Our special guest this month is the author of the new training book Congruent Exercise, Bill DeSimone.



Bill is an experienced personal trainer, having started in 1983, and now owns his own studio-Optimal Exercise in Cranbury, New Jersey.  His own training-induced injuries led to his unique approach to exercise, where he applies textbook biomechanics to conventional free-weight and machine strength training.  He was also a VERY popular speaker at last year’s HIT Resurgence Conference (I believe he will be at this year’s conference also, which you should definitely plan on attending). 

As Bill says in Congruent Exercise: “You can get all the benefits of weight training, without the risk and frustration, by applying the appropriate joint movements, postures, moment arms, i.e. biomechanics, to your exercises.  And you’ll be able to apply this anywhere, whether you are surrounded by the most current, high tech, selectorized machines, or sewer plates on a rusty bar, or doing chin-ups on a tree, because the one constant is your body and biomechanics.”

This is no run-of-the-mill training stuff Bill is talking about here.  I have noticed for a very long time that many people who I considered experts in exercise and/or High Intensity Training were very weak when it came to utilizing orthopedically friendly, biomechanically sound techniques and positions.

Bill has spent a lot of time and effort studying this issue, and as a result he has come up with some fresh and fascinating ideas and techniques.

Listen now to this thought-provoking interview as Bill challenges strength training dogma and reveals:

• How a skating accident shaped his training philosophy
• His perspective on the teachings of Mike Mentzer, from 1976 through 2001 (wow-did he really just say that?)
• Examples of what “congruent exercise” means, and how it can help you
• His take on rep speed and full range of motion
• The relationship between joint function and torque as it applies to exercise (super interesting)
• His “Anti-Inflammation Theme” nutritional philosophy
• What he means by “functional fairy dust” (hilarious)
• And much, much more!

To hear the Bill DeSimone interview, just click on the play arrow (the little triangle on the left) below:

Bill Demonstrates The Congruent Chin-Up

Click here to learn more about Bill’s book Congruent Exercise

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Of course, this is a popular time of year for New Year’s “Resolutions”, but your yearly goals need to be much more than that.  You need to have a compelling “why” for achieving your goals; some reason that stirs up your emotions, and gets you excited about your goal.

Next, you need the “how to”-a game plan for achieving your goal, step by step.  The more detailed and specific your game plan is, the greater the likelihood you will achieve the goal.

And finally, you need a heavy dose of “want to”, the consistent, long-term motivation to continue grinding out the effort needed to achieve a worthwhile goal.

I discussed these concepts in Chapter 11 of my latest book, Hyper Intensity Training.  To get you jump-started toward the achievement of your 2012 muscle building goals, I have included it below.

Enjoy!

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The 3 Keys To Success 

To achieve success in anything, including a new training program, there are three things you need to be perfectly clear about. I consider these things the 3 keys to success. They are, in order: the “Why”, the “How To”, and the “Want To”.

The “Why” is your personal reason for training in the first place. Of all the millions of activities you could choose to engage in, why did you pick this one?  What’s the payoff to you? The clearer you are about your answer to these questions, the more likely you will be to stick with the program when things aren’t exactly going your way. As the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “He who has a why can endure any how”.

The “Why” is what causes you to make a commitment to your training. There are going to be times in your life when you are going to get pulled in a few different directions by people and events in your life; when people are going to try to talk you out of training, or make fun of you because of it; and some are going to want you to join them in certain activities that have nothing to do with training. It is your “Why” that will come to your rescue at these times, and keep you on track to accomplish what is really important to YOU. 

Only you know your “Why”; it’s purely a personal thing. I strongly encourage you to spend some time in quiet concentration figuring yours out, if you haven’t already.

Next comes the “How”, which is the purpose of the Hyper Intensity Training program. The “How” is the nuts and bolts, the practical implementation of the “Why”. In this context, that includes studying the theories behind proper training, understanding them, and recognizing their validity; practicing the techniques with the intent to master them; and recording the results, analyzing them, and making adjustments to continue on the satisfying path of regular progress. 

And finally, we need the “Want To”, which is the motivation needed to, in this case, put in a maximum effort in our workouts, pitting ourselves courageously against the weights that push us to the very limit of our physical and mental abilities.

By combining the Why, How To and Want To, you eventually develop a sense of mastery, the satisfaction of knowing you were able to put forth the mental and physical effort to take yourself from point A to point Z, and ultimately feel the triumph of success.

As you experience success in your workouts and see and feel changes happening to your body, you will develop a level of self-confidence that will spill over to all other aspects of your life. 

Success in the gym builds your self esteem, which is your belief that you are both able to succeed and worthy of success. As you double your strength, lose pounds of body fat, build new muscle, you will come to know that once you set your mind to something you can do it, no matter what it is, because you did it in the gym.

Because you consistently went to the gym, learned a system, put that system into action, worked hard, and stuck with it, you ultimately felt the triumph of success. You can now relate that success to other new endeavors-“if I could do that (success in the gym), why can’t I do this?”  This type of thinking is very powerful, and the cornerstone of an effective and happy life.

Finally, believe in yourself and don’t ever give up. Visualize yourself, and your life, as you ultimately wish to be. Do your best to avoid negative influences and strive to maintain a positive attitude. Use the lessons you learn through this program to benefit you in other areas of your life. You deserve a great life, and being physically and mentally healthy and strong are important factors. Do it for yourself-you deserve it!

Excerpted from The Hyper Intensity Training Manual.  Copyright © 2011 – Dave Durell.  All rights are reserved Worldwide.

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Here’s to making 2012 your best year ever!

Make your goals happen,

Dave Durell, MS, PTA, Master HIT Trainer

P.S.–To learn more about the Hyper Intensity Training Program, Click Here

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“Life is for those who truly live it, and time alone does not make a full life”. That’s the quote I selected to go with my picture in my high school yearbook. I have always believed that, and try my best to always live life to the fullest, to not miss anything.

Of course, as you become an adult some repetition is inevitable, but it’s amazing how much you can squeeze into your life if you really commit yourself to doing that.

My wife’s nephew, Tony, was that way. Student, son, film-maker, brother, boyfriend, snowboarder, friend, athlete, partier, traveler, adventurer-that guy stuffed more things into his life than most people could do in three lifetimes.

Unfortunately, Tony didn’t even get a chance to complete one lifetime. He died, tragically and unexpectedly, on July 11, 2009, at the age of 24.

Tony’s passing gave me, and all of his family and friends, a horrible, sobering reminder of just how fragile life is. It can be taken away from any one of us in an instant. None of us have any way of knowing how much time we have left on this earth.

That being the case, it is incumbent upon all of us to make the most of our lives. Take charge of your life and your future. Set challenging goals for yourself, and design your life around them.

Train your mind as well as your body. Get and keep yourself in great physical condition, so that a lack of fitness never holds you back.

Make your life a daring adventure, full of thrills, achievement and happiness.

Work hard on developing yourself to be the best you can be. Cultivate and nurture your relationships with the people who mean a lot to you.

Don’t miss anything. Don’t leave anything on the table. LIVE!

And don’t let any opportunity that comes your way pass you by.

Tony never did.

Click Here To Donate To The Tony Brown Foundation

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Vertex Fitness Personal Training Studio is an established personal training studio (opened 2001) and located in the heart of the Main Line in Bryn Mawr We are currently accepting resumes for HIT personal trainers. Candidates must be highly motivated, enthusiastic and prepared to be a major contributor to a service–oriented personal training studio. Applicants should be committed professionals who have the willingness to learn and the desire to achieve. Commission-based. Please send cover letters/ resumes to dwayne@vertexfit.com

Dwayne Wimmer
Owner
Vertex Fitness Personal Training Studio
24 N. Merion Ave
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
610 525 6604
http://www.vertexfit.com/

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The brand new Hyper Intensity Training Program is now available!

Click Here To Get Started With Hyper Intensity Training

The Hyper Intensity Training Program is the extra spark you need to re-ignite the growth stimulus and get you bigger and stronger than ever.  In this program, you will learn how to effectively utilize advanced training methods that will exploit all 3 strength levels, maximizing your muscular development.  You’ll learn all the plateau-busting tactics that make up the Hyper Intensity Training system, and I give you 14 sample workouts utilizing conventional gym equipment, free weight and bodyweight exercises, and high-tech machines, so you can utilize Hyper Intensity Training no matter where you train.  The Hyper Intensity Training techniques can also be incorporated into any other workouts and training systems you may be using.

Here’s What You Get:

•  Training Manual
• Instructional Videos
•  Live Action Training Videos
• Workout Log Sheets
•  Special Bonus: ”Advanced Techniques Used In The NFL” Report
•  Special Bonus: 30 Days FREE Unlimited Access To “High Intensity University”

And if you order now, you also get another Special Bonus:

• The “H.I.T. All-Stars Roundtable Volume I” MP3 Audio

 The All-Stars:

Mike Bradley, Strength Coach, Florida State University; Drew Baye, Fitness Author and Trainer; Dave “D-Mass” Mastorakis, Champion Bodybuilder and Former Training Partner of Mike Mentzer; and Doug “The Sickness” Holland, Champion Powerlifter and Trainer.

What’s Inside:

Over 100 years of combined experience, all together for the first time ever!  Listen in to the No-Holds-Barred discussion as the world’s foremost High Intensity Training experts talk about: Their interactions with Nautilus inventor Arthur Jones; The “tricks of the trade” they have used to make workouts more productive; How their training beliefs and habits have changed over the years; How they have dealt with people who scoffed at their training methods; And much, much more! Over 1 hour of unique content you won’t find anywhere else!

Whew!  That’s a lot of stuff.

Click Here to grab all that stuff

Let’s all get Hyper-Big and Hyper-Strong starting today!

Talk soon,

Dave Durell, MS, PTA, Master HIT Trainer

Author of Hyper Intensity Training

All the entries were fantastic, and I really appreciate everyone’s participation.  (If you haven’t read them, check out the top post on the right under “Recent Posts”).

But one entry really stood out to me above the others by the slightest margin.  And so, after much careful analysis and deliberation–we have a winner!

And The Winner Is:

Anja Hartleb-Parson!

Anja’s Entry:

“As a young girl I was sickly and weak; that profoundly affected my experience of my body and mind, and what I believed was ultimately possible for me in life.

Anja wins a FREE copy of the entire Hyper Intensity Training Program, PLUS all the bonuses, when the program is released on Wednesday!

Here’s what you get:

 Training Manual

 Instructional Videos

 Live Action Training Videos

 Workout Log Sheets

 Special Bonus: ”Advanced Techniques Used In The NFL” Report

 Special Bonus: 30 Days FREE Unlimited Access To “High Intensity University”

 Special “Fast Action” Bonus: The “H.I.T. All-Stars Roundtable Volume I” MP3 Audio

Whew!  That’s a lot of stuff.

Anja, check your e-mail on Wednesday, cuz you get yours FREE.

Everybody else–don’t worry, the program is going to be ridiculously affordable.

So check back Wednesday and grab your copy, and you’ll also get the FAST ACTION TAKERS ANTI-PROCRASTINATION BONUS:

“The H.I.T. All-Star Roundtable, Volume I” MP3 Download

The All-Stars:

Mike Bradley, Strength Coach, Florida State University; Drew Baye, Fitness Author and Trainer; Dave “D-Mass” Mastorakis, Champion Bodybuilder and Former Training Partner of Mike Mentzer; and Doug “The Sickness” Holland, Champion Powerlifter and Trainer.

What’s Inside:

Over 100 years of combined experience, all together for the first time ever!  Listen in to the No-Holds-Barred discussion as the world’s foremost High Intensity Training experts talk about: Their interactions with Nautilus inventor Arthur Jones; The “tricks of the trade” they have used to make workouts more productive; How their training beliefs and habits have changed over the years; How they have dealt with people who scoffed at their training methods; And much, much more! Over 1 hour of unique content you won’t find anywhere else!

Thanks again to everybody who sent in entries–they were all fantastic!

Get Ready To Get Hyper On Wednesday!

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It’s pretty much just like regular Jeopardy on TV, except waaaaaay more intense.  And, you don’t have to HIT your buzzer, or put everything in question form.

And you don’t have to answer a ton of questions in Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy–we go straight to Final Hyper Jeopardy-only one question to answer, for all the marbles.

Okay, so I guess it’s really not like regular Jeopardy at all–but it should still be fun.

AND–we have waaaaaay better prizes!

Today’s Grand Prize:

Your Own F-R-E-E Copy of The Hyper Intensity Training Program!

The Hyper Intensity Training Program is the extra spark you need to re-ignite the growth stimulus and get you bigger and stronger than ever.  In this program, you will learn how to effectively utilize advanced training methods that will exploit all 3 strength levels, maximizing your muscular development.  You’ll learn all the plateau-busting tactics that make up the Hyper Intensity Training system, and I give you 14 sample workouts utilizing conventional gym equipment, free weight and bodyweight exercises, and high-tech machines, so you can utilize Hyper Intensity Training no matter where you train.  The Hyper Intensity Training techniques can also be incorporated into any other workouts and training systems you may be using.

Here’s What You Get:

 Training Manual

 Instructional Videos

 Live Action Training Videos

 Workout Log Sheets

 Special Bonus: ”Advanced Techniques Used In The NFL” Report

 Special Bonus: 30 Days FREE Unlimited Access To “High Intensity University”

 Special “Fast Action” Bonus: The “H.I.T. All-Stars Roundtable Volume I” MP3 Audio

Whew!  That’s a lot of stuff.

And on Monday, I’m going to pick one lucky winner, who will get all that stuff for FREE when the product is released next Wednesday.

(Don’t worry, even if you don’t win, the program is going to be ridiculously affordable).

To win, all you have to do is give the best answer to the following question:

Today’s Hyper Jeopardy Question:

“In 250 words or less, explain why the Hyper Intensity Training Program is exactly what you need to take your training to the next level.”

Our panel of esteemed judges will carefully review each entry for sincerity, honesty and enthusiasm, and announce the lucky winner on Monday.

Actually, there is no “panel”–I’m the only judge, but I’ll still do all that stuff.

Ground Rules–break these and you’re disqualified:

-No financial sob-stories–your reason can’t be “I need to win it because I can’t afford it”.  It has to be about training.  And trust me, you’ll be able to afford it even if you don’t win.

-Don’t go over 250 words.

-You must post your entry here, on this page, below, in the comments section.  Private e-mails, or entries on the “Contact” page, don’t count.

Good luck everybody–let’s have some fun with this!  (Who knows, maybe I’ll pick more than one winner….)

Post Your Entry Below Under “Leave A Comment”, then click “Submit Comment”

In case you don’t know who Mike Mentzer was, he was a professional bodybuilder who won the Mr. Universe contest with a perfect score, and also placed 2nd in the Mr. Olympia contest.

Later on he became a trainer, and he also authored many books about training, in addition to writing for several bodybuilding magazines.

Mike was one of the most vocal proponents of High Intensity Training, which he learned from the man himself, Arthur Jones. Mike dedicated his life to studying, refining, and teaching the theory of High Intensity Training.

I keep saying he “was” all these things because sadly, Mike passed away 10 years ago today. That’s why today is Mike Mentzer day.

I was one of those lucky enough to see Mike in contest condition, guest posing 5 weeks before the 1980 Mr. Olympia. When he started posing, I almost passed out. All of the top Mr. Olympia contestants were there guest posing, and none of them came close to displaying a physique like his. I had never seen anything like it, and still haven’t.

The next day, I attended a seminar held by Mike and fellow pro bodybuilder Danny Padilla. I remember it like it was yesterday. Mike was one of those guys who had a way of explaining things that just made them perfectly clear, and perfectly logical.

I have been unwaveringly committed to High Intensity Training ever since.

Sixteen years later, I was very fortunate to get to meet Mike, have him train me, and converse with him in person and by phone. It was an experience I will always relish as one of the most positive of my life.

Now I’m doing everything I can do to keep the ball rolling and make sure Mike’s legacy lives on. That’s why I created High Intensity Nation.com.

My latest attempt to do this is my new program, “Hyper Intensity Training-Advanced Plateau Busting Tactics To Get You Bigger And Stronger Than Ever”, which will be released in a few days. The program is all about adding some High Intensity “tricks of the trade” to your workouts to make them more productive.

And two of the many techniques in the program were personally taught to me by Mike Mentzer.

Mike Mentzer not only taught me how to train, but also how to think, and apply the lessons learned in training to the rest of my life: to analyze situations with logic and reason, make a plan first, apply the plan with 100% intensity, and reflect and adapt until the goal is ultimately achieved.

He also encouraged and inspired me with my writing, which led to the many training articles I have had published, and most recently to my Special Report, “5 Ways To Smash Through Training Plateaus, Pile On New Muscle And Get Freaky Strong” (Click HERE if you didn’t get your free copy yet).

He is missed, but the lessons live on.

Rest in peace Mike,

Dave Durell, MS, PTA, Master HIT Trainer

P.S. My new program, Hyper Intensity Training, will be out very soon (after we film a few more workout videos). I’ll let you know when it’s available.

(video courtesy of Swordfishjon)

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It’s my new Special Report on Advanced Training- “5 Ways To Smash Through Training Plateaus, Pile On New Muscle And Get Freaky Strong”.

And as a Thank You for all your support, I want to give it to you FREE.

If you’ve been training for a while, and reached a point where your progress has slowed way down-or worse yet, stopped all together-then this report is for YOU.

You’ll also enjoy this report if you are just looking for some cool advanced techniques to add to your workout, to jazz up your motivation a little.

 CLICK HERE TO GRAB YOUR COPY 

 Enjoy! 

Dave Durell, MS, PTA, Master HIT Trainer 

P.S. My new program, Hyper Intensity Training, will be out very soon (after we film a few more workout videos).  I’ll let you know when it’s available. 

That’s not good.

On June 4th, 2003, a different doctor performed surgery on me to remove the cancerous gland.

That is good.

Today, June 4th, 2011, is the 8th anniversary of that surgery, and the doctor tells me cancer is still undetectable in my body.

That’s very good.

I have proclaimed June 4th “Carpe Diem Day”. I celebrate it every year, and invite you to celebrate it with me.

Carpe Diem is Latin for “seize the day”. Being diagnosed with a terminal disease, and subsequently getting it taken care of and receiving a second chance at life, gives one a new perspective on how very precious each moment of life is.

I believe that every person’s highest moral purpose is the achievement of their own happiness. Whatever you need to do to achieve yours, I encourage you to “seize the day” and do something today to move you one step closer to it.

As my fellow cancer survivor Lance Armstrong would say-every second counts!

Seize the day,

Dave Durell, MS, PTA, Master HIT Trainer

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