It was only a matter of time before my quest for self improvement became a quest for more muscle. Priority #1 was lose the fat, which is a battle many of us face. And I needed to, badly: When I got serious about my fitness, I decided to take the path of many others before me. I began a basic, linear progression of The Big 3 - squats, deadlifts, and bench presses - all using a barbell. Combining these full-body moves increased my strength rapidly, shred fat effectively, and gave me … [Read more...]
Training To Look Better and Feel Better – Part 2 – “Rocks”
Anyman Fitness and its clients aren't about "functional training". We don't "clean and jerk", we rarely "front squat", and "Murph" isn't in our vocabulary. We want our clients to do exactly three things: Look like gods or goddesses. Feel like superheroes. Have an active and healthy sex life. In order to have the physical ability to master these 3, simple goals, you need to have your shit in gear in the weightroom. Last week, we discussed the "boulders", the "big … [Read more...]
Training To Look Better and Feel Better – Part 1 – “Boulders”
If you're looking to improve your squat total, then this 3-part series isn't for you. I could not care less about my "one-rep-maxes" when it comes to health and fitness. I do have my own goals, as I'm assuming you do as well. The are, as stated: I want to look sexy as hell. You can call that superficial if you want, but if you DO call it superficial, it's likely because you're not a sexy beast just yet. Once you become a sexy beast, you'll realize that it's the shit, and … [Read more...]
Supersets, Rest-Pause Sets, and Bro-ing Out For Gains (with Scott Tousignant)
When I'm training, I like to be "in the zone". I put on my oversized, over-the-ear headphones, and I let the sounds of Lil' Wayne and T.I. take me to another place. I've always been the guy who doesn't want to talk to anyone. I wish to be left alone, as I'm a busy, working Father of two. When I'm in the gym, nobody needs any "juice" (actual juice for kids, not that kind of "juice"), nobody is crying or screaming, and I can push my body in absolute silence. In a strange way, I've come … [Read more...]
How To Make Gains Without Just Adding 5 Pounds
This is a killer guest post from colleague and friend, Nick Smoot. Nick Smoot is a strength coach and nutrition consultant out of Newport News, VA. He got his start in the fitness industry back in 2012, and since then he’s spent countless hours helping clients become the best versions of themselves possible. In his free time, he enjoys lifting heavy things, eating, writing, traveling, nerding out on Harry Potter, and eating. Visit Nick’s blog here, or feel free to connect with him on … [Read more...]
Respect Your Elders – Especially If They’re Jacked
The following piece is a short excerpt from the article "Respect Your Elders - Especially If They're Jacked", an article I wrote for my buddy, Bryan Krahn. Enjoy. Jason I distinctly remember one particular day, sitting in the gym thinking to myself: “Jason, what the hell are you doing here? You’ve been training three years. You’re still fat, you’re not any more muscular, and you seem to be wasting your time.” It was extremely demoralizing. After these thoughts swirled … [Read more...]
The Anyman Fitness Fat-Loss Training Program
**Disclaimer: Nutrition is our driver of fat loss. We need to get that out of the way first and foremost. Our philosophy is that our caloric deficit and our macronutrient consumption are going to determine what happens to the fat which is on our bodies. Our clients train hard for muscular preservation in the most efficient way possible. We do not attempt to "lose fat" via activity. Nearly all of the posts on this site focus on the dieting or fitness mental mindset - as this is the most … [Read more...]
Cardio Sucks. And That’s That.
What time of the year is it? Actually, what day of the week is it? Scratch that - What hour of the day is it? Seriously - I'm trying to figure out if I should do cardio or not. Is cardio cool again? Or does it suck? I can't tell. Am I going to lose my gains? Is it making it more difficult to recover? Some days, all the fitness people talk shit about cardio, and all the weight lifters nod their respective heads and lift their noses in disgust at the cardio-sheep slaving away on the … [Read more...]
Moms Who Kick Ass!
Moms. There's a very special place in our hearts for Moms. There has to be. I mean, through all their eye-roll-inducing "momness"..........they're our Moms. They're the first woman we all loved unconditionally. Pretty much no matter who you are. And Moms? They give the ultimate sacrifice - their bodies - for the sake of starting a family. And making it whole. And complete. Most fitness ads you see out there for moms? Some nonsense about yoga with a slender woman, dressed in … [Read more...]
Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Gainzzz
You're a teacher. 8th grade math. Sorry, dude..............probably not your dream job. You open the textbook. And check the pacing guide. Where are you supposed to be today? What lesson are we on? You just finished up the Pythagorean Theorem. And next on the list? Characteristics of circles. Mainly? Pi. All things pi. You know, 3.14. Sorry. Had to. So, what are your options? Where do we go from here? How do we relate this information to a classroom full of children? And … [Read more...]