Power Sytems is going to NATIONALS!

After our first ever Provincial meet and having such a great showing, the Power Systems team has decided to enter the 2013 Canadian Powerlifting Nationals in Richmond British Columbia on March 18th. It is the biggest event of the year and by far a true experience for any powerlifter. The sport of powerlifting has no cash prizes or sponsorships or anything in the way of financial assistance. A lifter basically has to fund everything him/herself. From the registering to be a member of the Canadian Powerlifting Union to paying for entry into meets. I have been blessed to have a wonderful support system and a great team. However, we are in need of some help to get to Nationals and are hoping for your support. If you would like to help support our journey to the 2013 National championships, we would be greatly appreciative of any assistance.
Power Sytems Strength and Conditioning has been fortunate enough to have the help of so many people. However, if you know of any business, individual or you yourself would like to sponsor us, we would appreciate any help. Donations can be made by clicking the "DONATE" button below and follow the instructions.
If you would like more information or have a suggestion of how or where we may be ale to get help, please do not hesitate to contact me at khanba20@gmail.com

thank you!

Here we go again!

We are back folks! After a small but significant departure, Power Systems have created a new and improved re-launch! With a new facility, more knowledge and a ton more training experience, we are ready to hit the training and fitness industry head on! Its crazy to look back at all the articles I wrote....be prepared for a lot more coming your way!

This is going to be your year. Your opportunity to be in the best shape you have ever been in. Not only that, but the stronger and more fit than you could even imagine. Introducing Power Systems strength and conditioning!

Power systems is a unique training experience utilizing the latest training and nutrition information organized and implemented in the most beneficial approach. Owner and trainer Bilal Khan has over 12 years of training experience in the fitness industry and has trained individuals from all backgrounds. From everyday people to elite level athletes, everyone sees results at Power Systems.

Power Systems is located in Burlington’s premier crossfit facility (Crossfit North Burlington) and has everything you need to have the best workout you have ever had. Come in for a private lesson or join one of our unique conditioning camps! Feel free to email us at khanba20@gmail.com for more information.

Don't be a training dumbass

Over the years I have seen alot of dumbasses in the gym. There are those guys who flex more in the mirror than train. There are also those guys who spend more time checking out girls and doing biceps curls than squatting and deadlifting. My personal favorite are the guys that workout in muscle shirts. Personally, I can never trust anyone that cuts off their sleeves. I just can't. Some may argue that these guys aren't dumbasses...but more douchebags. A valid argument because a true dumbass is someone who does something they know they shouldn't do.

In that respect I have to confess folks. I am guilty of being a training dumbass and not only a dumbass but the worst kind of dumbass. The kind of dumbass that trains through injury.

Let's rewind back about a month. I had been experiencing some shoulder pain and most people will agree that I know better than to hurt myself while training. However, this time my mind must have been elsewhere because I got under the bench press (3rd straight day of bench pressing) without properly warming up and attempted to unrack a paltry 135lbs. As soon as i racked it i felt a "pop"! Here is where the extreme dumb-assage comes into the picture...

I love the bench but the bench doesn't love me

Not only did I continue to bench but I put more weight on. By the end of the workout my shoulder was throbbing! I massaged it a little and could feel that there was some definite inflammation going on. I went to see my best friend Travis who is also my massage therapist. He diagnosed the problem and gave me a detailed plan. I started to follow the program and my shoulder actually started feeling great! I was finally not feeling like such a dumbass. But wait, not so fast! 2 days after my shoulder started feeling better I made a max bench press attempt. Powerlifting meet season was fast approaching and I couldn't afford to stop benching. To make a long story short...my shoulder is hurting while I'm typing this article.

I know Kobe...I know

Truth be told, the real reason I'm writing this article is to remind myself not to make bad decisions and train smart like I know I should! So what do we do when we are faced with an injury? Follow my advise and you will continue lifting for many years to come (and so will I)

1) Stop doing what hurts! This is the simplest advice I can give you but if I was dumb enough to ignore it, maybe you will be as well. Pain is a signal from your body to your brain telling you that something is wrong. Listen to your brain and not to your balls. If that means stopping a lift halfway through then so be it. Pushing through pain is what turns a simple issue into a major injury.

2) Seek out a professional to assess and address your injury. I have had alot of big time injuries in my life including full ACL tears and pinched nerves in my back. Over time i have realized a few things. Personally, I don't believe in physiotherapy or chiropractic care. It may have worked for you in the past but it did absolutely nothing for me. The only thing I believe in is massage work (deep tissue, ART, etc). I may be biased on this topic because my very good friend is also a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) and possibly the smartest guy i know but that still doesn't take away from the fact that deep tissue work has helped me to avoid alot of injuries. Seek out a good RMT and stick with them. They will make you into a new person!

My massage therapist (no seriously...)

3) Rehab, rehab and more rehab. Do not attempt to get ahead of yourself. Spend the time rehabbing and more importantly, understanding your injury. Why did it happen? What did you do to make it happen? How are you going to fix it? Once you understand all these different aspects of your injury, you can then move forward and slowly start back into your regular training. Moving forward too quickly will only lead to bigger problems.

4) Finally, do NOT get discouraged. If you are truly training hard and pushing yourself, you WILL get injured. That is just the name of the game. Injuries happen when you train hard. It doesn't mean you did anything particularly wrong, it just means to found your limit. The real test happens after your injury. Are you just going to get frustrated and give up? Are you going to waste your time working around your injury?? Of course not! It just means you need to put your focus on your injury for a short period and then walk into the gym at 100% and with the mentality of a raging bull!

Just remember that you only have one body. Treat is well and it will show you things you wouldn't believe. Treat it poorly? well then you really are a dumbass.

9 things I learned in 2010...the good, the bad and the ugly!

The start of a brand new year. So much hope is in the air. However, the start of a new year would not be valid unless we look at the passing year and reflect. It is so important to learn from our experiences and lessons from 2010 in order to move forward in 2011. 2010 was truly an experience for me. It had super highs and probably the worst lows. However, I'm still standing and am going to use those experiences in my training and life to not only move forward in 2011, but to actually excel! So, what are the top 9 things I learned in 2010? Ask and thou shall receive!

(In no particular order)

1) Stick to a program and don't get clever. The biggest gains I made in 2010 were when i religiously followed a well planned program. Westside protocol yielded HUGE gains as well as my first venture into Jim Wendler's 5/3/1. When i decided to get random and walk into the gym without a plan, i ended up being a weak ass nothing. Don't be a weak as nothing. Get with the program.

2) Make sure to understand the importance of nutrition. Seriously folks! Don't just think you are eating well...KNOW that you are eating well. You'll see your gains skyrocket.

3) Learn to control your stress. Life is difficult enough but if you create more stress for yourself, things will always seem hopeless. Get to the gym, meditate, visit an old friend...do whatever you can to bring down your stress levels. if you don't, you might find yourself 15lbs lighter and a whole lot weaker!

4) Think before you act. I can't stress this one enough. Seems simple enough but people (myself included) need to think about their actions before they act. If you don't, you might end up creating alot of problems for yourself and hurt people you care about. Be smart, use your brain.

5) Read and write constantly. I don't care what you're reading or writing. It could be a book, training article, newspaper or even just a letter to your friend. Continuously evolve and improve your knowledge! I probably met as many dumb people and bad spellers in 2010 than i have in my entire life. Please don't be a dumb ass.

Even this guy can at least write...

6) Do what you planned on doing last yea and do it this year ASAP! Too many times we find ourselves comfortable with our place in the world. We go through the movements of each day and never think as to what we are really doing. Next thing you know, it's November and you're left scrambling to not make the entire year a complete waste!

7) Fix your structural problems and don't ignore that nagging pain. This is the time to fix your problems so that you can continue to make goals for the entire year. Don't put off that deep tissue massage or those structural correction exercises for the next day because today may be your body's breaking point and when your body breaks, it kinda sucks.

8) Setting goals and achieving them is what makes us human. Otherwise we are just zombies going through the motions of everyday life. Do you want to be a human or a zombie? If you answered zombie then you are wrong...but pretty bad ass.

9) Last but certainly not least, don't be a miserable, useless douche bag! I encountered so many negative, miserable people in 2010 that if it wasn't for my wonderful friends, I would have given up on humanity. Stop being so horrible and negative and instead, try giving smiling a shot. Smiling will at least not make people avoid you like the plague.

2010: Setting and smashing your goals.

It has been awhile since I posted a blog and alot has happened since then. Power Systems has taken off and is officially a registered training business. On top of that, we would like to welcome Salomon Rodriguez to the Power Systems Powerlifting Team. 2010 is going to be a big year and I am very confident that big things will take place. But how can anyone be so sure?

The most important thing to do when setting goals for the year is to have a game plan. How are you going to reach your goals? what steps do you need to follow in order to achieve your goal?

What i have learned over my many years of training is that training for a goal without a plan leaves you spinning your wheels and the next thing you know, it's October and you are lifting the same weight and have made no progress. I've also learned that you need to be as specific as possible when deciding on your goal. "I want to get in better shape" just doesn't cut it!

My plan for 2010 is total over 1100lbs at a sanctioned powerlifting meet at a bodyweight under 165lbs. In 2009 I totalled 995lbs at a meet and 1050lbs in the gym which is good, but not good enough. My game plan for this year is to take 2 steps back in order to take 10 steps forward! How do I plan on doing that? Well with a game plan of course!! Here is what my game plan is in order to total 1100lbs at a meet in 2010:

1) Fix my squat! I love squatting and am a good squatter...I just need to get better! It is my weakest lift compared to the other 2 lifts and it needs help. My plan is to spend 2 months doing high rep squats. Leave the max attempts for another day and just kill my squat with form and speed. Nothing will get you squatting more than a deadly set of 20 rep squats! Once my confidence under the bar is flawless, we go on to the next step in my game plan...

2) Buy some gear! I think it's time that I invest in a good squat suit. Nothing gets you squatting and deadlifting more than a good suit. Up till now, I haven't lifted in any gear (not even a belt). Our team basically uses Inzer wraps and chalk...thats it! This year, I plan on setting some personal records and winning some meets so if you wanna win, you gotta do what everyone else does. I am deciding between an Inzer Hardcore suit of a Titan Super Centurian. Only time and my budget will tell which one i buy.

3) Get on a program and stick with it! The worst thing an individual can do is spend the entire year jumping from program to program. We are all guilty of this crime and in the end, you end up making minimal gains. Let me you all in on a little secret...there is no perfect program. The perfect program is the one that focuses on your goals and the one that you bust your ass doing! I plan on implementing the basic 3x3 program in order to increase my training volume and clean up my form. I will then follow that up with the Jim Wendler 5-3-1 program leading up to my meets. I will change the program slightly by adding dynamic speed days to continuous focus on moving the bar as fast as possible.

There you have it folks, a simple game plan but highly effective. I know what i need to do in order to achieve my goals and i won't let anything stand in my way. 2010 will be the year of big ass lifts and defeated personal records! Lets do it boys!!

A program made JUST for you!

I know that at Power Systems we preach that everyone should be on a program and that nothing should be random. Structure your workouts and you will see results. However, what program is right for you.

Everyone has different goals and THINK that they need to be special. To a certain extent, that's true. In terms of pain, structural problems and mobility issues, everyone is different. However, in terms of the right program for you, it's not as hard as you think.

We would also like to inform everyone that Power Systems now officially runs all our programs and training out of a new facility and we could not be more excited! The facility is exactly was we were looking for and we feel that it will greatly benefit all our clients and programs.

Thanks to our new facility, we are now running very specific programs and classes catered towards one goal....to take your fitness level to the extreme!

Have a look at our new programs and please contact us if you would like to join or would like more information. We would be more than happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Time to change folks....to a better you!

Many athletes train their specific sports and neglect to implement a well designed strength and conditioning program. At POWER SYSTEMS we set out with one task in mind, to create the ultimate Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athlete. It is time to take your skills to the next level with a comprehensive and complete program designed by the pros at POWER SYSTEMS strength and conditioning. A specialized program is what sets you apart from your opponent. Our goal is to make you bigger, faster and much stronger than anyone you will ever face. Even better so, let our on-site BJJ expert instructor take your BJJ to the next level. This program has it all for any up and coming fighter...or fighter at heart! Never done BJJ or have no interest in being a fighter? Well just join and train like they do in the UFC! You'll still get in amazing shape!

At POWER SYSTEMS we understand that not everyone wants to become a national level powerlifter, competitive MMA fighter or even a high level athlete. This is why we created the Women's ONLY! fit class. This a program specifically catered to all females. What does that mean? it means that we will target all those trouble spots women hate and get your fitter than ever! However, at POWER SYSTEMS we never do anything easy. If you girls think this class will be a walk in the park, think again. In order to see the drastic results you want in the short amount of time you have, we need to really push the limit! Come and train with the girls and see yourself mentally and physically change!...

The POWER SYSTEMS Strength Camp has only one goal in mind. To make you the strongest you have ever been in the shortest time possible. This is our tried and test program with many happy customers! The thing about strength is that it's easy to get...but hard to organize. You can get strong but unless you are on a strength program, you will NEVER reach your full potential. This is because a strength program is very structured. It has to be in order to have continual gains in strength. If you're randomly lifting heavy weight, you will hit a wall and in many cases get weaker because you burnout your nervous system! In the strength camp you will be trained by competitive powerlifers with years of experience. At POWER SYSTEMS, we know strength very well and love building tanks!

The Transformation Project. This is the biggest thing to come out of POWER SYSTEMS yet. The T-project was created in order to see what our coaches at POWER SYSTEMS are really made of. Enrollment is very limited because the goal is complete transformation of an individual in 30 days. You must do what your coach says. You must eat what he says, train when he says and think how he wants you to think. Give us 30 days and the goal is complete transformation. This is the most focused program we offer at POWER SYSTEMS. There is no room for error and we guarantee results or your money back! The T-Project applies to anyone: Skinny guys looking to get big, women looking to lose a ton of weight, weak guys looking to get strong or even slow guys looking to get fast. Whatever your goal, we will create a complete program for you...the catch is we only have 30 days! Give us your best shot..lets see you transform!

Overcoming Adversity...and excelling

Each and every day we are face with adversity. Adversity is defined as "a state, condition, or instance of serious or continued difficulty". We are all faced with these situations on a regular basis. Sometimes we overcome them quickly and move on, but other times we are left in a state where we seem to have no answers for our difficult situations. Most people see adversity in the external world, outside of the gym. However, this external adversity can affect our training and overall success in the gym. We find ourselves not wanting to train or losing focus in the middle of a set or session. There are no easy answers for any difficult situation. I myself am currently in a difficult situation in my life. It has caused me to put my training goals aside and focus on the difficulties I'm faced with.

However, is this the correct method to approach my adversity? Many times it is our goals in the weight room or on the field that help us to overcome our problems. We feel hopeless because we lack control in our situation, but that is the complete opposite when we step into the weight room. In the gym, we have all the control and it is up to us to reach our goal for that training session. We have no control over what others do, but we have full control over what we decide to do.
You have 2 choices when walk into the weight room with an external situation weighing on your mind.

1) You can let that problem change your mentality and stand in the way of your goals. You can lift sub-maximal weight because you have no focus and drive. In that case, you would walk out of the weight room in the same position you walked in...weak and depressed.

2) You can turn the switch on. You can walk into the weight room with the mentality that you will tear every single weight apart and break every single lifting record in your training journal. You can see what you are really made of...what your mentality really is. If you are able to set any type of record (be it a new 1RM or rep record) while having an adverse issue weighing you down outside of the weight room, you are officially a superhero and you will feel like a superhero!

Personally, I know facing adversity is very difficult. It hits you when you least expect it and it affects every aspect of your life. What we all need to understand is that we will always be faced with difficult moments in our lives. Sadness is a very powerful thing and can make you feel weak and helpless. However, if we let adversity affect our goals every time we are faced with it, then we will never excel in any aspect of life. Sometimes you just need someone to tell you "Suck it up and move some iron"...here goes nothing...