REBIRTH

now that is a FAT BURNER that actually works.

recently I suffered some kind weightlifting quarter life crisis. I was struggling mentally. not feeling motivated ever and all my medications were/still are fucking up my appetite. It struck when I came home from the southern California desert after six weeks of training. I was eating MRE's and shit food, sleeping outside for a few hours a night, and it was above 100 degrees the entire time. I lost a lot of weight and strength as expected but usually I bounce back hard.  this time there was no bounce back. I just kept feeling depressed and weak. This is a vicious cycle that can be really hard to get out of. every serious lifter has gone through multiple funks like this. its when no matter how much you try you just cant grind that axe.

death to false depth.

I took a step back and kind of re-evaluated my lifting schedule, diet, routine, and mindset. I had to shake things up and shock the body back into life. Something needed to be done because I was falling fast. I decided to follow my own advice and just get back to basics. start from the ground up and see what comes. here is what I did to stay the course

- I stopped just picking a body part per day and went with every session being a total body workout. especial attention is paid to the legs and core.

- I adopted a semi-hybrid version of the 5x5 strong lifts program. 5 sets, 5 reps and the weight goes up by 5-10 pounds every other day. keeping squats, bench press, dead lift, barbell row, and overhead press the absolute core of my routines. this was key for monitoring my strength gains over the next few weeks. pretty much everything I have been doing is focused on the barbell. vanity lifts have been eliminated and accessory work rarely if ever is incorporated. just brute force activating large muscle groups.

- I dropped from a 5 days in a row to lifting roughly every other day. M/W/F/Sat. I still have to do Army PT every morning from 0630-0800 monday through friday but my main lifting time has now been moved to alternate days. this has done wonders for my muscle recovery and mental mindset. naturally my cardio has increased greater than I would prefer because of this increased PT program but this is a part of my job I cannot escape. I just have to adjust fire and make sure im hitting the big muscles with big weight.

- Part of my total body work out idea had to incorporate some elements of crossfit. before you crucify me for selling out you must hear me. the shit I do is not cross-fit roger?! its fucking football style collegiate athlete stuff. dudes have been doing this stuff for decades before some fruit put a brand label on it.  I want to increase my speed, stamina, and loose this flabby midsection that has been cursing me for far too long. I am not PR'ing some bitches name for time. Im not kipping.  Im not doing any wiener body weight workouts or air squats. Im focusing on pushing myself hard with little to no rest, using multiple muscles for different lifts, and maintaining form by not giving a fuck what my time is to complete the routine. If you want to call that cross fit than fuck you go head. I call it getting thick, solid, and tight with lots of sweat.

- Here is my M-F 0630-0800 PT schedule. I created this myself and was approved by my command. my platoon and I have been doing this the last three weeks with me leading all the sessions by yelling at soldiers. reminding them that they are weak and expendable. combat accommodates no man. the mission takes precedence. the enemy does not care if you are exhausted or sore. whatever it takes. by any means necessary. you must keep this killer mind set when training.

 

sandbags are every cold hearted killers best friend.

 Cold Hearted Killer Conditioning Plan

Monday:

Uniform: summer PTs

Two laps (1 mile) around the paved track into 1 wall jump, 1 cargo net climb, 10 burpee pull-ups and 5 toes-to-bar. Repeat until the 5 mile standard has been met.

Tuesday:

Uniform: ACU with boots and IOTV (weighted vest)

soldiers in two teams will run up and down the 4 story staircase without using the handrail. Soldier will ascend and descend the stairwell while rotating between themselves a 45, 35, 25, and 10lbs. plate for appx. 30mins.

Across the 100m field teams will drag a casualty on a sled backwards and forwards while carrying the weights. done until I decide you have had enough.

Requires: skedco, weighted vest, lifting plates

Wednesday:

Uniform: Summer PT’s

50m sprint

9 dead lifts at 155lbs

12 push ups

15 box jumps

5 dead hang pull-ups

50m walk with 45lb plate over head

As many sets as possible in 30 minutes. 

90lbs. tire flips across field until failure. repeated until someone barfs.

Requires: Olympic bars with weight plates, boxes or tires appx. 20-24inches in height, a timer, and some motivation.

Thursday:

Uniform: Summer PT’s and motivation

Upper body strength and endurance. wall climb, pull-ups, bear crawls across rock pit, toes-to-bar, cargo net climb, rope climbs, weighted overhead press, burpees, partner wheel barrows, and water can carries. all done one after the other. carrying the sandbag from one station to the other. bring the smoke. you gotta deal with it.

Friday:

Uniform: Summer PT’s w/ combat boots, IOTV (weighted vest), ruck sack

Ruck march unknown distance with short halts for lower body conditioning exercises of lunges, squats, step ups, high crawls, and suicide sprints in parking lots.

As you can see it borrows heavily from conditioning styled endurance training. this way someone of any fitness level can still get something out of it, because you are not always going to be training with bros on your exact fitness level.

This AM workout paired with my afternoon powerlifting has worked. my body is shocked and is responding much quicker than I anticipated. I do not know why my body is responding so fast but I am very motivated to keep at it. I have trimmed body fat, gained speed, exposed more muscle definition, and have become completely motivated mentally. this does come at a small cost of overall body weight. instead of 222 I am now sitting at 210 but the subtle appearance of abs has eased any hesitations about this program.

remember this image the next time you want to skip a workout because you are "tired". fuck you. get in the gym.

Morgan Penn painted this. it gives me a murder boner. hooligans!

fear not Alphas. the powerlfting is strong with this one. strength is still my number one priority. the heart and passion with heavy lifting is still priority. no way would I ever submit to religious right of cardio and crossfit or the infamous 10 different bicep curls and some crunches routine. I am on a mission. It is to unlock strength and gain achievements by experimenting within all realms of physical fitness. maybe a overhaul or shake down like this might do some of you gorilla juice heads some good if you are stuck in a rut.

 

setting fire to anything that stands in the way of gains.

STAY GRIM AND HIT THE GYM

BANDS IM LIFTING TO.

 

 Super Joint Ritual drank cheap beer and smoked some dank weed nuggets with Dismember at a euro dive bar in Sweden. outside a couple of American dudes were waiting. when the bands were too drunk to fuck they parted ways to their respective tour buses. the Americans snuck in through the back and ferociously collected the half smoked roaches and unfinished back wash beer bottles like precious, vintage, hand numbered, test press, record release vinyl. afterwards they giddily sniffed their seats, took their trophies, and flew back to America inspired. that is how Gatecreeper formed.

this track goes hard in the crease and its not even their best song. the whole EP fits nicely into any bench press or shoulder pressing routine. the real strong point to this release is the quality of the recording. this does not sound like a first release/demo. it sounds like release number three or four of a seasoned band of headbangers at the climax of their crushing career. CAUTION: nothing less than 225lbs on the bar when benching to this. also the riffage is so tasty that it is rumored to add 15lbs to your current set when PR'ing so keep that in mind. highly recommended for anyone who's interest include: cinder blocks, undershirts as outerwear, sledgehammers, industrial strength power tools, and felonies.

bonus points for all five guys in the band taking on metal head persona's. (Ted Nugent southern rocker who is likely the most talented guy in the band, industrial working class goth, old school thrasher, the guy with a beard who likes Pantera, and the pizza party skater looking Asian fisherman) they look like strangers who met on Craigslist a day before the video shoot but somehow still pull it off.

honorable mention for the dark sided hunk singer with his strong Trent Reznor stage presence circa "Hand That Feeds" video.

this album cover is what kids push moshing in a Slipknot pit think they look like. worm two-step and maggot mosh.

the band is Gatecreeper from Arizona. check out their album here or just search them on YouTube like you would do if I didn't include a link.

bring me the heads of all betas and skinny fats.

 Absu. fuck! I cannot get enough of this band right now. I have a murder boner. I practically forgot about them and haven't jammed them in like three years. then I was reminded in a IG post from a buddy who good they are. imagine Skeletonwitch if they took themselves 5x more serious. these dudes are out there man. they are drinking the kool-aid. I picture them sleeping in coffins even when no one is looking. Its one of the only black metal(ish) bands who's lyrics read like a fucking page out of a middle earth spell book. I enjoy their lyrics almost as much as their music. while I celebrate the entire catalog I recommend their three most recent albums which are available on Spotify. GET THESE DUDES IN YOUR PLAYLIST. gains will follow.

scope this Absu album The Sun of Tipharethevery. every possible metal cliche in one album cover. this dude is the bastard child of Bathorys Under The Sign Of The Black Mark.

bro do you even worship?

duh. we all know Behemoth. first, if you lift you will listen to Behemoth. that is not an option, that is mandatory. second, get over yourself if you think its lame to like them because they R lik mainstream and not tr00. the speed and intensity of this album is untouchable. a 240B machine gun is the understudy for their drummer.

I have a special place in my heart for this record because it was all I listened too when I first picked up the weights and joined Cheetah Gym in Wicker Park Chicago back in 2007. I was possessed. honed in and focused. I hope that it will do the same for you. I listened to cheese death-core and crew cut hardcore before this release. I was pg-13 in my music life until this record. When I found this and Decapitated's "Organic Hallucinations" I was a changed man. once again, all records from this band are ripe and ready for picking. not a bad release. they never went through some self absorbed experimental drone/melodic phase. I like to believe that dangerous music still exists. stuff like this that you will play for people and show them the album covers and they will be offended/disgusted at the content. I hope some boring mall core skinny fat kid gets his hands on this record and starts fappin' violently. Behemoth still does it for me bros. she is my mistress. my go to main bad bitch. respect your elders and embrace the face melting qualities of Behemoth's "Demigod" or suffer the muscle mass loss.

we out chea'

is that Charles Manson?!

if social media never existed then how would this man stay relevant in the mating game? I tell you fucking how. feign an allergy to t shirts. I fucking looooove in shape old dudes. they are truly leading from the front and setting the example. old dudes are our leaders. they laid the groundwork for us and expect us to carry their torch. they were getting the gains in before you could document them in photo format to share with the world/anyone who gives a shit. I would Wayne's World kneel at this man Excalibur style and say "they will be mine. or yes....his gains will be mine."

this is an Alpha in disguise. do not take the bait men. while we ideally want to surround ourselves with other like minded Alphas he is one to avoid.  yes, his gains are admirable and yes his forearms match his bicep pump but never and I MEAN NEVER trust a man who pays more attention to his biceps then his legs. if any ladies read this blog please take note. I judge women on the care of their feet. if a girl does not take care of her feet, she will not take care of her man. this is borderline science proven fact. If your toes look like dolphin throw up then BYE FELICA!. don't get cocky bros. your legs better match your attitude. you cant show command and control with legs that look like wet bread.  ladies should judge men on their lower body dedication. #realtalk

stay grim and hit the gym.

50 SHADES OF ALPHA: PAST AND PRESENT

 fucking knee braces OVER his denim pants which are tucked into his white socks which are inside Catapillar boots. The outfit is so advanced that you are completely oblivious there is a fucking full kindergarten class of children on his shoulders. dude went from the iron mill to the weight room and said "rack em up RJ." no prep time. no pre-workout. no ipod. no expensive road sign yellow dri-fit x3 anti-fatigue stretch shirt. just a gnarly dude farting out reps. do I spy a gold hoop earring? you cant tame this wild man! Let it be known that if Guy (capitalized because that is probably his name) in the background was in a separate photo he would have his own caption. He is some wolf hybrid of a 12 year old fat kid, a collegiate rower, and olympic weightlifter. his submission to "kvlt" gym wear is noted and appreciated but its hard to compete with Al Borland of Home Improvement meets New Jersey union worker look.

If anything else....comfort over all else. few know the pleasure of dead lifting a horse in a velour bathrobe. the overalls are strictly for protection of the investment from rusted iron. I didn't even know bathrobes without sleeves was an option.  Obviously they have a taste for the finer things. peep that Oshkosh-B'gosh logo. I feel like someone super imposed the face of a modern day cross-fit/Tough Mudder guy onto the body of hotel room.

of all the alpha looks featured on this post this one is by far the one I want to see in 2014. He is a real life video game character. the dude is a walking Street Fighter Guile. CAPCOM no doubt pays royalties to this man. im still anticipating the bleached flat top come back.

I dont know 100% who this is but im thinking its the dude from Manowar. If ever there was one human who embraced the love of metal and iron equally it would be this man. It physically pains him that he cannot carry a sword every day. he is the next wave of thrash. watch, all these modern hardcore thrash metal bands that are really into bent mesh hats, acid washed jeans, Budweiser and battle vests will start trading that shit for weightlifting, chokers, wrist wear, tanning, and John Stamos level hair. this guy is Black Metal Fitness personified.

not sure who is gayer? the gay porn stars who just grunt fugged each other rotten 10 minutes prior to photo or us gym jock meat heads for mentally critiquing their physiques while simultaneously MIRIN' them gains.  ima let that one marinate.

while on the topic of gay men. let us have a gander at this look of muscle, mane, and mustache. It has taken the mainstream by storm. you see it in every fashion mag and on every girls Pintrest account filed under"my panties are wet. what a hunk".  here is your late pass white America/all of Europe. gays have been celebrating this look for like 30 fucking years. gay dudes are men. they like men. they want men. so in turn they know what men should look like. do you know why gay men have embraced this look? because its fucking mainly. its near perfect blend of clean, wild, hairy, and fit. now mind you is very easy to take this look from Alpha to Asshole reeeeeal fucking easy. unfortunately more often then not its done wrong. the reason this look works is because all three are in place. its a trifecta of testosterone. beard and hair with out the muscle? euro hipster douche. beard and muscle without the hair? just another balding buster with a beard. keep moving tubby there are a million more of you working cubicle customer service jobs.

even though I championed the look of the clean cut metro as being the premier alpha look, there is something to be said about the muscled long hair rocker. I know from my time before the Army when I was a long haired, weight lifting, metal head that this look will get you laid. if you hang around the dive bar, drunk every single night till 4am, "alternative" crowd you're are shoe in for strange talent. you are every suburban girls fantasy. the modern day bad boy! this look says "yeah I care...but I don't really care...whatever just count my push ups so i can win this bet". I always harp on primal and you don't get more primal than this.

well there you have it. a touch of alpha from days past and a touch of alpha from the present. you don't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been. but you dont want to be that turd who only likes "first wave" gym wear. embrace the forefathers of gym wear. pick up where they left off and carry the torch of intimidating masculine appearance so that a new generation of n00bz can bear witness. strength doesn't come from over priced bullshit "athletic apparel". it comes from eating lots of good food, lifting heavy things, and protecting what is yours.

stay grim and hit the gym.

all photos featured on this post were stolen from Tumblr without permission because those photos were stolen and used without permission.  fuck it.

WELCOME TO MY FRIDGE (nutrition)

fire walk with me into my kitchen. I tried to get an accurate representation of my fridge on a normal week. so I didn't plan, pose, or hide anything. We do grocery shopping two-three times a week to keep our fruits and vegetables fresh so its not a vegans wet dream in here but know that I eat veggies with every meal made at home.  I am still learning a lot about nutrition on a scientific level. I'm pretty anxious to begin my next semester at school because all four classes are exclusive to biology, nutrition, anatomy, and chemistry. I hope to start incorporating more reasons to eat certain foods instead of recommendations.

this is my random "fruit and veggie" basket. it stays in front of my toaster. here we have bananas, tomatoes, avocados, chia seeds for protein shakes, chocolate covered acacia berries, and milk bones for the dog.

top of the fridge. this is the American Idol of your kitchen. your putting it all out for the world to see. you gotta come correct. what is put on display here will instantly let the observer know just how serious you are about your diet. never trust a weightlifter who's top of their fridge is more Justin Guarini and less Kelly Clarkson. serious mass protein used for cooking pancakes, shakes, and my "power pudding",  my protein is the Thor of the kitchen. Trader Joe's whole grain O's is next. very pacific northwestern, a jar of no sugar granola I mix in my plain greek yogurt, 100% plain oatmeal, amino energy mix I drink in the morning before PT if my stomach is a little too queezy for coffee, fish oil vitamins, and behind that (not pictured) is a container of long grain rice ready for cooking.

freezer: I have the Amy's pizzas ready for cheat meals or when Im drinking and am too lazy to cook, the entire top rack all the way in the back is chicken breasts trimmed of fat and individually zip-locked. tough to see but trust me there is a shit load of frozen chicken breasts up there,gotta have those on deck. Daves Killer Bread is the best bread ever created. a little expensive but I promise you that after you eat their bread you will never go back 8g of protein per slice! below that is some frozen fish, and of course the booze. two bottles of vodka and a handle of rum that has been there untouched since our house warming party over a year ago. Rum is evil. loaded with sugar its IMO one of the worst things you could drink if you are serious about weightlifting. I drink vodka & ice water. the lowest calorie adult drink you can have while ensuring you are staying hydrated and dodging that hangover.

freezer door: top shelf is blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. also some frozen edamame, high in soy protein and highly recommended snack. bottom shelf is two things of frozen greek yogurt for my pregnant wife, sweet potato fries, and three boxes of frozen mahi-mahi and talapia. I try to alternate between fish and chicken for dinner.

fridge door: low fat cream cheese, canola oil butter, lemon and lime juice,  stone ground mustard, horseradish, low fat cheese sticks, all natural peanut butter, balsamic vingerette, all natural low sugar blueberry syrup, and more mustard in the back. bottom: gallon of skim milk, half gallon of almond milk, non fat vanilla creamer for coffee, random low sugar sauces like BBQ and teriyaki.

here is my pantry: our kitchen is pretty small so this is just above the toaster. whole grain pasta shells and noodles, no butter popcorn 100 calorie packs, Dave's Killer Bread, baking soda, whole fiber pancake ideal for using with protein pancakes,  bags of almonds, low sugar syrup, tuna packs in the far back,  second shelf: Japanese miso soup mix (ideal for broths when you cook with chicken), a box of protein bars for snacking, marshmallows....i love mallows. they are a mainstay in my house. whenever I get a sweet craving i just eat 3-4 of them and that usually curbs my craving, assorted green and black teas. top shelf: more green tea, jar of pretzels, packs of no sugar desert gum, random rices and Japanese spices. that stuff up there is mostly in Japanese so that is kinda my wife's lane.

just a look at the food in my house. maybe you got some ideas or were reminded of something you want to try. I did not take a picture of the inside of my fridge because I honestly forgot. by the time I uploaded these photos and emailed them to myself I was  just too lazy. know that its filled with talapia, checkin breasts, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, cottage cheese, other random veggies, dozens of eggs, turkey breast slices, some random beers, and 100% natural juices.

killing time in between meals.

MOLDING YOURSELF INTO A GYM JOCK.

Doyle doing coffin shrugs.

If you are like me in anyway you did not play sports as a teenager. The idea of playing organized sports made you want to puke. You mean dudes got together to do more hard work after a full school day and willingly gave up their weekends to travel to towns no ones heard of and do the same thing?! fuuuuck that. I want to do kickflips, fingerbang girls in movie theaters, work a Dominos pizza and have my own money, play punk rock music with my friends, get outta school so I can go home to watch Worlds Scariest Police Chases while I take a nap on the couch. I did play and enjoy soccer from the age of 5 till 16 but when it was time to pick a side I had different priorities. No coincidence that my dropout in athletics was timed with my spike in puberty.

I can tell you right now sports didn't even make the top 15. While I harbor no regrets from my high school/early 20's "anti-jock" lifestyle I do realize the err of my ways now. Sports help mold a child/teenager/man into a stronger person both physically and mentally. Teaching about pushing yourself, discipline, commitment, teamwork and most importantly THE WEIGHT ROOM. I was Beta for most of my life. I mean painfully Beta. Most of us have outgrown our beta shell and abandoned it on the sands of Be-A-Man Beach but there was a time were even the baddest dude on Earth didnt know who he was. I was vegan (for all the wrong reasons), I listened to emotional music about girls and lost love, girls made me cry, I would send 10 too many text messages to girls, I was the guy who said "what do you you want me to do or be? ILL DO IT! just tell me!" I had no interest long term goals, no career path, no expectations. I quit every job by no call, no show, I never finished anything all the way through. I just worked shitty low paying jobs, drank diet soda, and was into long distance running.

your face after you finish reading that.

Im not charging all of that beta-ness to lack of sports into my life but I have to think If I had the introduction early on like most high school jocks do then my foundation would be primed for better form and gains much sooner than now. I had zero knowledge of all things weightlifting related. I mean nothing. I had no jock friends. I didn't know a soul who was in shape. It just wasn't plugged in. Wasn't the company I kept.

The guys who have been playing school sports at an early age have a clear advantage in the weight room. They may not even realize it but their bodies are already conditioned for the squat rack and the bench press. They just have that natural thickness They have been doing so many similar punishing exercises and drills for years. They were bred in the habitat of iron, grunts, ass slaps, hi-fives, headbutts, generic statements of encouragement (i.e you got this! lets go!), injuries, cramps, motivational speeches, and "take a knee" huddles.

"bring it in boys... Miller Lite and Barbell Lunges on 3. 1,2,3...."

So for whatever reason when I was 24 and started taking an interest in getting strong I was on my own. A frail, wet, and wide eyed baby deer wandering out of the forest of Skinny Fat. If you are reading this and were like me here is what I did to get on track to the gains.

First thing....I got a gym membership to LA Fitness. It was cheap and they gave me a discount for working next door at the restaurant Shorty's in Decatur GA. I had no idea what I was doing but I knew what I wanted to look like. So I watched every dude in the gym who was ripped and took note of the exercises they were doing. I wrote it down and next time I was in there I tried it. Some exercises were advanced and I biffed them hard. Others were do able and I built off that. I would buy a large black coffee and go to Borders (RIP) and read fitness magazines for hours. Trying to learn everything I could about eating, exercises, muscles, etc. It was a lot of fun. I began watching sports and getting into they lifestyle the athletes maintained. It was tough and I got my ass kicked but It got me out of my comfort zone and toughened me up a bit. Basketball games on Saturday morning with my co-workers, soccer games after work, softball with my neighbors. These were baby steps but it did wonders for my confidence.

What I am getting at is I never stopped learning. Always on the hunt for new techniques and food, learning and teaching myself, trial and error. Its a process that is still ongoing today. Its a great feeling to know that every year in my life I have been moving up. Always better than the previous year. I haven't peaked. No matter how outta shape you are or how weak you think you are dont loose sight of the mentality that you will always be better and stronger next month or next year. It is an eternal source of motivation if you are on the up. As long as you willing to push then you will see better results as time goes on. never be complacent with your routine or training.

This video is everything I love about weightlifting in sports in one 4 min shot. Dudes with thick necks and thicker thighs sweating. These workouts in here are fun. I am always jerking off rugby on this blog because It is exactly what I expect from weightlifters. speed, size, strength, and brotherhood. Its in line with every discipline I preach.

MOTHER FUCKING DANZIG! The first and original anti-jock turned buff dude. I cant stress enough how much an impact Danzig has had on my decision to get huge. This is a man I still model myself after (aside from the douche baggy attitude). He embraced the dark arts and the iron weights. Made it cool to be a metal head with sweet pump. Nothing is cooler than seeing a dude wearing black leather and no shirt headbanging on stage like some mythic God from the underworld. we lift his name on high. I am still a little disappointed that few metal have carried his torch. We could use another fitness icon in the metal world badly. I know we got Brandon from Bleeding Through doing his awesome Rise Above fitness gig. But hes still not as evil as I would like. Hes kinda like the cool tattooed guy who likes good music instead of the "Satan of Weightliftn'". If you are reading this and know of a band or person doing this PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME! IG: thereisnogod Facebook: www.facebook.com/firstofthegangtodie

Ignore the cheese camera zooms, generic "hard rock" instrumental track they bought for 10 bucks, and the offensive pull-ups and take not of this punishing workout. Highly recommended for poor dudes who want to get in shape. no gym needed for this monster workout. Dedicated to LT. Michael Murphy PL for the SEAL team during Operation Redwings who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the mountains of Afghanistan. If you have seen Lone Survivor than you already know. If you haven't seen it then re-evaluate your priorities and watch it time now. 

1 mile run

100 pull ups

200 push ups

300 squats

1 mile run

while wearing 30lb vest.

In regards to infrequent updates I do this on purpose. I don't want to overload my blog with information and have some of these ideas or observations go unnoticed. If you show this to a friend the entries serve as chapters to a book that you can go back and reference. They are meant to stand the test of time and not be a hot topic or buzz issue. So I will maintain this but with quality over quantity. 

born to die. trained to kill. prepared to die. but never will.

STAY GRIM AND HIT THE GYM.

FOOD CHAIN

Being on the top of the food chain affords us humans many opportunities. To me there is nothing more dominate than saying “I have made it to the top. I choose where to live, what to eat, and who to mate with.” A very simple yet powerful mindset rooted in all of us. In that regard, choosing to be a vegan or vegetarian is pretty empowering. I mean you are literally saying fuck you to planet earth. I am so dominate that I CHOOSE not to eat or use animal products. Generations of humans have worked hard to put humans on the top and now you are so far above all life that you don’t even need animals anymore. You gotta respect that even if it is not in line with the Alpha male primal focus this blog promotes.

Granted being vegan is a first world luxury and is only something that has become a feasible option in the last 100 years or so. Forgive me; I am not too familiar with the vegan movement of the Upper Paleolithic era circa 40,000 BC. You’ll be hard pressed to find a vegan in Syria. Just having the option to not eat certain foods from a moral or ethical stand point is pretty advanced. I have witnessed utter poverty first hand. Kids crapping in the front “yard” and using their left hand to wipe their ass, eating their dogs, having sex with sheep, adults using the roof of their mud hut as a bathroom so the smell lingers up and out with the wind, women fist fighting for kernels of corn etc… These people are only concerned with one thing…staying alive. They eat whatever they can, whenever they can. Fuck, they will eat you if they have to. Trying to describe veganism to an Afghan is on the same level as watching a cat with no legs bury a turd on a frozen pond.

not vegan but Paleo?

(This will become relevant momentarily, bare with me.)

Ask any number of serious weightlifters about working out and you will generally get the same response. It’s all we care about. It is life. It takes priority over everything and almost everyone. Your entire mindset forever changes. You start measuring your day in proteins and fats, when you eat next, how much sleep you will need, when you next workout is and what it will be. You wake up and your entire day is almost a ritual into your lift for the day. Things painstakingly planned out around your schedule as best as possible. You will avoid things that might impair your lift i.e. some buddies getting together to play football because you are afraid you might pull a muscle or take a hit that will affect your workout. Sounds sissy but it’s often times the case. 

Like I have said in previous posts weightlifting is sadistic. Sadism can be seen by some as selfishness. “I know what I want; I will do it to myself to get the pleasure no matter how much it hurts. I will feel no remorse for my intent.” (test boost +10 after typing that) This is why people who turn their bodies into chiseled slabs of wood are perceived as vain or shallow because it becomes the primary focus of life. Dangerous? Yes. Are there D-Bags ruining the environment and attitude of our fitness culture? HELL YES. (I will leave it to your discretion to judge if I may be one of those.) But the ultimate sadistic nature of weightlifting cannot be ignored. What I want and need take precedence over everything else. So now that I have rightfully praised the idea and principles of Veganism I can feel no guilt when stating that veganism simply just does not fit into the lifestyle of a serious weightlifter. (DISCLAIMER: nothing but extreme respect for vegans. It requires great discipline and passion to live that lifestyle. Do you.)

Weight lifting requires a fierce commitment. You have to eat and work like an animal to achieve the said “gains”. Us weightlifters do both. We eat what we have to and lift what we have to in order to be the best. If you are consciously avoiding a tool that will unlock greater strength, energy, and size for moral or ethical reasons then you are not committed to becoming a truly dominate force in the gym. You are placing others in front of yourself. While that is a very noble thing it does not allow you to be the strongest person possible. If you are set on weightlifting and being vegan more power to you (you will need all the power you can get lol) but when everyone passes you in PR’s, size, energy, and skill don’t cry. There are plenty of plants and animals out there that will be mirin’ your gains.

I won’t praise the merits of vegan weightlifting but I am not going to shit on you because you are one. It should go without saying that I would rather you be concerned with your physical fitness and well being then be a flabby, odd shaped lump. I just find it incredibly baffling that someone so concerned with their appearance and muscular development could be so defiant in the face of things proven to give you what you have been working so hard for. I see a die-hard vegan lifter and all I can think to myself is “if only this person would take the next step into the gains lifestyle. They could dominate. *Le sigh*

"YOU CAN WEIGHT LIFT AND BE VEGAN, ASSHOLE!" - trustXVXdust

As a recovering vegan I speak from experience. I was vegan and vegetarian for 6+ years. I took an activate interest in my health after 4 years worth of white bread, Clif bars, and candy. Naturally weightlifting came into play. I enjoyed working out and being vegetarian at the same time. But then a line in the sand was drawn. The Lords of Iron spoke to me in my sleep one night and said “Adam. You have come as far as you can in your journey of gains. You must give yourself fully to us or be condemned to a life of mediocre muscle gains and size small t shirts.” I was awakened. That very night I was baptized into the Brotherhood of Protein. I gave myself fully to the almighty. HE HAS RISEN! I ate all the eggs and sushi in sight and never looked back. In 5 years time I went from 175lbs to 225lbs.

that moment when a "Fence Walker" makes the commitment to get huge.

Eating well and lifting hard. COMMIT TO BOTH. That’s what we do. Doing one or the other is called “Fence Walking” and will only get your ego jerked off for a few months. People will notice the changes in you and compliment you. They will be impressed and may even find themselves with muscle envy. You must strike quick once this phase has begun. You cannot linger in this here for too long. Granted there is a larger window in this phase for idling then others down the road but you want to move up in the long run. Rule of thumb: a year is usually the limit in this phase because after a while you will plateau and people will stop noticing your gains. You will drift into the “oh yeah that guy works out” zone instead of the “that dudes a fucking beast” zone. The “oh yeah that guy works out” zone is something to be avoided AT ALL COSTS! It is the Friendzone of weightlifting.

Are you ready to do whatever it takes to build yourself to be the biggest, baddest, strongest mother fucker in the gym? I know you are. You have made it this far. Then fuck your morals and ethics. Consume. Build. Annihilate. Enjoy your life on the top of the food chain. Pay respect to your ancestors by graciously consuming what they worked so hard to provide. Don’t let anything stand in your way of becoming what you want.

 

 

 

 

 

S`*CK IT!

 

 

STAY GRIM AND HIT THE GYM

HIDDEN UNDER THE SKIN

GRAVE - Unrestrained. the album is "Hating Life" and there isn't a bad track on the whole thing but jam this track at the 1:44 mark and tell me you aren't Nu-metal kicking/push moshing Wes Borland style on the towel boy at Planet Fitness . juggernaut style.

Oi! ima bash heez fuckin skull in well proper.

 SHOT IN THE NECK. STILL SHOOTS BACK. 

 next time you think you're hard or feeling gassed and don't wanna hit the weights read this shit. should light a fire under your ass. British soldier gets shot in the fucking neck and holds his position on the rooftop for 90 minutes returning fire while a medic stuffed his wound until he got air lifted outta there. god damn thats good stuff. gives me a murder boner. KILL EM ALL! good on ya bloke.

I spent the last two days on rest. not moving much, watching hockey, having some drinks, getting tattooed, sleeping in every morning and trying to eat a lot of food. Rest days are much fun for me. I always time them to fall on the weekends because it truly gives me a full day to myself. no work or gym commitments. I can do as much or as little as possible. its incredibly refreshing both physically and mentally.

This afternoon im back into the gym to knock out bench press, abs, and squats. I realize that today is international chest day but if I go in the afternoon I suspect I will miss the after work pump rush. There are few things as satisfying as a great chest pump amirite? when it all comes together so well, you don't strain anything and the blood flow is just outta control. you're movin that big weight and clankin plates. every angle you look at yourself in the mirror has you looking like a gorilla juicehead. its just a recipe for a good day.

 SVARTTJERN. random track off their new album that came out a few months ago. been a big fan of this band for a few years. their take on black metal is fast as fuck and groove laden. they are like a catchier Behemoth. "SATANIC SACRIFICE!"

I had this idea for a workout and did some research on it. found a lot of things kinda similar but nothing exact. I want to get some photos or video of me doing this workout maybe this coming weekend. If anybody wants to give it a try let me know. This is a like a poor guys workout but I like it because its so functional and just raw spirited. plus there is a high chance for some blood to be spilled which always makes things more interesting.

grab some cinder blocks, an axe or sledge hammer, some work boots, a weighted vest.

wearing your boots, weighted vest, and of course ranger panties:

take a stack of cinder blocks and one by one as fast as you can move them about 25 ft and re-stack them.

spend 5 mins. alternating hands chopping on tree or stump with your axe or hammer,  

grab two cinder block at a time and lunge the 25 feet back to where you started carrying your cinderblock and re-stack them.

spend another 5 minutes with the axe doing overhead chops on a stump or fallen tree.

Its just an idea im toying with. some other weighted movements could be thrown in there. Im up for suggestions. This workout would be called "Primal Concrete Sledge" and its something you could do when you vist your parents boring house for the weekend and are far away from your gym. Also really good to change the scenery and give yourself a mental fuck. take you outta your comfort zone. who are we kidding though. any excuse to lift with your shirt off in boots is simply beast.

 of course the mandatory song for this workout would be Pantera's "Primal Concrete Sledge"

outtake from my photo shoot last night. working on a new site design and sticker and t-shirts.

stay grim and hit the gym.

LIMBS OF WORSHIP

hey son. lets sit down and talk about life....im proud of you.

 

a TRUE weight lifter is a father and his muscles are his children. hes been with them since they were born and has enjoyed watching them grow from soft little beta nuggets to ripened, veiny men. hes put in the hard work that most people don't see. he sacrificed his free time and social life raising them, teaching them, coaching them. the father does his best to not favor any one child making sure they all know they are special and loved equally. the father knows he doesn't get the credit which he deserves but is content knowing that he did his best and now the muscles he once knew are men of their own.

I like to think of any man into fitness culture and health in this light but the fact is most of the men are like step-fathers. They have their own children (biceps) whom they love and adore. they have spent hard time and effort into creating a strong, intelligent child. then the father meets someone special and marries a partner that have children of their own (legs/back). he does his best to raise the other children who are not his but naturally he shows favoritism and biais to his own blood. He takes extra interest in his children because they were there from the beginning.

GOD DAMMIT LEGS! Im not your real father!

This is not necessarily a bad thing. Each child has special needs that are unique and need to be met. But it can easily spiral out of control and before you know it you are left with one honor roll college graduate football star and one "free spirit" that is on their 6 year of art school majoring in architectural interior design studies of the 18th century. another child who is a high school dropout working part time at a record store/coffee shop/poetry center and living on a co-op 14 other people who are "in a band".

Every lifter had their strong suit. they have their one body part that they get hard for. its natural. you wanna play to your strengths. for me its my back. I love back day and all exercises attached to it. lat pull downs, bent over rows, reverse flys, weighted pull ups. I WANT IT ALL. i walk into the gym knowing that im doing 150lbs. single arm dumbbell rows and feeling like the devil himself the whole time. "look at my smile baby ear to fucking ear." its great for my motivation and drive and I know that even if I have a crappy workout the next two days I at least got my pride and joy under my belt. But men we must work all parts equal! we are building a fortress not a work of art. let us not neglect the weaker muscles or they will be feed to the wolves and eaten. muscle food chain. cycle of life shit.

now this is a happy family.

consider this post just a reminder to spread your gains evenly throughout. don't get too caught up trying to have the biggest arms or chest in the gym. we all know those are the ones everybody sees and those are the measuring sticks for DYEL. one of the hardest parts of getting into powerlifting and general strength and size gains is you have to pay a lot of attention to your lower back and legs. ya gotta stay proportioned. 

It is in my opinion and experience that absolute best way to get serious size and mass is make the squat and the deadlift your primary focus. make these the cornerstones of your routine and pepper the other lifts to enhance definition. I know it sounds weird. i'm doing lower body to get a bigger upper body? ...da fuq outta here. but im telling you it works! since I shifted focus into my squat game i am visibly bigger and stronger. You know how when you look in the mirror and you see a shriveled little foreskin of a man because you are your harshest critic? even if your peers are complementing you and telling you how impressive your size gains are you just don't see it. Well since squatting and deadlifting have become my primary concerns all other muscle groups have grown. its pretty fun. give it a try. just 3 weeks is all I ask.

stay grim and hit the gym.

even Bill Dauterive does legs.