Your life deserves 100% effort. Everything you do is an "investment" to your self. You either progress each day or you don't. If you don't then that is an entire day of lost opportunity. But a wise individual knows when rest is the "means" to the end.

Frustration

I had some extreme frustration while watching many of the cage fights last night. It is very difficult for me to be just a spectator and not want to coach everyone. I get irritated at some of the most ridiculous mistakes that a fighter can make. I ge...t so fed up with watching 2 fat fucks swinging butterball size fists at each other and the crowd loving it. Makes me want to throw Twinkies instead of applauding.

There is no "E" for effort in combat sports. Purposeful TRAINING YIELDS PURPOSEFUL RESULTS. I do not understand in any capacity how people don't seriously train. I only know one way to train and one way to train people... and that's with everything that I am. I do not in anyway care about the entertainment factor of the sport. I never will. I care about the the performance of the fighters. Warriors displaying their Art in the most skillful capacity.

Get used to taking an ASS BEATING!

WARNING WHAT FOLLOWS IS INTENDED FOR THOSE WHO TRAIN AS WARRIORS TRAIN AND DO AS WARRIORS DO. IF YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A "WEEKEND" WARRIOR, OR JUST TRAIN IN THE COMBAT ARTS FOR FUN. THEN DON'T READ THIS BECAUSE YOU WON"T FUCKING COMPREHEND IT. THANK YOU AND HAVE A NICE FUCKING DAY!


If there is one prolific thing I learned when I first started training 20 years ago is I had better get used to getting my ass kicked on a regular basis, and in some cases on a daily basis. Most people begin their martial arts journey so they don't get their ass kicked in everyday life. The thing is toughness is not a natural born attribute it is an acquired attribute and believe me it has a big fucking price tag. The Combat Arts are not for the faint of heart.

If you truly want to train like a Warrior and BE a Warrior then you have to "pay your dues" so to speak. What I mean by that is you are going to have to deal with more than your fair share of assholes that beat the hell out of you in sparring. Then years later you realize that they weren't being assholes and could have literally turned you into a puddle of DNA on the mat if they really wanted to. They were working with you and teaching you through applicable experience.

I can recall plenty of times that I would go home pissed off, complaining that I had my face beat in, bleeding from one or more places, and with a limb that didn't want to work correctly for at least a week. This would go on for about five years.... for me anyway. Then at some point your perspective of things matures and mutates into longing for those hardcore training sessions where you feel like you have gone through an epic war and wearing all of your "battle" wounds like a badge of honor. There's nothing quite like trying to limp with pride.

As time goes on you get the privilege of being the ass kicker. Which is a completely different experience. Then it is also your duty to help others pay their dues so that they can continually progress as Warriors.

Obviously training like a Warrior is not for everyone and that is completely ok.

I am a Warrior and I am absolutely thankful to all those that have kicked my ass over the last 2 decades. I am now especially thankful to all of my students who try so diligently to beat my ass on a regular basis. Keeps me humble and keeps me training as hard as I possibly can.

So many experts.. so little wisdom...

It is very sad to me that there are so many things that you can get "certified" in. Read a manual, fill out a study guide, watch a video... and magically you are a "certified" whatever. But what about experience? What about wisdom? What about being in the trenches and truly learning by trial and error?

Granted it is best to study everything that you can about your craft. But studying is not enough.... NEVER enough! You must get your hands dirty, you must risk epic failure before you can experience epic victory in anything in life.

You walk into any gym in the country and I guarantee you will see an anorexic looking trainer working at that gym putting their clients through the worst possible exercises with the wrong form. I witness it DAILY at the gym I train at. It is very unfortunate in my opinion. People come into a gym expecting that the trainers truly know what they are doing and willingly do the exercises that could very well cause serious injury or exacerbate an old injury.

Experience is the most important certification anyone could ever have. And it is by far the toughest to get.

WTF!

When I logged into the internet a little while ago there was a headline on MSN.COM titled "New exercise you can do in your chair".... I wish it was a joke but as usual it isn't. WTF! The majority of the population doesn't even have the discipline to sit with correct posture in a chair let alone sit at their desk and do an exercise. I am willing to bet that out of 1000 people that may read that article... less than 3% will even try it. Less than 1% of the 3% will do it more than once. WHY? Because why would anyone in their right mind want to do an exercise at the work place. Most people can't hardly stand their jobs and that doesn't exactly create any self motivation at all. People are better off making time to workout consistently instead of trying stupid shit at work that wastes time and does nothing.....

Stop the Half Ass Effort....

Nothing great was EVER accomplished in this world by slow, steady, half ass effort......PERIOD. Give all that you have to your endeavors.... your goals... That means 100 fucking percent!!! There is nothing more than that. Not 110... not 101... ONLY 100%. Most people that "think" they give 100 barely have even tapped into 60 or 70% of what they are capable of. The human species has a tremendous reservoir of will power.... But it must be fueled with passion so that it can be used to take you to your current level of 100%. The more you do this and experience this then.... and only then does your 100% capacity increase. Its not that you can do more than 100%... its that you have reached another level within yourself so that you have a new level of 100% to work at...

On any given day your 100% capacity may fluctuate but I promise if you give all that you are capable of everyday then you will reach heights and accomplish things you thought impossible on a regular basis....

WTF!!!!

I get updates from various strength and conditioning sites on a regular basis. The other day I got one that had new "research" in the title.

Here is the gist of the "research"...

It showed that women who regularly did high intensity workouts (meaning
they were breathing hard) had significantly less belly
flab at the end of a four month period than women who always
exercised at an easier level.

This is true even though both groups burned the same number
of calories during the workout.

WHAT! You mean if people actually push themselves and train hard they will be in better shape than those that train with less effort???

In all seriousness... someone fucking paid for that research! That makes no sense at all. The bottom line is if you train with moderate intensity you get slower results over a longer period of time. You train with high intensity you get faster results in a shorter period of time.

WMD

Began the WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction) program this week. So far it is the toughest program I have written to date. Will post progress and such soon.

Poem by General Patton

THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY
by Gen. George S. Patton, Jr.

Through the travail of the ages,
Midst the pomp and toil of war,
Have I fought and strove and perished
Countless times upon this star.

In the form of many people
In all panoplies of time
Have I seen the luring vision
Of the Victory Maid, sublime.

I have battled for fresh mammoth,
I have warred for pastures new,
I have listed to the whispers
When the race trek instinct grew.

I have known the call to battle
In each changeless changing shape
From the high souled voice of conscience
To the beastly lust for rape.

I have sinned and I have suffered,
Played the hero and the knave;
Fought for belly, shame, or country,
And for each have found a grave.

I cannot name my battles
For the visions are not clear,
Yet, I see the twisted faces
And I feel the rending spear.

Perhaps I stabbed our Savior
In His sacred helpless side.
Yet, I've called His name in blessing
When after times I died.

In the dimness of the shadows
Where we hairy heathens warred,
I can taste in thought the lifeblood;
We used teeth before the sword.

While in later clearer vision
I can sense the coppery sweat,
Feel the pikes grow wet and slippery
When our Phalanx, Cyrus met.

Hear the rattle of the harness
Where the Persian darts bounced clear,
See their chariots wheel in panic
From the Hoplite's leveled spear.

See the goal grow monthly longer,
Reaching for the walls of Tyre.
Hear the crash of tons of granite,
Smell the quenchless eastern fire.

Still more clearly as a Roman,
Can I see the Legion close,
As our third rank moved in forward
And the short sword found our foes.

Once again I feel the anguish
Of that blistering treeless plain
When the Parthian showered death bolts,
And our discipline was in vain.

I remember all the suffering
Of those arrows in my neck.
Yet, I stabbed a grinning savage
As I died upon my back.

Once again I smell the heat sparks
When my Flemish plate gave way
And the lance ripped through my entrails
As on Crecy's field I lay.

In the windless, blinding stillness
Of the glittering tropic sea
I can see the bubbles rising
Where we set the captives free.

Midst the spume of half a tempest
I have heard the bulwarks go
When the crashing, point blank round shot
Sent destruction to our foe.

I have fought with gun and cutlass
On the red and slippery deck
With all Hell aflame within me
And a rope around my neck.

And still later as a General
Have I galloped with Murat
When we laughed at death and numbers
Trusting in the Emperor's Star.

Till at last our star faded,
And we shouted to our doom
Where the sunken road of Ohein
Closed us in it's quivering gloom.

So but now with Tanks a'clatter
Have I waddled on the foe
Belching death at twenty paces,
By the star shell's ghastly glow.

So as through a glass, and darkly
The age long strife I see
Where I fought in many guises,
Many names, but always me.

And I see not in my blindness
What the objects were I wrought,
But as God rules o'er our bickerings
It was through His will I fought.

So forever in the future,
Shall I battle as of yore,
Dying to be born a fighter,
But to die again, once more.

Strength and Power Session

April 17th

Floor Press
135/12
185/10
225/8
245/6
275/5
300/5
315/3
275/9

Pull Ups

11 sets of 4 reps

April 20th

Dead Hang Pull Ups with one sec between each rep

11 sets of 4

One Arm Floor Press

50/15
70/10
80/10
90/10
105/8
115/5
130/3R 4L
140/3L 4R

Weighted Decline Bench Sit Ups
120/20
165/15
210/12
255/12

April 22nd

One Arm Push Press
30/10
50/5
70/4
90/3
100/3
110/3
120/3
130/2R 1L
140/1R

Pull Ups

5 sets of 5

Strength and Power Session

One Arm DB Snatch
50/1
80/1
90/1
100/1
115/1
120/1

80/5
80/5
80/5

Sgt. Hartman: "That's right. Don't make any fucking effort. If God wanted you to be lean he would have miracled that fat off your ass, wouldn't he?"

Strength and Power Session

Floor Press
135/12
185/10
225/8
245/6
275/5
300/5
315/3...2 were forced reps...
275/9 reps... failed on 10th rep attempt...



Pull Ups
8 sets of 4 reps... each rep done from a dead hang...

Awesome Quote...

"Through the years, I have combined meditation, action, and the Iron into a single strength. I believe that when the body is strong, the mind thinks strong thoughts. Time spent away from the Iron makes my mind degenerate. I wallow in a thick depression. My body shuts down my mind. The Iron is the best antidepressant I have ever found. There is no better way to fight weakness than with strength. Once the mind and body have been awakened to their true potential, it's impossible to turn back." -- Henry Rollins

Strength and Power Session

April 6th...

Mil. Press from bottom position on pins...

45/12
135/12
185/12
225/8
265/5
285/3
300/1

Wide Pull Downs

120/15
180/8
220/8
260/10

April 8th...

Bent BB Rows

45/15
135/15
225/15
275/15
315/12
365/10
405/10

Pause Bench Press

45/15
135/12
185/10
225/8
265/3
275/2
275/2

I truly believe that I have the greatest job in the world....PERIOD. I have the distinct honor and privilege to teach and train a group of individuals who absolutely want to better themselves in every capacity and help others as well. I have done my very best to present a Warrior Family atmosphere in every way. I get very disappointed when I am looking at various MMA / Martial Arts forums and I see so many people with very warped views of MMA, Martial Arts, Honor, Self Respect and all the attributes that encompass being a warrior and a good human being in general.

In many respects our society as a whole is responsible for enabling such views. The "get anything you want now, made your way, fast and in a hurry" mentality is very much a psychological disease and turns into a daily mindset for many people. This has happened in the Martial Arts world as well. I truly love the Martial Arts and the sport of MMA with all my heart and it saddens me to see certain individuals representing the Martial Arts or MMA the way they do. I really feel that I have been very fortunate to have been taught by a few great human beings in my life. On the other hand there have been many not so good individuals as well, in which I learned how not to be towards others.

There are a great deal of people who view MMA fighters and practitioners as brawlers and bullies who just want to kick people heads in. Who can honestly blame them when you see these exact types of MMA fighters in the mainstream promotions on television. Talk about bad representatives of the sport and Martial Arts in general.

Since I began teaching and coaching full time in the last few years I have literally talked to a few hundred people who "want to be cage fighters", most of which had horrible attitudes and wanted to train for all the wrong reasons. The students who currently train with me are the rare exception and are great human beings.

The fact of the matter is ANYONE CAN LEARN HOW TO FIGHT.... VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES....HEART, MIND, and SOUL.... TO BE A WARRIOR. I have met warriors who have never stepped into the cage and I have meet World Champion fighters who are NOT warriors.

Strength and Power Session

A.M.

Bent Over Rows
45/15
135/15
225/15
275/10
315/10
365/10
405/8
455/3
485/1 (New PR)

PM

One Arm DB Floor Press
70/10
85/8
100/8
115/8
125/4 (New PR for reps)

Tate Press
50/12
70/10
85/10
100/10

Strength and Power Session

DB External Rot.
5/15
5/15

Cable Internal Rot.
5/15
5/15

Cable Ext. Rot.
5/15
5/15

Mil. Press
45/15
45/15
135/12
185/10
225/8
265/3
300/2

Cross Pull Downs
50/10
70/10
90/10
100/10
110/8
130/8

Mil. Press from Pins set at Bottom position
225/3
245/3
265/2
275/1
295/1

Challenges and Obstacles...

I welcome a challenge whether it be in physically or intellectually. If you are not challenged then it is very difficult to progress as a person. I do not believe in obstacles.... there are many people who think that challenges are obstacles. To me this is self defeating to think of anything as an obstacle or something impeding my way. If you view something in your life as an obstacle then it is a self imposed limitation. There are many thought patterns and phrases that do nothing but limit your capacity for growth in every facet of your life. Some common ones are...

"Push the envelope".... I say what envelope!

"Think outside the box".... I say what box!

We are the only ones that confine and limit ourselves in any capacity or endeavor.

Strength and Power Session

Today was the first day I did squats since I pulled my hip adductor. I used a knee wrap around my thigh and it felt pretty good. I worked up to a set of 5 with 315 and stopped there. Didn't feel any pain or aching... which is a plus... but felt pathetic just doing 315 for 5. Was almost embarrassed to do squats...its an ego thing I know. I will get over it and get back to squatting more gradually...

Strength and Power Session

Morning Session

Superset

Bench
45/15
135/12
185/8
225/8
245/5
275/2

Underhanded DB Press
45/10
55/10
65/10
75/10
85/8
100/8

Stability Ball Push UPs
3sets of 10

Evening Session

Bent Rows
135/12
225/12
275/12
315/10
365/10
405/6
455/3+405/3

Pull Downs
265/5
280/5
300/4
305/4
305/4
280/5
260/5

Technique work...

Left Thai Kick 12 rounds of 3 minutes on Thai bag...

Strength and Power Session

Superset

Bent BB Rows

225/10
275/10
315/10
365/10
405/6

One Arm DB Floor Press

85/8
95/8
105/8
120/6
130/2

Strength and Power Session

Hack Squat

90/15
180/15
270/15
360/15
450/15
540/15
450/15
360/15
270/15
180/15

Power Circuit 3x5 minutes of

Hammer Throw
42pd weight for distance
15pd med ball explosive chest pass
50pd Explosive DB Snatch

Supporting Strength Session

Today... at 17:15

Cable Crossing Face pulls
50/12
60/12
70/12
80/10

DB Pause Bench
70/10
80/10
90/10
100/9
100/10

Tate Presses
50/10
75/10
90/13
100/9

Do as Warriors do
Train as Warriors train
No retreat
No surrender
No excuses

By James Bullock

Never mistake motion for action.

Ernest Hemmingway

The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.

It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up.

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.

Vince Lombardi

Strength and Power Session

When reading the following I am placing weight / then reps...

Internal and External Rotation Complex 2 sets of 12

Military Press...

45/10
135/10
185/10
225/5
265/3
295/1
315/1
325/1
315/1
315/1
325/1
315/1
315/1
315/1
315/1
315/2

Noon

7x6 minute rounds of bag work and drills

110%......WTF!!!

Something that really irritates me is to hear people say that they or someone else gave 110% in doing something. THERE IS NO 110%..... Hell, very few ever give even close to 100% in anything they do.

I think George Patton said it best;

"If a man does his best, what else is there?"

The problem with goals...

There are many success experts out there that advocate setting goals on a regular basis. I have never been an advocate of it. Really never did anything for me. It may work for some people but I think it has the potential to limit people a great deal.

The experts say have several small goals to reach an "ultimate" goal. To me there needs to be "room" to play with. In other words be adaptable; it is not only important to be fluid in combat but in life as well. There is no possible way to account for every variable, and any attempt to do so only wastes time that could be better used to progress in some way.

You and everyone else does the very same thing everyday...you wake up...then...the rest is up to you. Sure people have to work, pay bills, eat.....blah....blah...blah... Does that mean you can't progress in some capacity everyday....HELL NO. Everyone is a result of their thoughts yesterday and today. Many people go through their daily lives on autopilot....that is sad. Everyone has the opportunity to think "actively" all the time. I literally have had breakthroughs in training on my drive to and from the gym, standing in line at a store, and in many other seemingly mundane places.

We are always in control of our progress. We choose when and how.

James Bullock

The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.

Thucydides

Force has no place where there is need of skill.

Herodotus

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

Mahatma Gandhi

Continuous effort -- not strength or intelligence -- is the key to unlocking our potential.

Liane Cardes

Restlessness is discontent - and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man - and I will show you a failure.

Thomas Alva Edison

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.

Aristotle

Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country.

Bertrand Russell, attributed

If you're going through hell, keep going.

Winston Churchill

Strength and Power Session

March 11th...

Mil. Press

Decided to change my grip on this lift from relatively close (hands inside the rings) to really wide (index finger on the rings). I was expecting it to be more difficult. This was the result..

135x10, 185x 8, 225x5, 245x3, 275x1, 315x1, 345x1, 365x1, 405 (completed it but hit the pins upon lockout)...dropped to 395 and completed it for 1 rep.... Increased a total of 70 pounds on the lift just by moving my hands out....

Gable Grip Pull Downs

180x8, 200x8, 220x8, 240x5, 220x6

Various Grip Work...

Something to Ponder...

"The immature mind compares itself with what is and what should be, but it is only the immature mind that compares. The mature mind has no comparison, the mature mind has no measure."

J. Krishnamurti

Strength and Power Session

Squats: 45x10, 135x10, 225x5, 275x5, 315x5, 365x3.... stopped at 365 due to the tendons on the inside of my thighs started aching immensely.

Hack Squat: 270x15, 360x15, 450x15, 540x10

Strength and Power Session

March 9th...

High Rows: 180x10, 270x10, 360x5, 450x5, 540x3

Seated Wide Cable Rows: 140x8, 180x8, 200x8, 220x8

Crossing Face Pulls: 35x10, 50x10, 70x10, 80x8

Bench: 245x5 sets of 5 reps

One Arm DB Floor Press: 70x10, 90x8, 100x8, 110x6

Strength and Power Session

Military Press: 45/10, 135/10, 185/5, 225/5, 245/6, 245/6, 245/6, 245/6

X Pull downs: 80/8, 90/8, 110/8, 130/6

Side Laterals: 45/6, 50/6, 60/6

Strength and Power Session

Explosive Gable Grip Suplex Pulls: 50x6, 65x6, 80x6, 80x6, 95x6, 95x6

One Arm DB Swings: 40x10, 50x10

Explosive Shrugs: 225x6, 315x6, 365x6

Rack Pulls: 405x1, 495x1, 585x1, 675x1, 765x1

Strength and Power Session

Today was Squat day.... this was about my 4th official squat workout since I was in high school almost 10 years ago. I really never had a good reason not to squat, I just didn't want to do them. Finally about three weeks ago I decided to quite being a fucking pussy and to start squating again. And damn does it feel good!!!

Three weeks ago I worked up to 335 for 3, two weeks ago I did 405 for 3, today I ended with 440 for 4. I felt stable and strong with the 44o today. I have more in me I know that. The best I have ever done was 550 when I was 19 for a single.

Today's workout...

Squat: 45x10, 135x10, 225x5, 275x5, 315x5, 365x4, 405x4, 440x4(PR), 225 x15 x 3 sets

Hack Squat: 270x15, 360x15, 450x15

Leg Press: 540x20, 630x20, 720x20

Random sets of calf work...

Strength and Power Session

Military Press

45x10, 135x8, 185x5, 225x5, 245x4, 265x7 sets of 4 reps

Pull Downs

120x5, 220x5, 260x4, 280x5, 300x5, 320x6sets of 4 reps

February 27th Strength and Power Session

Hammer Strength High Rows: 270x10, 360x10, 410x10, 450x10

Flat DB Bench Press: 55x10, 75x10, 85x10, 90x10, 100x10

Seated Gable Grip Rows: 120x10, 180x10, 220x10, 240x10, 260x10

Triceps Press Downs: 70x10, 85x10, 100x10, 100x10, 115x10, 130x10

Clinch Grip One Arm Cable Rows: 55x10, 75x10, 85x10, 95x10

Strength and Power Session

Today was Dead Lift day. I opted to do super heavy lockouts in the squat rack.

Dead Lock Outs: Started with 225 and worked up to a final set of 635 pounds.

Power Shrugs: 225 x5, 275 x5, 4 sets of 315x5

New Training Split...

This week I started a new training split:

Week A

Monday: Horizontal Push (Bench Press and Variations), Horizontal Pull (BB Rows and Variations)

Tuesday: Leg Dominant Movement (Squats)

Wednesday: Vertical Push (Military Press and Variations), Vertical Pull (Pull Ups and Variations)

Thursday: Hip Dominant Movement (Dead Lift)

Friday: Horizontal Push (Bench Press and Variations), Horizontal Pull (BB Rows and Variations)

Week B

Monday: Vertical Push (Military Press and Variations), Vertical Pull (Pull Ups and Variations)

Tuesday: Leg Dominant Movement (Squats)

Wednesday: Horizontal Push (Bench Press and Variations), Horizontal Pull (BB Rows and Variations)

Thursday: Hip Dominant Movement (Dead Lift)

Friday: Vertical Push (Military Press and Variations), Vertical Pull (Pull Ups and Variations)

Well since I created the forum for Combative Sciences I have spent less and less time on The War Room...

It is time for The War Room to evolve so to speak. From now on I will use this little part of the internet for anything I choose. Whether that be ranting about something, training, fighting, philosophy, or mindless rambling.

I love Mondays!!!

It is one of my most favorite days of the week. Why? Because it is on Monday that I set the pace for a great week of training and progress.

I often ask people how they are doing and in many cases I get the "on it's a Monday" response. I am thinking Hell yeah its a Monday and I love it....

Start the week strong and positive and end the week strong and positive. You are guaranteed success if you do that.