How do you plan without being able to plan?  That was the question I asked myself over Thanksgiving more than a couple times.  It was time for me to come up with some goals for 2021.  I had a lot of cool ideas.  Then I realized I had no reliable way to know if I would be able to do any of them.

Is the world going to be going wild with COVID in 3 months, 6 months, or even longer? 

I have no reliable workspace at home.  I might be able to work 10 hours some days, or maybe 15 minutes.  Home life is fine, but too chaotic and distracting for a writer’s mind.

So I settled on some bare minimum type goals.  I figure that gives me some direction at least.  That is where my world is at the moment.  My mind is also fixating on goals that I could potentially achieve without doing much of anything.

I have decided to lose some weight.  Realistically I don’t have to do anything to achieve this goal.  I have to abstain from eating a surplus of calories.  That doesn’t take any work whatsoever.  This is a good kind of goal for this year I think.  I am still trying to think of more goals like this, because I like the idea of not having to do anything to achieve my goals.  The concept of lazy goals appeals to my lazy mind.

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get smarter, stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

Interesting article on Indian clubs for shoulder work.  Given a good coach and access to clubs these could be interesting to do.  https://drjohnrusin.com/ancient-answers-for-shoulder-health-and-longevity/

Exercises, activations and stretches you can do to improve posture.  This is something that we should all be constantly evaluating.  https://www.mashelite.com/fixing-athlete-posture/

This is a list of exercises that could be implemented to introduce chaos training into workouts.  Also explains concepts of chaos training.  https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-the-chaos-method

JM Blakley coaching the JM Press.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTxOBkKDkzs

Another video of JM Blakley coaching the JM Press.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOCW9cE-GJg 

Strong Life

This article got me thinking about being connected to “possibility” it is not a concept I have thought about much.  https://zenhabits.net/action-hero/

This week was another week of normal workouts for me.  Nothing impressive was accomplished.  I stepped forward though and got a little stronger, a little more muscular, and a little more fit.  This week I was consistent with my workouts, and that was about it.  Consistent was all I needed to be this week.

Consistency is the number one skill needed to get stronger.  Even when you feel like you’re not doing much to get better, if you’re being consistent then you’re on the path still.

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

A good tutorial on setting up bands for squatting.  http://www.brandonsmitley.com/thirst-gym-terre-haute-how-to-set-up-bands-for-the-squat/

Good option for doing facepulls with bands.  http://www.brandonsmitley.com/thirst-gym-terre-haute-x-band-face-pull/

This is a good list in the article, and it’s always good to think about what needs to stay in our own workouts year round.  https://www.elitefts.com/education/5-exercises-to-never-take-out-of-your-program/

I thought this was a good overview on a bunch of different tricep exercises you don’t see done enough in the gym.  https://www.elitefts.com/education/12-exercises-to-build-massive-triceps-for-your-bench-press/

Mindset

Thoughts on making power moves https://www.raptitude.com/2020/09/make-the-power-move/

Some good thoughts on time management https://zenhabits.net/top-performers/

Training without a gym and having minimal equipment takes a lot of creativity.  The last couple weeks I have been jumping back into training post injury and post surgery.  This means I am doing backyard workouts and playground workouts a lot.  It also means I am researching how to use my limited equipment.  If I had actual goals with my training this might be a problem.  I just want to get stronger and rehab right now, there are a million ways for me to get that goal accomplished.  So all these weird workouts are actually a blessing to me.

They are a blessing because they are forcing me to get smarter and more creative about my training.  I have to think in ways I didn’t have to before.  This thinking and experimentation will lead to me learning things I would have never learned in ideal situations.  This will make me a formidable trainer and coach to others.  I will know more exercises.  I will also know better how to use limited training resources.  I know by the end of this pandemic that I will be good at using bands.  Bands will just be another tool, and a good coach can never have too many of those.  Beyond learning new tricks to do minimal training, I think I might even become better at some things.

Pullups are easy to do on all sorts of playground equipment, trees, and other places.  I have never been good at them though.  This is the time to get good at them.  The same goes for pushups, single leg squats, and lunges.  I feel like if I become very good at these things then I will have a base to be even more awesome at the things I care about like squats when the time comes.  That is how I view this time we live in. 

Every layoff, every hurdle, every bit of a chaos is a chance to grow. 

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

I thought this was a fun looking calf exercise.  Seems like it could be easy to implement at home with just dumbbells or at a gym.  A good option for quarantine training.  https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-the-best-weird-calf-exercise

A really good discussion on using dynamic lifting in your training.  https://www.elitefts.com/education/dynamic-training-should-you-be-doing-it/

Tips to get strong enough to get your first pullup.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0MYDVU6qoA

Zercher Good Morning Binge

Training from home means getting creative.  One way I am trying to get creative is by adding in some Zercher Good Mornings.  I have never done them, but have heard of them.  I went on a little research binge this week and this is what I have found.

Benefits.

• Hits the core rather hard.  This is awesome because I don’t have equipment for that.
• Stresses the upper back.  Again limited equipment for me.
• Easy to do without a rack out in the yard.
• Hits the posterior chain, which is always good.
• More variations means less boredom right now with this at home workout thing.

Technique vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wylCK7JZPQ4

Some technique tips: https://tonygentilcore.com/2012/04/exercises-you-should-be-doing-zercher-goodmornings/

Another nice demo video and some tips.  https://ericasuter.com/exercise-for-confidence-zercher-good-morning/

Zercher all the lifts!  This is a pretty cool article on different variations of zercher lifts.  For example doing Zercher shrugs gives me another trap variation to play with other than barbell shrugs.  The shrugs look like a lot of fun to try.  The Zercher carries look fun too, something that is really good for messing around in the yard.  https://thibarmy.com/i-zercher-everything/

You can also apparently use a band for a band only Zercher good morning if that’s what you got to work with.  How you set the band up is going to take a little creativity.  https://fightcampconditioning.com/strength-bjj-banded-zercher-good-morning/

(Disclaimer: Nothing in this post is an actual endorsement of whacking anyone with sticks, socially and economically elite or otherwise.)

Someone was talking about a dumbass fitness goal on Twitter.  Something about using their awesome fitness to whack the elite with a stick till the means of production fell out of them like whacking a piñata.  Yeah it was some totally odd and random communist sounding propaganda stuff.  They were probably being a smartass.  My brain is stupid though.  I started to think how someone would train to for such a such a goal.  I didn’t have much of a clue.

Then I realized I have a clue.

Once you get deep enough into the fitness journey you start to realize you have some of the tools to train anyone towards most any goals.  This assumes the trainee is a novice.  I sat and assumed this individual was a novice at whacking the social and economic elite with sticks.  So I crafted a smartass answer that looked a little like this.

1. Train the spinal erectors.
2. Train the squat.
3. Drag the sled.
4. Row to grow.

That was my thoughts on the matter.  Really it’s not a bad base plan for all sorts of fitness goals.  In fact if you got really good at those 4 things you would be well on your way to being a real badass.  Things are just that simple sometimes.  An advanced program might add some more things, but there is nothing advanced about the base act of whacking someone with a stick.  Brute force gets the job done.

Brute force gets the job done a lot of the time, and more brute force is never a bad thing.

So being a smart reminded me that the basics is where it’s at, and where its always at.  So I’m off to work on my spinal erectors today, just in case some I need to whack some dumbass capitalistic overlord with a stick. 

Sidenote, if any capitalistic overlords would like a fitness program to better defend themselves from being whacked with sticks then I would be more than glad to provide a program for a nominal fee.

But seriously everyone I encourage you to go work your spinal erectors today, it’s always a good day for that.

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

How to use variations in the gym to make your workout harder.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xey0LiQ0Ms

An explanation on breathing and bracing along with some drills to lift bigger weights.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtB7z6l6U9s

I found this to be a good explanation of hypertrophy training principles.  There is a lot in here about how to think about your hypertrophy training from a conceptual approach more than just going by feel.  https://www.jtsstrength.com/designing-training-for-hypertrophy/

Transformation

I enjoyed this article on identity and using our own self references for change. https://zenhabits.net/identity/

Building strength is of course the theme of this journal.  This journal is really meant to be a place for building strength in all areas of our life.  More and better is what we’re always looking for.  We are always looking to progression to get better.  The opposite direction may hold promise as well, sometimes the right answer is to regress.

I am coming off surgery and a long injury layoff.  I am looking forward to working out hard again and regaining lost strength.  At this moment though I am very weak.  I am weak to the point of not being able for the first time since I was a child being able to do simple things like a pushup.  This is the hand that life dealt me.  I had to do simpler forms of pushups to get a workout in.  I had to use an exercise regression.  I did standing pushups against a rail where I only had to lean over a little bit.  I was sore the next day.  Regression was progression in this case, soon I look to be doing cool stuff again. 

Acknowledging that I had to take a step back and use a regression took swallowing ego.  I am “Nehemiah the Mighty Lifter” pushups are easy to do for me, except you know when they aren’t.  Accepting cold hard truth is a step in moving forward, a step I am trying to get better at.  Doing these super easy standing pushups, well that is the truth for me right now.

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

Apparently you can Zercher your triceps extensions and they look pretty cool http://www.brandonsmitley.com/thirst-gym-terre-haute-zercher-tricep-extension/

An exercise for hip and ankle mobility that requires zero equipment https://ericasuter.com/technique-tuesday-floor-get-up/

2 hours of overview on the conjugate methodology of training, this stuff is really good for anyone wanting to push their strength https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgUb8ZHGkJk&t=1077s

Strength in all things is important.  Strength in all times is important as well.  The world is going through some strange and trying times right now.  We cannot forget that we can approach these times with strength.  In the gym we learn proactivity over reactivity.  Consistency, discipline, sacrifice are the things we learn in the gym.  Right now we are all being tested and there can be an inclination to set aside these lessons.  These lessons are still true though, holding these lessons up, that is how we stay strong in all times and in all ways.

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

Cuing the lats for the deadlift https://tonygentilcore.com/2020/08/60-second-deadlift-tip-squeeze-the-orange/

Exercises to improve back strength for the deadlift https://www.elitefts.com/education/5-exercises-to-improve-back-strength-in-the-deadlift/

Setting up bands for the bench press http://www.brandonsmitley.com/thirst-gym-terre-haute-how-to-set-up-bands-for-the-bench-press/

Thoughts on preparing for big lifts and other difficult actions https://kabukistrength.com/196380-2/

Strength in all things is important.  We must constantly be building these strengths.  Without doing so, we resign ourselves to mediocrity, boredom and everything pathetic.

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

A discussion on belts and torso/core strength.  https://www.elitefts.com/education/athletes-and-wearing-belts/

Warmup protocols from Matt Wenning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4E-0uaG1Kk

This is a really good article on training in a more smooth fashion as to eliminate harsh jerks and jolts that create damage to the body https://www.elitefts.com/education/smoothing-it-out/

Considerations for returning to the gym post-layoff https://www.elitefts.com/education/the-gym-is-open/

This article is full of bench press tactics and hacks that can really improve your pressing.  These hacks are all doable with minimal equipment so that’s cool too.  https://www.elitefts.com/education/7-intermediate-bench-hacks/

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

An easy to use method for grip that can be applied across many things https://www.t-nation.com/training/the-gorner-method

Tendon health is not talked about near as much as hypertrophy and strength training but it remains an important component of staying healthy and strong.  This video explains how to train your tendons https://www.elitefts.com/education/podcasts/clips/listen-table-talk-podcast-clip-how-jm-blakley-and-dave-tate-built-tendon-strength/

Squat tips, I found this to be a good refresher and good for perspective. https://www.elitefts.com/education/3-tweaks-your-squat-needs/

Health

Studies show that just a week of being sleep deprived can make you look prediabetic https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/lack-of-sleep-glucose-insensitivity-pre-diabetes

Mental Fitness

This was a nice article about using balancing drills as a form of mindfulness and meditation.  It looks like it could be a fun to implement.  https://tinybuddha.com/blog/how-to-get-all-the-benefits-of-meditation-by-balancing/

Strength in all things is important.  The pursuit of strength doesn’t stop.  Our minds and bodies do not care that it is a holiday or a vacation, they crave stimulation.  Rest is good, but we rest when we need to, not when society tells us to.  That is why this publishes on July the 4^th.  There is usually time to get stronger even on days like today.  So while everyone else is having fun, we squeeze in some time for passion, for the pursuit of our pursuits.  Then we go have fun, but we don’t stop because of some calendar.  We choose when to be awesome, and when to take breaks, we sure as hell don’t let society dictate this to us.

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

A good squatting guide from Juggernaut, some good nuggets for any level of lifter https://www.jtsstrength.com/how-to-improve-the-squat/

Using bands to enhance shoulder stability https://www.elitefts.com/education/randomized-band-shoulder-press-benefits/

Off season bench protocol to replace dynamic effort work https://www.elitefts.com/education/three-phase-offseason-bench-protocol-to-replace-dynamic-effort-waves/

Health

Matthew Walker and Rhonda Patrick go deep into the benefits and science of sleep.  I learned a ton from this https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/matthew-walker

This week was another good week to pursue improvement in all things.  This pursuit can be for results or for process.  Every week this pursuit might be different.  The mentality remains the same, and that’s what matters.

Here are a list of the best strength and mental training articles I have found in the last week.  It is my hope they can give you as many ideas as they gave me.

Strength and Conditioning

Hypertrophy recovery trips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvjOc8NcjJg

Sumo Deadllift tips https://www.jtsstrength.com/3-steps-to-better-sumo-deadlifts/

Implementation of plyometrics in female soccer players.  This was a good read and the principles would apply to other sports and populations.  https://ericasuter.com/coaching-female-athletes-plyometrics-stop-making-them-sore/

Mark Bell demonstrates the floor press and how you can implement it in training https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0XMiDxkNn0

JM Blakley discusses recruiting more motor units through the act of trying harder https://www.elitefts.com/education/try-harder/

Career

Doing the hidden work makes a big difference.  https://ericasuter.com/youth-athletes-the-hidden-work-matters/