Full disclosure, I took these rules from my fellow kettlebell coach Cameron Martin, but they’re just too good NOT to share with you guys. Living by them REALLY helps clear things up with how you make decisions in life… (1) I’m a husband and a parent first. Everything else regardless of how important it is to me comes second to family. (2) I will carve out at least 10 minutes per day, four times a week to prioritize my physical fitness. If I can’t put in that ten minutes, I’ll accept that just ONE is better than NONE, and gladly take what the day gives me without feeling shame. (3) Although I recognize I am not perfect, I will strive to do my best and perform all tasks with a high standard of excellence. (4) I will commit to a nutrition plan that is congruent to my goals, however, not be so strict as to interfere with a high quality of life that allows for me to enjoy good food with good company. …and (5) I will recognize that it’s not what I want, but what I’m willing to do to get it that matters. If you live by these rules more often than you don’t, it’s only a matter of time before you accomplish the great big badass goals that you want to accomplish!!! Hands Up…KEEP FIGHTING!!!

Holiday season is by far the toughest time of the year to keep your discipline and consistently make the type of hard decisions that yield solid gains. And because of that, many will suffer from enough sticking points or setbacks to cause the type of inaction or apathy that REALLY forces you down a dark path. Remember though, progress is never linear. Hard, smart, consistent work is undoubtedly the key to experiencing the results you want, but you MUST learn to role with the punch’s while navigating that often rocky path. life happens. Things interfere with your well intentioned plans. If you’re able to expect and anticipate how you might DEAL with these roadblocks, you’ll be far more likely to keep your whits and toughness about you, and keep moving forward in the face of obstacles. Stay mentally tough and keep putting one foot in front of the other while going through these hiccups and you’ll be able to keep the gains train on the tracks!! After a hard week of work, what plans do you have to reconnect with your WHY??? Chime in below!!! Hands Up…KEEP FIGHTING!!!

A lot of you have asked me via message what type of split I personally use, and although I don’t think just because I use this it means YOU should, it’s something that has definitely worked. So heres a glimpse of it written in my exquisitely awful handwriting… Remember what I always discuss on top of what you see here. You gotta prioritize balance, intensity, variety, and most importantly CONSISTENCY if you want your program to yield solid results. Another thing to remember, life happens and I won’t ALWAYS get to follow this daily program. Some days I lack the time to have a dedicated core lift and some days I can’t lift at all. On these days, even if I’m only able to a set of pushups to failure, I’ll always do SOMETHING. Because as I always stress to you, SOMETHING is always better than NOTHING… Enjoy the weekend, brothers! Hands Up…KEEP FIGHTING!!!

If your lower back is constantly tight and have a typical 9-5 job that has you sitting at a desk for prolonged periods of time, then here’s a solid tip for you… Instead of letting this become an issue that gets worse and worse because of hip flexors that are constantly in a shortened position and posterior chain that remains inactivated, try this out… Set an alarm to go off every 30-45 minutes that cues you to stand up, and do 1-2 rounds of this simple routine: - Bodyweight Squats (10 reps) - Hip Flexor Stretch (10 pulses/side) - 90-90 Stretch (10 pulses/side) ***Bonus “feel good points” if you can add a 5 minute walk into the above express routine*** Doesn’t sound like much, but this routine will DRAMATICALLY decrease tightness while helping to improve circulation as well. DON’T let something like lower back tightness which can QUICKLY deteriorate into pain to keep you from putting in the work you need to hit your goals. Hands Up…KEEP FIGHTING!!!

Finding the time and/or energy to train while handling dad responsibilities is no small task. The answer isn’t to NOT train or use them as an excuse to not train in my mind though. The way I see it, they are the reason you MUST train! If you’re a dad struggling with the time and energy issue, please watch this video I put out not long ago, and remember…you owe it to your kids to set a solid example! It ain’t about you…it’s about THEM!!! Hands Up…KEEP FIGHTING!!!