Referral Reward: Refer "The TriumFit Community" to just 3 friends & get one of my training plans for free ($20-$35 value). Just reply to this email with subject line: "Newsletter referrals" and list the emails of your 3 amigos, and I will add them manually! (Ideally you tell them how awesome it is first, of course...)
Now you have a proper training plan for the body you want to get your swagger back.
Champions League Updates:
The "TriumFit Champions League" is my fitness accountability group for individuals looking to GET AFTER their goals, but more importantly TO GIVE BACK at the same time. 10% of your membership dues go to GiveDirectly.org, so every goal is funding global change!
The Dunk Debrief: What Actually Moved My Vertical (and What Didn’t)
I spent the first 10 weeks of the quarter chasing a simple goal: dunk a basketball.
Not “look more explosive.” Not “feel more athletic.” A clear, measurable outcome, get above the rim and finish.
Here’s the reality: most people think vertical jump is built in the weight room. After this block, I can tell you that’s incomplete.
This is what actually moved my vertical, and what didn’t.
The Baseline → The Result
Starting Vertical: [<18 inches according to MyJumpApp]
Peak Vertical: [20.4 inches, according to same app] however I can straight leg jump onto a ~23.6 inch box, so not sure officially
Net Gain: [+2 inches]
Bodyweight Change: [negligible, I think I was always around 195 lbs]
More important than the numbers was how they changed.
What Actually Moved the Needle
1. Approach Mechanics > Raw Strength
I gained more from refining my penultimate (2nd to last) step and takeoff timing than from any lift. It was never great, but technique DID help.
When the approach is synced you get:
Better force transfer
Cleaner plant
More “free” inches without more effort
I learned that most people are leaking energy, before they ever leave the ground.
2. Reactive Strength Was the Separator
Slow strength builds a base, which I have (being in the 1,000 lb club). But reactive strength determines how much of that base you can use quickly. Which I DON'T have.
What worked:
Depth jumps
Pogos
Short ground contact plyos
The goal wasn’t just jumping high, it was reducing time on the ground.
3. Consistency > Perfect Programming
No single workout changed everything. Stacking sessions did.
The sessions that mattered most were the ones I:
Didn’t skip
Didn’t overcomplicate
Executed with intent
Progress came from showing up when motivation dipped. Which is why I prefer 90-day goals over full year resolutions, because there is less "boring middle" time.
What Didn’t Move the Needle
1. Potentially too much isometric work
I bet if I did more supramaximal lifting at partial ranges (above my 1RM back squat to partial depth, using pins) it might have helped a bit more that deeper range isometrics at lighter weights.
2. Overfatigue
I am always DOING TO MUCH. That's the life of a hybrid athlete. So all the runs and such may of had an "Interference Effect" although that is likely me reaching for excuses...
Too much volume
Poor recovery between jump days
Vertical jump is a nervous system skill, not just a muscular one.
3. Ignoring Technique Early
I initially treated jumping like lifting, just apply force.
But jumping is coordination under speed. Technique isn’t optional, it’s the multiplier.
Isiah called me out on my shit poor initial technique lol.
The Real Takeaway
If you want to jump higher:
Build enough strength
Prioritize elasticity
Refine your approach
Stay consistent longer than you think you need to (90 days was a wild take)
Most people don’t need a new program. They need better execution of a simple one.
Forward Motion
If you’re chasing your own version of this, whether it’s a dunk, a faster mile, or your first pull-up, don’t wait for perfect conditions.
Pick a measurable target. Train with intent. Stack the reps.
Then run your own debrief.
Because the lesson isn’t in the outcome.
It’s in what actually moves the needle for the next one.
March was the "Farm Worker Rights" day event! We hit a COLD patch there with some rain, so power to everyone how came out despite the circumstances. We had about 10 or so people show up and complete the challenge, strong work all around. And thanks to Kasim who made Tacos for everyone to celebrate afterwards.
No group charity challenge in April. But it was a free Instagram Fitness Contest month, where you can compete to get free fitness accountability coaching with me.
The challenge?
"ASSAULT ON TAX FORM 1040" hehehe (I'm so clever)
10 rounds of 40 calories on an Assault exercise Bike, FOR TIME!
Memorial Day, first observed in 1868 as "Decoration Day," became a federal holiday in 1971 to honor the men and women who died serving in the U.S. military. The "Murph Workout" pays tribute to Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy, who sacrificed his life in Afghanistan in 2005.
What is the event?
(Gold division/Outdoor version)
1-mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 air squats, and another 1-mile run all with a 20lb weight vest
(Silver division/Indoor option)
1/2-mile run, 50 pullups, 100 pushups, 150 air squats, and another 1/2-mile run *no weight vest
**BOTH DIVISIONS MUST MEMORIZE A SPEECH
(military or otherwise, about 100 words) to recite at the end of the challenge, or they will have a +50 or +25 burpee punishment added onto their total time (gold and silver divisions, respectively)
Challenge window: (if you want to complete it virtually)
May 18th - June 1st, 2026
Date/Location (for in person option):
Saturday May 23rd, "Active Park" in Lakewood, WA beginning at 11 am
I will have FOOD for everyone who signs up, for a celebration afterwards like last time. Let's get a big group and enjoy the better weather we are having now :)
Help me support the Murph Foundation, with 25% of all GROSS TICKET SALES supporting education and scholarship opportunities for kids!
Pay $25 for any event to be registered as a "TriumFit Athlete" (25% of TOTAL ticket sales are now going to a relevant charity)
Or buy ALL 7 challenges at once and get 1 challenge FREE
"Bear Crawl Club" Updates
I made a new swaggy logo
"TriumFit and Chill" is now "Bear Crawl Club." A bi-monthly group fitness challenge and social hang in Tacoma, WA. Read more about THE WHY below!
The next couple dates are:
4/12/26 #10 BOOOOM DONE.
4/26 #11
5/10 #12
5/24 #13
ETC. (every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month)
P.S. the first 3 badges are IN! These look incredible.
If you show up to Bear Crawl Events you can earn these bad boys
(or bad bears rather) ;)
These will be $5 each. The "Cub" arm band is FREE for showing up the 1st time though :D
What is Bear Crawl Clubs purpose?
America is Broken. Not beyond repair, but cracked where it matters most. We’re politically polarized, physically unfit, and angry at anyone but ourselves. We’ve lost the muscles that made us: grit, grace, unity, humility. So let’s rebuild it. Not with opinions. With actions. Introducing: TriumFit’s Moonshot Challenge “The Fall Bear Crawl Across America” 3,000 athletes. 3,000 miles. $300,000 raised for charity. One mile at a time. In October the goal will be to get every day athletes to register to commit to Bear Crawling 1 mile in 1 day, and raising $100 for GiveDirectly.org It will be a completely VIRTUAL challenge, no location limitations. One day it would be cool to actually pass a baton or something across the United States, but not yet. We start on all fours — bear crawling across a divided country to prove something simple: We don’t need to agree on everything to move in the same direction. Because strength isn’t found in shouting louder. It’s found in those who bear their weight and keep moving forward.
🧭 What Training For This Looks Like (local to where I am) Every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month. Unless otherwise noted. 📍 Location Stadium High Football Field, Tacoma WA 🕑 Time 2:00 – 4:00 PM Hour 1: Fitness (Bear Crawl Challenge) Hour 2: Fun — bring a nostalgic snack + drink combo to share 🐻 Distances (choose your level) ¼ mile · ½ mile · ¾ mile · 1 mile 👉 Gloves recommended Each crawl contributes to our national mission — one local effort at a time. This is where community meets commitment. Where fitness becomes a statement. Where America begins to rebuild. Join the mission. Crawl for a cause.
What all the badges will look like!
p.s. If you paid for and completed a TFC event, make sure you're on the list below. This is an editable document for you to keep track of your completion times after each event, to see how your fitness is improving!
