Black Light Special 3.0!

You can't imagine how much fun we're having

 

Team Black doing what it does best... kicking ass 😉

 

Notice the shovel? We dug in the dark!

 

She made it through, and then taught Zumba afterward, don't worry everyone

 

So I must say… Black Light Special 3.0 was a success! There are sore cores and smiles running abound, and that was one hundred percent the goal… The only thing that could be cooler is… 80’s night! Next Tuesday and Thursday teams, rock your best 80’s gear! Whether Don Johnson and Cyndi Lauper or Flock of Seagulls and Culture Club, I’m expectin’ to see EVERYONE black velvet their sweet asses on in with some gusto!

I wanna say thanks again to everyone for showing up for the Black Light Special 3.0 :). I promise they will continue to get bigger and better as we go, while the workouts will stay retaining the ability to make you feel as if you’ve never felt more alive by making you feel like you’re dyin’ ;).

Also, Black Light Zumba might be turned into a monthly event… FYI 😉

– Hulk

Tough Mudder: The Best Weekend of My Life

We came, we saw... We SMASHED

I’ve been sitting here for some time now trying to muster up a way to start the most emotionally charged post I have ever sat down to write. I guess I should just come out with it… Sunday was the greatest day of my life. Point, blank, period. For SO MANY reasons.

Tyrone Rivera. Bobbi Rivera. Cara Jones Tocchini. Tammey L. Clark. Carlo Piscitello. Maggie Schuck. Whitney Lindsay. Chad Eickel. Shaleena Gibson. Cory Lacey. John Stave. Denise Stave. Brandon Rooney. Tara Rooney. Tami Larsen. Randy Paul Larsen. Tanisha Larsen. Kathi Tyler. Pete Macias. Steven Kelling. Michael Kelling. Ian Effin’ Nickles. Amanda Vallee. Kim Yoxall. Diane Levine. Jamie Flynn. Kim Marincik. Chris Marincik. Teygan Mason. Jessica LaVenter.

Those are just a few of the BEST reasons…

There are about 10-12 people not pictured here that were BEHIND the camera. Big family style feast to load up that energy for the insanity ahead!

So we get to Truckee, which is about 15-20 minutes away from Squaw Valley, and immediately you can feel the energy as tangible as if you were standing in the middle of a rainstorm of anticipation. I have to let it be known that Bobbi Rivera is a SAINT. Everyone, thank that woman for such a glorious team dinner that we got the pleasure to embark upon, because if it wasn’t for her we would have been at a restaurant getting a sub par meal in… Bobbi, from the bottom of my Hulk heart, I love you.

So, we start to figure out where we are going to TRY to get some sleep… and we have bunk beds! So much room for activities! So, I’m rockin’ my Hulk shirt and overseeing the awesome taking place in front of my very eyes. People start to show up with bags in their hands and smiles on their faces, ready to rock this SOB like it stole from our family. Our HULK family. Not gonna happen…

On the menu is rice pasta, turkey meatballs, a HUGE green salad, gluten-free muffins, and bread rolls. Dinner of Hulksters. Fuel for champions. The two are synonymous. Hulkster = Champion.

With a 5am wake up call and alarms set, we were ready…

I think I'm not the only who agrees that an ICE JACUZZI in the middle of Squaw was probably one of the toughest obstacles all day...

So let’s just get down to it… Tough Mudder was everything we thought it was going to be. I know that not one person got a “good night’s sleep.” More like everyone got to stare wide-eyed at the ceiling as their blood pumped gallons of adrenaline through all of our veins. Better than that ICE pictured above!!!

When we arrived, there was a chill in the air that had nothing to do with temperature. The anticipation of what was about to go down was only superseded by the love you could feel everyone had for one another. Once registered, we headed for the start line…

About to stretch after Chernobyl.

If you watch the show “Criminal Minds” then I have the pleasure of telling you that Shemar Moore (Derek Morgan) rocked that business right there with us! I KNOW he heard us do our chant! We did the old school chant as the starting smoke got shot out. Let me tell you… It was the LOUDEST chant I have ever had the pleasure to lead. That was the start of our team dominance ;).

Most unifying challenge of the day, by far...

The Braveheart run was more of a walk really with everyone so packed together, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. With the smoke in the air, the elevation giving our lungs hell, it was a wake up call within the first 30 seconds. Totally fine though, we knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. It was gonna be a walk through Hulk infested mud baby!!!

I did what I said I was going to do... Murder that mountain and make sure no Hulk was left behind.

I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that I saw DIGGING this weekend. I have NEVER seen a group of people push themselves as hard as I saw our Team push themselves. It was far beyond physical. It was far beyond even emotional. Words do NOT do justice the feelings I have for each and every one of you who I had the honor of running that mountain with. No Hulk left behind, and we accomplished that to the fullest… I saw fears conquered, dreams realized, lifetime bonds and friendships that will never be broken (including my own), blood, sweat, tears, and inspiration oozing out of every pore. I saw support from miles around us as the heart of Hulk “life marched” that mountain until it bowed its powerful head. I saw the most raw, absolute beauty and determination I have ever seen in my life. Pulled groins, strained tendons, tested will, achy joints, extreme fatigue, self-doubt, scraped forearms, bruised egos, harsh cold… NOTHING stopped this Hulk freight train… I will forever be indebted to the amount of never-ending inspiration pool I get to draw from for the rest of my life…

Tye and I carried the memory of Gregory, Gina, and Alan Sarpy's father, who died very recently, on our back. I'd like to think the watchful eye helped.

Along those same lines, I feel the need to express how important this was to ME. I have NEVER done anything like this. I was too fat… or “couldn’t do it…”, or barely conditioned to do the elliptical let alone a 13 mile hell ride through the unrelenting gorgeousness that is Tahoe… But I DID IT. I FUCKING DID IT. Not only did I do it, I did it the way a Hulk should… No Hulkster left behind. I told everyone I was going to bring up the rear because that’s what I feel a good leader SHOULD do. To finish last and see everyone pass the finish line with tears in their eyes, a smile on their face, and a thirst for the best beer they have ever tasted was better than if I were to finish with the best time out of every single competitor. I set out to make sure that no one felt left behind, and I did it. I FUCKING DID IT. I know what I’m capable of, but fireman carrying Kathi Tyler on my shoulder for the last downhill stretches when we’ve gone through 12 miles of insanity was something even I didn’t know existed in my physical being at that moment… but I did it. I FUCKING DID IT. But the fact that I did what I set out to do from day one isn’t what excited me…

Amanda Vallee wasn't s****ing aroung!

The fact that everyone responded. Rose to the challenge. Pushed themselves. Rallied. Grouped. Sounded off. Everyone did everything for the team, and I couldn’t be more humbled by everyone trusting me enough to follow me the way they did. Teygan, Cory, and Tye were integral in making sure we stuck, and they CANNOT go unnamed or unnoticed. Everyone else, thank you for rising to the occasion. You all, through sheer actions and determination, are the best leaders that I could possibly be led by.

One of the baddest, toughest, strongest, unstoppable chicks I know. She NEVER S***ts around! Cara, it is VERY important that you click on your picture when you have privacy to watch the lyrics and listen to the song that I URGE you to apply this to that voice that doubts yourself. This is your anthem to your self doubt. This is you.

Bobbi Rivera, Cara Tocchini, Tammey L. Clark, Shaleena Gibson, Taryn Casalino, Jamie Flynn, Kim Marincik… I cannot thank you enough. For the support, food, foil, hugs, cheers… Everything. In essence, I don’t know if a lot of us could have done it without you. I wish with everything I’ve got that we could get you all orange headbands, because you all are some TOUGH MUDDERS. You all are HULK. You all, are angels on Earth (cue Belinda Carlisle!).

The best beer I have EVER had. Only thing better are those sweet mugs right next to me. We came as a team, we conquered as a team, and thousands now know HULK

I love you all. That is an understatement. Thank you, everyone who was a part of this glorious experience, for making this the greatest weekend of my life.

– Hulk

PS We’re doing Tough Mudder in Socal February 26th (Sunday) in 2012. THIS COMING FEBRUARY. You want in on a the experience of a lifetime? E-mail AllLevelsTraining@gmail.com or comment on this post. There is ALWAYS room for a Hulkster! Hulk doesn’t die, we multiply :).

PPS each picture has a song that I associate emotionally with it. Click on and learn a little bit more about me :).

Seeing is Deceiving, Dreaming is Believing…

Pretty emotionally charged night, I must say

Sometimes I like to make fun of Chanra...

So… my legs hurt. Just wanted to put that out there. Also, Tough Mudder is in 4 days. Wanted to toss that out as well. Moving on!

So last night was a pretty emotionally charged night. I had posted in Hulk – Team Black’s Facebook group that last night was going to be the toughest workout yet for any Hulkster (don’t worry Team Green, it applies to you too!). This opened up the flood gates of people on Team Black sending me messages of self doubt and fear. Going into halfway done with the challenge, I was hoping that everyone had overcome their biggest obstacle (themselves) and we could start tackling the work that most people never get the chance to tackle! This didn’t incite anything negative in me though. Quite the contrary, it showed me there was still work to be done! A twist needed to be implemented greater than just a “take-no-prisoners-good-to-the-last-sweat-drop” workout can offer. So, a couple hours beforehand, the curriculum changed…

Something Team Black doesn’t know is pretty much the EXACT same thing happened to Team Green a couple weeks prior. They got the same treatment… The song I chose for them was “Fix You” by Javier Colon. It had worked. For those that needed to receive the message, it was received. I watched it happen…

Last night was no different.

The song I chose for this spur of the moment occasion was “Who You Are” by Jessie J. Only, I had it done a little differently… With Team Green I had everyone circled as I explained what the true meaning of “Hulk” was after the lyrics to “Fix You” were soaked in. With Team Black however, you guys were in need of a little bit more personal flavor… So, personal flavor is what you got! I had Team black face the mirror and stare themselves in the eyes. “The windows of the soul” a great man told me today… Not everybody did it however, and I know why… Because it is HARD. When that self assurance is cracked and confidence is running on empty, it’s hard to be good and honest with yourself… I say dig. I say get the results people don’t get by doing the things people don’t do. Not physically… Mentally. Emotionally. Spiritually. Most people never have the chance to face their demons because the fear of failure has them tied down to the point where self deprecation and “I’ll just try to stay out of everybody’s way…” is the best option. Well guess what? The Achilles heal of these said demons just so happens to be effort. As long as you try, you are NEVER a failure. You may not succeed right away all the time… but you WILL. As long as you hold that head up high then there isn’t a force, tangible or not, that can knock down your castle.

You are as beautiful on the outside as you feel on the inside. Until you learn to love yourself, you will always see “ugly” in the mirror.

SoI played the song “Who You Are” by Jessie J. With Team Green the lyrics to the Javier Colon song (originally Coldplay, in case Chris Martin is reading this. Love your new song! “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” is my jam!) took a moment to set in. With the Jessie J song however, the lyrics were felt immediately.

The rest of the moment of listening to the song will be for Team Black’s memory blanks in case they’d like to share :). I encourage everybody to watch the “Boombox Series” version of “Who You Are” I have posted below. I dare you not to feel SOMETHING.

 

Jessie J – Who You Are

“Who You Are”

I stare at my reflection in the mirror:
“Why am I doing this to myself?”
Losing my mind on a tiny error,
I nearly left the real me on the shelf.
No, no, no, no, no…

Don’t lose who you are in the blur of the stars!
Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing,
It’s okay not to be okay.
Sometimes it’s hard to follow your heart.
Tears don’t mean you’re losing, everybody’s bruising,
There’s nothing wrong with who you are!
(who you are [x11])

Brushing my hair, do I look perfect?
I forgot what to do to fit the mold, yeah!
The more I try the less it’s working, yeah
‘Cause everything inside me screams
No, no, no, no, no…

Don’t lose who you are in the blur of the stars!
Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing,
It’s okay not to be okay.
Sometimes it’s hard to follow your heart.
But tears don’t mean you’re losing, everybody’s bruising,
There’s nothing wrong with who you are!

Yes, no’s, egos, fake shows, like WHOA!
Just go, and leave me alone!
Real talk, real life, good love, goodnight,
With a smile, that’s my home!
That’s my home, no…

No, no, no, no, no…
Don’t lose who you are in the blur of the stars!
Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing,
It’s okay not to be okay…
Sometimes it’s hard to follow your heart.
Tears don’t mean you’re losing, everybody’s bruising,
Just be true to who you are!
Yeah yeah yeah

Coldplay – Fix You

“Fix You”

When you try your best, but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you’re too in love to let it go
But if you never try you’ll never know
Just what you’re worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down on your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down on your face
And I…

Tears stream down on your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down on your face
And I…

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

– Hulk

ps I started work on the slideshow today… 😉

Runner’s High

He collapsed 😦

Lately, I’ve been running.

That may not seem like much to some of you, but to me, it’s huge. I suffer from severe chronic shin splints that stem from being as overweight as I was as a kid and playing YEARS of football on the pavement. Don’t get me wrong, I was a fat white Barry Sanders with moves for days, but my shins took the brunt of the my obesity/agility.

Anyways, as many of you know, we have a little thing called TOUGH MUDDER rapidly approaching (September 18th baby birds!) and I have most DEFINITELY been on the ball with my training… except running. My endurance, strength, stability, and plyometric work is out of this world, but my body is not acclimated to running since I haven’t done it in YEARS.

The point of this post is that I’m running. Something I never thought I’d be able to do in a million years… I’m doing it. Out of the past 4 days, 3 of them I’ve run 4+ miles in the morning before my day starts. Again, never in a million years did I think I’d be running. It’s… liberating. Don’t get me wrong, my shins feel like they’re disintegrating… but not NEARLY as bad as it used to be. Before I could SWEAR a paint scraper was lodged in my tibialis anterior wrenching it away from the bone. Now, it just feels like that paint scraper is pressing against the exterior of my skin. Gnarly still, but not debilitating! Yay!

I definitely owe a big credit to my new running mate Tye-ran-asaurus Rex, but there’s a bigger drive…

I think of all of you. Team Black. Team Green. Team Hulk. The family and friends who have expressed their complete trust in me to help showcase a better way of living… I think of you. I think of all the struggle I see in the “House of Hulk” every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and the fact that you all are doing something a lot of you thought that YOU’d never be doing in a million years. I think of the sweat drenched faces soaked with the realization that “oh my god, I’m really doing this…” I think of the tears I’ve seen shed at a fitness journey coming to fruition, and my own tears I’ve shed along the way. I think about the fact that as much of a leader as I try to be, where do you all think I draw my inspiration from… You.

This post is an inadequate thank you to everyone putting their trust and faith in me and in Hulk. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all. Your faces flash across my minds eye as I’m running alongside Team Prime. My heart swells. Not with pride, but with the realization that as soon as my run is over, I’m going to see the very faces that inspire me doing the very thing that inspires me. It truly is a blessing to know each and every one of you.

While others are holding a candle, you are all spotlights pointed towards the sky. Only, it’s not Batman you’re calling… AhhhOOOOO!!!!!

– Hulk

I’m back baby birds ;)

A special message to everybody about to take part in this upcoming “Hulk vs. Hulk – Round VII”

– Hulk

Hulk Does Hawaii!

Can't Wait for Diamondhead!

Hey hey, long time no talk! Well, there’s been reason for that… Those reasons which will be seen, heard, and experienced starting mid August… Hulk vs. Hulk – Round VII is RIGHT around the corner! That, actually, is why I’m updating!

Before I get into that however, I would like to say… ALOHA! But, the “bye” version, because this guy is headed off to Hawaii! My wonderfully amazing girlfriend Taryn and I are headed to Oahu bright and early 5am tomorrow morning and needless to say, we’re excited! I will be BACK to regularly scheduled programming (for the most part) on August 8th. Until then, be sure to send me an e-mail at Alllevelstraining@gmail.com with any important inquiries or statement and I will get back to you as soon as I can!

Now, everyone who has done a challenge before knows that it is a ZOO the first day. It also, unfortunately, takes a LOOOOOOONG time. Well, in order to make the process a whole hell of a lot smoother, I have decided to split apart the fit test and the “measurement” day. Here is the schedule. Be sure to read everything ALL THE WAY THROUGH before getting flustered and writing me immediately:

Team Green Fit Test – August 11th (Thursday) at 5:30pm (will be conducting fit tests until 7:30pm, but please come as early as possible so as to start the fit tests right on time at 6pm)

Team Black Fit Test – August 12th (Friday) at 5:30pm (will be conducting fit tests until 7:30pm, but please come as early as possible so as to start the fit tests right on time at 6pm)

If you are not able to make it to your designated teams fit test date, but ARE able to make it to the opposing team’s fit test date, that is completely alright! Be sure to e-mail me so that I have advanced noticed :).

If you are not able to make it to EITHER of those dates, then please e-mail me and we will schedule your make up fit test.

PLEASE keep in mind that it is VERY important that you make it to the fit test. I humbly request that everyone does everything they can to make it to one of these 2 dates for the fit test so as to maintain my sanity :). If there is NOTHING you can do and HAVE to reschedule your fit test date, I understand and will work with you if you are able to work with me. Everyone else, get ready to hammer out a work out those dates ;).

The way MEASUREMENT day is going to work is as follows:

Team Green Measurements – August 13th (Saturday) at 9am until 11am (show up no later than 10am).

Team Black Measurements – August 13th (Saturday) at 11:30am until 1:30pm (Show up no later than 12:30pm)

Both teams will be getting your circumference measurements recorded, blood pressure tested, body fat percentage tested, initial weigh-in, and “before” picture taken. You will also be filling out contact information, a questionnaire, and a “commitment contract”, as well as getting to know your fellow teammates!

I have stressed the importance of the fit test dates, but I REALLY have to stress the importance of the first day… I humbly request again that everyone does everything in their power to make it to the first day. Not just for me, but to be part of the experience… To meet everybody. To feel the anticipation and excitement in the air as it becomes “official” the journey you TRULY are about to embarking upon. Just like the fit test however, if there is NOTHING you can do and HAVE to miss the first day, e-mail me and we will work it out. In the meantime, get pumped or get dumped baby!

Also, I promise, this competition is a FRIENDLY competition. I know we’re intense, but not in a mean spirited way at all! If you have to do some stuff with the other team, don’t worry, you will be treated as you are… an adversary. After all, we’re all in the same boat, fighting the same good fight TOGETHER! Remember, you have a SAFE PLACE on Team Hulk :).

With that, I bid you all a farewell, for I have some packing to finish up… Meaning some tank tops and board shorts to throw into my bag ;).

I will miss you all! Aloha!

– Hulk

Hulk vs. Hulk – Round VII OFFICIAL TEAMS

Tell 'em what your name IS!!!!!

Team Black (Meeting every Tuesday at 6:30pm and Saturday at 11:30am):

• Stuart Alexander
• Bud Hull
• Gina Sarpy
• Megan Gill
• Chanra Gill
• Jeff Martin
• Matt Moniz
• Kristie Clay
• Meghan Auerswald
• Jisaela Tenney
• Lindsey Caddy
• Cara Tocchini
• Bobbi Rivera
• Tammey L. Clark
• Chris keys
• Garry Baptista
• Denise LaVenter
• Jessica LaVenter
• Julie Hogg
• Jamie Bywater
• Kima Lovold
• Ian Nickles
• Kelly Dawson
• Pablo Zavala
• Nicole Eaton
• Amanda Vallee

Team Green (Meeting every Thursday at 6pm and Saturday at 10am):

• Carlo Piscitello
• Cory Lacy
• Shaleena Gibson
• Jessica Birrer
• Adam Gray
• Amanda Martin
• Lorna Kennedy-Klein
• Christina Kelly
• Jessica Hewitt
• Pete Macias
• Jose Zavala
• Chenoa Busic
• Maggie Shuck
• Kristina Lamb
• Anne Musaelian
• Jodi Curry
• Ruben Martinez
• Ana Rivas
• Tanisha Larsen
• Tami Larsen
• Paul Larsen
• Kevin John
• Liz Rait
• Sander Seymour

AhhhhOOOOO!!!!

Bootcamp is Still Goin’ Y’all!

Introducing: Team Prime. Welcome Autobots!

So here’s how it’s goin’ down… The group thing has got people so jacked up that we couldn’t POSSIBLY stop the group training just because Hulk vs. Hulk starts August 13th! Solution? Let’s keep it goin’! Here is the group training Hulk/Prime combination as it be:

Thursday – 6pm – Trainer: Josh

Friday – 6:30pm – Trainer: Team Prime Tye

Saturday – 12pm – Trainer: Josh

The best part… the cost! Tye and I will be charging $10 an hour instead of $15 to make sure funds can stay alright (trust me, I understand it all adds up). In essence, $30 gets you 3 hours of kick ass workouts! What better way to either keep yourself on track OR get yourself prepped for Hulk vs. Hulk?!

E-mail, call, text, or smoke signal myself or Tyrone if you have any questions! I would also like to make the point that this is not “hulk only”… meaning if you’ve got some friends that wanna come, by all means bring ’em! Spread the word! The more the merrier baby ;). Can’t wait to kick butt with all you Hulksters and Autobots!

– Hulk

PS click on the picture, listen to the song, read the words, and get ready to dig like you’ve never dug before… The time is now y’all. If you’re not pumped, get dumped! When they ask, you tell ’em Hulksters…

PPS Well deserved of a repost. Thank you to John Bidleman for the fantastic production!

Wanna See the Slideshows?

Hulk – Round VI Slideshow!

Tyrone and Bobbi’s Slideshow!

Final Chant!

More to come baby birds 😉

– Hulk

And the seed of “Hulk vs. Hulk – Round VII” sprouted, emerging from the Earth with branches outstretched towards the sunlight…

Amanda Jane Martin’s Award Presentation – Overall Winner/ Best Mom

Kristina Lamb’s Award Presentation – Overall Inches Winner

Jessica LaVenter’s Award Presentation – MVP

Click Here for photo album #1 and Here for photo album #2 of the Hulk After Party!

The FINAL chant of Hulk – Round VI, Tye’s proposal video, Tye’s slideshow, The full length 20 minute slideshow, and a couple other juicy pieces of media will be posted. Stay tuned!

– Hulk

Jeff Martin, I figured I would like to let you know via here that I have found a spot on Hulk for you 🙂