I was honored to be chosen to be this year’s guest speaker at the Opening Day ceremonies for the Towanda Little League.

Aside from giving a little bit of advice on baseball here and there, the points I tried to get across were:

(1) Baseball is about making memories you’ll remember the rest of your life.

(2) Baseball is about working hard and developing habits that will last you a lifetime.

(3) Baseball is about family, and we should recognize the efforts people make in our lives.

I hope you enjoy the speech, and if you’re looking for a motivational speaker for a get-together you have going on, or a strongman for your next party or celebration, please feel free to look me up.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Question for you – –

How bad do YOU want to win?

How bad do YOU want to accomplish your goals?

Do you want it THIS BAD?

Read on…

As I was cruising Facebook last night, weaving back and forth between the nonsense about Tom Brady’s deflated balls and the lies about Bin Laden’s death, I found this gem, from my friend, Jared Fleming.

He said:

“So proud and inspired by my girl and her AMAZING performance at the USA Wrestling National Championships this weekend!!

Veronica showed more heart and internal motivation to win than I have ever seen in another person.

During her 4th match she broke her arm and tore ligaments… To the point you could see her arm was actually deformed.

She came back with 2 minutes left on the clock and WON the match with a broken arm and took 3rd place overall!!“

Can you believe that?

I actually had trouble getting to sleep last night because of this…

It inspired me so much, I got an adrenaline rush and wanted to train, but it was bed time.

I gotta get my beauty sleep, brotherrrrr!

Man, DIESELS, I hope this fires you up today.

I hope it motivates you to take your training up a notch.

It should make you want your goals even more.

Imagine having to finish a wrestling match with a broken arm.

No, not having to.

I’m sure nobody told Veronica she HAD to go out and finish the match.

She did that because of her burning desire for competition and savage hunger for excellence.

Let’s take a bite out of that today and apply it to our life, our work, our family, and our training.

What do you say?

Jedd

DIESELS!

It has been too long since we have had an Iron Masters Nomination up on the site, and I am just as much to blame as anyone else. The Iron Masters is something I started in 2010 in order to recognize the people over 40 years old who have been outstanding examples areas of strength and fitness. These men and women show that serious training for serious goals isn’t just for those in their teens and twenties, its a journey that lasts a lifetime!

Today, I have an Iron master that I have wanted to put up for a long while. It is Joe Mugovero from New London, CT. I first met Joe at Stronger Than All, a Strongman Contest in New Haven CT, in 2005, and he hasn’t stopped impressing me yet. The things that have impressed me the most since I first met him are his domination of two of the most widely recognized Grip Strength challenge implements, the Inch Dumbbell and the Blob, and his love for helping others enjoy strength training and fitness as well.

Today, I give you the most recent Iron Master, Joe Mugovero.

Joe Mugovero is a retired mailman with more than 41 years in the Post Office hails from New London, Ct. His early days had him competing in local fairs in the clean and jerk and then moved into powerlifting. One time 27 years ago he competed in a C&J contest on a Saturday and won the U.S bench press championships the next day as a sub-master.

Always attracted to strength in its many forms Joe tried bodybuilding, armwrestling, weightlifting, powerlifting, and some strongman. He considered himself a “jack of all trades, master of none“. After numerous injuries or lack of elite level ability Joe concentrated on the bench press and set numerous records in age group competition (40-55) all drug free. With more than 200 awards under his belt he permanently injured a disc in his neck which cut his left arm strength by 60%, days after setting yet another Ct. state record age of 52 with 445lbs.

It was only then that Joe turned to grip strength as a goal in it’s own right. Most of his life his left arm was more powerful than his right. Now with some serious training this would reverse…

After reading Milo magazine about a person from England who trained to lift the Thomas Inch Dumbell, Joe at about 58 started his quest to master the beast. He has fully deadlifted the INCH 687 times, sometimes doing doubles and once a triple. Every lift was witnessed by one or more members of the Breakfastclub Gym. In 2005 and 2006 he won the Rolling Thunder Championships at the Massachusetts State Strongman, beating guys half his age.

Joe on the Table with Tim Bresnan. Joe didn’t beat him, but it was a good match, he says.

Big benches are long gone now but he recently did a 330lb raw bench which he says took more hard work than the 500(single ply shirt) when much younger. Now he levers hammers, toys with the BLOB, pinches plates and does some hub lifting. Farmer’s walks with 235 lbs and a 200lb Atlas stone for 12reps over a 52″ high bar just last week.

Joe warming up on the Atlas Stones. He owns 28 of them.

Joe has been the meet director in four local strongman contests. He won the 2012 sledgehammer event against all age groups this year at the “Bash at the Beach” at Ocean Beach Park in New London, Ct.

Joe recently table curled a 123-lb dumbbell for 12 reps and preacher curled a 90lb dumbbell for 15reps. He has beat every member of the Breakfastclub Gym who put his arm on the table.

Joe closing the #3 Gripper. Can’t wait to see him certify in the future!

The only goals Joe has not achieved is pinching 2-45’s(has done 3-25’s)and certifying on the NO 3 gripper. He recently pinched 35’s w/16.35lbs extra so maybe soon and did close the NO 3 once a year ago.

Joe was the A.P.A chairperson for Connecticut from 1990-1995. He has been the meet director for at least 90 contests in weightlifting, powerifting, bench only, grip strength and strongman. He runs and owns the Breakfastclub Gym in New London , Ct. A small semi-private gym where the chalk flies, lifters curse and move big weight.

His biggest claim is not his own lifts but encouraging and making available strongman/grip equipment to Southeastern Connecticut trainees who have excelled in their own right. Joe won’t be remembered as the strongest guy walking local streets but just may be remembered as an ambassador of Powerlifting/Strongman/Grip strength promotion to the general public.

DIESELS, as I finish off this post, I have a grin from ear to ear because I’ve finally gotten the chance to post this up. Joe and I email back and forth regularly and he is always updating me on his Inch Dumbbell Domination, and I can’t wait to get the next one!

Now, it’s time for you to send in your Iron Master nominations.

It can literally be anybody, from a Fitness or Strength celebrity, to someone in a small town nearby, to even a relative. If they have inspired you in your training or have done so with others, send them my way. I can’t wait to hear from you.

All the best in your training and have an awesome weekend!

Jedd

P.S. I am traveling to Rhode Island tonight to meet up with Matt Ellis. I met him two weeks ago at a seminar and he is as passionate about helping people accomplish their goals as I am. I at breakfast with him one day and we hit it off right away, so we are going to be shooting a DVD together this weekend. If you are a “Thrower” or know someone who does, make sure you stay tuned.

Imagine this…

There’s a challenge before you…

You’re the under dog…

The road ahead is long and bumpy…

The deck is stacked against you…

It’s an uphill battle…

Yet you remain confident.

You stay focused.

You keep your eyes on the prize.

You are determined.

You can make successhappen .

Never let the negative thoughts of others around you get in the way of your goals.

See it in your head.

See yourself accomplishing your goals.

See yourself hit your depth and come out of the hole strong for a successful squat.

See the ball flying out of your hand and into the receivers for a touchdown.

See it before it happens, and you’ll be that much closer to making it happen.

And make sure those around you see it that way too.

MAKE it a great day.

Jedd

Ultimate Forearm Training for Baseball | How to Bend Nails | How to Tear Cards | Feats of Grip Strength Explained | How to Build Your Own Equipment | How to Lift Atlas Stones | The Sh*t You’ve Never Seen | Sled Dragging for Athletes | The Road to the Record DVD

Diesel Iron Masters

With Independence Day being here, today’s Iron Masters recognition comes at a perfect time.

Today we meet LTC Nathen Acree Jr, who retired from the Army in 1995 and was recently recalled at age 59.

LTC Nathen Acree Jr

The nomination for LTC Nathen Acree Jr was sent in by his son, Austin Acree.
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Many of you know about my previous Pay It Forward article.

I posted about how fortunate I feel and how lucky I was to be in 3 major fitness publications in one month (back in Nov 2009).

Well, it has happened AGAIN!

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

The Man of Steel Challenge is HERE

And the feedback is pouring in!  Check out what Wendell Hurst has to say:
READ THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Vision Quest

No more bullshit.  We’re on a Vision Quest!

You and me.  Together.

I am going to work my ass off to make 2010 amazing for you.  That is my guarantee.

People always say, on “Monday I’ll start” or “When my next check comes in, I’ll join the gym”.

NO MORE!

JOIN THE MOVEMENT AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Diesels,

Several of the Gripaholics that were going to be here today had to cancel out, so there is no live stream today, but we are in the process of scheduling more group training sessions soon, so please stay tuned.
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I was thinking the other night about how really lucky I am.

I know, I know, I’m getting soft in my old age.  Well, I’ve got a little secret for you.  I’ve always been just a big softy.  Despite how dynamic, agile and cool I might seem (that is sarcasm 🙂 ).

Something you might not know about me is that I grew up on a farm and never really had anything.  I worked hard everyday and got up early to feed horses, cows, chickens and a host of other animals before school.  During the summer I had three jobs and always wanted what the other kids had.
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Mongol General: Hao! Dai ye! We won again! This is good, but what is best in life?
Mongol: The open steppe, fleet horse, falcons at your wrist, and the wind in your hair.

Mongol General: Wrong! Conan! What is best in life?

Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women.

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I recently took a trip to Washington, DC and visited the National Zoo.  The funny thing is, the whole way down to DC, I only kept thinking about one thing.

Where and when can I train.

Many people would say, “You’re on vacation, take a day off!”  The fact is I am always busy and when I get a chance to train, that is “my time”.  That is my serenity!  (SERENITY NOW!) 🙂

I love training and I love hanging out with my training crew.  Is that how you feel?

Do you look forward to the workout all day?  What weight am I going to hit, or I am going to hit a PR on this lift today!

Well, to make a long story short, after this trip to DC, I will NEVER LOOK AT TRAINING THE SAME WAY AGAIN!

As you remember, I did get to train at Gold’s gym while I was there.  But, I really wanted to get some training in the day we went to the zoo.

Before going any further…

PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS, I AM A TRAINED ZOOLOGIST.

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