Star Factory Fitness

Bench Press Tips Part 1

How much can you bench? That’s a question you hear often when you’re around guys at the gym talking training. The answer to that question is probably ‘more than you think’. That is if your spotter isn’t a total moron. You see, having a spotter can actually help you feel a little more comfortable …

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Music As A Weapon

If there was one thing I’ve read about when trying to build a training facility or atmosphere in my studio that I have totally missed out on, it’s the music. There are all kinds of things that we use to motivate ourselves to exercise, train, or just to get us going. For me, like many …

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Think In Terms of Puck Size to Pack on Muscle

Over the past I’ve covered topics such as the best exercises for hockey players, pregame nutrition, and just recently a post about off-season training. To go along with off-season training, especially in athletes such as hockey and soccer players, your off-season focus should include getting stronger, fixing muscle imbalances, and putting on muscle (which should …

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You're not helping and you're embarassing yourself.

A Letter To Parents

Dear Parents, I, like many other people, know that you live a very busy life. The reality is that everyone these days lives a busy life. When someone volunteers to coach a sport for your child, they are making their lives even busier. They are pushing things that they could be doing to the side, …

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So Hockey Season Is Over…Now What?

I know, I know. Hockey season is over for another year, although the NHL playoffs are just getting started, and you’ve got about 4 months to ‘kick it’. Some of you may be chompin’ at the bit to get out on the soccer pitch, like me, so you’ve got your competitive fix covered. Others may …

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Bench Press Tips Part 1 Music As A Weapon Think In Terms of Puck Size to Pack on Muscle A Letter To Parents So Hockey Season Is Over…Now What?

May 20

Bench Press Tips Part 1

by Conor

How much can you bench?

Heard this question before?

That’s a question you hear often when you’re around guys at the gym talking training. The answer to that question is probably ‘more than you think’.

That is if your spotter isn’t a total moron.

You see, having a spotter can actually help you feel a little more comfortable in trying a weight that you may have been thinking about but just don’t want to risk getting hurt. I’ll tell you one thing, having a spotter is one of the most important steps in boosting your bench. But it’s not the only way to help you.

Here’s a couple tips to help you put a few more pounds on the bar and put it up successfully:

1. Prepare your lift by pulling the bar of the rack.

WHAT?

Yes, PULL. The reason for this is that when you pull the bar, you retract your shoulder blades together.

Prepare your back by retracting your shoulder blades.

When your back muscles are contracted they’re better prepared to help you drive more power into the change from eccentric (pulling) movement to concentric (pushing) movement.

So before the bar comes off the rack, make sure to squeeze your back. (Helps to do the rhyme in your head).

2. Bring your elbows in.

Not alot, but make sure your elbows aren’t straight out from your shoulders. Look to make a 45 degree angle between your elbow and the side of your rib cage.

This picture shows good positioning of the elbows.

elbows at 45 degree angle

This kind of piggybacks off the last tip because you won’t be able to use as much force from your back when your elbows flare out. Keep your elbows tucked and generate more power from your back.

So stay tuned for next week and I’ll share a few more tips to help you increase your bench.

Remember to grab your FREE copy of the Off-Season Workout Program and Muscle Building Diet right here.

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To your success,

Conor

Star Factory Fitness

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May 14

Music As A Weapon

by Conor

If there was one thing I’ve read about when trying to build a training facility or atmosphere in my studio that I have totally missed out on, it’s the music.

There are all kinds of things that we use to motivate ourselves to exercise, train, or just to get us going. For me, like many others out there, music is a game changer.

I can remember going to a certain place and they had the exact same crappy music playing over and over and over, and it really killed the atmosphere. It got to be so bad that you’d know exactly what song was coming up next on the playlist. I mean, I’m talking years of the exact same garbage.

Now everyone has their tastes in music but when you’re trying to train and motivate yourself, you need to have something other than soft rock or some jazzy country song playing in the background. This is part opinion and part science….it’s proven that certain music can motivate a person to lift more. So believe it or not, in my experiences, certain music fires me up to have a better workout.

Have you ever been to an NHL game and right before the players step on the ice, a song comes on that just gets you to the point of foaming at the mouth? Me neither but pretty close. Now think if you’re one of those players and you hear that song come on right before you hit the ice. That’s enough to get your juices flowin’.

Atmosphere is a huge thing when it comes to training, working out, or even playing in an actual game. It can be the difference between being bored out of your skull or being ready to get something done.

Like them or not, these are my top ten songs that get me fired up while I train. Not necessarily my favourite songs.

At the end, drop a comment with your favourite song that gets you fired up.

1. Whiskey in the Jar – Metallica

2. Till I Collapse – Eminem

3. Know Your Enemy – Rage Against the Machine

4. The Pretender – Foo Fighters

5. 10 000 Fists – Disturbed

6. Wild International – One Day As A Lion

7. Bulls On Parade – Rage Against the Machine

8. Jump Around – House of Pain

9. Sabotage – Beastie Boys

10. Thunderstruck – AC/DC

So don’t go into a workout with a garbage playlist that doesn’t get you fired up to train hard. Get some tunes together that’ll make you want to get some work done.

Drop a line below with your favourite workout tune!

Remember to grab your FREE workout plan and muscle building diet here.

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To your success,

Conor

Star Factory Fitness

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May 07

Think In Terms of Puck Size to Pack on Muscle

by Conor

Take a look at my off-season workout plan and you’ll see that almost all the exercises are compound, meaning they involve more than one joint, and the repetitions are relatively low. The reason for this is because gaining maximum strength is so important to making an athlete that much better. You may be thinking that you should be focusing on your speed or maybe increasing your vertical, but by concentrating on improving your maximum strength, you’ll not only do both of those things without having to focus on them, but you’ll allow yourself greater potential to improve in all other areas as an athlete.

The problem almost all athletes run into is how to eat properly in order to gain muscle to go along with a workout program that focuses on gaining max strength. I’ve had these exact same problems in the past. I went away to school and ate mostly pizza pops and grilled cheese sandwiches not so long ago and came back home looking like I lost my neck.

This isn't me by the way

So if you really want to keep your well-defined neck and would also like to pack on some muscle, there’s a few things you need to know about eating.

1. Eat more than you’re used to.

People that are looking to lose weight have to eat less calories than they take in. If you want to pack on lean mass (muscle), you have to eat more calories than you burn. This is exactly where most people will fail. They’re probably eating alot but they more than likely aren’t eating enough.

2. You need protein in every meal.

This is a must. If you want to build muscle, you have to include the ingredient that builds muscle. Go for portions the size of 3 pucks. Your best options are eggs, egg whites, chicken breast, lean beef, lean poultry, and whey protein. You’re looking at around 60 grams of protein per meal here.

3. Include a starchy carb at each meal.

Starchy carbs are usually fairly high in calories, so they’ll go along perfectly with high protein meals. You’ll be looking to get the size of 2 pucks of starchycarbs. Your best options are sweet potatoes, rice, white potatoes, yams, and beans.

4. Always include greens.

The benefits of green vegetables go on and on and on. They’re low in calories but that’s not why they’re included here. There purpose here is to provide the necessary vitamins and minerals needed in the muscle building process. You should shoot for the size of 5 pucks. Your best options are romain lettuce, spinach, brocolli, and asparagus.

5. Remember the Fat.

Believe it or not, there’s good fat out there. It’s name kind of gives it an illusion of someone without a neck, but if you include unsaturated fats like natural nut butters (peanut, almond), raw nuts, avacados, extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, you’re doing yourself a favour. Fats like these are very high in calories, so they’ll go perfectly with your muscle buiding diet. Shoot for the size of one puck.

So if you’re looking to pack on the muscle this summer, remember you have to put back the grub. It also might be worth noting that you should be training to increase your max strength or all that grub will be going directly to your pail. You don’t want that.

Remember to grab your FREE workout plan and muscle building diet here.

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To your success,

Conor

Star Factory Fitness

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Apr 30

A Letter To Parents

by Conor

Dear Parents,

I, like many other people, know that you live a very busy life. The reality is that everyone these days lives a busy life.

When someone volunteers to coach a sport for your child, they are making their lives even busier. They are pushing things that they could be doing to the side, in order to do something for someone else. This is what we call being generous.

Some people actually want to make a difference.

Do the people that volunteer to coach your son or daughter have all the right answers, all the perfect drills, and all the right advice in order to make your child the best he or she can be? No, they don’t. If they did, they would be coaching in the pros or have their own statue.

When your child moves to more competitive leagues in the future, your right to question the coaches motives grows, but when they’re not even teenagers, my best advice for you is to relax and enjoy watching your child. As long as they are having fun, trying their best, respecting their opponents, teammates, and officials they’ll be building character that is much more important than winning at this point.

I can’t stand it when I hear parents complaining about their kid’s coach or even screaming at their kid, expecting that their ridiculous action is actually going to help their child. If anything, it’s just going to put more pressure on them, which is counterproductive.

You're not helping and you're embarassing yourself.

If you’re a coach or community member that’s volunteered your time to do something for someone else, my hat goes off to you. You are an actual human being, with good qualities, strong character, and values that are in the right place.

Keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t let complainers take you down a notch. All the “Armchair GM’s” out there think they have all the right answers but they actually will never do anything to prove they could pull it off.

Saying something doesn’t make it happen or make it true. Actions are what determines someone’s ability to be proficient at something. Not words.

Over the past 12 years or so I’ve coached so many of your kids it’s ridiculous. I’ve coached a minimum of one minor soccer team a year (one year I had 3), high school soccer, high school basketball, and public school soccer, basketball, volleyball and baseball. I don’t coach each of these sports each year, but that’s what I’ve done over the years.

Now if you’re a Math whiz, you’ll understand the amount of hours put in to not only coach, but also plan practices.

Not one of these teams consisted of a child of my own. NOT ONE.

So why on earth would I coach and volunteer my time when I don’t have a kid?

The answer to the less braindead individuals out there is because I like to do thing for other people. You know…not being a selfish piece of you know what.

I really can’t stand people that constantly complain about what they think is wrong, but will never do a thing to try to make things right.

Your child, more than likely, needs more physical activity than they’re getting. I’m sure he or she has 12 or so electronic devices that they spend hours a night on but you should probably demonstrate to them what a good role model should. Like, take a walk or bike ride with them.

If you just drop your kid off at soccer or hockey and come back to pick them up, your values are in the wrong place. Your kids want you, sorry, need you, to watch them and support them. They want you to tell them how good they played and tell them what you think they can improve.

Or maybe, you need to try coaching or volunteering out for yourself. Try to find out if it’s really as easy as you make it out to be.

In the meantime, I’ll try to stay positive, do something cool for the kids in town, and let others spend their time complaining.

There’s always going to be jealous people trying to bring you down. Stay strong and keep doing what you believe is right.

Remember to grab your FREE workout plan and muscle building diet here.

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To your success,

Conor

Star Factory Fitness

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Apr 23

So Hockey Season Is Over…Now What?

by Conor

I know, I know. Hockey season is over for another year, although the NHL playoffs are just getting started, and you’ve got about 4 months to ‘kick it’.

Some of you may be chompin’ at the bit to get out on the soccer pitch, like me, so you’ve got your competitive fix covered. Others may be used to just ‘taking some time off’ before next season starts.

If you really want to become a better player though, taking time off before next season is an absolute NO NO!

You wouldn’t believe how many hockey players out there have taken their game to the next level by spending their summer in the gym. The really good players look at the summer months a little differently than the average players. It’s their time to identify their weaknesses and make them into strengths.

Think Stamkos just woke up a star?

For some reason there are way too many players out there that don’t take action and work hard to make themselves into better players. The funny thing is, they’ll tell you they want to get better. They want to be really good, but deep down they don’t want to put in the hard work to get there. They just want it to happen.

Doesn’t work like that.

Take a look at all the great players in the game today. Sure, they were probably head and shoulders above everyone else growing up, so they had a bit of an advantage, but I gaurantee they were putting in the work on their own time to improve.

Martin St. Louis' off-ice training helped him become one of the best in the NHL

Take a look at all the other players that don’t necessarily have ‘star quality talent’. They’re still in the league and there’s a reason why. They have taken the time to put in the hard work to get better and improve.

So if you’re a hockey player, want to get better, and are not sure what to do in the offseason, here’s some tips:

1. Get in the gym 3 to 5 times a week.

If you don’t know what to do when you’re in the gym, do some research and learn. Or….just keep reading.

You know the Canucks are putting in the work to get better

2. Get better at the basics.

Squats, deadlifts, pushups, pullups, rows, lunges, and presses. If you’re new to the gym, get to know these exercises first, and learn how to do them properly.

3. Concentrate on technique first.

Ya I know, you want to be a beast in the gym, but you don’t want to get hurt and then mess up your training from that point on. If you’re starting out or even an intermediate lifter, and you can’t lift a weight for at least 5 reps without perfect technique, you’re better off lowering the weight and not getting hurt.

4. Be patient.

You are not going to be successful if you put unrealistic expectations on yourself. Everyone who lifts in the gym wants to put up big numbers. The ones you see doing it have put in the time to get there. Be patient and keep working. You’ll get there soon.

5. Get faster.

Speed is the ultimate game changer. If you’re faster than everyone else on the ice, you’ll get noticed, and you’re bound to put up nice numbers. Get out to a track or a soccer field and run sprints. In order to get faster you also need to concentrate on getting stronger. The more force you apply in your strides, the faster you’ll be.

Run.....as fast as you can!!

The offseason should be nothing close to an offseason if you want to be really good. The summer months are your opportunity to make yourself better. You’ll have plenty of time to hang out with your buddies, if you set aside an hour each day to exercise on workout days.

Take every opportunity you can to make yourself better.

You’ll thank yourself in the long run.

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To your success,

Conor

Star Factory Fitness

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Apr 16

Soccer Season Around the Corner

by Conor

Just so you know, I love soccer. I mean….I really love it.

The best in the world

I’ve been playing since I can remember. When I was younger, there wasn’t really much of a minor soccer league, unlike today in my home town of Dryden, Ontario. There were always a certain small group of kids from each age group that would show up and you’d barely be able to play a full sided game. Actually, I can’t remember ever playing a full sided game in minor league.

Now a days, there’s roughly 6 teams per division. Thanks to the efforts of a lot of people, especially one married couple, our minor soccer league has grown to be the largest participated sport in town (last time I checked anyway).

Seeing the growth in the sport, especially in our small town, has been great. Players coming up through the ranks are now well versed in positions, systems, and fundamentals. Where as, when I was coming up, it was all about hard work and pushing forward. Now, we’re beginning to see the game the way it should be played. Smart, full of individual and team skill, and of course, hard work.

What gets me most excited, other than playing myself, is teaching and coaching players and seeing them grow and improve. One player I’ve coached since he was 10 years old, can juggle the ball 300 times in a row. I’ve only heard of one other player around here that’s been able to do that, and he’s way past his prime. This player has put in the time and practice to put himself, skill-wise, above the rest. He wants to be good.

There’s other players, who like this one, have unbelievable skill and have put in the time and effort to become exceptional players. It hasn’t come naturally to them. They’ve put in hard work and lots of time perfecting skills.

So if you too want to become an awesome soccer player, here’s some tips:

1. Juggle every chance you get.

Not only will this improve your touch on the ball, which is crucial, you’ll get in a little conditioning session while you’re at it.

2. Use your other foot.

Any chance you get to touch the ball with your “not so good” or “weak” foot, do it. Soon enough that foot won’t be so weak. But the only way it gets better is through constant repetition.

3. Run sprints.

Speed is the “X” factory in any sport. If you’re fast, a coach will find a spot for you. The best way to get fast, is practicing running fast, or sprinting.

Run.....as fast as you can!!

4. Improve your upper body strength.

If you don’t want to get pushed off the ball, start getting stronger. Like Zach Even-Esh said, “Eat your pushups and pullups for breakfast”. These are the two easiest exercises to do, without expensive equipment, to build upper body strength.

But if you really want to know the secret of becoming awesome at any sport, it’s really simple.

Practice.

All the time.

This guy practiced day and night

The great players seperate themselves from the good ones by doing work on their own. They constantly look for ways to get better and they go out and do them.

So get out there, and get to work.

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To your success,

Conor

Star Factory Fitness

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Apr 09

The Cozy Comfort Zone

by Conor

Years ago, just after finishing high school, my goal was to play university basketball. At that point in my life, everything came pretty easy in regards to sports. I was better than mostly everyone I had played against up to that point, so naturally, I didn’t think twice about the way I was going about things was actually detrimental to my progress.

I knew I had to train in the offseason, so that I wasn’t out of shape by the time tryouts rolled around, but what “training” meant to me at that time is alot different than how I look at it today. At that time, I would go for a light jog for about 15 minutes and figure I had just put in a good workout. The next day I might do some bicep curls and some leg extensions and in my mind I was a workhorse.

I mean, this is way more than I ever did in my life, and to that point I had done pretty well for myself. So what result could I expect to achieve by stepping out of my comfort zone?

That question would be answered much later than I needed it. I ended up getting cut the first tryout and was sent into a state of shock.

Remember who else got cut?

It wasn’t that I thought I should have moved on because that wasn’t the case. I was shocked at how much I didn’t know. So instead of learning from that moment, I decided to chalk it up as the other guys just being in better shape at the time and that soon enough someone would notice how good I was and the next year I’d be a shoe-in. Again, not the case.

It wasn’t until I took a course where we were shown how to do all the different types of lifts in the gym that things started to come together for me. Just seeing all the types of exercises that I wasn’t doing set a lightbulb off. Then seeing what type of work these other guys were putting in the gym made it official. I had no clue how to push myself.

So, the question returns. What results could I expect to achieve by stepping out of my comfort zone?

That next summer, I started training almost every day in the gym. The best thing was, at my summer job, a group of us would all go to the gym after work and workout together. We wouldn’t necessarily do the same workouts, but just having guys to train with and learn together with was perfect for me. It’s true that you push yourself much harder when you see other guys getting as strong or stronger than you. You don’t want to be the weakling of the group. It was during this time that I had to push myself out of my comfort zone if I didn’t want to be the guy trailing everyone else.

I actually started to see gains that I never thought I was capable of.

Well...not quite that much!

How would I have known though? I had never witnessed, let alone experienced, this type of training before. And I was just learning how to weight train, let alone how to do it properly. But it was a start. That’s all I needed to get myself into a mindset that would rarely leave me from that point on. If I wanted to achieve something that I had never done before, I would have to leave my comfort zone.

I would never tryout for the basketball team again, but I managed to play university soccer instead. It took me one tryout to put an impression on the coach in my mind. I was stronger and more confident in my athletic abilities than I had ever been. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone during training had reaped benefits I never thought could happen. I was stronger, faster, quicker, and more confident in myself as an athlete. So why step out of your comfort zone?

Because you too can always acheive more than you imagined.

Success Is Not a Spectator Sport

You too can turn yourself from the benchwarmer to the starter. You too can experience feelings of confidence that you never thought you’d ever feel. Believe me, life is much more enjoyable when you feel good about yourself. Sometimes you don’t always get what you want but learning from experiences, digging down, and working hard to make yourself better is all you need to do.

So ask yourself, “What is it that I want to achieve by exercising?”

Are you just looking for a way to live a healthier lifestyle?

Are you trying to improve your abilities in order to achieve higher success in a sport?

If you answered the latter, then you NEED to be training out of your comfort zone. When you’re lifting the iron, you NEED to be struggling to get your last couple reps up. You can’t breeze through each set, knowing in the back of your mind that you could have just cranked out 5 or 10 more reps with that weight. That’s not challenging yourself. You need to be moving forward, not sideways.

Remember to sign up for my newsletter and get some cool gifts right here.

To your success,

Conor

Star Factory Fitness

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Apr 02

5 Ways to Help You Start A Fitness Program

by Conor

The most common challenge people have when trying to start a fitness program is figuring out how they’re going to fit it into their schedule. They know they have to do something to get in shape but they really don’t know how. There’s so much information out there, that before people even start, they’re overwhelmed. They’re not sure if they should do this or that, whether one way is better than the other, or if black is actually blue.

Go to any grocery store and you’re faced with choices upon choices. It’s easy to just grab the stuff that’s all ready to go, instead of putting in a little time and preparing healthier meals. Our day to day jobs are way less physical than they where 100 years ago so most of our days are spent sitting on our butts. We know there are benefits involved when we exercise and eat healthy but most people don’t know how or where to start.

So where do we begin? Or is it better to ask how do we begin?

I’ll be honest and tell you I’ve always had a tough time getting into an exercise program, but once you’ve developed a consistent routine, you’ll be off to the races.

Here’s 5 ways to get you started:

Make the Choice to Start Exercising and Eating Right

Make a decision and stick to it. Don’t say you’re going to exercise one day and change your mind the next. Deciding that you need to change a behavior creates optimism. When you say to your self “I need to get in better shape”, it means something. People need to think about what exercises to do and when they can do them. They also need to think about what foods they should be eating. Feel a bit of pride for making a great decision and get to work.

Write Down Your Goals

You need to make a goal or two and write them down. Write down what you want to accomplish and put it somewhere you’ll see it all the time. If you want to lose 10 pounds in a month, write down “Lose 10 pounds by the end of the month” and stick it to the fridge. The kitchen is a great place because you’ll constantly be reminded of your goal and you’ll be more likely to pass up the needless snacks.

Some people set lofty goals like working out for 2 hours a day. For some reason people think more is better. You’re not a bodybuilder or getting ready for your starring role in an action film. Knowing your schedule will help you set realistic goals and help you find a few hours a week to start exercising. Writing your goal down will also keep you motivated because you’ll be more likely to not forget what you’re trying to accomplish.

Read A Little

Most people have no idea what to do when starting a routine and think doing a little research will be too daunting. We live in an age where answers are a click away. All you have to do is make some time to find them. I’d never know as much as I do about health, fitness and nutrition if I didn’t want to learn about it. However, do not go overboard and lose focus. Look for a site that focuses on things that correlates to your goals. Find the simplest and easiest workouts and nutrition tips. Too much information makes people, like myself, shut down. Find a few tips and keep focused on them…and them alone.

If you don’t want to look on the internet for information, then seek out a trainer. Hiring a trainer is a great way to get started because most people need to be held accountable for what they do. A trainer can also teach you how to perform exercises correctly, motivate you to work a little harder than you’d do on your own, and talk to you about anything you’d like to know more about. I’m not trying to give myself a boost here but the boys I train would be NO WHERE near squatting over 200lbs if I didn’t show them correct technique and made them put more weight on the bar.

Create a Plan that’s Simple to Follow

Keep it Simple! It’s taken me a while but I’ve figured out that everything in life doesn’t have to be confusing. The more you try to complicate things, the more complicated they become. You should have a plan of which days you want to work out and make it a goal to eat healthier. Think about Apple and their company. When you really think about the amount of products they have, there really isn’t that many. The reason is because they focus on doing a few things really, really well, instead of alot of things kinda well. Simple is success.

Get to Work

OK, so you now have a plan in place, so all you need to do is follow it. This is a big step, but not only as big as you make it. Every day you should be conscious of what you have to do that day to get closer to your goals. You may want to record your workouts on a calendar and cross them off each day you complete them. It will show you that you accomplished something that day. It’ll feel awesome every time you see how much closer you’re getting to your goals. The hardest part is doing the work, but it’ll soon change to the most enjoyable part.

So there you have it folks. 5 tips to get you started towards making a change in your life for the better. My advice for everyone is to never make things more complicated than they need to be. Exercising should be as simple as moving, lifting, and having fun. If I didn’t make this change in my life, I’d be one sour grape. So set a goal and go after it.

Remember to sign up for my newsletter and get some cool gifts right here.

Also, if you really want an awesome fitness plan to follow, check out Eric Cressey’s “Show and Go”.

To your success,

Conor

Star Factory Fitness

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Mar 26

When Do You ‘Make It’ in the Gym?

by Conor

Being a bit of a ‘gym rat’ I’ve seen a bit of how people operate. Some are putting up impressive numbers all over the place, while others are only concerned about putting 2 plates on each end of the bar and benching it. Ya, it’s a pretty big accomplishment and ego boost once you’re able to bench 225lbs (that’s two 45lb plate plus the bar), but it shouldn’t be the only thing that these monkeys strive for.

There’s more to working out than just putting up impressive bench press numbers. Here’s a list of other numbers to strive for. When you hit these numbers, then you can consider yourself one of a select bunch that’s made it in the gym. Here’s the list:

1. Benching 225lbs

I’ll just get it out of the way. It’s probably the exercise that’s done more than anything else, the bench is always in use, and meatheads have a hunched look because of it. This is an awesome number, but make sure you hit the next number to even out muscular imbalances.

2. 20 Pullups

This number has been up for debate around plenty of fitness forums. There are many “tests” around that say if you can do over 13 reps, then you’re considered ‘above average’. In my opinion, that’s pretty good, but I’m not going by numbers that fitness guides are throwing out there. These are numbers that are going to put you closer to ‘elite’ status among your peers.

3. Squatting 315lbs.

Ever see a guy squating 3 plates a side? Probably not. That’s because they’re over doing chest exercises instead. If you want strong legs, skip the leg press, put some weight on your back and squat. There’s a reason powerlifting competitions don’t include the leg press as an event. The squat is harder and you’ll be a stud in the gym once you hit this number. Athletically, you’ll also dominate because of the leg strength you’ve accumulated.

4. Deadlift 2.5 x’s your weight

Ya, I put exact numbers for the other exercises, but when you consider bodyweight, it’s tough for me to keep putting numbers that skinny runts will never hit. If you can put up 2.5 times your bodyweight, you’ve developed some serious strength. This is not just a leg exercise either, as you’re working your hip extensors and overall posterior chain. This is another exercise, like the squat, that should be a staple in your program if you’re looking to increase your overall strength and power.

Now those are some numbers that will impress people in the gym, no matter where you are (with a few exceptions like Gold’s out in Cali). But since I’m a sports guy and like to include other types of training, besides just strength into my programs, here’s a couple numbers to strive for outside of the gym.

1. 30″ Vertical Leap

The vertical leap test is included in every professional sport combine in the US and Canada. In terms of athletic ability, this test shows what kind of explosive leg power you can generate. Athletes with a 30″ vertical and higher are always able to compete at high levels because of their sheer explosiveness.

2. Under 6 second 40 yard dash

No matter what sport you’re in, being fast is always an advantage. You’re never going to reach Usain Bolt speed, but don’t let that discourage you. Under 6 seconds for non-professionals is pretty damn fast.

So in my opinion, those are numbers you should be looking to strive for, instead of just impressive bench press numbers. To become an overall better athlete, you need to focus on your weaknesses and turn them into strengths.

Avoiding pullups, squats, and deadlifts will not get you closer to becoming an awesome athlete. Do the hard exercises, increase your strength, and start seeing yourself perform at higher levels.

Remember to sign up for my newsletter and get some cool gifts right here.

Also, check out this program from Travis Stoetzel who trains NFL and MMA athletes. He has some killer workouts.

To your success,

Conor

Star Factory Fitness

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Mar 14

Paperkings Finish Season Ranked 2nd in Ontario

by Conor

53-5-4

Think about that for a second and let it sink in. 53 wins and 5 losses.

When’s the last time you can remember a team from Dryden, Ontario finishing a season with that kind of record? Not just hockey team….any team? I’m sure people can think of some, but for myself, I’m having trouble thinking of one that even comes close over the past 30 years of my existance.

Again, think about it for a few seconds. 53 wins and 5 losses. This is a team from Dryden, Ontario. We don’t see this sort of thing every other year. But maybe I’m mistaken, and if you can prove me wrong, I’m all ears, and will graciously admit to ignorance.

Check the stats below:

The Dryden AA Holiday Inn Paperkings finish the year with 5 gold and 2 silver and a final 53-5-4 record.

The Paperkings also end the year ranked 2nd out of all Bantam AA teams in Ontario just behind the Mississauga 97AA Terriers according to MyHockeyRankings, the main amateur hockey ranking organization in North America.

Gold – Dryden Bantam AA Tournament, Fort Frances Bantam AA Tournament, Sault Steel City Bantam AA Classic, Brandon Bantam AA Tournament of Champions, Thunder Bay Norwest Stars of Tomorrow Bantam AA Tournament

Silver – Morris Manitoba Bantam AA Showcase, Kenora Thistles Bantam AA Classic

Now people may be thinking, “Why do you write about these kids?”

Well, for one, no one else that I know of, local paper included, really gives the local youth in our community the praise and publicity they deserve. Don’t get me wrong, our paper reports on anything and everything happening in our community. They do an excellent job of it too. This isn’t about ripping the local paper. This is about taking advantage of what’s available to us and making something cool out of it.

I mean, we live in an age where people can write just about anything and find an avenue to present it, (I’m talking about the internet), and most people either don’t know how to go about it, don’t have the confidence in their ability to promote or write, or could just care less about making a big deal about people in their community.

I, on the other hand, truly care about the youth in this community, and want to make sure people know about the great things they’re doing. I have absolutely no alterior motive here, besides doing something for other people. This lets me do it on a bigger stage and present it to more people.

So I just want to give a big thanks to the Paperkings. Not just for kicking ass all season and making our town proud, but for trying something new. They came to me when I presented them with a new opportunity that was foreign to almost everyone around here. I got certified as an athletic trainer and wanted to train people, youth athletes in particular, out of my garage. Most people would look at it as not very glamorous. They saw it as an opportunity to get better, and they made some BIG improvements in their strength. Here’s the proof:

BBart went from 75lbs to 115lbs on the bench press, and from 95lbs to 185lbs on the squat.

BDesserre went from 75lbs to 125lbs on the bench press, and from 100lbs to 215lbs on the squat.

TBoon went from 75lbs to 135lbs on the bench press, and from 100lbs to 215lbs on the squat.

JOberg went from 85lbs to 155lbs on the bench press, and from 115lbs to 215lbs on the squat.

Now these are just a couple examples of the main compound exercises we’ve work on to build strength. A bunch of the boys went from barely being able to do 5 real chinups, to doing 15 and in a few cases 20.

So my hope for these guys is that they continue to work on getting stronger and making the gym a second home. We must remember that these guys are in grade 9 and 10. Before they know it, they’ll be beasts in the weight room if they consistently work at it.

Remember to sign up for my newsletter and get some cool gifts right here.

To your success,

Conor

Star Factory Fitness