Click through to view my new site!

I have a new website related exclusively to training!

Without even notifying me or asking what URL or domain name i would prefer, Movement Minneapolis owners/operators Adam T. Glass ["T" = Thor, T-Rex, The Man, etc.] and David Dellanave purchased www.authenticstrengthtrainer.com and surprised me with an email during the NHL All Star Fantasy Draft telling me to 'hurry up and change the password' and to enjoy the new Word Press site.

Many thanks mates.  I am very much looking forward to hanging and training come early March, when i visit Minneapolis for the Gym Movement level II & III education courses.

This blog will now serve as a page which houses 'hey look at my other site' posts and stream of thought not always related to training.  Like today's post.

"An English afternoon"
I visited my local comic shop today.  It was in between the rail station and the wine store, and, well, i had 20.00 smoldering in my pocket and my only brother's birthday coming up in a few weeks.  I purchased Alan Moore's "V" for Vendetta for Joseph Raymond Williams, born 1984.  And knowing his tastes [he works at a bookstore and is as paranoid as i am], he will enjoy it.

Yet before i wrap it in today's news and fork it over to him, i am going to read it.  And as i type this, "OK Computer" floats from my meager speakers, and some light snow has arrived, falling into the street and melting but dusting the huge piles of snow plowed here and there after Wednesday's two-pack of storms.  I have not had a bottle of wine to myself in quite sometime.  The last few times i imbibed i was sampling various brands of bourbon, which i have come to enjoy the taste of in the last few months.  Prior to having a glass of Blanton's after having my arm tattooed in November of 2008, i only knew of bourbon as the stuff i drank when i was in the service which mixed well with Cola and delivered me to an escapist state right quick.  These days i  can detect subtleties and notes less than obvious in brands such as Eagle Rare, Blanton's, Basil Hayden's and even Knob Creek.

Alas today is not a whiskey day.  With the metabolic flexibility testing i am running for the next week or so, my food intake is animal free or light animal matter, and before i enjoy an exact repeat of last night's evening meal, a glass or three while reading "V" For Vendetta sounded like a wonderful idea.  After Alan Moore's book i may activate "The Filth and The Fury", which is in wait on my DVR.

Looking back across the pond has long been a hobby of mine.  Today satisfies the urge and rewards the efforts of late, shoveling, selling training, etc.  Tales for those "who don't turn off the news", indeed.

Best,
Eric "Will" Williams
Ardmore, PA

Have you enrolled in my new class yet?

 

Visit the web page for the designer who created the slick looking logo you see here on my page.  Jason and i have known one another since high school and he came through big time when i asked him to reinterpret my old company logo.  Jay lives in Ardmore and lifts weights and surfs when he is not busy aiding merchants with brand identity and other design requirements in this world of eCommerce and customer service.

http://signalfirebranding.com/

Thursday debrief
I got to the studio on time.  Early, in fact. Yesterday's two pack of storms derailed any hopes i had to train clients, and around 730PM last night i had the itch to get out of my home.  I woke up earlier than usual today and was out the door as soon as the dishes were done.

Towards the end of December i offered a deal to people on my mailing list.  Purchase ten 45 minute sessions at Kettlebells 4 U to be used before April and receive 8 sessions free.  Yup, i sold a few packages.

So these folks train with me twice a week for 9 weeks.  Pretty good deal.  here is what The DA has done in 8 sessions with me and a few workouts each week on his own.

Since January 4th: Body weight down 4.6 pounds.
Neck down half an inch [.5"]
Shoulders down 1.75"
Chest down 1 1/18"
Navel down .25"
Waist up 1/8"
Hips up 1.25"
Left thigh up .25"
calf .5"
Right thigh even
calf up 1/8"
Left arm up 1/8"
forearm even
Right arm up 3/8"
forearm down 1/8"

So he lost some inches, lost some pounds, and the leg and arm measurements moved him towards symmetrical numbers left to right.  He trains using the Gym Movement protocols and the kettlebell is his primary tool.  We have altered his lifts in that he now pays attention to the elements of effort as yellow and red lights for his sets.  He has a 'beefed up' selection of drills.  DA rolls into work with a VW Passat full of motivation.  Dude regularly has about 9 bells on him.  He'll go to the park at lunch and swing, snatch, etc.  DA has a great physique.  Tall, abs, broad shoulders, etc.  He has been away from free weights for sometime, so in keeping with degrees of contra specificity, we test many free weight exercises before we test the kettlebell as a tool.  His barbell work is nice.  Deadlifts, push presses, push jerks, hang cleans, all test well and look fast and effortless.  The cable stuff we crush, rows, pulldowns, pressdowns, i needn't teach him anything about the lifts-he understands that many lifts can be considered straight lines and it is safe to ditch anything which does not improve the route the weight takes on it's designated path.  We have ditched tension and breathing as feed forward mechanisms and use them as 'yellow' and 'red' lights.

So the DA, ditching the elements of effort, has done cool things with his body and lifts in about four weeks.  He uses asymmetrical foot position and various leads and speeds for his primary kettlebell drills, clean and push press, double KB suitcase deadlift, double snatch, bent rows, etc.  He is happy, i know he is, and that is the most important factor.  I aim to make sure that most, if not all, of the list below is in play when someone coughs up 500 sheckles to train with me.

Are/were you in pain? Is it worse/better?
Are you happy?
Can we prove that what you are doing works [body measurements and traceable data from workouts]?
Can i have more money?

Drop a line, let me know what improvements you have made recently.  And they needn't be numerical!  Are you not in pain anymore?  Did your kid finally stop stealing money out of your wallet?  Is your workday more productive for any reason at all?  Holler at this white guy.


New Classes start soon: Tuesdays, Lower Merion High School
It is no secret that personal training can cost a penny or two more than your mortgage payment for 10-20 sessions.  Heck, at my studio in Paoli, PA i charge 8% more for one hour of private instruction compared to 5 weeks of Main Line School Night.

I am not a stranger to the costs of learning.  I pay a coach to teach me things.  I am traveling to Minneapolis in the beginning of March to learn about pain and nutrition from three of the biggest brains i have ever met.  This trip alone is costing me 3G and a few days of missed sessions.  Yet, it is important to me.  It is important that i lean what i can about how to avoid, recognize, manage, and eventually resolve pain issues as they relate to orthopedic and musculoskeletal anatomy. 

Now, armed with that knowledge, with the knowledge that a single hour of my personal time cost more than five hours of group instruction at the lovely and expansive Lower Merion High School, i hope to see your name on the list within 12 hours.


Click through to enroll!

My snow days were wonderful, and i hope yours were as well.

Cheers!
Will