Hit a 470 lb. deadlift yesterday.
For those keeping track (like me) that’s another 15 lb. increase in 10 days. I was surprised I maxed out again so recently this time, but the journal doesn’t lie. Also, for the record that’s just past the 2 ½ times bodyweight mark. Closing in on 500.
Not world record status but if I keep up this pace how long would it take?
And just three days ago I hit 277 snatches with the 24kg in 10 minutes. Closing in on 300.
You too can have this kind of progress. What does it take? The way I see it there are three keys.
1. Training
You need to do the best training possible. After experimenting I truly believe biofeedback training is going to give you the best, fastest and safest results. Click here for more information on how to get started.
However, that’s not all there is to it. Biofeedback is not some magic pill. You still need ideas on the best exercises in general and for you. You still need to know the best ways to approach your goals.
Training is key, yet it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
2. Health and Nutrition
I’ve just released my book 101 Simple Steps to Radiant Health. This contains plenty of beginner and advanced tips on supercharging your health. Superior health means superior energy and recovery for your training as well as being free from illness.
The book is a great start especially if you haven’t paid too much attention to your health in the past.
Also when you order you have a chance to upgrade to a special program I put together detailing all the food and supplementation I personally take. (Like this video multiplied times 100.) This is only available right now for those who buy the book, but this information can make a dramatic difference. I know it has for me.
This is key number two.
3. ?????
The third component is not hard to guess if you give it some thought. However, for now I’m not going to give it away.
Truth be told, I think this can make a bigger difference than the other two combined. I’ve just started really using it and as they say ‘the proof is in the pudding.’
********
On a similar note, I’ve decided to add another bonus for those who order 101 Simple Steps to Radiant Health. (Everyone who has already ordered gets this too, of course.)
I’ll be holding a special Q&A call to answer all of your questions. What more details on tip 75? Want to know what I personally do with tip 31? How about how I do 66? Want additional tips?
Maybe I’ll even talk a bit about key number three from above?
You’ll receive access information when you order 101 Simple Steps to Radiant Health now. I’ll be holding the call in a couple weeks so that you have time to read, digest and apply the information you get.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Barbells and Dumbbells, Bio Feedback, Health, Nutrition, Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Jul 2nd, 2010. 2 Comments. 
Supplements are evil! Supplements are good! Find out the truth in this video…
The contest continues (and a winner will be announced tomorrow). Leave your comments below to enter.
Filed under Health, Recovery, Videos by on Jun 28th, 2010. 8 Comments.
Join me as I discuss my interest in health and how it’ll lead to the best performance in all areas of your life.
To enter the contest described in the video simply comment below. In a few days I’ll pick one commenter at random and announce the winner.
In health,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Health, Recovery, Videos by on Jun 24th, 2010. 17 Comments.
Recently I told you that in addition to strength training and feats of strength I’d start to talk more on the subject of health.
Health is important. It seems to me that the majority of trainees these days don’t pay enough attention to it. If you workout then scarf down a couple Big Macs you’re really not doing much for your health.
But everyone knows what healthy eating is, right? Whether they do it or not, so I won’t be addressing that area much.
Instead I want to focus on the other things you need to be doing for your health.
Things that you may not realize you should be doing.
Things that can make a dramatic impact on your life and vitality with a simple change.
Today I reveal a breakthru discovery and all that it can do for you health.
This report details a ‘non-technology’ you can start using today…at no cost…and how this will result in improved sleep and circulation with reduced soreness.
(Sounds to me like that means better recovery from your workouts. That couldn’t possibly help you, could it???)
Get all the details, including the scientific research, in my new report.
Sign up to get the report and start putting it into action today.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Health, Recovery by on Jun 22nd, 2010. 2 Comments.
Here’s another update in my progress with biofeedback training. If you missed the others, here is part 1 and part 2.
I’ve been testing so many times I’m starting to not always need it. Sometimes I can just feel what I’m going to do and then it happens. Even without testing I can often feel, in the movement itself, whether it would be great to do then. But when my intuition isn’t giving me a clear answer I can always test.
For example, the other day I just ‘knew’ I was going to set a new max in the deadlift. I got 425 lbs. That’s 20 lbs. better than I had done before.
But let’s back up and give you examples from my training. Here’s my deadlifting for about 40 days. These are by no means the only exercise I’ve done in that time but I’ve pulled the numbers from my training log to show you what’s going on.
Deadlifting a light weight for reps
4-25 BB Deadlift 225 x 12,12,14,12,12 in 10 minutes
4-28 BB Deadlift 315 x 5,6,5 in 5 minutes
5-1 Rack Pull 605 x 3 singles
5-5 Trap Bar Deadlift 430 x 1
5-6 BB Deadlift 225 x 15,15,12,12,12 in 8 minutes
5-11 Rack Pull 505 x 4,4,4,4
5-12 BB Deadlift 405 x 1
5-13 BB Deadlift 225 x 17
5-17 Trap Bar Deadlift 275 x 11,12,11,12,11 in 14 min
5-20 BB Deadlift 315 x 7,6,6 in 4 min
5-22 BB Deadlift 225 x 16,18,15 in 7 min
5-25 BB Deadlift 365 x 3,4,4 in 5 min
5-29 One Hand Deadlift 185 x 3 singles
5-30 BB Deadlift 425 x 1
Here’s the analysis. Looking at this you can see the weight used waving up and down. Though my goal is to pull more for a single, just cause that’s what I want to do, I’m not only doing singles. Nor am I doing 5×5 or high reps or any consistent rep scheme. I’m simply following what works for me that day.
If it’s a lighter weight I do more reps. If its heavier I do less. But at no time am I going all out. I could probably gut out double the numbers on those higher reps sets if I wanted to. I could also probably have gone higher when I maxed each time, but I’m happy with what I got.
You’ll also notice the variety of movements. I go for the barbell deadlift when it tests well as that’s my current goal. Sometimes variations will test better like doing a partial or using the trap bar where I can handle more weight. (My best ever with the trap bar was 435 but I’m guessing the next time I max it’ll be way up.)
Then there’s the frequency of my deadlifts. Looking over it I’m usually doing some form of deadlifts 2 or 3 times a week, though again there is no consistent pattern. I can do it this often because I’m never even close to burning out. There was no week off before this max. And there is no week off or de-load program. I’ll just be following the same “program” until the next max.
Deadlifts are going really well right now. So are my other exercise, though having done this analysis I see some directions I can test in, and work with that may make progress even faster.
How’s your progress?
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. It looks like the DVD’s that show you how to do all this and more still are available but in short supply. All I’m saying is you should try biofeedback training out. If it doesn’t work for you fine, give it up and go back to what you were doing. But if it does work, just imagine where it can take you. I’m making faster progress, easier than ever before and feeling great doing it. You can join me…
My bonus is still available for anyone who orders and forward me their receipt.
Filed under Barbells and Dumbbells, Bio Feedback, Lifting Technique, Recovery, Workouts by on Jun 2nd, 2010. 2 Comments.
This is the second in a series on my progress on biofeedback. Click here for the first post.
I still feel like I need more time to have revolutionary results. So far the results have only been great!
My lifts are going up. By following my biofeedback my body is guiding me to do higher volume most of the time versus what I use to do which was singles or maybe 5×5.
You may have heard about cycling or waving the loads before in periodization or other training plans. It looks like the reason that works is because that’s what the body naturally wants to do!
The question you may be asking is, is this higher volume leading to more strength on the top end? So far it seems to be yes. Still need more time to see the overall and definite trend but I’m starting to see it right now. About once a week or so the testing guides me to work up to a max (in different lifts). As long as the exercise keeps testing better with increasing loads I keep going.
One big change is that I no longer do a daily joint mobility routine. I don’t need to. My body isn’t beat up from training, in fact I rarely get sore and when I do its just a small amount.
I have improved my flexibility without doing static or isometric stretching. Even my hand balancing practice is getting better, when I’ve been stuck for a long, long time.
I leave each workout moving better than I did before the workout. I feel good, if not downright fresh and ready to do much more. Sometimes I feel a little worked after high volume or many exercises but I never feel dead tired or like I need to lay down to recoup.
Making it Hard or Making it Easy? The Choice is Yours...
I saw a comment on another blog regarding PR’s and I want to clarify what that really means. PR stands for personal record. It doesn’t mean you have to max out in your lift in order to get it. It simply means you’ve done more in one way or another than ever before.
Progress is the name of the game in training. And progress comes in the form of PR’s. There is no other way.
So these are my results…so far. I will continue to do this because its working. There is no turning back. I expect over time it will get even better. And I will report on what happens.
On that note, Adam Glass is re-releasing the Grip and Rip DVD’s with even more material that explains how to do all this properly.
When I got started I had lots of questions. It took time to get the feeling and to be doing it right. With these DVD’s you’ll cut the learning curve in half. And then you’ll see these results faster.
No other training information or program out there will give you the capabilities this one does. To listen to your body for your own training. To guide you in how you and only you should be training.
Not to mention I’m actually having even more fun then before with this stuff.
***BONUS***
These DVD’s are going to show you everything you need to get started fast. But I was thinking about what I could offer to complement this and I happened on this idea. You see, I learned best by going through the process myself. You can tell me something or show me how it works and I still might not ‘get it’.
Maybe you’re the same?
So I’m going to film my next two workouts and walk you through exactly what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. How I test, when I test, why I test, when I stop my sets, everything I can show you.
These will be made available as online videos on a secret page only for you who order now through this link and forward me your receipt.
They made a limited number of copies and they’re likely to sell out fast. So if you want this information and my bonus, which is the closest thing I can give you to walking you through it in person, you need to act now.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Bio Feedback, Flexibility/Mobility, Recovery by on May 21st, 2010. Comment.
What is the best time to workout?
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. But I want to cover all the different times to workout and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
This is going to be individual to each person. Some people have tons of energy when they wake up at 5AM in the morning. I am not one of those people. Then there are the night owls and everything in between.
Why mornings are the best time to workout.
If you are having troubles actually doing your workout this is a good option. When you do this you get your workout in and then you are good for the rest of the day. There is nothing else that can get in your way when you do it first thing after you wake up.
I don’t want to go into nutrition here but there are certain advantages to training first thing on an empty stomach. There are also advantages for not doing so. Maybe I’ll cover these another time.
The biggest issue with morning workouts is your body is not warmed up. Yes you can do a warmup to get your body running and warm. If you are doing morning workouts this is a necessity not an option. You need to get your joints running smoothly and your muscles warmed especially as it gets colder.
This is not just to prevent injury but to optimize performance. Just think about trying to do a near max lift the moment you roll out of bed and you’ll get the idea of why this is a must.
Why noon or afternoon is the best time to exercise.
This is personally my favorite option. I like to sleep in but when I get up the morning time is my best time to get work done. Like this post right here I am writing in the morning. But after a few hours my mental energy starts to dip. I need a break.
The best and most effective break for me is to go and train. Intense mental work followed by intense physical work. And after that I like to eat, nap, and then get back to work. This nap falls in line with the midday energy dip that most people feel if you‘ve ever studied the circadian rhythm.
While some kind of warmup is a good idea since you’ve been up and moving around your body is good to go. Despite warm-ups my performance just seems better midday then early mornings.
Plus since I train outside it’s a good time to get some sun (another thing you should try to do each day).
Why evenings or night time is the best time to workout.
For most people this is the only choice. When they get off of work is the only time they can workout. Though it can be tough after a long day at work you’ll feel better doing it. I think the best option is to start right away and don’t get side tracked by anything.
This is similar to the afternoon workouts in that your body has been moving all day and is ready to go.
Another advantage of working out later is that most people’s biggest meal tends to be dinner. You train hard, eat a good, big meal and then go to sleep. This sounds ideal for recovery purposes.
Now depending on the time between training, eating and sleeping this could be better or worse. For most people you don’t want to do either working out or eating too close to bedtime as it can throw you off. For others this isn’t as big an issue.
There you have it. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of what time you workout. Let me end with saying the best time to workout for you is when you can and will workout. If you don’t have options just do it when you can. If you do have options then you can experiment.
Another thing you might want to look at which I cover in the Keys to Successful Training Online Course is establishing a pattern of when you train and doing that the same each day.
Would love to hear your comments on this subject. Agree with me or not, comment below.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Flexibility/Mobility, Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Nov 10th, 2009. 1 Comment.
It was just over a week ago. I was doing single arm kettlebell presses. But I wasn’t just using one kettlebell. I was using two in one hand to increase the difficulty.
Everything was going great until the last rep of my last set.
I can’t tell you exactly what happened except I lost control at the top, both kettlebells came down and my fingers got smashed between the handles.
Haven’t felt that kind of pain in some time.
The end of the ring finger on my right hand swelled up and turned black and blue. I thought it was possibly broken at the time but now I think it’ll be all right.
And that brings me to two lessons.
First, be careful. Injuries do occur when lifting and exercising. Almost always its because of neglect or stupidity. Neglecting to keep correct and safe form. Using weights you really shouldn’t be handling (trying to show off or prove something among your buddies). Mostly just getting sloppy when you should be laser focused.
In this case when I lost control I should have just ditched the weights and moved away instead of trying to regain control. Never fight a falling weight!
And if you’re doing certain lifts or feats of strength realize the potential for injury may be increased. Just be aware of the facts if you choose to take certain risks.
This in no way means you shouldn’t lift or exercise. People get injured all the time from doing next to nothing. Be smart and safe and you can train completely injury free.
Sometimes you just need a reminder. Hopefully reading this serves you well so that you don’t have to crush your finger to get back on track.
And secondly, when you do have an injury, train around it. Do not take it as an excuse to layoff completely (of course if its really bad you should do just that). But with a minor injury to any part of the body you can still train other areas.
I was back training the next day. Have hit plenty of PR’s since then. Although some of my hand training had to be cut out I’m still going at it hard.
This doesn’t mean you should be stupid and not let the injury heal. But nothing can stop you when you are on the right track.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Health, Kettlebells, Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Jul 24th, 2009. Comment.
After you train there is one thing you have to do in order to get stronger.
And that is RECOVER!
Without recovery you’ll only train yourself into the ground. You don’t have to recover 100% between workouts but you do need to get most of the way there.
In my workouts I’ve been doing five working sets for my main exercises. But as I progressed and the weights went up this became harder and harder. That’s to be expected.
However, I felt completely beat at the end of most workouts. It was too much and I felt a little rundown the next day. Sometimes this resulted in a less than optimal workout that day.
So this week I am starting an experiment. I’m cutting my working sets down from five to three sets. Just more than half the volume.
The thing is, in training, you have to do enough to trigger gains. From there it’s a matter of recovering than doing it again next time.
This experiment will mean less total work, though no less intensity. It should still be plenty to force myself to get stronger.
Plus, from less overall volume, the workout will take less time and less of my recovery ability.
If you’re not making gains like before perhaps doing less, not more is the ticket to breaking new ground.
I’ll report later on how this works out for me. I expect good things.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. I’ve upgraded the blog. It has a new look and more functionality than before. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.
Filed under Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Jul 14th, 2009. Comment.
What is vital power?
Bernarr MacFadden, the father of physical culture, explained it as such:
“Vital power is more than the capacity to pursue your work with comfort! It is more than the power of endurance! It is, as has been said, life itself! It is the force that is hidden latent in the seed of everything that is created. It builds the beautiful human structure, cell by cell, within the womb of the mother. It is the power that makes us attain a certain stature. Without it we cannot be safe-guarded against disease. With an abundance of it we can defy contagion.
“The lack of vital power is easily discerned. If you are frightened somewhat, does your heart begin to beat furiously and suffocating? If you run, are you distressed for lack of breath? Is your digestive apparatus easily disarranged? Do your kidneys or liver give you trouble? Are you subject to sever headaches? Do you lack strength and endurance? Does an ordinary day’s toil fatigue you? Does even a little addition to your usual amount of labor leave you exhausted? If so, you may rest assured that you are lacking in vital power.
“It is he who is able to retire at night and sleep soundly, who awakes refreshed in the morning; who leaves home for his business feeling strong and contented, and able to do and dare; who goes blithely and easily through the day’s work; who finds rest, not fatigue in an evening’s recreation; who can stand an extra strain upon his physical resources when that strain comes; who enjoys life and does not find time for moping or for dreading; who always feels as is he could cheerfully undertake to do far more than the task that faces him; who hardly realizes the meaning of illness, and who believes that health is largely a result of will power; who enjoys every waking moment of life and who feels that his career does not give full scope to his energies–THIS IS HE WHO POSSESSES VITAL POWER!”
This comes from his book Building of Vital Power and is as true today as when it was published over 100 years ago in 1904.
Last night I was out at a show of my friends’ band in Oakland. We didn’t make it home until almost 4 in the morning. I woke up about four hours later. Now I normally sleep between 8 and 9 hours a day. Quantity and quality of sleep is a necessity especially when you train hard.
However, when some people might let the lack of sleep destroy there efforts in the day, when you have a huge reserve of vital power you can power through it without slowing down. Not only did I get up and start working, I completed my workout even surpassing my goal for the exercise.
If I kept up this behavior for days on end it would surely catch up to me, but one day of just about any sub-optimal behavior, whether eating poor foods, lack of sleep, even a night of drinking should not derail you.
But sometimes these things gets in the way of your training goals. That’s another subject I’ll be going into at the upcoming free teleseminar a week away. If you haven’t already signed up make sure you do.
If you want to make 2009 your best training year ever make sure you are on this call. I promise I’ll be well-rested and ready to deliver great hard-hitting content to you.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Jan 14th, 2009. Comment.
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