Music Monday's - Guest post from Kareem Collins of Witness Fitness Performance

Hope everyone is staying dry on the east coast during the hurricane. This weeks playlist is brought to you courtesy of Kareem Collins. Kareem is one of my closest friends. We worked together in the same gym for 7 years. Bad Boys for life! Here's his bio

Bio- Kareem Collins

Personal Trainer/ Group Exercise Instructor- 8yrs New York Sports Club

Group Instructor/ Community Program Development- 7yrs Long Island University 

Level 1 USA Track & Field Coach, USA Weightlifting Coach level 1(Olympic Lifting Technique), Boxing Coach, FMS(Functional Movement Screening), Spin(Indoor Cycling Instructor), American Red Cross Life Guard, Swimming Coach, Youth Exercise & Sport(Sports Clubs For Kids)

Currently involved with assistant coaching at Long Island University. I'm working my way into assigned coaching.

Witness Fitness is a current independent project that is based on Personal Training and overall Physical Development

Distributor for independent company called Advocare(Performance/ Energy/ Weight Loss)

Take Action Music.....

1.Beef with me- 50 Cent Power Of A Dollar

2.Dump- Jada Kiss

3.Get Busy- 50 Cent ft. Kidd Kidd- The Lost Tapes

4.Death To My Enemies- 50 Cent- Before I Self Destruct

5.*Renegade- Eminem & Jay-Z*

6.99 Problems- Jay-Z- The Black Album

7.Whatchu Want- B.I.G. & Jay-Z- Biggie Duets 

8.H.A.M. (Remix)- Kanye West ft. Jay-Z & Busta Rhymes

9.The Worlds Greatest- DMX

10.Where My Dogs At- DMX- It's Dark And Hell Is Hot

11.*Victory- B.I.G. ft. P.Diddy & Busta Rhymes*

12.I Go Off- Beanie Sigel- Broad Street Empire

13.B Boy Stance- Beanie Sigel- Broad Street Empire

14.Jada Kiss- Something Else (Remix)

15.Slaughter House- Back On The Scene 

My dude! Thanks for the tracks. As the title suggests, Take Action Music! If you're in Manhattan on Friday's go take Kareem's 12:15 boot camp class at the 48th & 2 NYSC. You know he brings that FIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

Pharaoh out!

Music Mondays - Guest post from Sarah Miller of SpiritFire Fitness

This weeks playlist is brought to you courtesy of RKC instructor Sarah Miller of Spiritfire Fitness. Here's her bio:

RKC certified kettlebell trainer Sarah Miller has spirit & fire to spare and she intends on sharing it with YOU! A life-long athlete & devout vegan, she has dedicated years to honing her wholistic fitness regime thru self-education and personal trial & error. After 6 years of "courting the kettlebell", Sarah took the leap & earned her RKC certification. SpiritFire Fitness was born 6 months later in January 2012. Motivated by the desire to help others unleash the raw power within, her classes incorporate yoga & mindfulness with kick-ass kettlebell training that will leave you wondering 1) "What the hell just happened?!" & 2) "When can I come back for more?". And thus, the journey continues...

But wait! The journey just ain't no fun unless you dance! And you can't dance unless you got good music. Now, you may think you can't dance when you train hard, but I beg to differ. Gotta stay loose to balance out all that effort, people. What good is a big muscle if you can't move it? What good is a nice ass if you can't shake it? Bob & weave, float & sting - "relaxed tension" is the name of the game. And so, just as in my life & my training, I follow my intuition, & without further ado present to you my "Off the Top" playlist. Let's Flow!

 1) So Far To Go - J Dilla (feat. Common & D'Angelo)
2) Adorn - Miguel
3) Break My Heart - Estelle (feat. Rick Ross)
4) Make Me Proud - Drake (feat. Nicki Minaj)
5) Don't Say Nuthin' - The Roots
6) Rude Boy - Rihanna
7) I Get It In - Omarion (feat. Gucci Mane)
8) My Chick Bad - Ludacris (feat. Nicki Minaj)
9) Teach Me How To Dougie - Cali Swag District
10) All The Way Turnt Up - Roscoe Dash (feat. Soulja Boy)
11) Bad Girls - M.I.A.
12) Ni**as In Paris - Kanye West & Jay Z
13) Mercy - Kanye West (feat. Big Sean, Pusha T, & 2Chainz)
14) Work Hard, Play Hard - Wiz Khalifa
15) Desire - Pharoahe Monch
16) Celebrate - Common
17) Refill - Elle Varner
18) Tiger - Emeli Sande'
19) So Good - Pharoahe Monch


DO ALL THINGS WITH INTENTION!

Thanks Sarah! You've given me some joints that will be in my rotation fa sho! Please be sure to head over and like Sarah's Facebook fan page Spiritfire Fitness.

Pharaoh out!

Music Monday's - Guest post from Ashleigh Kast

Excited this week to have fellow RKC II instructor Ashleigh Kast of Rock the Bells Kettlebell School providing this weeks playlist. Here's her bio

Learn. Lift. Run. That's what Ashleigh Kast wants to do. In that pursuit, Ashleigh has gathered numerous certifications, workshop hours, and some really great expert friends. To help her clients maximize their strength gains, she has muscled through RKC I and II Russian Kettlebell Challenges. To get them moving better, she implements the FMS Functional Movement Screen. And to help runners get faster, Ashleigh has studied sprinting and mechanics with Olympic and collegiate coaches. In her spare time, Ashleigh trains for triathlons, strength challenges, or power-lifting gains, depending on the season. No matter the year or current focus, she considers herself a runner at heart. 



When I'm lifting heavy, I need a playlist that fits the tone of the session. #1 It must have a serious message. As Pavel says, you can always tell a real educated weightlifter by how they handle themselves between sets. Quiet, contemplative, anticipating the next set. #2 It must be confident. A chick who deads over 200 pounds at your average box gym tends to get some looks. Ok let's be serious, a never-ending line of bewildered stares. and #3 It's just gotta sound good. Here are some of my past and present go-to's.

1)Atmosphere - YGM
2)El-p feat Killer Mike and Despot - Tougher Colder Killer
3)Kanye West, Jay-z, Big Sean - Clique
4)Das Racist - Power
5)Uncle Murda feat French Montana, Jeezy, Rick Ross- remix to Warning
6)Killer Mike feat T.I. - Ready Set Go
7)Jay-z feat Swizz Beatz - Ultra
8)Styles p feat Rick Ross and Busta Rhymes - Harsh
9)Santogold - Creator
10)Talib Kwelli - Get By

Thanks Ashleigh! I think a few of these will make it into the rotation! Please check out and like her Facebook Fan Page Rock the Bells Kettlebell School. 

Pharaoh out!

Music Monday's - Mash ups part 2

2 weeks ago I posted 9 Mash-Ups for the Music Monday's post. Decided to add a few more tracks to the listing. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks of the playlist posts. I have a few other fitness professionals that will be contributing guest blog posts. On to the music

5. 2 Pac vs Lynyrd Skynyrd - 2 Pac's Hold on ,be strong with Lynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama

4. Notorious B.I.G vs Frank Sinatra - Biggie's Juicy with Sinatra's New York, New York

3. Jay-Z vs Linkin Park - Jay-Z's Big Pimpin with Linkin Parks Papercut

2. Linkin Park vs David Banner - Linkin Parks Papercut with David Banner's Like A Pimp

1. Jay -Z vs Jimi Hendrix - Jay-Z's 99 Problems with Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child

Music Monday's - Jay-Z aka Hovaerobics

Funny how things change. 6 years ago, I never would have made this playlist, as I wasn't a Jay-Z fan. Times change and I have an appreciation for his music. Part of it has to do with being a throwback to the 90's hip hop era. Part of it has to do with me not being able to vibe to most of the music out today. The term "Hovaerobics" was coined by a friend and fellow instructor Carlos Davila when describing an entire Jay-Z playlist. Here's 10 tracks that can go in a playlist.

10. Public Service Announcement
9. Lucifer
8. Big Pimpin' feat UGK
7. 99 Problems

6. Can I Live?
5.  I Just Wanna Love you
4. Money, Cash, Hoes feat DMX
3. Takeover
2. Renegade feat Eminem
1. Dirt Off Your Shoulder

Did I miss a track? Feel free to add it in the comments below.

Pharaoh Out!