Cross Examination With Alex Maroko of Flying In 4!

Do you want to dunk a basketball? Do you wish you could out jump a defender for the football? If you want to increase your vertical jump for any reason you need to listen to this interview Alex Maroko the co-creator of Flying in 4.

Here’s the link to the program:
http://www.increaseyourverticaljump.net

In this podcast you’ll meet Kelly Baggett the world’s most famous “JUMP” coach.  You’ll also find out why he hogs all these secrets and how Alex finally got him to reveal some.

There are actually 3 seperate programs that each last 4-weeks. Follow one or follow them all.

The point is, it is possible to increase your vertical jump by 4 inches in just 4 weeks.

Listen to the interview now to get some tips you can use immediately to increase your vertical jump.

 
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Mike Westerdal Lean Hybrid Muscle Interview

Nick Nilsson Interviews Mike Westerdal About Lean Hybrid Muscle Building

NN: Hey Mike, thanks for taking the time to talk with me. I heard your boss over at Critical Bench sent you on an extended vacation for stirring up all this controversy lately.

MW: Ya my boss is a real jerk. No, I’m just kidding, I’m my own boss. Most people don’t even know that’s my site. I’m kind of coming out from behind the curtain so to speak to share some workouts I’ve been experimenting with lately.

NN: What exactly do you mean by Hybrid?

MW: It’s pretty cool because it has a double meaning in this case. The general definition of “hybrid” is combining two or more different things. In this case we want to take the best of several training philosophies in order to accomplish multiple goals at one time.

We also have what’s been called the “Hybrid Muscle” which is really what Lean Hybrid Muscle Building is all about.

NN: Okay Mike I’ll take the bait, what the heck is a “Hybrid Muscle”?

MW: When talking about “super hybrid muscle,” we’re referring to a muscle that has essentially been reconfigured, adding mitochondrial density, which results in a bigger stronger muscle with more endurance capacity. This is accomplished by combining cardio and strength training into a single activity.

I learned a lot about hybrid super muscle through the book The Purposeful Primitive, written by Marty Gallagher. It’s one of my all time favorite books.

By combining cardio and resistance activities it causes the composition of muscles to transform from predominately type II or type IIb into Type III. By doing this, we are able to push “beyond our genetic limits”.

Having more mitochondria in the muscle cells means that more nutrients can be processed, giving the muscles the ability to work considerably harder for longer periods. They’re also able to grow larger and are able to resist getting tired for longer periods.

NN: Type III muscle? Did you make that up or are you claiming to have invented a new muscle fiber?

MW: I wish I could take credit for that, but no. After reading Marty’s book I started my research and learned that a lot of guys have been preaching this stuff for a while. It’s nothing new. It’s just something a lot of people haven’t heard about.

Early adaptors of this theory included Dr. Len Schwartz who in 1995 coined the phrase “Long Strength”. Dr. Schwartz describes Long strength as “the ability to exert significant strength for an extended period of time.”

John Parrillo-the second proponent of long strength-began having his bodybuilders doing really high intensity cardio. He claimed that doing this actually altered the muscle composition. He called this form a resistance training the “100 rep extended set,” saying that it helped the body to construct more mitochondria-the muscles’ “cellular blast furnaces.” He also says that this increases muscular growth by developing the circulatory pathways that provide nourishment to the muscles.

Ori Hofmekler is the third early adopter of the long strength concept. Ori developed a weight training system that he called, “Controlled Fatigue Training.” According to Ori, this type of training was specifically designed to develop these super hybrid muscles-ones that were capable of generating and sustaining strength for extended periods.

NN: How would one go about building this super hybrid muscle fiber?

MW: For starters, you can look to the ancient warrior cultures-the Spartans, the Vikings and the Gladiators-and learn from them. Remember that all of the training they did was in preparation for the battles ahead. In other words, they were training for functionality rather than aesthetics, meaning that their training routines would have incorporated activities that simultaneously developed both strength and endurance.

Today, to build Hybrid Super Muscle we can start by engaging in aerobic activities that have a strong element of resistance.

NN: That reminds me, you wrote a report called, The Warrior Physique. What’s that about and where can the readers grab a copy?

MW: That was a fun one to write. Having a Swedish background I’ve always been interested in the Viking culture.

It’s no secret that our ancestors were physically, in much better shape than overall, we are today. For ordinary people, their day-to-day lives were much more physically demanding than ours. Back in the day if you wanted to eat you had to go hunting or catch some fish. Everything was functional. In today’s world most of us are subject to the triple seated threat as I like to call it-sitting at our computers, sitting in the car or sitting on the couch.

In this report we’ll explore how some of this planet’s all-time greatest elite warriors of the past developed some legendary physiques.

Right click here and choose “save target as” to download that report now.

NN: So, does this all mean you have a problem with cardio machines?

MW: Not really. If you want to add some resistance to your cardio machines just put the treadmill on an incline. There are numerous ways to make cardio machines “hybrid”.

There’s nothing wrong with regular cardio on exercise equipment. I just think training the hybrid way can be a big time saver. I mean who has time to do a 45-minute workout with the weights just to go pedal on the bike for an additional 45 minutes.

I live in Florida so I’m fortunate that I can go for a walk outdoors any time I want. Sunlight and fresh air can do some wonders for your hormone levels.

Cardio machines have their place. Hybrid cardio just provides a faster more entertaining alternative for some people.

NN: How did you wind up partnering up with Pro Strongman Elliott Hulse in creating this system?

Elliott’s an awesome guy. We’ve become really good friends. I like that we have similar values and he’s someone I can count on.

A while ago I tweaked my back doing some powerlifting and I knew Elliott owned a sports training gym in St. Pete, FL. I paid him a visit and he helped me rehab my back.

We just had a lot in common. We actually played football against each other in college without knowing it and we both compete in strength sports.

The thing we really had in common is that w had both put on some un-needed body fat during our quest for strength. (Okay a lot.)

We both wanted to lose fat extremely fast, but didn’t want to sacrifice one ounce of muscle or strength. We knew this was going to be a challenge and something that most people would say is impossible.

Elliott is a beast. I think it’s good that I’m there to tone him down sometimes. He’s the outspoken motivational coach and I’m more laid back and shy at times.

NN: I’ve seen videos from Elliott’s underground gym. If someone is going to do the Lean Hybrid Muscle program, do they need all that fancy strongman equipment?

MW: Nope. That’s a common misconception. We’re fortunate to have access to a lot of cool training tools but I don’t expect someone living in a NYC apartment to store a 600 pound tire…lol.

If the weekly workout includes any specialty equipment there are always exercises that you can substitute or swap out.

NN: What about a gym membership…is this a gym workout or a home workout?

MW: It can be either. There’s a big trend, where people are trying to save time and money by working out at home. Some people simply prefer training outdoors.

Personally I do some workouts at home and some at the gym. You can do this program at the gym, at home or a combination of the two.

NN: Mike, your results were pretty amazing. Do you guarantee this is going to work for everyone that tries it? In 8-weeks you dropped 12% body fat and stayed the same weight. The pics look like night and day. And dude, what’s up with the swimmers cap and speedo, we didn’t need to see that!

MW: Haha. First of all, that thing in the background is a Bod Pod and it took my bodyfat measurement. They made me wear the hat and the speedos….trust me I’m not a fan of that picture either and it definitely motivated me to make a change!

Do I guarantee results? No, I don’t. I have no control over whether or not you’ll do the workouts. Whether or not you’ll get the sleep you need and supply your body with the fuel it needs to transform.

Plus everyone is different. I’m not going to say this is the only way to train. I just know that it worked wonders for me. It worked for Elliott. And it worked for dozens of his clients at his gym. Will it work for you? Probably. If you get even half the results, would you be happy?

NN: How is Lean Hybrid Muscle Training different than Cross Fit, some of the videos look similar?

MW: Cross Fit is a great training style. I respect the discipline and think they have some great workouts. From what I’ve read about Cross Fit it focuses on stamina, flexibility, speed, agility, balance, cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, coordination, and accuracy.

The rest intervals are very short and the workouts are fast and often. What I like about Cross Fit is that it incorporates resistance cardio which I’m all for.

However I had a goal of not just dropping weight and fat, but also wanted to build muscle mass and build my strength.

Sure, Lean Hybrid Muscle Building and Cross Fit may use some of the same exercises but they are done with different rest periods, volume and intensity. Just like a bodybuilder and a powerlifter may both perform the bench press, but how they perform that lift is very different from each other.

Lean Hybrid Muscle Building is cross-disciplinary like Cross Fit but it has a much greater emphasis on gaining strength and muscle mass than Cross Fit does.

In summary Cross Fit is an excellent training program that can produce great results, but I think it’s better suited for goals of conditioning, toning or developing agility, speed and endurance. If that’s your goal, go with Cross Fit.

On the other hand, if you want to get lean while building strong powerful muscles than Lean Hybrid Muscle Building is a clear winner in my book.

NN: If you had access to any equipment, what would your 3 favorite hybrid exercises be?

MW:

1. Well I love kettlebell circuits.

Similar to EDT by Charles Staley I try to make it through this circuit five times. Next time I do the workout, I want to beat my previous time. This is great for conditioning. For this is resistance cardio at its finest. It’s a nice break from my heavier strength building days to avoid overtraining.

KB Snatches: 5 reps per arm
KB Clean & Press: 5 reps per arm
KB Lunges: 5 reps per leg
KB Squats: 10 reps
KB One Armed Rows: 10 reps per arm
KB Two Handed Swings: 20 reps

Remember you have to make it through this 5x’s so don’t start off with a really heavy kettlebell.

2. Tire Flips

If there ever was an exercise that trains the entire body, from your ass to your elbow, it’s tire flipping. Getting your hands on one is easier than you think. Tire companies have to pay to get rid of them so they’ll be glad to give them to you. Storing them is another issue though.

3. Sledge Hammer Slams

Nick I know you’re into using heavier weight when you train your abs. Well this is a killer. This exercise helps build explosive torso strength and power. To do this exercise you’ll need a sledgehammer and a large tire (not on the rim), bales of hay or something similar to hit. Don’t use something with enough bounce to cause the sledgehammer to come back up and hit you in the face. Work your abs and get a cardio session in at the same time.

NN: What about Hybrid exercises for the gym?

MW:

1. Do the same kettlebell circuit above but use dumbbells instead.

2. Dumbbell Farmers Walk. No rocket science here. Just pick up a heavy pair of dumbbells and go! Great for the traps, grip, stability and core.

3. Dumbbell Overhead Walks. Grab a pair of dumbbells, hold them over your head with your arms almost locked out and start walking. Think this isn’t challenging enough? Try doing lunges holding the dumbbells over your head.

The cool thing about these exercise is they can be used either as hybrid cardio at the end of a regular workout instead of the treadmill, or they can be the workout if you increase the weight and adjust the rep ranges and rest intervals. The possibilities are endless.

NN: Did your wife really call you fat?

MW: Not really, kind of. I started getting some looks when I would head to the fridge late at night. It didn’t take a genius to get the point. Especially since I had placed my Bod Pod pic on the door to the freezer.

NN: Okay I have to ask this. People have been emailing me saying it’s impossible to burn fat and build muscle at the same time. It all comes down to calories in versus calories out. You’re either gaining or losing but you can’t do both. Care to elaborate?

MW: Ummm I’d like to buy a lifeline. Call a friend? Seriously though that’s exactly what I did. I called my friend Eric Talmant who’s a diagnostic nutritionist, metabolic typing advisor and powerlifter.

I knew I had personally experienced adding muscle while dropping fat when I was playing football in college. I couldn’t really explain how, but I thought Eric might be able to answer the question for me.

I asked him, “Is it physically possible to build muscle and burn fat at the same time?” I was pumped when he explained in his interview that it was.

He said that you can keep your body in an anabolic state by creating the perfect internal and external environment through attitude, atmosphere, training, sleep, stress levels, and nutrition. Calories are just one piece of the puzzle and not the entire picture.

NN: How come you don’t just do a bulking season where you pack on muscle and than do a typical cutting cycle to burn off the fat and reveal the new muscle?

MW: Instant gratification maybe. I wanted everything at once. I wanted to recreate what I was able to do in college. I’ve tried bulking and cutting. I wound up getting strong and fat when bulking up only to get lean and weak when dieting.

NN: Okay Mike, this worked for you, but what if you’re just a freak. I mean who benches 315 for 15 reps and still tries to burn fat at the same time? Do you have any other “average Joe” success stories?

MW: I’ll take that as a compliment. I’m not a freak, I’m just extremely stubborn, persistent and determined. Things don’t come easy for me, but when I make up my mind that I want to accomplish something I can usually do it.

I’m also pretty open minded and don’t accept that something isn’t possible just because someone said so.

As for some other clients maybe the video below will motivate some people.

http://www.fitstep.com/goto/lean-hybrid.htm

Tom Phillips Interview On The Tactical Strength Challenge

Luke Allison of CriticalBench.com Interviews Tom Phillips
On The Tactical Strength Challenge - Podcast

First things first. How does Pavel Tsatsouline define Tactical Strength?

“Tactical refers to small scale military or law enforcement operations.

Strength is defined as one’s ability to exert force under given conditions.

Tactical strength is the ability to perform the combat skills requiring great strength explosively and efficiently in the conditions defined by the mission.

Broadly speaking it is the strength to move rapidly in full kit (running, individual movement technique or IMT, negotiating obstacles), handle heavy weapons, carry the wounded, win in CQB, etc. The ‘mission specific conditions’ include but are not limited to the terrain, the climate, the method of insertion, etc.

One of variables is fatigue. In the law enforcement the fatigue is usually anaerobic. In the military the operator may experience many types of fatigue: anaerobic, aerobic, sleep deprivation, hunger, general fatigue from being in the field for an extended period of time, etc.”

About The Tactical Strength Challenge

The Tactical Strength Challenge (TSC) is a strength competition consisting of three events:

• A three-attempt powerlifting deadlift

• Pullups for max reps

• Kettlebell snatches for max reps in a 5:00 time period

Pictured above: Event 3: Kettlebell snatches

The winner is determined by combined placement in the three events. For example, if Lifter A finishes third in the deadlift, fifth in pullups, and second in snatches, his score is 10 (3+5+2). The lowest combined score wins. In the event of a deadlift tie, the lighter competitor places higher. In the event of a pullup tie, the heavier competitor places higher. In the event of a snatch tie, the tie stands. In the event of an overall tie (two or more lifters get same combined score), the tie stands.

Purpose of the TSC

The purpose of the TSC is to test absolute strength (deadlift), bodyweight-relative strength (pullups), and cardiovascular endurance (kettlebell snatches). The three events test a unique trade-off between these abilities. Heavier participants have an advantage in the deadlift, lighter participants have an advantage in pullups. The kettlebell snatch tests all participants more or less equally.

Thanks to Luke Allison for conducting the interview and ofcourse a huge thanks to Tom Phillips for allowing us to pick his brain. Hope you enjoy the audio mp3 interview!

 
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Redskins DE Phillip Daniels Opens Monster Garage Gym

Friday night is a big night for me, there’s a lot on the line. Actually I’m not leaving the house but I made a bet with my wife. She’s a huge Patriots fan and I’m a hardcore Redskins fan. It’s just preseason but our teams face each other this Friday.

The veterans don’t have a lot at stake, but as for me, well if the Pats win I’ll never hear the end of it.

One my favorite players is the NFL is Phillip Daniels who is a DE with the Washington Redskins going into his 14th season.

This guy is an Ox! Other than the fact that he slams QBs to the ground and is one of the best run-stuffers in the League, Phil is also an offseason Powerlifter.

I got him on the line to talk with us about a hardcore gym that he just opened up.

It’s called Monster Gargage Gym located in IL and he opened it with co-owner and 2 time WPC powerlifting champ Eric Maroscher.

As a skins fan, fellow powerlifter and the fact that I train at a barbell club and warehouse gym myself I definitely want to help get the word out about this new facility.

Visit MonsterGarageGym.com

Some of today’s fitness centers just make me sick, so I’m happy every time I hear about one of these underground barbell clubs opening up.

Enjoy the interview….Phil is a real down to Earth guy and you’re gonna love his energy.

Go Skins!

Mike Westerdal
(Fan since the 5th grade)

P.S. Why am I Skins fan when I live in Tampa Bay? Because I was born in raised in northern VA and because I like watching them destroy the Bucs! That’s right, I said it!

Training footage from Monster Garage Gym, featuring members of the Maroscher Powerlifting Team and NFL Washington Redskins Defensive End, Phillip Daniels

 
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Truth About Quickness - FAQ Interview

Before you do anything go Get All 5 Episodes of Truth About Quickness TV FREE right now. Episode 1 is called the “4 Keys To Quickness”. You can sign up for the videos free right here:

http://www.GetQuickness.com

I sent out an email about this a few days ago and my inbox was bombarded about the Alex Maroko and Kelly Baggett’s new Truth About Quickness Insider’s system.

I made a promise in the interview so I’m sticking to it. You’ll hear it and it’s really good news for you.

Instead of making an attempt at answering all the emails I set up an audio FAQ interview here with Alex Maroko. How did I get him on the line?

He used to play basketball at Eckerd College here in St. Pete, FL and he we both trained at Elliott Hulses’s Strength Camp so I had an in. And ya he’s pretty quick. Just watch the highlight video at http://www.getquickness.com

If you play a sport and you want to get to the next level than speed and quickness is probably the most important thing you need to work on.

The football players that play D-III and play D-IA are usually the same strength levels, it’s the speed, quickness and ability that seperates them.

Listen the interview below and than head over to http://www.GetQuickness.com to get your vids and get signed up for the early bird notification list for the when the system goes live.

 
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Podcast With Rob Shaul of Military Athlete

Meet Rob Shaul

“Rob is a lifelong gym rat turned self-educated strength and conditioning coach. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and has attended seminars/certifications through CrossFit, Gym Jones, U.S. Weightlifting, and Athletes’ Performance. He started Mountain Athlete in Jackson in February, 2007, and founded Military Athlete in January, 2009. He is a 1990 graduate of the US Coast Guard Academy.”

Listen as strength coach Rob Shaul talks in detail with CriticalBench.com interviewer Luke Allison about his unique work training soldiers and mountain climbers. Rob’s philosophy reflects his diverse influences – everything from power lifting to Gym Jones. In this interview, he describes what an appropriate fitness test for military personnel might look like. The value of Crossfit and mental training is also addressed. Also, how does pre-deployment training for soldiers headed to Afghanistan and Iraq differ?

 

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Hey Hardgainers! You Are NOT Doomed To SUCKY GENETICS!

This podcast was with Mr. Jeff “The Muscle Nerd” Anderson who was kind of enough to spend some time with us to talk about his new program called Project X Hardgainer.

In this podcast, Jeff and Al Mokbel of CriticalBench.com discussed a lot about why Ectomorphs have so much difficulty increase their lean muscle mass.

To quickly summarize the 30-minute interview, we discussed:

The common reason and mentality behind gaining muscle.

Why the old standard of “eat more and workout harder” doesn’t work.

What are the different body types and how much different they are from each other.

How Ecotmorphs have a genetic disadvantage in terms of gaining lean muscle.

The 7 different reasons why Ectomorphs can’t gain lean muscle.

How come Ectomorphs should eat more carbs in order to gain weight instead of a protein-based diet.

How and why isolation exercises will benefit Ecotmorphs in bulking up.

Why the current mainstream of compound muscle training is not ideal for Ectomorphs.

This interview is jam-packed with information and is bound to make you progress to new heights in your goal in gain lean muscle.

To learn more about Jeff’s Project X Hardgainer program, please visit: http://www.projectxhardgainer.com

 

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Chris Janek Totals 2502 At Only Third Powerlifting Meet

Chris Janek competed in the 2009 UPA Powerlifting Nationals held in Dubuque, IA - April 2009

Chris Janek (308) represented Critical Bench totalling 2,502 pounds in only his third meet. Janek squatted 1,036 pounds, benched 727, and deadlifted 738 pounds.

Luke Allison of Critical Bench interviews Janek in this podcast discussing the meet and training leading up to the meet.

To get your Chris Janek desktop Wallpaper visit this page for more screen resolutions.
http://www.criticalbench.com/free-muscle-wallpapers.htm

 

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Joel Marion Burns Fat With Strategic Cheating

About a month ago a guy named Joel Marion contacted me on Twitter. I guess I’m out of the loop sometimes but I had never heard of him.

I guess he’s “kind of a big deal” in the weight loss industry. He won the Body For Life transformation contest in 2001. At the age of 19 he was already getting published on sites like T-nation and magazines like Men’s Fitness.

He gave me a ring and wanted to tell me about his new program called, Cheat You Way Thin. Right away I was a little turned off by the name. The dudes I usually talk to online aren’t really concerned about being thin, in fact that’s probably our worst nightmare.

I had my guard up big time. After he started explaining to me that it had to do with cheat days and not cheating all the time, I thought okay, that’s nothing new. Sure there’s a physiological benefit to taking a break from healthy eating to help keep on you track right?

Well Joel started explaining that there’s much more to it than that. There’s a reason your body needs to cheat in order to keep burning fat. It has to do with a recently discovered hormone called Leptin.

I’m not the science guy. I set up an interview. Luke Allison of CriticalBench.com interviews Joel about his new program. Luke was skeptical going into this as well, but listen for yourself, I think Joel is pretty convincing in his argument.

Be sure to leave a comment below and let me know what you think. He’s promoting a discount price which is over now, but still want to what everyone thinks of ths.

Click the link below to read Joel’s story of how he was a personal trainer that kept screwing up his healthy eating habits by eating pizza with his roommates and going to party with a buffet and it actually helped him burn more fat!

http://www.ICanEatWhateverIWant.com ———- <<<<<<<< Click Here

Click the play button below to listen to the audio podcast.

 

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Interview With Powerlifter Eric Talmant

Luke Alisson of CriticalBench.com conducted this interview with powerlifter Eric Talmant.

Eric is a metabolic typing advisor and the founder of the Raw Unity Meet.

In this interview Luke digs deep and gets Eric talking about some of these topics that I found interesting and I think you will too.

Luke said it best after the interview. He told me this guy really cares about the sport of powerlifting.

• In powerlifting there are many “national champions”. The quantity of people that legitimately claim this title actually devalues the title.
• How the Raw Unity Meet can determine a raw champion even though it’s not a sanctioned meet.
• Comparing powerlifting to boxing. How at one time boxing had multiple feds and multiple champions and nobody could really say who the official champ was.
• It’s all connected. Sponsors, television coverage, prize money and drawing big lifters.
• Eric walking the walk. How he’s going back to the gear.
• Eric talks about not putting crap down your pie hole!
• Walking the dogs and how it helps GPP.
• Contrast showers, vinegar baths and recovering from workouts!

Eric put on a show. The interview is going on 1-hour so if you don’t have time to listen to the whole thing download it for later. There were a few cut offs during the interview and some technical issues at the end. It’s kind of funny actually hearing them try to figure out how to end the interview. Feel free to skip the last few minutes.

To follow Eric’s Training Log visit the Muscle Forum at www.criticalbench.com/muscleforum

Eric also has an author page here:
http://www.criticalbench.com/Eric-Talmant-Nutrition.htm

 

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