I can't help not reflecting on the past these days, as life is changing so rapidly. The last 5-6 years have been incredible. So much has changed. So many people have come in and out of my life. The school has grown, my relationships have changed and prospered. I just can't help not thinking about the past. I preach daily to move forward but am challanged by my own words. I honestly can say that I am not the same person I was, thank God. I have evolved. I have found strength in my faith, for that I can't do this alone. God has shown me many things recently. I thank him for all the improvements. I thank him for the losses, because I truly know the value of people today. It is inevitable that we will succeed, because our pupose is on track. I love all that have left. You made me who I am today and I welcome all that have come, you will help me become who I want to be.  Always in Love, Coach Joe.

Daily, we are faced with challenges. Many of which are very hard and quite demanding of our character and integrity. It is interesting to see how many athletes and people I come in contact with, handle these obstacles. Are the decesions they make in line with the character and integrity they think they have, or are those just words that they like to use in refrence to who they want to be or shall I say how they would like to act? Is it crazy to think that people should actually do what they say they are going to do, or behave the way they say they will? It doesn't surprise me that so many people are unhappy or discontent with themselves, but are not willing to put in the energy and effort to change! It's not my fault, Who's fault is it then? I don't know, go find out! I'm tired, you don't do enough to be tired! This one is great, oh, I forgot, right you forgot, BFS!! My mom and dad won't let me, haha that's pathetic! I don't want to be sore, then stop eating like a hippo or mouse and learn to recover. I can't! JUST FREAKING GO HOME!!! I can't afford it! i like those new shoes and mercedes you pulled up in. I don't feel up to it, it's because you are just plain lazy. It's too hard, if it was easy you would be starting. My ultimate favorite, who else is going to be there? Who the F@#&% cares, worry about yourself!! Such an absolute weak world we live in. What happened to hard work. What happened to the hero? Is that just a something we like to see in movies and get all pumped up for like an hour by? Character, it is what you stand for, how you walk, what you believe in to be true, God like. Integrity, doing what you say you are going to do, a decesion to be great. Now is the time to make that choice. The more time passes, the farther you are from greatness and that is something that never goes on sale. Stand for something or die for nothing. Be that person you think you want to be, or get out of the way. Life will crush you. Nothing and no one will meet you half way. Do for yourself and do it well. Grow up, man up and change the things in your life that you wish to see in the world around you, Ghandi. Champions find a way, not excuses. Maybe you just don't have it to be the best? Maybe you are waiting for someone else to do it and then say, i was going to do that. Sure, I understand, you were just too tired, didn't feel up to it today, you were sore from monday, your friends were not there, Or maybe you just plain FORGOT!!!!!            Coach Joe

Fellas, strength plus speed equals power. A muscle with greater cross sectional area under an significant  amount of load will produce large amounts of power, needed to perform what is expected of you athletically and in the grind. Rx: Lift heavy for high reps, Squat till you see dead people and perform high intensity complexes, medleys, circuits with variations, ie.. push-pull-sqt-rotate and repeat. Rx food: whole milk or choc milk with protein shakes, pb&j sandwhiches, all fruit and veges, sweet pot, beans, brown rice and oatmeal. Rx supps: lots of fish oil and vit-c. Find an underground gym, dump your ego, and get rid of the crap people in your life. Kill or be Killed.

                     -Coach Joe 

   My buddy Mark who ownes Crossfit establishes the mindset right at the door, "Leave your ego at the door," hell yeah!  I am begining to realize that many of us really believe that we are better than what we show. Wow. So why talk the talk, and not walk the walk? What have we done today to show that? What actions did we take today to support our beliefs?   "Wait What", then come the excusses. Absolute joke!!!! As coaches our jobs are to communicate and get the most out of our athletes. Educate, motivate and perform daily. Here that is the mainstay. I beleive that my methods are an answer to the challanges one faces both in life and athletically. It is up to the athlete to respond. What is your purpose? Toby Gerhart, Heismann runner up in the closest race ever, holds a 21 credit hour semester , plays football and baseball all at the 3rd hardest university in the nation, STANFORD. He cedits his success to time management. Can you, say the same in relation to your life, your challanges? Get busy doing, not dreaming.

The "Old Days", I often refer to when talking to parents about work ethic and commitment. The days of no texting and Xbox. Kids were outside all day, playing sports and kicking the junk out of eachother. There were no acl tears, very few fat kids and when our parents said, "Do it," we never asked why!!!! Are you kidding me?, why? Watch out for the backhand....

I can't blame parents who want to give their kids the things they didn't have, because I will do the same. It is definately a much weaker society both physically and mentally. I Challange myself as others to be the best at what it is we are doing. "Act as if". If you want to be great, then you have to stop being good and kick some major BUTT!!!!! TOO MUCH, is never enough, at least mentally. Never finish knowing you could have given more. Why would you walk away with fuel in the tank? That is not how winning is done. That is how loosing is! In Rocky III, Clubber Lang, Mr.T, a BA boxer from the Chi, called Rocky a paper champion, because on paper Rocky was the best. He did just enough to stay at the top.When a bigger, stronger  challnge Rocky crumbled mentally and lost.  Now, I am a huge Rocky fanatic, and understand the story, but the point I am making is that when we are faced with testing our resolve, how do we stand? Stand for something and believe. It is not what you have done, it is what you are doing, prove yourself everyday. You are only the best when you go and give everyday. People will try to keep you down. Smell them from a mile away and bury them. Have some integrity, and do for yourself. Set goals and achieve. There is always going to be someone better than you. Never let them out work you. If our kids, can learn to problem solve and value hard work then they will be saved. Life hits hard. Can they handle the punch and keep moving forward?  I'm often asked, "Coach, what is it that you do?", "I'm keeping your kids from living in your basement at age 30, and writing their name on the orange juice."

Coach Joe

Morning all. If you are waiting, taking some time off between seasons, you are falling backwards. Athletes are getting at it!!! Are you weak or slow?  Don't waste time. We are in the process of making a documentary of the shop and our athletes, so cameras are flashing. Minds are getting right, and records are being broken. Join the grind.

         Workout of the day: Plank: 3min, jump rope 5min, full body plo-push ups x 10. 6 rounds.   Coach Joe

Morning all, awesome holiday, hope all is well. Time to rage on the weights. Eat a good breakfast, but not too much, no booting in the gym. Shoutin out to all the love we recieve every day. Haters, go get a second helping of apple pie, stay slow , and get fat.

       Darkside-the only side

Hello again, been busy here at the shop, making improvements and welcoming new students. I'm feeling the fall hitting and ready to start crushing everything in our way this winter. Bigger, stronger, and freaking crazy training. "Success is self determined", coach Z. If you want it, take it and beat it till it never shows its face again, and then go hunt for more. Pain is good, learn to love the feeling.   

        Darkside-the only side

     As the summer comes to an end, I must admit, it has been a great one. The school has welcomed many new and awesome athletes. We will miss our graduating seniors,and college athletes. Killer gains and accomplishments, our best summer yet. To all those that have been part of our culture, I hope your experiences, though physically, mentally and emotionally challanging, have given light to the reality of what one can accomplish.  It is important to know that, as in life, it is not what happens but how we handle it.  Hard coaching can be taken hard by some. Know your coach and their intentions, their motivations, their heart and their purpose. I fight for those inches that people add up. I die for those inches that people let go of. Passion, is the reason the school exists!  Let's work hard together!!  There is no, "I can't," only, "I wont."

     To all my Athletes, I can't tell how much I appreciate every inch you have fought for. I have experienced some of the most amazing personal accomplishments in my 16 years of coaching .I have seen boys grow to men in months. Remember, everything begins and ends with u, so keep going and never settle. To all my East guys, Beat the  $%&* out of every @$#^%*&# team that steps in front of you.

     June 27th- Juniorrank.com combine , 6-9th grade, Barrington Fieldhouse

     Kyle Bosch, Justin Berry, Matt Payne-FBU TOP GUNS CAMP, july 09.  AWESOME GUYS

     BUTT KICKING- EVERYDAY, ALL DAY.

     NON-BELIEVERS: STOP PLAYING WITH YOUR EXPENSIVE TOYS AND GET STRONG(ER).

     SWING A KETTLEBELL, SNATCH AND SQUAT, PUSH A PROWLER. EARN YOUR PAYCHECK

         ANYONE CAN BY A SPARQ STARTER KIT AND WATCH A DVD.   LUV YA.