10/18/2022 1N73LL1G3NC3...
1N73LL1GNC3 15 7H3 4B1L17Y 70 4D4P7 70 CH4NG3 ~ Stephen Hawkins Today's Training: Cycle: Commute AirDyne: 5 mins steady then 10x15/45 Concept II Row: 5 mins steady then 10x15/45 Max Effort Floor Press: 4 RM Incline DB Fly: 1x100 reps Pick a weight that 100 continuous reps can happen. If you have to put them […]
10/17/2022 Great Things Never Come From Being Comfortable
Think about it! When you are comfortable you tend NOT to move, to destroy that nice feeling. It's not until you are uncomfortable that things begin to move...to happen. One day there was this old man on a porch with his dog. However, this dog was howling..."aaaawoooooohhhh" "aaaawooooaaahhhh" when this fella passing by heard the […]
10/14/2022 Something to Think About This Weekend...
I am often guilty of writing a post either right here on my Coach's Log or even on Social Media that I need to read and keep reminded of. I was thinking about this one throughout much of the morning and how it would transfer quite well to the entire weekend. So, I'll share it […]
10/13/2022 Raise Your Bodies pH today!
Being a little higher than 7.2 is going to help with recovery and oxygen delivery. You can do it by a number of ways which include but not limited to: Take a sodium bicarbonate supplement, also known as an antacid. Follow an Alkaline Diet Stay Hydrated Manage Underlying Conditions: Diabetes Kidney disease Cancer Liver failure […]
10/12/2022 One of My Favorite Double Talks...
When someone makes a mistake and they utter those famous favorite words when you begin to explain the solution..."I know, I know" I will come back with "To know and not to do, is not to know. Because, IF you really knew you would have done, but you didn't, so in fact, YOU DON'T KNOW". […]
10/11/2022 What I Tell Each of the Athletes That I Train...
Before I turn my athletes over to their respective skill coaches I send them off with an ear full of instructions. The most important one I tell them is to "be that player that other coaches warn their players about!" Now go get 'em! Today's Training: Run: Sprints; 5x200 yds Cycle: Commute AirDyne: 5 mins […]
10/10/2022 At This Stage in My Life...
I'm not sure if it is killing me or if it's making me stronger. I just know that giving up is NOT an option, and if I'm coaching YOU, then it isn't an option for you either!!! Today's Training: Run: Sprints; 10x100 yds Cycle: Commute Prowler: 10x40 yds x 90 lbs Dynamic Squat: 2x2x50%; 2x2x55%; […]
10/7/2022 The 7 "P's" of Success
I had this on the wall in my gym, many years ago... "Prior proper planning prevents piss-poor performance." Write it. Learn it. Be a part of it. Today's Training: Stretch/Foam Roll: 20 mins Cycle: Commute C/S Row: 2 sets to max reps at 135; 1 set of 1 negative rep at 185 Lat Pulldown: 2 […]
10/6/2022 Not All Competition is Good...
Some of us are in competition with the people God sent us to be on our team. Building people up to be better than you, elevates your own game too. Today's Training: Cycle: Commute Prowler: 10x80 yds x +20 Good Mornings: 6 RM GHR: 4x11 Reverse Hyper: 4x11 Fwd Stepping Lunge: 4x11 why 11? Why […]
10/5/2022 That Thing That Causes You FEAR...
That thing that causes you to fear clearly indicates what you should do NEXT! My mom was a great manipulator of the mind. Every Tuesday night she would make those gosh darn canned peas with dinner. I LOATHED the taste of those darn things. To this day, I will not even look at them on […]
10/4/2022 Fix it Day
Nothing like fixing attitude, or poor technique. No, no, no...I'm fixing busted dumbells and trouble shooting other equipment before I have to put it on the "Replace" list. Take care of your stuff and your stuff will take care of you. Today's Training: Run: 16x50 yds Cycle: Commute Push-ups/Dips: 5 reps on the minute for […]
10/3/2022 Addressing Your Needs
Way too often we go to the gym and do what we have always done. Do you know what you get? That's right, You get what you already have. It takes no effort to get jazzed to squat, bench, or deadlift. Heck, even the accessories for those lifts are easy to be motivated to accomplish. […]
9/30/2022 Just the Training Today
Today's Training: Run: Sprints; 5x200 Cycle: Commute; 27 mins Ab Wheel: 5x12 Suspended Knees to Elbow: 5x12 Turkish Sit-up: Like a Turkish Get up without full standing up. Just do the sit-up portion Row: 5000 meters for time AirDyne: Tabata; 10x20-10-20 Cycle: Commute; 33 mins. Traffic was a bitch
9/29/2022 When there aren't a lot of exercises...
Whenever there are only a couple of exercises in the day's workout, you had better plan on a tough one. Today is no exception. Every minute on the minute for 50 minutes you have to perform TWO Pull-ups and Two Chin-ups. That's it! Seems pretty easy at first, but by the halfway mark the hands […]
9/28/2022 Difficult Roads Often Lead to Beautiful Destinations.
One day you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went through, and THIS will become someone else's survival guide. So you can NEVER give up! Today's Training: Prowler: 10x40xwt+50 lbs Dynamic Squat: 10x3x50% Dynamic Deadlift: 10x1x50% GHR: 2x10 Reverse Hyper: 2x10 Fwd. Stepping Lunge: 2x10 Side Flex Abs: 2x10 4-way Neck: […]
9/27/2022 Check Your Equipment
On my commute into the gym this morning, I was pulled over not by ONE Police officer but by TWO cruisers. For what? Apparently, my rear light had gone out making it hard to see me. Mind you, I ride at 4:00 AM and it's dark for sure, but I'm lit up like the Star […]
9/26/2022 Dynamic, Chains and Bands...Oh my.
I've witnessed a lot of people coming out against dynamic work, especially with the use of chains and bands. "The research says..." yadda yadda yadda. Here's my take. A LOT of people have gotten REALLY strong using the Conjugated method. I've used it in my program for the past 20-something years and I will say […]
9/24/2022 Don't Talk Politics or Religion
It has been said if you don't want to "rock the boat" then don't talk about politics or religion. In my gym, especially my program, we don't filter ANYTHING and talk about EVERYTHING between sets. (If I'm not coaching a technical point) I also maintain since this site is actually Dave's business that I would […]
2/23/2022 1000 Rep Arm Day
Like clockwork, we need to blast the arms once a month with a thousand reps. No one and I means not one cotton pick'n person left without a magnificent PUMP! Today was no exception. Veins popping like road maps, muscle density that rivals the folks found on Jupiter, the group walking out looked unbelievable. Put […]
9/22/2022 Training Your Mind Can Cause Brain Damage.
I'm kidding, well maybe not. I've been on a rampage to toughen myself and those around me that will listen to get "Mentally Tough". I stopped seeing adversity as a thing that has to be awful and turned it into a "learning" experience. Change your thoughts you change your habits. Start viewing heavyweight as lightweight, […]
9/21/2022 Do You Want Things in Your Life to Get Easier?
"The more disciplined you become the easier life gets. The higher degree of discipline, the greater your success will be" ~ Vishwas Chavan Today's Training: Prowler: 15x40 yds in the rain. Anyone that has any experience at all pushing the Prowler, understands that wet surfaces don't make it easier. On the contrary...the Prowler HATES wet […]
9/20/2022 It's All in Your Mind
Whatever you hold in your mind will tend to show in your life. If you continue to believe what you've always thought, you will continue to act the way you have. "If you always do (act) what you've always done, you will continue to get what you already have" (The definition of insantity). If you […]
9/19/2022 Do you want it?
You can't expect to succeed if you only put the work in on the days you "feel" like it. Today's Training: *Run: Sprints; 16x50 yds *Cycle: Commute; 25 mins. I inflated my tires. Small bead=Greater speed Prowler: 10x40xHEAVY GHR: 2x30;1x10 Hex Bar Deadlift: 2 RM Reverse Hyper: 4x10 Suspended Knees to Elbow: 70 reps in […]
9/16/2022 Mindset
(noun) "The driving force in the quest for success and achievement. A mindset that combines discipline, strength, confidence, and ambition is a powerful mindset. This can achieve anything it sets its sights on." Today's Training: *Cycle: Commute; 27 mins Concept II Row: 15 mins. DB Row: 3x6x Heavy Lat Pulldown: 3x6x Heavier DB Pullover: 2x30x […]
9/15/2022 Discipline...
Discipline is a noun that means doing what needs to be done even when you don't feel like doing it. If you come to me and tell me you're tired, I'm going to tell you "go get it done, tired!" Today's Training: *Run: Sprints; 5x200 yards w/100-yard interval rest *Cycle: Commute; 28 mins Prowler: 10x80 […]
9/14/2022 Significance...
In my entire coaching career, the best piece of business advice I had ever received is STILL to greet EVERYONE in the gym (regardless of who's program they might be in) and say goodbye to them. Do it by their name, if you can, and if you forget their name, give them a really cool […]
“People with great passion can..."
My friend Linda sent this to me and it resonated within. “People with great passion can make the impossible happen.” ---Linda Pinter. I get to witness on almost a daily basis people do great and beautiful things physically because of their "Passion" to succeed at a goal. I've said, Success is the progressive realization of […]
9/12/2022 The Leading Cause of Injury in Old Men...
The leading cause of injury in old men is them still thinking they are young men. Today's Training: *Run: Sprints; 8x100 yds *Cycle: Commute; 27 mins Prowler: 10x80 yds GHR: 70 reps in as few sets as possible Dynamic Deadlift: 2x1x50%; 2x1x50% + 1 chain; 2x1x50%+2 chains; 2x1x50%+3 chains, 2x1x50%+4 chains Reverse Hyper: 4x12 Walking […]
9/9/2022 Reincarnation of Carlos...
Carlos has been training with me for a little over a year. Because of his vocation, he had lost a lung from years of exposure. When we get to our conditioning portion, Carlos doesn't shy away, but we need to keep tabs on him because he is a hard-charging nut case that sometimes goes a […]
9/8/2022 Heat Waves and Waterboarding
My EARLY morning crew has the best attitude along with pretty much the same warped sense of humor and general well-being as I do. Well HECK, who else gets up on a daily basis the time we do to get our training done and then hang out with each other just to make fun of […]
9/7/2022 My 5% Rule
Everyone wants to be a "Balls to the Wall" kind of gymgoer. I am sure "NO ONE" trains harder than you, or is as INTENSE as you. We all want to break our PRs every time we chalk up and tighten up. As true as that might be, it's a ridiculous thought and needs to […]
9/6/2022 Are You Gonna Let Someone Else Write Your Story
I tell my family often, "you either make a decision or one will be made for you." You get up every day and have to make a life-changing decision, "Are you getting out of bed to be mediocre?" If so, you might as well stay right where you are. On the other hand, if you […]
9/4/2022 Rare Sunday Training (Praise Jesus and Lift the F'n Weight):
It's supposed to get up to 108 today and 114 tomorrow in the Bay Area of California and I decided to get it done early Sunday morning while it was still cool. Now early is a relative term as I usually am finished with my personal self-training by 5:30 or 6:00 o'clock, but I rarely […]
9/2/2022 Yea, I'm Still on Mental Toughness...
Mental toughness doesn't guarantee you'll win, but without it pretty much guarantees you won't. Today's Training: *Run: Sprints; 12x60 yds *Cycle: Commute; 26 mins Negative Chins: 3x3x50 lbs Negative Dips: 3x3x90 lbs The minimum time of decent is 30 seconds Chin-ups: 3x As many reps as possible Set 1: 21 reps Set 2: 16 reps […]
9/1/2022 Unfuckwithable
"Unfuckwithable: (adj) When you are truly at peace and in touch with yourself, and nothing anyone says or does bothers you, and no amount of negativity or drama can touch you." Today's Training: *Cycle: Commute; 28 mins *Prowler: 10x80 yds x + 20 extra lbs Dynamic Squat: 10x2x wt v. heavy bands At the same […]
8/31/2022 Motivation is Nonsense
Motivation is bullshit. It comes and goes. However, when you are DISCIPLINED and DRIVEN, whatever is in your way will get annihilated. Today's Training: *Run: Sprints; 10x100 yds *Cycle: Commute: 19 minutes I tried a new route. I seriously thought it was longer than my usual one, but apparently not so... Dynamic OHP: 10x3 Hang […]
8/30/2022 Mentally Strong People Realize Early in Life...
Not many people really care about you. They'll ask or comment about you simply because they are curious. Don't let them affect your decision-making. You'll suck at EVERYTHING in the beginning. Time will reward you with what you deserve. No matter how good or bad your life is at the moment, time will pass. People […]
8/29/2022 Ten Ways to Build Your Mental Strength
Learn how to let go and move on Stand firm on your core values Embrace and stay cool with change Control your thoughts. Happy ones= Happy life Don't be an asshole Be happy for others Allow yourself to be ok with making mistakes Listen to your "inner" voice When in charge; TAKE charge. Be responsible […]
8/26/2022 Mentally Tough?
Mental toughness is when you can find fuel in an empty tank. Getsum Today's Training: *Run: 5K; 29 ish minutes *Cycle: Commute; I was tired 31 minutes All reps are negatively accentuated. DB Row: 4x10 Pull-ups: 10x3 Chin-ups: 10x3 DB Pullover: 4x10 BB Curl: 4x8 Dips: 4x10 DB Preacher Curl: 4x8 DB Supine Tricep Extension: […]
8/25/2022 Five Tricks to Help you Mentally Toughen Up.
Up the Ante make sure that you persist until you succeed. Bounce Back Quickly From the Unexpected almost 100% of the time, things won’t go as planned Train For Mental Toughness by Visualizing Whatever goal you’re trying to achieve, visualize yourself persevering, getting over obstacles, shutting out your inner critic, and ignoring naysayers. Recite a […]
8/24/2022 You Need to Knock That Monkey Off Of Your Back
Everyone talks about how intense they train. I've yet to come across any man that says, "nope, not today. I got up to be a pussy and not hurt" and still when it comes time to "man the fuck up" and really grind, I see a lot of people simply give up because it hurts. […]
8/23/2022 Another way to eliminate the weak...
I'm going to start letting people know what I actually think. That should do the trick. Today's Training: *Run: Sprints; 12x60 yds x 75% *Cycle: Commute; 28 mins. Bench: 5 RM; Then reduce the weight to Dynamic Weight for one set of max reps. Cable Crossover: As few sets as possible to reach 100 reps […]
8/22/2022 Just the Day's Training...
Today: *Run: 5K; 26 ish minutes *Cycle: Commute; 27 minutes Prowler: 10x 80 yds Low (and I mean LOW) box squat: 5x10x45 GHR: 4x12 Deadlift: 4 RM Alternating Forward Lunge: 100 on each leg *Cycle: Commute; 25 minutes. I just hauled ass.
8/19/2022 OH MY GAWD! You've Got To Be Kidding Me.
I read a lot. No! I mean A LOT!!! I read many of the articles here at EliteFTS to have a conversation with anyone on the team even if by chance. I read many articles on "other" sites so that I can compare and YES, judge. I read books repeatedly to bring back "ah-ha" moments […]
8/18/2022 Again for the people in the back...Discipline v. Motivation
I don't care what anyone says, I don't motivate you. Music doesn't motivate you. PMA books and audio does NOT motivate you. It may and often does EXCITE you, but motivation comes from either moving towards something, like a goal, dream, a WANT or Away from something like being a fat bastard, heart issues, health […]
2/17/2022 Sending Them Off...
This week has been bitter-sweet for me. My college kids are going back to school, and a few of my adult participants have sold their homes and are moving out of the area as well. The gym is emptying out like the Boardwalk at the beach when summer comes to an end. I have a […]
8/16/2022 "Why I Respect Fit People"
"Because fit people with a physique is much more than how good they look... A well-built physique is a status symbol that reflects your hard work. Money can't buy it, nor can you inherit it. You can not steal it, nor can you borrow it. You can not hold onto it without constant work. It […]
8/15/2022 You Don't Have to Like It; You Just Have To Do It.
We all have exercises we like and will do them without question. However, they are the ones we tend to be really good at and probably don't need. Then there are those exercises that we loathe, No HATE! If we are going to "cherry pick" training sessions, it is without a doubt the sessions that […]
8/12/2022 SST (Super Slow Training)
Weight Training for the most part is about "Time under Tension". Most of the time we think about the tension part, which means we must lift MORE weight to improve. We can also at more time to that tension and we do so by adding either reps or sets. However, there is a THIRD option […]
8/11/2022 Pre-exhausted training.
Today I wanted to get everyone jacked and tired and to that end, I had a bunch of pre-exhaustion exercises before the main lift in training. To move the 225 or 250 should have felt like a ton and a half, and it did! Heart rates were kept high, the perspiration was flowing, and muscle […]
8/10/2022 Growth is...
Growth is growth no matter how small the improvement was. Remember what Nelson Mandela said, "It always seems impossible until it is done." Today's Training: Pop Your Heart Wed. Cycle: Commute; 28 mins Suspended Knees to Elbow: 4x12 Ab Wheel: 4x12 Decline Sit-ups: 4x12 Prowler: 10x80 yds. Sprints: 10x40 yds Concept II Row for Time: […]
8/9/2022 Pinky Down and Stretch The Lats
Again, we focused on the grip of the pinky and the ring finger in order to improve our overall grip strength. The pinky and thumb pressed together are still the weakest link in the upper body. Improving the pressure the pinky and ring finger exert will only make the exercises that require a good grip, […]
8/8/2022 Move Big Weight!
We didn't do a lot of exercises, nor did we load up on many accessory and supplemental exercises. We didn't move at a fast frantic pace, but what we did was move a shit ton of weight doing to of the BIG THREE! People on the way out of the gym today were saying already […]
8/5/2022 Use Your Pinky!!!
Like many of the coaches here at EliteFTS, I preach "Grip the bar tighter than you think is necessary" to help build the tension needed for the big lifts. However, I still witness various types of limp grip'n. So today I got on most of the lifters about increasing the grip if not the entire […]
8/4/2022 Be More Like Ray in EVERYTHING You Do...
There were no extras today. I had to "hard stop" the training because my Vanborgini needed some repair. The dashboard lit up like downtown during the Christmas season and I have to take care of her because she was worth it. Going on 200,000 miles and just a little younger than my son who is […]
8/3/2022 “I hated every minute..."
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” —Muhammad Ali Today's Training: Cycle: Commute; 27 mins Suspended Knees 2 Elbow: 4x12 Ab Wheel: 4x12 Crunch: 125 reps KB Swings: 8x40 Prowler: 10x80 yds. Concept II Rowing Erg.: 2500 meters for […]
8/2/2022 The Weight Room is a Microcosm of Sport.
The weight room is a microcosm of sport, and sports are a microcosm of society. WHAT? Is Harry going off on another mind trip? Not really. Think about it. What I see in an athlete in the weight room tends to transfer over into the sport the athlete is about to play. If I see […]
8/1/2022 If You Can't Grip it, You Can't Lift It
One thing I go apeshit over is a weak grip. I find people who shake my hand with a soft grip and a limp wrist deserve to have their arm torn off and beat'n with it over their head. The Grip is the first thing you establish when meeting another person. When I shake hands, […]
7/29/2022 (already?) 1000 rep Arm Routine
Yep, it's that time of the month again. Time to get tickets to the "Gun Show". After all, it is our Second Amendment Right! My morning run takes me through a park behind my house. The park is a lushly landscaped place that is very well maintained. Beautiful trees and bushes abound everywhere with the […]