4TH LINE MENTALITY

behold the realm of dominance.

 accountability check: how many times have you gone to the gym this year? if you give the answer and follow it with any explanation of why it was not as many as you would like then that is your fault alone. life will always get in the way. life does not accommodate your strength goals. if it did then we would all be elite body builders with the income to match. remember that next time you have to give that number. no mercy. no exceptions.

a couple topics to address today. just a chaotic flow of thoughts I have had over the last week. also couple of things a few readers asked me about. Its in the best interest of this cult for everyone to see the responses. no secrets in this sanctuary. the entire reason for this is movement is to spread the wealth of motivation and knowledge to any seeking the light. 

Anti-Kosmik Weightlifting

1. INCREASING THE WEIGHT YOU LIFT.

I would really like to emphasize the importance of going up on weight when doing exercises. the only way to get stronger is to lift heavier. it is very easy to find a comfortable weight and knock out a few sets of that weight. you rack the weights and walk away feeling like you got a great workout in but after a few cycles of this what happens next? weightlifting is like college, you are always learning. just like in college there are quiz's, tests, and exams. so you have to give yourself a pop quiz sometimes and bump the weight up. even if it is just 2-5lbs. because you will never know what you are capable of if don't try. this goes for any exercise. bench press, bent over dumb bell rows, tricep pull downs, bicep curls, squats, deadlifts, and even pull ups. you have to dig down and grind one out. even if the form is ugly or you need an assist or spot. so many times guys are strong enough to lift more but there mind is standing in the way of there body. you may be surprised at how strong you really are if you do this. you get that one rep at 5lbs heavier than what you normally do and BAM! you know you can do it now. so you will try it again on your next seesh. but say you don't get it. no worries. you have found your stick point and inadvertently created a short term goal that is easily attainable. a max on anything is measured 1 pound at a time. short term goals like this are essential in breaking mental barriers and physical short comings. because when you do get that slightly heavier rep or set you are now 2-5lbs stronger on that lift then you were the day before and one step closer to your ideal max or PR. remember this warriors.

"do you want to find out how much blood in in the human body?"

 2. STICKING TO A STRICT NUMBER OF SETS/REPS VS. JUST LIFTING REPS UNTIL YOU FEEL SATISFIED.

this one is tricky because both have pros and cons. I find it can impede your gains if you say "im going to do this exercise X amount sets, at X amount of reps, at X amount of weight." while having a numerical target to hit you can push you hard to meet it at the same time I often see people hitting those sets and reps too easy. there was no challenge and they likely sold themselves short. it is also pointless to just walk into a gym, throw weight on and lift. how will you ever track your gains? how will you start creating a baseline for progression? 

personally I have created a bastardized version of both. I commit to a number of sets in the first few sets and then near the end bumping up the weight and giving myself a number to aim for. if I cannot meet that number then I get an assist from my spotter. it also very important to note that you have to Learn" your body and really get dialed in to what feels good, what feels bad, what feels exhausting, and what feels painful. if you are a Prospect into this cult of alpha minded weight lifting then I SERIOUSLY recommend you look into the 5x5 Stronglifts Program. an awesome way to condition your body without getting hurt and learning what you are capable of.

STRONGLIFTS 5x5 PROGRAM - go here to learn more.

the only thing missing from this photo is any sort of muscular definition. what could have been a 10/10 is instead given a 4/10. that is how important muscles are to creating the image of Alpha.

3. BEING A LEADER

have you ever been to a gym or seen a 2-3 man lifting group at your gym without a single person taking charge? its fucking painful. they are just an awkward bag of wet bread. do not let this happen to you. take charge! grab the reigns and take that sleigh straight into the 9th circle of hell. be the person in the gym you would want lifting with you. set the example and lead from the front. the only time an alpha male stays back in the shadows is to assess the competition/enemy before killing the "leader of the pack " and controlling it themselves. without a doubt if you get just one motivated person with a sliver of passion in a group the whole unit is entranced. motivation is contagious. this is by far the most truthful thing I have ever written. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I showed up to a lift deflated and out of it and my partner, brother, trainer just pumped me up. I walked in with limp and shriveled just wanting to do 30 minutes of lifting and left two hours later inflated with a murder boner. sometimes it is your job to infect the motivation and sometimes it is the job of your brothers. again this goes back to accountability. everyone has to be there for everyone. this is brotherhood. this is a sect. whatever it takes to get the believers fired it up.

a mental image of your forearms when you are dialed in. a fucking meat eating, hard working, evil heathen hellbent on chaos and utter destruction. gotta wear the armor at all times.

 4. NEW MUSICAL ADDITIONS TO YOUR RITUAL.

nothing beats updating your playlist with some new chants. often times getting some new music in your exsistence is all you need to peel your flat ass off the rug and into the iron sanctuary. here is what I have been listening to lately....

SATANIC WARMASTER - FIMBULWINTER

I have been a huge fan of the Werewolf for a long time now. as much as I love his band his nusic was never gym friendly. poorly recorded and erratic audio volumes made listening to him in the gym a workout in itself. that is not the case now. this album fucking KILLS. excellent production quality, savage riffs, downright diabolical lyrics. this album has it all and completely has blown me away. this album is what newer Burzum would have sounded like if Varg wasnt a total right wing conspiracy cock nose who jerked off to MOOGs and celtic synths. this was the album satanic warmaster was always meant to create. get this now. 

recommended for: the drive/walk to the gym, chest day, reminding you that you are disposable and not a special snowflake.

ARCKANUM - ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ

all I should tell you about this album is that it features the guitar player from Watain and Dissection and you will be ripping the torrent before you finish reading this post. truly evil shit. anti-cosmic satanism from sweden. pretty much everything I said about the satanic warmaster album above but this guys entire discography is nearly perfect. this happens to be my favorite album but they are all intense IMO.

recommended for: people who hate their life, dead lifts, mid workout pump up, and wanting people in your gym to stay away from you.

INQUISITION - INVOKING THE MAJESTIC THRONE OF SATAN

if you don't know this band then consider this your official "late pass" you now have an excused absence. their new album is fucking awesome and reeeeeeeally good but I still gotta say this is my favorite one. just read the title of this album and you have gotten a mindset ready to kill the weights. every time I lift weights I am indeed invoking the majestic throne of Satan. I call this Reptile-core im not entirely sure reptiles make vocal noises but if they did this is what I imagine them to sound like. just picture some robed mutant lizard king that looks like a Jurassic Park outcast covered in spikes and chains and you will understand what I mean.

recommended for: everyone who gives a shit about black metal, post workout cardio, strength and conditioning, and men with a disgust for any clothing not black.

in the european circle of black metal the singer for Dissection was considered to be the visual representation of satan. incredibly smart, disturbed, scary as fuck looking, and rather muscular. aesthetics bro. u mirin?

 

DAVE "THE HAMMER: SCHULTZ. NHL record holder for most minutes served in the penalty box in one season. a god among mortals. fucking violent, ruthless, a cold blooded goon, and my personal hero. dude didn't give a fuck about his face, his body, his reputation, or his enemies. all he cared about was his teammates and wining championships by any means necessary, which he did in the 70's with back-to-back Stanley Cups. 4TH LINE MENTALITY. we should all take note if this dedication and follow suite. an inspiration for fellow Alphas world wide.

FEATURED READER OF THE WEEK: Rusty Ratcliff also known as Chainsaw (srs). a committed weightlifter with serious intentions. a good friend from the way way back. you cannot fuck with this look. its an absolute masterpiece of dominance and intimidation. i am forever mirin any man who wear this look without a shred of irony. this is not a costume, this is him. its all the best elements of wrestling, occultism, rock n roll, and testosterone into one Alpha male. so go give him a virtual fist bump and congratulate him. https://www.facebook.com/rusty.shackleford

STAY GRIM. HIT THE GYM.

THE YEAR OF THE ALPHA

the year we burn all establishments that stand in our way. all that tell us what we cannot do.

Men. this is it. its 2015. we are here. there is no "new year a new me" bullshit. that's not what we do. its a different year but its the same you, only better. we unlock the man you want to be, the man you need to be, the man your pack expects you to be. this transformation requires no subscriptions or seminars. there is no monthly dues. it only requires the same things you have been using all your life whether you realize it or not. those things are: FOOD, STRENGTH, and SWEAT. we take these things that are necessary for survival and turn them up to 11. we go all in and leave nothing. we get our priorities of work lined up and we execute. no more distractions. no more diversions. no more weakness. from now on you are allergic to weakness. weakness is a cancer on the mind of a cold blooded killer. time to drink the Kool-Aid boys. were going full Jonestown on our bodies. 

Wolfsblood is the flavor of Kool-Aid you will be drinking tonight.

first order of business is the image. here at Black Metal Fitness the image you portray means everything. which goes without saying that colors are out of the question. this is not a disco, this is a graveyard. black and greys are the only acceptable color palettes. we are not stealth in our strength. we wear it like our ancestors wore the skins of animals they slaughtered for survival. here in Chicago it is winter. game of thrones winter. we are are wearing layers, puffy coats, boots, jackets, hoodies, scarves, and everything else that painfully conceals our gains. to combat this we have to shift focus from our Hollywood muscles (quads/chest) to our "winter muscles". what are your winter muscles? they are your shoulders, your traps, and your back. 

when you make an appearance in public, you do not have the option to hit them with the flex and go sleeveless. because then you are a showboat instead of a tugboat. you want busters to discover your dominance by their own accord. its like a surprise attack. they are moving in close trying to pierce your social bubble. by the time they get too close, its too late. "SKA-DOOSH" they have nowhere to go and they have to take a few steps back and are forced to be humbled. 

the idea here is to give the illusion that you are bigger than you actually are. just like animals in nature. you must not forget that even though we are humans we are still animals and no matter how urban your city is its still an extension of nature. the best way to do this is by acquiring traps you can balance quarters on. your traps are the winter equivalent of biceps.

I once had a wet dream that someone submitted a film to Sundance about my traps. a girl can dream.....

 

 da traps are the only thing people will see in a hoodie or light coat. abs? she wont see them till you are shedding clothes in her dimly lit room and by that time shes in too deep to break contact . biceps? bro, everyone has biceps when they wear five layers. so at the start of every workout put 20 solid minutes on your traps and delts. once the pump-n-burn is established, resume your workout as per usual. these small sessions paired with a 2-a-week back/shoulder day with pay off big time. it is my recommendation do this until roughly April. then shift fire and zero in on the spring break muscles (quads and chest).

He is the reason for the season.

now that you have received a pro tip on braving the winter while saving face, let us go to the most important but sadly the most neglected by lifters....FOOD.

bros, its about to be as serious as Schindler's List. if I meet another dude putting in real work with the iron but admitting even flaunting their diet as "garbage" im gonna puke. booooooring. so mediocre. if you want to be mediocre then join Planet Fitness and pat your pussy on the yoga mat in the gluten-free aisle of Whole Foods. lifting and fitness is a two part deal. what you do outside the gym is just as important as what you do in the gym. only committing to half of that is the equivalent of fence walking. we don't accept fence walking. pick a fucking side. 

as you get older what and how you eat makes or breaks you. I am 30 years old a month away from 31. I watched my metabolism sink like a stone. I use to go on a week vacation and drink and eat myself retarded without hitting the gym once. come back home and resume my lifting and it was but a minor bump in the road. now it practically requires a small hospital stay to get me back to where I was pre-holiday. knowing this I have to make sacrifices. I have to ask myself what do I want more. regret or pride? its 2015 YEAR OF THE ALPHA! we want pride! we want power!

again Junior!

 WHAT YOU WILL EAT:

eggs (1whole egg to 4 egg white ratio)

black coffee

human fetuses 

natural peanut butter

brown rice

lean ground beef or turkey 

black beans

spinach

green vegetables

bananas

pineapples

black/blue/ras-berries

cottage cheese

plain greek yogurt

oats

honey (use to sweeten food instead of sugar)

salmon

tuna

avacados

skim milk

100% whole wheat bread

hummus

almonds

chicken breasts

green tea

protein shakes

lentil soup

CHIPOTLE

sushi

you will eat often and aggressively.

WHAT YOU WILL NOT EAT:

fast food

doughnuts

lunchables

hot dogs

 pre-packaged meals, and/or sandwiches

ice cream

whole milk

fried foods

dark meat chicken

pork

fatty beef

hamburgers

pizza

sugary cereal

soda

almost all juices (beware of sugar)

chinese food

almost all food served at any food court in America

cheese/sour cream

white bread

beer

"cereal snack bars"

Luna bars

ranch dressing or almost any salad dressing really (use olive oil instead)

most food your friends eat

 candy

sugar filled flavored yogurts

this list could go on for days...you get the idea.

 

pray for the skinny fats to find their way to a gym. Mecca awaits.

STRENGTH. my favorite. this is what separates you from others. you can hold the image, you can maintain the eating habit, but without the strength you are about as useful an asshole on an elbow. you are no better than any other alternative looking, bar fly, record collector without muscle. 

 ANTI BETA. ANTI TREND.

this logo holds much potential for customization. stay tuned.

 the heart of the devil is weightlifting. moving big weight and getting sweaty. if you are not sweating you are not doing it right. dig deep and grind it out. think about all the people who have stood in your way. all the people who said you couldn't. think about all the people you hate and the people who hate you. fuck them. they are not important. you must stay focused and look out for number one...YOU! remember right now somewhere out there someone is lifting more weight than you, hes eating better, hes sleeping better, hes looking better, and hes working harder than you. don't get left behind. no ones going to admire your cheat days or your soreness. they are going to admire your results. the best part is results are never finished. they are always getting better if you are always working harder. 

im talking deadlifting, squatting, benching, pressing, pushing, pulling, running, and working all the damn time. every workout is not just another lift its an extension of your mind and work ethic. its a cathartic experience danger close to a ritual. in fact that's what we will call your work outs. rituals.  they are not sessions they are rituals. call upon the darkest parts of your heart and bring them forth to eviscerate the weakness rooted in you. all rituals will be preformed with anger and intensity. exercise the demons. commit to the weights. for once in your life fucking commit to something. commit to it like you committed to that doughnut. become born again and baptize yourself every night in the weight room. its 2015 the year of our lord. one step closer to death or one step closer to the man you want to be?

the only "cleanse" you will concern yourself with is cleansing the excuses and poisonous people you surround yourself with. break from your pack or start your own pack. this is the ritual of death. death to false security. become born again in the rust and iron of strength.

this is what people see when you walk into the room. this is how strangers view your mortal form. a dangerous and violent man who channels those tendencies into strength gains and life gains. you support and help someone as easy as you can eliminate them. ruthless. cold blooded.

4th line mentality. mark howe. DO YOU WEAR THE MARK? blood in/blood out.

STAY GRIM. HIT THE GYM.