New Years Resolutioners

So I'm going to throw everyone off here. This isn't a blog about my distain for the people who buy a gym membership and quit after a month or two. I know lots of people get frustrated with all the crowds in the first quarter. Take a second to not be a total douche bag though. At some point you were likely one of these people. I'm sure you felt the glare of the regulars as you sat on a machine backwards not realizing it until it's too late. Lots of people have been there. Realize these people are trying. That's way more than the rest of the world that's just given up and made peace with their physical shortcomings even though those very things are fully under their control to change. That chubby 44 year old guy just wants to be able to keep up with his teenager. That older lady wants to be around to see her grand kids get married. That out of shape soccer mom has shown more courage than the vast majority of my female clients by even walking in those doors full of judgement (at least that's how they perceive it). So if someone is doing something totally weird or wrong and they are a new face then there's a great chance that they legitimately don't know any better. Instead of sneering go talk to them. Maybe you will make a friend. At the very least you will help them realize that not every regular gym-goer is a tool. Maybe by doing that you will be the reason they don't quit after 3 weeks. This year be a positive presence at the gym in January. Don't be a dick. Unless they are curling in the squat rack with less than 135lbs. Then get all passive aggressive like this:

There. That'll teach 'em

Happy New Year!

Talk Soon,

Dan Mason

Strongman competitor in the 242lb and 275lb classes and a pro powerlifter in the RPS 275lb class. He is also an Elite level lifter in the USPA/IPA. He holds instructor level ranks in Taekwondo, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has been training people for strength and martial arts since 2004.

Posting Lifts: Vain, Useful, or Both?

So if you are a lift you are most likely guilty of posting your lifts and workouts online. If  you don't work out then, first off, why the heck are you reading this? Second you are probably super annoyed with your "meathead" friends who fill up your Facebook and Instagram with their stupid videos.

So lets start off with the negatives. There is definitely a pretty big vanity issue here. That's just speaking from my personal experience as a selfish glory-seeking douchebag of a man. I like it when people like my posts and comment on how strong I am and how they want to get to those numbers some day. Now let me just say I am not dumb enough to say that I have great numbers. I am realistically about 200lbs shy on my squat and deadlift to be making such claims, but it's still nice to be appreciated. Another annoying thing about it is that every 20 year old 150lb dude with abs talks about how awesome they are and offers online coaching even though they have no experience coaching anyone nor have the vast majority every accomplished anything of note in their personal strength and physique careers. As a side note I offer online training and diet plans. Unfortunately I am currently abless. A final thing that gets tiresome is the guys who are too new to boast decent numbers (not that they can't get there eventually) calling depth and missed lock outs on people like the Lillibridges or Brandon Lilly coming off knee surgery and only hitting near depth with over 600lbs. (If you don't know who the aforementioned guys are stop reading right now and go Google that crap!) Typically these guys are like 17 years old with private accounts and can't bench 2 plates or squat 2 plates for that matter. Hatorade at it's finest. It's almost more sad than irritating because if they took that energy and spent it eating and lifting they would be getting closer to being the ones hated on instead of where they currently find themselves. This actually leads right into one of the positives.

One of the great things about posting online is that people will call you out for depth. They may be right, they may be wrong, but you will find yourself trying to squat deep enough that no one can say anything. Scratch that...if you go too deep people will tell you it's bad for your knees. Also you can actually get feedback from big names in the sport. Try tagging some bigger named guys on your videos and every now and then you will get a coaching tip or too from them. That also will help with your vanity needs! Screen shot that and send it to all your friends! I know I do! Another cool thing is that with all kinds of folks posting you can study different forms of technique and even analyze top lifters to see what they do and if it can be applied to you. It requires a bit of critical thinking but it's still a great tool. Lastly with so many people posting it brings awareness to the Altar of Iron we all have come to love and respect. Maybe one day we won't be looked at as freaks because enough people will be out there moving some serious weight or eating out of Tupperware for it to be considered odd. So post away, let the haters hate, and reach out to some big names for advice. The great thing about the gym life is that the most famous people out there will actually respond to you.

So comment below and tell me what you think. Any I missed?

Talk soon,

Dan is a nationally ranked amateur

strongman competitor in the 242lb

and 275lb classes and a powerlifter in the 275lb class. He holds instructor level ranks in Taekwondo, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He as been training people for strength and martial arts since 2004.

You can follow Dan on Instagram @RoninStr
For training and diet plans email roninstr@gmail.com