What is it like having the 2x World's Strongest Woman (WSW) and world record holding powerlifter, Jill Mills, as your coach? A question I hear fairly frequently, but honestly, don't think I have ever answered...outside of simply saying "awesome". So, here ya go...
First things first, your ego must comprehend the fact that there is, and will forever be, only one Jill Mills. It doesn't matter what you think you can do, how much you think you work, or how good you think you are. She has, and will, do more, work harder, and be better. Once you have grasped this concept, as well as understand that her way is better than about 99% of what you think you already know...then, and only then, you just might be able to undertake the task of learning from a legend. (And for the record, from my own personal experience, letting go of the useless crap that is tucked away in long term memory is no easy task.)
With that being said, there is one more small requirement. Passion. The all encompassing word for truly loving your sport...from the hard work you put in, to what you give back (emphasis on giving back). Jill has a unique passion for her sports, which has resulted in enormous amounts of valuable knowledge. You may never posses the same passion, or even understand it....but you sure as hell have to appreciate it in someone else.
Two years ago, when I first contacted Jill via e-mail regarding training, her response was almost immediate. I was scared shitless. It was one of those moments when you want to travel back in time, slap yourself, and say, "what were you thinking?". That fear was followed by a multitude of questions, self-doubt if you will. What was she going to think of a fat, out of shape, recovering alcoholic, has-been athlete? The answer to that: nothing. The only judgement came in the form of critiquing my horrible lifting techniques, and the possibility of what could be...not what once was.
From a lifting perspective, I have made some incredible gains. From an unweighted bar squat, yes, just the bar, to 250lbs. My all-back 315lb deadlift jumped to 360lbs when I learned to incorporate my posterior chain. In my first strongman competition, in March '13, the 400lb yoke almost killed me, now, I am working to get quicker with 500lbs. Hell, I have even grown into a squat suit that Jill let me borrow for a competition in California last year. I am still trying to decide if fitting into that miserable suit is a good thing though. However, I can not simply write a blog on numbers. Her coaching and programing success can be seen in athletes everywhere.
I was only seven months into my sobriety when I started training, still struggling to discover who I really was, and my place in life. Through lifting alone, I built confidence and began to believe in myself...but my understanding of feelings and emotions was progressing much like a game of Chutes and Ladders (Google it). Call it luck, coincidence, or meant to be, but
in finding the right lifting coach, I also found a role model for the person I desired to be.
She knew when to encourage, when to guide, and when to let me stand on my own, fail, and learn. I have tested her coaching skills, her patience, and her tolerance level more times than I even care to count. But she did not quit, nor throw me out the door...although I am sure the thought has crossed her mind...more than once. She truly wanted me to succeed, not just in the gym, but in life itself. There has not been one single day that I have left the gym, if I can physically walk out of the gym, without some new insight...to make me think, and to help me grow. Every trip to the gym, or barn, or park, or where ever the workout may take me, is a unique opportunity. You can take these moments for granted, or you can, as Jill likes to say, "embrace it".
Although the 2x World's Strongest Woman may be a living highlight reel of feats of strength, she is first and foremost a wife, a mother, a self-made woman, and a wonderful human being. In other words, she is a whole lot more than what you see in any thirty second youtube video. The visible strength is undeniable, but the unseen, internal strength is even more impressive. Being able to train with and learn from Jill is a privilege...one that I will continue to embrace for years to come.
Showing posts with label lift heavy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lift heavy. Show all posts
Monday, November 17, 2014
Monday, September 16, 2013
Opening Act
I returned yesterday evening from the USPA Capital of Texas Open with the intention of writing my blog and reviewing the event. But with so much adrenaline still flying through my system just talking about it, I decided to wait another day to reflect on everything that happened. Plus, by 9:30 my body and mind called it quits and I crashed hard.
I would like to say first that Robert Gallegos, with the assistance of Austin Simply Fit, put on a well run and amazing event! Lifters from around Texas started filing in around 8am, including six from our very own Olympic Gym. You may associate O.G. with "original gangster"...but here it IS Olympic Gym. All six of the O.G. athletes, trained by the one and only Jill Mills, placed in their weight class and came home with medals, including the men's best overall lifter, Rich Bufalini.
I know for me personally, it was some of the best competition lifting I have ever done. Chalk it up to actually taking days off, having my Barn Crew cheering me on, Gary finding the only place that sells Big Red Zero, or the inspirational lifting clinic that Jill put on as a guest lifter...it is one day I will not soon forget. It's days like this that make busting your ass in the gym worth every damn minute!
I spent a lot of my day as the opening act for my coach's larger than life lifts. And it was freakin' AWESOME! How many people can say they have shared a platform with the person that inspires them the most? Well, I have now! She staked claim to a 1250 total with a 440 squat, 281 bench...barely missing her third lift of 303, and a 529 deadlift. The good thing was...at least I didn't have to go after those lifts! And you had to feel some sympathy for the guys loading the bar, they had to strip all that weight every time so that we could start the rotation over. I would venture to guess they might be a little sore today.
As for me, I came pretty damn close to hitting all my goals for the meet...and each of my lifts was a PR for me in the 165lb weight class. My squat, which I had started from scratch with less than a year ago, is just two pounds shy of the 200 mark. Although the 200lb bench still eludes me, I did hit a 187...up six pounds from my last couple of meets. And finally, I hit and exceeded my big goal of a 350 deadlift, ending with a 352, a twenty pound meet PR. My deadlift came courtesy of: 1. lots of strongman training, 2. my judge at California's Strongest Woman, Donnie Rhodes, who mentioned to me after the event that he thought my 365lb deadlift was more me than the suit (I'm guessing because I use so much back rather than leg), and 3. Jill's husband, Milo, who was standing next to me when I went to put in my final lift. I was going to play it safe, but he gave me much higher numbers to pick from. And with one pull, no hitches, it all came together. It was just like hitting a game winning buzzer beater from half court...without the post game dog pile, thank goodness.
A big, huge congratulations to all of my Barn Crew and coach on some freakin' great lifting! And even bigger thank you for making this day one of a kind!
I would like to say first that Robert Gallegos, with the assistance of Austin Simply Fit, put on a well run and amazing event! Lifters from around Texas started filing in around 8am, including six from our very own Olympic Gym. You may associate O.G. with "original gangster"...but here it IS Olympic Gym. All six of the O.G. athletes, trained by the one and only Jill Mills, placed in their weight class and came home with medals, including the men's best overall lifter, Rich Bufalini.
I know for me personally, it was some of the best competition lifting I have ever done. Chalk it up to actually taking days off, having my Barn Crew cheering me on, Gary finding the only place that sells Big Red Zero, or the inspirational lifting clinic that Jill put on as a guest lifter...it is one day I will not soon forget. It's days like this that make busting your ass in the gym worth every damn minute!
I spent a lot of my day as the opening act for my coach's larger than life lifts. And it was freakin' AWESOME! How many people can say they have shared a platform with the person that inspires them the most? Well, I have now! She staked claim to a 1250 total with a 440 squat, 281 bench...barely missing her third lift of 303, and a 529 deadlift. The good thing was...at least I didn't have to go after those lifts! And you had to feel some sympathy for the guys loading the bar, they had to strip all that weight every time so that we could start the rotation over. I would venture to guess they might be a little sore today.
As for me, I came pretty damn close to hitting all my goals for the meet...and each of my lifts was a PR for me in the 165lb weight class. My squat, which I had started from scratch with less than a year ago, is just two pounds shy of the 200 mark. Although the 200lb bench still eludes me, I did hit a 187...up six pounds from my last couple of meets. And finally, I hit and exceeded my big goal of a 350 deadlift, ending with a 352, a twenty pound meet PR. My deadlift came courtesy of: 1. lots of strongman training, 2. my judge at California's Strongest Woman, Donnie Rhodes, who mentioned to me after the event that he thought my 365lb deadlift was more me than the suit (I'm guessing because I use so much back rather than leg), and 3. Jill's husband, Milo, who was standing next to me when I went to put in my final lift. I was going to play it safe, but he gave me much higher numbers to pick from. And with one pull, no hitches, it all came together. It was just like hitting a game winning buzzer beater from half court...without the post game dog pile, thank goodness.
A big, huge congratulations to all of my Barn Crew and coach on some freakin' great lifting! And even bigger thank you for making this day one of a kind!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
A Day in the Life
What do I do on a normal day? Just in case anyone was wondering...
I lead a pretty simple and mostly normal life...so, I just realized this may be a boring blog. I typically get up around 5:30am, 7am is sleeping in for me, and take my usually sore body to the kitchen to fix breakfast. I will take my plate full of waffles and protein shake outside to the patio where I watch the sun come up with my pup Killian. By the way, I stick to a simple breakfast, toaster or microwave use only, so I don't have to worry about burning the house down so early in the morning. I will typically enjoy a cigar while I get updated on anything important in the news or on Facebook...and I occasionally check my e-mail.
By 6:30, I will jump in the shower and get ready for work. On the average day, I might encounter my wet work clothes still waiting to be dried, missing car keys or phone, no Big Red Zero in the fridge to take to work which means a stop at the Valero on the way, and always two pouty Boston Terriers and one Doberman that looks at me with her sweet, sad eyes like I am never coming back.
So, I work approximately four miles from my house and I can never get there on time despite being up before the sun rises. I get distracted easily...what can I say? I work part-time in a labor intensive job, my un-official title is Head Grunt, which can last anywhere from four hours to six or seven. And I do work on the weekends. Working in retail has its good and ugly side just like any other job, but for the most part I do enjoy it. I spent years as a manager for this same company, and am extremely greatful that I don't have to deal with that side of the job any more.
Once I am off work, I make a mad dash for home to eat something before I work out. On tuesday and thursday, I drive about fifteen minutes down the road to work out with my wonderful coach. **tomorrow is leg day thus the reason for the word "wonderful" ;) She successfully kicks my ass on my heavy lifting/strongman training days, and the drive home is usually a blur of "what the hell just happened". On monday and friday, I typically workout alone in one of two of my garage gyms doing accessory work and cardio type crap. Can you tell I dislike cardio?! I use wednesday and saturday as my rest days mainly because my biggest ass kickers happen on thursday (squats and deadlifts) and sunday (event training), both of which I want to be as well rested for as possible. And then sunday is event training day with my Barn Crew...the best day of the week! There are four to six of us who will meet at the barn, yes it is an actual barn, and go head to head with the heavy weights...all while getting some great coaching!
Post workout includes dinner, a cigar, a soccer game with Killian, and a relaxing time on the back patio...unless its sunday in which I am usually to tired to do anything but sleep. On my days off from work, I usually go to work at least one of those days to play catch up, and the other is reserved for the maid service...which would be me. I do have a yard guy though!
And that my friends is my day in a nutshell. In my drunken days, this would have been a much shorter blog. It would have simply stated drinking and sitting on my ass. What a difference a year and almost a half can make!
I lead a pretty simple and mostly normal life...so, I just realized this may be a boring blog. I typically get up around 5:30am, 7am is sleeping in for me, and take my usually sore body to the kitchen to fix breakfast. I will take my plate full of waffles and protein shake outside to the patio where I watch the sun come up with my pup Killian. By the way, I stick to a simple breakfast, toaster or microwave use only, so I don't have to worry about burning the house down so early in the morning. I will typically enjoy a cigar while I get updated on anything important in the news or on Facebook...and I occasionally check my e-mail.
By 6:30, I will jump in the shower and get ready for work. On the average day, I might encounter my wet work clothes still waiting to be dried, missing car keys or phone, no Big Red Zero in the fridge to take to work which means a stop at the Valero on the way, and always two pouty Boston Terriers and one Doberman that looks at me with her sweet, sad eyes like I am never coming back.
So, I work approximately four miles from my house and I can never get there on time despite being up before the sun rises. I get distracted easily...what can I say? I work part-time in a labor intensive job, my un-official title is Head Grunt, which can last anywhere from four hours to six or seven. And I do work on the weekends. Working in retail has its good and ugly side just like any other job, but for the most part I do enjoy it. I spent years as a manager for this same company, and am extremely greatful that I don't have to deal with that side of the job any more.
Once I am off work, I make a mad dash for home to eat something before I work out. On tuesday and thursday, I drive about fifteen minutes down the road to work out with my wonderful coach. **tomorrow is leg day thus the reason for the word "wonderful" ;) She successfully kicks my ass on my heavy lifting/strongman training days, and the drive home is usually a blur of "what the hell just happened". On monday and friday, I typically workout alone in one of two of my garage gyms doing accessory work and cardio type crap. Can you tell I dislike cardio?! I use wednesday and saturday as my rest days mainly because my biggest ass kickers happen on thursday (squats and deadlifts) and sunday (event training), both of which I want to be as well rested for as possible. And then sunday is event training day with my Barn Crew...the best day of the week! There are four to six of us who will meet at the barn, yes it is an actual barn, and go head to head with the heavy weights...all while getting some great coaching!
Post workout includes dinner, a cigar, a soccer game with Killian, and a relaxing time on the back patio...unless its sunday in which I am usually to tired to do anything but sleep. On my days off from work, I usually go to work at least one of those days to play catch up, and the other is reserved for the maid service...which would be me. I do have a yard guy though!
And that my friends is my day in a nutshell. In my drunken days, this would have been a much shorter blog. It would have simply stated drinking and sitting on my ass. What a difference a year and almost a half can make!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Why Strongman?
1. Because you get to lift heavy shit.
2. Because you get to lift heavy shit.
Ok...I will stop.
I was warned well ahead of time that people involved in other sports do not understand the concept of strongman. And for the most part it is true. Let me use one prime example: CrossFit. And I am not writing this to bash CrossFit gyms or their athletes. I was a crossfitter for years and still have a love for it and the people at my old gyms. CrossFit offers a strongman certification course, that I have heard is great, but yet most still fail to understand the benefits of strongman training. So, I am here to explain why I train this way.
When I was involved in CrossFit competitively, I actually preferred to follow the football site that offered quick, short, heavy ass WOD's in comparison to doing a daily WOD that was thirty to forty minutes long. I never lost a step by doing this and actually gained strength. The same can be said for strongman workouts...most events only last one minute each (although training for them is longer), they are extremely heavy, and gaining strength happens almost on a weekly basis. So why not train this way?
I know crossfitters may see this type of training as strictly strength based with no endurance or cardio. I dare you to go outside, pick up a heavy ass rock, wrap your arms around tight, and move as quick as you can for 100 feet. I guarantee you will be breathing heavy. Or in the next WOD that has a farmers carry/walk, load up 200lbs in each hand and see how far you make it. Try deadlifting a shit ton of weight or pressing a loaded axle bar for one minute non-stop. I could go on all day with examples.
The moral of the story is that strongman training does make you stronger, there is a lot of endurance involved, both cardio and muscular...and it is in fact...wait for it...easily accessible. The tools of the trade are mostly things you can find anywhere...from tractor tires, to logs, to stones, to kegs. You don't need anything fancy...just pick up something heavy or strap it around your waist and go! As simple as that.
I do, however, recommend that you find someone who is knowledgeable in the sport before taking on any of the movements. There are a lot of technical details in the movements themselves and no one wants to sustain an injury. Oh but wouldn't you know...a 2x World's Strongest Woman lives right here in town! Well shit, now what excuse do you have to give it a try? I promise everyone can and will see results with this type of training...even crossfitters. It does not have to be something you train daily. I actually only train events once a week...everything else is done at the gym or in my garage.
Give it a shot...get dirty...and lift heavy shit! There is nothing better!
2. Because you get to lift heavy shit.
Ok...I will stop.
I was warned well ahead of time that people involved in other sports do not understand the concept of strongman. And for the most part it is true. Let me use one prime example: CrossFit. And I am not writing this to bash CrossFit gyms or their athletes. I was a crossfitter for years and still have a love for it and the people at my old gyms. CrossFit offers a strongman certification course, that I have heard is great, but yet most still fail to understand the benefits of strongman training. So, I am here to explain why I train this way.
When I was involved in CrossFit competitively, I actually preferred to follow the football site that offered quick, short, heavy ass WOD's in comparison to doing a daily WOD that was thirty to forty minutes long. I never lost a step by doing this and actually gained strength. The same can be said for strongman workouts...most events only last one minute each (although training for them is longer), they are extremely heavy, and gaining strength happens almost on a weekly basis. So why not train this way?
I know crossfitters may see this type of training as strictly strength based with no endurance or cardio. I dare you to go outside, pick up a heavy ass rock, wrap your arms around tight, and move as quick as you can for 100 feet. I guarantee you will be breathing heavy. Or in the next WOD that has a farmers carry/walk, load up 200lbs in each hand and see how far you make it. Try deadlifting a shit ton of weight or pressing a loaded axle bar for one minute non-stop. I could go on all day with examples.
The moral of the story is that strongman training does make you stronger, there is a lot of endurance involved, both cardio and muscular...and it is in fact...wait for it...easily accessible. The tools of the trade are mostly things you can find anywhere...from tractor tires, to logs, to stones, to kegs. You don't need anything fancy...just pick up something heavy or strap it around your waist and go! As simple as that.
I do, however, recommend that you find someone who is knowledgeable in the sport before taking on any of the movements. There are a lot of technical details in the movements themselves and no one wants to sustain an injury. Oh but wouldn't you know...a 2x World's Strongest Woman lives right here in town! Well shit, now what excuse do you have to give it a try? I promise everyone can and will see results with this type of training...even crossfitters. It does not have to be something you train daily. I actually only train events once a week...everything else is done at the gym or in my garage.
Give it a shot...get dirty...and lift heavy shit! There is nothing better!
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