It transforms the words you feed it, from various feeds, into a graphic display. For fun, I entered the entire Introduction from Strength for LIFE into it. This is what if fed back…

The Wordle of the Strength for LIFE Intro

Now, to put each chapter in, one at a time. Ha…

I wonder if it would take all 80,000 words? Hummm…. what would that look like.

If you wanna give Wordle w Worl… click here to check it out...

Front Squats Have Long Been a Favorite

As usual, I was pressed for time when I walked into the gym. Work is a load, sleep a precious gem and there’s the kids.

Need I say more?

Yes, time… And I’ve got to get a workout in. Good news is the gym is just downstairs. Phew…

In between my cycling events it was the ideal leg day. So, “what’ll it be today?,” I say to myself—given that I’m in between seasons right now and without a set schedule of training.

Between Seasons:
Refers to the Seasons of Strength annual training (macro) strategy from Section 3 of Strength for LIFE. I’m just coming through the winter months which have been aSeason of Strength and heading into cycling season. And that means focus and training changes, of course.

What’ll it be?

I’ll keep it simple and just do a few sets of warm ups and the pure, basic 3 sets of 8—as in 8 reps. Yes… Ah, but what about getting a few more reps to prime the load for cycling?

Yes, I think I’ll crank out 4 sets of 10 reps. Yes. That’ll do it.

Wait! How about getting wild and doing something sick with sets of 20! Yes! That’ll pump the lactic acid in my quads. Ok, 2 sets of 20 reps with a set to total failure…

That’s going to be awesome!

Ah… but what about the power? I don’t squat that much so I really ought to hit some descending sets, perhaps even pyramid them. Yeah, a good ol’ 12-10-8-6-4-3 with a couple sets of 10 at the close.

Youza! That’s a monster leg. Now, add some leg extensions to that super-setting with cable weighted squat jumps! Some straight leg deadlifts for icing.

It took me some mental wrestling but finally, I’ve got it. The perfect leg workout for the perfect day.

I throw a few plates on the bar, look up and realize that my time is running out. Damn it! I’d managed to waste precious time thinking about how to get it right and now I didn’t have the time I needed.

Steaming with frustration, I quickly rep out a few warm up and crank out 3 furious, intense perfect sets of 8 simple reps. Nothing fancy—in fact, it’s about as white bread simple as training gets. But it worked!

The Lesson

While it’s not what I wanted or planned for it was a great reminder that training is less to do with the “what,” the perfect number of sets and reps than it does with the “how,” the quality of execution of any sets and reps.

You, present, focused and intense is the number one most important variable to your success in shaping a strong, vibrant body and an inspired life.

Stop looking for the right circumstances to become great—start being the great person in every circumstance.

To Your LIFE @ Full Strength,

Shawn

Chapter 5: Basecamp: The Reboot

[Excerpt from Chapter 5, "Basecamp / Reboot," Strength for LIFE : Part 1 of 5]

When was the last time you woke up fully rested—eager and energized to start your day? Think back; perhaps it was day six of a seven-day vacation that you were last in balance, enjoying your natural flow of energy.

As rare as this surplus of energy is for most, think of how a child awakens each day. My young son, Nathaniel, pops out of bed every morning with his tank full. No need for a Grande coffee or anything to get him going. He’s ready and eager to greet the thrilling day ahead.

What was the first sound you heard this morning when you awoke? Was it a radio station blasting or the screeching sound of an alarm buzzer tossing your cells into their own alarm state? For most of us living The American Dream, it’s a moderate voltage wake-up followed by our favorite brew, a shower and whatever it takes to get us back on the warrior path.

We’ve become so accustomed to living in a fatigued, compromised energy state brought on by chronic stress that we fail to consider it could be any other way. It’s become the norm. And many actually embrace it, using it to get them moving. This chronic stress drains us from the inside, stealing our energy and vitality. Combined with poor nutrition and lack of sleep, as it often is, you’ve got a recipe for physical, mental and emotional depletion—a virtual house of cards ready to collapse at any moment.

Then one day, elevated by a sense of urgency, you decide from your over-stressed, over-committed state that now is the time to get in shape. You take on a fitness plan in hopes to correct this physical wreck in mid-collision.

“Sure, you can do it all,” you try to convince yourself. The Big Red “S” carefully concealed on your chest, you dive into a Transformation—like you’d dive into a swimming pool—and in your overstressed state your body responds as if you’ve dived in with both hands tied behind your back and cement galoshes on. To your great astonishment you sink like a rock, only to blame the water, not your compromised state and lack of preparation.

Enter into a Transformation physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted and your results will reflect your depleted state. You’ll likely wind up another casualty of the mysterious “loss of motivation or discipline.” A causality on the fitness expressway.

There is a better way. You can and must get your body and mind working with you and for you before you’ll enjoy the sort of Transformation success you’ve envisioned or desired.

NEXT: [PART 2] Why People Fail to Transform

Here’s Steve’s Question:

Is
there a way to ask Shawn a brief question? I want to know if he would
recommend eating a snack prior to morning workouts. In
ABSolution, he recommended an empty stomach.

Is
this still his philosophy?

Thanks for all your help and Happy New
Year!

Steve…

My answer in audio follows:

The short version for text answer is…

Yes! I still believe it to be an advantage for fat-burning. It’s admittedly over-hyped, like most similar advantages but it does help burn a greater percentage of calories from fat.

I think Tom Venuto has done a masterful job of supporting my argument here.

The one thing, as you’ll hear in the audio FAQ, I suggest (and practice) eating something before a morning strength workout and going into cardio on “E”mpty.

Without the 150-200 calorie snack before a Strength workout you’ll lose strength and intensity and your workout will suffer too much.

Hope this helps!