The Power of Choice

I have a confession guys........I'm really not enjoying the gym or even work right now.

Call it Mercury Retrograde.....call it the changing of the seasons. Hell, call me a lazy piece of shit for all I care. But the bottom line is this, I'm not really enjoying what I do.

But here's the thing, I've made a conscious choice to eat shit and like it for right now. Let's take today for example, I did want to go to the gym. I wanted to leave work, take a nap, and then train.....if do it at all.

I check on my training partner as he's kind of beat to shit (but highly motivated as he's in prep for a powerlifting meet.) I only wanted to see how he was doing. I mention I want a nap after work.....and he tell's me to slam a pre-workout and get it done.

Now keep in mind, I'm a grown man and can make decisions for myself.....and I still had the CHOICE to go home, but reading my friends words reminded me of a chapter out of one of the current books I'm going through (told you I'm reading a lot).

The chapter was out of the "Discipline Means Freedom Field Manual" by Jocko Willink. Now I don't get into rah-rah self help talk, but Jocko I can get behind. The chapter is called "Not Feeling It" and it aptly describes how I felt this morning. But I want to share a brief excerpt with you.

"How do I handle those days when I'm just not "feeling it? Those days when I'm tired or worn out or just sick of grind. What do I do on those days?

I GO ANYWAY, I GET IT DONE"

Making your Choice: Don't Fuck Off

What Jocko and I are saying to you, is that you make or break yourself in every decision you make.

The power of choice is a strong. It can literally make or break you. I didn't want to write this blog, but I made a choice to share my thoughts, in hopes it will push someone to go and do something.

I need to pay rent, so I get up and go to work and make decisions that affect my team, the presentation of my show and ultimately.....choices that make me look good. Therefore, affecting my paycheck.

I slammed my pre-workout and went to the gym because I want to look good and feel good. Were they easy choices to make....for me, yes, in a way. I could be a little bitch and call off. But where would that get me. It would have me looking in the mirror knowing I screwed myself out of getting better.

Good Choices and Bad Choices: Know the Difference

Now lets be aware...there are good and bad decisions. We've all made them.

That food we shouldn't eaten...

That phone number we shouldn't have made...

That sex we shouldn't have had with a person we are trying to cut out...

We know what bad choices are. So we need to quiet that voice that says "It's ok to eat those chips, drink that drink" etc.

It's a son of a bitch to quiet. But if you can, you are well on your way to doing the things you need to do to be better.

Push a little harder today to make those good choices. I promise you, you won't lack for it.

FREE PROGRAM!!!! Phase 2 of Que Strength

If you remember, not too long ago, I wrote out a program that I gave out to some of my Fraternity brothers. It's based on stuff I have experience with was doing with with my training partner. 

Well this is part two of the program. It's not rooted in science, or studies. No fancy buzzwords or shit like that. Just hard training. 

You can find phase one here.


Que Strength Phase 2: 

Now that the first four weeks are done, you have a decent (or better base) of not only

conditioning, but now you know how to execute sets, reps, rest periods, etc.

However, be real with yourself. If you feel you need to do a another four weeks of the first

phase, do it. just increase the weight a bit on your exercises. Because shit only hits the fan

from here.

Now you are going to move into a bodypart split. Meaning you are going to start working some

parts on individual days. If this sounds easier, it isn’t necessarily. More volume for individual

parts and some intensity techniques await, although not a lot.

Day 1: Back

Day 2: chest/shoulders

Day 3:off

Day 4: Legs

Day 6: Upper Body Flush

Notes: I want you to buy a notebook. It will serve as a logbook for your workouts. In it you’ll

record the exercise, sets, reps. This will serve as sort of a map. The goal is to increase weight

(or even reps) a bit each week. This won’t always happen, but you should push for it.

Day 1: Back

Chins: I waan 50 reps to start out. Ideally I want 5 sets of 10. Rest as long as it takes for you to recover.

Bent over Barbell rows: 3 sets of 8, with two warm-up sets

This is a bread and butter exercise, but the way I want them done is at a 90 degree angle. That means you pause each rep on the ground for one second and row up to your lower abdomen.

Pull your elbows back towards your waist. Do not go very heavy on these until you get the form down.

One arm dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 12

When you do rows make sure you’re also completely bent over at the waist. Again, pull the

elbow on the rowing arm back. Almost like you’re starting a lawn mower. On the last set I want a drop set. Do your heaviest set of 12, drop the dumbbell and grab a lighter one for a set of 8, do another drop and do a set of 8, so it should be 12-8-8.

Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 12

Standard lat pulldown. But make sure you emphasize squeezing your back and I want a one

second contracton at the bottom. Pull the bar to your chest.

Seated cable row: 3 sets of 12

Make sure you get some what of a stretch on this. Nothing crazy, just enough to make a slight pull in your lats.

Day 2: Chest/shoulders

Machine flye: 3 sets of 12

Do these with a HARD squeeze at the top of the movement and a good stretch.

Incline press with a pause : 3 sets of 8

I want these as heavy as you can go for a set of 8. But touch the bar to your chest, hold it there for a second a explode up. These are tough. If you have shoulder issues, just hold it slightly above your chest and explode up.

Dips: bodyweight for 3 sets of 12. Only 60 seconds rest between sets.

Dumbbell press: 2 sets of 8, then 2 sets of max reps.

Heavy on these. On your max reps, you will drop the weight 5-10 lbs. Put your weight and reps in your log book. Try and beat that number each week. May not happen, but the main thing is that I want you to push hard. 

Shoulders:

Military press: 3 sets of 10

Nothing special here. Don’t even go real heavy as the previous pressing has you a bit worn out.

Laterals: 3 sets of 10

Rear laterals: 3 sets of 15

Do these on a free weight incline bench at a 30-45 degree angle.

Triceps: Pressdown: 3 sets of 12, seated dips: 3 sets of 12

Day 3: Rest, that means REST. Not go run a mile, play volleyball, play basketball or anything because tomorrow is tough!

Day 4: Legs

10 minute warm-up on the bike. I want this moderately intense to where you’re not tired, but

break a sweat. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE THIS WITH A RUN OR JOGGING!

Leg Curl (seated or lying): 3 sets of 12:

Rotate seated and lying leg curls by the week, so if you start off this week with lying leg curls, start up with seated leg curls next week. I want these with a hard squeeze at the bottom (or top) of the movement.

Squats: 4 sets of 8

These should feel good after leg curls. Take as many sets as you need to warm up and then

dive into your work sets. Notice I dropped the reps by two. That means the weight goes higher.

Leg Press: 3 sets of 20

Put your feet narrow and low on the platform with your knees straight as you lower the weight. I want these to beat the shit out of your teardrop and quads. Keep the weight moderate and rest periods low. Around 60 seconds. Push hard on these.

Stiff Leg Deadlifts: 3 sets of 12

Good stretch at the bottom: DO NOT ROUND YOUR BACK!

Day 5: Upper Body Flush Pump

This is a pump day, think of this as active recovery. This will be done in giant set format

Lat Pulldowns

right into

Machine press

right into

Laterals

right into

Bicep Curls

Right into

Tricep Pressdown

3 rounds: 12 reps each, 2 minutes between each round. 

This is not meant to be a very difficult

workout, but to push nutrient rich blood into the muscle to help recovery. Adjust weight

accordingly.

Rest: THAT MEANS DO NOTHING AGAIN!


As you can see above, just hard ass work. Try it and let me know what you think!

Sick Trip Home: Vacation Doing's, Some Thoughts and Plans

Trips home are always great, in fact, very much needed. But they aren’t that great when you’re under the weather. Which is pretty much what I was. 

Home Sweet Home: Back in 2019

I left for Chicago last week, but earlier that same week I started to get a bit under the weather. That Monday before the trip was the fucking worst. I barely ate, could only keep down light liquids and struggled to make it through my shift at work. It persisted for the week and I went on my trip that Friday. Saturday…….oh boy. I went to Quads Gym to train legs and it was complete ass. I mean, the shittiest workout I’ve had in awhile. But I just chalked it up and did what I could. 

Monday came around and I felt a bit better but un-inspired as as an Amy Schumer Comedy. At this point my seasonal asthma started to kick in (I get it around spring and asthma runs in the family.) Thank God my cousin had a spare inhaler for me to use.

Back day was good at BrickHaus Fitness in Wheaton (great gym with great equipment.) My goal was to row the 200 lb dumbbells for 8 reps. But guess what? I’m not strong enough. 

While I’m on the subject of gyms and what not, just had a revelation. There is a severe lack of bodybuilders in Quads Gym. I mean pretty bad. I find it funny. Some will drive miles for bad weed, shitty sex and a goddamn cheat meal, but will bitch to the high heavens about driving to Quads and they live in the city. 

Does the parking suck? Yes…..

Is the North Side congested? Yes…….

Will you find a better equipped gym in Chicago? No……

Will you have great workouts? Yes…..

Look, I’m not going to sit here and say you have to go for EVERY training session. But shit…..bust out your comfort zone, get the hell up and train where you can get better. 

If you’re living in the burbs, this does not apply to you, because I know you guys hate going to the store for bread (“Oh, I thought we had some already……)

And if you have weak legs or a shallow back….you should for absolutely be training at Quads. 

On a broader scope, there needs to be some level of sacrifice if you’re going to compete. It just is. I understand if you don’t have any other gyms around, but if you have to take a commute to a QUALITY gym…..get on the goddamn train. 

                                            Quick Note on "Tha Ahhnold"

The Arnold Classic went about how I expected it to go. I picked William Bonac to win and he did it pretty convincingly. Dexter Jackson took second and looked phenomenal like he always doe’s, but Bonac just had too much muscle with tight condition. In my opinion, the distance increased when Bonac and Jackson turned around to the back. 

And the funny thing is that both men will be in GREAT shape at the Olympia.

Cedric McMillian rounded out the top three after being last years champion. He was clearly off this year in condition, and nowhere near his award winning form. Not sure what happened, but hopefully he squares it away soon. He’s too dominant of a body to not be onstage in Las Vegas, but he has to improve on what he showed in Ohio to be a factor. 

Getting some interviews lined up for the blog that I hope you all will enjoy. Looking to talk with some dynamic and unique up and comers in bodybuilding and beyond. 

-Larry