I will share a lot here. Much of it you may disagree with but my goal is simply to get you to think about where you are and how you got there. I have to tell a few stories to accomplish that.  I will also reveal things I’ve never shared publicly

If you don’t like what I write or you do. I sure would appreciate your feedback in the comments. I thank you in advance. Let me also write  upfront that I am not an expert in much of what I am about to share with you.  I’m simply giving you my take.

Over the last 10 years I’ve lost 3 jobs that paid me more than 6 figures. I was one of the top producers in each situation and my companies closed their doors, never to reopen. Each time this happened, there was a lot of financial pressure exerted on my household. Frankly, we are still recovering.

I tell you that because each challenge turned out to make my life more interesting and help me get to where I am now.  Before I recovered from the third episode, I read an article in “Baltimore Magazine” that talked about kettlebells.  The article certainly peaked my interest and I immediately signed up for a session with a local trainer.  I was hooked immediately and a year later I went through my first kettlebell certification. 8 months after that I become an RKC.

I discovered that I love helping people get healthier and get more fit. I soon realized that it is almost impossible to out train poor lifestyle choices and became more and more interesting in eating well. I discovered the Primal Blueprint and read a lot about Paleo eating and many of those folks I shared these ideas with saw immediate results.

The next part of my story is this. 3 and 1/2 years ago I was introduced to Send Out Cards. I knew right away that it was a great personal communication tool, leveraging technology. I have used it professionally and personally ever since and even became a distributor.  I’ve changed my own life as well as that of others by being more open to showing appreciation and by being a lot more communicative. Every day I am thankful to Nick Berry for showing it to me and for Jeff Packard for helping me to really examine myself and how to use Send Out Cards to my benefit as well as others.

Another thing to share is this. Almost 3 years ago, I got real interested in Marty Gallagher and what we teaches regarding power lifting. So I emailed him. He got right back to me and we started a correspondence that has developed into a wonderful friendship. I was able to introduce a bunch of my RKC friends to him and some of us still train with Marty. We all definitely still learn from him.

Here’s one more short story before I get to the meat of this piece.  I have always felt a deep connection to the great city of New Orleans. I felt it the first time I was there as an adult way back in 1991. I will spare you the details but I never forgot how I felt when I first went to JazzFest.  Last year, in the early Spring, I felt called to New Orleans. I can’t explain it and I won’t attempt to try but a whole bunch of us there for my birthday early last Fall. While there, Paul Sanchez introduced me to some folks who I imagine will be part of my life and mission until the day I die. Paul introduced me to one, who acquainted me to someone else. That someone else runs Trumpets Not Guns and this foundation has become real important in my life. I can’t recommend enough finding a charity that you are passionate about and that you feel deeply connected to it.

So here we go. Yesterday I met a gentleman from Venezuela at a local gym. Our conversation really impacted me and got me to thinking. Jorge owns a local small business. His enterprise helps local car dealers to be able to quickly and economically take trade ins and get them out on the lot for sale.  His crew and he do paint touch up, fix trim and other cosmetic work. He’s been doing this sort of work for 23 years;ever since he came here. The first 2 years he did it as an employee, cleaning up around the body shop we worked at  and then he went out and started his own small business. When he first started making sales calls his English was still rough enough that he had a friend write out the provided service on poster board and then Jorge went to dealership GM one after the other with his “presentation” until he had a number of customers.  And by the way, Jorge stopped in the say “hello” to his original employer recently and found that 2 of the guys he cleaned shop with are still there and still doing the same thing.

Jorge told me yesterday that he never went through a recession. He told me he always worked hard and made sure his employees did the same.  He also told me that for the last 20 years he was giving raises for consistent work well done. He admitted that his margins got tighter but it was worth it to ensure that his dealer network loved the work his team did and that his employees knew that they would be rewarded for effort and quality.

Jorge is retiring after 20 years of running his small business. He is moving back to Venezuela and he unsuccessfully tried to sell his enterprise. The first person he approached about selling it is actually one of his current employees. The guy said it was “Safer” be an employee and besides he is going to quit working for the company as he decided he doesn’t want to work outside anymore.

The 2nd guy actually agreed to purchase the business. And then stopped showing up. Jorge had agreed to assist this buyer transition into a leadership role and then this person STOPPED coming to work. Jorge had to take the business back and the ultimate excuse was that the work was “too hard.”

By the way, both of the prospective buyers were American born.

So why does any of the above matter? Think about what I wrote. There is a common theme and that is that we all need to “do something.” Not think about doing but actually doing. Be a person of action and not a victim. All Americans enjoy access to the same opportunity as Jorge. Yet far too many of us sit around and complain and play the poor victim. We WANT stuff but we don’t want to take the necessary action. We don’t want to break a sweat or hear the word “no.” We want to enjoy the bounty of the harvest but we don’t want to sow any seeds.

You are where you are for no reason other than your own choices and actions. Never “pass the buck.” The buck stops with you. You have no one you can realistically congratulate or bemoan other than yourself.

No longer am I at the mercy of others. No one can decide my fate any longer. I DECIDE.

God did not give us the ability to always make right decisions but he did give us the ability to make those decisions right.

Accept responsibility and you are free!

I want to share some books that will be full of impact if your mind is open.

1. The Flinch
2. Success Is Not An Accident
3. The Four Laws Of Debt Free Prosperity
4. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
5. The Traveler’s Gift

You may realize by now that I really enjoy food. The eating of it as well as the making. Particularly I like fire and meat so grilling and smoking and barbecue are things I’m passionate about.

Each year my buddy Bill Case has a big summer bash.  The Tom Larson Blues Band is always ripping it and we have a great time. My annual contribution is some brisket Texas style.  Now this take a long time but if you’ve ever had beef brisket cooked long and slow with some hardwood,  the right rub and some tender loving care then you know what I mean.

So today is the party. I started the beef yesterday at  around 730 PM and just pulled it off my PK grill. I slow cooked it for close to 13 hours and it’s in the final crutch stage, wrapped in foil then again in some old towels and in a cooler to further tenderize it and keep it at temp until this afternoon. Now when I slice it up today I promise that I will get the first taste.

So other than making you jealous, why am I telling you this?

Because like life and like strength, getting this bad boy from refrigerator to barbecue to table is a process. And it can’t be hurried. The foundation is the first thing. I find a decent brisket flat with some nice fat cap on it.  I rub it with my secret rub and let it dry marinade for at least 6 hours.   The fire is the next thing. Got to have the right temperature. Too hot and you end up with dried out meat that is way too tough. It’s got to be just right and that means less than 250 degrees. If you hurry it then it will be unpalatable. It’s got to be just right. And there aren’t any shortcuts.

Now if you try to hurry your strength program you will end up going nowhere and the same thing with life. There are natural rhythms and tides that need to be honored. You just can’t go too fast.  You need to be patient and you need to be consistent. I think Mark Reifkind said that consistency trumps intensity. What he meant is that you have to honor life. You can’t compress getting strong into a few sessions. It is a process and it requires effort and desire but it can’t be done all at once.

Train with purpose,

Sandy Sommer RKC

First of all, I ended up competing at 198 instead of the planned 181. I was in “no man’s land,” stuck between the two weight classes and went into hyper eating mode once I realized that getting down to 181 wasn’t going to happen. The power lifting training really packed on quite a lot of muscle and I ate as much as I could to get to 195 at weigh in.

There were only two competitors older than myself and they were both lighter lifters.  One competed at 132 and the other at 148.

The guy who won the 198 was seriously about 5’7” and I am about 6’3”. I’m not built optimally for power lifting but I must say that competing is fun!

I was able to hit 6 out of nine attempts. I got 260, 275 on the squat and missed 300. Barely. I bench pressed 205, 215 and missed 230. Finally, I deadlifted 355, 370 and missed 385. I loved competing and I really enjoyed myself.

So I’m doing another meet on October 22^nd, 2011. I will train the Olympic lifts, do front squats and kettlebell work for the next 8 weeks or so.

Train with purpose,

Sandy Sommer RKC

Train with purpose,

Sandy Sommer RKC

This was my third Tactical Strength Challenge. Each time I’ve progressed each time I’ve done it and that has been my top priority. To get a bit better each time out.

When I first did it I deadlifted 325, did 7 Tactical Pull ups and 100 snatches. That was a year ago. In April, I was able to deadlift 350, did 9 TPUs and 106 snatches. Today, I deadlifted 335, did 11 Pull ups and 118 snatches in 5 minutes. So it’s progress. I failed my last attempt on the deadlift. I tried 355 and should have just gone to 350. Live and learn. So my total scores have gone up. First time it was 69.62, next it was 76.85 and I hit 83.05 today.

April 2011 I will get better still. I can promise myself that.

Train with purpose,

Sandy Sommer RKC

I’m pitching in by barbecuing some of my famous beef brisket that I put on my PK Grill about 2 hours ago. It’s 5:25 AM as I write this. Should be ready around 3 PM or so.

But I’ve been thinking and I wanted to share it with you. It takes a lot of time to properly prepare good barbecue. You need patience and you need perseverance. It’s not like grilling a hamburger. First,  you may put a wet or dry rub on it. Or maybe you like marinade. There’s 24 hours there. Add some smoke; hickory in this case and a slow fire and we are talking 36 hours or so to get it ready to eat. There are no shortcuts. You aren’t allowed to use gas, and you certainly don’t even entertain the thought of an oven finish.

So what does this have to do with you getting stronger?

Almost everyone would admit to a desire to get stronger. But that aspiration and actual behavior are aligned very rarely.  Just as proper brisket requires time and patience, getting stronger…I mean really stronger….does not happen overnight.

Most people do not have the ability to stick to any behavior that will help them reach their goals for even a short period of time. They get distracted by some other shiny object and get sidetracked.

If Joe Sixpack lacks the ability to stick to the Primal Blueprint in order to lose just 10 pounds, then how would you expect him to stick to a program to build real strength. Real strength means you can deadlift 2 times bodyweight. That according to Dan John.

But it really doesn’t matter what the goal is. Maybe you want to be able to pass the Secret Service Snatch Test? Then you will need to do a lot of snatches. Seriously.

If you can do 100 snatches in 10 minutes then you are half way home. I suggest that the next goal would be 110. Then 120 and so on. Getting from 100 to 200 sounds tough. Not so much getting from 100 to 110. Short term goals are the stuff that long term ones are made of. Just don’t fall victim to quitting.

I train with kettlebells, bodyweight, and barbells. Everything I do every day is related to the goals I have. The Tactical Strength Challenge is what I use to gauge my progress. Deadlift, tactical pull ups and kettlebell snatch. My training relates to the actual movements. So I do a lot of those 3 things.

My long term goal is to deadlift  565 pounds. That is 3 times bodyweight. I have 9 short to medium term goals between that and where I am now.

The very idea of giving up on my training borders on the absurd. How could I give up? I don’t care if it takes me 10 years. I will GET 3 times bodyweight.

When you feel THAT way about your training, consistency, perseverance and tenacity become second nature … and at that point, your ultimate success is a foregone conclusion.

It just takes time; like smoke to meat. Now I’ve got a fire to check on.

Train with purpose,

Sandy Sommer RKC

10 minutes of Turkish Get Ups, 3 per side, alternating

5 goblet kettlebell squats supersetted with 3 pull ups, EDT style for 20 minutes.

Simple yet amazingly effective.

Train with purpose,

Sandy Sommer RKC

Did you know that the dieting industry is a Multi Billion dollar industry? And dieting doesn’t work. Amazing huh? At least 99% of restrictive diets don’t work. But diet plans and diet books sure do. Why is that? I just got invited to a Face Book event. “The most incredible discovery in diet history!!” is what it’s called. Wow.

I call it the Lottery mentality. Here’s the thing. Everyone wants to be a millionaire. I seriously can show you how to accomplish that goal. It’s simple, but not easy and surely requires tons of patience. Give me $25 a week for a 20 years and invest in reasonably priced stocks of quality companies and you will do it every time. Yet there are few millionaires. Why?

Everyone wants to lose 30 pounds in 30 days. Usually that can’t be done in a healthy way and indubitably if the weight is lost, then it will be found fairly quickly. How come?

I can show you how to lose 30 lbs in a year. But you wouldn’t be interested in that.

Some folks want to dead lift twice their body weight (or more), but I know few people whose behavior is congruent with that goal. They can’t stand the incremental gains in strength and jump into something else. Does that make sense?

Again, we can get your dead lift to happen for you if you have the ability to keep your eyes on the prize. It’s related to this fact.

If you and I started Alchemy Dot Com we could be making money tomorrow. Seriously. For $19.95 we could sell everyone the recipe that would change lead into gold. If we were selling the formula at the right price then the sky would be the limit to our revenue. Oh and if we offered a “money back” guarantee. We’d be guaranteed to make a killing.

But to truly change your wealth or lose weight or get stronger there is no magic bullet. Pavel wrote this in The Naked Warrior, “Strength training and strength demonstration are not the same thing. The notion that you should break personal records every workout is nothing but a fairy tale. The less frequently you try for a PR, the better. Maxing every two weeks is a good guideline for beginner; every two months is more appropriate for experienced strength athletes. The elite should only try for PRs a couple times a year. And you should plan for it.”
Plan for it? Amazing concept.

Having a plan and then executing said plan is the key to success. Obviously plans DO change. I have my dead lift workouts planned for the next few months but I may have to makes changes to the map so I can meet my goals. But the point is I have a PLAN. Or do you get sidetracked by “shiny objects,” false promises or even alchemy?

Train with purpose,

Sandy Sommer RKC

I have thought a lot about this lately and am hoping you can help me out.

I ran into a fellow at the gym the other day and we got to talking. He overheard me talking to another man in the sauna and introduced himself to me and shared some really cool information.

His physician is what is known as an Executive Wellness Doctor. Practice is limited to 55 others and the program includes everything that you need to be healthy and well. I was also really impressed because my new friend was sharing information that clearly illustrated that he is under a fine program. Not the “cookie cutter” USDA poison pyramid sh*& but medicine and wellness based more on science and nit politics.

So here’s my question: Where do we go to find doctors who understand and preach the value of a “Protein Power” sort of lifestyle. Or Primal physicians or one’s who like Robb Wolf?

The closest I found was a list of “low carb doctors.”

Please post other sources in the “comments” area. I want to help folks find the care that will benefit them the most.

Train with purpose,

Sandy Sommer RKC

My goals for the TSC were stated back a few months ago at 425 lb dead lift, 14 pull ups and 125 snatches. I’ve made amazing progress since September and I will be very close to or hit 2 of my goals and fall a bit short on another. You will have to wait for me to post my results next weekend as I don’t want to jinx myself:)

I will weigh in at 182 I think. Not bad, as I was weighing 207 or so in August. Losing weight has seemed to only impact my kettlebell clean and press. Back then I could do doubles at 40 kg and that is not happening now. Doubles are limited to the 36 kg kb at this point.

I have really worked hard on my dead lift with Marty Gallagher. My progress has been steady but with quite a few “Fits and starts.” My form still is a work in progress but will only get better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr-JluLPCYA

Pull Ups are still a huge challenge for me. Especially the Tactical Pull Up. I have gone from essentially 1 rep a year ago to the teens now though. On a percentage basis it’s been huge.

The kettlebell snatches have been much improved as well. I tested them two days ago and got 100 in 4 minutes so I’m on track there too.

Here’s the main thing to ask yourself. Is what you are working on today going to help you reach your goals tomorrow? Don’t just look at your workouts though. Is the way you eat consistent with where you want to be? Are you sleeping enough?

Also try your best to worry about your own results and not those of others. Look I’m 48. I’m not going to win the TSC but I will do better than I did the first time. Then in September I’ll do better still.

Train with purpose,

Sandy Sommer RKC