I Guess A Little Discrimination Is OK Once In A While

‘Plus-Size Friendly’ Gym Bans Skinny People

This is sad, but unfortunately, it's not really anything new. Planet Fitness has been discriminating against athletes, bodybuilders, and serious lifters for quite some time now. You can click here to read about their "judgment free zone". These guys are just taking it a step further. I'm not exactly sure how it's even legal, because I'm sure that if I started a gym that didn't allow people over a certain size or weight through the doors, I'd be slapped with a discrimination lawsuit before the end of the first week.

Honestly though, it's really not a bad business model. My friend Rory once said "The greatest way to make sure you have a thriving business is to make sure that you get paid for something that you can never actually supply. People will be stupid enough to keep buying it and they will make sure that what they are selling can never truly be achieved. Sell a fitness membership and make sure that the person buying never actually gets fit. That shit is genius". That's not the way he runs his gym, but he's got a great point. Sure there's going to be the odd person who goes in and loses a bunch of weight, but what then? Will they be kicked out? Or will they be put on pedestal as an inspiration and a role model? I'm guessing the former. Meanwhile, the gym will still be full of fat people who keep paying their memberships on time, but who never get any better because there's no real motivation to. When I see the pros killing it during their circuits and workouts, it makes me think "Damn, I want to be that good. I need to turn it up and work harder". As opposed to the people in the plus-sized friendly gym who will just be looking around and thinking "Well, at least I'm not as fat as that guy". You're only as good as the people that you surround yourself with. You can surround yourself with people going through the motions, or you can surround yourself with people who are trying to be the best. Which one do you think will help you achieve your goals the fastest?

7/30/12

SQUATS

WORK SETS:
215x3
245x3
275x6

And that was all I had time for today. Jiu-jitsu was more focus on lockdown and half-guard.

Unfortunate, But All Too Often True

7/27/12

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
250x5
290x5
330x8

ACCESSORY WORK
2-handed kettlebell swings (24kg) - 5x20
Inverted shrugs - 4x8

Didn't do any grappling, but I did start training a new client today.

7/25/12

WEIGHTED DIPS

WORK SETS:
45x5
55x5
60x5

Supersetted pullups with each set.

Class was more half-guard/lockdown work.

NAGA Results, Cycle 4, and a Workout

You win some; you lose some. Unfortunately, when I went to NAGA Georgia this past Saturday, I managed to lose them all. I competed in the masters expert division (cruiserweight). I only had two matches, and I lost both of them. Granted, I only lost each match by one advantage point, but I still lost (although in all honesty, I started tapping to a foot lock as the bell sounded in the second match). Losing sucks. Fortunately, it's not the end of the world. And if I had to lose, I'd rather do it sooner than later. Losing seems to be easier to deal with psychologically when you have to experience it earlier on, since it removes some of the pressure of being "undefeated". Also, it's said that you learn more from your loses than from your wins, and I believe that's true. I certainly learned about some holes in my game that I hadn't noticed. I need to improve my guard breaking and my footlock defense. I need to learn the scoring system better. I need to pay more attention to the clock and the scoreboard. I need to learn how to deal with extremely sweaty, shirtless opponents (it was like a sauna in that gym). Plus, now I really feel driven to go out and win. I don't plan on getting another bronze.

I also started my fourth 5/3/1 cycle on Monday. Here are my new numbers:

Squat: 310
Weighted Dips: 75
Deadlift: 390

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
200x5
230x5
260x8

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet Squats (28kg kettlebell) - 3x5

Worked on lockdown and some half-guard stuff. Made sure to start from closed guard whenever I could.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/20/12)

Last day of deload week and the last day before NAGA.

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
150x5
190x5
230x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
2-handed kettlebell swing (24kg) - 5x20
Band work for shoulders

7/19/12 Conditioning

CONDITIONING

Kettlebell clean & jerk (16kg) - 3 rounds, 12rpm/1mph
Level 1 hurricane - 9, 9.5, 10mph
Core work

The Last Few Days

Got slack about posting the last few days, but it's been pretty busy. On Sunday I rode with Rory Singer up to Maryland to attend a seminar about infomarketing that was being hosted by Lloyd Irvin. It was a two day event, and the amout of information was pretty overwhelming, but it will definitely be useful for helping to promote and grow the gym. Plus, I got to met Lloyd Irvin and David Avellan, two grapplers I have a lot of respect for. And yes, I dragged a kettlebell along with me.

I didn't get to use it much. Just the usual swings in the mornings, plus a bunch of swings, goblet squats, and armbars in the hotel room on Monday night. Should've kept better track of things, but my brain was a little fried from info-overload at the time.

We got back last night, and I was back in the gym today to continue finishing my deload cycle. All I had time for were some weighted dips (just a 20lb vest), some pullups, and some bottoms-up presses before class. Then I got in a good hour and a half of grappling.

Ten Thousand Swings to Fat Loss

Be on the lookout for results from this sometime in the near future:

Ten Thousand Swings to Fat Loss

A friend of mine, who is also a trainer, sent it to me because he thought it looked interesting, and he was right. Unfortunately, with NAGA coming up next Saturday, I don't have time to test it out right now. It'll probably happen instead of a deload week after my next 5/3/1 cycle (about a month or so). The idea of 1000 swings everyday for 10 days seems a bit daunting, but I certainly feel like it's realistic and doable. If it's something you want to try, just keep this in mind:

"If you're going to try this experiment, you must be very proficient with kettlebells. If someone certified by a respectable organization like the RKC hasn't coached you, this probably isn't for you. If you walk into a gym with no experience, pick up a kettlebell and make a swing-ey motion like the picture in the magazine for ten thousand reps you'll destroy your back. Don't do it."
(Need help finding a trainer? Click here).

I already know what a great exercise the kettlebell swing is. I can't wait to see how much just one exercise can change my body in just 10 days.

If you're in the Athens/Northeast Georgia area, and you're interested in giving kettlebells a try (or if you're just looking for a personal trainer), stop by and see me at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/13/12)

Last heavy s&c workout before I start deloading and getting ready for NAGA next Saturday. Here we go!

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
285x5
320x3
360x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
2-handed kettlebell swings (32kg) - 5x20

Grappled for about an hour.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA (7/12/12)

Never got around to posting my workout from Tuesday. I just did 100 snatches with my 16kg kettlebell (15/15, 15/15, 10/10, 10/10). I also had to move Wednesday's workout to Thursday, due to time constraints.

WEIGHTED DIPS

WORK SETS:
45x5
50x3
60x4

Supersetted pullups between each set.

ACCESSORY WORK:
Pushups - 4x10 supersetted with
TRX pull aparts - 4x10
Lots of band work for upper back and core.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/9/12)

Last heavy before NAGA. Here we go!

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
225x5
255x3
285x6

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squats (24kg kettlebell) - 5x5

We did a "Fight Gone Bad" tonight. 5 minutes in each position: guard, half-guard, cross-side, mount, and back. If you started on the bottom, you stayed on the bottom until you made it all the way through. Then you did 5 rounds from the top.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/6/12)

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
260x3
300x3
340x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
2-handed kettlebell swing (28kg) - 5x20

Grappled for about about 45 minutes.

How About A Little Irony For Breakfast?

Does anybody remember these old commercials?







It wasn't really that long ago that people felt like if they could pinch an inch of flab around their middle, it might be time to do something about their weight. Now obviously that's not the best way to determine your BMI, your bodyfat, or your overall health, but I still think that idea is better, and certainly healthier, than what American society has shifted towards in the last few years.

They might all be beautiful, but I'd be shocked if they're all healthy.

Even though the campaign isn't around anymore, bravo to Special K for trying to make people healthier. The irony being that they proposed people do that by eating cereal whose ingredients include rice, wheat gluten, and high fructose corn syrup, none of which are exactly known for their health benefits. But at least they tried.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/5/12)

Finally got around to doing the workout that I should have done yesterday.

WEIGHTED DIPS

WORK SETS:
40x3
50x3
55x5

Supersetted pullups with each set

ACCESSORY WORK:
Pushups - 3x10 supersetted with
TRX pulls - 4x10
Band work for shoulders/upper back
Kettlebell armbars (16kg) - 3 per side
Ab work

The gym was technically closed today, but several of us got together to train since several guys have fights coming up, as well as NAGA. I got in about 45 minutes of grappling.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/4/12)...

...has been postponed until tomorrow due to unbridled patriotism.




(NSFW)

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA (7/3/12)

CONDITIONING:

Kettlebell clean & jerk (16kg) - 1 mph/12-14 rpm for 3 rounds.

Class was several rounds of punch-shot drills followed 5 - 5 minute rounds of kickboxing with clinch. Tough day.

A Testimonial To Kettlebell Training

When Sean first came to Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts, his only exposure to kettlebells had been a Bob Harper kettlebell dvd. After nearly injuring himself trying to follow along with the poor form and technique in the video, Sean came to see us at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts, and he was introduced to me. We set up an appointment, and he came back the following week for his first session.

When Sean came in for his first session, I asked him to show me what he'd been doing from the video. After seeing the form and technique he'd learned, I knew we needed to fix some things, or he would definitely be risking a serious injury. Fortunately, Sean was enthusiastic about learning, and ready to work hard. And work hard he did. We spent an hour just covering the two-handed swing. This is what he had to say after that session:



It's been a month since that video. Sean now knows the proper form and technique for the two-handed swing, the one-handed swing, the goblet squat, the Turkish get-up, the high pull, the snatch, the clean, and the press. He's lost even more weight, has gotten stronger, looks better, and most importantly, feels better. This is what he has to say about kettlebells, personal training, and Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts now:



Sean is another kettlebell success story, and further proof that hard work, dedication, and the willingness to change does pay off. If you're ready to make a change in your life for the better, come see me about personal training at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts. It's never too late to get started.

Sean rocking out with his band, Athens' punk legends Five Eight. They blew the crowd away when they headlined Athfest this year. Go check them out if they're ever playing in your neighborhood.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/1/12)

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
210x3
240x3
270x8

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squat (24kg kettlebell) - 5x5

Class was another Brazil night, so I got in almost an hour and a half of grappling.

And on a side note, while I didn't see "Mr. Fitness", at least I know what kind of car he drives.