Please perceive I grew up a really skinny child. My dad used to tease me and name me spaghetti arms. I hated to eat and spent numerous nights negotiating what number of extra bites I needed to eat earlier than I may stand up from the desk. This weaved its manner into my psyche and at all times made me lengthy to be “the robust man.” In each online game I performed the place you might create your personal character, I needed to be the bruiser—the factor I completely was not. Each muscle journal or web site article about “leaning out” I instantly blew previous, but when it a lot as hinted at constructing muscle in fourteen minutes I used to be throughout it. I used to be 145 kilos on my wedding ceremony day (Could 30, 2010).
After I realized concerning the Beast Tamer problem about two and half years in the past, it captivated me. I had invested a lifetime in making an attempt to get massive and powerful and had accomplished some okay issues like deadlifting 500lb on a lure bar (at round 200lb body weight), however I used to be just about a highschool soccer participant at coronary heart, robust legs, robust lungs with very common higher physique energy.
Selecting this objective was an actual stretch for me. To somebody naturally robust, dense, and highly effective, this text would possibly look like a joke. However for somebody like me—who has needed to battle to construct muscle and energy, particularly within the higher physique—I hope there are just a few stable takeaways that may assist others on the same journey. Due to this fact, with out additional ado listed below are the teachings that I realized.
A Life with out a (Efficiency) Aim is a Life Wasted
I’ve exercised my complete life. I performed varsity soccer in highschool and basketball and baseball as a teenager. I labored at a Gold’s Fitness center for years and earned a minor in train science in school. As a part of the kinesiology program, I labored with the collegiate swim group to measure the affect of explosive lifting protocols. Throughout regulation college, I received my private coaching certification and skilled college students on the native YMCA between lessons. I’ve basically at all times been round weights, athletes, and train. Nevertheless, I solely received really robust as soon as I set a efficiency objective—ditching a “health” objective—and centered on conquering the Beast Tamer.
This most likely appears apparent, nevertheless it took me 35 years to find it. Extra embarrassingly, I spent most of these 35 years in and across the health discipline. Chasing a health objective equivalent to extra muscle, much less physique fats, larger biceps, extra muscular shoulders, and so forth., was a waste of time. First, it didn’t work that properly, and second, it was like chasing a ghost. After setting a efficiency objective, for the primary time thoughts you, I gained extra muscle in much less time than ever earlier than.
Susceptible to belaboring an apparent level, if I have been working with college students, I might do all the things in my energy to shift the next listing from the previous into the latter.
In scripting this to health professionals, I’m acutely conscious that that is most likely painfully apparent to you, however to me—a reasonably good man—this level flew utterly over my head, and it was most likely an important lesson I realized within the course of. I can’t say I’ll at all times have a efficiency objective from this present day ahead, however I’ll strive my finest to at all times have one, as a result of the outcomes have been extra spectacular, pleasant, clear, and rewarding.
Search out Data from A number of Sources
Listed below are just a few random issues I consider performed a job in shaping my total routine and achievements. I had by no means utilized them earlier than, however they made a distinction. A smattering of examples, in no explicit order, embody:
I may simply write a whole article for StrongFirst about how rice bucket coaching reworked my elbow, shoulder, and even wrist well being. One Saturday, I awakened feeling extremely sore, and the primary video that popped up on YouTube was about rice bucket coaching—a way I had by no means heard of earlier than. Whether or not it was divine intervention or the YouTube algorithm working in my favor, discovering this system was an absolute game-changer. It utterly saved my elbows and performed a vital function in my journey to reaching the Beast Tamer.
- Kettlebell STRONG! by Geoff Neupert
Incorporating some double kettlebell work into my routine was important for sustaining steadiness in my coaching.
A number of fast ideas which may have taken Fabio simply three seconds to share—like “lock your knees” and “screw your toes into the bottom”—made a profound distinction in my urgent method and closing weights. These little nuggets of data have been invaluable.
A 15-minute ice bathtub at round 50 levels as soon as per week.
- Straightforward Power by Pavel and Dan John
That is what pushed me over the objective line. How a lot worth are you able to place on that? Extra on this beneath.
Rent a Coach
In the summertime of 2022, I spent just a few months fumbling round, making an attempt to work towards the Beast Tamer objective alone. It wasn’t till I stumbled upon a YouTube video by StrongFirst Licensed SFG Degree II Julio Morales (Beast Tamer) that I noticed I wanted extra centered and particular steerage.
I employed Julio in September 2022, and he offered invaluable steerage in each program design and execution. With all credit score and due to him, when he moved out of state and felt the time was proper, he related me with one other coach—StrongFirst Licensed Grasp Teacher Karen Smith, an Iron Maiden. She took my coaching to the following degree. Karen and I started working collectively in March 2023, and he or she helped me make vital progress towards my objective.
Belief your Intestine
Over the previous 12 years, my spouse and I’ve constructed a profitable enterprise. Throughout that journey, we labored with a enterprise coach who supplied a chunk of recommendation that has at all times caught with me: “This can be a do-it-yourself challenge.” Primarily, he was saying, “We’ll information you alongside the way in which, however finally, you might be accountable for your personal outcomes.”
This perception instantly applies to Beast Tamer coaching. Even after working with these excellent coaches for practically two years, the ultimate leg of the journey required me to take all the things I had realized from them, together with all the extra sources I’d gathered, and belief myself. I knew I wanted to spice it up for the ultimate push. In mid-June 2024, I started specializing in the ultimate stretch to reaching the Beast Tamer.
I had the pistol utterly within the bag, was urgent 44kg simply for singles and generally doubles, and doing pullups with the 36kg. Nevertheless, I felt caught with the press and pullup and had been on the similar degree for just a few irritating months.
For the ultimate section, I adopted my instinct and determined to strive Dan John and Pavel’s Straightforward Power program. For these unfamiliar, here’s a abstract of the genesis and construction of this system, you’ll be able to learn extra about it here.
This system requires you to decide on 5 motion classes. Every session contains 2 units of 5 reps for the deadlift, press, and pullup. For the hip hinge, you carry out one all-out set for reps within the 20-50 vary, and for abs, a single set of 5 reps. This routine is repeated day-after-day for 40 consecutive days.
That is what I did to get me over the ultimate hump.
In mid-June 2024, I began with the next:
*Aim to get to a standing ab wheel.
I did this for just a few weeks, and it naturally and simply elevated to the next:
After about two and a half weeks of this, I pressed the Beast (48kg) for the primary time.
Simply earlier than leaving the state for 3 weeks to look after an ailing mum or dad—a interval throughout which I didn’t elevate in any respect—I had determined to formally decide to performing the Beast Tamer on September 20, 2024, in Tampa. At that time, I had not but efficiently accomplished the pullup, had pressed the Beast solely as soon as, and now confronted the added problem of stepping away from the fitness center throughout this vital time.
The Mild, Heavy, Medium Paradigm is Precise Magic
Earlier than coaching for the Beast Tamer, I had by no means tried the sunshine, heavy, medium day coaching format. Nevertheless, I’ve since come to embrace it as the best technique for constantly constructing energy, enhancing tendon resilience, and staying wholesome sufficient to take care of steady coaching.
Karen’s programming for me adopted this format. After I returned dwelling, with the Beast Tamer looming, I mixed Straightforward Strengthwith the sunshine, heavy, medium day protocol and it labored fabulously.
I began it on July 29, 2024, precisely 53 days earlier than difficult Beast Tamer. It seemed like the next:
For the two-arm swings I used at all times the 56kg kettlebell and heavy, medium, and light-weight refers back to the quantity (reps/units):
As well as, about three weeks out, I felt the necessity to “grease the groove” for the pullup. For the ultimate push, I integrated a single pullup morning, midday, and night time with 32-36kg. To maintain my elbows wholesome and pain-free, I relied on the rice bucket each earlier than and after every set.
I firmly consider that if I hadn’t taken a step off the ledge and trusted my intestine, I’d nonetheless be coaching for the Beast Tamer proper now, and I can’t emphasize sufficient how glad I’m not.
You’re solely as robust as your weakest hyperlink.
I’m extremely grateful that I skilled either side equally on all lifts. About 18 months into my coaching, I received offended at my son, threw a light-weight ball into the pool at him as laborious as I may (and missed, sadly), and ended up significantly tweaking my proper (dominant) shoulder. Consequently, I needed to carry out the Beast press with my left (non-dominant) facet. Had I not skilled either side equally, that wouldn’t have been potential.
Nerves are Actual however so is the Vitality
Earlier than Beast Tamer, I had by no means competed in one thing the place I used to be being watched by a bunch and performing solo. I at all times performed group sports activities so I grossly underappreciated how nervous the precise occasion would make me. In coaching, I had actually carried out 100 pistols with the Beast that seemed much better than the one I managed on competitors day—however fortunately, it received accomplished. On the flip facet, the pullup was seemingly solely potential due to the unimaginable vitality in that fitness center. I’m deeply grateful to each soul there who contributed their constructive vitality for me to attract from.
In the event you plan to problem the Beast Tamer, be ready to really feel nervous. Think about working towards in environments that simulate that stress—equivalent to a public fitness center or a park with mates—earlier than the precise occasion. This may provide the finest likelihood of success in your first try.
I’m deeply grateful to many members of the StrongFirst neighborhood who supported me alongside the way in which. Whereas itemizing all of them may not matter to anybody studying this as a lot because it does to me, I hope my story serves as proof that if a 37-year-old lawyer—naturally not very robust—managing 26 workers, elevating two children with my spouse, supporting a father battling mind most cancers (now in remission, thanks be to God), and recovering from {a partially} torn pec muscle can obtain the Beast Tamer, you completely can too.
Get VICTORIOUS and change into robust(er) within the kettlebell army press!
Alex grew up as a “conventional” American athlete, enjoying basketball, baseball, and soccer whereas coaching with barbells and dumbbells. This led to getting stronger, solely to regress attributable to damage. After discovering Pavel and kettlebell coaching in 2018, Alex was hooked—lastly discovering a technique to construct energy whereas sustaining flexibility and total well being. He earned his SFG Degree I in 2023 and achieved the Beast Tamer in 2024. A working towards lawyer in Southwest Florida, Alex now has his sights set on reaching Sinister.
