How to Build Muscle, Gain Strength & Become a Better Athlete » Motivation

My Personal Journey to Hell and Back

Jason Ferruggia — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:41:22 +0000

Maybe you screwed up last year. You showed signs of weakness or lost your way.

Maybe it was your fault or maybe it wasn’t.

Maybe your dad died or you got fired or divorced.

Thing is, none of that matters now. You don’t have to forget any of the hardships you endured but you do need to leave them behind you. Sitting around thinking about what was or what could have been does no one any good.

When my step dad, Ed, died a few years ago it seemed like all I could do for the next few weeks was sit around in a deep depression. I was emotionally crippled until one day my mom told me that, “Ed would never want to see you like this. Life is for the living. Unfortunately, as harsh as it sounds, Ed is gone and isn’t coming back. But you’re here and need to keep living your life. That’s what he would want.”

The next day I got back to Hustlemania, set some new goals and started pursuing them with relentless aggression.

I still keep a picture of Ed next to my bed and look at it every morning. But the sadness is gone. It has to be. Any negative emotion you harbor, be it sadness, jealousy or anger, will only take you further away from living the life you truly want.

Trust me, I know. I had some minor anger issues for many years when I was a lot younger due to certain childhood circumstances. All it ever did was hold me back in life. Nowadays the anger is gone. Sure, I’m still human and something could piss me off once in a blue moon, but it will take a hell of a lot more than it used to. And in the rare case that it happens I’m over it in literally two minutes.

Because of that I’m happier, healthier and more successful.

2012 is here. It’s a brand new year. It’s a chance to do things your way, to take control of your life, to achieve new goals and live on your own terms.

We all screw up. We all have obstacles to overcome. And no one is lucky enough to escape some sort of tragedy or death in the family that has a deep effect on us.

But we have to keep moving forward. It’s the only choice.

I spent years of my life living in the past. Missing “the good old days” or wishing I had done this or that, full of regret. I can tell you from experience that it’s no way to live.

From the Outhouse to the Penthouse & Back Again

In 1994 I made $200 a week training people.

By 1996 I finally had an athlete to train. But just one.

In 2001 I was booked around the clock, had close to a hundred athletes per day in my training facility and was making more money than I ever dreamed of.

In 2006, after more than a decade running a very successful six figure training business I was told that the building my gym was in was being sold and that we had six months to find a new location. After searching desperately, hiring a lawyer, going through zoning board meetings, and a whole bunch of other nonsense, six months came and went, and I was forced to close down.

It was one of the darkest hours of my life and I owe a great debt of gratitude to Dave Tate and Alwyn Cosgrove for helping me get through it. Luckily my friend, John Alvino, opened his place a few weeks later and we were able to transition a lot of people over there and keep Renegade alive.

However, I had taken a hit. More than half of my clients couldn’t make the drive. Even though my income was cut by 50% I still kept spending money like MC Hammer.

Dinner at Nobu? Call the crew, it’s on me.

Vegas for the weekend? Get the penthouse suite.

Since I no longer had the twelve hour a day commitment of running Renegade on my own I decided to move into New York City for a while. It was something I always wanted to do and seemed like it would be a nice break.

Seven months later, after going out to five star restaurants, bars, clubs and lounges six to seven nights a week I was out of cash… and by out of cash I mean completely broke. You party like a rock star with reckless abandon for 10-12 years straight and it will eventually catch up with you.

I was young and dumb and have no excuses. When younger friends of mine start making good money I always pull them aside and tell them my story and to not be like me.

About this time in 2006 there was an average of ten bucks in my pocket on any given day, just enough to buy gas and bagels. In one of the most humiliating moments of my life I had to call my mom and ask if I could move into her spare room for a while.

Talk about depressed….

How I Turned it All Around

Six years later I’m residing on the beach in Santa Monica, California, running multiple successful businesses, have one of the most visited blogs in all of strength and conditioning, am helping hundreds of thousands of people, doing what I want, the way I want and literally loving every waking second of my existence. My life could honestly not be any better.

Now before some of you tell me to go fuck myself, let me assure you that I only share this with you for no other reason than the fact that I believe, in my little pea brain, that it proves anything is possible.

I have no special skills. I do nothing exceptionally well, naturally. I was a D+ to C- student, at best and got under 900 on my SAT’s. In other words I’m far from the smartest guy in the room.

I’m also easily distracted, have a short attention span and, for many years of my life, always looked at the glass as half empty.

On top of that I had zero self confidence as a kid.

That’s why I got into strength training. That’s probably why many of us do. I was sick of being smaller and weaker than everyone else and the threat of being pummeled into oblivion constantly looming over my head.

Over the course of many years I not only got bigger and stronger but I developed the self confidence to know that I could do anything I wanted in life. I went from doubting everything I ever did to knowing, without question, that I could dominate. The strength I gained in the weight room was so much more than physical. It changed me mentally and emotionally and made me the man I am today. It transformed me into someone who isn’t afraid to take on any challenge and knows that victory is the only possible outcome.

That, and that alone, is why I think everyone should do some form of strength training. Until you experience it for yourself you may think it’s all just an act in vanity or silly nonsense, but when you see the change it can make in people like me and the thousands of others I’ve worked with you realize that it’s probably the single greatest thing a person can do for themselves.

Armed with the self confidence the iron bestowed upon me I set out to make some serious changes. The only thing I had going for me naturally was an inhuman work ethic and a burning desire to get better. I knew there were things I didn’t like about myself and I wanted to change them. I had to get focused and more disciplined… so I did just that.

When I was sitting alone rotting in my mom’s spare bedroom I had a dream of moving to Southern California. I hate cold weather and I hate driving. I wanted to live on the beach in a town where I rarely had to drive anywhere. So setting the goal of living on the beach in Santa Monica was pretty much a no brainer.

Instead of wishing or asking the universe or whatever they do in the Secret I decided that I would make it happen by working my ass off, surrounding myself with the right people and creating a routine of daily success habits.

I set specific goals, gave myself a deadline and promised myself that I would not fail.

Everyone Needs a Support Team

Along the way I got a lot of help and great advice from my friends Craig Ballantyne, Alwyn Cosgrove and Dave Tate. Those three guys have made a huge impact on my career and I would never have achieved the level of success I have in life without them. My mom was also always there for me in ways I couldn’t even begin to count.

Over the last four and a half years I couldn’t have done a third of what I’ve done without the love and support of the best girl in the world, my partner in crime, business and life, Jen Grasso. I’m not sure the word “take” is even a part of her vocabulary. She only knows “give,” and asks nothing in return. I couldn’t be more blessed or grateful to have her in my life.

We all need a support system. No one can do it alone. In fact, social support is one of the biggest benefits of The Renegade Inner Circle, and is why the members achieve their goals faster than those who try to take the solo route.

Cut the Dead Weight

I cut out all the deadbeats in my life and now associate only with positive thinking, hard working winners.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve known someone or even if they are related to you. If they’re a negative force they’re gone. You need to cut them loose, no matter how hard that may be. I did it. All the other successful people in the world did it. You have to do it.

Shit talkers… gone.

Complainers… gone.

Depressed or depressing people… gone.

Jealous people… gone.

Pessimistic people… gone.

People who are forever broke… gone.

People who doubt your dreams… gone.

People who say, “It must be nice”… gone.

People who always put a negative spin on everything… gone.

People who use the phrases, “I hope,” “I’ll try,” “Hopefully”… gone.

People with a major aversion to risk taking… gone.

Who you spend time and associate with is literally one of the most important decisions you can ever make. You become the sum of the people you surround yourself with.

Any negativity that is around you will, over time, seep into your brain and change the way you look at things and decrease your chances of success.

This, I promise you.

Want to lift heavier weights? Train with stronger people.

Want to make more money? Spend time with rich people.

Want to be a better person? Spend time with good, positive people who are void of jealousy, hatred and bitterness.

It’s a very simple formula yet so many people overlook it.

When you are positive and in the right mind state good things just seem to happen. Opportunities present themselves that wouldn’t otherwise.

That may sound like some weird, existential hokey bullshit but it’s 100% true.

If you’re staying in a job you hate simply for the benefits you need to start spending more time with more successful people. Insurance costs about $400-$500 a month. Do you really think your happiness is worth that? Do you really think that if it honestly meant that much to you that you wouldn’t somehow find a way to make that money back?

Work where you want to work.

Live where you want to live.

Do what you want to do.

Not taking a risk is often the biggest risk you can take and will lead to a lifetime of regrets.

What I did to achieve success is nothing. There are people who truly had to endure real hardship and struggles and have gone on to be some of the most successful people on the planet.

Get Your Mind Right

I always thought that rah-rah success talk was corny and clichéd. I downplayed the importance of goal setting and mindset. Because of that nothing in my life was as good as it could have been. Not my training, not my business, not my relationships… nothing.

So as corny or clichéd as you may think it sounds I want everyone to start off the year knowing that literally anything is possible. There is nothing you can’t do if you get your head right and are willing to work your ass off.

But it’s not just working hard. There a plenty of people who do that. It’s all about working smart.

I will be back later in the week with a bullet point checklist of essential steps for world domination, guaranteed to make 2012 your best year ever.

In the meantime remember this-

I’ve had no self confidence.

I’ve been depressed.

I’ve been pessimistic.

I’ve been broke.

I’ve been surrounded with negative people and told I’ll never make it or that I’m a dream believer (I am) and am wasting my time.

I’ve been down and out.

I have no special skills and am far from the smartest, strongest or best looking guy in the world.

If I can find happiness and success you definitely can too.

PS. An awesome goal setting/achieving system that I highly recommend is the Magic Hundred. Click HERE to check it out and get the new year off to a banging start.

4 Lessons From Tim Tebow

Jason Ferruggia — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:13:46 +0000

Yesterday, the magical streak of Tim Tebow came to an end and there were a lot of happy people.

That’s because people hate Tim Tebow.

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots put a temporary end to Tebow-mania as Brady showed the youngster how the position of quarterback is meant to be played. As a result there were a lot of unhappy people.

That’s because people love Tim Tebow.

He’s a polarizing figure who, over the last few months, has become one of the biggest sports stories of the year.

Like him or hate him I think there’s a lesson to be learned from watching him. I, personally, have questioned his skills all along and found myself nodding in agreement when watching NFL pregame shows about how this type of offense can’t last.

Lately, many of those same critics have changed their tune, saying that there’s something unique about the kid and that he just knows how to win.

Now whether or not he ever wins another game or even plays another down doesn’t matter. What matters is that he has set an example for people all over the world.

Personal feelings aside here is what I have taken from Tim Tebow:

1) Always Believe in Yourself

Nobody is knocking down your door to proclaim your awesomeness. If you don’t believe it what makes you think that anyone else would? When people ask, “Who is the greatest strength coach or fitness expert in the world,” I tell them I am. I have to believe it before other people do. Tebow believes he can and will get the job done. Of that much he is sure, and because of that he succeeds.

You need to believe that you will succeed in whatever it is you attempt in life. If you doubt yourself chances are very good that you’ll fail. Which is okay. Everyone fails and you can’t be afraid of it. But at least give yourself better odds from that get go by believing in yourself wholeheartedly.

Fuck what everyone else says.

Do what you want and be the best at it. Or at least try your damndest.

2) Skill Isn’t Always the Most Important Thing

There’s always going to be someone bigger, stronger, faster, smarter, better looking and more skilled than you are. That doesn’t mean you can’t beat them if you work your ass off and believe in yourself. Tebow doesn’t have the same skill set as the majority of quarterbacks in the National Football League. What he has is a belief in himself and his team and an unmatched will to win.

If you do an honest assessment of yourself can you say that your will to succeed at work, on the playing field or in the weight room is as strong as Tim Tebow’s is? If it’s not then change it. You’re in 100% control of your life and your future.

This lesson is always important for me to keep in mind because there is NOTHING that I do exceptionally well or better than the majority of people. That’s why I have to always work harder and smarter than my competition. If there’s one thing anyone can do it’s out-hustle everyone else and have that indomitable will to win.

3) Don’t Let Negativity, Criticism or Defeat Bring You Down

I don’t know him personally but it appears that Tebow is impervious to negativity or criticism. Losses on the football field only seem to make him stronger, as evidenced by that video from his Florida days when, following a big loss, he promised that no one would ever work harder throughout the rest of the season.

We should all react to failure or defeat in the same manner. Don’t get down and out about it. Let it make you stronger and then come back with more tenacity and determination than ever before. Succeed at all costs.

Eliminate negative people and situations from your life. Don’t listen to what critics or haters have to say. Everyone fails. There’s no shame in that. It’s how you respond to failure that ultimately determines your success.

Years ago I can remember getting pissed off when haters would trash talk me on the internet. My buddies, Craig Ballantyne and Alwyn Cosgrove would be victim to the same type of thing and we’d discuss it from time to time. Nowadays I can proudly say that I can’t remember the last time we had such a conversation. It’s been at least five years if not longer. That’s because we’ve all evolved enough to not read that stuff anymore or care about it in the least.

When you get down about a few people saying negative things about you think about how many people are saying a lot worse things about Tim Tebow and on NATIONAL TELEVISION. If he can overcome that surely you can overcome a few negative people around town or the office.

Take whatever steps are necessary to remove negativity from your life. And if you slip up do your best to remain strong and move on as fast as possible. There is absolutely no good that can ever come from dwelling on it or engaging with negative people.

4) Always Stay Positive and Keep Smiling

Over the last two months Tim Tebow has converted a lot of critics to fans. I am one. Not because he has become significantly better at playing quarterback, but rather because of how he has handled both adversity and success. When the whole world was saying he had no chance and that the Broncos needed to find an immediate replacement, it would have been easy for him to lash out at the media in a Randy Moss or Terrell Owens like tirade. He just kept smiling, though. Not once did he ever get down or say a single negative word. And that made all the difference in how he is now perceived.

Had he given us all the finger or been seen on camera throwing his helmet on the sideline, public perception might be different than it is right now. When you keep smiling and remain positive and true to yourself people actually want to see you succeed and will be very willing to help you along the way. We all need some help in one way or another. Nobody likes or wants to help negative people. They can’t even stand the sight of them.

No matter how bad things get don’t ever let yourself become a “doom-and-gloom” negative person who nobody wants to be around. That does no one any good. Always try to find something positive and smile about it.

If you can’t do that you may as well throw in the towel because you’re already defeated and there will be no fourth quarter comeback.

Remember, my friends, you are wherever you are in life because that is where you think you should be.

No one controls your fate but you.

Tim Tebow.

You can love him or hate him…

I, for one, have been inspired by him.

****

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts so drop a comment below.

New Look, New Goals, New Questions

Jason Ferruggia — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:12:19 +0000

People don’t change. That’s what they say, right? But who are they? And who are you, as a free thinking Renegade to listen to them anyway?

Perhaps heeding the words of someone a bit wiser, like the great American poet, Henry Rollins would be a better idea…

“I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself. To cut yourself out of stone.”

This has been a guiding principle throughout my life; reinvention and constantly trying to better myself.

That’s what the snake tattoo on my arm represents in the traditional Japanese mythology. The snake is always shedding its skin and evolving. To remain stagnant would be the same as dying.

You can never remain stagnant, my friends. The quest for self improvement is not something that you can take a break from. It’s an every day, all day thing.

I’m a different person than I was five years ago. And I will be a different person in another five years; as will many of you, I’m sure. Because I know you guys get it and want it to excel more than most people do.

Like Jets head coach, Rex Ryan says, “Every day, everybody needs to strive to get just a little bit better.” And even though I’m a Giants fan, first and foremost, I hear those words in my head every morning when I wake up.

Like anything else it takes daily practice and reminders. You don’t become a better musician or athlete without practicing on a regular basis, hour after hour. Nor do you become a better, more productive, more successful (financially and emotionally) person without ritualistically practicing each and every hour of the day.

This daily routine includes associating only with positive people and eliminating all negative forces from your life. It includes having a schedule that you follow without allowing outside forces to steer you off track. It includes making lists, meditating, training, listening to motivational music or recordings and reading a select number of good books and blogs that you derive motivation from (like this one, hopefully).

New Look, Same Attitude

With that in mind I’m proud to introduce our brand new site to the Renegade Nation. Special thanks goes out to Derek, Alex and Eoin for all their help and the great job they did. This is the third version of the site since we started it back in 2006 and by far the best, in my opinion. Onward and upward.

I’m loving the overall look and feel and am really digging some of the cool new upgrades we’ve added. I hope you guys do to and would appreciate any feedback.

2011 was by far and away the best year ever for the Renegade Nation. Readership steadily grew into the hundreds of thousands, we had more new training programs released than any year before, there were live events, we brought more high profile, big name clients into the family, we were voted as one of the top 100 most influential forces in fitness right up there with trainers who appear on TV in front of a much larger audience… But that was nothing.

2012 has to be even bigger. Inspired by my friend Craig Ballantyne, I have made it my mission to bring the Renegade way to one million people and help them reach their strength and fitness goals while improving their productivity and helping them live happier, more successful lives.

But I can’t do it alone. I need your help.

I need you guys to constantly get better every day and I want to hear about it… on the blog, through email, on Facebook and Twitter, in person, everywhere. That will serve as my motivation.

No one can do it alone. We all need a support team. And you guys are mine.

I’m accountable to you guys and you’re all accountable to each and every other Renegade out there across the globe.

Moving Foward

Growing the Renegade Nation to one million strong is my big, hairy, audacious goal for the next few years. Short term I will continue hustling in the pursuit of numerous short term goals including the expansion of Renegade to the West Coast, of which I will keep you all updated on later in 2012.

As for my own fitness goals going forward I have some things I need to work on. Firstly, I’m a horrible traveler. I end up either not eating because there are no healthy options, or eating junk food because I put off eating for so long that I make myself sick and have to eat whatever’s in sight. Not cotton candy, mind you, but stuff I normally wouldn’t eat. I need to make a much better effort to be prepared and keep my nutrition on point when I’m on the road.

I’ve always had difficulty sleeping for as long as I can remember. This year I made it my goal to work on and dramatically improve that. I did and am sleeping a lot better but there are still some steps I can take to improve it even more. I need to train earlier in the day and finish eating a bit earlier every night. I also need to make sure all work related stuff is completely off my mind by a certain hour. When I do those things I sleep better. Now I just need to make them unbreakable habits.

Finally, I need to continue to temper my enthusiasm for training. In the past I have gotten injured plenty of times because I couldn’t control myself and just love training so damn much. Over the last year I’ve gotten significantly better at this but there is still much room for improvement and I will be constantly working on it.

How Can You Get Better?

To wrap this up I have a few questions for you:

What is your biggest weakness that you need improve upon?

What is holding you back from reaching your goals that needs to be eradicated? Think long and hard and be brutally honest with yourself. We can’t fix something if we’re not willing to identify it as a problem and put it out there for all to see.

Lastly, what are your biggest fitness/lifestyle goals for 2012? Not bullshit New Years resolutions, but real, attainable goals that you can and WILL conquer in the next 12 months.

To kick the new blog off right let’s get 100 comments from some fired up Renegades who are ready to kick ass, take names and change the world!

Thanks again for all of your support.

Renegade Attittude

Jason Ferruggia — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 02:15:28 +0000

There are thousands of people who read this site every day who will never make it to Jersey to train at Renegade. So I debated even posting this since it won’t really apply to most of you. But then I realized that no, that’s wrong. It will apply to anyone who trains hard, takes this stuff very seriously and expects the same of all around them.

I’ve mentioned my close friend, Mark Crook plenty of times before. He would be a great addition to any serious gym or group of training partners anywhere in the world. He brings it each and every time and sets an example for those around him. He’s also close to fifty years old, with no signs of slowing down.

The other night I got an email from Mark telling me that he had written this after being at the gym training earlier in the evening. That’s how much training means to him.

Other people go to the gym on a daily basis to get a pump or get their heart rate up or hang out with their friends. But not Crook. He’s like each and every person who visits this site regularly and trains Renegade style. It means so much more to him than that.

So, even though he’s not talking directly to you I still thought it was a pretty good read from one of our fellow brothers in Iron.

Like Dan John, I don’t get this whole idea that seems to permeate fitness these days that every workout has to be the greatest training session of your life. Nothing else gets linearly better so why should training? There is something to be said for lighter or easier workouts. And sometimes just going through the motions is actually beneficial; especially on days you don’t have it. But only if you actually train hard most of the other times.

You need to learn to train hard before you can learn to take it easy.

I hope that all the people who train at Renegade take this to heart and can answer Crook’s call.

Introducing my friend, Mark Crook, unedited, rough, rugged and raw…

***

I wrote this a few weeks ago and felt it relevant to post as I was happy to train at Renegade Friday night as well as help train a few crews… sorry for the length but felt it worth sharing…

Due to my office moving 2hrs away, I haven’t been able to make it to Renegade my usual 3-4x per week. Instead I try to get there as often as I can, usually on a Saturday. This week I’ve been fortunate to be able to get there Monday and Wednesday. I trained at some times and I helped train others at different times. It gave me an opportunity to see some of the usual crew as well as some of our new members– a great group of people and I was happy to see everyone.

Being gone allowed me to look at the gym and individual dynamics with a different perspective (an outsider if you will)… I observed everyone and wondered what they were thinking, where they were “mentally” regarding their training session, what their effort looked like, etc. It got me thinking even further— I wondered what Renegade meant to each one of them, what did it represent to them…

Did it mean as much to them as it does to me?

Do they think about this place all day like I do?

Now most of you know me and know what I am about, at least in the gym. I am committed to representing our place in and out of the gym …I am not the biggest or strongest but I will bring our attitude…the gym is too special to me and like me or not, I will protect it.

That said, here’s what I commit to…

• I will bring it every day that I walk through that door. Asking for 45 minutes of 100% focus is not asking much yet the positive impact is significant– not only to me but everyone else in that room.

• I’m on the fence about the acceptable training mental state and the science behind mental state. I also know everyone may “bring it” in their own way. Now it could be argued that one should maintain a state of control (controlled chaos if you will) — intense but staying focused on the task at hand, not frying your CNS within the first 5 minutes and strategically accomplishing your goals for the day. But I still love the days of old when I witnessed Jared breaking a florescent light bulb over his head before a lift or projectile vomit mid-way through a max effort deadlift. Or the memory I have of reaching the wooden door (no windows) to the gym and finding a large hole through the center of it so I could see into the gym from the outside (a result of a fight earlier that day that occurred in the middle of an intense workout).

No one was friends for an hour, no one spoke and everyone tried to one-up the other. We would watch video of the training session immediately afterward to check our form and congratulate each other on good lifts. There is something to be said about training in that kind of environment. So when I train, I commit to providing a blend of both worlds. I also don’t think it is a coincidence that when I work in with a group, people suddenly get stronger. Or when I train with someone with a similar state of mind, I get stronger… it is the environment that I try to create on behalf of my training partners.

• I will be challenged and I will challenge. Not only through motivational feedback from a trainer or partner but through my actions. My days of squatting and deadlifting big are over due to my back but I promise you I will challenge and find ways to beat you in other ways and other exercises… and I will beat you.

• I will pay attention to my training partners… spotting them, providing tips or feedback that will help them improve. I will do all I can to help you achieve your goals. I will do that even though I want to bury you. If I’m going to beat you, I want you at your best.

• My warmups are practice for my work sets. My focus and form will be just as good with the bar as they are with a heavy set of 3.

Now I ask all that train at Renegade– very special people to me … what do you commit to?

Will you protect this place and represent it as only it should be represented?

Will you motivate and be motivated?

Will you contribute to each and every training session in a positive manner?

Will you?

A Day in the Life

Jason Ferruggia — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:19:10 +0000

“I never sleep, cuz sleep is the cousin of death.”
Nas- New York State of Mind

I was supposed to be Eminem. At least that’s the way I saw it back in ’88. It was my freshman year of high school and the Beastie Boys were yet to be taken seriously, so I figured I could be the first great white rapper. I practiced my rhymes all the time and just knew that within a few years I’d be on tour opening for Public Enemy. Then 3rd Bass came along and crushed my dreams. But I could at least be second, I thought…

Twenty three years later I still write and rap every day. Except that I don’t write raps. I write about training and I rap along to Eminem, Nas, Biggie and thousands of other classic hip hop songs on my iPod.

I also:

Coach athletes and regular people who want to get bigger, stronger and faster
Design training programs
Answer questions
Order new stuff for the gym or myself to try out
Test out and review products people send me for free
Do all kinds of networking and behind the scenes business stuff
Read about training
Read about business
Keep in constant contact with the eleven people I pay to work for me on a regular basis
And whatever else I need to do in order to ensure my success

It’s all about the hustle. It’s the only way I know how to live.

While it may not be as glamorous as touring the world rocking mics and partying with my groupies backstage, I love what I do and wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Here’s a sneak peak into a recent day.

4:56am- I wake up with an incredible urge to pee and while en route to the bathroom write the first few sentences to an article I had promised my buddy, Chris McCombs.

5:02am- What’s the use? I already have the article started in my head and I can’t risk forgetting the opening. May as well get it done now, I decide. So I fill up a 40oz bottle of water and get to work.

5:43am- With that one done I decide to get started on another article for the Huffington Post.

7:07am- Check in on social media stuff and blast a few tweets to my Twitter and status updates to my Facebook page. It’s all very noteworthy, life changing stuff… like Jerky Boys quotes and my commentary on the effectiveness of coconut oil as a sexual lubricant.

7:09am- Notice that I have a decent number of new fans on my Facebook Page since I last checked and when I click on them I notice the steadily increasing number of good looking females. If only I had a mic in my hand this could all be so different.

7:14am- Hop in the shower, alone, and get ready to head to Renegade.

Michael Flynn approaches 500

7:23am- After getting distracted by an important email I text my long time good friend and Renegade staff member, Alyson that I’m running late and she’ll need to open up for me.

7:31am- Throw some One World Whey and Athletic Greens in a shaker bottle for later as I run out the door.

8-10am- Coach two groups of clients.

10:09am- My eyes start closing while I’m standing and in mid conversation with my brother. This is unusual since the dude is pretty intense and keeps you on your toes, to say the least. With all that’s been going on lately I’ve barely slept in days. I decide I need one of my four monthly cups of coffee right now.

10:32am- Caffeine seems to be kicking in and Jared and I discuss some business issues as he gets started painting on the new record boards. We wanted to add some more boards/categories and decided that chalkboard paint like we had in the old place was the best choice.

10:37am- We settle on bench, squat, dead, log clean and press, pushup, chin up, broad jump and farmers hold. That covers a broad enough spectrum of maximal strength, power and strength endurance. I would love to have some kind of lower body endurance challenge but the space we’re in doesn’t allow for it. While a wall sit is a fun toughness challenge it’s not worthy of a record board.

Since we still don’t have a log light enough for the girls we decided to sub in a high rep barbell clean and press as a temporary challenge. As many reps as you can get in a minute with 65 pounds. Aly bangs out 17 on her first attempt below.

10:44am- I call John Alvino. “Hey maggot (a name we always call each other because it makes us fondly recall the Iron Sheik vs. Sargent Slaughter feud), before we finalize these new record boards can you think of anything else worth adding?” We decide to leave it as is. Somehow the conversation deviates to big asses and the like, as it usually does. When we were 22 I would have never guessed that we’d still be having the same conversations 15 years later and would still be so easily distracted by the sight of boobies. In mid sentence John says, “I gotta go, bye.”

Click. Just like that he’s gone and I have no problem with it. When you’re on a cell phone you may have to hang up with someone at any second. Having that understanding makes it very easy to talk to someone on the phone. If I know I can’t get off the phone that easily with someone I won’t call them… ever. I simply can’t deal with giving an explanation of why I have to go. I just do and I’m hanging up. I’ll call you back at some point.

I also can’t deal with the questioning…

“What? Just like that? You’re hanging up right now? Are you gonna call me back?”

It’s one of my least favorite lines of questioning on this earth.

But apologizing for getting disconnected is equally as irritating.

“What happened? Was that my phone? Your phone? Sorry, dude I don’t know what’s wrong with my phone…”

“ALRIGHT!” I get it. Who cares? Just move on with the conversation like nothing happened. I think in 2011 we all understand that calls will be dropped from time to time. Let’s pick up where we left off and move forward.

Walt hits 500 for a set of 8 rack pulls

10:52am-I review four resumes my assistant had forwarded me and a few internship requests.

10:55am- Upload my bio and head shot to send to Adam at Live Strong where I’ll be a new member of their five man fitness advisory team. I wonder for a minute if anyone else on the staff could be as handsome as me. The chances are slim I realize, so I send the pic along.

11am- Do a phone consultation with a multi time NFL Pro Bowler, mainly about nutrition.

12pm- Call to wish my mom a happy birthday and regret not doing so earlier in the morning. We go back and forth about whether something she had told me yesterday that I forgot was due to my inability to pay attention or my lack of memory. I argue for memory loss, she’s standing strong behind her opinion that my listening skills suck. We agree to disagree… I think. I can’t remember.

12:07pm- I laugh at the strange dichotomy of my world. One minute I’m on the phone with one of the greatest football players of the last twenty years, the next minute I’m getting yelled at by my mom like I’m 15.

12:09pm- Jared tells me about someone who has a problem with me. I’m shocked by the fact that it’s past noon and this is the first such occurrence of the day. I must be getting soft. Dan Kennedy always says if you haven’t pissed someone off by noon every day you’re not doing a very good job.

12:17pm- I receive an email from the person in question. I write back.

12:28pm- Get a text from my friend Andrew who tells me that his legs are covered in mosquito bites from our dinner together the night before. I tell him I’ve already scratched my ankles to a bloody pulp. We laugh about my quip to the waitress about how I couldn’t choke down the hockey puck I was served and the jokes that ensued afterwards. “This is bone dry too?!” You had to be there. The point is I spend a good portion of my day in hysterical laughter and place a premium on comedy.

It seems like I choose my friends by their ability to make me laugh or find the humor in all that I do. Which is pretty much everything.

12:39pm- Realized I was running late for lunch with mom but luckily I got my running late habit from her and she’s running later than me.

1:05pm- Call Jen, who’s back in Cali while waiting outside the restaurant for my mom. We go over some business stuff, then she tells me that I’m gonna miss the Santa Monica Food Festival this weekend. For someone who likes to eat as much as I do that kinda sucks. I tell her that I’m also gonna miss getting laid. Which kinda sucks worse.

DaNunz Pumps the Guns

1:10pm- I get a text from another athlete client who is on the road and needs some tweaks to his program based on what’s available in the gym he’s at. I send him back the changes.

1:12pm- Another text from a college athlete of mine checking in to say hi and update me on things. He tells me that my old friend, Sal Alosi of the New York Jets, is their new strength coach and said hi.

1:16pm- Mom shows up late and we eat. I get chicken and pasta. The stress and lack of sleep lately is shrinking me rapidly so I need to pack in some calories.

2:03pm- Check my phone after lunch and see a text from my buddy Sean Hyson, updating me on his trip to Vegas for the Mr. Olympia. Since I’m across the street from the mall I decide to run in and see if I can find some new shorts and pants which I desperately need.

3pm- Walk out of the mall empty handed. This is pretty much the case nine out of ten times I go to any mall. That is, of course, if you’re not counting the unsolicited phone numbers I receive while shopping.

“HI-OH!”

Just kidding. Well except for the two guys that told me to call them. They thought I’d be perfect as a “fluffer” for their next film. I’m not exactly sure what that means but the spank on my ass they gave me assured me that they meant business.

“I think it may have moved.”

“Moved?”

“It may have moved, I don’t know.”

“I’m sure it didn’t move.”

“It moved! It was imperceptible but I felt it.”

Ah, that never gets old…

3:05pm- Text Joe DeFranco a question about some equipment I’m thinking of getting for the gym.

3:11pm- Get a call about the possibility of training one of the best high school teams in the state, or at least some of them. We set up a tentative date to get the ball rolling.

3:15- Hop in the car and am greeted by the sounds of that whiny, screechy weird Lil Wayne/ Ne-Yo hip hop/ R&B stuff that all sounds the same to me these days… HORRIBLE. So I put on Hip Hop Junkies by Nice and Smooth and head to a 4pm meeting about something that could be pretty big.

5:20pm- Back at Renegade and back in coaching mode. But first I discuss the importance of not sounding or appearing too desperate when you first meet a girl you are interested in with a young friend of mine. Girls are like attack dogs and can sniff out fear or desperation from a mile away.

Sending that one extra text or asking that one weird question can be the death of any possible relationship or one night stand long before it starts. You need to at least appear like you have things going for you and your life isn’t hinging upon her getting back to or spending time with you.

The key to this is to keep a steady rotation, I explain, so then you’re never putting all your eggs in one basket. If it doesn’t work out with one you have 2-4 to fall back on. Then you’ll never be desperate which leads to getting more girls, etc, etc. Success breeds success.

But be prepared for girls who were at first quite busy all the time when you wanted to get to know them better to never have anything going on ever when you no longer do. That always makes for lots of fun and weirdness.

5:30-7:30pm- Run two groups through the paces, crack some jokes and talk some shit to raise the level of competition in the gym. In my evil and devious mind I constantly plot ways to get the crew fired up and pissed off enough to outdo each other at all costs. An example of this is me telling 23 year old Jeff how embarrassed he will be if 48 year old Mark beats him on the Power Wheel Pushup challenge (seen below), especially since he’s been training with me for nine years, one longer than Mark. I whisper in Mark’s ear that he’s getting old and may not have the heart to fend off the young lions anymore. He proves me wrong.

7:30pm- At this point I’m overtired and wired so I decide to train with the last group. I put on Spaz Out by Jedi Mind Tricks (featuring Apathy, King Magnetic, Esoteric and Celph Titled) and I’m ready to go. Motivated by the performance of my 58 year old friend and client, Paul (seen in the video below) and staff member Yaniv (also seen below) I hit the military presses hard along with some chins and curls. It was all I had time for as I had to meet mom for dinner. For the biceps I introduced two of my coaches to a very secret technique I just invented that night called “running the rack.” I would tell you about it but then I’d have to kill you.

9:06pm- Roll into the Pluckemin Inn for dinner, six minutes late.

“Where were you the whole time?”

“It’s 9:06. I said I’d be here by 9.”

“Oh. Ok.”

After a pretty sub par, shlocky meal mom says how she wishes Ed was here and misses him every day. She said she was talking to him in the car on the way home from work. I start tearing up. It’s been two years but it still happens every time. I keep a picture of Ed next to my bed and touch it every morning when I wake up, promising to make him proud.

10:47pm- Back home and completely exhausted. I send an email about some nutrition and supplement stuff to another one of my pro guys and return a few other business related emails. My friend Jon Le Toq wants to know when I want to book the Renegade seminar in London and for me to shoot him a few possible dates to secure the gym.

There’s another email from my friend Paul Mort who simply wants to know if I’ve ever noticed how the skin on your balls resembles both elbow and chicken skin. I tell him that the thought occupies my mind for most of the day.

11:23pm- Log in to the Renegade Inner Circle and answer a few dozen questions for a half hour while trying to keep my eyelids pried open.

11:56pm- Tell Jen I love her and thank her for dealing with me. Then crash into bed, hoping to get some sleep. The hustle starts again bright and early tomorrow.

Do the Evolution

Jason Ferruggia — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:25:32 +0000

Throughout my life I’ve encountered numerous individuals who had little to no passion for anything. No hobbies they really enjoyed, no sports team they got behind, no causes they felt strongly about, no interest in world issues, they never read a book and were very indifferent towards music.

I find it impossible to relate to these kinds of people because I am beyond passionate about a whole hell of a lot of things. My friends would probably say obsessed. Unhealthily so, even.

Most regular readers know by now of my love for music, particularly Pearl Jam and old school hip hop. I’ve seen PJ live over 50 times and probably have another 50 shows in me. I listen to old school hip hop every day of the year and make it to any live shows within driving distance. Between iTunes and concert tickets I probably drop over ten grand a year on my music obsession.

When I walk into someone’s house for the first time my initial instinct is to make a bee line toward their book shelf. In the old days I was torn between that and their CD case but the invention of the iPod has made this decision easier the last few years. I want to know what they’re reading and what they would recommend to me.

If they had a case of live fitness models on display in another room I’d still stop at the book shelf first.

I’ve seen every episode of Seinfeld about a hundred times each and can recite the lines right along with the characters.

I was at the first five WrestleMania’s and up until things started going down hill the last 4-5 years I never missed a pay per view or episode of Monday Night Raw.

Jen and I watch all nine innings of all 162 Yankees games per year and are rabid New York Giants fans. I can still vividly remember running through the parking lot in ten degree weather with no shirt on and my face painted back when they won the NFC Championship game in ’86.

I have a strong love for movies with a message that deal with social issues I’m passionate about like Glory, American History X, Hotel Rwanda and Mississippi Burning.

But the one obsession I have the eclipses all others is that for training, nutrition and all things health related. Obsession is actually too tame of a word and doesn’t describe it adequately.

While I may be iTunes favorite customer, Amazon has got to have a special place in their heart for me since I don’t seem to be able to get through a single day without ordering a new book on training, nutrition, digestion, natural healing or longevity. I read at least one new one per week, often times two. I can’t get enough.

Back in high school you couldn’t pay me to read anything but Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone. My 1.7 GPA probably reflected that. As did my SAT score. Although for someone who simply checked “C” the whole way down for every single answer I thought I did pretty good… (Sorry, Mom)

Nowadays I discuss the topics of training, nutrition and health endlessly throughout each week. I’m lucky enough to know many of the worlds top experts in each of these fields to bounce ideas off of and learn from.

Which brings me to the point of this whole thing. Since I never stop experimenting and learning, my views and recommendations are bound to change from time to time. It’s just part of the natural evolutionary process.

Any organism that isn’t growing is dying.

It is not only my obsession but also my job and my responsibility to you guys to constantly be in search of a better way. I don’t want to just rehash the same old tired stuff I was telling you five years ago. If I did that it would mean I haven’t learned anything new and that I was a failure as a strength and conditioning professional.

Back in ’96 I might have given you the old “squats and milk” answer if you asked me how to get big and strong. But now I know that a large number of people can’t squat safely and that milk (unless it’s raw) is unfit for human consumption.

In 1999 I might have recommended supplements full of artificial ingredients like aspartame, dyes and other chemicals. Now I know that performance increases and physique changes start with optimizing your gut health, first and foremost above all else.

Consuming fake crap does not optimize your gut health. It destroys it. That’s why I only recommend the highest quality supplements these days, like One World Whey made with raw milk from grass fed cows. It’s simply not worth risking your health and will only slow down your progress.

In 2001 I thought gaining size was simply a matter of calories but now I know that it’s quality calories. I also know now that you can get by on fewer calories and carbs than previously thought if those calories are from ultra high quality, nutrient dense foods.

In ’03 I might have allowed clients to train to failure more often than they should simply because it created a better, more competitive atmosphere in the gym. Now I forbid it.

If you came to me for fat loss advice in 2005 I wouldn’t have told you that the most important first step is to detox your liver, simply because I didn’t know that yet.

A program I wrote in 2007 might have higher reps than a program I would right now, which would have very few sets going above eight.

A few years ago I would have been more concerned with over training than I am now because I’ve come to realize over the years that Louie Simmons was right all along and that most people just aren’t in shape to train and would be well served to bring up their GPP and work capacity.

In the past I may have recommended 5-6 meals per day whereas now I recommend 1-3 (more on this and The Renegade Diet in future posts).

Was I wrong about some of the things I’ve said in the past?

Yes.

Absolutely.

And I have no problem admitting that.

The best I can do is move forward and always continue evolving and learning through research and experimentation. Now, that doesn’t mean I was wrong about everything or that I’ve changed my mind on every single topic.

Nor does it mean that a program I wrote three or four years ago won’t still be effective. Not at all. It’s just that I’m always in search of a better way. As soon as I find that better way I experiment on myself and then some of my clients and friends. Finally, when I’m confident in what I’ve learned, I present the information to you guys.

I’m dedicated to always brining you the absolute best information I can and helping you get healthy and achieve all of your performance goals as fast as humanly possible.

Over the last several months I’ve been able to think with a clarity I never have before. This is all due to lifestyle and dietary changes (such as improving my sleep, lowering cortisol, detoxing my liver, regenerating my adrenals, going on an anti fungal/parasite regimen, certain supplements I’m taking, etc.) which I will share with you in the near future. It’s some of the most life changing stuff I’ve ever encountered and I want you to experience it first hand.

Because of this new found heightened level of mental focus and clarity I have been able to look at things in a different way. I’ve been able to make an honest assessment of every single thing I was recommending and decide if I still believed in or not. Sometimes the answer was yes, sometimes the answer was no.

I’ve always taken great joy in watching human beings evolve dramatically. Malcolm X was a completely different person in the middle of his life than he was in his early years. And after his trip to Mecca he made another remarkable transformation.

I’ve also experienced disappointment when seeing guys who haven’t evolved. The old friends who are still acting like they’re in high school or even coaches recommending all of the same things, across the board, that they were a decade ago.

I went to see House of Pain perform recently and couldn’t have been more let down after seeing that they were still playing the tough guy roles and fighting being white like it was still 1992. Everlast, in his mid to late 40’s, challenging a guy in the audience to brawl was quite the turn off. (Although I’ll still rock La Coka in the gym on a regular basis).

I never want to be that guy. I look back at myself from ten years ago and hardly recognize the guy I see in my memories. We’re two very, very different people. Hell, we might not even get along that well.

That’s why I respect Mike Boyle so much. Mike will always tell you before every seminar he gives that what he is recommending right now may be different next year. It’s simply the best information he has to present at the time based on his most recent findings. In other words he never stops learning. How can you not love that?

On my left arm I have a traditional Japanese style snake tattoo. According to the mythology it represents constant change in a positive direction because the snake is always shedding its skin. To me it’s all about evolution and continually getting better and reinventing myself.

“I believe that one defines ones self by reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself. To cut yourself out of stone.”
– Henry Rollins

On my right arm I have a traditional Japanese style koi fish. According to Japanese mythology the koi has to fight its way upstream throughout its life with the goal being to make it past a gate, where upon doing so it gets to become a dragon. To me this represents always setting goals and striving to get better, even if it means I’m swimming upstream against the norm or popular opinion.

And that is my goal for this website, my business and all of you that take the time to read what I have to say…

To constantly evolve and get better.

So if you see me say something in 2011 that contradicts something I said in 2006 now you know why. I will never stop experimenting, researching and learning.

I love this stuff too much.

And at the end of the day I want to help as many people as possible. No Pearl Jam concert or Giants Super Bowl victory could make me happier than knowing I was able to do just that.

So I hope I’ve been able to help you in some way, and I hope I can do even more for you in the future.

As always, thanks for reading, my friends.

Follow the Leader

Jason Ferruggia — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:15:16 +0000

Here’s a quick way for coaches and trainers to get more out of their athletes and instantly earn their respect.

Train with them.

It’s that simple.

Of course, you can’t do this all the time but once in a while, even if it’s a very rare occasion you should jump in on a workout to show them that you practice what you preach and lead from the front.

Athletes will always respect a coach more if he is willing to suffer with them. My advice would be to join in on a grueling conditioning day. Because, let’s face it, moving big weight for a few reps is fun. Brutally intense conditioning workouts are not.

Besides, a lot of times when heavy lifting is being done you need to be there every single rep, paying strict attention to detail making sure no one gets hurt. Conditioning sessions usually don’t have the same risk involved so this would make the more practical choice. Unless, of course, you have a large number of coaches per group. Then you could get in on the strength session once in a while as well.

But if you want to instantly earn respect from the guys you train then let them see you doing that nasty conditioning circuit you designed for them. They’ll trust you a whole lot more after that and will be a lot more likely to do what you ask of them without any resistance or hesitation.

I’ve done this for as long as I can remember and it’s always helped me get more out of my athletes. Whenever we had our weekly summer strongman competition days and there were uneven numbers for teams I always jumped in. For some reason it made everyone train harder and like/respect me more. When someone 10-15 years older than you beats your ass in a sled or Prowler race it forces you to pick up the intensity.

I’ll never forget the time a few years back when I was training a group of wrestlers who had been starting to slack off for a couple of workouts in a row. On one particular Friday workout they were more interested in the weekends plans than what we were doing in the gym that day. So I called an audible on the conditioning for that day and cranked it up a notch. Without any preparation I decided to jump right in with them. I was gonna show these punks what it meant to train hard, I told myself.

So we went through a death circuit of Prowler pushes, sandbags, swings, and ropes. I held it together while they were all still there but I threw up immediately after that and again on my drive home. My head was spinning and I barely made it through the front door without shitting my pants. They were obviously in way better shape than I was, although I didn’t let them know it or see it.

But those guys never gave it less than their best effort or questioned anything I told them to do from that day forward. By nearly killing myself in that workout and bleeding in the trenches right along there with them I had earned their respect and forced them to step up their intensity and dedication.

The thing some coaches forget is that you don’t have to be as strong or as well conditioned as every single one of your athletes. If you train a 300 pound NFL lineman and you weigh 210 he probably wouldn’t expect you to out squat him. Nor will he lose respect for you if you do. But you have to be fairly strong and be able to demonstrate a perfect squat (or front squat, or single leg squat or whatever main strength exercise you may use in your program).

If you train a UFC fighter he wouldn’t expect you to be more conditioned than he is; although you could be and it really wouldn’t hurt. It would serve as great motivation if you were. But maybe he’s coming to you for strength, first and foremost because that is his biggest weakness. So ideally, you as a coach or trainer, should always maintain an above average, somewhat impressive level of both strength and conditioning.

You have to set an example and lead from the front.

There is nothing worse than the weak, fat, out of shape strength coach or trainer.

Don’t be that guy.

Don’t Hate, Just Hustle

Jason Ferruggia — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:53:14 +0000

Snooki’s on the cover of this weeks Rolling Stone and people are pissed. Hell, I’m pissed. As a diehard music fan I seriously question their decision to slap millions of hard working starving artists in the face with this move. Young musicians grow up dreaming of one day making the cover of Rolling Stone and following in the footsteps of Lennon, Dylan, Hendrix, Jagger and … Snooki.

As a music fan I don’t see how you couldn’t be at least slightly offended by this move. But you don’t have to hate Snooki. The general perception is that this girl is nothing more than a drunken, over tanned, brainless, soulless, talentless putz. And that may very well be true.

That’s no reason to hate her, though. As the saying goes, “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.”

When you hate someone it just takes positive energy away from you; energy you could be using to make your own life better. If you want to hate someone hate Hitler or Qaddafi. Or maybe Usher or Beyonce for taking millions of dollars and playing shows for him.

Not Snooki, though. She’s only doing what any of us would do if given the opportunity. If MTV offered the majority of us a show we’d take it. And if colleges and night clubs wanted to give us $15,000-$25,000 just to make a two hour appearance we’d be there with a smile. And a fake tan.

Before hating on Snooki maybe the real question we should be asking ourselves is could we do what she’s doing if the opportunity was thrust upon us? She’s got jewelry, slippers and books coming out. Next on the agenda is her own show.

She may appear to do nothing more than drink but she’s also hustling.

While she may not be Mensa material she was smart enough to know how the game is played and capitalize on any and every opportunity she had.

“The first season, we definitely amped it up, because we didn’t know if the show was going to air, so we went all out,” she says in Rolling Stone. “But I kind of party a little too much, to where I don’t want to, but if I don’t, I know I’m not going to get airtime, that hurts you in the end.”

That doesn’t sound like too much of a dummy to me. Unless you’ve got your own show on MTV it would seem pointless to waste your own positive energy hating on someone who is taking an opportunity she was given and making the most of it. Many before her have tried and failed. Many after her will do the same.

Don’t get me wrong; Snooki’s the last person in the world I’d ever want to spend three seconds with. My point is that hate, which in this case is really just jealousy and envy, are traits of unsuccessful, unhappy people. When you’re hating on or jealous of someone else you’re just draining yourself of positive energy, happiness and productivity. Which is precisely why you don’t want to do it.

Another former MTV reality star is now the WWE world heavyweight champion. The Miz was hated by fans and wrestlers alike when he first started. To be honest, I thought it was a joke when I first saw him on WWE television. Then when I heard he became world champion I was sure someone was pulling my leg. But that simply wasn’t the case. The kid out hustled a lot of others and earned respect and his spot at the top.

He’ll never be The Rock or Stone Cold. If those guys were still around he might not even have a contract, never mind a main event spot. But he took his opportunity, busted his ass and capitalized on it. People still hate him because he’s “That kid from MTV who didn’t earn it.” The reality, I’d argue, is that he did earn it and if Vince decides he’s worthy of the strap he’s obviously doing something right.

Remember when everyone hated The Rock for becoming the youngest WWF champ ever? Too much too soon, they all said. Look at him now, haters.

It’s the same with pro athletes. Hang around with groups of less educated people and soon enough the topic of pro athletes being overpaid will come up. Why should basketball players make millions when teachers and cops make a small fraction of that?

The question is a fair one, no doubt, but asking it at this point in US history is ridiculous. That ship has sailed, my friends. Get over it. Hating Kobe Bryant for what he gets paid is about the most asinine thing I could ever think of. If anyone else in the world was offered that amount of money to play basketball, or for that matter, deliver mail, make doughnuts, wash windows, or dig ditches they’d damn sure take it.

When a pro athlete signs a multimillion dollar contract it’s not him being greedy or a bad person. It’s him being smart. What’s he going to do, turn it down and offer to play for thirty grand? The opportunity is there so you take it.

This is the world we live in. It may not be fair or even make one iota of sense. But it is what it is and you need to accept it, move on and let it have ZERO negative impact on your life whatsoever. Hatred is a very self destructive habit.

Besides, you know how much hustle it takes to become a pro athlete? Are you working that hard at whatever you do?

The most successful people I know have no jealousy and they hate no one. There’s no time in there lives for either of those emotions. That’s because they’re too busy making money, changing the world and living their dreams. You can’t be a jealous, hate filled complainer and still be successful. The two simply don’t go hand in hand.

Trust me; I know it can get frustrating sometimes. I’ll wake up occasionally and see a brand new trainer who’s only been in the business for a year selling an ebook. With Twitter, Facebook and blogs it’s too easy these days for someone to proclaim themselves an expert without actually being one.

“These guys didn’t come up the hard way and have to earn it over the last two decades in this industry like me and Alwyn Cosgrove and John Alvino did,” I might think to myself.

But then I realize there’s too little time to worry about that. It’s just more motivation for me to step up my game and get better. As of last week, this site is now one of the most widely read strength training blogs in the entire world. Because of that, in my mind I think I’ve earned my spot. I know, however, that there will always be someone coming up and gunning for me. So I’ll keep out hustling them.

It's gotta be running wild if you want to be on top.

I’d never want to deny someone the right to make a living. And besides, if social media was around 17 years ago when I got started I’m sure I would have used it.

Instead of hating or being jealous of someone start using it as motivation. If you think they don’t deserve to be where they’re at then you need to take it upon yourself to get to that level.

I heard “The Situation” from The Jersey Shore on the Howard Stern a few months back and listened to callers cursing out Howard for having him as a guest. They were infuriated that he let that” talentless hack” on the air. I only got motivated by it. This kid was sitting in his mom’s basement a year or two earlier and now he’s making millions and appearing as a guest on the most popular radio show of all time.

That tells me it’s time to start working a little harder.

Don’t hate. Just hustle.

No Excuses, No Limits

Jason Ferruggia — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 19:30:15 +0000

“I’m getting old.”

“I can’t do the things I used to.”

“I’m over the hill.”

“I can’t train heavy anymore.”

“I can’t keep up with the twenty somethings anymore.”

“I’m starting to feel my age.”

“I’m too old for that.”

If you’re under the age of 40 and have been heard saying things like that you should be ashamed and embarrassed.

Ray Lewis just finished another season as one of the absolute best defensive players in the NFL and doesn’t seem to have lost a step. He’s 36. So is Donald Driver who is still an outstanding wide receiver and training as hard as he ever has.

While Brett Favre fell apart this year he was still one of the best quarterbacks in the league during the 2009 season at 40 years old.

Warren Moon was a Pro Bowl quarterback at 41.

As impressive as what Donald Driver is doing (playing a speed position in the NFL at a high level at 36 years old) Jerry Rice has one up on him. The greatest wide receiver of all time played until he was 44 years old and had 1200 yards the year he turned 40.

Still think you’re too old?

Speaking of speed, Darrel Green, one of the fastest players in the NFL during his 19 seasons, played cornerback until he was 42.

The great quarterback, George Blanda played until he was 48 years old.

Yet you’re too old to go out and have a catch?

In baseball, Derek Jeter is still amongst the best players in the league and he’ll be 37 in June.

Nolan Ryan pitched four seasons after turning 40, during which time he struck out over 1400 batters and threw two no-hitters.

And in arguably the greatest moment in baseball history, Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s all time home run record at 40 years old.

Dara Torres competed in the 2008 summer Olympics at 40 years old. As did 19 other Americans.

In tennis Martina Navratilova won the grand slam a month before turning 50.

Karl Malone was still playing at a high level when he retired from professional basketball at 41, while Kareem Abdul Jabbar won an NBA title at 40.

On November 5th, 1994 at 45 years old, George Foreman knocked out 26 year old Michael Moorer to become heavyweight champion of the world.

Herschel Walker won his first professional MMA fight last year at 48 years old. Randy Couture is right around the same age and still competing. Just a few short years ago he was world champion.

Gordie Howe played professional hockey until he was 51!

Two Sunday’s ago, on pay per view, Jerry “The King” Lawler competed in a main event for the WWE Heavyweight Championship… at 61!

And the list goes on and on.

Get Inspired!

I don’t know about you, but just reading that list is inspiring. I’m ready to go out and train harder than ever right now. It makes me think about how I really need to step my game up and can never slack off for even a moment.

Do you think Derek Jeter is preparing for this season by taking it easy because he’s “too old to train that hard anymore?”

Do you think Randy Couture wouldn’t jump in the cage with a 25 year old world champion at the first shot he go? And do you think he would use age as an excuse when training for it?

Do you honestly think that Ray Lewis or Herschel Walker have ever thought they were “too old” to do something? Ray said on ESPN earlier this year that he’ll be able to play as long as he wants to based on his nutrition alone.

And those two things right there are what make all the difference in the world… attitude and lifestyle.

First of all, you have to get over that age excuse bullshit. I’ll be 37 this year and I feel absolutely no different than I did at 22. In fact, because of my diet, training and lifestyle changes that I’ve made over the last decade I actually feel significantly better. Three good friends and clients of mine, Ralph DeVito, Mark Crook and Paul Miller are all strong and jacked and could dominate guys half their age. They really don’t even let the age issue cross their mind.

My friend David Larkan is in his 50’s and still plays professional softball and semi pro FOOTBALL.

Erase the age excuse forever

If you’re 35 and feel 60 that’s very likely due to the fact that you lived like Keith Richards for a few too many years. You have GOT to take care of yourself. Staying up all night jerking around on FaceBook or going out boozing and eating late night fried food isn’t gonna help you feel any younger.

Eating sugar and processed foods isn’t helping either.

One thing that people fail to consider is the cumulative effect of 40 years worth of unhealthy living. Is it really the fact that you just turned 42 years old that’s holding you back from your training goals, or is it the 42 years of shitty eating that have finally caught up with you?

Who do you think is going to have higher testosterone at 42 years old; the guy who’s been eating fast food five times a week, drinking another three and surviving on six hours of sleep for his whole life or the guy who’s been eating nothing but healthy, organic meats and produce while minimizing alcohol consumption and getting to sleep by 11pm every night?

Remember what Ray Lewis said- based on his nutrition alone, he’ll play as long as he wants. If you want to feel and perform your best at any age you had damn sure be paying as much attention to your own nutrition and taking it that seriously.

Invest in what you put in your body and start spending the extra dough for organic food, grass fed beef, wild caught fish and high quality protein powders. Shitty food makes you look and feel like shit. There’s no two ways about it.

Cut out sugar, conventional dairy, wheat, soy, corn and processed foods of any kind.

Get off the booze or at least limit it.

Drink tons of pure water.

Get 20 minutes of sunlight daily… but don’t cook yourself like George Hamilton. That’s never a good look.

Get 8-9 hours of sleep per day and a nap in the afternoon if possible.

Stretch and do mobility work every day. No wonder your hamstrings are tight and your lower back hurts. You haven’t stretched since 8th grade gym class and have been sitting in a chair hunched over a computer for the last 19 years straight. Get up and get loose once in a while.

What about the 42 year old guy who loves what he does for a living and is happy every day versus the 42 year old guy who hates his job and his life? Who’s gonna have higher testosterone? Who’s gonna look, feel and perform a whole lot better?

Reduce stress in your life.

Do what you love.

Find a hobby.

Stop working so much. By cutting down the amount of hours you work but focusing on getting more done during that time by giving yourself deadlines you will be far more productive.

Meditate.

Smile.

Laugh.

Live how you want to live where you want to live.

Have fun.

And train hard.

There’s no law telling you that you have to cut your volume and frequency down to two 15 minute workouts per week the day after you turn 35. If you really wanted to and made the necessary nutritional and lifestyle changes, there’s no reason you couldn’t train on the same schedule as Randy Couture or Ray Lewis. There’s no one stopping you from getting 7-14 hours of physical activity a week. If you live clean and train smart anything’s possible.

Whatever you do, just don’t use age as an excuse.

5 Training Partners, 5 Lessons

Jason Ferruggia — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 23:15:50 +0000

Remember the movie, Face Off, where someone removed Nicolas Cage’s face and switched it with John Travolta’s? Well, if you only knew me outside of the gym and then walked in when I was training you would probably swear that had to have happened. The guy who is almost always laughing, cracking jokes and quoting Seinfeld is long gone.

I’m angry, laser focused and don’t really see the humor in much. Not because I’m not enjoying myself or because I want to be a dick to those around me, but because I’m very serious about my training and really enjoy blocking out the rest of the world and cranking up the intensity for an hour. To me, that’s a lot of fun.

That’s my one hour of the day to let out the aggression and the last thing I want to do is talk.

I don’t want to laugh.

I don’t want to smile.

I just want to train.

I don’t care about the new Pearl Jam album or the girl you slept with last night or the fact that you’re tired or injured or just trained whatever lift we’re training two days ago.

No chit chat, no excuses.

We’re all injured.

You’re either training or you’re not.

Finding a partner who understands that and is at around the same level that I’m at is very important to me. A good training partner can get dialed in and go to battle with you while hardly saying a word for the entire hour. They’re just totally in synch with you.

I’m not a rah-rah cheerleader type in the gym. The most you’ll usually get out of me is a “Come on,” or a short coaching cue or a word on improving your technique after your set. Some days I say more than others but I’ll never be mistaken for Vince Lombardi. For these reasons I don’t really like to train with anyone who displays less than picture perfect technique. I don’t like doing excessive amounts of coaching while I’m training. Watching my training partner use shitty form is very distracting to me. Like tinsel to Frank Costanza.

I’ve always said that having a good training partner is one of the best things you can do to enhance your rate of progress. It’s also a great way to make your training a hell of a lot more fun and competitive. Over the years I’ve trained with a lot of people, but only five that stand out. These are the five people I’ve trained with the longest and made my greatest gains with. They are also five training partners that I have developed the greatest level of trust with. I’d trust their opinions on technique, squat depth, etc. more than just about internet guru out there today. These guys not only helped me get stronger but taught me a few lessons along the way.

Training Partner #1

I started training on my own at the age of 12. I continued on that lonely, fruitless road for about three or four years until my younger brother, Jared was ready for his first taste of the iron. I’m guessing he was about 12 when I first threw him in the rack, but he may have even been 10 or 11. I can’t say for sure. Either way, he was thrown right into the deep end and loved every second of it. He became instantly obsessed and couldn’t wait for his next workout.

Being the bigger, older brother (by almost five years) I led the way and provided the inspiration and motivation. He, on the other hand, would have died in the squat rack just to keep up. We both have horeshit genetics for size and strength, but with an unparalleled work ethic and dedication Jared was able to go all the way from just under 100 pounds when he started to 252 pounds over the course of his first decade of training.

During that time he was the ultimate science project. A never ending human experiment that I tried EVERYTHING on. Before I even had any clients or my first certification I was testing out every training and nutrition variable I could on this poor kid. Sometimes he got sick, other times he got injured, but he always soldiered on. Training was our biggest obsession in life.

By the time he was in his early twenties Jared was starting to squat and deadlift the same weights that I was doing. A few years later he was surpassing me. His intensity became legendary at Renegade, as did his nonsensical antics of headbutting walls, breaking light bulbs over his head and puking on his shirt during the eighth rep of a set only to continue four more reps. We were young and dumb. But it was a hell of a lot of fun at the time and made for some good stories.

Unfortunately that kind of intensity catches up with you and you burn out. We both got injured to various degrees and we were forced to take layoffs. You can keep that pace up for a while but eventually bad things can and will happen. Once you start racking up the injuries training’s never really the same anymore.

The pace and the intensity that we kept up for all those years eventually led to Jared burning out. Similar to a gymnast who is put into intense training at a very young age and then can’t stand the thought of gymnastics anymore by age 18, Jared hit a breaking point in his late twenties.

After nearly two decades of training and a lifetime of injuries he lost the passion. The twenty four hour a day obsession and the laundry list of injuries had caught up to him and he stopped training for a while. It broke my heart and was nearly unfathomable to me. It was the greatest bond in our life, the one thing we shared and now he wasn’t into it anymore. So I was forced to move on without him.

Eventually he returned and got into a much lighter, maintenance style of training, necessitated by his years of accumulated injuries and stubbornness to rehab and fix them (something he learned from my bad example back in the days).

Fast forward to February 2011 and Jared’s 100% back into training like he was for all those years when he first started. He’s beat up and injured and has a list of things he can’t do, but he’s determined to set new PR’s. Old habits die hard and he’s still working on getting more dedicated to proper warm ups, prehab and recovery. Our meathead instinct is to go into the gym, jump in a place a couple of times like boxer before a fight, rub some Blue Heat on whatever’s ailing us, tape it up and get under the bar. Unfortunately that’s what we did for far too long.

Lessons Learned

Too much intensity is a bad thing.

Not warming up properly is a bad thing.

Ignoring injuries and not listening to your body is a bad thing.

Training Partner #2

Todd Coker was my brother’s friend growing up and a superstar athlete. He became one of my first clients, and along with Jared, another one of my human guinea pigs. Todd started with me at around the age of 12 or 13 and has been following the Renegade ways for nearly two decades. During his college years Todd went from being my client to my training partner during the months he was home. After several years of hard training he had grown significantly bigger and stronger and we both thought it would be fun to train together. We continued on and off up until 2005 when he moved away.

During those years we had one killer training session after the other, always pushing each other beyond what we would have been capable of on our own. By that time Todd was squatting in the neighborhood of 500 pounds and pulling around 600. It was all I could do to try and keep up. He took me on lower body days and I had my revenge on upper body days.

Lessons Learned

Firstly, always train with someone stronger than you. Todd has me on lower body days and I have his number on upper body days. We force each other to step it up at every other workout.

One of the things I always appreciated about training with Todd was how much he got it and how in tuned with his body he became over the years. He understood that there will be some days when you just don’t have what it takes to go up. While, in the heat of battle, Jared and I would push through no matter what, Todd realized that it was smarter to back off on those days. Because if you don’t, you usually end up getting hurt. He did as I said and not as I always did.

Sometimes the student becomes the teacher and he had to hold me back. Todd also realized that not every assistance exercise needs to be taken to death. Some days after we finished squatting, guys that used half the weight Todd did would be out-lifting him on single leg Romanian Dead Lift’s or single leg squats. Those were the guys who just didn’t get it. Todd did. He always wanted to do the exercise properly and get the most out of it instead of just piling on weight and doing a death set with atrocious form, thus slowing down his recovery in the process.

This week, Todd and I will be start training together again for the first time since 2005 and neither of us could be more fired up about it.

Training Partner #3

I started training Joey “Styles” Scott during his sophomore year at Seton Hall University. He was an outstanding baseball player who had all the talent in the world but a less than Herculean work ethic. Todd was similar. They both will freely admit this to you so I’m not telling you any secrets behind their backs. Joey and I became quite close so naturally I wanted the best for him. He always asked if he could train with me but the way I trained wasn’t really ideal for him. Then one day I realized that the ideal program isn’t as important as the effort you put in and the environment you train in. So even though he was a lot smaller and weaker I let Joey jump in with me, Jared, Todd and Mark. Instantly his results shot through the roof.

I loved training with Joey because we fed off each other’s intensity and nearly came to blows at every other workout. We rarely said much during training but we always had a blast. Joey eventually got drafted by the A’s but we always trained together during the off season and picked right up where we left off. Eventually his playing career came to an end he started working insane hours, more than an hour away from the gym. That brought an end to our partnership but I’ll always remember those days as some of the best times I ever had.

Lessons Learned

Sometimes the perfect program isn’t as important as the effort you put into your workouts and who you train with. If you believe in what you are doing, are relentless in your dedication and have a partner(s) to compete against you’re going to get results.

Training Partner #4

Mark Crook started training at Renegade shortly after turning 40. His interest turned to obsession rather rapidly. I saw a real, not faked, intensity in Crook that I don’t see in most people, so I invited him to train with our crew, only six months after he joined the gym. He was the oldest (by 12 years) and the weakest but he fought like a dog to hold his own and keep up. He became the heart and soul of Renegade and soon took on a leadership roll while surpassing people who had been there for years before him. There are very few people as intense as Crook is during his training, though you wouldn’t know it by his outside of the gym personality (aside from his love for Slayer and other similar bands). He’s dark, demented and twisted. And I love every minute of it.

Recently, Mark’s girlfriend Margie started training and was introduced to a side of him she hadn’t seen yet. I had the opportunity to witness this first hand when my car was in the shop and they gave me a ride to the gym two weeks ago. Crook was starting his pre workout ritual of dialing it in and psyching himself up. He changed the radio station and put on something a little bit more aggressive. He turned up the volume then took a deep breath and exhaled angrily. I knew exactly what was going on and sat silently in the back. This wasn’t the time for talking. Being new to all this Margie asked Mark what was wrong. Mark told her that he was just getting his mind right for training. I prayed that she didn’t ask another question.

As Jen has come to understand and appreciate; there can be no questions around that time. Since then she’s figured out that sweet Crook becomes Satanic Crook around training time and that it’s all good.

Lessons Learned

First of all, don’t talk to Crook immediately before or during a workout ;)

Second of all, age is never a valid excuse. Mark doesn’t give a shit how old someone he’s training with is. He’s there to slaughter them. If he can’t out lift someone he’ll damn sure motivate them to do even more than they were capable of. For me, it’s always motivating to keep the old man far behind me, and when Mark trains with me he’d do anything to emerge victorious.

Crook’s intensity has also been responsible for some setbacks and injuries. This is a recurring theme with meathead, lunatics like us. Luckily he’s smartened up and matured. He’s doing his best to stay injury free now and reign it in a bit. This is huge. You can’t train when you’re injured. And if you’re not injured now you may be heading in that direction, so take care of yourself and do the necessary prehab work to avoid it.

Nowadays, when Crook and I train together we end up holding each other back more than we push each other. That’s because in the heat of battle we’re both so nuts that we’ll keep adding weight until something tears. So he holds me back and I do the same for him.

“You think I have another five pounds in me?” I’ll ask.

“Dude, you barely got that. No way.” Crook will respond.

Seven or eight years ago I would have taken that as a challenge and thrown on ten pounds. Nowadays we’re both a lot smarter so we move on to the next exercise and I thank him later.

Training Partner #5

I became good friends with John Alvino 14 years ago but it wasn’t until 2006 that we finally trained together. For a stretch of about six months we had some of the best training sessions of our lives. John and I were very close on everything strength wise and were completely dialed in and on the same page when it came to training. Things always got very competitive as we tried to outdo each other on everything we did. John can bring the intensity like no one else.

Lessons Learned

Eventually we settled in and backed off the intensity after our main one or two exercises of the day were done. It was during this time period that I realized you can only really go all out on one or two big sets or big lifts at any one particular workout. Unless your volume is incredibly low it’s tough to go beyond that. Beginners can do but it advanced guys can’t. That’s why you see powerlifters work up to a top end set on one or two exercises then kinda cruise their way through assistance work.

Advanced guys can work up to a top end set on one or two big exercises while getting really fired up in the process and going all out, but after that you have it to turn it down a notch for the rest of the workout. That’s not to say you shouldn’t train hard and try to always improve but you don’t have to approach every single exercise the way you approach your top end set of squats or deadlifts. Turn it down a bit when you get to step ups, hip thrusts and ab work. An hour of straight off-the-charts lunacy will lead to burn out and overtraining.

The Bottom Line

Training partners come and go but the Iron will always remain. I’ve trained alone plenty of times and will do so plenty more times in my life. In fact, I’d rather train alone if I can’t train with one of those five guys or someone very similar and at the same level.

I don’t rely on anyone for anything. My training is too important to me. I suggest you take the same attitude. But if you can find a great training partner who truly gets it and is right there on the same page with you it will make a far bigger difference than any supplement or fancy, spaced aged workout program ever will.

Please leave your questions and comments below. 

How to Build Muscle, Gain Strength & Become a Better Athlete » Motivation

My Personal Journey to Hell and Back

From the Outhouse to the Penthouse & Back Again

How I Turned it All Around

Everyone Needs a Support Team

Cut the Dead Weight

Get Your Mind Right

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Still think you’re too old?

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5 Training Partners, 5 Lessons

Training Partner #1

Lessons Learned

Training Partner #2

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Training Partner #3

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Training Partner #4

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Lessons Learned

The Bottom Line

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