44 and Me: Training with My Sons

At 44, the goals shift. It's no longer about PRs or looking good at the beach (though I won't complain if that happens). It's about longevity — being able to play with future grandkids, staying mobile, keeping my body functional for decades to come.

But here's the thing that makes this chapter different: I'm not doing it alone.

Enter Ben and Kameron

My sons Ben and Kameron have joined me on this journey, and it's transformed what could be a solo grind into something far more meaningful.

Ben is focused on baseball and football — sports that demand explosive power, rotational strength, and the ability to generate force quickly. Kameron is all about soccer — endurance, agility, quick direction changes, and leg strength that doesn't quit.

Different sports. Different demands. But the foundation? That's universal.

Phoenix Iron: Built By Me, For Us

I couldn't find a program that fit all three of us — something that would work for a 44-year-old chasing longevity AND two teenage athletes with completely different sport demands. So I built one.

Phoenix Iron is the result. It's an upper/lower split designed around one core principle: progressive overload across all dimensions — strength, size, and endurance.

The program isn't just about getting stronger (though we do). It's about:

• Strength: Heavy compound movements that build real-world power
• Size: Hypertrophy work that adds functional muscle mass
• Endurance: HIIT conditioning that keeps our cardiovascular systems sharp

Every week, we're pushing a little more weight, adding a rep, or shaving seconds off our conditioning times. That's progressive overload in action — the only way to force adaptation.

Weekly Schedule

Day	Focus	Why It Works
Day 1	💪 Upper A (Push Focus)	Heavy compounds — bench, rows. Builds Ben's throwing power.
Day 2	🦵 Lower A (Strength)	Back squats and lunges. Kameron's soccer legs love this.
Day 3	😴 Rest	Recovery is where gains happen.
Day 4	💪 Upper B (Hypertrophy)	Higher reps for muscle growth. Good for all of us.
Day 5	🦵 Lower B (Posterior Chain)	Deadlifts and kettlebells. Injury prevention gold.
Day 6	🔥 HIIT	Cardio conditioning. Kameron crushes this.
Day 7	😴 Rest	Family time. No weights allowed.

What Each of Us Gets Out of It

For Me (Longevity Focus):

• Maintaining muscle mass that naturally declines after 40
• Building bone density through heavy compound lifts
• Keeping joints healthy with controlled movements
• Cardiovascular health from the HIIT day
• Staying strong enough to be an active dad and (eventually) grandpa

For Ben (Baseball & Football):

• Rotational power from core work
• Explosive strength for batting and throwing
• Upper body mass for football contact
• The posterior chain work translates directly to athletic power

For Kameron (Soccer):

• Leg strength and endurance from the lower body days
• HIIT conditioning mirrors the stop-start nature of soccer
• Core stability for balance and direction changes
• Building a foundation before growth spurts hit

The Bonding Part

Here's what I didn't expect: the gym has become our place.

We spot each other. We push each other. Ben trash-talks when I'm struggling on my last rep. Kameron quietly crushes his sets with that focused intensity he brings to everything. I get to watch them grow — not just physically, but in discipline, consistency, and self-belief.

There's something about suffering through a hard set together that builds a different kind of connection. No phones. No distractions. Just iron and effort.

The Program Details

Here's what Phoenix Iron delivers:

• Goal: Build strength, muscle & cardio fitness through progressive overload
• Frequency: 5 strength + 1 HIIT per week
• Duration: 60-75 minutes per strength session
• Progression: +2.5 kg every 4 weeks (the key to continuous gains)

Nutrition Guidelines We Follow

Category	Target	Notes
🥩 Protein	1.6-2.2 g/kg body weight	The boys need more for growth
🍚 Carbs	3-5 g/kg	Fuel for training
💧 Hydration	3L+ water daily	Non-negotiable
😴 Sleep	7-9 hours	Hardest one for teenagers

Rise Stronger

The Phoenix Iron motto is "Rise Stronger" — and that's exactly what we're doing. Every rep is a step toward the people we're becoming.

For me, that's a 44-year-old who refuses to let age be an excuse. Building this program forced me to think critically about what actually matters for longevity, and now I get to live it.

For Ben, it's an athlete building the physical tools to compete at higher levels in baseball and football.

For Kameron, it's laying the foundation for soccer performance and lifelong fitness.

But mostly? It's three guys who get to spend time together, pushing iron and building something that matters.

Let's get to work.