Joel's Fitness

Finished up John Rusin's 12 Week program Functional Power Training with a bang. Lifting heavy weights is fun, as long as you convince yourself it is! If I view working out as a chore, sure enough that's what it becomes. On the other hand, when one views working out as an opportunity to bring the best version of yourself forward, and challenge yourself to become just 1 percent better than you were the day before, that's when the magic starts to happen!

I have fully convinced myself and embody the philosophy that working out is a fun, enjoyable activity. Despite the fact that I'm training with intensity and strenuously pushing my muscles to their limit, I still just view it as another form of playful movement exploration. I hardly ever have the mindset that I 'have' to go to the gym or 'must' workout today; the satisfaction and feelings of accomplishment are enough to motivate me to go to the gym and workout any day of the year!

Whether you're lifting weights, riding a stationary bike, walking on the treadmill, practicing yoga, stretching or whatever your form of mindful movement meditation may be, the same principle will always apply: use it or lose it. When you utilize your full movement capacities and train your brain to learn new skills, you get better at moving. On the same side of the coin, the less you move, the more stiff and less functional you become.

If the bar ain't bending, stop pretending. 475 lbs Hybrid Sumo Stance Deadlift for a single. I've been training hard over the past 12 weeks, working on power development by utilizing principles of the conjugate training system. Essentially, it focuses on optimizing force output, by training both with maximal effort work (between 9-10 RPE), and dynamic effort work (for example, take 40-50 % of weight used for a 1RM on the squat, bench or deadlift, and perform explosive repetitions).

Think of the equation: Force (F) = Mass (M) × Acceleration (A).

To increase force output over time, you can focus on two things:

1. Increase the mass you lift — through max effort training.

2. Increase the acceleration of your lifts — by using lighter loads moved explosively, also known as dynamic effort training.

By progressively improving both how much weight you lift and how fast you move it, your total force output increases. And the faster you can produce that force (moving a weight from point A to B in less time), the more powerful your lifts become.

Top set from today's training session. Just realized as I was watching the video that I forgot to put my lifting belt on for the set lol. Definitely would've moved a little quicker if I had the belt on during the set!

Top set from today's Max effort lower body workout. I worked up to this heavy single of 500 lbs, then moved on to complete even more accessory work for the lower body. This set is just the tip of the iceberg. 🏔️🧊
Following this set I completed multiple sets of barbell back squats, safety squat bar Bulgarian split squats, and ended it off with a bang with loaded back extensions.

Not everyone enjoys a grueling lower body workout, and especially with beginners you will hear people talking like 'ohh it's leg day again', 'my legs are still sore from the last time let's do chest instead today': not this guy- I enjoy getting to put in the most intense physical exertion possible, and that's only logistically possible if you train your legs seriously. Do you really think you can achieve more force output with your arms, shoulders or chest compared to your glutes, legs and back? If you're bench pressing more than you can squat or deadlift, your training needs some serious re-evaluation.

So I'm entering my 30's this year, and some people would think I'm leaving my prime years. But ya know what? Frig the number or date on the calendar- I'm only just getting started and there's much more to come yet. I've been lifting weights for at least 15 years now and am a lifelong natural lifter, and don't plan on changing that anytime soon. Who really knows what the upper limit of potential is for a human being to achieve, when one really puts there mind to something and goes all in? I don't settle for mediocrity and I certainly don't limit myself to some arbitrary point of achievement, I'm always striving to become a stronger version of myself.

Ever since I started my fitness journey in the weight room, I have been making gains ever since. There are always ways to improve with respect to technique/ form, strength progression and conditioning, mobility and movement development and so much more. I've never once became bored of my routine in the gym over the past 15 years, and I can attribute that to mindfulness/ present moment awareness of the 'Now', discipline and consistency with my training regime, variability to avoid boredom but also allow for progressive overload, to name a few factors.

This load is about 1.7 X my bodyweight. A squat from pins is harder than a regular squat because it starts from a dead stop, eliminating the stretch reflex and momentum. This forces you to use pure strength from your weakest position with no bounce or help from technique.

RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion. It's a scale (usually 1–10) used to measure how hard a set feels, with RPE 10 meaning maximal effort—no reps left in the tank. What do you think my RPE was for this set? I'm thinking between 8 and 8.5.

The goal is to make the heavy weights feel light. When you can find enjoyment and joy from doing intense physical exercise, that's when the magic starts to happen. 🪄💪🏻

This workout had me feeling like a primal caveman. I worked up to a max effort attempt with 455 lbs bar weight, and an additional 40 lbs of chains. So at lockout I had pulled a total of 495 lbs.

The first attempt can be seen in the video followed by my second attempt. On the first rep I started shaking and got stuck/ started to descend about 3/4 of the way up, but I said screw that and channeled my inner beast mode and finished the rep. For my second attempt, I successfully completed the rep and actually more smoothly and without the added twerking lol. Muscle memory is a real phenomenon, and after I knew what the weight felt like from my first max effort attempt, I locked in and knew I had it the second time.

Showing up isn't enough- train insane or remain the same! The mindset is half the battle. The inner voice and self talk during a grueling workout is what can make the difference between hitting or missing a rep. Furthermore, expressing gratitude for the strength given to me and granted to my Central nervous system has allowed me to push myself further and experience new levels of strength realization. If your body doesn't feel safe or have stability, then your strength gains will be limited.

Everybody wants tree trunks for legs when you're a gym rat; but ain't nobody wanna squat the heavy ass weight to get them- I'll do it though!

This was a top max effort set on my Max Effort Lower body day. This set featured 265 lbs bar weight + 40 lbs of chains = 305 lbs at the top of the rep (the chains decrease in weight as they are lowered to the floor, it's called accommodating resistance).

It's not enough to just show up the gym and go through the motions if you have serious strength and conditioning goals: you have to put the same effort and intent into your fitness goals as you do other areas of your life. How badly do you want to go see that new movie, or watch that upcoming hockey game? How badly do you want your bills paid on time and to have a successful working career? You have to want your fitness goals as much if not MORE than your other life goals. Think about it.

Imagine for a moment, as grim as it sounds, that you were swimming underwater and somehow got trapped: your leg got hooked up in some fishing ropes/line and you start to panic. How badly would you want to get above water and breathe air into your lungs in that moment? Think about the feeling you would have as the only thought you had in that moment was being released and getting above water and breathing in fresh air. This is how badly you have to want your goals as 305 lbs of iron is compressing down on your spine, failure is not an option.

Lastly, I'll end on this note. Anything that can be manifested in your reality must first occur in your mind. First as a thought, then a visualization. I imagined myself successfully completing this rep moments before stepping up to the bar, and didn't accept 'drowning' as an option. There's fresh air to breathe damn it, and I'm not stopping until I take that next breathe.

Four hundred and ten pounds. The weight bears down on my upper back and trap muscles, a symbolic representation of the burdens we carry throughout our lives. Every little thing can feel like it's weighing us down, pressing against our resolve.

In that moment of intense physical challenge, I realize that strength training is more than just lifting weights—it's a metaphor for life's struggles. I never knew if I would successfully complete that rep. Self-doubt crept in, threatening to overwhelm me. But in that critical moment, I made a conscious choice. I channeled every ounce of my being into pure belief and determination, going all in with nothing but the conviction that I would succeed.

Weightlifting has taught me profound lessons about human potential. Over 12 intense weeks, I committed to 4-6 gym sessions weekly, each lasting 1-1.5 hours, pushing myself to maximum intensity. This journey revealed that true achievement isn't about shortcuts or miraculous solutions. There's no magic pill, no quick fix, no supplement that guarantees instant results. Success is the product of consistent hard work—setting new goals month after month, week after week.

The recipe for progress is surprisingly simple yet challenging: dedicated effort, balanced nutrition, proper rest, and unwavering discipline. A good diet, healthy work-life balance, adequate hydration, and sufficient sleep aren't just recommendations—they're fundamental building blocks of personal transformation.

For those feeling stuck or believing they've missed their moment of change, here's a powerful reframe: Don't wait for a New Year's Resolution. Create a "New Day Resolution" instead. Ask yourself what you want to achieve, and start working towards it right now. Today is your opportunity. Wake up, smell the coffee, and take that first step towards your goals.

These past several weeks have been challenging for me. Through the ebbs and flow of life's circumstances, sometimes despite our best efforts, things arise out of our control that challenge our ability to remain calm, confident and cheerful. When multiple variables arise in a short span of time, it can seem daunting to continue to preserve and push forward through life despite it seeming like the world is out to get us.

The gym, and the iron that resides within, is a grounding mechanism for me. Despite whatever happens in life, I know that there's a place where I can go and prove to myself just how resilient I am. To achieve a state of natural bliss from the flowing of endorphins in the body, which has been produced from intense physical effort, is a gift that everyone should be able to experience.

These past 11 weeks, I have been training hard in the gym, building my strength a little bit more each and every session. I'm now in the 12th week, which is my testing week, and I'm proud to say I started off the week with a bang. Today I worked up to a heavy single 1 Rep Max for the barbell Deadlift, incorporating a hybrid sumo stance. The weight shown being lifted is 500 lbs. The state of mind that is experienced after overcoming mental limitations and pushing oneself to the max, is something I'll always love about training.

This was a pretty solid workout.

Started off the training session with the 45 degree incline bench press using fat grips for an additional grip challenge. I worked up to heavy singles with lighter ramping rep work to not pre-fatigue my system but also 'grease the groove' of the movement. Here I ended up hitting a single rep with 205 lbs as seen in the video. As you can see my body favored one side more than the other during this rep, which is sometimes expected but not necessarily preferable.

Next I moved into a hanging band tempo press which is not seen in the video. Here I hung 30 lbs from each end of the barbell utilizing resistance bands, and held the weight in the top lockout position of a bench press, lying on my back. I aimed for 2 minutes and 30 seconds without re racking the weight - it is a fantastic movement for developing stability of the chest, shoulders and upper back/ lats.

The third exercise of the session, as seen in the video, was a slight decline dumbbell bench press, using 2 plates under the foot of the bench to achieve the angle. The goal here was to achieve a deeper stretched position at the shoulders utilizing a fully pronated grip. Mind muscle connection and quality of reps are a key focus here, while staying in a strength based rep scheme.

The next movement of the day was chest supported rope cable rows- these are sort of like a hybrid combination of a face pull and a traditional cable row: this allows the upper back and lats to be simultaneously targeted, with a higher rep count. I did sets of 15 reps per set, with 3 working sets.

Chin ups were the second last movement of the day. A great overall back builder, here I opted for the goal of doing heavy sets of doubles. I worked up to a set of 2 reps with an additional 60 lbs hung from a belt. On the second set I did an accentuated eccentric for 8 seconds.

I finished off the workout with cable face pulls using doubled up resistance bands as the handles. By placing the resistance bands around the back of the wrist, it takes the emphasis of the loading out of the forearms and almost entirely into the upper back muscles. I aimed for heavier loading on these with 8 reps per set.

If you have any questions about getting started on a fitness training or strength and hypertrophy training program in the new year, feel free to reach out! I'd love to give you some advice on getting started on your journey.

Happy training and may you be blessed with the gift of strength 💪 Merry Christmas 🎄 and a happy New Year 🎊!!