Here it is the med-ball circuit I have been doing while training at Excel Strength with Eric Cressey. This is also up at The FitCast Insider as a High Quality Download. I was able to clock this round in at 1:15, my best time yet.

Keep in mind, my form is NOT PERFECT in this video. It suffered towards the end as this was the 4th set.

Here is the list of movements, do 10 reps for each.

These are not the official names:

• Right Chest Pass
• Left Chest Pass
• Center Chest Pass
• Between Legs
• Low Left
• Low Right

Download Episode 52 here: TheFitCast052.mp3 (Right Click and Save-As)

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Craig Ballantyne of TurbulenceTraining.com came on to answer some listener questions.

Don’t forget that there will be a new episode this weekend as well, so think of this as a Bonus edition.

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Here is the video I promised from Excel with Eric Cressey

Reverse Sled Drags Make You Puke

Tonight went well. Eric Cressey and I came to the conclusion that my hips need A LOT of work. My box squats sucked tonight, like really bad. Borderline pansy like.

There was still more to do that night so I am not going to let that get me down. I did 275 lbs on the trap bar deadlifts for 3×8 which is nice.

Then came the reverse sled drags. I got to show off a bit by adding 35 lbs more than the rest of the gang which felt good. Even Eric seemed impressed. When we finished those I really couldn’t stand up straight for a few minutes, my legs were taxed.

Eric is going to give me two hip mobility circuits to do during the day to loosen these bastards up. I need to so I can actually improve my squats.

Eric’s program design has been helping me improve my strength and my body comp so much, I really never thought I would have so much improvement in three weeks. You should check out Eric’s Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual to see his philosophy on lifting and to improve your own program designing. And it is only $99 so its really a given to pick this up. I mean, that is less than two months membership at a gym, or 10-Large Pizzas.

Possibly the best thing I have learned this summer is that I will NEVER use a cookie-cutter program EVER AGAIN. That doesn’t mean I won’t borrow from them. It is really just because I am at a point where I know what needs more attention in my workouts.

EDIT: Eric wanted me to make sure I included that I am a “sissy” for never squating without a pad on the bar. I agree.

Download Episode 51 here: TheFitCast051.mp3 (Right Click and Save-As)

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FitCast Topics

• Update from Excel with Eric Cressey
  • Sled Pulls are fun with 5 plates
• Videos Coming Up from Excel
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• Thread on T-Nation about DJ video
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Could You Beat Him in a Med-Ball Circuit?

Last night was rougher than I thought it would be. We were doing mostly upper body with benching and rowing.

Just from Eric Cressey correcting my form on the bench, my weight went up 20 lbs. And my seated cable rows went up to 180lbs for 6 reps (Up from 160 in week 1). Again I think it had to do with correct form.

Then, to finish the workout was the dreaded med-ball circuit. To be honest, I really enjoy the challenge of bettering my time each week. On week 1 I clocked in at 2:20 for the circuit. Last night I got under 1:20. Eric keeps telling me that it is all about efficiency. Eric and I are going to make a video of the bed-ball circuit on Saturday so everyone can see what it is all bout. Along those lines we plan on having two videos up per week from my training at Excel.

Tonight is going to consist of some rack pulls, lunges, and my new favorite GHRs. It is odd that I have to prepair my weekend plans to correlate with the soreness of my hamstrings.

What happened? Really? You are taking all this time to sit at your computer and argue about this?? REALLY??

First off, this all took place while I was NOT AT MY COMPUTER. I was actually OUTSIDE golfing with my dad. Then I got to walk my dogs a mile and when finally I got back to the computer I did some audio editing. It took an e-mail from someone to point this situation out for me.

At a fitness forum some members started up a discussion about what classifies you as an “expert.” This stemmed from Mike Robertson’s FREE manual, “Insight from the Experts” that Mike was giving to his newsletter subscribers. It boasted an impressive list of authors from Craig Ballantyne, Chad Waterbury, Eric Cressey, Tony Gentilcore… you get the idea. I have an article in the manual as well titled, “The College Crowd Mistakes” where I covered what I felt were the mistakes that college aged people were making. Because this is what I know, I am not writing about 5 fat-loss mistakes, or 5 ways to get the most riptz abs ever.

Anyways, a few people were literally pissed off that I was included in the manual because I am not an “expert.”

I never said that I was an expert, I am a STUDENT, still in college, and I am learning more and more from every single seminar that I go to. I calculated that I spend over $2,000 of my own money to go to conferences to better my education. To be honest, I don’t see many 20 year olds at those conferences. What I am trying to say here is that I know I am not an expert.

IT WAS JUST THE TITLE OF THE MANUAL. I am sure it was easier for Mike then to call it, “Insight from the Experts and an Article by Kevin Larrabee who is not an expert.” If you ask me that is a pretty long title.

As the comments continued there were posters saying that Mike Robertson “lied” to them. Mike Robertson? A liar? REALLY? If you have ever met Mike you know that at the end of the definition for, “straight shooter,” it says, “see: Mike Robertson.”

To be honest, I think its cool that this happened for a few different reasons:

1. I found out that I can, “name 40 varieties of protein powders blindfolded.” I guess that might come in handy some day?
2. I seem to kiss rings of guests to make money (Isn’t this show free?).
3. People don’t mind posting false information.
4. I am not Bill Harman (that would be cool though!)
5. This was a fun experience, my first real backlash from the audience
6. I wasn’t effected by this, thats a plus for me. If anything I didn’t get why so many people were trying to see if I was disgruntled? Why would I be?
7. PEOPLE NEED TO GET OFF THEIR ASSES!

Posting on a forum all day is no way to live. Get a significant other, get a job, go out and exercise (isn’t that what fitness forums are all about). If you are posting at your computer for hours upon hours a day, and don’t have that six-pack you want so bad, well in the words of Tony Gentilcore, “stop posting and start moving.”

Now I must go. I have a meeting to play basketball in 30 minutes.

Well, it was time for a week off. The guys and I are just relaxing this weekend.

We will have a fresh show for you next week, in the mean time check out the back catalog  of shows, there are some great ones in there!!!

Thanks for understanding,

-Kevin

I have been slacking on the blog posts, I have been kind of busy with friends coming home from school. From time to time you need to take a break, even from something I love to do like The FitCast.

Back to training. This week went pretty good. Again, I seem to be learning things from Eric Cressey everyday.  I am just glad he isn’t sick of all of my stupid questions. All of my weights stayed pretty constant, I did a bit more on the seated cable row.

According to Eric and Tony my posture is improving. Thats a good sign.

It is amazing how many things I thought I knew, but I was off by just a little bit. From form to tempo to performing different exercises. I am going to try and do some videos with Eric and possibly Tony that would be for The FitCast Insider to start, then on youtube in the future.

Also another plus is that I get to see Carl Valle often at Excel. Carl is a really smart guy and I find myself just listening to his conversations with Eric, Tony, or John Sullivan.

Thats all for now, I have to prep for tomorrows show…

On Saturday I trained with Tony Gentilcore at Excel. I wasn’t going to make the 40ish minute drive on Saturday, but I thought it would be great to get some info from Tony throughout the workout. It turned out that I learned a lot that morning because not only was Tony there, but Carl Valle showed up as well. He always has something on his mind, and not afraid to speak his mind of the subject.

Today we did lower body again. Started with DLs. I keep cutting up my legs pretty bad while doing them, proceeding to bleed all over the bar. Eric had me use a band-aid. Who looks tough now, possibly even diesel… At least blood was still trickling down my leg, that was cool.

Anyways, the one highlight from tonight was the fact I did 225lbs on the sled drag. Eric seemed impressed at least.

On a body comp note, I am noticing more veins on my upper body, also the arms are getting a bid more defined.  I want to do the magical goal of cutting BF and increasing lean muscle and strength. I think I am going to do it. I AM going to do it.