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Today we celebrate our nation's Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. On this day 239 years ago, 56 men gathered and signed their names to a document that laid out grievances against King George III.
This day is now the day we celebrate our independence with fireworks, John Phillips Sousa music, beer and burgers, but how many of us know the actual words of the declaration? In this time, in the history of our country, maybe it's time that we reread this historic document:
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.


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St. Gregory Palamas, in his Homily on the Precious and Life-Giving Cross (Homily 11), makes reference to what he calls the "double mystery" of the Cross. He cites St. Paul's statement, "The world is crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14).
The first mystery is embodied in our denial of the world – the second mystery in our denial of ourselves. The great saint also sees the Cross as always having been at work, even before it was manifest in history. Indeed, he states that none are saved apart from the Cross. Thus Abraham's leaving his city and his earthly father in obedience to God to go to a place God would show him is this first mystery of the Cross. The world was crucified to Abraham. Abraham's encounter with God (the three angels) in Genesis 18 is an example that St. Gregory cites as belonging to the second mystery.
This mystery of the Cross at work throughout time and in the lives of God's faithful people occupies a homily of great length, and far more than I can reproduce in the course of a blog post. Many would be willing to grant that there is a "principle" of the Cross that may run through salvation history, in which we can say by analogy that the world is crucified to someone and someone is crucified to the world. This is the approach of modernity. Analogies are but mere ideas, intellectual games.
St. Gregory's contention, however, is far more realistic. Similar to the approach of other fathers of the Church, such workings of mysteries are not intellectual games or mere analogies. They are the mystery of the work of God's salvation, in which time is overcome. The Cross at work in the life of Abraham is none other than the Cross of Christ. The Cross at work in the life of Moses (such as in the defeat of Amalek) is no mere fore-shadowing of the Cross, a literary feat, but is the Cross itself, transcending history and manifesting Christ's victory throughout the ages.
Our own historical mindset is married to linear chain of cause and effect. That which happens now must have a cause that took place in some before it. This is perhaps useful if the world operates like some great billiard table. However, not even physics thinks in such categories. Far less, should the faith of Christians feel bound by such out-moded models of the universe. Long before physicists had broken free of a purely Newtonian concept of reality, the Church proclaimed the transcendant power of God's work. Bound neither by space nor time, it was nevertheless manifest within space and time.
As we take up the Cross in our lives we should not be bound by space or time. To take up the Cross of Christ (whether in our hearts by faith or in making the sign of the Cross or in taking up a figure of the Cross) is no mere recollection of a point in history. We do not excercise our memories when we proclaim the Cross of Christ – we proclaim a transcendant reality – manifest at Calvary – but also manifest in the defeat of Hades – and equally manifest in the victory of Christ in our lives at all times and places.
One of the weaknesses of the modern world is its literalism. Literalism (in one meaning of the word) can describe a particular event, but it generally tends to define the event as self-contained and as relevant only by its historical character. Such literalism is two-dimensional: it is flat.
The world in which we live, particularly the world which God created is not flat. There are depths and layers and constant connections which lead to more depths and layers and connections. The Scriptures are a particularly example of this reality. The literary character of Scripture, with its foreshadowings, types, allegories, etc., is more than an interesting form of literature. According to the faith taught in the Scriptures and upheld in the life of the Church and the teachings of the Fathers, this "literary character" is also the very character of reality.
The Cross of Christ is indeed a historical event – but many other events (such as the many enumerated by St. Gregory Palamas) embody the Cross and find the power of the Cross to be present within them. St. Paul speaks of the Cross in this manner. When he describes the world being crucified to him, and himself to the world – he goes far beyond a literal description of the events on a single day on a single cross of wood supporting the crucified body of a single man. For St. Paul the entire world is crucified on the Cross and in a manner that clearly transcends the merely figurative. In the same manner St. Paul describes himself as crucified, again in a manner that transcends the merely figurative.
If the "Lamb was slain from the foundation of the earth" (Rev. 13:8), then the Cross has stood from the foundation of the earth. Those whose view of the world cannot allow for such realities will be unable to follow the Christian testimony of Scripture. That which is real will be relegated to the imaginary or the merely figurative. The life of faith becomes an exercise of the mind and the Cross a merely symbolic action (in such a world-view, need it be more?).
Instead we live in a world to which the Scriptures bear witness – a world in which the Cross has depths upon depths and layers upon layers. That reality bears the reality of Christ's death and resurrection, His defeat of sin and death. It contains the victory we have in Christ. We sign ourselves with this victory. We proclaim this victory in the Cross we wear. We discover the Cross to be the "weapon of peace."
We discover the mystery of the Cross at work around us – in its double mystery – crucifying the world to us – and us to the world.

subset: commoncrawl


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Jimmy Page Takes a Deep Career Dive in New 'Anthology' Book
Jimmy Page has announced a signed, limited-edition 384-page publication that offers a peek into rare material from his personal archives. Jimmy Page: The Anthology is narrated entirely by the Led Zeppelin legend, with photos from across six decades.
"In this book, I wanted to include items from my personal archive that have played a part in my overall story, to give the detail behind the detail," Page said in a news release.
Several key elements from his collection are pictured in Jimmy Page: The Anthology, among them his guitars (including the "Dragon" Telecaster and "Number One" Gibson Les Paul), stage costumes, rare posters, vinyl pressings, correspondence and diary entries, as well as unseen archival shots.
Page places it all in context with intimate recollections, taking fans on a remarkable musical journey from skiffle-playing blues lover to work with the Yardbirds and Zeppelin to subsequent collaborations with the Firm, Coverdale-Page and Robert Plant.
Jimmy Page: The Anthology will be published in a limited run of 2,500 numbered copies, each signed by Page. The book is quarter-bound in black leather, with gold-leaf blocking and gilded-page edging. The felt-lined slipcase design was inspired by the Selmer case of Page's first electric guitar, a 1958 Resonet Futurama.
Priced at £395 (or about $480), Jimmy Page: The Anthology is available for pre-order now. The book is scheduled to ship in December.
Led Zeppelin Albums Ranked
Why Led Zeppelin Won't Reunite Again


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"Scott Herman Fitness has helped me become who I've always wanted to be, Fit, Strong, and Confident. I never really thought having a body like this was possible. I had always been an athlete, but never in optimal shape. I ate what i wanted, and didn't
put in the effort in the weight room. Around my junior year of high school, I decided to make a change. I found Scott Herman Fitness through YouTube and started using his workouts. I followed his programs everyday, watched what
I was eating, and focused on details. I wanted this BAD! With Work, Dedication, and Effort, I made the best transformation of my life and I have Scott to thank. Watching his videos almost made me feel like he was there working
out with me and pushing me to my limits. Hopefully one day i'll be just as great of a personal trainer as you!"
Scott Ruggieri - Laconia NH, 19
Hi Scott!
I hope you'd indulge me a minute of your time. I've attached a couple of pictures of myself to show my progress. The older one is from August 2012 when I was at about 190 lbs, and the newer one is from yesterday September 4,
2013 and I'm currently at 149 lbs.
I've always been a pudgy kid growing up, and that never bothered me. I was always active despite the excess weight I carried around, I did basketball, biking and skateboarding. But as I got older and started working, I didn't
have time for those anymore. I started to live a very sedentary lifestyle. I gained more weight, and I felt it starting to take a toll on me. I'm always out of breath even after doing just the most menial task! My knees started
to hurt a little too from lugging around all my weight. And worst of all was the insecurity I started to feel in myself, as I had to wear clothes a couple sizes larger than what I guy my height would normally wear.
I only started following your routines (on your channel and over at Befit) this January. It was hard at first, but I kept at it and slowly progressed from there. I may not be as muscular and built as some of your followers,
but that wasn't really my main priority. My goal was to lose weight, be healthy and maintain it. 8 months in, I love doing your workouts almost daily! Some have gotten easier for me, while some still kick my ass. Haha.
So thank you Scott for being an inspiration to a lot of guys like me out there! It means a lot that someone like you would take their time and post workout videos on the internet for free. For guys like me who feel scared and
ashamed of going to the gym (I've actually started going to one now after gathering enough courage), it's like having our own trainer right in our own house at our own time!
More power bro! :)
Miguel Alonzo - Quezon City, Philippines
I've been following Scott and his videos for over 3 years now. In Those years I have seen amazing results. I have never felt stronger or healthier. Scott is passionate about fitness and it shows through the energy and enthusiasm he brings to every workout.
His easy going, friendly personality creates a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. He makes each workout challenging, creative and most importantly, fun! He also places a high value on correct form with each exercise. His professionalism
and extensive knowledge of fitness and commitment to his work provides the perfect scenario for success and sets a firm foundation for a new healthier lifestyle! He motivates me to push past my perceived limits to make serious
results. He's the real deal in an industry full of wannabees and is the standard by which any trainer should be measured. I'll be a SHF athlete for life..HTH BABY!
Bobby Jasso
Hi Scott.
I've been following you pretty much since I started back in January last year. I had absolutely no idea what I needed to do to lose the fat and get 'lean'. I searched Youtube for how-to videos and a lot of yours came up so I
subscribed. All I can say is that I don't think I would be at the stage I am now without your help. I like to claim myself to be a Hermanite now even though I'm not a member. But once again thank you.
Henry Othen - United Kingdom, Country Age #
When I first got into working out something clicked which made me want more, for help I was searching around on YouTube like a newbie looking for exercise videos and motivation. Then I got suggest a channel.. This channel was Scott Herman Fitness! I looked
through all the videos and applied them to my workouts! My form started to improve, and so did the results! Scott has really been an important role model for me as well as others such as Nick Write and pro bodybuilders. Now
i am a serious gym rat constantly improving with nutritional tips and videos from SHF. If you want help on how to improve your physic, then please follow Scott on his epic journey and you will make one of your own like I did!
Is that okay? Thanks Scott, you the man!
Luke Sapsford - United Kingdom
About 12 months ago I realized that none of my clothes fitted me and having to try on 40 inch waist jeans in the shop was the moment I though "I must do something about this". I started with my diet making some major changes followed by playing a lot
of sport (most squash as I was in the England squad as a junior). But this only took me so far and I reached a hump that I couldn't get over. So doing research I found that weight training is a good way to lose fat whilst building
lean muscle mass. My only problem was that I had no idea what I was doing. That's where you and SHF came into play. I starting looking up weight lifting instructional videos on YouTube and found yours. Not only were they clear,
precise and informative but your enthusiasm really motivated me to get in the gym and do your routines. I'm now 47lbs lighter than when I started! If I was to be really honest my goal now is to get a six pack and gains in
my chest. So I keep looking on YouTube and following your routines working hard in the gym and eating clean. And I'm always telling everyone that SHF has given me my knowledge and motivation!
Nicky Palin - England
Just a quick story.
After being made redundant, overweight & no outlook in life, the best way to get away from the stress & depression was to train.
After stumbling across your workout videos on YouTube it inspired me to train better, eat cleaner and realise I can live again.
I was still unemployed with no income and several job rejections & felt a dark cloud over my life.
I decided to go to college part time and get my fitness qualifications because I the fitness bug got me.
At the start I had no equipment due to finances but kept the little money I had to pick up second hand bits & pieces
Now a few years later I own my own gym. I am fully booked week in week out for personal training, my classes are really business & I have inspired lots of others to change to a healthier lifestyle.
Thanks Scott
Kind regards,
Stevie Irvine - Northern Ireland
A couple of close friends convinced me to join the gym September of '09. After a few months, i started seeing those beginner gains and before you know it I was hooked. Each year I've taken fitness more and more serious. About a year and a half ago was
when I started to focus more on the nutrition aspect. Over this past summer , I won a small fitness contest held in NYC. It was a 10 week progression contest ran by a gentleman named Maik Wiedenbach. The name of the program
is German Body Engineering. His coaching really helped take my fitness to another level. Thanks to Maik, next week ill be going on my first professional photo shoot. My goals for the future are to become a certified PT, and
possibly go back to school for nutrition. Fitness has become my passion and I look forward to helping others accomplish their goals. Thank you Scott for your interest in my story. My Instagram page is @jimmysavz
James Savoca - NY, USA
One day I was on YouTube browsing for some workout videos on how to build and gain muscle and I stumbled upon a great YouTube channel non other than Scott Herman Fitness. Scott's cheerful enthusiastic personality has made me want to go to the gym more
often and keep pushing to the limit. His videos are unlike many of the other workout videos out there where he spends lots of time specifically going through each workout and most of the videos are at least 10 minutes long which
shows how much hard work he puts into his videos! I'm really grateful to have learned about Scott's YouTube channel and I hope that more people in the future will be inspired just like me to work harder and live a better, healthier
life. Thank you so much Scott Herman Fitness.
Ryan Sng - Singapore
Scott herman fitness has been a great motivation and inspiration for me. I am learning so much and its so easy to follow .
i have gotten a better understanding on how each muscle group work, as well as gaining more knowledge on muscle/workout. thanks Scott herman fitness, I appreciate the workout instruction and i have already started telling my
friends about this site. hermanation rocks.
Stsav Singh - Nepal
Hello Scott here is the testimony about my journey and how thanks to you I was able to reach my goal, feel free to make any editing on my testimony in order to make it better. I also attached my before and after pictures in the message. Thank you very
much for everything. Oh and by the way, write me back if possible just to make sure you received all of the information (pictures, testimony, etc). thank you very much.
Hello, my name is Jesus Aaron Gonzalez and I will like to talk to you about the journey of my transformation. As I once told Scott, the issue with which I struggle the most was keeping up with my diet. I knew that if I wanted
to reach my goal, my lifestyle would had to change drastically. For example, I knew that my eating habits had to change, and I also knew that I had to establish normal sleeping patterns in order to get some quality sleep, and
last but not least I knew that I had to work very hard in the gym in order to reach my goal. I will lie to you if I were to tell you that this journey was easy, but with Scott Herman's motivation I was able to reach my goal.
Scott played a huge part in my transformation; thanks to his videos I was able to approach my workouts in a very special way. As a matter of fact, Scott Herman was the first athlete that motivated me in getting involved into
fitness. All of his routines and fitness tips were very easy to follow and extremely effective. Scott was the person that I always looked up to whenever I felt like quitting, thanks to his videos I was able to find my inner
strength and make my dream a reality. Summing it up, thanks to Scott Herman's knowledge and motivation I was able to reach my goal, I will always be very thankful with Scott for everything he did for me. He definitely knows
what he is doing, and If he helped me reach my fitness goal, I pretty sure he can help you reach yours too.
Aaron Gonzalez
"Over the last 7 months, a lot has changed in my life. I have weighed over 240 lbs three times in the last 10 years. The most was in the summer of 2011 when I weight myself at 253 lbs, and that's when I vowed never to weigh that much again.
I had lost about 40 lbs for a wedding last September 2012. I worked hard and lost a ton of weight and felt great. I had to fly back from Alberta to Toronto for the wedding. Family and friends noticed I lost a ton of weight.
It felt great. Then once I returned, I gained all the weight back. It wasn't until I tried fitting into a pair of swim trunks that I knew this weight had to go.
Scott's videos totally encouraged me and helped me along in my weight loss in a huge way. I also made the decision to leave Alberta and move back to Toronto. And knowing that the last time my family and friends saw me, I had
lost a ton of weight, I knew I would be embarrassed if I came back 40 lbs heavier, so I worked hard and fast to lose it. Luckily there was a staff gym 10 feet from my door, and in the 2 months before I moved back home, I was
in there every single day. Twice a day. Once before work and once after work. I stuck to my diet and ate properly, and I continued all throughout the summer, working hard twice a day, no excuses, no cheat days.
7 months ago I weighed 240 lbs. Today I weigh 186 and still dropping. Nothing can stop me now. And most of all, I have Scott Herman Fitness to thank.
Trevor Cox – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Hey there Scott!
Thanks again for the post my man! And for wanting to hear my story. It's nothing exceptional, but I think quite a few people could relate.
I grew up pretty overweight. In the second grade I just kinda ballooned. And I've struggled ever since. After college I moved off to Alaska, where I got excited about the outdoors and I managed to lose quite a bit of weight
up there. Not as much as I have now, but still quite a bit. But due to the long winters and being so far from family and stuff, I put the weight back on and then some. On February 13th of this year, I weighed 426 pounds.
I had a bad day at work and turned to my therapy at the time... pizza and a 2 liter of soda. That night I was up sick with indigestion and I just really got to thinking how much of a waste my life was becoming. I was in a
relationship I didn't want to be in, with a woman who was not driven or active.
I woke up the next morning with a determination I had never had before. I got online and started finding what information I could on exercise and nutrition. I came across several of your videos and some other transformation
videos to inspire me that it could be done.
I started out very slow. Walking 15 minutes was enough to get me huffing and puffing. I also gave up fast food. The first week was a success and I lost 10 pounds. So I built on that, taking longer walks and incorporating
more and more healthy foods. Soon a friend talked me into training for a 5k. So I slowly started adding jogging to my routine. I could only jog 10 seconds or so at first. Now I can jog a 5k. I've also incorporated resistance
training into my routine and last week I hired a trainer to help me understand nutrition and exercise even more. We're shooting for the stage... like a men's physique competition. Currently I've lost 150 pounds since February
14... 426 to 276 and 20" off my waist.
But bodybuilding and fitness is something I've always wanted to be a part of and have been fascinated with. But struggling with my weight growing up really took away any self confidence to achieve that dream. Today though,
I'm on track to getting there. I'm years out but so very determined to make that dream a reality.
But man, thanks again for sharing your bits of wisdom and motivation! It's helped me out quite a bit!
Hey Scott you don't know me but I've been a Hermanite for a long time now and your videos are very inspirational. I have followed your tips in the gym on proper form and how to do different routines.
About 3 years ago I was pretty overweight. I was 21 years old, 6'4" and 235lbs. And I wanted to be a police officer in the city I grew up in. I was so out of shape though that I never thought I'd be able to pass the test.
Luckily enough, I had gotten a new partner at my security company named Rico. He had just gotten back from a tour in Afghanistan and was a really good body builder. Once he started talking about getting back in the gym, I knew
he was my ticket to losing all the fat that I had packed on.
So for about 6 months, he had me going to the gym 6 days a week and it was awesome! I never thought I'd be one of those guys that's addicted to being in a gym; but sadly Rico got fired and after that I lost contact with him.
So without my partner I MANNED UP, and started going to the gym by myself which was always a pretty big challenge for me but luckily I had learned most of his routine. It was tough being on my own and I had lost a lot of my
motivation. That's when I discovered your YouTube channel. You reminded me a lot of Rico because you seem like a nice guy and one who's very dedicated in giving good/safe advice and great motivation. So you really helped me
stick with it and to NEVER give up.
So I've been in the gym now for a little more than 2 years, 6 days a week. I weigh 225lbs but now a lot of it is muscle. I finally feel comfortable in my body again and I really love all the strength and energy that I have.
So yesterday I finally MANNED UP and I took my local Sheriffs Officer exams and I passed the written and physical fitness test! 3 years ago I never thought I'd be able to run 6 laps around a track to save my life! Or be able
to do 38 sit ups in a minute!
I have achieved so much man and I'm so happy. I just wanted to write you and thank you for all the hard work you do! Everyone knows you don't have to put all these videos out for free, but you do. You've inspired me to train
hard and become a better person. I still have a few more steps before I get to go into my career but I'm letting you know now I'm going to work hard and be the best in my field!
Thanks again Scott!
#HTH - Jose V. Lopez Jr. - Albuquerque, New Mexico
I started lifting weights since I was 16 and this is my third year in this. I wanna say "this" because it is more of a lifestyle rather than a plain hobby to entertain myself. This sport has given a healthier lifestyle, confidence in relationships and
so much more. When I got into lifting, I knew squat. I bought "Muscle and Fitness" magazines, followed iconic fitness models on social media and watched lots of youtube videos. As you can guess "Scott Herman" was the first person
to pop on my screen and I'm glad he did because he sure knows how to do any exercise on any equipment in the best form and on top of that he knows how to teach! Later on after laying groundwork with Scott's videos, I got my
Personal Trainer Certification from our (Turkish)"National Federation of Fitness and Bodybuilding". One thing I learned is that you have to be present in the gym and experience it yourself and never stop researching. Only that
way you will be able to donate yourself with fitness knowledge and keep up. After 3 years of lifting, a pro BB athlete friend of mine got me into my first pro competition in September 2013. I placed 4th in Mens Physique division.
This was my first competition so I was a rookie and did a lot of stuff wrong so I'm grateful to be in the finals (top 6) for this time. Now I'm in a mode of clean bulking and get that 1st first that I reserved in the next year's
nationals (May 2014).
Atila Orhon - Ankara, Turkey Age 19
My journey to lose weight started 8 years ago when I got back from a study abroad trip to China. It was on this trip I realized how out of shape I was in. When climbing the Great Wall I fell behind my friends that were quickly making their way to the
top. When I finally reached the top I was completely out of breath and at that moment I knew I needed to make some changes in my life. After getting my photos developed from the trip, I was ashamed to show some of them because
I was upset with how I had neglected my body and allowed my weight to get out of control. These photos were my motivation to begin my journey - a journey that has had its challenges and triumphs, but through perseverance the
journey continues today. Through the years I realized that it truly took a lifestyle change for me to get to where I am today.
Making fitness activity a regular part of my day and maintaining a healthy meal plan has been the secret to my success. I hope that by sharing my story, I am able to help motivate and encourage others in reaching their goals.
Adam Ebnit - NY, USA
I would like to thank you personally Scott for providing all the great info which helped me lose 60 pounds. With hard work and dedication I have shed that fat off but I'm not done yet. You have been a big motivation and inspiration to me during my journey
and will continue to be. I Have attached two of my before pictures at 305 and two of my after which were taken this week at 245.
Agamemnon Sofikitis - Korinthia, Greece
Well I was deployed at the end of 2009 and a friend of mine introduced me to one of your videos on YouTube. I remembered the "drop set" type of lifting from high school football and thought that it was a great way to put on some muscle. I really never
managed to get motivated to actually work out and get my body in the mood to be worked out. After one set of the chest workout I knew I was hooked. After spending a few weeks of mainly cardio and getting my body in "shape" I
started lifting. I utilized SHF videos from YouTube including but not limited "Chest Workout", "Triceps workout", "Back workout", and the abs workout. The results you see are literally from the beginning of deployment, midway,
and the end. I can honestly say it was real (you can tell by just looking at my love handles). It has affected me by motivating me to keep up the healthy lifestyle and do whatever it takes from a good sweat at the gym or a few
miles on the treadmill. You have managed to change my life, even though I am a member of the military and should almost be expected to be at the top of my health. I know I wasn't obese or anything but you brought me to a level
I could only imagine to be at. I was at least a 36 inch waist and easily jumped in to 33 inch pants at the end. My fat percentage probably went down about 7% in matter of 6 months. I was 196 pounds and saw the scale at 175 by
the end of my tour. I haven't seen that number on a scale for almost 10 years now. Thanks again for your awesomeness!
Your motivated soldier,
Alan Patterson - North Dakota, USA
Having Scott Herman in my life has made an impact in my military career as well as my personal life. I was introduced to Scott via YouTube and have since then watched all of his videos and learned a lot of information about working out. I was 210lbs,
and was put into the Army Weight Control Program. I began to watch Scott's videos and began to do every workout he did. The videos gave me the confidence to go to the gym and do the exercises completely without looking out of
place. Since then I have lost 35 lbs and gained a lot of muscle mass. I also have excelled in the military from failing my Physical Fitness test to almost maxing it. Scott's videos are great because they show you how to split
up your body and gives you the reps and sets you need to complete for that body part. Ask Scott and Sean is my favorite of all the videos Scott has because it takes question that I am always thinking about and they answer them
in full detail.
I also utilize the facebook community page (which Scott comments on everyday) to ask the question and sometimes answer question that people who are just starting have. That is the best tool because that is a big family and you
are not judged even if it's a basic question you will always get an answer, and most of the times multiple comments/answers. I have gained a lot of friends on the facebook page who I can always rely on the get answers from.
Scott has helped me tremendously, in my personal life because with my body changing, I am starting to like the image that I am producing. I am now helping my friends out with working out and showing Scott's YouTube videos to
all of them so we can have more Hermanites in the world.
Andrew Ducharme - SC, USA
Just about four months ago, I was roughly 155 pounds and 13% body fat. I was determined to join the Military and decided I needed to get lean and mean. I had no idea how to do it and losing the weight seemed impossible. Luckily, I found Scott Herman fitness
on YouTube! After adding those routines to what I was doing every day, the weight started to fall off. Three months after my fitness journey began; I was down almost 20 pounds of fat while also toning my arms and abs. Without
these workouts, I don't know if my progress would have been so drastic.
Thanks Scott!
Dan Maciejewski- Michigan, USA Age 17
Scott! Happy Happy Holidays! May you, your family and friends have a safe and great holiday!
I am an avid fan of your YouTube home and gym training videos! I am a subscriber. I am a member of your website... and purchased your SHF tank top. I initially bought it for my son but nah, I'm keepin' it. Thank you for seeing
to it personally! BTW...I am 5'2" petite, from 130lbs (Jun/10) to 120lbs (Dec/10). That's at a pace of home workouts 2X week for 1 hour. Then shifted and joined a gym in late Oct. going 1X week for 1 hour. I travel far over
an hour to work and back so I'm exhausted when I get home. I also study.
If you can remember, I started off with your Spartcus: Blood & Sand "Official Workout!" (Home & Gym). It was the Spartacus TV show that initiated my interest in researching the workout. I Googled the show and there you were!
The rest is history! Nutrition is very important and it takes motivation and discipline. I, too, eat toasted whole-wheat bagel and peanut butter! My family was amazed when I went to visit them. My friends have complimented in
my change especially the moms with children and the males in my circle! I am divorced, 44 years old and had 4 children. : )
It's true. It's not just a diet. It's a lifestyle. It's ongoing; can't stop.
Emily Hamilton - Toronto, Canada
Hey Scott,
My Name is Mike, a father of 3, and I am from New Brunswick in Canada. I decided in March of 2010 that I had enough of being so out of shape and wanted to do something about it. I did a lot of research so that I would do it
the right way and make sure it was a lifestyle change, so that I didn't end up where I started. When I started training I was 260lbs. I trained 5 days a week and did cardio 7. I am still training hard and I am going to make
sure by this summer I am in my best physical shape I have ever been. thanks to all who have inspired me!
Mike Sampson - New Brunswick, Canada
"Scott's info and videos have been a key part to my success. I look forward to his new work-outs weekly and really get inspired to try my own variations and just have fun in the gym!
Scott, your help has made me unstoppable! I'm proud to be a part of the growing Hermanation! Thank you!"
P.S. when people approach me at the gym and say "holy cow! You're a monster!" It has been my pleasure to refer them to your site and YouTube page!
Patrick Monte - MN, USA
Ok so, I am 27 years old and started working out for the first time when I was 25 and I spent 4 months doing only Cardio; like 45 minutes to an hour or until the machine told me I had burnt 1400 calories. I never did any weight lifting or other exercises
because I didn't know how to do them and didn't really want to ask anyone. Then I started doing some weights on my own until l found SHF. Meeting all the great people of the Hermanation on facebook and looking at all the enthusiasm
of everyone and all the excellent videos from Scott as well as the Meal Plan helped me shed 20 pounds of fat and get ripped in no time. I never thought I could have the body I have now and it feels great. Now I can't spend one
day without checking with the Hermanites and carrying all my workout videos on my Ipod. This is the most effective and supportive plan I've ever known and keeps you enthusiastic with real goals on fitness and health; and it's
always up to date and a fun way to keep in touch with workout buddies from all over The Hermanation World.
Keep it up and never lose hope! Anyone can do it!
Salvatore Compagnone - Venezuela, South America
My lifestyle change came March 15th 2010! I had worked out in the past and knew how to diet and do what I needed to do to stay fit. But had fallen off! After seeing my pants stretch to their limit and refused to go up a size I went ahead and decided it
was time to get back into shape! I took on the p90x challenge and after a 90 period I was back down to feeling better! But that was not enough, I wanted that bigger better body! I was looking over the internet for new workouts
and routines when I stumbled across Scott Herman Fitness on YouTube! Obviously looking for a bigger chest that was the first video I ran into. From there on I got hooked up on the facebook page! True inspiration is all over
that page! Unlike most forums when you go to ask a question and get shot down for being a "fool" now I was getting the answers. Others ask questions you may be thinking yourself! One of the best things I do enjoy is the constant
research I get to do! When someone asks a question that intrigues me, I get to run out and start searching which always leads to going off track finding more and more! Every week I get to interact with Scott, pick his brain
a little, and consistently be provided with new workouts that allow me to make easy changes to my workout to keep that muscle confusion going!
My body transformation has only just begun. I went from 190lbs to down to 165! I'm working my way back up now about 175 (bulking) and plan to work it back to 165ish during the summer time! Hoping that I added some nice lean
muscle along the way!
Terry LaFountain - TX, USA
"Superman wishes he could be heroic as you are and the reason you are so heroic is not because you are trying to be, but because this is the person you truly are."
Thank you Scott Herman for everything, you're not only an amazing trainer, but also a great inspiration.
AbdulRahman El-Megharbel - Cairo Egypt
Hey, Nation, it was kind of hard to pick just one great thing that Scott's done for us to talk about, but a good place to start, though, is the community on Facebook. In junior high, I was on the varsity track team for shot put. It was around mid April
of 2010 and I was just stuck with my training. Classical shot putters found success by having big size. At 5'4" 122 lbs we were at a loss because I wasn't gonna get much taller and I really didn't want to add any size. So strength
training was the key. But at 14 years old with no experience outside of wrestling and shot put I had no clue how to do that. So, I asked Scott on the community page. To my surprise, half a dozen people broke it down for me,
really explaining what weight/strength training was and how to start. That week, I started training and as I progressed, coming back to the SHF Community became routine. It was my way of learning about different training techniques,
how the body functions and reacts, and methods to improve a person's way of life to ensure that they could lead a healthy lifestyle. When I was confident that I actually knew some of this stuff, I began to answer questions and
that's when the bonds formed between me and some of the coolest people in the world. These days, those same Hermanites are kicking my ass worldwide, keeping me level headed, humble and on track. I have the honor and pleasure
of calling them my friends. So, you see, the Facebook community page isn't just another fan forum. It's a place where total strangers with a common goal really want to see YOU achieve your goals and be the best person you can
possibly be.
Connie Sariraksa - WA, USA
I was introduced to Scott in December 2007. At that point, I was bored with my workout routine and diet, but I was not sure how to take it to the next level. I have always been lean and my ultimate goal is to put on muscle mass. Scott offered me advice
on which nutritional foods I should be eating more of, as well as those that I should consider cutting out of my diet. He also provided me with a customized workout plan that was easy to follow, particularly with the step-by-step
examples he provided. With Scott's guidance, I was able to build a workout schedule and diet that delivered noticeable results. I am grateful for the advice Scott offered me. His approach is kind, professional and effective.
Going forward, I'll consider Scott the go-to guy for all my fitness needs.
Dennis Walsh - MA, USA
Hello my name is Jacob Babbin. I have known Scott Herman since I was in 8th grade. He was always a nice guy. We started training when I was a sophomore in high school. Once we started to train together we got know each other more. Scott is kind of like
the big brother I never had. When we started training he felt like family. Even now even though he lives kind of far from me he is still there when I need him. And as for training he is very good with the weights and at training
people. He is a credit to his profession.
Jacob Babbin - MA, USA
Scott helped make my workouts fun yet challenging. He took what I was interested in; kickboxing, and not only taught me proper technique, but also how to have fun while working my body to its optimal potential. He is not the kind of trainer that sits,
watches you and tells you what to do, but he is always fully engaged in your workouts. He is full of knowledge about health, fitness, nutrition, and the science behind it all. He lives and breathes fitness, and loves to rub
his enthusiasm about fitness onto others. It is inspiring to work with him. He couldn't be more down to earth. He was a great trainer and friend!
Jessica Kenney - MA, USA
In October of 2006 I was approached by my doctor regarding lap band surgery or gastric by pass surgery. Both seemed to be to be a great idea! It was easy & I would loose the weight I needed to lose to hopefully get rid of some of the medications I am
I had a triple by pass in January of 2000. I was 75 pounds overweight & thought the triple by pass would have put my mind set in the right direction to lose weight. I did ok for a while but then quickly went back to my old eating
habits. I was then diagnosed with diabetes in 2001. I tried to manage my weight but still not anywhere near what I needed to do. I was then diagnosed with High Blood pressure & was put on medication for that.
In May of 2007 I was told by my doctor I had a prostate problem which is connected to the diabetes which is connected to my weight gain.
Now at 270 lbs my doctor told me I am a great candidate for the lap band surgery but I had to think about whether it was something I wanted to do. The more I thought about lap band surgery the less interested I became. If the
band isn't tighten enough they can go back in and adjust it, if it is too tight they can go back in and adjust it. Who wants to deal with that? I though it was going to be easy just put a band on and you're done. It seems like
a lot of add ional surgeries that I really didn't want.
As far as the gastric by pass I didn't want to have to be on a liquid diet for a month prior to the surgery & 2 months after the surgery & pureed food for a month after that. I don't mind sacrifice for some things but that just
seems way out of the ordinary for me. And what happens once I started to eat again? I was told if I ate too much I would vomit which means I would be sick on top of everything else. Then I was told if I didn't exercise I would
have flab from my belly etc where the extra skin would have been. I thought to my self why not at least try exercise first. Then I said to my self I don't have time for that! I bowl 3 days a week. I work a minimum of 10 hours
a day driving. At some point I want to spend time with my family what am I supposed to do? My doctor told me if I didn't do something I would not be around to see my family in approximately 5 years.
In January of 2008, I visited Answer is Fitness in North Attleboro, MA. I liked the location and I liked the facility. I met Scott and decided to work with him once a week. I just wanted to get on the right track. I wanted to
make sure I was eating right & wanted to know what kind of exercises were best for me. Since that time I have lost 15 pounds and am feeling much better. My doctor said my sugar hasn't been this good in years. She is thrilled!
Scott is always there even if it is just to say hi. I am on my way to losing the weight slowly. As we all know it took a while to put it on and it will take a while to take it off. I feel much better and am eating much better.
I never thought I had enough time to fit exercise into my hectic schedule but now I make a point to fit it in. I feel much better after excersing. I would recommend excersie over surgery to anyone who asked me. >br>
Jim Tuirok - MA, USA
My name is Justin Cann. Scott was my trainer during a really difficult period in my life. I was over weight and unhappy. At the time I had ballooned to 260 lbs. He saw me struggling to working out and told me that he could help me. After months of rigorous
training and his meal plan i had lost 100lbs. He is a real inspirational and genuine guy, but he does kick your ass with his workouts. As you can tell by my picture it is well worth it.
Justin Cann - MA, USA
I've been working out for about 4 years (my parents got my brothers and I a Bowflex for Christmas, and I used that for a long time and saw results), but I wanted to go a step further and gain more mass while toning. Towards the end of this school year,
just as I was getting excited about reaching a new level of fitness, I began to feel extreme joint pain in literally every joint in my body, to the point it was hard to walk up stairs or get out of bed (I was extremely crushed
the first day I could no longer do a pushup. The strength was there, but the joints weren't working.) After many visits to many doctors, I was diagnosed with an enflamed liver due to an allergic reaction from a medicine I had
been taking long-term. As soon as I began treatment, I started searching for motivation to work out again once my body would let me, and I found your page. And for the last several months, it has inspired me to get out of bed
and hit the weights!
Scott, I really appreciate what you're doing by offering effective routines to anybody and everybody who dreams of being fit and having the best body possible, regardless of their current health level and fitness resources.
Keep up the good work! You've inspired me to overcome my recent setbacks, and I look forward to continuing on my path to a better me!
Luke Scholhamer - TN, USA
I have hired trainers in the past that pretty much had the same build as I did. When I met Scott for the first time you can get a clear understanding that he knows what he is doing. He is the end result of what you can look like when the right workouts, correct eating, and proper motivation are applied. Scott is intense and you cannot help but give 100% into your workouts. I lost 5% body fat in 7 sessions. I am really looking forward to utilizing his site for new workouts to keep my muscles guessing and continuing muscle growth. I also need all the advice I can get on how to eat properly. I can't afford to sabotage my workouts by eating poorly. I am still a work in progress but I know Scott's site will be a valuable tool in how I reach my goals. I still have 5% body fat to lose and another 10 lbs of muscle to go. Mike Forrest - MA, USA
I wanted to take some time to write in with some thoughts related to my journey through the year with the Scott Herman Fitness community page on Facebook.
Unlike most of the people who have come to the community page, I didn't find Scott through his season of The Real World: Brooklyn or through his YouTube channel. In fact, I don't even think I'd heard of Scott until one random
evening when I did a search for something completely unrelated to The Real World or fitness.
On that night in question, I was looking for information on friendships between straight men and gay men and somehow came across an interview in which Scott talked about his support for LGBT causes. I remember seeing pictures
and being impressed with his looks, but I was even more impressed with the commitment I saw Scott display during the interview. It led me to start searching for more information about Scott. Ultimately, that led me to the community
Shortly after I joined the page, there was a point when much of the conversation on the page had little to do with fitness, leading to Scott and others asking people to focus on fitness. "That leaves me out" I thought at first,
thinking about how badly out of shape I was. That said, I decided I'd give the community a chance and perhaps offer encouragement where I could. I started by offering general advice that could work for setting goals in general.
Soon, I paid attention to the information Scott and others were giving out. Before I knew it, I started offering advice to others.
One of the things that led me to want to stay on the community page was the positive support I saw for people there. People were offering advice, positive reinforcement and (mostly) gentle prodding when necessary. I also began
to watch The Real World, hoping to gain some more insight into Scott and find out what he was all about. Soon, I watched the episode when Katelynn announced that she would have to leave the show because of her finances. Then,
I saw Scott give Katelynn money for her to pay her bills. That had such a huge impact on me. In fact, it led me to post a thread in which I asked others to post the kindest thing anyone had ever done for them.
Eventually, however, I started to watch some of the videos on YouTube. The video I remember the most vividly is the second episode of Beat Me Down. What struck me about it was seeing Scott expend so much energy that I could
tell his body was ready to cry "Uncle!" But Scott refused to give up, and kept battling and battling until the timer hit zero. With that determination in mind, I went outside and mowed the entire lawn at my house, not stopping
until the last blade of grass was cut. I thought if Scott could keep going, so could I.
Scott's example has certainly helped me from a fitness standpoint to be more aware of what I need to do to improve my health. However, getting to know Scott from seeing him interact on the community page, reading interviews,
and watching his videos and his season of The Real World has also challenged me to better myself in other ways. I feel inspired to do better at work and in life after seeing Scott do as much as he has for the community as a
whole and for individual people as well.
I'm honored to consider Scott a friend, and I look forward to taking the next fork in the fitness journey with Scott on my tail.
Mike Sarzo - MD, USA
When it comes to fitness, we all seem to have set goals which we strive to reach. Fitness comes in many forms and it differs among person to person. It helps a great deal to do some research, gaining knowledge of what you need to help you attain all your
fitness goals. By using "Scott Herman Fitness", you have made one giant step forward in the right direction. I personally know Scott Herman, and his life revolves around good health, great fitness, and positive energy. His presence
at our local gym gave its members(including myself) that extra step and motivation to achieve what they came to the gym for in the first place, to conquer there fitness goals! Scott also has a great quality to him which many
people do not have, he feels great when he knows he is helping someone else. So he will put 100% effort into each individual who wants to use him as an aid to their life in fitness. Let Scott Herman Fitness bring you better
health, more energy, and the body you always wanted, it worked for me and will for you as well!
Steve Renda - MA, USA
As a manager for Abercrombie & Fitch, it is my job to ensure that our stores are staffed with energetic, friendly and great looking associates. In an attempt to recruit Scott to work in my store, I approached him and began learning about his profession
as a personal trainer. He encouraged me to become a member at his gym and offered to take me on as his client, providing me with a personalized diet and physical exercises to help me build and develop lean muscle. After setting
a goal weight for me, Scott began personal training sessions to familiarize me with the gym equipment and facilities. After our first month together I saw immediate results not only in my body, but also in my energy and strength.
Scott's motivating personality and commitment to his job helped me achieve my goal weight and showed me how to successfully incorporate my new diet and workout schedule into my life. Thanks to Scott, I now share a similar passion
for taking care of my body and still go back to him with any questions i have. Regardless of his schedule, Scott continues to keep in touch and help me with anything I need.
Andrew Dahl - MA, USA
I don't know how I ran across your channel on YouTube, but wow, I am glad did! I have always had an athletic background with gymnastics in grade-high school and rowing in college, and recently beach volleyball and distance running after grad. I have enjoyed
a life of fitness and health, but after stumbling across your channel, I have learned many new exercises that has take my body to another level. My goal is to not get bulk, but to define most my muscles. Your drop-sets that
you have demonstrated have shocked my body into a new routine and I recently have been receiving many positive comments from my fellow gym-goers. My hope is to continue to define my body, while inspiring my fellow gym-mates.
I thank you for publishing and sharing your talent, and I wish I can help contribute in any way. If there is such way I can help, please let me know. Thanks for the inspiration and keep up the great work!
Andy Stange - CA, USA
After graduating from college, I had hopes of joining the Massachusetts Correctional faculty; however, in order to do so I first had to pass a series of physical abilities testing which would test my strength and endurance. As anyone else would, I began
working out on my own in the hopes of preparing myself for this endurance test. The physical abilities test was a lot harder than what I had expected and when I failed to pass the first time around, I got discouraged. After
talking to several friends and family who encouraged me to try again and told me not to give up, I decided to hire a personal trainer. Lucky for me, Scott agreed to work with me to get my strength up to par before the re-test.
He helped me build my upper body strength and taught me how to use every muscle in my body effectively without straining one that did not need to be used. After even just one week I had learned so many things about my muscles
and my entire body that I had never known before. Scott was beyond helpful! Every day he had a smile on his face and made me feel comfortable even when I was struggling. He pushed me to do as much as I could and would never
allow me to give up on myself. He went above and beyond his job description; he even came to the re-test with me as moral support. I passed the test with ease! Not only was I surprised at how well I did, but the doctor was also
surprised that I could have done so horribly the first time and then came back after only training for four weeks and go through the test with no problems. To this day I can still remember the feeling that I had that day after
passing the test and knowing that he was the one who got me through it. Scott is a wonderful trainer and I will forever be grateful for everything he did for me. I highly recommend him to any individual who wants to build strength,
endurance, or just get in shape!
Ashley Gilbert - MA, USA
Hey Scott, I'd just like to say thanks again for everything! I found your videos on YouTube about 6 months ago and they have taught me so much! I started working out about 2 years ago but never really took it seriously, it resulted in me going to the
gym every now and then and not learning proper techniques and diets. This year I decided to take things a little more serious so I have been hitting the gym 4x a week since December of 2009 and have no plan on stopping. Your
videos have helped me gain 15 pounds of muscle, confidence in myself and made me a believer that anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it. I cannot thank you enough for everything that you have done, you have
helped motivate a nation to getting into shape and you have kept me motivated every step of the way. Every time I struggle on that last bench press rep or those last 2 miles during my jog I think to myself "Why is this so easy!"
you said it best in your Spartan workout video. Your intensity is ridiculously addicting and it's something I thrive off of to help me achieve my goals in the gym. I could make this letter another 2 pages long just stating on
how you have helped me out but I just got off work and now it's time for me to hit the gym!
Thanks for everything Scott!
Blake Gareau - TN, USA
Hey Scott,
My name is Brendon Hudson. I'm an avid visitor of your page on facebook, I read what everyone has to say and questions they have every morning and throughout the day. What you're doing, getting everyone interested in fitness
is amazing. I attached two photos to this email for you to put in the Hermanite Transformations folder. One is from October 2006 and the other is from September 2009...I think you'll be able to tell which is from when :).
Thanks alot man and keep it coming!
Brendon Hudson - KS, USA
It all started when I was in 7th grade (12yr old). I got fired-up with teases and laughs when I asked my teacher 'Can I be Santa in this year's Christmas Party' and teachers said was "Gosh, you are so pale, just sit down" . That year I spent my summer
vacation in the gym because I had heard that people get big and gain weight in gym. I continued for nearly 8 months but didn't find good results. After that, studies took a toll over and I lost interest. Seven years later after
Graduation, next day after my last exams I joined the same gym. Our gym is a kind of old school with lesser machines (we don't even have a smith machine). After about a month I had my internet connection and that day itself
(May 2010), I come across Scott Herman on YouTube and that was when everything changed. I gained about 12lbs in 4months without any supplements. Scott Herman taught me one great thing:
"It's not about getting BIG, it's about being FIT."
So True! What I loved about SHF is The Man himself Scott Herman. The way he has taken efforts to teach fitness and workouts to the World is Priceless. In today's self-obsessed world, in spite of being a Super Model and a Celebrity,
he spends nearly 6-8 hours on his Facebook Community Page answering fitness related questions, motivating his community and posts a new workout routine, Saturday exercise explosion, and Sunday Update Every week. Isn't that AWESOME?
Even though he has more than 50,000 members (Hermanites) on Facebook, not even a single question goes unnoticed. The Community is always Supportive and Positive. Apart from being a good idol, he is also an great human being
which makes him so special and a good friend.
Today I feel like I won a Battle when my school friends, who laughed on that very day, say "Hey, You Got an Awesome Body! I Saw your pic on Facebook Scott Herman's page, You look So FIT! Give us some tips!" and I reply; "SCOTT
HERMAN FITNESS is the solution... ?Join in ?
Deepesh Shah - Mumbai, Maharashtra India
The pictures are in order of the progress I've accomplished.
I started working out back in 2007 and I really wasn't motivated at all because being strong and eating healthy weren't my priorities, but as time ticked by I started reading and learning more on the human body and gaining muscle.
Two years passed by and I was slowly gaining muscle but I was happy because I never saw my body transform like that before. Then in late 2009 is when I started to really push it to my limit and beyond and that's when I discovered
Scott Herman's chest workout video on YouTube, this video wasn't like any other workout video I've seen on there so it really motivated me to gain even more muscle. The workouts I started with weren't even for the chest (haha)
they were for the arms and slowly I worked towards my chest. As 2010 kicked in I set a resolution to gain even more muscle and that's exactly what I did, each new workout video Scott put up was a step forward for me and just
recently I've gained a lot of strength really quickly, 4 months ago I used to struggle doing 8 reps with the EZ curl bar for biceps with 70 lbs, now Im doing 8 reps with 100 lbs and excellent form, this amount of strength gained
can be said for all the muscles in my body; I've even bought my own ScottHermanFitness tanktop! Thanks to Scott I know exactly what to eat and how to continue gaining muscle, everyone has to remember that Hard Work Pays Off,
and muscle gain starts off in the mind, if you believe you have the power to do it then it can be done.
Dennis Chambi - CA, USA
I used to work out religiously about a decade ago. Looking back, I had amazing results yet never saw them at the time. After getting a cold one day I missed a workout and it was a battle ever since to get back into the groove I was in. I was also a work-a-holic
working 2 jobs. Almost 2 years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. My entire world was shaken, blended, and shaken some more. I took that as wakeup call that it was time to make change. To me, my body was telling me loud and clear
to do something because I was getting less sleep…not eating well and etc. After surgery, I totally changed my diet and started to eat a completely healthy diet, or now Meal Plan. I still did not have the urge to work out and
nor did I have the time. It was a constant battle and I kept getting little wake up "knocks" reminding me to get it in gear.
This past January (2010) I was now in a position to workout time wise. It "felt" like it was the right time to start. Being unemployed kinda helped. So I started back working out. I resumed my old way of doing things but I was
not seeing the same results as I had that long decade ago. One day, don't know how, I came across your sites. Needless to say I had seen you on the Real World and always admired your physique. That day everything changed. Little
did I know I was WAY over-training. So much so I pulled a muscle in my neck and was forced to do no workouts for a week or so. I needed help with my workouts and the local Bally's Club Manager was not really that helpful. This
is where you come in. I had watched your YouTube videos, checked out your website, and despite not working I signed up to be a member. You helped me understand what to do, how to do it, eating, I could go on. I remember calling
about having trouble with accessing the site and never expected to talk to "thee" Scott himself. You even answered questions I had which to me was a complete bonus for me.
I continued watching your how to videos, going thru your site, and actually getting a meal plan in place to help guide me in my daily meals. I have since tossed out what I used to do and now do 90 percent of your personal routines.
I added the BSN products you talked about since you are living proof that it will help supplement my workouts and my meal plan. I have steadily increased my weights in all my exercises and shocked myself on some of the increases.
Your drop sets…are amazing and I do those on all exercises but my legs. You have also changed my attitude on working certain muscle groups. I HATED working my shoulders and abs. I used to not work them at all. Now, I enjoy my
shoulder routine. My abs…well that was more difficult as I do have a midsection that could be thinner. However, I did your kettle bell routine for a few weeks to do some circuit training. I did the Turkish Sit up and I loved
it!!! I then created my own abs routine and I now love doing my abs. I am also starting to see improvements. Still got a lot of work to do but I have noticed that my core is a lot stronger. Posture is much better. I even am
thinking of adding a sixth day just for abs. I know that we are never happy with our body and are always working on making it better. We are our own worst critic. I fit that mold for sure. But thanks to you and your guidance
on ScottHermanFitness.com, the meal plan, the YouTube videos, and the Facebook Community page, I have realigned my focus to working out. I have not missed a single day. I even went when I felt a cold coming on. I finished my
workout feeling better…and never got the cold. So Scott..."Thank You" The best part of my day, besides waking up, is when I am at the gym.
Don Foss - IL, USA
Hey Scott,
Thanks again for motivating me to be a better ME! I started working out 7months ago and in that time have put on 20lbs of muscle. Thanks to your workouts, I have gone from a waif of 135lbs to 155lbs! I'm honestly in the best
shape of my life and owe a lot of my self-confidence and new body to you! I have a ton of friends who work out a lot and for me it was never really a priority because at my height, 5'6 and 135lbs, I was naturally thin so I didn't
really bother with it. The attached photo of my friend and I on the beach is what did it for me. As you can see, I am a STARVING CHILD next to my good friend who encouraged me to join the gym with him and to start going on a
regular basis. My next photo is of the amazing transformation my body has gone through thanks to your program. I can't thank you enough for the "encouragement" to keep pushing hard and never giving up. Right now I've seemed
to hit a plateau of staying at 155lbs. My goal weight is 160 and I'm going to start taking BSN's Cell Mass to help me get there. Can't wait to report back and let you know that I made it to my goal, thanks to you and your amazing
program. Keep up the AMAZING WORK.
Ernest Bannister - Fort Myers, FL
Scott Herman Fitness has been invaluable in my pursuit of increases muscle size and strength. While there are many personal trainers and websites, Scott Herman Fitness is unmatched in the variety of exercises presented as well as in the detail given to
techniques and tips - all of which have been essential to my breaking through exercise plateaus/walls and maximizing the results of my routines.
Hayden Courtland - NY, USA
My name is Icaro Andrade, I'm Brazilian, 18 years old, and used to live in Rio De Janeiro – Itaguai. But now I live in England in Bristol with my family. I started going to the gym when I was 17. I was really skinny because I never had any breakfast in
the morning and used to wake up in the afternoon having only 1 or 2 meals in a day; so I wasn't very happy with how I looked! I wanted to change and be healthier for my own good! I started working out and waking up in the morning
to have a breakfast as 2 eggs , bacon, 2 or 3 breads, and a glass of milk. Then one day I was on YouTube I saw a video of Scott Herman's chest workout. From that day on I picked alot information about eating the right things
and all that, so your website information and videos helped me a lot to reach my goals
When I started at the gym I wasn't doing the right things, so your videos and information helped me a lot! After 4 months of eating well I began to see a difference in my body. After 4 months I went from 61kg to 67kg. Then another
couple months went by and I found myself weighing 73kg. I want to have the same body as Scott Herman, that's my goal!!! So thanks Scott for the information, it helped me a lot! Hope to see you in America one day, we never know
I have two uncles that live in Boston! :)
Take care!
Icaro Andrade - Bristol, England
My name is Jarrod Gibson, I'm from the Texas Coast and I'v been working out for about a year and a half now. I've made great progress in the gym and I've gained twenty pounds in under 6 months as a hard-gainer. I owe a lot of my success to Scott's videos
that I've been watching for a few months now. I've learned so much about appropriate form for a ton of the exercises in my weekly routine and Scott's way of speaking directly to all types of people has been both insightful and
motivating. As a hard-gainer, Scott has shown me a lot of great mass-building workouts that have boosted my progress a great deal in the gym, especially in these last 3 months. Also, to give credit where credit is due; Scott,
between your personality, your obvious knowledge and passion for fitness, and your attitude to just put yourself out there and try to help people, I personally appreciate it so much and I hope your videos are able to affect
others as much as they have affected me. You're a great trainer and motivator, you're awesome man! Thank you for what you're doing.
Jarrod Gibson - TX, USA
I was already pretty well versed before joining Scott Herman Fitness, or so I thought. I had always been in decent shape throughout my life due to my physical activity habits like sports, and also my nutrition. I started lifting intensely in the Fall
of 2009, and I had made excellent progress learning from my training partner and neighbor. I gained 15 pounds of muscle in one year, and I was on a roll. My only challenge at this point was that I was doing longer and longer
workouts and having to spend 2 and 3 hours of time in the gym just to get a proper muscle breakdown, which translated to me not gaining any weight because of my extra calorie expenditure. For me, it was perfect to come upon
Scott Herman Fitness at this time. Scott showed me ways to really shred my muscles without having to spend forever in the gym. That really attracted me, as well as the variety of new exercises and variations to add some more
color to my workout experience. After I started applying these, I began to watch his informational videos. I was hooked: I watched them all in one night, or at least I tried. They really took my understanding of bodybuilding
to a new and deeper level. I watched all the videos including the 'Ask Scott and Sean's which are packed with information. I am still learning now, as you can never know everything, but my level of understanding and practice
of fitness has been exponentiated by Scott, he really knows what he is talking about. He should, he's been doing this over a decade now. Aside from the quantity of information, Scott has a quality character that really shines
through in his videos and makes them fun to watch. If I had to recommend a personal fitness coach to anyone, I would trust Scott 100%.
Joshua Wagner - PA, USA
I've been following Scott's program for a few months. Within those months I've gained about 15 pounds of muscle and doubled my self confidence. My blood pressure and cholesterol have gone down significantly as well. Scott offers online programs as well
as an iPhone app and his facebook community to ensure that a fit and healthy lifestyle is not a struggle to be made without great company.
Mikey-Lee Manschot - San Antonio, TX
I had always wanted to be in great shape and be that guy who is just super ripped but because I was never really out of shape I didn't have any motivation to start working out because I was lazy and thought that I looked fine the way I was. After finding
Scott Herman's YouTube channel it really got me motivated to start working out and getting in great shape. The workouts are explained in full detail and it doesn't leave me sitting at the gym wondering what to do next, it's
like having my own personal trainer without spending hundreds of dollars for every session. Thanks to Scott I'm in the best shape of my life and I love working out!
Zach Gauthier - ON, Canada
I've been working out for about two years now, but it wasn't until I discovered Scott and Scotthermanfitness.com six months ago that I really started to learn about fitness. Scott's videos have been unbelievably helpful to me with learning more about
fitness and nutrition, and the general fitness community. The detail, organization, and variety of information he has to offer about different exercises, supplements, routines, nutrition- on top of blogs and other things are
incredible. One particular feature which made all thedifference for me was the Meal Plan which Scott created for his website members. The Meal Plan is the perfect tool for creating your perfect diet, and it will allow you to
outline just exactly what your body needs depending on your goals, something most people really need help with. Scott's achievements are as inspirational as his eagerness to help others with their goals.
Thanks Scott for all the invaluable help with health and fitness, I'm always looking forward to what you have next.
Sam Schwartz - NY, USA
I've been training pretty hard for the past year or so and began noticing that my gains had really slowed down. Plus, I had been struggling to cut just a little more body fat. I had a "diet" mentality and it was (as I later learned) counter-productive.
I felt I was eating very balanced meals throughout the day, but after watching Scott's video on his meal plan; I figured I'd give it a try. After inputting some basic information such as age, target weight, and activity levels,
the program guided me to my optimum nutrient targets. Wow! I was shocked at how high my saturated fat and sodium levels were in the food I had been eating, and to top that off, my total caloric intake for the day was way too
low to support my training levels. I immediately adjusted my habits and saw results pretty quickly. I had much more energy throughout the day, felt better, and even slept better. Scott's meal plan not only breaks down calories,
protein, and fat, but also guides you to proper levels of essential vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and omega-3's and -6's. One of my favorite aspects of Scott's program is that you can search meal plans created by others
who have similar goals. I was free to browse and tweak different plans to suit my tastes. I've begun making gains again and feel leaner than I ever have. This is not a diet; this is a way of eating. I highly recommend this program
to all health seekers and those looking to make positive changes in their life!
Mike Purzycki - NJ, USA
Firstly, I must say thank you for everything that you do. It's not every day that you find someone willing to give free advice to people with little or no knowledge of physical fitness. Just to give you a brief background of
me, my name is Ryan Toole. I have always been in great shape; however, about 2 years ago I hit rock bottom. I started to drink heavily, I never drank before I was 21, but it started the day of! To add to the downward spiral,
my girlfriend of 3 years broke up with me. That really hit me hard. I just gave up on staying in shape. A little while after I left California and transferred to a University here in Tennessee. I continued my partying and eating
crappy. On Christmas Eve 2009, I looked in the mirror and said I had enough. I couldn't do this anymore; I was 198 lbs., that's when I started following you. I used every bit of information that you gave to help me get back
to what I was before. I used your meal plan which now has not only helped me to lose weight, but learn how to cook just the same! If there is anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask! Your truly and inspiration.
Ryan J. Toole - TN, USA