Follow Your Dreams as a Hobby or Career?

If you pop around Instagram, Facebook, Pintrest, or any other social media outlet. You will inevitably come across motivational quotes like: "Follow your dreams!" with a picture of a fit body or a Lambo.  Maybe you are in a job that you aren't a huge fan of. Maybe you love lifting and want to do that full time and hit the pinnacle of your sport. That's all fine and dandy but you need to think about what your dreams truly are and what it takes to get there without committing financial suicide or losing your marriage. I can speak to this from personal experience on both of the above. We are going to take my life as the example here where lifting and competing in powerlifting and strongman became my dream and life's focus. There's definitely a few good ways to do this and a few bad ways. Come along and let's break it down.

So I decided I love training and working out. I thought, "man if I could workout as my job that would be awesome!" So how do you pay the bills as a pro worker-outer? Being a pro athlete pays pretty well in the sports world but not in the barbell world. Even CrossFit pays out it's top people but that's like 4 people out of everyone competing. So what do most people with this mentality do? We either become personal trainers or we open a gym. I went the open a gym route. Disclaimer: There's nothing wrong with either of these paths but you need to understand a few things. First if you just want to train people and not have annoying adult responsibilities like business insurance and bookkeeping then get ready to make $12.00/hour for the rest of your life or until you can't do your job anymore because you are old and decrepit. So if you want to focus on lifting and are willing to live that Spartan minimalist lifestyle then go for it. You will train clients in the AM, workout in the early afternoon, and finish with clients in the evening. Eat up and lift your face off. Just don't try to add in a social life or a meaningful relationship.

If you are ok with the adult responsibilities associated with gym ownership and management positions then go for the business owner route. You will learn what working on 100% commission is like. Some people thrive on it, but now in order to pay bills you need to focus on your business as a primary and your lifting dreams as a secondary. It will be slow going at first and will take a while before you start actually making money. Welcome to a start up business.

Now let's go back. Your primary goal was to be the best lifter in the world right? I basically went both of these routes and realized that I didn't mind training some people, but hated training people who aren't willing to put in the work that it takes to improve. Further more I really enjoyed my own lifting and seeing my numbers go up the most since that was my actual goal and focus. That means that you are still doing a job you don't really love just to pay bills so you can keep getting those gainz. I wasn't a fan of the administrative stuff either so, but did it as a means to an end. Well geez, in following my "dream" of a fitness job I basically just ended up with a normal person job that doesn't pay as well as an actual standard 9-5 job. Only now my hours sucked to the point I had to neglect my social relationships. hmm...

So here's my two recommended solutions:

1. As soon as you are done with your schooling and before you are married with kids get a part time job doing whatever it takes to afford a crappy but super cheap living situation and spend the rest of your money on food. Live that Spartan life and hit as many athletic goals as you can. Heck you never have to stop doing this. Just keep life super simple and work for what your goals are. The issue is that most people want more out of life than a shanty. They want a life with stuff and people in it. If that's you then check out #2.

2. Get the best paying full time job you can. Hit the gym really hard 1-2 hours 4 days a week. Stay single or find someone who is willing to put up with your gym crap long term. (Mine did for 10 years). Get a real adult person dress shirt and tie sort of job. In the gym ownership path you would have to do the not fun stuff anyway so you might as well get paid better for it. Nothing says you can't train a few online clients on the side. That's what I do. The best part about this approach is that if you get a client that sucks you can just fire them since you aren't counting on the income from this part of your life. You will also see that you will get more out of your workouts since you are not at the gym 10 hours a day training people.

Now just remember this is only one man's opinion. I know people out there killing it on the gym owner and personal trainer side. That just wasn't me though. I'd rather grind and crush a work day unrelated to my kick ass hobby as an aspiring Pro-Strongman. This doesn't mean I gave up on my lifting goals. I will be at World's again this year and will absolutely molest USS Nationals in June, but now I will be able to afford to go the competition, have a roof over my head, and even eat food!

Train hard but don't be dumb.
Talk soon,

Dan Mason

Strongman competitor in the 242lb and 275lb classes and a pro Powerlifter in the RPS 275lb class. Dan is also an Elite lifter in the USPA/IPA. He holds instructor level ranks in Taekwondo, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Dan has been training people for strength and martial arts since 2004. For other fun stuff check his Instagram @RoninStr

How to Grind When It Matters

If you have ever done CrossFit or a set of as many reps as possible like in Wendler's 531 then you know what I'm talking about. So how do you get into the mindset to keep moving when your body is screaming for you to stop?


Here are some tricks that have helped me in the past. For all you CrossFittians out there it seemed to be about pacing for me. At least on the longer WODs. If you go out of the gate like a cannon you will be burned out so fast. Now if you say "screw pacing" like I always did then there are a few methods that work out nicely.

1. On something like Helen, which is 3 Rounds of 400m run, 21 Kettlebell Swings and 12 Pull Ups, I would always count up to the half way point so up to 6  Pull Ups then count down to 0. Not sure whey this helps but it always did for me. On the Kettlebell Swings i'd go to 11 then down from 10-0. Now if you are just a dude in the gym trying to find a 15 rep max squat this strategy works pretty awesome as well.

2. Once you hit that run on Helen it's a bit different. On the cardio grind, focus on your breathing when you can make it rhythmic you tend to be distracted enough to not realize your body hates you as much. Also it makes sure you are getting a full lung of air. People tend to breathe more shallow when they are mid WOD for some reason.

3. Another tool that's been useful is a mantra. Two that work for me are: "Just keep moving" and "just one more rep (you damn pussy)." the last part gets added if it's a bad training day. These are awesome because you can always fall down into that burpee and can always get back up. Just keep moving! If you do that you will hit more reps than your sissy ass was going to before you started talking to yourself. The one more rep mentality helps because usually you can press one more time out of sheer will. Who needs muscle?

So whether you are CrossFittin' like Froning or CrossFattin' like me and Chad Wesley Smith you can benefit from these mental distractions. Finish that run and finish that set! One more Rep you Cotton-Headed Ninny Muggins! (Bonus points if you can name the movie that's from.)

Train hard
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. For other fun stuff check his Instagram @RoninStr

2 Asses 1 Horse

I apologize but this will come across as a bit ranty but stick with me as I will actually have some helpful advice regarding this pitfall by the end. Anyone who has ever been out of shape and anyone who has ever been a trainer will be able to relate to this. Joe is fat, out of shape, and weak. He reaches out to the Googles and searches for ways to not only lose weight it also get super jacked at the same time. All the supplement websites he is pointed to say "WE CAN HELP!" Tiny disclaimer: results vary. You need to eat right and exercise while on this supplement. Etc. So as a reasonably not dumb person Joe reaches out to fitness experts and hears options from: he needs to focus on one first and get the other secondly all the way over to both can happen at the same time....at least at first. (Yay Beginner GAINZ!)

Here's the problem you have 1 ass and are trying to ride two horses. The bigger issue is they aren't going in the same direction! It doesn't work and for ideal results you need to focus on one. "Joe!" I say as I smack him across the face. "You took 20 years to become a fat slob! Is it too much to ask to take 6 months to lean out and then 6 months to focus on building?" 

"Yes." Joe says rubbing his reddening cheek.

I try to shake the thick-headedness out of him but it doesn't work. 

If you are like Joe this next part is for you. Here are some rules and facts that can help guide you on your double horse one assness thing. First let's at least get the horses going the same direction. Realize that this will be less efficient in general than focusing on one goal. Also understand that if you are new to training or it's been years since you were in good shape everything will work amazingly well for both goals but after a while you will find it harder to do both. That's where this framework comes in.

Rule 1: you need a slight calorie deficit to lose fat. If you want to keep muscle though, try not to reduce intake by much. Maybe only a 250-500 calorie reduction per day. Focus on eating your protein first then eat your carbs. This will ensure you are getting enough to keep muscle mass. I know it's sad to not eat all of your bread but hey you wanted to ride this pony so own it.

Rule 2: Lift weights. Got to build those muscles. What do you think toning is? You can't tone a muscle that's non existent. Stick to 12 or less reps so you can build muscle and strength.

Rule 3: focus on food intake not cardio. If you feel like you need to do cardio to appease your lack of understanding go for it but do short intervals with relatively long rest periods. Stuff like 1 minute on and 2 minutes off work well and don't go longer than 20-30 minutes. Long jogs for an hour and a half every day will make you crazy hungry and possibly eat away at that muscle you've been trying to build, but mainly the food splurge is the derailer here.

There you go. So do this for a year and get worse results than if you focused on one for 6 months then the other.

"But hey, what do I know Joe? You are definitely the expert here right?"

At least with these rules you will have some kind of progress and not waste as much time as most people do.

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. For other fun stuff check his Instagram @RoninStr

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.

Thankful for the Barbell

Well folks it's thanksgiving time again and that means time for reflection. Instead of the family and health rout although I am very thankful for them, I'm going with: I'm thankful for the barbell. 

It has forged me into the man I am today. Not sure if that's good or bad but I think I'm pretty cool so I'll take it. It has taught me both success and failure. It has taught me how to throw a tantrum then get back up and try again. It has taught me how to build people in both body and mind. It has been there to take the frustrations of life out on. It's always there ready to do battle. To be battered and to wrestle back. It has taught me that effort, consistency, and patience are the keys to achieving anything you want in this world. It's made me a better role model and father. It gives me purpose and a sense of accomplishment. It provides me with comradeship, friends, and big ass muscles. 

Thank you barbell from the bottom of my heart. I'll be there to whoop your ass on Saturday. That's right. You'd better be scared.

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.

Mistakes to Avoid in Competition

This article is based off of my most recent competition at USPA World’s so will have a bit of a bias towards that meet specifically. There will be nuggets regardless of your barbell sport though. So off to the races!

For me a big hurdle at this meet in particular was a few injuries I had coming into the meet. I tweaked my back a couple of weeks prior and the month before banged my shoulder up pretty bad. If this is a similar situation that you find yourself in then you need to check your ego. My goals were a 625lb squat, 500lb bench and 705lb pull at the beginning of the cycle. If I was still wanting those numbers I likely would have bombed out by the time I got to bench press. So Tip 1 is to be realistic when evaluating your attempts, and always open light. For powerlifting I wouldn't open higher than 90% of what you want for your third attempt. No one cares that you attempted an 800lb deadlift if you don’t get it off the ground. Remember this is specific to Powerlifting. In strongman where we see rep fest situations, be smart with how many reps are realistic. Don’t get hurt for a local meet. In Weightlifting I have no idea what you should be thinking for attempt selection. Maybe a bit higher than 90% but remember you need to get something on the board so be smart and don’t go too ham too quickly.

A second issue that surfaced for me was judging. Our meet in particular was held on Sunday. The judges have been at it since Thursday. They are only human and you can’t expect perfection after three eight hour days of non-stop judging. A bad call or at least close call is going to happen. Really the best way to avoid this is to go to a meet that happens on only one day or be in a lighter weight class. Us big fellas always go on a later day. If you get called on depth of your squat but it was close then you need to work on leaving no doubt. If it could go either way then be ready for the call to go against you. Get your butt down and don’t be a sore loser.

Listen to the calls! If you have to wait for down command on a jerk, log press, or deadlift then you need to get your head right and LISTEN! I was guilty of this on my second squat attempt. I started my squat just before the command and it cost me a podium finish. That’s a dumb thing to lose a meet on. Don’t be stupid. Pay attention!

A final thing that gave me a bit of a mind-screw was my first deadlift attempt. It was supposed to be around 620lbs but they loaded it to 606lbs. I lifted it anyway then checked in at the desk to double check. It was loaded wrong and I should have checked before I lifted as it changed what I did for my second attempt and may have played a part in my 3^rd attempt miss. But hey, I didn’t call them on it so that’s my fault not theirs. Always check your equipment and make sure everything is set up exactly how you want it to be. You are there to perform at your best and you need to make sure all variables are set

to give you the best chance at success. So in Powerlifting make sure everything is chalked like you need it to be and double check the weights. The same is true for Weightlifting. In strongman you have more to mess with. Make sure your kegs and sandbags are set up how you want them to be. Make sure the log handles are facing the right way, and for the love of God, pre-tacky your stones!

I hope at least one of these tips helps you out in some way or at least gets you thinking about how you compete. As always feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want to chat about training.

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.

You can follow Dan on Instagram @RoninStr
For training and nutrition advice and tips email roninstr@gmail.com

Your Body Lies! (At least at first)

If you listen to your body you will never get better. At least at first. This is a bit of complex issue and is very dependent on how long you have been training and how big of a pussy you are. So let's examine the various stages starting with someone just entering the barbell life. So you've hit the weights hard for a few days. The next day is an off day then you are supposed to get back at it. You wake up and your body feels like it aged about 3 decades. You make an old person noise as you struggle to get out of bed and you can't even get on or off the toilet without a serious "heave ho" kind of effort. Should you take another day off and wait until you feel fully recovered? This is a common experience for my newer clients. If you listen to your body you will be wasting days that could be filled with progress and accomplishment. If you get yourself into the gym then you will hit a few warm up sets and be totally fine. At first your body doesn't like change and it will punish you for making it put in work it is not used to. If you give it a month though you will feel way better going into that workout after a rest day. Part of it is that you body is getting used to the strain and getting stronger in response. The other part is you now have experience and know that you will be fine and that feeling is kind of normal. So Experience Level: low Pussy Level: high makes for a rough month. Experience Level: low Pussy Level: low makes for a painful but amazing month of progress toward your goals. So do that one. Things change with experience though.

You will become an intermediate lifter after a year or so. As an ever progressing barbell aficionado you are way past that wuss out because you are sore stage. Your body now will complain a lot less further you are starting to have a mind made of the same iron that barbell is. If you are sore but it's a work out day you go and train. That's a good thing on most days. It's at this stage that you need to listen a little harder though. No longer does your body complain about muscle soreness but it will let you know about tendinitis and tendons and ligements that are angry due to a year of less than perfect form. These are the cues you need to pay attention to. This is the stage of training where you need to start hitting some kind of prehab so you don't need rehab. This can be stretching, mobility work, and/or warming up a bit more intentionally. Gone are the days where you can just start in on your working sets cold. You are hitting better lifts now so you need to make sure you don't screw everything up. Do yourself a favor and do some walking lunges before that squat or deadlift workout. Do some push ups or dips before you bench. Your shoulders, knees and hips will thank me. Experience Level: medium Pussy Level: Lower than it probably should be.

Last we hit that advanced lifter that we all aspire to be. When you bench all the bros look. Putting your deadlift down makes the gym rumble and the children run in fear. When you squat the guys refuse to take the rack next to you for fear of looking weak. (There's a whole other article on that one I'm sure.) This is the goal. It is also tough to stay at this level due to the amount of dedication it takes to keep hitting it as hard as you need to and the chance of injury from many years of lifting and the toll it takes on your body regardless of form. Here is when listening to your body is absolutely one of the most important things you can do. This is where your shit breaks if you aren't paying attention. This is also where you tend to have the biggest goals and are pursueing them most aggressively. You are no longer lifting for health you are lifting to trade in your health for numbers. That's fine and don't let you friends and family convince you otherwise. They likely just don't understand since they have never really lifted or they are jealous of where you are at. (I'm looking at you 22 year old college dork on IG that ways a buck thirty five and is giving me lifting advice on back and knee injuries). That being said you will know when somethings not right and it's ok to pack it in for the day if you feel that you can't get into a good position. Do some bodyweight stuff get the blood flowing and stretch a bit. While it's totally fine to die on the platform, getting hurt in the gym is dumb. Experience Level: High Pussy Level: Non existent but needs to be higher.

So if you paid attention through my tangents the main point is if you are knew suck it up. The more advance you are the more you are allowed to puss out.

Train Hard. Be Safe. 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.

You can follow Dan on Instagram @RoninStr
For training and nutrition advice and tips email roninstr@gmail.com