight training doesn’t give you a cardio-like effect, was smoking something. Try to do any compound lifts (especially involving the legs) for 20 + reps and tell me your heart doesn’t feel like it is about to bust right through your chest (as long you choose the appropriate weight)!
What I learned: My new deodorant is NOT working very well. Actually, it’s not working at all! I apologize to anyone that walked in my path after this test. It’s already time for a new purchase!
To my friends who made the predictions, and to my friends that pushed me – muchos gracias! (I think I spelled that right? But I don’t speak or spell Spanish muy good)
And Nick Erbe, you didn’t know there was a prize, but you win for closest prediction! Congratulations, you win um, um, a drink on me! How ’bout that? And Brewer, I’m just kidding, you are very intelligent young man. Go Steelers
Peace…
Theme Week: Basketball
December 2, 2010 by danny · Leave a Comment
In this final installment of theme week, I’m going to share with you an article I had published awhile back titled, “Basketball Strength Training For Newbies.”
While this article was written for a basketball website, the exercises and progressions/regressions will work great for anyone that is new to strength training and looking to get into it. So if you have been a “cardio queen” (cardio only and no weight training) for the past 17 years and are finally buying in to ALL of the benefits that resistance training brings, or you have a daughter, son, nephew, niece, or coach a team of young athletes, this will serve as a GREAT starting point for you!
Basketball Strength Training For Newbies
The Coaches That Have Influenced Me The Most
August 2, 2010 by danny · 4 Comments
Then one day at Gold’s there was a flyer that was put up at the front desk. It said something like, “Cy Willson will be holding a seminar, talking about nutrition and supplementation.” I couldn’t wait to attend, as Cy had a reputation around the gym as a very smart guy. Plus, I could now get some of my questions answered, and most likely confirmed (so I thought). I pulled up a chair to listen to Cy speak. I couldn’t wait to learn a few new things, and again, confirm that my training and nutrition “plan” was pretty much on the money. By the end of the seminar, my head was spinning, and I realized that I didn’t know sh*t about sh*t! I learned a bunch of new words, like whey and casein, heard about nutrient timing for the first time, and listened to Cy dispel a bunch of myths that I didn’t even know were myths. When I walked out the door of the room the seminar was being held in, I was very frustrated, and a little embarrassed that I ever offered even a single bit of training and nutrition advice to the people that had asked me for help over the years.
At the time, Cy was writing for a website called testosterone magazine. In the seminar, he told us that we could all become experts if we started to follow it and to soak in as much of that information as possible. So I got home, hopped on the computer, and started to read some of the articles. I read articles by John Berardi, Cy, Ian King, and Charles Poliquin. And I had no idea what they were talking about. Wait, what is this “hypertrophy” word they keep bringing up? And are hormones like insulin and testosterone really that important? According to these experts, it seems like they are. But why? I just don’t get it. I started to think, maybe this whole personal training thing just isn’t for me. After all, the only reason I ever got better than D’s and F’s in school, was so that I could stay eligible for basketball. Everyone knew school and studying wasn’t really important to me. I’d much rather be lifting weights, playing basketball, or going to the beach. But I knew lifting/working out would be a big part of my life for a long time. I loved it. And I couldn’t go to the gym and “not really know what I was doing.” So I decided to buckle down and really try to learn from these people at that website. I went up to Cy at the gym and asked him if he’d meet me so I could ask him some
nutrition questions. He was very nice and said, “sure, no problem.” So I headed back to testosterone magazine and spent hours reading his articles, as well as articles by the other authors. I took a bunch of notes and was going to be prepared for the day when Cy and I were to meet.
I still remember, I had a list of 18 questions put together for him. I thought to myself, “if I can just get Cy to help me understand these questions, I will basically have this whole nutrition thing down.” And let me tell you, these questions weren’t the most advanced questions by any means. The average question looked something like this; “in one article, it says that beef is good for you, but in John Berardi’s article, he says that we should avoid burgers. What’s the deal?” Cy said something like, “John is probably referring to greasy burgers, like the ones you find at McDonald’s. If you eat a lean cut of beef, it is good for you. Especially if it is grass fed.” I was like, “great, I can check that off of my list. Only 17 questions left and I will know all I ever need to know!” Anyway, as I got deeper into the field, I found out that the more I learned, the more I realized I didn’t know. It was about at this time, that I became obsessed with learning as much as I could. So much so that I quit teaching and started training full time. My dad was shocked. For him (back in middle and high school), trying to get me to turn off ESPN in order to get me to study, was like pulling teeth. And now, I was spending more time with my face in the books than ever before… and then some.
My journey as performance coach, personal trainer, strength coach (whatever you want to call me) began with Cy Willson, and it continues today. Below, are the people that have influenced me the most. They are grouped in chronological order. The first group is the first wave of experts that I learned from early on. As you move down the page, you’ll see the next wave of people that I learned from, all the way down to the most recent coaches. Just because Charles Poliquin (for example) is in the first group, it doesn’t mean that I don’t still learn from him. He is listed in the first group only because that is the time when I first started reading his work.
Cy Willson – you heard about Cy above. Even know that I’ve thanked him for helping me learn in my early days as a trainer, I don’t think he knows how thankful I truly am for all of his help. Besides attending two of his seminars at Gold’s, and that time that he met up with me to help answer those 18 questions, he also responded to every one of the countless e-mails that I sent him over the years. I’m VERY appreciative of this!!!
Dr. John Berardi – before Dr. Berardi had ever written a book, or was in position to influence hundreds of thousands of people, like Cy, he was answering many of the e-mails that I sent him back in the day. Cy and John really are the two that got the fire burning for me.
Ian King - Ian and Charles Poliquin were the two that first got me interested in learning all I could about weight training.
Charles Poliquin - See Ian King above.
Moving on a little later in time, to the next group of trainers that have had a huge influence on all I’ve learned over the years..
Eric Cressey – Like Dr. Berardi and Cy Willson above, Eric was very generous with helping me out early on. I definitely still learn a ton from EC today!
Joel Marion - I first read Eric and Joel’s work in the old “Ruggedmag.com” website. It is no longer a ’site, but like t-nation, I looked forward to the articles they would publish each month.
Mike Robertson – Mike did a lot of his early t-nation writing along with Eric, and I learned, and still learned a ton from him.
Dave Tate – I bought the “Westside Seminar Video” many years ago, and it exposed me to powerlifting. I belive Eric Cressey referred me to this DVD set after I e-mailed him asking him where I should go to learn more about training a powerlifter that just hired me. She went on to set many personal records and it felt great helping her out!
Christian Thibaudeau – When I first read Christian’s work I loved it. He offered info and experience from the Olympic Lifting side of things, as well as a lot of great bodybuilding info.
Chad Waterbury - While I don’t agree 100% with everything Chad has written over the years, he has made me think and I definitely incorporate some of his methodology when writing client’s programs (and my own programs).
David Barr
Mike Boyle - Anyone that cares about getting better in this field has learned a thing or 257 from Coach Boyle.
Alwyn Cosgrove - Has influenced many.
Jason Ferruggia
Dr. Clay Hyght -Dr. Clay moved to Cali. a few years ago. We started working together and became friends. As you can see, I have a large number of people listed as those who have influenced me, so I obviously don’t prescribe to only one person’s training methods. But if I was maybe starting to lean a little too far to the “train movements, not muscles” side, Clay bitch slapped me back in line. While I don’t think that strictly training movements is wrong, it’s not completely right either. To me, it is about when to bring out which tool for the client. That may be using O lifts at certain times. It may mean using a powerlifting type of template, or it may mean using “bodybuilding” training at certain times. The answers always seem to be somewhere in the middle (in any aspect of life). Which is why I wrote this article sometime back… “Change it Up and Stay Motivated”
John Romaniello – I believe John was among those that were writing for ruggedmag years ago. I remember liking his work, and then didn’t hear anything from him for quite some time. Well, he’s back with a vengeance. Over the last year he has published many article and come out with a book.
Mike Roussell …
Jimmy Smith …
Nick Tumminello - Since the first NT article I read, I can’t get enough of Nick’s work. He is very smart and does a great job of clearly communicating his knowledge!
Brian St. Pierre - Great nutrition info. He gives logical reasoning for all of his opinions and never seems to go too far to one extreme or the other.
Lyle McDonald
Tony Gentilcore - I love Tony’s writing. Very informative, and very entertaining!
Gray Cook …
Mak Young…
Alan Aragon…
Bret Contreras - Bret is a going to be a name that we’ll be hearing about for years to come. And I have a feeling he’ll be on the short list of many trainers, as one of their biggest influences. If you want to build a nice booty, get to know Bret’s work.
If I had to pick just 3 or 4 from each “era” that have have influenced me the most, here’s the All-Star line-up
Danny’s “Golden Era”
Cy Willson
Dr. John Berardi
Ian King
Charles Poliquin
The First “Next Era”
Eric Cressey
Mike Robertson
Christian Thibaudeau
The, I Can’t Think of a Cleaver Name, Era
Mike Boyle
Alwyn Cosgrove
Dr. Clay Hyght
Jason Ferruggia
My Newest Breed of Influences
Tony Gentilcore
Bret Contreras
Nick Tumminello
Brian St. Pierre
I wonder what my list will look like in 2020. Thanks to everyone that has helped me over the years! I try to give as much back as I can to youngsters looking to get in the field, and/or people that are simply looking to improve their health and physique. And with the help from the people in the list above, I am now better equipped to answer the question, “bro, like what I gotta do to get some huge pecks dawg?”
