Napoleon Complex. How much is enough?

As I write this, my 1RM on the deadlift is 385 lbs (stop snickering). My 3RM on weighted pull-ups is bodyweight plus 105 lbs. I would say my pull-up numbers are respectable, the deadlift numbers, not so much. I’m hoping a couple months of Jim Wendler’s “5/3/1 training program” will help. My goal? I would […]

What Grade Fuel Do You Use?

“You can’t out-train a bad diet”. Without a doubt, it’s one of my all time favorite quotes. My clients hear it daily. I will not stop using it. It rings true and I need my clients to hear my voice in their head stating that phrase when they consider hitting up the fast food joint […]

“2 for 1 Special” – TRX Movements

Here are 5 TRX movements we utilize that involve alternating between two exercises. You will perform one rep of one exercise followed by one rep of another exercise and continue to alternate back and forth for the desired number of reps. Using the interchanging sequence requires a bit more coordination and core stability. We use […]

Midsection Madness for MMA

By Doug Balzarini, Personal Trainer, Fitness Quest 10 I love telling my client or athlete that we are going to hit the “core” hard and then walk them over to the pull-up bar for pulls or the trap bar for sets of deadlifts. I cringe every time I hear someone say that it’s time to […]

4 TRX Partner Moves

Here are 4 TRX movements we came up with that require a partner. FAI recommends one unit per person; however, we felt these were safe, effective alternatives that we incorporate on occasion to infuse a little competition and a lot of fun. Here is a brief breakdown on the 4 exercises: 1. TRX Suspended Burpee […]

Fab Five Finishers for MMA Conditioning

If you’ve ever witnessed or participated in a metabolic circuit designed for combat athletes, you’ve seen hard core. You’ve seen guys pushed to their physical limits. You’ve seen tire flips, prowler pushes, and ground & pound drills. You may have even seen some guys on their knees reaching for the nearest bucket. There are many […]

Partner Training: A Different Approach to MMA Strength & Conditioning

I had been working with an athlete for several weeks in a traditional one-on-one setting and recently began to notice that his strength, energy levels, and overall intensity were down. In a recent session, I could sense early on in our mobility work that he was just going through the motions. Perhaps my teaching cues […]

Top 5 Strength Tools For Combat Athletes

“Top 5 Strength Tools For Combat Athletes” By Doug Balzarini, C.S.C.S., Fitness Quest 10 As Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) continues to grow in popularity, so do the methods and techniques used to help the MMA athletes reach their full potential. Coaches are realizing that their athletes must have a complete well-rounded program that covers not […]

Work What Your Mama Gave Ya

Resistance training – and I don’t mean “resisting” training – means going back to the basics. Picture yourself doing high school physical education kinds of exercises (based on using your bodyweight as resistance) and there you have it. Resistance training is a common phrase in the fitness world. By definition, resistance training is a form […]

Eight Great Bodyweight Resistance Exercises

Fitness Quest 10 personal trainer Doug Balzarini performing eight bodyweight training exercises designed to target every major muscle group in the body. To increase resistance Balzarini added a stability ball, resistance tubes and a weighted medicine ball, which are fairly inexpensive purchases at a sporting goods store. The video includes pointers on correct form and […]