Amazaing GAins

Recently, Intensity Magazine approached me via email and asked me to write an article about the effects Renegade training has had on me. As I look back on the mere 3 weeks that I have been training using the Renegade philosophy, I realize that I have gained much more than I expected. I'll share what I have discovered in this short time period, but first let me tell you about my first workout.
Ready Or Not
Three weeks ago, I started the Functional Size and Strength Program, available from Infinity Fitness. The first day calls for 3 sets of various kettlebell or dumbbell swings, 3 rounds of jump rope followed by a prescription of regular (?regular? yeah, right!) weightlifting exercises, and a farmer's walk "finisher." Finally, there is a small abdominal workout mixed in there. No problem, right?
I puked at exactly 42 minutes.
Let's see. After 15 minutes of dumbbell swings, I was drenched in sweat. We'll keep the description short by simply saying that the final "3-minute" round of jump rope included 1 minute of fighting to stay vertical. It wasn't pretty. At this point, I laughed at the possibility of doing the suggested leg workout, so I walked for 10 minutes in an attempt to cool down. I then grabbed my post "warm-up" drink and SLOWLY sipped it. However, as I mentioned, at 42 minutes after my virginal set of dumbbell swings, my drink, workout, ego, and energy for the rest of the day speedily left my body.
Humility
So, my first lesson in Renegade training was simple: HUMILITY. I was an out-of-shape person with a great-looking body. Glory to God, I am thankful that I have decent genetics. However, I used to be one of those people that think, "I could have played college football for (insert favorite school here)"?
Yeah. And I would have been the most genetically gifted sideline painter you've ever seen.
However, I did not lose hope. I was determined to become a Renegade, so I headed to the forum at Infinity Fitness. I humbled myself and told everyone about my first workout?er, I mean?warm-up. I got 3-4 replies from extremely understanding and helpful Renegade brothers, and then The Renegade himself chimed in.
Brotherhood
That brings us to lesson number two: BROTHERHOOD. The people that have helped did so by providing me with the most polite, understanding, and thorough answers I have encountered. Here are individuals, some from elite coaching positions, some like myself, that quite simply are around for one reason: they love to help others, specifically in the area of athletic/physical improvement. These are people that give freely of their hard-earned (and oftentimes, paid-for) knowledge, in an attempt to help and encourage a faceless individual. I don't know about you, but these are the kind of people that I want to hang around.
View Our Huge List Of Helpful Bodybuilding Writers HERE!
Effective
Lesson number three: Renegade training is EFFECTIVE. Three weeks ago, my bodyweight fluctuated between 182-185. I now fluctuate between 181-183. So, I have lost a couple of pounds?big deal, right? What else?

1. To say that I look better would be an understatement (again, thank you, Lord).
2. My strength has quickly increased.
3. I can now do ALL of the DB swings, ALL of the jump rope work, ALL of the workout, the finisher, AND the ab workout.
4. I can do #3 without puking.
5. I'm not quite sure how to describe this, but I feel more "prepared" and "ready" throughout the day. For example, if a member of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network walked up behind me right now, I feel very confident in my ability to jump up, run him down, and beat the ungodly crap out of him. Three weeks ago, I'd have blown my knee, pulled both hamstrings, and been winded by the time I got 10 yards outside my front door.

Functional
Let's just say that, for lack of a better word, I feel extremely FUNCTIONAL. In all seriousness, I attribute this to the various DB swings and GPP work designed to increase work capacity. The change is absolutely remarkable. I'm still a bit short of bullet-proof, but I'm getting there.
"Great ... but it sounds like a lot of hard work." It is. Period. Don't think any differently. But there's something more to it than just hard work. This is kind of abstract, so bear with me for a minute. Almost imperceptibly, just below that threshold of consciousness, the workouts themselves become self-motivating and addicting. If you can deal with lesson number one (humility) effectively and not quit or make some lame-ass excuses, then you'll do the next workout (or, in my case, try the first workout again)?
And you will be BETTER! Somehow, in some way, even if it is only because you could actually do the weights this time, or you made it through all of the swings AND all of the jump rope without puking, you WILL be better. You will have improved! And let me tell you-it feels great!
Trust me. You'll want to do it again.
Self-Motivating And Addictive
So, lesson number four: Renegade training is SELF-MOTIVATING and ADDICTIVE. Coach Davies and I have attempted to talk at length about the principles that are the foundation of his training philosophy. One of his core reasons for his success is that he has created workouts that automatically breed success!
Learn How Visualization Can Help You Succeed HERE!
Please don't underestimate or glance over this factor. If you improve on just the second workout, you are going to feel successful and want to continue. When you improve again on the third workout, you are going to feel even more successful. In short, the actual act of working out (and its outcome) becomes a positive reinforcement in your mind, and you actually look forward to each and every workout. In a very brief period of time, you will notice physical changes, as well.
What greater system can you ask for? Renegade training provides a systematic regimen that improves your body AND your mind.
Well, there are other ways that Renegade Training has helped me in the last 3 weeks, but we start to get into the Anthony Robbins / Bill Roberts type of rah-rah stuff. Personally, I have no problem with some of that, but I respect that there are others that aren't into it. So, I'll leave that for a future article if Intensity is interested. For now, let's just say that it is not a far or difficult stretch to begin to apply some of the lessons learned from Renegade Training into other areas of your life.