Jason obtained his undergraduate degrees in Exercise Science and Strength and Human Performance and Masters degree in Physical Therapy at St. Ambrose University. He currently lives in Oak Park, IL and is the owner of Performance and Recovery Systems, where he works with clients as a Soft Tissue Therapist and Active Release Therapist. He has a competition background in both powerlifting and bodybuilding. In powerlifting, he holds a pro raw total at 1901 in the 242-pound weight class, and in bodybuilding, he finished top 3 in the open class at the 2011 NPC Ironman. For performance therapy programming, performance therapy, or training please visit www.performanceandrecoverysystems.com

There has been a lot of buzz recently around the word "passion". To each person it means something different. Whether it be a tool to continue on with something difficult, to start something new, or to fall back in love with something old, passion always serves a purpose. With me I've always had a passion for both bodybuilding and powerlifting. They both have different meanings to me and have served me well at different points in my life. One part I continue to loath is the first 6-8 weeks when switching. I'm currently in a transitional phase in which I'm slowly decreasing my volume from the traditional style bodybuilding way of that to a more focused powerlifting program. This will take time as my body, nervous system, joints, etc.  slowly accommodate to the heavy loads and stress. One thing that continues to be difficult is the mental switch. Being ok with not being as strong as I once was is a difficult pill to swallow. Most training sessions I feel weak as shit and want to jump right back to bodybuilding. These are times in which I reflect, and passion pushes me further. Each week the strength creeps up and things start to take a step in the right direction. Soon enough a bunch of small steps will lead me down a long road back to the platform.

Any who, here's what you came for.

Warm-Up consisted of the following: I always start with 3-5 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing with adduction and internal rotation. These are specific to my limitations and restrictions. I do this in the supine (on  your back) 90/90 position.

1. Acumobility ball, found here, TFL release with adductor activation

2. Quadruped (all fours) hip controlled articular rotations (CARS): 2 sets of flexion and extension with each leg

3. 90/90 Single Glute bridge 2 sets of 10 reps each leg

4. McGill Anterior Core Drill 2 sets of 5 each contralateral limbs (opposite leg and arm)

5. Banded KB swing 2 sets of 20

Warms ups went

135,225,275,315,365 I went 5's up to 275 then triples up to my first working set

Working Sets:

410 x3

470x3

525x3+  I ended up getting 7 here which is about what I wanted.I could have grinded (albeit an ugly grind) a few more but that would have done more bad then good. Here's the video

This was followed by my secondary exercise w SSB narrow pause squats 5 sets of triples at 315. Then went on to hit SLDL for 3 sets of 10 from a deficit at 275, some quads, core, and mobility at the end.

I will  be writing out and explaining my current training program soon in an article about power-building.