Where to start this blog, hum..let me think..Well i was excited on Friday night for a few reason, i was about to meet the Gi crew for the first time, coach Joe Defranco who with a bunch of video on YouTube and more help me stay motivated. I was gonna meet them at the UFC expo the next day, perfect I’m a big Ufc fan!

After a 5h30 drive and  a quick  check-in at the hotel i was finally on my way to the Boston convention center, guess what the first thing i saw around the  John B Hynes Center? The Gi Nutrition truck!

Yes that me with the Gi truck

After finding a expensive parking lots i was on my way to the expo, while looking for the main entrance guess who the first person i meet in Boston ?? Joe Defranco is the answer, he was having lunch and at my big surprise he did recognize me!! So he gave me the info on where to find the rest of the crew!

Getting inside courtesy and thanks to Gi Nutrition was not a problem, inside the expo it was pack! Incredible the numbers of peoples there. T-shirts, supplements, new training product, bunch of fighters signing autograph, video games, pictures, figurines and more..I even saw Dana White when he was doing a q/a for the fans. This is all on one floor, the other is for grappling and wresting competitions and again, it was pack!

I found the Gi Nutrtion booth really quick, they had a really good spot,  close to the long line of peoples waiting for the Ufc big name, believe me the lines were huge! Not my style of waiting 2 hours to take a picture with a fighter and when i saw a short line for  Patrick* the predator* Coté, i couldnt resist!

5 hours drive to take a pics with someone from my area !!! lol they said!

So i meet Chris and Alex, the owner and founder of Gi Nutrition and also Mike *asshole* Guadango …And maybe he deserved the nickname but Mike can be very nice to!

For those who don’t know Mike or are checking this blog for the first time i strongly recommend you check this video of Mike in action!

Mike was in charge of the vertical jump competition, so yes i had to give it a shot…And before you laugh i must say i never really did any kind of jumping, yes i did some dumbbells squat jump but without a coach to show me some tips..but anyway…I did 22 on my first attempt, 23 on the second after Mike told me to lower myself faster and more in a squat position, the third attempt was my worst one, my legs were stiff maybe it did not help. After i check the chart 23 inches was at the top of the average level, the next level was athletic and if i’m not wrong the top one was the Miles Austin level and its kind of 35 inches, so freaking high!!! Enough with my vertical jump the real star of the Gi booth was the Focus food bar!

Yes it taste really good, its like eating chocolate

I really like chocolate so believe me when you eat one the first thing you wanna do is eating another one, check this video posted on Gi facebook page, you see how peoples love it!

To wrap up this beautifull day we were invited at Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar & Grill for souper with the Gi Nutrition and Defranco’s Crew, i say we because my girlfriend came with me for the entire weekend, not easy for her because she does no’t speak english, she understand most of it but she not good enough to have a full conversation. So i’m taking to occasion to say thanks to her for coming. Even so everybody was really nice to her and we really enjoy the place and the fights. I also had the chance to eat a piece of the Gi Nutrition truck cake, believe me i mean chance!!!  Now i can say that i understand what Joe Defranco means by family when he talks about his gym and i want to say thanks to everybody that was there!

Joe D and Mike G

We can say that we had a really nice hotel and i’m saying this just to put a smile on a few faces, i’m sure they understand!

Coming back soon with training stuff!

reference and stuff you should check:

http://www.ginutrition.net/blog/author/mike-guadango/

http://www.defrancostraining.com/index.php

http://www.ginutrition.net/shop/products/focus-food.html

and just because he talk about it on facebook today check this site: http://www.dieselcrew.com/

*maybe that gonna get me a discount on the Amped warmup book!*

I make it short, short on time as always…

1)Box Squat:

bar x many

135×5

225×3

275×2

315×1

335×1

2)Single leg speed skater squat:

2 sets of 8 reps – first round holding 25lbs across body, 2nd round bodyweight only…

3a)45 dergre back raise holding 25lbs plate – 3 sets of 10 reps

3b)Standing calf raise – 3 sets of 60 seconds

4)Core circuit – 2 rounds of 10 reps/exercises

A) Standing Russian Twists
B) Standing Side Bends
C) Crunches, feet on floor
D) Crunches, legs at 90 degrees
E) Toe Touches

Tomorrow Rep Upper ! Thinking about doing the Badass program once again, just signed up for 55 hockey games this winter in two leagues, think it could fit my schedule very well!

Decided to log my workout in this week that will bring me to Boston on Saturday, last week was a total deload week as i was in Vegas.

After a little bit of thinking in that week off I’m going back to more of Westside for skinny bastard template with lots of conditioning. I have some idea and stuff i want to include in my training. After checking my log book i realized 5/3/1 did not improve my 1rm but more my reps goals., anyway for the fun of it here  my first workout of the week!

1)Bench:

bar x 10

95×5

135×5

175×3

185×3

195×3

205×3

225×3

*did all those sets trying to focus on bar speed*

2)Neutral Grip Flat DB Press

75×6

85×6

90×6

3)Dumbell Rows

100×8

100×6

60×20

4a)Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3×10

b)Seated Dumbbell Power Clean 3×10

5)Zottam Curl 3×8

Good to get back at lifting !

Training lately been tough, lack a little bit of motivation, maybe the fact i work 84 hours two weeks ago did not help, day shift, overnight etc..Cheating quite often on the diet..That bring me to talk about my goals and what is STRONG ?

            Hulk or Superman, i found this picture under the name strenght war !

First let me post those two links to Paul Carter stuff, Jim Wendler also posted this on his log

http://functional-strength.blogspot.com/2010/08/ultimate-beastdom-training-to-get-what.html

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=118599&tid=

I don’t have the pretention to shoot for those numbers but this bring me to talk about my personal goal on those few things//

I will consider myself STRONGER when:

Bench press – 225×10 or 300×1

Military Press – 135×10 or 185×1

Squat – 315×5

Deadlift – 400lbs x1

Dips – + 90lbs x 10

Chins – +45lbs x 10

Barbell Curls – 135×10 (just to put a smile on Nic Peterson face)

Hills and Prowler – Bring some peoples with me and make them puke while i have a smile of my face!

The plan to reach those mid/long term goals is the 5/3/1 method to ensure progression. Don’t forget i will be 36 next December and still wanna get STRONG!

In the meantime I’m taking the week off, vacations time for 5 days in VEGAS and next week a quick road trip with the girlfriend to meet Gi Nutrition and Defranco’s crew at the UFC fan Expo in Boston !

First lets start with my training * weak*  with what is worth a few words…

Bench Press:

bar x reps

95×10

135×5

155×5

185×5

205×3

225×1

255×1 *1rm*

190×10

145×16

*255×1 is my real one rep max, a personal record i did in the past but that was long time ago, the bar almost stop at midpoint but i was able to lift it without cheating my ass of the bench.

The rest of the workout was similar to a ws4sb max upper day.

Box Squat or box squat to a bench:

Note, for my squat form to a box, i’m trying to get my form similar to what i read here:

http://www.dieselcrew.com/how-to-squat

Worked up to 315×1

Again the workout was similar to a ws4sb max lower day with some calf work added!

Did not feel great on that day, waking up at 3:30am for work two days in a row..Gi Nutrition ideal pump and recovery was a must!

I’m now on my way for a Rep Upper conditioning style on friday, the first challenge for that session is taken from Martin Rooney book and was displayed
on Chase Karnes blog this week, http://chasekarnes.com/2010/07/the-warrior-challenge-the-warriorette-challenge/
I did this challenge last week and hit 80 reps total, i let you know in my next blog if i did better!

Here we go with the fun now!

If your familiar with my blog you know how sick my gym could be, here 3 more examples:

• - Those 2 guys starting their workout with Decline bench press, it was to hard for their body so they went on the decline smith machine bench press!
• - I heard a conversation about how many sets per body parts two guys were doing, apparently 16 sets per body parts is the final answer, and they obviously forgot their legs..
• - And finally i caught one idiot going in the locker room to look at  his chest between two sets of incline smith machine press….

So i be back soon with more , have a good weekend everybody !