Homage to Frank Zane

Hitting a few poses inspired by one of my all time bodybuilding heroes, the legendary Mr. Olympia, Frank Zane!!

 

 

Love handles or Obliques?

Working on getting those Obliques in the Sides to Really Pop!! Think it's coming along nicely!

The Crossover is fun!!

It's fun that I can honestly say, even though my personal workouts are geared towards physique goals right not, that all of my other areas; martial arts, acrobatics, gymnastics, powerlifting, Olympic lifting, strongman lifts, sprinting, etc; have dramatically improved as well. It's nice to have the crossover happening!!

Working the relaxed poses

Focusing on working on the relaxed poses and 1/4 turns for the General Assessment Rounds of competition.  The front and back aren't bad, but it's great to see where I need to make the improvements.

 

 

I have to say I've loved the transition to physique training

I really have to say it. After decades of training for functional athleticism it's nice to switch to physique based training.

Not taking anything away from the training I've done in the past to improve my strength, power, agility, athleticism, speed, etc. And to better myself for martial arts, combat sports, dancing, strength sports, etc. But it's such an amazing change to have been focusing on pure physique for the past few months.

While the health, functional strength and fitness, etc. are still in the training; it's nice to be able to blend the exercise and nutritional science, the hardcore analytical side of the brain with pure artistry and add in the creative side of the brain even more.

It's been a very liberating thing, and I love it!

Here's a little artistry.

More Reasons Why It's All In Your Mind

World Renown Psychologist Abraham Maslow asked his students which of them expected to achieve greatness in their chosen  field. Now, keep in mind that these were the top students at the top university. No one responded!

Think about that for a second. The top students, at the top university, taught by one of the top people in the field. Yet, none of them expected to achieve greatness in their fields.

Maslow concluded by asking, "If not you, who then?"

Which is a brilliant question.

This type of thinking is known as the Jonah Complex, and it's possibly what's keeping you from achieving your goals, whether they be in fitness or in any other area of your life.

How often do you hear someone tell a young athlete, "There's a million to one chance that you're ever going to make it at a Division I University, or as a pro." And the young athlete believes it, so they stop trying.

Remember, someone once told Michael Jordan that same thing. They told him that the odds of him playing in the NBA were very bad, that only one in a million actually could do that.

They told similar things to Wayne Gretsky, Muhammad Ali, Dara Torres, Ronda Rousey, Phil Heath, and the list goes on and on.

The difference is that those listed above said, "Why Not Me!"

And they continued to believe in themselves and pushed harder to achieve their goals and dreams.

They all have what Dr. Charles Garfield called, the Olympian Complex. Which, basically is the thought process that no matter what the odds, I'm going to accomplish my goals and I'm going to do whatever it takes to get there. No one's going to stop me.

Now think about yourself and your own goals for a second. Do you think like the Jonah Complex about hem? Or, do you think like the Olympian Complex about them?

Now, which one do you think will actually get you to reach your goals?

I can guarantee it isn't thinking like the Jonah Complex.

Henry Ford was very correct when he said, "Whether you think you can or can't, you're right."

I'll give you an example. I have a number of "Inspirational" Poster boards that I use with myself, Missy and my clients. On it they have various pictures of men and women in the fitness industry that I respect.

One such board is my "Older Women" board. It has a number of pictures of beautiful, strong and fit women that range in age from 45 years old to 100 years old. All of whom are fit, strong, healthy, athletic, beautiful and awesome.

Now, on this board, only a few of these ladies are in "competition" shape. By that I mean the ubber ripped, ultra conditioned, low body fat of a physique competitor when they are onstage at a competition.

Nope, these women are all at a 13-16% body fat and are looking lean and awesome. Nice and tight and toned.

I have a former female client of mine that used to tell me, "Oh Brett, I know I'll never look like one of those ladies."

When I'd explain that if she followed the training and eating that I gave her, an got herself down between a 13 and 16% body fat, that yes, she would look like that. That there literally was no difference between her and the ladies on the board, except that they've done the training and the eating; she wouldn't believe me at all.

She was suffering from the Jonah Complex. And it cost her the ability to have the health, fitness, and physique that she claimed to want.

On the other hand, I'm someone that was born with a Degenerative Bone Disease in my hips and told that I wouldn't be walking by the time I was 18. Then, later on in life I broke 3 vertebrae in my back, tore apart all the muscles, tendons and ligaments on the right side of my back from my neck to my ass, and was told that I'd never have movement in my neck and the right side of my body. That I'd be weak as a kitten and I could kiss away any wish or dream of being strong, muscular or athletic. And that I'd have constant pain for the rest of my life.

Hmmmmm......I said, "Bull Spit. If other people can overcome this crap, why not me!" And have goe on to achieve my dreams and then set bigger and better ones.

So, instead of suffering and holding yourself back, take on the mindset of the Olympian Complex.

When people say you can't do something or that you the chances of you succeeding are small. Say, "Why Not Me." Afterall, someone has to be the one in the million.

Now, go kick Arse!!

Yours in strength and health,
Brett

 

Happy Flex Friday Larry Scott Style

Happy Flex Friday Everyone!!

 

Doing This One As An

 

Homage To Another One

 

Of My Long Time Idols

 

The First Mr. Olympia Ever

 

Larry Scott!!

 

 

Muscle Bound, that truly doesn't exist!

It's funny, in the training world there still exists the belief that strength and muscle mass are somehow mutually explosive to flexibility. That somehow, training for strength and muscle will make you "Muscle Bound." Well, if you do it correctly, nothing could be further from the truth!

Here's some proof!!

 

 

 

People are strange

People are strange. It's funny, you can dedicate your entire life to the study of fitness and nutrition, health and wellness, performance, and physique development; earning dozens of professional certifications in each. You can have 20 years of experience training literally 100's of people from all walks of life and all ages to successfully accomplishing their fitness, health and nutrition goals; then move them on reaching goals they never even dreamed of. And you can live a healthy lifestyle and follow your own methods to become a damn good living advertisement of the effectiveness of your methods. Yet, there are still so many people, many in your supposed circle of friends and relatives; who have never trained anyone, never studied, and don't even train themselves that truly believe they know better and will literally tell you that you're not only wrong, but that you have no idea what you're talking about in regards to healthy living, training, eating, supplementing, etc. It'll always make me scratch my head.

Because People Bitch....

Because People Bitch

 

And Say Things Like,

 

"You Never Show Any Leg Poses"

 

And,

 

"Yeah, You Can Squat A Ton, But How Are The Legs?"

 

 

Here's A Quick Quad Pose!

 

 

You Gotta Love

You Have To Love It

 

When It's Crappy Lighting,

 

A Crappy Camera,

 

Your Worst Pose,

 

And Your Tan Is Gone;

 

Yet It Still Looks Pretty Damn Good!

 

 

 

 

Because sometimes you just have to....

Because Sometimes

 

You Just Have To

 

Hit The Handstands

 

And

 

Work On The Rings!!

 

 

 

 



Channeling Frank Zane

Thought I'd Take A Moment

 

And Honor One Of My Idols

 

By Channeling My Inner

 

Frank Zane!!

 

 

 

 

 



A Little Double Biceps!

I Hadn't Done One Of These

 

In A Little While.

 

Here's A Little Front Double Biceps Pose!

 

 

 



Despite 8 months away from Gymnastics.......

Despite being away from any type of gymnastics and acrobatic training, it was nice to know that I could jump in today and be better than when I left off. Had fun playing with some Straddle Planches, Handstands, and the V-sit to Handstand to Straddle Planche to V-sit combo during my morning today.  Here's the pics of the 1st and 2nd Straddle Planche and the V-sit at the beginning of the combo; and the vids of the 1st Straddle Planche and the first Combo in 8 months.

And the Vids:

A little archer and back posing

 

Hitting the Classis Archer Pose

 

And

 

The Classic 1-arm Back and

Biceps Pose

 

 



Hitting the cover model poses!

Lol!

 

Working on my

 

 

Cover Model Poses!!

 

 



Remember, if you can't flex it, you can't train it!

A Great Golden Rule To Remember!!

 

If You Can't Flex It!!

 

 

You Can't Train It!!

 

 

100% True!!

 

 

No Muscle Loss At All

So,

 

12 Weeks Ago

 

I Weighed A Muscular And Strong

 

205 Pounds.

 

Now, I'm Weighing In at A

 

Lean and Chiseled

 

172 Pounds.

 

And, I Must Say

 

I Haven't Noticed Any Loss

 

Of Muscle Mass!!

 

 

Channeling my inner Van Damme

Thought I'd Have A Little

 

Fun Today

 

And Channel My Inner

 

Jean Claude Van Damme

 

From The Movie

 

"Kickboxer"

 

Working some new poses

Working some new poses.

The Front Double Biceps, The Vince Gironda, the Side Chest and the Side Triceps:

                                     

Sometimes a video can be the best explanation

Explaining how to use Scapular Adduction at the bottom of a pull-up, then swiching to Scapular Abduction at the top of the movement can sometimes be better explained by showing what's going on. Why would you do this? Because it works your lats much harder, and it hits all those nice muscles throughout the middle of your back. Makes Pull-ups that much better of an exercise.

Working the poses

Having some fun working all the classic poses. Here's a little sample!

 



Showing the abs!

Hmmm....can't believe I'm actually going to say this but Taylor Swift is right, haters gonna hate, hate, hate, lol. Had a few people try to rip me apart for the relaxed pose yesterday because there were no abs in it. So, herre's a few pics from this morning that show, yes, even with crappy lighting and a crappy camera, the abs are still poppin'.

 

 

When the doctors said......

I still laugh that after I broke 3 vertebrae in my back, tore apart all the muscles in the right side of my back from the neck to the tailbone, and tore the tendons and ligaments on that same side; all the doctors tried to convince me that I'd never be strong or muscular, that I wouldn't be able to use my neck or my right arm very well, that I'd always be weak and have back problems, that I'd be in constant pain and that athletics of any sort were out of the question. Yep, they were full of SKATA and completely wrong. Never underestimate what you're capable of doing, the only limits are in your mind.

Having some fun with the camera

I was having some fun with the camera earlier, and got a few good shots. In the first one, I'm still not sure what I was doing, Lol!