DEVOTION TO SELF ABOVE ALL ELSE.

"Working out is modern couture. No outfit is going to make you look or feel as good as having a fit body. Buy less clothing and go to the gym instead." - Rick Owens

This is Rick Owens. A 50 year old luxury fashion designer who is living in his own world. The dude is on another level in all the weirdest ways possible. Considered by many to be the sitting lord of Goth, his whole existence is one giant aesthetic. He champions vanity and letting physical look speak for you like a shrine to a god from ten lifetimes ago. His interviews are filled with biblical quotes on fitness and weightlifting. Check out some of interviews and videos to really understand what I mean.

The first time I ever heard of him was in a Vice magazine in 2009. I read the entire interview and it clicked with me right away. I could feel that his responses were sincere and not to maintain some kind of fashionable aura he was expected to uphold (queer for the sake of being queer). He spoke on the merits of only wearing black, his disdain for colors, and why owns minimal clothing with no variety. He also discussed how he got in shape, what weightlifting means to him, and why transforming your body is the ultimate fashion accessory. Here is a link to the article I speak of Rick Owens VICE 2009.

here are the two highlights from the above article....

"I’m not really into clothes. I wear one outfit like a uniform, and I have for years. Black sweatpants, black baggy shorts over them, a black or white cotton t-shirt, and a black cashmere t-shirt over that. I couldn’t imagine having to change outfits every day or having to change for the gym."

This one is my all-time favorite:

"Changing your body is so much more hardcore. The extreme sensation of working out has replaced the mosh pits of my earlier years and the sex clubs for years after that. It’s a great combo of discipline, joyous release, meditation, and vanity. Music never sounded as good as it does now, pounding through those earbud headphones into the pit of my stomach as I feel my muscles swell."

His outlook on his appearance and aesthetic has resonated with me since then. After reading this article I almost immediately trashed all colored clothing in my wardrobe. Since then I have been wearing black exclusively. Rick also gave me the courage to buy and wear sweatpants. I know that sounds lame but I never thought about sweatpants as a "must own" item. I have seen the err of my ways and now trust in the power of black sweatpants.

trust in me. I will not fail you. treat yourself.

I think my respect and admiration for this dude stems from his involvement in an a industry that borderline prides itself on unhealthy looks, famished figures, excessive drug and alcohol consumption, fake behavior, and being an arrogant prick just because you sew fabric. Despite being submerged in that environment, he rejected those norms and carved his own self-fulfilling path. He sells bracelets for 300 dollars and sweaters that cost over a grand but he himself rejects the high fashion dress. Its like the ultimate middle finger. Similar to Henry Rollins, its like having a guy on the inside. He decided he wanted to get in shape and be strong and fit. He didn't care what anyone thought about it or if they approved. To me "he gets it".

IMO the greatest quote ever about weightlifting and wanting to look good came from his mouth;

 "Buy less clothing and go to the gym instead."

I will never grow long hair. It takes a certain kind of person to pull off the long hair and muscles look.

don't forget this dude is 50! ain't nobody's dad looking this healthy at that age.

FOOD

Most people I know despise cottage cheese but it is like #3 on all-time gain friendly nutrition. I always eat a cup or two before bed. If you hate cottage cheese I don't blame you. I must ask though have you ever had Breakstone cottage cheese? If you have never eaten it then I beg you to rethink your stance on CC. There is no other product on the market that comes close to the taste and texture of this brand. I refuse to eat any other kind of CC. In all my years of hunting I have found nothing comparable to this. It all tastes like shit. This is product completely unique. I highly recommend you incorporate this into your nutrition plan.

Breakstone's Cottage Cheese. nothing else matters.

Red Mill Oatmeal

 If you're gonna gain then you have to eat oatmeal. Its expected of you. Oatmeal is essential because its healthy, it fills you up, gives you sustained energy, and has all the good carbohydrates one needs to begin building muscle. I love oatmeal but I have been eating it for so long now that it often pains me to consume. I was burnt out on the oats until given the opportunity to try this particular brand of. Total game changer. The best tasting oatmeal I have ever tried. The texture and consistency is unmatched. I get excited in the AM when I get to cook this because it is really that good. It has some kind of meaningless ribbon on the package that says "#1 tasting oatmeal in the world" and I believe it. Red Mill Oatmeal comes highly recommend for everyone out there looking to upgrade their nutrition lifestyle. Its a little pricier than I like to spend ($4-ish) but for the quality of the product it is very much worth it.

Pyramid Bench Press Pyramid

despite the website's lulzy handle, I found this calculator to be extremely helpful in my quest toward bench press improvement.

Bench Press Calculator

Its a great foundation for anyone who finds themselves hitting the same numbers for same sets for too long. A good way to break up the monotony of bench press life. I don't follow this hard and fast, I use this more as a base. No matter what though, I always attempt the heaviest called for set with a spotter. Preparing for a new max attempt in the coming months. Since technique is what separates the elite lifters from the busters, becoming comfortable with heavy weight on the bar while minding form is crucial in progression. In between sets of this I usually hit incline dumbbells (weight between 55-95lbs) and some low rep, light weight (10-20lbs) cable crossovers. 

You should know my mantra at this point in the game. Being strong isn't enough. I want to BE strong and LOOK strong. I want the aesthetics and the power. That is what real strength means to me. There is nothing more exciting to me then seeing the definition between the nape of your neck and the top of your pec. A permanent pump so savage you could balance a pencil on top of your pec.

Dream physique.

MOTIVATION

I found this music video yesterday while navigating the worn hole of YouTube for music videos that feature buff dudes. Its fucking golden boys. just wait for that chorus. At first I was sensing some troll level vibes but after two minutes in a sincerely believe that this is produced non-ironically. At least that's what I want to believe. The dudes outfit throughout the video are really what took this home for me. Do-rag, cargo shorts, and CAT work boots. The mink coat of bodybuilding fitness. A nod to the lifters of yester-year when you only wore the cheapest clothes possible because all your money is spent on food, supps, and gear. Its a look that's exclusive to the bodybuilder community and always stands the test of time. Its not what you wear but how you wear it because without the physique you end up looking like a white, GED-n-goatee weed seller who smokes Newports and is really into cars but doesn't have one.

I knew this was going to be a modern classic right up front. The screen shot provided for the video left little to the imagination. A buff ass dude in a luxury pool popping champagne around a circle of babes. I couldn't click play fast enough.

RIFFAGE

Sangus from Rhode Island. https://sangus.bandcamp.com/

About two months ago I went to Reggie's to see Mgla play. Needless to say they fucking killed it. But there was a band on the tour that played before Mgla called Sangus whom I had never heard. Usually I don't give a fuck about the opening bands but I saw the singer before the show so It was my duty as a fellow Buff Guy to stick around. Not too often you see another lifter bro at a black metal show. Much to my delight they did not suck. They were brutal. 

The singer is a wolf-hybrid of Rollins Band era Henry and a disgraced outlaw UFC fighter. Halfway through the set he took his shirt off (+5 points. I see you brah.) and poured what I assume is pigs blood over his face and body. War boner achievement unlocked. Even if its only theatrics, the 1,000 yard stare and muscular frame transcended parody and became the physical visual of the bands sound. It's an interesting concept of music that many bands try to convey but few rarely succeed. I love the idea of the singer being the face of a bands music setting the mood. It was watching a man slowly transform from a timid human coiled in insecurity into a raging animal in league with the devil. Make no mistake this band is on board with the devil.

I felt compelled to share this band not so much for their sound. They are great but nothing incredibly memorable. I don't necessarily fault them for this as they are relatively new (to me) with a small catalog. I can see their next release really finding their stride and hopefully bringing them to a bigger presence in the metal scene.

Lets not fool ourselves here boys. Im sharing this band because its got a buff dude as a singer. plain and simple. Always looking out and making time for metal bands with muscle in the line-up. Something about listening to a band in the gym and knowing some or all of the dudes hit the weights the same way I am gets me extra primed. 

"Buff Dude Metal" (copyrighted) is a rare genre in a complex world of instant gratification, two year no tour bands, and physical mediocrity. Ive been waiting for out generations Danzig, I know hes out there! show yourself! Lead from the front and open the eyes of other metal dudes that getting thick. solid, and tight is the new standard. That strong is the new drunk.

dark sided basement gig. likely not as evil as the photo conveys but im picking up what their putting down.

sleeveless hoodie under battle vest. BM elitists will be upset at the progressive and fashionable nature of this outfit. This look works exclusively with Gig Life. Only works if you are in the band or touring with the band. Could possibly work doing security for the venue of a non-metal show. As much as I want to rock this look im not confident enough to sell it. My gains are terrible, soft, and weak. Im a wet noodle in my mind. the gift and the curse of weightlifting. Never satisfied. ugh.

I call this this "Gig Flex" an offshoot of my series of flexes I have named that a person can do IRL. Hes just singing his song on and holding onto his mic stand so he doesn't drop it. Not forced. Its necessary. See below for further examples.

 The Flex Series is a natural flex that highlights gains without the appearance of trying incredibly hard to prove you lift. Other examples of IRL Flexes are the Text Flex, when you pull your phone close to your stomach, point your elbows backwards, and raise up the phone to chest level. Biceps flare up and all your are doing is just texting ol girl at the bar. Optimal deployment is in a close quarters bar or store and busters are getting comfortable or close to you. Hit em wit hthe flex and let them know they better step out of the kill zone (kill zone is 2 feet from the person in all directions).

The Baby Flex. Holding your infant-toddler child at mid-chest level. You bare the weight of baby on your arm so the entire arm is activated into a temporary full flex stage. Another great IRL flex is the Grocery Flex which is carrying all your groceries in one trip from the trunk to the apartment. Shoulders back, chest out, and palms facing slightly outward in direction of travel. Optimal when you have high foot traffic in the path of the car/bus stop to front door. Neighbors are mirin' and you aren't even trying. You're just living your life doing things normal people do.

It should go without saying that all IRL flexes should be performed in a short sleeved, form fitting t-shirt, sleeveless, or tank top. There is a whole list of other IRL Flexes that I may share with you in the near future. These are closely guarded insider secrets of the Buff Dude Society that are normally never shared. I may even get called to appear before the council of Buff Elders to explain my actions here. Its a punishment I am willing to risk in order to help fellow Buff Dude prospects. You're are welcome friends. 

 WEB STORE IS OPEN. NOW TILL JAN. 13th.

www.blackmetalfitness.bigcartel.com

 

It is with great pleasure and much relief to announce the arrival and sale of the highly sought after BMF Ranger Panties (Vol. I). The silkies will be on sale from right now until 0000 January 13th. I extended the window of sale due to the holiday season. I know many have kids and girls to provide gifts for. Others are traveling out of town and out of the country. So I accommodated them appropriately. 

This is Vol. I of the BMF Ranger Panties series. Each order comes with a Prayer Card and 2 BMF stickers. Once the store closes only orders that are placed will go to print. After that I am destroying the screen. Taking a vow to the Devil of integrity and honor to never print them again. Once all orders ship I will prepare and produce Vol. II of the Ranger Panties which will feature a different custom design and come with another unique free item. 

Additionally the BMF black tank top will be available for purchase starting tonight and will close on the same day January 13th. As with the slikies, the tank tops with this design will be printed one time only. The tank tops are printed on American Apparel 50/50. This will increase the price slightly but fit properly. No one wants to wear a belly shirt in an awkward box shape with a shirt flap flag flying behind them. The price for these will be $15 dollars. This ensures that I cover costs and make only enough money to print future items. I refuse to overcharge or profit from this concept. I am selling all merch slightly above cost. My way of saying thanks for all the support I have received over the last two years.

More updates are on the way. Got a big "year in review" and a "2016 outlook" blogs already drafted. Keep coming through and soaking up all you can. spread the site, spread the knowledge to any you see fit. This is not about me this is about us. The future alpha males of our universe need guidance. Let us not fail them!

receive the light of truth. prepare for accession into the weight room.

STAY GRIM AND HIT THE GYM. 



NEW MUSIC FOR THAT DARKSIDED SPECIAL SOMEONE....

The death of summer.

 

Its that time of year to refit your playlist and tune it to changing seasons. For me this was the summer of the riff. I went on a long occult riffage and atmospheric black metal  tour for awhile. Never really been a fan of those genres. Outside of The Devils Blood and Agalloch I treaded softly around that stuff, seemed too forced IMO. But it was good for me. Wiped my slate blank. It prepared me mentally and spiritually for the impending rotten grimness that awaited beyond the event horizon. As with every year,  black metal dominates my playlists from mid-October till about May. There is nothing more satisfying both visually and internally then trudging through the shit storm of snow and ice with savage black metal as the soundtrack. Chicago winters make a man. He must earn the summer by submitting to the forces of nature and enduring the cold.

So in honor of this ritualistic tradition I am taking this opportunity to submit some of my favorite discoveries I made over the last month. We can all agree there are few things more exciting than stumbling upon a bands or records that absolutely crush. A sound so good it pukes venom over your jaded soul and gives you those teenage movie theater hand job feels. The riffage and atmosphere are so grim you can literally hear it speaking to you. Without telling anyone you are secretly ashamed and slightly embarrassed you survived this long without knowing about it. 

Let us dine in hell with this seasons selections.

CREPUSCULUM (POLAND)

 

Crepusculum "Illuminatis"



no way......

...NO FUCKING WAY!

IS THIS REAL!?

THIS IS REAL!

WERE NOT WORTHY! WERE NOT WORTHY!

For the first time in Black Metal Fitness history we have a physical specimen worthy of sincere praise and adoration. In all my years of black metal, never have I seen a mortal so sinister and swollen. I was MIRIN' so hard I had to share all photos from the photo shoot. If only just to lay to rest suspicions of good lighting and "intentional flex angles". The muscle is real and its impressive. Scope that vintage bodybuilder pose in the third photo. He knows what he's doing. I see you. Hitting us with viscous Lat Spread in the night time forest. So advanced you cant even calculate it. He is

black metals bastard son of Peter Steele.  As if the look wasn't enough to sell you on how hard this band is the record is equally impressive. I heard them before I saw them. Its like Ghost, except instead of just looking cool these dudes also have a record that rules. Once my eyes laid bare upon that chiseled V-shaped torso I knew it was a sign from the iron underworld. A blog update was due.

 Punishing, satanic black metal. Its bench press approved! I fucking love Poland. Ground zero for buff, metal euros.

MGLA (POLAND)

Mgla "Exercises In Futility"

Mgla Poland

Under Craft, Mgla is my all time favorite black metal band. Their new record "Exercises In Futility" just came out. Its even better than "With Hearts Toward None" and was well worth the five year wait. Front to back its a certified unholy banger. The lyrics are sooooo good too. No a single glimmer of hope for the reader. Its dark. Its the Paradise Lost or Divine Comedy of black metal. Its poetic, its unrelenting, its my favorite record of 2015. Get into this band and especially this record. They are playing Chicago this Thursday on their first ever US tour and I am going to see them. TAKE ME TO CHURCH! v stoked.

PLAGA ( POLAND)

Plaga "Magia Gweiznej Entropii"



A midsection as tight as his faith in Satan.

Another bad ass band from Poland with a buff lead singer. GET SOME! Poland is exporting some righteous beef cakes. The recording quality for most of their catalog is pretty weak, but the songwriting and atmosphere easily make up for that. All their stuff is in Polish, I don't know what it means but I know its good.

CHALICE OF BLOOD (SWEDEN)

Chalice of Blood "Helig, Helig, Helig"

no physical aesthetics, but strong black metal aesthetics.


MEPHORASH (SWEDEN)

Mephorash "1557 - Rites Of Nullification"



Coming at you live from the Asbestos tent.

summoning the strength to abstain from putting sour cream on your double chicken burrito bowl.

They have a new record out. Its the only thing I have heard from them but I instantly fell in love with it. The singer use to be in Ofermod which is a highly underrated, incredibly satanic band I love. They were your classic 2nd wave black metal band with members in and out of prison for random acts of violence and heresy. Anyway, Their black metal is a little slowed down in the best way possible. Very primal chanting and drum banging. The last four tracks are called "Null" and its literally just 6 seconds of silence. Some kinda Davinci Code shit I guess. Like if I unlock the timed code I can find the blueprints of Stonehenge.  Supreme production value. Heavy and laden with occult shit. you love it.

LEICHENGOTT (POLAND)

leichengott



motherfuckin corpse paint and good lighting. A match forged in HELL!

Honestly material on this one is nothing memorable. They are not on Spotify, so you really gotta earn this listen by slumming it on YouTube. I shared them with you strictly for the buff singer.

HAEMOTH (FRANCE)

Haemoth "Slaying The Blind"




Your mother was a hamster and your father stank of Elderberries!


Excerpt from the bands bio. The only thing that needs to be said about this awesome record.

"HAEMOTH supports all that can contribute to the ruin of the human being - every form of vice - and doesn't give a fuck what means is used to achieve this.
All forms of depravity, destruction and hate must be preached.
HAEMOTH encourages every act, physical or spiritual, which can contribute to decline, blasphemy or pain.
To become one with Him, inner death is inevitable.The weak ones don't have their place here. May they burn in Hell ..."




Drinking the tears of my enemy.

STAY GRIM. HIT THE GYM.

 

ARISE MY DEMON BROTHER! ARISE FROM THE ABYSS OF SELF DOUBT!

Don't wait on the threshold
Come stay in the dark
Come forth in the hallways
And receive your mark.

As much as I try to lead by example and set the bar for strength/life gains I too am a lowly mortal. I  can easily fall victim to many of the very traps and obstacles of life that I preach against. I have maintained strict radio silence on the blog, emails, and all things BMF related due a battle with the most powerful muscle of every humans body..... the mind. For this I apologize but sometimes when things are shifting and the temple is crumbling its best to cover your head and weather the collapse. When the dust of the ruins have settled you can rise up, brush yourself off, get accountability of all that remains, and then begin rebuilding. Moping and cursing the destructive event will only delay the repair work needed. No Calvary will ride in and fix what is broken. It is your temple so you must begin stacking brick after brick to build an even stronger foundation.

Bare with me and lend your ear while I explain my troubles. Without getting too Dr. Phil on my legion, I have to endure many mental health issues. Some I was born with and some that were acquired from my combat experiences in Afghanistan. I am diagnosed with a manic depressive disorder named Bipolar I Disorder. I also carry a lifetime diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder that only recently have I excepted pharmaceutical treatments to maintain. On top of that I combat lingering PTSD symptoms which are for the most part controlled but from time to time still rears its ugly head in sporadic episodes. 

I am a huge vocal proponent and supporter of talking openly about mental health issues with friends and peers. Whether they inquire about mine personally or seek support for their own I'm always available and down to talk. There is no shame or stigma for those needing help or guidance in navigating the pitfalls of mental illness. Life is hard guys. I don't give a fuck what you kind of person you are or where you come from. The sheer effort it takes for survival is demanding. We all face battles its just some battles are shorter or easier for others.

So as Lil' Boosie said "Ive been goin' thru some thangz." in the last 5-6 weeks. Naturally it impacted all points of my existence. From my diet, my workouts, my gym routine, my school work, my family, and my sleep they all suffered in one way or another. I went to the Doc for a few extra appointments, got some treatment, rapped with important people, adjusted/increased my medications, and just spaced out for a bit to handle myself. I am proud to say that even though these kind of episodes are dark and difficult I eventually push through it and come out stronger than before.  I know there are many others who are not as strong as I and succumb to the abyss of mental illness. So I do it for them. I refuse to become another statistic! I want to be the exception not the majority.

I personally know some of the strongest and hardest motherfuckers walking planet earth who got shit going on upstairs and keep it secret. I also know there are a few readers of this blog who have slightly defective brains. (I know this because I have received a few emails over the years asking me to write about mental issues). I want to share who I am for real. Not some internet persona that I may project on this blog or on my Instagram. My life is good but I don't have it all together. No one does. Were all damaged goods. Its a symptom of aging. I publish this in the hopes that everyone realizes were not alone. LET US SUFFER TOGETHER! Its not always a breakup, a death in the family, or the loss of a job that makes people stumble. Sometimes its just a switch that gets flipped for no apparent reason and they have to root around, find that motherfucker, and flick it back into the "on" mode.

its not always satanic riffage and barbells comrades. let us all embrace our exposed feels. #feelguyGangBang

Alright, so with that cathartic admission into the forum of Alpha lets us be reminded that we will never be "there". We will never be satisfied. We will never stop learning, growing, changing etc... I always harp on the merits of weight lifting bleeding into all crevasses of our life. When one link suffers the whole chain is weakened. In the same way you train your bench press for that new max, we train our minds to become stronger and better sync with our limbs.

The trend throughout this blog is self reliance and conquering mental barriers. Those are the two biggest factors of living strong. When one unlocks an achievement the entire shell levels up! A strong body with a weak mind will surely fail against a strong mind and a weak body. That is the #1 principle of the Infantry. That is what the US military instilled in me and in every elite soldier from Day One. Its learning how to push forward until you can no longer move.... and then pushing farther. If your mind is weak when your body is weak you will be killed. you were dead before you even died. Don't let this happen to you men! You dictate your death and your survival. It is your obligation as a stone cold, weightlifting, alpha, killer to have a mind that's even stronger than your body.

 REMEMBER: 

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MUSCLE FAILURE. THERE IS ONLY YOU FAILING YOUR MUSCLES.

naw dude, I'm good. Lemme get another set before we throw on those 25's on.

So after my "talk to Jesus" moment I came back haunted. I walked into the Iron Sanctuary with a fortified mental outlook. Fuck it felt good. It was like loosing my virginity all over again (except this time the girl was a certified BABE instead of a 6'0 oddly shaped "punk girl" that was used to get it over with). I buried my troubles in a shallow, unmarked grave, I spit on it, pissed on it, then proceeded to annihilate the weights with a new venom.

In the triumph of death comes new life.

Part 1 of recovery phase:

Was built on gaining back the weight I lost. today I completed a two week eat anything and everything (within reason) bender. I went on a warpath of consumption brothers. large meals, snacks, small meals, shakes, weight gainers. whatever. I was housing it all and hating myself the whole time. felt great.  I shot up from 204-213 JUST LIKE THAT. The scale was telling me everything I wanted to hear. I'm sitting at 215 now and have dialed back my intake to reasonable (i.e sane) levels. Time to carve out the giant.

Part 2 of the recovery phase:

Leave the big numbers on the board. I'm taking a sabbatical from maxes for the foreseeable future. I know how strong I am. I know what I am capable of moving. I am now concerned with lifting moderately heavy while pushing myself hard. Simply enduring the burn. I don't need to keep swinging my dick around to all my gym brothers who have seen me move mountains. They know the size of my dick! Honestly almost all of them have seen me naked anyway. 

Really just an old school approach. Walk in with rough draft and just getting lost in the mix by destroying my body parts in the name of satanic gains. 

Part 3 of recovery phase:

Technique. Specifically my bench press. Just bare bones weight and working on all positions and muscles to compete the lift the proper way, the better way, and the strongest way. Foot placement, quad activation, arch in back, slow movements, pauses, hitting the diaphragm with the bar and controlling it the entire way up. So far its fucking awesome. No shit I am watching my chest shape explode. My pecs are becoming fuller and thicker strictly by tweaking my form. Which in turn breeds motivation to keep doing it because its working! I recommend once a year a die hard lifter should re-evaluate how they are lifting and see if there is something they may be missing or not properly executing. Think of it as a muscle audit. That time of year everybody hates when the higher ups come in a look at the stats and focus on loss prevention. That is what were doing here. How can we increase our profits without sacrificing service?

Custom made lifting belts by prisoners behind bars. I think I have found my winter project.

Gym Track of the week:

I off to Milwaukee tonight to see Danzig and Superjoint Ritual. In honor of tonight's gain friendly performance I am reaching into your high school beta 1.0 years for this  punishing deep cut from the angriest band in America.....Superjoint. Activate your dead lift reserves boys because this track will temporarily enhance all lifts for 120 seconds. "1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4!"

STAY GRIM. HIT THE GYM. 

No squad goals only quad goals.

In closing, no matter what trials you may face in your life, be they mental or physical, do not loose site of the path. Even when you stray so far you feel like you may be lost buckle down and grind it out. Don't just lay down and die cold and alone like a scared dog. Raise your hanging head, remind yourself why you started this journey, and talk with yourself in the mirror as to why you are so far off your path. Trust in your strength, believe in no false prophets praising you with empty excuses of understanding, and drive the fuck on. Create your own ending.

P.S. due to my early 30's midlife breakdown funk or whatever the hell it was I foolishly did not finish the Black Metal Fitness ranger panties orders. I apologize for people expecting them to be on sale on the date I said on Instagram. Fear not, if you want a pair I promise I will print enough for all my regular readers and lifter internet pals to get one if they so desire. I didn't wanna rip anyone off and take orders for them when I didn't even have the final product in hand. Expect them to be up for sale in November along with an original BMF tank top (black of course) with custom artwork provided by Hell Is Real. I will do my best to blast out the sale date.  The tank top design can be seen below. HAILS!

Black Metal Fitness X Hell Is Real collaboration.

STRENGTH ROOTED IN PUNISHMENT

FIRSTBORN OUT OF HELL!

Accountability. I ask of it from you often. From me you will get the same. I had an idea a few weeks ago about creating a super strict food log for one week. I kept track of exactly what I ate and when I ate it. It was enjoyable writing my meals, snacks, and drinks along with the exact time. The purpose of this experiment, if you will, was to have undeniable proof of any flaws in my eating habits. It showed me what parts of my nutrition needed to be addressed or tweaked. I will not deny that although I eat responsible and fairly strict, I do not consume nearly enough calories as I want or should. 

The #1 reason for the lack of caloric intake is side effects of my prescription medications I take daily. They put my appetite on mute. Sometimes it physically pains me to eat. My mouth just wont produce saliva and eating becomes a battle. I wind up shoving food into my mouth and chase it with water just to get it down. I also rely heavily on liquids for sustenance like different types of protein shakes, almond milk (for calories), green vegetable shakes, and greek yogurt. 

Even with my appetite struggles I still manage to get enough of the nutrients I need to build stronger muscles. I have been working on ways to bypass my appetite woes since I recorded this 5-day food log and so far its working. I have gained roughly 6lbs. over the last two months. I am currently sitting at 6'2 and 213lbs. My short term goal is hitting 215. My long term goal is by end of year to be comfortably at 220.

Before I go any further go ahead and read through my food log. This is more or less a typical week in my life. I was in between semesters of school for this week so the open ended days and nights made it a little tougher to maintain a strict food rhythm. I find that I eat better and on time when the semesters are in session.

TUESDAY
0940: Protein shake and 1 cup of coffee
WORKOUT - CHEST
1200: 4 egg white and chicken breast wrapped in whole wheat tortilla
1355: 1 bacon cheese burger from Burger King (mustard only, no bottom bun)
1400: handful of natural almonds
1600: 2 oat, peanut butter, and chocolate protein muffins (home made. low sugar, whole wheat)
1720: 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
1800: iced coffee with 20oz of un-sweetend vanilla almond milk
1915: 1 lean turkey breast patty, 1/2 bag of spinach (tossed in olive oil, salt, and lemon), grilled zucchini and eggplant slices
2100: half bag of kettle corn and 2 glasses of red wine
2330: 1 cup cottage cheese
0020: 2 large spoonfuls of peanut butter and chocolate protein shake with skim milk.

WEDNESDAY:
0700: 3 fried eggs (1 whole egg/2 egg whites) in whole wheat tortilla w/ little cheese, 1 cup plain greek yogurt, 1 cup of black coffee
WORKOUT - LEGS
1030: 1 and a half homemade protein muffins.
1120 - 1 can of tuna (seasoned with dill, lemon, and mustard), 1 cup of cottage cheese, 1 large handful of almonds
1400: XL glass of milk
1440: 1 protein muffin, handful of almonds, blue corn chips and all natural black bean dip
1605: protein shake w/ van. almond milk, 2 large scoops of natural peanut butter
1800: 2 salmon fillets, cabbage, mushrooms, 1/2 of a toasted everything bagel
0000: Lifters Gruel (1 scoop choc protein, peanut butter, 1 cup cottage cheese, splash of honey and Hershey's lite syrup. frozen.

THURSDAY:
0800: 3 fried eggs in whole wheat tortilla w/ light cheese, 1 toasted everything bagel with canola oil butter, 20oz. un sweet vanilla almond milk
1030: protein shake w/ skim milk
WORKOUT - DEAD LIFTS, ABS, LIGHT LEGS (during workout 1 banana, handful of almonds, 1 and a half homemade protein muffins
1430: protein shake
1515: 1 can of tuna (seasoned dill, lemon, mustard), 1 whole wheat tortilla, 20 oz. unsweet vanilla almond milk, 1 cup plain greek yogurt, 1/2 can of pineapple
1900: turkey burger (no bun), 2 slices of polenta, sauteed peppers and mushrooms, handful of black beans, 1/2 everything bagel toasted.
2240: Lifters Gruel (same as above)

FRIDAY:
0515: 20 oz skim milk, 2 fired eggs, 2 cups of coffee
0700 - Subway 6" sandwich double turkey w/ olive oil, lettuce, tomato, and lite mayo.
0915: protein shake w/ almond milk
1050: 1 cup plain greek yogurt
(3 hour nap)
1400: large bowl of Kashi cereal with skim milk
1540: 2 can tuna (seasoned same), 1 whole wheat tortilla, 1 homemade protein muffin, handful of almonds
1800:  16oz hi-speed green juice filled with all green veggies (no sugar, no juices, all natural), half a chicken breast, several scoops of peanut butter.
WORKOUT - WEIGHTED SPRINTS, ARMS, ABS (during lift: Gatorade, almonds, protein shake)
2050: 20 oz. unsweet van. almond milk
2110: 4 scrambled eggs w/ 1/2 chicken breast, 1 half of avocado
2330: Lifters Gruel (same as above)

So as I said. Is not perfect, but since I did this I improved little eating habits throughout the day. I am a better, stronger, and smarter weightlifter for doing this.

Got the coven going up on a Tuesday.

no caption needed for The Kliq.

 

So last week Rockwell Barbell (@RockwellBarbell on IG) made the jump into an official gym space. We now have almost triple the room we had at our previous dungeon. Ill post more about the new gym in another post but for now this new space gives us the room to do my all time favorite workout.

SLED PUSHES! I cannot get enough of these. Im doing them twice a week on top of all my other training to make up for lost time. This exercise is great for real world strength. Its a bastard mixture of intensity, cardio, endurance, and strength. It makes you wanna puke and does a lot of work in just a little bit of time. I recommend these for people who love to squat but their lower body tells them that its not a good idea to squat three times a week. I have a lingering knee issue that keeps my squatting sporadic. To combat this, I do other lower body exercises like hack squats and sled work.

When Im fucking with the sled I like to do pyramids with one direction slow and then on the turn around I sprint as hard as I can. I start light on the weight at first and go up by 10-25lbs. I usually work up to 265 for my last set right now. I want to monitor my progress and eventually watch myself pushing heavy and hard weight. I highly recommend adding these into your leg days. Mix things up a bit and have some fun. There is nothing to it but pushing the weight with your legs. Its pretty hard to do it wrong.

Eyes on the prize. What I channel when pushing that sled. Give me the legs of the Gods!

When pushing that sled remember "The Wheel Of Pain" from Conan.

One last thing before I sign off....

Merchandise has finally been designed. I commissioned my good friend from Germany known as HELL IS REAL and he delivered some seriously punishing images. Cant wait to unleash it upon all of you. Do me a favor and check out his Facebook page on the link posted on the side bar.  I am working out the last of the logistics before I send off the first run. First up is a limited run of Black Metal Fitness Ranger Panties and stickers.The first run of BMF ranger panties is limited to only 50. Each pair comes with 2 BMF stickers and a handwritten pact and prayer card you must sign before the silkies adorn your flesh. Pre-orders will be up by this weekend on my merch store. I will unleash the link once I receive the first sample. The items will ship at the end of the month. Just in time for the start of October. The klvtest month on the calendar.

STAY GRIM, HIT THE GYM!

REMOVING THE VEIL OF FALSEHOOD.

"We wash your lotus feet with blood
The life force of our enemy.
We slay all those who would defy you
And with grim death seal their destiny."

I realized lately that since I began building this internet community of dark sided, alpha level, self improvement manuscript I have been on a mission to eliminate "fitness tags" that seem to hinder improvement from the mouths of weightlifters. They kind of drive a wedge between the factions of physical fitness. People want to belong. Its just human instinct. Attaching a label and following the rules of the community help people belong and move forward together. That's all well and good but I think it does more harm than good when people maintain their preference of lifting like its the fucking Hunger Games. Crossfitter, Powerlifter, Bodybuilder, Powerbuilder, P-90X-er, SEALfit etc.. Why limit yourself? What if you can perform, keep up, and compete with all of those classes seamlessly? I think at the dark hearted core of this blog that is my intention. Taking the best of every facet of fitness and molding it to create a superior human. A human that can adequately perform every possible physical task asked or expected of him. I want a legion of men who have base and knowledge of all things rooted in strength, image, and endurance. My intention is to to steer this cult of Iron Wolves into an open world of no rules, classic strength gains. Void unnecessary labels or logos. You are not one thing or the other. You are simply a person. A person who moves heavy things, endures discomfort at different speeds, operates on infinite knowledge, and you look good doing it. I always tell me friends "I wanna be strong as fuck and look good naked." I accept no compromise. By any means necessary.

I kinda hate to say this but this is honestly how I feel…..I am not impressed with person who can preform a 600 pound dead lift and cannot do 1 pull-up. The same goes for a person reppin' 400lbs. for 4 in the squat and cannot complete a single quarter mile lap on a track without puking/passing out/getting hurt. I understand people have their specialties, their focus is narrow and they are following their passion. I cannot argue faith so to speak. I support your endeavor. But this blog is not dedicated to just one school of lifting or one aspect of fitness. Its a full circle of physical and mental strength, endurance, physique, fortitude, dominance, and ultimately self satisfaction.


The intent and purpose of creating this blog was founded on the platform of spreading the belief that every man has positive control his existence. That you are the architect and creator of an ideal body. I want readers and followers of this bizarre corner of internet to understand how just a sliver of raw motivation can cause friction, which creates the spark, that births the fire that cannot be extinguished. I love to seeing people of all shapes and sizes doing whatever it takes to become a dominate force in the gym, in their life, and in the real world. A world filled with danger, split decisions, survival, defending what you love, protecting what you own, and living up to the ideals of what true strength is.

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I have made several mentions in the past about incorporating new workouts, lifts,and eating habits into your life.  Like a chemist in the gym. experimenting with strange or difficult lifts.I practice what I preach. I have my workouts loosely structured for the week with wiggle room to the left and right. Say I wanna workout with a brother. I can adjust fire and sync up my lifts so our chest days fall on the same. Or if I have hit it hard four days in a row. Im feeling a little gassed and sore. Was expecting a rest on the 5th day but the motivation parasite latches onto me and hatches its eggs inside of my heart. I say fuck it! Im going in to lift with you bros. I call this my Wild Card.

On this day I come in to the gym hot. Not really knowing what I am going to hit but know that I wanna bring the smoke and get a good pump/sweat. I feel what muscles are good, which ones to avoid overworking, and take note of what lift is tomorrow.  I give myself a few ideas and then let them free. Here is an example of last weeks wildcard workout. Maybe something you want to try?

I hit the treadmill with my phone timer handy. I did 30/60's (running for 30 seconds, walking for 60 seconds) increasing my sprint speed by 1 mph each time until I could no longer keep up with the speed for 30 seconds. I started at walking at 3mph and running at 4 mph. The 3mph was the constant and the variable was my sprint. 5,6,7,8,9,10,11mph. I tapped out at 12mph. mainly because our gym is temporarily located in the basement and it can get painfully hot and muggy.

I jumped off the treadmill but was still motivated. I didn't wanna over due the cardio but knew I need a "gut check" exercise. Something weighted, something uncomfortable, and something that would push me to the brink of failure but tap the inner die-hard reserve I had inside of me. One that I did very fucking frequently in the Infantry. Like at least every two weeks I did some kinda of event for PT that made me hate myself but also made me a stronger solider.

On the fly I went to the white board and wrote 10% incline, 3.5mph, 1 minute. I grabbed two 15 pound dumbbells and walked  out on the treadmill with those settings. Each minute I would pause the treadmill. re-rack the DB's and go up 5LBS. I kept doing this until either my grip failed or my tiny heart showed. 15,20,25,30,35,40. I hit 40 and I was like "fuck. that last one wasn't pretty. Fuck it,  I gotta make it 45 just to satisfy my strange OCD when writing out  my lifts. grabbed two 45 pound plates and walked that 10% 3.5mph until failure. I made it 2 minutes and a few seconds before I tapped out. It felt great, it made my calves, hamstrings, quads, forearms, traps, and lungs burn. Next time I do that workout Im going to aim for 2:30 with the 45 plates. This is an example of the extremely important and vital task of creating attainable short term goals that keep my mind satisfied and my body getting stronger if even by just a few seconds.

Three classic physiques that are well within our limits to achieve. Textbook example of strength and thick build without being misshapen or gross. Which boils down to these dudes can still get laid.

 I didn't anticipate it at the time but I was actually helping my secondary dead lift muscles and strengthening all the parts of my body activated when dead lifting. It felt so good and was kinda fun I decided that Im going to patent that session and make it part of my Black Metal Fitness workout bible (something that I am working on as a downloadable PDF. Of course it will be free of charge. No profits just punishments)

So in conclusion of this workout, I managed to do meaningful cardio in the form of sprints and also gave myself that endurance style cardio using pyramid weights, steep incline, and little rest. Burning off my fat while building up muscle at the same damn time.

B.M.F HALL OF FAME.

Terry Fox. Canadian runner and touted high school athlete. Lost his leg to cancer when he was 20. Ran across Canada to raise money to fight cancer. He ran every single day for 143 days he ran a total of 3,339 miles. That is the equivalent of running a full marathon every day. His cancer ultimately came back which killed him. He literally died running.

Terry Fox on Wikipedia. 

I don't ever wanna hear your busch league excuses or catch you pandering for sympathy. This man is the golden standard for die-hard. Always honored to pay my respects to the forefathers of discipline and motivation such as this man. 30 for 30 has a documentary about him. Its on Netflix now. It is required viewing. 

 

R.I.P to all the weights out there in America killed in the line of lifting. Your memory lives on in our gains. 

 

STAY GRIM AND HIT THE GYM.