MJtraining

Now, this is a redefinition I wanted to highlight.

I've been working with Marko Pavasovic three times per week for a little over two years and he is by far my most consistent client to date. The "before" pictures are somewhat misleading. Before starting the redefinition process, Marko was already in pretty good shape. Even though there was some nutritional adherence present before, we didn't track anything, so during these 18 weeks, we only had to expose what we've built over the aforementioned time. Working with super-focused and driven people like Marko almost guarantees success and makes the trainer's job so much easier. He lost 13 pounds and around the same body fat percentage with minimal drop in performance. This is a result that is very hard to repeat and is something to strive for.

Even though nutrition and training are inseparable variables, a few years ago I kinda decided not to do these body recomposition projects anymore. Changes in these kinds of efforts occur not only at organic but much more on behavioral front. It's tasking, and I simply didn't want to act as a trainer, a psychologist, and a nutritionist at the same time. Sure, I know a thing or two about all of these things, but I didn't want that level of involvement in people's lives and was somewhat frustrated with people quitting halfway throughout the process. So, I would usually give my clients some general guidelines and focused on proper training programming instead. I never told them what to eat but rather how to eat for a task at hand.

A few months ago, a friend approached me and asked me if I could help him shed some fat. I needed some money, and had a good feeling about him, so I agreed. Few other people from the gym jumped on the bandwagon and - oops, I'm doing it again.

So, here are some of the fine gentlemen I had the chance to work with within the last few months. Conditions were very simple - they needed to be healthy and ready to train with me at least twice per week. Twice per week is suboptimal, but it's better than nothing.

Which tools did I use? 1. thermodynamics 2. progressive overload - based resistance training with some conditioning 3. adherence 4. sustainability 5. common sense. Maybe not in that particular order.

Picture 1. Teo Barović - 14 kilos down in 17 weeks. He did group training at Grindhouse Gym twice per week with very little previous training experience. Recomposition was paused for the summer vacation.

Picture 2. Marko D. - 16 kilos down in 6-7 months. Individual training twice per week. Basically no previous training experience. Recomposition ended a few weeks early at his request.

Picture 3. Marko Pavasovic - 13 kilos down in 18,5 weeks. Over two years of individual training, 3 + times per week. Recomposition completed.

Accepting 2 more private clients. Skill level, bodyfat percentage and similar stuff are of no importance to me. Only attitude counts.

I know some of you trainers and gym owners out there often hear this nonsense - It's easy for you to say, you train all the time, you have your own thing, look at all the equipment you have, blah blah... Now, if you repeat this slowly and let it sink in, it will sound different, won't it?

Nothing was easy for me. Ever. Honestly, I wouldn't mind a little wind at my back, but all things considered, it turned out pretty good. Ironically, and speaking mostly figuratively - free stuff often comes with a price, be it character development, imposed expectation or some other kind of repercussion later on. People tend to manipulate that thought and say that the best things in life are free. I especially "like" this one - Look at nature, it takes care of itself.

Yeah, try to live in nature. Truly.

Maybe the best things in life are free, but the worst ones are too if you want to look at things in black & white. But that's not the point. I guess the takeaway here is - try to do and experience as much as possible with the things you have now without comparing yourself to others. And slowly and smartly build upon it without sacrificing your integrity or vision. With struggle comes the richness of experience, the catharsis of accomplishment, and the gift of growth. Don't shy away from the battle, but train your eye to know how to pick one.

Tamara Bastaić is one of the hardest workers I know. So proud to have a hand in her progress. She always makes time, shows up, does all the work required (and more) and never complains. Well, maybe a little sometimes:). The other day she unilaterally pressed (overhead) 18 kilos for a couple of reps and did the Turkish Get-up with 26 kilos.

Pay , and others will pay attention to you, too. No matter what you think or say, always beats words. And s**t in always equals s**t out.

📷Mislav Žabarović

One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.

- Nietzsche

📷 Mislav Žabarović

Every frame counts.

Photo by Mislav Žabarović

My swagalicious brother Dražen Marinčić from Slavonski Brod Fitness Centar FLOW rocking the Grindhouse Gym tee. Keep up the good work, bro!