Day 499: Tom Venuto's House Of Pain
G'day Shredders,
The day had finally arrived! My first "Closed Door" Training session with Tom Venuto in preparation for Day 500: M4 Training Day.
It All Started At 11:30AM
After two hearty Venuto Approved Meals we hopped into Tom's Burn The Fat Mobile and cruised over to Strong & Shapely Gym in East Rutherford, a.k.a. Tom's House Of Pain (THOP)!
The Tension Was Rising
As we were approaching THOP Tom made me promise one thing, "Give me your best..." I agreed to do so without hesitation.
Once we were actually inside the four walls of THOP my whole being was alive, my senses were fully engaged, I was "in the moment" living "in real-time" preparing my mind and body for the coming onslaught.
It was actually a weird combination of uncertainty (fear of the unknown) and certainty (knowing I was going to be drilled).
In A World Of Hurt...After The "Warm-Up"!
My suspicions were confirmed right after our "warm-up sets". While Tom was "going through the motions" doing his regular warm-up routine for legs I was already in a world of hurt following his lead (with about half the weight!).
Once our M4 Pre-Training Day Workout officially began 10 minutes later I mentally prepared myself to be comprehensively "schooled" in the grandaddy of all leg exercises, Barbell Squats Tom Venuto Style.
Rep Range Parameters, Tom Venuto Style
Our training sets followed a specific pattern throughout the whole workout. Tom would lead off first moving stacks of weight so large it would make grown men cry, then I would follow (cutting the weight by at least half) with the objective of hitting rep range parameters pre-determined by Tom.
Tom would say something like this, "Pick a weight you can get 12 reps with...now do 15!"
Needless to say, after our first 8 sets of Squats and Leg Extensions supersetted with Walking Lunges my quads were screaming for mercy. At one point my legs were shaking so hard that I could barely stand up straight.
Just Another "Day At The Office"
Tom then proceeded to give me a guided tour of a "normal day at the office" for his leg training which included Squats, Leg Extensions, Walking Lunges, Deadlifts, Leg Curls...and a medieval quad blasting contraption as a "bonus set".
By the end of this training session Tom had well and truly "educated" me on the level of training intensity that is mandatory for any aspiring Shredder to take their physique to the next level.
Pain...Redefined!
Put simply, even though I am an English Teacher by trade, in one single training session Tom had redefined the meaning of "pain" in my vocabulary.
Thank You Tom
On a final note I'd like to say a big thank you to Tom. You are an inspiration and a role model to hundreds of thousands of fitness enthusiasts all over the world and I am eternally grateful for the man-to-man real-world, real-time education you have provided for me today.
I will never forget this day as long as I live.
Sincerely,
Adam Waters
P.S. Today's session is just a taste of what will be coming my way tomorrow, M4 Training Day! Stay tuned to the blog for a live and exclusive blow-by-blow report from THOP on Day 500!
P.S.S. The New York Four, Suzette, Joni, Debbie and Lilla will be arriving in New Jersey tomorrow to kick off ECSS 2008! Stay tuned for all the breaking news from the NY4 and their own Date With Destiny on March 24, 2008 - Group Shred with myself and Tom Venuto!
P.S.S.S. While Tom drilled me hard during the day he also took time out from his very busy schedule to treat me to my first ever dinner in New York City in the evening. Below is a pic after we had finished our meal at Little Italy. Thank you Tom!
Click Below For Real-Time
NY4 Status Updates:
Suzette's Direct Blog Link
Joni's Direct Blog Link
Debbie's Direct Blog Link
Lilla's Direct Blog Link
ECSS 2008:
Final Countdown Video
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Current Status: Classified Top Secret!
We will focus on the single daily actions that produce results.
We will "burn our bridges" and not look back.
We will never surrender.
Eat Clean,
Shred Hard,
Think BIG!
Cheers,
Adam Waters, NESTA-CPT
P.S. Below are Day 499 RTP Blog Daily Pictures for March 21, 2008: Mission 4 - Day 124 of 125 (Today's pic was taken on rooftop of Burn The Fat HQ overlooking the New York Skyline)
