150 Perfect Bricks
by Johnny Pain
So here we are, five days into the New Year. This time of year is historically a time of reflection for many. It’s common to assess one’s status in the world and resolve to make change in the next 365 days (366 this year).
This is not going to be another generic, early January goal setting article encouraging you to create a list of resolutions, but rather a simple challenge to all who truly wish to bring about positive change in some aspect of their lives. (more…)
There’s No Gold Star for Attendance
by Johnny Pain
Woody Allen is noted as saying that eighty percent of being successful in life is showing up.
It’s hard to succeed in the gym, in a relationship, in business, or as a parent if you aren’t present for duty, that much is true, however what actions you take and what decisions you make on the playing field are certainly of significant importance as well. (more…)
Bringing Up the Back Part Two
by Johnny Pain
In the last installment of this two-part series “Bringing Up the Back Part One” we looked at the necessity of a strong back. In this half we will look at an eight-week program designed to be a crash course in back development that will help add valuable back beef to your frame. (more…)
Bonfires Burning Bright…
by Johnny Pain
JP Halloween 1985
Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. The skulls, witches, Dracula, Frankenstein, I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid. (more…)
Bringing Up the Back: Part One
by Johnny Pain
A fearsome man needs to have a big, strong back, no if’s ands or buts about it. Back development is impressive and casts a formidable shadow on the earth. (more…)
On Being a Beast Part Two
by Johnny Pain
In a serious bit of irony, I woke up two days after posting my last article “On Being a Beast” to a bank of missed calls on my iPhone. (more…)
Flight of the Wind Sock
by DBT
It’s about 5 am. I’m just getting home from my post work, workout. My training partner and I decided to finish our workout by loading up the prowler with 12 45′s and doing several trips up and down the parking lot. The lot is about 50 yards long and we started by pushing it two parking spaces and switching, then one, then grinding out inches at a time until we just could not move it. As much as I wanted to throw that fucking thing into the scrap yard across the street, I couldn’t be happier. On my drive home I started thinking about the last 2 years of my training life. All of the peaks and valley’s achievements and setbacks. I’ve been lucky to have met some great people through training. People who I’d never have crossed paths with in 100 years had it not been for the simple act of lifting weights. (more…)
On Being a Beast
by Johnny Pain
“Because Strength is Your Best Defense Against Prison Rape”.
A conversation between myself and one of my close friends years ago is what spawned that infamous Greyskull Tee Shirt design. We were discussing the various reasons that one trains in strength and conditioning. (more…)
How Trophies are Fucking Everyone
by DBT
As a cop, I get exposed to many of the wrongs within our society. There are insanely educated people out there who will have you believe that the downfall of our country can be directly linked to the introduction of crack in the 80′s, kids playing violent video games, and Justin Timberlake pulling out Janet Jackson’s nipple on TV. I’ve performed my own sociological experiment to determine once and for all what the real problem is. (more…)
Summer: Get Out and Run!
by Jim Steel
Steel says get out and run.
Summer is a time to get in shape. It a time to take a step out of the front door and go for a run. And that’s the key: taking the step out the door and just starting. Believe me, you can do it. I’m not talking about running a marathon, but a 10 to 30 minute run a few times a week. (more…)
Charting the Course: Get a GRiP on your Training Goals
by Jason Kapnick
Johnny Pain and Jason Kapnick exchanging friendship bracelets at a recent Greyskull Methods Seminar. His took me 16 hours to make, and I used 6 colors of floss.
People are always asking me for advice on fitness and nutrition. “What should I be eating?”, “What do I do in the weight room?” etcetera. The first thing I ask these people is “Well, what are you goals?” (more…)
Interview with Dr. Robert Wagner
by Jim Steel
Rob Wagner is one knowledgeable, experienced dude when it comes to the Iron Game. He is a former world record holder in powerlifting and has squatted 799 at 198 lbs. In addition he has been a National Champion multiple times. Wagner had a hugely successful career as a collegiate strength and conditioning coach and is also my former boss at Penn. In addition, Wagner has his Doctorate in Sports Psychology from Temple University. He is the guy who I learned the most from in my career as a coach, and I am proud to know him. I checked on with him recently and picked his brain some. Enjoy. (more…)
Training – The JUCO Years
by Jim Steel
The follwing is an excerpt from Steel’s excellent upcoming book which will be available on StrengthVillain.com within the next 6 weeks. I’m really looking forward to this one, and you should be too. Enjoy, JP.
Steel circa 1985
In 1985 and 1986, I was in school at Montgomery Community College in Rockville, Maryland. I played football there and had a great time. We were very good on the field and had an outstanding coaching staff and team. The football was great. I believe we only lost 3 games in two years. At Montgomery, the team was, in essence, a band of misfits. Maybe some of us were a little short, or had to mature physically, or got into some trouble in high school, etcetera, but my football experiences at Montgomery are another story altogether. What I really want to focus on is the training that I did during those years. As far as training as a team, we weren’t allowed to use the school’s weight room. It didn’t matter; we were going to train anyway. (more…)
What Have You Done Today?
by Johnny Pain
What is it about your body that you want to change? Do you want to become stronger? Do you want a more favorable body composition with less bodyfat and more muscle? Do you feel winded when you shouldn’t and want to have a set of iron lungs that you can be proud of and use to participate in sports or activities that you enjoy? Do you want to become more attractive to the opposite sex? What is it? What is it that you want to change, and now the better question, what have you done today to move you closer to that goal? (more…)
Karwoski Trains Legs – Part I
by Marty Gallagher
In 1995 Captain Kirk Karwoski shattered his own world squat record
With a 1,003 pound effort – fifteen years later that record STILL stands!
Eight Ways to Un-Fuck Your CrossFit Gym
by Johnny Pain
As many of you know, I am no stranger to the world of CrossFit. Since I resigned my affiliation with them, my involvement in the “movement” has far from ceased. I have had the good fortune of speaking to hundreds of CrossFitters at events, and in the consulting capacity via phone and internet. In addition, I have helped several CrossFit affiliates design programs for individuals and groups, and have remained an open door resource for many within the organization on a variety of topics. Besides consultation clients, I have had many CrossFit “refugees” join the ranks of Greyskull over the past few years. It is through these experiences that I have observed some major problems in the design and implementation of a “CrossFit” program. The following list is a collection of eight of the more prevalent ones. If attended to, these items can help make for a much better and more valuable CrossFit practice. I do acknowledge the fact that there are some decent programs out there and I do not believe that this represents the affiliates as a whole. However, stereotypes originate from somewhere, I wouldn’t mention any of these things if hadn’t observed them to be woefully deficient in so many cases. If the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t wear it. (more…)
Train Like an Athlete Part 2
by Jim Steel
In Phase 1, I prepped you for some heavier work. In Phase 2 it’s time to get really strong. (more…)
An Interview with VFC 1 Main Event Fighter, Bony
by Johnny Pain
Yesterday I sat down with Bony who is scheduled to fight Villain Apparel sponsored fighter, and StrengthVillain.com contributor Tyler “Melee” Minton this coming Saturday night at VFC 1. (more…)
Villain Challenge #4
by MOA
SAS Patrol Bravo Two-Zero
These soldiers infiltrated Iraq during the first Gulf War with 209lbs. of equipment per man. After being compromised and engaged several times by Iraqi troops, the man on the far left evaded 190 miles on foot to Syria. By comparison, this challenge, while an excellent test of fitness and resolve, is rather tame. (more…)
Train Like an Athlete Part 1
by Jim Steel
Alright, let’s try a training program that gets folks off of the hamster wheels and moves them outside. (more…)
