I received a PM a few days ago and I get these on occasion and I will admit that sometimes I remember the client and sometimes I honestly don’t. No matter, though, the stories always bring a smile to my face and as cheesy as it sounds, I get great satisfaction out of them. No, I am not saving lives and curing cancer but every now and then I feel good to have made a positive impact on someone and I am always flattered that they take the time to touch base with me and let me know this.

Here is the PM:

My name is Shane M, (Sugashane) I worked with you for 3 months a while back. I’m at the hospital now and looking at my new baby, and I just thought about how much has happened in the last 2 years. I opened up my bookmarks on my computer and saw intensemuscle still at the top and thought I’d drop a line to let you know what all has happened since I trained under you.

I got over 200 for the only time in my life. In April of 2009, I topped out at 201 pounds at only 11% BF, which was great considering how I was doing nothing but a straight bulk. I was also set for the Air Force, and had my ship date at Dec 7. Kate had also agreed to marry me, and literally a week or two later we found out she was pregnant.

Things were rough for a while. I got into some really heavy use of painkillers, especially after Katie had the miscarriage in July. I hit rock bottom and nearly lost everything, even Katie. I handled everything wrong and acted like a total bitch. Finally my brother told me exactly how pathetic I was being and set me straight.

Getting clean was literally the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I had no respect for myself anymore so I set a goal to earn it back with the Air Force. I set a list of goals and set out to beat them all. I didn’t get all of them, I actually missed 3 out of the 10, but not by much.

I entered into the AF and was placed in a flight of Paratroopers, SEREs, etc. I was put as an Element Leader just because of age. I admit I was homesick for my wife, but on Christmas Day I got my one call home. I found out that we were having a baby again and the fire was lit again. I earned Dorm Chief by week 5. I entered MEPs at 196 lbs and was able to get Warhawk in our last PT test, even after stepping on another trainees foot and hurting my knee. Since I passed the tests I got to graduate, but I couldn’t do the Airman’s Run or ceremony. I also could not leave for tech school until I was evaluated. Well my MRI came back and I had retore my ACL in my right knee. A disqualifying condition since I had to get a waiver to be allowed to enlist. I was in the 319th Training Squadron for just over 100 days before I was sent back home and given an Honorable Discharge. I lost my appeal to the Med Board.

At home I realized just how much different I was physically. I was down to 153 pounds. Being in BMT for almost 5 months and only eating what little you can force down in chow just wasn’t enough to keep weight on, especially with me being on crutches for 2 months.

I got a job and started working out all over again. Definitely a humbling experience. Maxing out a squat at a shit-form 135 lbs, running a mile in 9:12 (that longer than I ran the mile and a half for the PT test), and the great “I look like I’m going through chemo” feelings when I look in a mirror all took a toll.

But I stepped up and kept at it. I slowly worked back into a diet much like what you had me on, and I am back 182 pounds (no gear), lifts are slowly but steadily climbing again, and the marriage has been amazing. Now I sit here and see my wife sleeping and my baby boy sleeping right next to her in his crib. Its amazing.

Things never worked out how I planned. I made mistakes and had bad luck in a lot of things, but I bettered myself from them. I learned and will better myself and my family because of that.

If I hadn’t worked with you I doubt I’d have started over in the game. I gained a lot of knowledge and confidence in the few months I trained under you.

My goal is to compete in a powerlifting meet, then a regional bodybuilding show in the same year, before I’m 30.

Just wanted to say thank you and let you know what has happened since the last time we talked. Thanks again for everything.

God bless,
Shane M

After discussing this with the DVD producer and actually having to convince him this is the best idea for what I want to accomplish, he came around and agrees that it is, as well. I also spoke with my wife and after her initial “what the fuck are you thinking???” she understood and agreed that it was the best decision, too. I don’t need to consult with anyone else because this is my gig and between me, my DVD producer (as he will be doing just as much work, if not more, than I will on this project) and my wife.
The decision has been made and the details are worked out and everything is planned and rolling.
We are going to release the DVD – Longevity, for free but not on DVD or disc in the traditional sense. We are setting up a mini-site based off of the TEAMSKIP.net site that will be exclusive for the DVD. Please understand that we are not cutting any corners or giving up on quality or making ANY exceptions with this decision. It will be the DVD but it won’t be on disc, it will be on it’s own site for all to access for free. Why?? A few very good reasons.
First, I was not and am not doing this DVD to make a profit. Money is cool and all but my motivation for doing this DVD was for more exposure for my name and to get my thoughts out there to as many people as possible. It occurred to me that if I sell it, some won’t buy it and those “some” won’t see it. That isn’t what I want. I want as many people to have access to this information as possible so giving it away is the easiest way to do that.
Also, I have more clients outside of the US than I do inside the US so I am told that there are different formating issues with DVDs in some countries so selling a DVD to potential customers overseas may not work anywhere near as well as I would have wanted it to – limiting people from seeing it, yet again, even if they DID want to buy it.
Keep in mind that we were not going to make the price of the DVD very high, anyway, because I wasn’t too concerned with profiting from it. So, overseas shipping could potentially cost ME money to get it to so many people that would order it outside of the US. I don’t care about making money on this project but I damned sure don’t want to lose it, either. If any of you have ever sent something overseas, customs and the paper work can be a bitch to deal with, as well.
The end result was my decision to get this DVD to as many people as possible and this is the best way to do that – by having it distributed from the TEAMSKIP.net site, having a mini-site just for the DVD.
We are currently discussing the best way to release and distribute the chapters as I am very much wanting to release something like a big chapter every week or a couple smaller chapters a week, etc.. A lot of this decision will be based on what we project the traffic to be to the site, the bandwidth used, memory, etc., because there is going to be a LOT of video, obviously. We will be careful to make decisions that allow the information to be accessible without having any issues or problems with the site and the quality of the video, etc..
We still plan to launch the site and start posting chapters by the last day of August but stay tuned because even when things go well with projects like this, things happen and dates get pushed back a little bit. At this point, though, things are set to be on target for a release date of September 1st. If anything changes, I will update here in my blog.
I hope this information is exciting to you because I am pretty pumped about getting this released and I hope that everyone is excited about the DVD being free and so easily accessible.
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Just wanted to note that I have a few new guys (and one old one lol) coming on with TEAM SKIP this month for the off season. This group is entirely all national level and will be eating and growing like beasts until we start to get them ready for shows in 2011.

Ryan Fulton came off of his Minnesota State class win and is now 271 and in the condition that I like my guys in the off season. We are focusing on primarily bringing his back up and when it does come up, he will be doing some damage on a stage next year. I honestly think that we can hit the 300 mark with him before prep starts so stay tuned – 290s for sure.
Pic of Ryan:

Of course, most know that Josh Barnett and I will be starting his off season in the next couple weeks after he finished 3 shows this year with top finishes in 2 out of 3 shows. It was a tough competitive season for Josh as he has a lot on his plate especially considering they have a baby on the way. My hat is off to him for pulling off 3 shows with so many other things going on. We are looking for a very productive off season and I am excite to make dramatic changes in Josh’s physique for 2011, as well.
Pic of Josh:

Vinny just placed 8th at the USAs as a middleweight and we will be heading to the North Americans in 5 weeks and then to Nationals after that so his competitive season isn’t done just yet but we plan on working together in the off season again after HUGE changes this last off season. Vinny moved to the middles after the welterweight division the year prior. He was right at the top of the class and it will be hard to keep him in a middleweight for 2011. I see him in the lightheavies almost certainly in a year.
Pic of Vinny:

Matt came to me late due to trainer issues and we got together with a few week to go for the USAs where he placed 15th in the lightheavies. I am excited to work with Matt for the off season because I think I can make a huge impact on his weaker areas and come in just as strong from the back as he is from the front.
Pic of Matt:

I have a couple more euro guys that I would like to mention but due to current ties with other trainers I don’t want to step on any toes.

I am also looking forward to working with a figure competitor that just took her first stab at a national level show at the USAs, too. We will be starting her off season on September 1st.

Of course, Jimmy’s season starts soon and myself and my wife will be heading to St Louis to watch the preseason game when the Vikings travel to play the Rams. Jimmy is from St Louis so we will be staying with him and his wife and the kids. We are looking forward to that on the weekend of our 17th wedding anniversary. Hey, if you had 4 kids you wouldn’t mind getting away for a weekend to go watch football and take in a nice dinner, either.

Look for these TEAM SKIP clients to make a big splash in 2011!

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And the show has come and gone. The older you get and the more shows you do the more anti-climactic they become. Example: I am standing off stage waiting for the guy in front of me to finish his routine for the night show so that I can go on and I am talking with the expediter (friend of mine) about guns, his job, how we are going to work together for his off season, etc, and then I notice the MC is introducing me so I have to get out there.

I had a lot of people support me for this show and a lot of people asking about how it went so I figured this would be the easiest way to not only recap what I did this time, my focus and goals, but I am providing a video clip of prejudging instead of pics because the pics came out so bad.
First, I want to say that I was very pleased with the package that I presented. It was an incredibly easy prep – easier than any other prep I have ever done. As most of you know, I didn’t plan to do this show until after I got done filming the training footage for the DVD and figured that with my weight just under 210, I was in pretty good condition being only about 7 weeks from the show. I told myself that if it remained easy and fun I would continue getting leaner and leaner and do the state show here. Competing locally my kids get to come and be a part of the show and that is important to me. When traveling it is just too stressful and expensive to take all of the kids along.
This year I did very little cardio (5 days at 30 minute sessions) with the exception of 3 weeks where I added an extra 30 minute session on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I only did that for 3 weeks because I was getting lighter too quickly so I backed back off to only 5, 30 minute sessions. My diet was very simple and I actually kept carbs in this year for 2 of my meals, plus postworkout, even during the last week of prep. I did lower my fat intake by switching to only chicken and egg whites (half and half for each meal) for the last 4 weeks. However, I was still getting clean fats in the form of natural peanut butter and nuts with 3 meals a day. I think the only time I was ever hungry was the weekend before the show for about 3 days before the final load.
I loaded for 2 full days and I loaded until I was blue in the face. I have the progression pictures from the last week and will likely post them after getting them organized but for now I am only posting the video from prejudging. I went from an incredibly flat 197 to 210 over a two day load. I weighed in at 208 but that is a little misleading as I was still drinking water and that sort of thing on Friday night. Still, the point is that I was full and much bigger than I had ever been on stage and was a heavyweight for the first time, ever.
Now, I need to mention that being a heavyweight to ME is something I am very proud of and have been striving for, for a long time. In my mind, you just can’t be a small dude if you are a heavy. I don’t care if you are only a few pounds into the heavies – you have the heavyweight label and that means you are big, in my mind. So, it was something I was and am proud of after so many years to finally be able to move up a class to the heavies.
My condition? It wasn’t typical “Skip condition”. I wasn’t ripped to the bone at the expense of size and fullness. Last year, after I dipped into the lightheavies for the Jr USAs and then didn’t have enough time to fill out, I decided that I didn’t like that look – what with looking emaciated and being so lean that I was getting “old guy skin”. You know – when you get so fucking lean that your skin is so thin it looks like it loses elasticity? I didn’t like the look and I don’t think it looks healthy. Plus, it looks ….. well ….. old.
The plan this year was to come in full as shit and look BIG and, yes, I knew this might mean giving up some of my condition that I am known for. I figured if I give up 10% I am still going to be as ripped as anyone else up there and still likely leaner than almost everyone. After looking at some of the pics and video (it all isn’t in yet as of this blog only one day after the show) it appears that I likely gave up more like 20% with conditioning but I still don’t care because I think most anyone looking at the pics or video (or if you saw me on stage) will say that it was a fair trade – a bit of conditioning for fullness. I figured if I am going into the heavies I will be damned if I am going to get pummeled on size. Quite frankly, I think I held my own and the feedback that I have gotten (and from trusted sources) says the same thing.
Now, the placings could have been better but ….. as cliche as it sounds, I compete to win and I prepare to win but I don’t live and die by what a panel of judges says on a given day. At the end of the day I drug my 4th place open trophy and my 2nd place masters trophy home with my kids and my wife to my beautiful home driving in my big yellow tractor and I went out with friends that came out to support me instead of friends that want to hang out with me because I am some faux internet celebrity. The latter being another blog I will get to in the next week or two.
With the exception of the Jr USAs last year, this was my lowest placing ever at a state level show. At the same time, I couldn’t have been more proud to have brought a package that I have not ever brought to a weight class that I have never competed in until this weekend. I was so full that I watered over only 3 hours post show. lol I hadn’t even left the restaurant after the show before my ankles and calves started taking on water. How close is THAT??? And I also decided not to use a diuretic, at all.
I am sure I am going to get the guys that say “Skip showed up and wasn’t as tight as he usually is” but …. I can do that most any time as I have proven so many times before. What I HAVE NOT ever done until this last weekend is show up so fucking full that my skin was going to split (or at least it FELT like it). I enjoy pushing the envelope and seeing how far I can push my body to produce a look that I haven’t yet achieved. Will I go back to just showing up peeled? I don’t know. I have been to the point that I don’t know if I could get any leaner so …… where is the challenge in that?? Do I go in next time as a middle?? Whatever I do it will have to be a challenge or I won’t do it. I get bored easily and I learn nothing from doing the same thing over and over. I also did a LOT of different things with my Skiploading including increased fat intake and loading for 2 days like I mentioned previously. I don’t know where to go from here but ….. it has only been one day. In all honesty the only direction I DO know I will be going tomorrow is straight to CJs Chicago Dogs for some chili cheese dogs with my kids for lunch. If I show up with chili on my face for the seminar, don’t laugh. I’m a happy man.

The video was choppy the first time I viewed it – like it was loading the entire time. The 2nd time I viewed it, it was fine.

I am going to do a trial run with something that I have been considering for a while, now. It may work and it may not. I may like it and I may not but I want to try it out and see how it goes.
I am going to offer what is essentially an economical TEAM SKIP package for a much lower fee than my usual consulting fees. As most of you know, I am not terribly inexpensive but you do get what you pay for. I teach my clients and answer questions not only with what they are currently doing but even hypotheticals that they may run into or have to deal with down the road. Due to this, when you are done working with me you end up being able to control your own diet, make your own decisions regarding adjustments and continue to progress on your own.
With the lower fee I would simply being offering the same results from the program but it wouldn’t be as involved as to be on a daily basis of consulting. I would set up your diet, supplements and cardio plan and the client would check in once a week and fill out my template and answer questions so that I can make changes for the following week, if need be. It would be more of a “do this for this week” type of set up vs. teaching and answering questions during the consult.
I am offering this primarily for 2 reasons: 1. I never go over X amount of clients at one time so that I can continue to provide my clients with what I feel is the best one-on-one attention from anyone that does what I do and if you ask my clients, they will say the same thing. Adding this program would allow me to work with slightly more people and yet not tap my time so much that anyone would not get the attention they need. 2. It would allow some people that otherwise can’t afford me to be able to work with me. Obviously, it wouldn’t be in the same capacity as a top paying client but it would still provide the results they were looking for and the results that I am known for.
This program is NOT for contest prep, though. It would only be for off season work to get lean or to add muscle mass while staying relatively lean.
My fees for the economy TEAM SKIP program would be less than half of my normal fees.
If you are interested, please contact me at: TEAMSKIP@IntenseMuscle.com and I will send you my information that details the fees and how I work with my clients. I anticipate that these spots are going to fill very quickly and right now I plan to only take on 4-5 clients in this capacity to see how it works out. I will take inquiries starting asap and lock down these spots but I won’t start working with these new clients under this program until July 19th due to a high level of commitments next week. I will not take on more than these 4-5 clients in this capacity until I can evaluate and see whether this is something that I want to continue or not.
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Just an update about the Skiploading Seminar:

Date: Saturday, July 24th
Location: Armbrust Pro Gym, 4240 Kipling Street, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033-2978, (303) 456-0076
Time: 2pm
Cost: FREE if you RSVP with your name to TEAMSKIP@IntenseMuscle.com before July 20th.
If you show up at the door with no RSVP the cost is only $20.

The seminar will take place in the posing/cardio room and is air-conditioned. I am not going to provide chairs due to the wood floor so bring something comfortable to lay on or sit on as it is going to be super-casual. Feel free to bring food and drink, as well, or something to snack on. Armbrust does have a big selection of protein drinks, protein bars, meal replacements, etc., to choose from.

I will be covering Skiploading from A to Z and you will leave with a solid understanding of why archaic dieting practices don’t work and why this method of dieting is not only so incredibly effective but so incredibly easy to diet with, too.

NO video cameras are allowed and no recording equipment is allowed. Absolutely no exceptions.

Any questions email me at TEAMSKIP@IntenseMuscle.com.

I look forward to seeing you on the 24th!

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Junior Nationals turned out to be a great show in Chicago this last weekend.  Ryan Fulton took his first stab at a national level show as a heavyweight and took 6th place.  We were happy with his condition and we feel that after a solid off season he will be threatening much higher in the placings especially as he brings his back up.  Super great guy with a good head on his shoulders so success in the sport is almost certain.  A strong family man I am sure he enjoyed Father’s Day just as much today as he enjoyed the show, yesterday.  The sport needs more guys like Ryan.

Josh Barnett and I have 5 weeks until the AZ state show to make some dramatic improvements.  My hat is off to Josh because he has been busting his ass to make up for lost time during his last 2 shows and we have made some strides but we really need longer than only a few weeks of working together to get it right.  We both feel confident that the time before the AZ will allow us to make much better changes before he hits the stage again.  Josh’s work ethic is second to none as he was clearly beat up physically and psychologically coming into these last two shows.  I am really looking forward to getting Josh rested this week and then getting back at it next week as we prepare for the AZ show.

Jessica Simonette won her class in female bodybuilding and Shawn held his own in a stacked heavyweight class, as well.  My hat is off to these two because it is hard enough to get ready for a show when one spouse is competing, let alone when both are and doing the same show, as well.  Jessica and Shawn prepped themselves for these shows but I worked with them both in the off season so I consider them still underneath the TEAM SKIP umbrella and part of the TEAM (and they do, as well).

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There have been some changes that have come around in regards to the DVD and it’s release. I am in the process of finalizing a few HUGE decisions about what is going to take place and I think that if things pan out the way I want them to, this week or into next week, my decisions are going to be a HUGE hit with anyone interested in the release of the information on my DVD, Longevity.
Yeah, it sounds like a teaser but it really isn’t. I am just being fair by letting everyone that is interested in the release of my DVD know that by next week there may be an announcement that will not only speed things up with the release (of what is looking like a double disc set) but make it incredibly cost effective, as well. In fact, it may well end up being free. You heard me right: FREE.
More details to come as these decisions still need to be made but I do believe that I am going to get my way …. because ….. I always do.
Stay tuned …..

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Finished the training footage last week and I can honestly say that this was far more work than I had anticipated. The sessions were much longer and coupled with running the blast for a few weeks longer than I had wanted to and dieting at the same time, it was pretty tough. I am cruising this week after beating the shit out of myself for almost the last 9 weeks with filming for the last 2. The rest of the filming will be much more fun and less stressful.
Even though this DVD is not about contest prep but more about longevity – training and competing into your late 30s, 40 and even into your 50s, I am still going to have some prep related things in there. Obviously, I will break down the skiploading and the changes and adjustments that I have made to these protocols but other things like a chapter on posing correctly. I am going to break down the mandatories, in detail, to show how to post correctly and effortlessly. I don’t like a lot of what I am seeing on the stage these days with “new” ways of posing. Whether I am judging or competing or putting someone on stage I think that posing correctly is a necessity.
A lot of big shows going for TEAM SKIP. Clients in the LA show, Contra Costa, European shows, Minnesota State coming up and Jr Nationals just to name a few. TEAM SKIP clients are representing well this year, as usual.
Jimmy arrives at camp in about 2.5 hours (as I type this) so I am dissappointed to see him leave here last Friday but excited for him and his upcoming season.
So, my stress levels are down as I take a deload week, this week. I will keep my cardio up and diet on track but will be spending time at my youngest daughter’s play on Tuesday, signing my son up for fall football season, getting my truck mods done and Sissy’s new car in for some minor bodywork/upgrade. Basically, I will act normal this week. Well, as normal as it gets around here, anyway.
I am in the writing mood but I don’t have much on the brain after the last several weeks of running crazy. If anyone has any ideas about what you might like to hear me rant about, email me or respond here and let me know. TEAMSKIP@IntenseMuscle.com.
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Busy, busy, busy …..
I wanted to check in and let everyone know how things are going with ….. well …. everything.
First, training with Jimmy is winding down this next week. We finish training on Friday and he flies home for a couple days and then straight to camp in Minnesota. Camp actually starts this week, Tuesday, but he will be reporting a week from tomorrow. The time always goes by so fast – I hate to see it come to an end. However, this year I will be going out there for some games and he is coming back for a bit over the summer late June or so just to hang out.
We were going to be in Arizona for the weekend but we both just had too much to do and felt guilty going. It would have interfered with the last training session on Friday being filmed, too, and I didn’t want that to be an issue, obviously.
Which brings me to the filming: Everything is going well and we will finish filming the training footage this Friday, as well. It is a BITCH – a ton of work and trying, at times, to get everything the way we want it. Example: Chest, shoulders and tris took just over 3 hours last Monday. Um, that is a long session. When the training footage is done then I can start on what I think is going to be FAR more fun and that is the casual, fun footage and the other chapters where I do more talking and instruction, etc.. I actually got a jump on that today as it was a beautiful day and we were meeting some friends for a refeed day of food. It was a lot of fun.
Training is going well but I am long overdue for a deload week. I was to deload 3 weeks ago but I don’t do that when Jimmy s in town – just the way it is. We have training to tend to and so I deload the week before he gets here and the second he leaves but nothing in between. This one will have stretched for 8 weeks with the last 2 being filming weeks, as well. I am incredibly beat up going into the last week. I am going to have to be careful, for sure. My condition is decent at a baseline before the refeed today of 207. Not sure if I want to go any lower as I feel great at this weight and I have been playing with different refeed/loads, etc.. It is resembling more of a shitload the last few weeks and has been working well. I had to change up the low fat due to having ongoing hyperglycemic issues on refeed days and a complete lack of appetite only on these days and I am convinced the two were related. Since making this change, that I will likely go into more detail in the video, things are going much better.
Otherwise, I am looking forward to getting back to normal after this week and plan to be back in the groove for some more blog work.
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