This podcast starts off with a humorous training story on a cruise gym with some lessons learned from there.
After that I talk about Steve Justa. Specifically I read a few quotes from his newest book and discuss them in finer detail.
[display_podcast]- The Hardest and Toughest Lift in the World. Are you doing it?
- One surefire way to get kicked out of commercial gyms
- How to adapt to traveling and still doing your workouts
- The GOLDEN RULE of lifting that so many people seem to miss
- Ideas on Work Output and how this translates to more strength
- A 20 year goal and what it took to finally succeed!
- And much more
The Man, The Myth, The Legend – Steve Justa
This is not an interview with Steve Justa but me talking about him. But if you’d like to hear me interview this man I can probably arrange it. Let me know in the comments below and what questions you’d like to hear me ask.
Resources from Steve Justa:
Steve Justa’s Website
High Plains, Heavy Metal, Iron Master Super Strength Bible!
Brand New – Isometrics Exercises and G-Force Training
(There’s a special release deal on this one right now where it’s buy one, get one free. Check it out as it’s only available a few more days.)
Comments
Hi Logan,
I enjoyed the podcast. Put me down for wanting the interview with Steve.
I purchased the Isometric package but so far have just watched a little over half of the Gforce video.
What I like about Steve Justa; is that his stuff is outside of a gym. I think there are a lot of problems related to lifting in a gym. I think you are setup to fail if you use one. What I also like, is that he has personality. Too many bland copies in the world.
I’d like to give a little of my thoughts as well on your topics.
Any lift you take to the limit is a good one:
I have the same take as you Logan. For me, it is all about imagination. If you do find a lift you like (whole body); with time and exposure and success in that lift; you start to imagine what might be possible. But with the more you think and plan, and observe; the further you can see and the stronger you imagination. You start to construct steps; and you regularly move along that path. At some point in this process you have a eureka moment where your plan takes on a life of it’s own; where you see a logical conclusion is now just the start. That is the most exciting thing in life. When you truly believe that you can do the remarkable. You have to be able to breath life into what you are doing.
Half the fun of lifting is a search for yourself.
Are you searching for yourself or are you developing yourself? I have heard both and while you are building your reserves, I think you are building towards who you are. I no longer think in terms of what I look like or even what my strength is. My obsession is to stand “between the hammer and anvil.” That is how character is forged.
The golden rule.
Isn’t it so funny, people have forgotten that you are supposed to overload yourself. There is too much restriction proposed and not enough focus on effort. We spoke about this before Logan when I was mentioning that I perform 50% of my reps in a state of what others call “junk” reps and yet have improved my posture over time as well as my numbers.
I have lost a link to a site, where a trainer was talking about the Henneman size principle. What he was saying, was that this whole system of sets and reps where you would work at 85% of 1 RM for strength etc was wrong according to research and what was important was effort. What I was trying to express to you before, was this very same focus on effort. If you are interested in the research, it can be found here:
https://www.scsepf.org/doc/291208/Paper1.pdf
I have not actually read the research however. I will do though.
Increasing work output.
So simple; just what I do in my own training.
The last word.
I have not done this either. I prefer more strength / endurance based activities but also I simply find that by increasing the volume to an established goal; that will enable me to go heavier. Heavier with less volume prepares me to add more volume; and so on until I reach the goal volume and initiate a new heavier cycle. In this way, gains are continuous, and I have no need to change, add or modify this system at this time.
Thanks Logan.
hi Logan,
in another website, i came across that Steve recommends fasting for 20 – 24 hours/week to help the body cut down on excess waste and gain in strength. Is there any possible benefit to slightly longer periods of doing this? Or is 24 hours a ‘sweet spot’?
And anything else he might add, along these lines.
I first heard of Steve in a Pavel book. So he must be the genuine article.
Thanks for all you input Anthony. I especially liked our line: “My obsession is to stand “between the hammer and anvil.” (I also like that Judas Priest song) I love those “junk” reps myself.
Sol, fasting is great for cutting down in any way. And from my own experience it can then boost your anabolic drives. But you have to be very careful with it if you go over 24 hours as it is catabolic in nature. That must be covered in Rock, Iron, Steel as I don’t recall the details of it myself.
I really like Steve Justas Stuff. I realized one important thing: its more important to have a training philosophy than having a training program. Every exercise taken to the limit is beneficial…That´s why some people may dislike his ideas…they don´t understand that its about exploring the mind. We want to be strong, huge, fast and fight like Bruce Lee. I guess most of us don´t have exact goals and so we get caught up in programs. If you interview Steve could you ask him the following questions:
1)What do you think while training? Do you think about a specific goal or do you just get in the “zone”? For example while doing your isometric positions what is going through your mind?
3)What do you think about training isometrics with rubber bands or other slightly more dynamic implements? What about combinations of isometric/dynamic moves? (like pulling on bands and then holding it in a static position or vice versa)
4)From your DVDs i didn’t get if you apply every isometric position with maximum force? For example if you do holds for extended time and pace yourself while doing these do you still give all you got at this moment?
5)Do you have more tips on how to explore the mind?
Logan, if you can answer some of these questions please go ahead.
Thanks
Thanks, Logan.
Experimented with much longer fasts months ago and felt quite drained by them..
Btw, your rotational deadlift vid is informative!!