Where It All Started Part 1

Going big time

I thought I would write a little about where all this strength training stuff originated from…

Well to be completely honest with you the only reason I played sports was the constant imagination and feeling that I was going to one day be  apart of the big red football program. In everything I write about I focus on goal setting and the continued visualization of those goals.

For me it was the big red!

The Big Red

This was the start of why I do what I do and how being from the middle of nowhere in Wyoming took me to the place I visualized for such a long time. Most of my focus was done in an old garage and storage room that was probably the dirtiest place I’ve ever trained in. It didn’t bother me because it was the environment that kept that desire alive long enough so it could one day be realized. This is how goal setting and visualization works. Repeat what you want in mind with faith that it will happen.

Check out this video of where I used to train! It brings back many memories of those days…

The cool part about training in your own environment is that it’s your own and you can do and become anything you want. Play any music or try any lift and not worry about some weirdo trying to tell you their way of training is best. The most effective workouts that I’ve ever had are those that took some thinking on my part on what lift I could do in order to get the desired result I was looking for. There were no expensive machines or  a towel service that could help me get there, just old fashioned hard work. No weight room means Balboa Training!

Sometimes You Gotta Go Belboa On Some Training

It may sound funny too some, but it’s the truth as I used those movies to help get me where I wanted

to go. I’m sure many of you are just like me and did the same. Who could forget the classics from  starting

from nothing to becoming something. Every athlete has felt like this at one time or another where  a dream is in mind

then builds into and obsession and eventually turns into reality. It’s funny how things workout out the way they

do when you really want to do something.

“what ever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve” Hill

Strength Training 101, the University experience

It went from training in my old busted up shack to going away to college and running track at Black Hills Sate University

in Spearfish South Dakota. I took of to the school and ran for a bit until I needed to get some much needed surgery

for my knee that I tore playing football. I ran with a torn acl and still was able to qualified for nationals in collegiate. I don”t

ever recommend doing something like that, but when you think your made out of exsoskeleton like a terminator you

The Pataa Poopa

tend to think that way. Training over the years has taught me differently as I had to learn the hard way. I rehab constantly my knees through specific exercises to keep them lose before workouts. This is critical to do before and after a workout. It helps with further injury down the road and should be focused on.

So I ended up running into a coach who was able to pull some strings and get me to Lincoln where I started my career as

a strength coach. Husker power is where I got my start in the world of strength coaching. After some time spent with

the athletic program I went back to the University Of Wyoming to try their training program. It didn’t take long to figure out that I needed some dinero and had to settle getting a part time job. I was a student coach so the position was unpaid. I stayed at Wyoming until I received my degree then took off for an internship at UNO of Omaha with the wrestling team.

As you can see I skipped around a lot, but learned a lot about the art of coaching and what not to do. I usually learned by trail and error or “in the trenches training.” Many people will tell you that a book and a bunch of mathematical equations are needed to produce an athlete, but I go by feel. You may disagree and that’s ok, for me its the way to go as the body will always tell you what it want while training.

I’ve learned that not all athletes or people will benefit from exact numbers or specifics in programs. I choose to work with sub max sets in a lot of my workouts.Whats your sub-maximum number of pull ups you can do? For clarification a sub max set is one or two reps below a maximum set of reps.

1a) Sub max set of pull-ups leave two in the tank

I’ve learned tons about this stuff and continue to learn more. I’ll probably never stop learning and neither should you.

You can get me talking all day about strength training and conditioning. It’s what I do and will probably always do in some way. Being able to work with awesome coaches at all these schools has given me a collaborative experience that

I have taken and used in my own creation of what I think the perfect athlete could be. There are many times that I’ll change something in the middle of a workout because it doesn’t feel right. It’s better to live and train another day as I sometimes say. Make sure if you feel a need for something different you do it. Repetitive lifting with the same motions overtime will cause wear and tear on joints. As much as we want to be terminators we’re not ha ha.

I’ve got part two coming up a little later for you, but for know I wold like to know how that set of pull ups is treating you? I need a few comments on what you guys are doing out there for sets and reps. How can I ever become better if I have know one to compete with. It will make you better as well. I’ll push you and you can push me. Hit me up and let me know! This could be where it all starts for you a single set of pull ups for a challenge

and the who knows from there, the opportunities are endless

Get that Trained Tuff on ya!

****Joe****