Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Natural Ecstasy




Did you really think I'm going to talk about drugs? Shame on you; what I will be talking about is how to get high in a natural way using a method that has been used for centuries. It is not a pill or a plant. It isn't pot or aspirin yet it is one of the greatest ways to help you relax and mellow out without any negative side effects. It's Cold Water Therapy.

Whether its a bath, shower or if you're really ambitious jump into a cold lake. Cold Water when properly applied is a very potent stress reliever that releases toxins out of the body as your cells need heat to keep you warm. The excess burning of calories to stay warm helps increase metabolism, muscle recovery, virility and fat burning properties that generate greater growth hormone. I take cold showers mostly or I jump into a lake but the shower tends to be more doable for me because I can adjust the temperature even though I turn it to as cold as it can get. It sends a signal to my brain which digs deep into whatever part of the brain makes you feel negative thoughts and when I get out, i'm laughing, full of bliss and i'm way happier. It also feels so damn good it looks like I just smoked at least a couple joints and feeling higher than a kite.

When you practice taking Cold Showers you'll notice how your nerves make a dramatic change and when you go to bed at night, for some reason you feel so comfortable and the bed feels like you're on a fluffy cloud. Like someone being on Ecstasy, there are sensations that hit you with an enhanced sense of touch and you just feel softer and calmer everywhere. I do not ever want you taking drugs, it's not a way to live and there are other remedies. Using Cold Showers, you build nerves of steel, it enhances your focus, your awareness and the tension is melted away.

Ever wanted to feel like you can burn off fat, increase muscle and generate growth hormones that have you recovering faster, open your body's senses and rest with ease; Cold Showers will do it. This method is best used after a workout and an hour before you go to bed. Do your training in the morning so you won't have to worry about it later and jump into the shower right after and make it as cold as you can take than overtime keep adjusting until you can stay in the coldest water temperature for no more than 5-6 minutes. For men this is a hell of a method for our little swimmers and gives us energy for closed door activities, for women it balances out the hormones in your body which leads to greater fat loss and putting on lean muscle mass (not bulk). Power up on your hormones by doing Cold Showers.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

My Emphasis On Kettlebell Juggling


There are literally hundreds of thousands of different exercise systems but i'm going to tell you something you're not going to like and please don't send me hate mail. Around 95-98% of all exercise programs suck and are terribly boring plus shallow and pedantic and not to mention gratefully tedious. I mean seriously who the bloody hell comes with barbell squats on a bosu ball or using a kettlebell during aerobics class? Come on people, be more simplistic and not a bunch of shmucks reading out of a text book and calling yourselves trainers. Boring programs bring boring results and when you get bored, you become uninterested and you lose out.

Kettlebell training alone brings great benefits; uploaded strength and conditioning, flexibility, endurance and all sorts of ways to move that piece of iron or soft styled bell. The three main ideals for Kettlebell work is the Snatch, Clean & Swing; all three have tremendous effects on the nervous system and can help burn off fat and build muscle quicker than most systems. The type of training I'll be talking about goes beyond that....Kettlebell Juggling. You're probably thinking "What is this the circus who the hell wants to Juggle?" KB Juggling takes the training to a whole different spectrum that builds hand/eye coordination, brain activity, strength in multiple angles and places it's Core of moving the kettlebell from one one of the body to the other. What if you could flip, catch, swing under the legs, switch hands and do all sorts of cool moves that will make your conditioning that much more fun and enjoyable?

Systems I believe should have a sense of fun, enjoyment and interesting to practice. Nothing too complicated and bring a sense of creativity and aspirations for play. I enjoy most of the systems I practice but since I've added KB Juggling it takes on a life of its own and have only  done a few workouts on it using a Soft Kettlebell. It tests your strength and conditioning in a very unique way and tests your grip strength and agility to shift or catch the kettlebell from one hand to another and doing all sorts of combos and movements. It can help you amplify your basic abilities in the snatch, clean/press and swing. 

One of the things I was taught while I was rehabbing myself was to practice moving the body from as many angles as possible utilizing basic principles and simplistic sense of understanding how you use your own Physiology. Being able to strengthen your body from different positions using full body movement brings out more than just muscle development but how you become flexible, supple and adapting your body in odd positions. KB Juggling brings out some of the very best Multi-Angular Training prowess in your quest for fitness both in body and mind. Just the basic juggling moves are tough trying to catch it and time it plus keeping a firm grip on the bell to process the next set of moves. Start off with a small weight but the heavier you can juggle, the more impressive you'll be. Practice with intent and be sure to use a regular KB outdoors and use a Soft KB for indoors so it won't break anything on your floor. 

Friday, June 26, 2015

Go Beyond A Single Training Tool


In the movie City Slickers where Jack Palance & Billy Crystal are riding in the New Mexico plains, good ole Jack tells Billy the secret to life. Do you know what it is? One thing, just one thing, you stick to that and everything else don't mean shit. Although in fitness there's no such thing as a One-Way to do things, however; there is a favorite exercise tool everyone has whether it's just their bodyweight, a kettlebell, a big sledgehammer, barbells/dumbbells whatever there's one way that sticks with them and they beyond what the normal ways of using them. They take that one tool no matter what it is and make it magical for them if they put themselves in the right state of mind.

I use a lot of tools to train with but the one thing I stick to when I use them is my imagination, I create something out of them that may not look like anything to the human eye but to me, a sense of magic happens; not just physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually as well. Magic is real and it's through the imagination that brings out the very best in your abilities. It doesn't matter what you use or how you do it, the one thing that makes it all worth while and brutally beautiful is how you make things happen. When you have a big sledgehammer in your hands and you hit a tire as many times as possible whether in sets or whatever, you develop power in your body that can't be experienced with anything else. You picture being John Henry taking on the machine or lifting and moving a mighty axe like it was in an epic movie or you sum up the thunder from the heavens like Thor, anything is possible in your imagination. With a Kettlebell, you can develop conditioning that is unique by juggling it, making it your mission to use it in many ways most won't do; it takes a special skill to utilize your mind into how you develop your body.

The way you picture, feel and sense in your imagination brings out the very best of your abilities to do something incredible. Most rather go through the motions and follow along like a little puppy and that's fine if it works for them but if you're a regular reader of this blog, i'm guessing you're not the normal type and have that odd sense of being where you want to get past that typical stuff and go beyond what your capable of. You can amplify your results just by how you picture something and putting it into action. A tool to most people is just that a tool, nothing else but for those that love that tool and use it to get themselves fit don't just see it as a tool; it's part of their livelihood, it's their sense of who they are and what they're willing to fight for. They see themselves in that very tool.

Simplistic fitness is a key to going far into your training journey. With one tool, you can create a world no one can comprehend. With a Barbell you can create strength very few people can ever create, if you're a bodyweight enthusiast you have endless possibilities to become more athletic than anyone can possibly imagine. Whatever tool you decide to use, do something with it that makes you different, keeps you on your toes and lets you live in a place where you can always go to. Just one thing and if you stick to it, the rest don't mean shit.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Your Household Is Your Gym

Many people like to believe or have been told in order to get in shape you need this or that for equipment. Sure it's important to realize that in order to build specific types of strength and fitness there are things you may not realize that can aid in your quest to get fit. Now, when people say you can train in the comfort of your own home they're mainly talking about using bodyweight styled exercise or using small pieces of easy to carry equipment you can use anywhere. There's more to it than meets the eye. What if you could you use your household items as a token of your fitness? If you want to spend the day inside due to weather conditions or recovering or whatever it is, you can and still get fit.

Believe it or not one of my favorite household items to use is my toothbrush. I know what you're thinking "how the hell can you workout with a toothbrush, it weighs nothing." I use it mainly for working my fingers and my grip by rolling my fingers until I get a full grip on the brush and hold for a few seconds then do a couple more more reps that way. Be sure to do both hands, it develops dexterity and isometric strength from the squeeze you're putting on. I don't recommend toilet paper as a workout tool but that's up to you, a smooth rounded hairbrush can work the same way or you can do push-ups on your bathroom sink; it's like a modified version of dips but to get the best benefit, tense your muscles as you go up and down, works the chest, abs, arms and shoulders. 

A good number of houses have stairs depending on the level of the house itself. With stairs you can do a variety of things that won't cost you anything; step-ups, jumps, push-ups, duck walks, dips, you can even have someone hold your legs as you walk up and down the stairs on your hands. Be simple and creative, use your imagination. During my MovNat or Darebee Workouts I use the stairs of my house for quality jumping, stepping and Push-ups at an elevated level to challenge my body in a different way. Even if all you can do is walk up the stairs barely that's great, one thing I like to do especially if I want to strengthen my joints is after a couple steps, press your feet into the ground for an isometric contraction using an "sssss" sound as you exhale. Do double steps as you walk up go sideways to strengthen the hips and gain flexibility in your hip flexors and extensors. Many ways to use the stairs.

Where is one of the best places to be after a long day at work and want to chill out? Most likely your couch or comfy chair. Now you can still get an awesome workout even in the comfort of your favorite place to sit. Want an example of what you can do even if you just want to sit and exercise....Get yourself Sofa Abs or Get fit watching your favorite movie and why not kick back and do a little workout during the commercials of your favorite TV Show. Don't make excuses, make the time to exercise in your home and get in great shape. 

Monday, June 22, 2015

Break The Rules

When you learn different ways to train its all good to get an idea on what to do, how it works for you in certain times but in the end; hiding behind a book or a DVD won't bring you full training success. In order to get the best out of your training is to follow your own path while learning your ideal methods to help you find the success you want to achieve. A DVD won't always give you results because you're following someone else's pace and rhythm while you aught to learn how your own body suits certain aspects of a program. A book can only take you so far until you realize it won't always help you in your favor.

Be open to ideals that can have you follow your own path as you train within your own style and goals. Breaking the rules doesn't mean shrugging off everything and being "rebellious", it's about not restricting yourself into the palm of someone else's hand. Some will tell you to follow your own path but are secretly getting you to follow them to boost their ego and have you splurge the good money you earn. I have had many mentors in the last decade but I don't worship them as fitness gods or allow them to dictate my success, I learn from their ideals but develop my own style that suits my personality, my body's energy and interest. Rebel by being your own person while learning what works for you.

There are some courses out there that don't want you to go to failure exercise wise and yet others will tell you going to failure will have you reach the pinnacle of your will to "beat" an exercise or system. Which one should you choose? I'd say go in the middle and pick your moments of when to test your abilities and when you go with the flow and challenge yourself but to a degree. Breaking the rules is not about who to stand up against but about making a decision that pits you in that unique group that see's not the right or wrong way but going beyond that and daring to do things that bring you a sense of self-awareness and individuality that bring you the success you crave.

You can learn from others what can be helpful but yet your way of training is a gift and it's something that you can own for yourself and not allow those assholes in the mainstream to tell you if you do this it's wrong or that your way of training is not up to their standards. You are one person finding their way and it's never an easy path due to what you may have been exposed to. I fell for it a lot trying to follow someone else's path and it kept making me frustrated. Their way is their way period. The way you do things is your choice, you choose who to learn from, where to get ideas and what style you settle for that bring you success or failure. Don't be afraid to fail and make mistakes, it's finding who you are and what makes you unique. Break the rules, it's not only fun but it exposes what's a lie, the truth and the reality of what things come about.  

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Who The Hell Can You Trust???

If you plan on getting a trainer to help you reach your goals, you can't just go to any trainer and i'm going to tell you why. Most trainers try to fill their ego by throwing down way too much money a student can barely afford and many don't practice what they preach because they fill their head with meaningless books on exercise and believe because of what they read and don't really practice but just throw it on other people and think they'll actually get fit. I don't care how many seminars, DVDs, CD's and equipment or certificates you have, if you don't have an imagination and have been put through certain ringers, you're not a real trainer.

When it comes to trainer and student, two things come to mind that should be in synergy with one another from both sides to work and that's Passion & Trust. Trust is precious and has to be on mutual ground otherwise you're both just running with the motions without having any regard for one another's faith and understanding of the other. Passion is something very few trainers have and here's my take on it: Many trainers like to play out their routines for people like they've rehearsed this script they wrote for themselves and repeat these little scenes they played out over and over until they become their own star that pretends to have passion. For the very few, they treat people with respect until otherwise no matter how big, small, tall, short, thin, overweight or whatever. They have them see things the students don't always see and feel in ways that can't be described unless you've experienced it. I have been trained by some of the best in Physical Culture and all of them share one thing and that's passion. Others fill their ego and rather take someone's money than be open with them and help in not just getting fit physically but emotionally as well. Trust is earned both ways not a one way street where this guy/girl tells you things and the student just goes a long with it like a sheep that follows the dog.

The type of trainer I look for if I wanted someone to train me is someone that has passion, lives out their training like it's their livelihood, helps you find out things about yourself you didn't see before, gives you hope and guidance; let's you be yourself and push unexpectedly without ever telling you directly but testing you in their own way, not the scripted type I just told you. They make you feel good about yourself and don't drill you like you're in the damn army but give enough to where you listen and hit it. Someone that could turn things into an awesome friendship that goes beyond training and helping each other on both sides; making the trainer learn something about themselves and learn lessons that will make them better. Most of all, I want a trainer that won't bullshit me and bring out the very best in my abilities.

To get the very best out of your training from a certain trainer, you must become more than what they believe you to have and will get out of it. Most trainers rather push you and see what you're capable of but to a cold and distant degree. I believe in how expectations can back fire either way but in the end, if you the student and your trainer come out less than what is expected within one or the other something isn't right here. The best trainer is when he/she has gotten better because they made their student better for them and vise versa. Sounds confusing but here's the jist, as a trainer you have the duty to train a student and your best to make them better and it's their duty to make you great not to look good but realize just how good they really are and you're seeing results. It's mutual feedback and you're learning from each other's body language and being able to understand what the other is teaching. The moral is, be better than you were before on both sides and with trust, passion and doing the best you can, you have a high chance of both succeeding.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Get Awesome Training Through VRT


I have mentioned the fitness method VRT before but if it's your first time learning here's the main focus....VRT is the method that means Visualized Resistance Training. It bring a unique element in the fitness realm where it combines the world of Muscle Control & Bodybuilding Exercise. You can do this type of training anywhere and anytime and it takes only a fraction of the time you spend in the gym. The purpose of this is to imagine you're lifting heavy weights or objects while using muscular tension to create the movement. Now in the words of Magnum P.I "I know what you're thinking" you are probably thinking of saying something to me like "why not lift real weights" or something like "you can't possibly build muscle from this crap and there's no way in hell it's better than lifting 'real' weights." First off, this is an alternative method for those who can't afford weights but want to have that similar feel to lifting them and it's for those who may want/or have to travel and they need a workout they can do in their hotel room, the airport, during a stint out of a business meeting whatever the case may be. It is a valuable tool that one can use in any sort of program and want to do something that's quick to do and can give you a cardio/strength affect.

One of the key elements to VRT is not just what you imagine and create the tension, it's also how you breathe. Your breath control can determine the outcome of a session and be able to not only build muscle but get a killer cardio in there at the same time. Think about doing a bicep curl for example; you create tension and move throughout the flexion of the exercise, if you hold your breath, you won't get the powerful element that can help you build muscle but if you control the breath as you move inhaling and exhaling in a strong fashion that is congruent with the tension and movement itself, it causes more of the blood to flow in the muscles when you relax. Same way creating any form of dumbbell/machine exercises you can think of.

In this manner of fitness you are going to learn an important piece of info that will progress your levels in a VRT session and that's your imagination. You don't have to just think dumbbells and machines to do the exercises justice, imagine lifting other things like when doing a press, picture what it would feel like to lift a heavy boulder or instead of a tricep pressdown, picture pressing down a heavy rope that lifts a monolithic stone. How about curling heavy buckets of rocks or concrete, hell how about picturing yourself doing upright rows lifting a heavy log or set of very heavy chains. You can imagine anything you want, for you anything is possible. This develops the mind/muscle connection where along with your imagination you contract the muscles for a specific exercise and you do enough reps not to push to failure but enough to where it can get you breathing hard. This can also be used to help develop muscle definition in your bodybuilding journey if you choose to do so. An old-time gymnast and muscle controlist Bobby Pandour didn't lift weights but yet constantly flexed his muscles utilizing breath control and thinking into the muscles. He had one of the greatest physiques of his generation if not the best.

I believe Charles Atlas had a hell of a course and it gave many men around the world a hell of a body to strive for and did it for health and fitness but there was one thing missing and that's using the imagination to develop the real tension in the muscles. The Atlas course is awesome but it's nothing compared to VRT because unlike Dynamic Tension, VRT is more explanatory and it gives you a little more structure and what to strive for. Sure both courses have a similar philosophy of being your own trainer and figuring out what works best for you yet VRT just let's you run free and to think for yourself as oppose to these are the exercise, this is how you do them and then you're on your own. Think about it; what would it feel like to build muscle and get your heart rate up anywhere and anytime you want to? To get in a workout that takes less than 20 min. a Day and can be done day or night or as a finisher to your other workouts, you decide what to do not the course deciding for you. I have used bodybuilding books as research and learning the different exercises based on various parts of the body and used them as VRT exercises; it is genuinely one of the most creative aspects of fitness in the near 2 decades I've done training.



To get more details and greater info on the scientific element plus exercises you can start with, go here where VRT is sold for the extremely low price of $9. With this course alone you save yourself thousands of dollars and a many hours would've been wasted being on machines that do nothing but isolate your muscles that can hurt you and think of the money you're saving on gym memberships, equipment that won't fit very well in your house when all that money can be used for the food to feed your family, insurance to supply protection from high cost hospital bills if you got hurt, your mortgage/rent and even use it to help someone in need. You may think $9 is too cheap but that amount can also be a lifesaver and bring you a new wave of health, strength and muscle building you never thought existed. Grab a copy and unlock your potential in creating workouts that you can do however you want, you're the boss, make it work for you.

Monday, June 15, 2015

Deep Breathing Exercise

The value of Deep Breathing exercise has been taken way more for granted than most exercise systems because it's not always looked at as true exercise yet it's the most important. Certain methods vary depending on the type of breathing you want to focus on and it can be used in so many ways but it has only one goal in mind and that's to train your body from the inside out. The type of methods range from doing Qi Gong, Yoga, what's called Costal Breathing, Specialized Breathing for Posture and for various sports.

I have practiced Deep Breathing exercise for nearly a decade in full detail and different types of research and experimentation. I don't believe in just one method, I use it to help my posture, calm the nerves in my body, used in Isometric exercise and other forms of training so I don't have a particular favorite but I do know that some aren't as efficient as others and whoever claims their method is the greatest just wants to fill their ego and tear down what doesn't work for them but could work for others. Sure it is important to understand the true nature of breathing and with the right kind of training it does more than mellow you out or feel in a calming state of blissfulness; it can help heal injuries, develop greater brain cells, make you faster and/or stronger, help your flexibility and stamina to the point where you can be envious to many or admired by others of your abilities. I won't go into what methods don't work because quite frankly they aren't cut out to be a method that holds true power and longevity.

The two biggest methods in today's society at least of deep breathing are Belly Breathing & a method by Edwin Checkley called Costal Breathing have a small underground debate on which one is superior for real fitness and lifelong health. In my opinion there's only one place where it's debated and Costal is the main flavor but on a serious note in my opinion which one is better? Well let's look at what each one does when it comes to breathing....

-Belly Breathing

A method where you bring the stomach out on an inhale and pulled inward on exhale. This is meant to help relax the muscles of the body and it's been used a method in many ancient Chinese, Japanese & Indian meditative practices where you control the belly to train the organs, lungs and muscles to be in a more calming state of relaxation but still maintaining forms of postures and movements.

I've only read in one other place where Belly Breathing is considered Blasphemy because the people in their "defense" say it gives you a big gut and doesn't maintain youthfulness and health plus in Edwin's book, it's considered Lazy. I'm sorry but that is total bullshit. Babies naturally breathe this way in order for them to survive, call that lazy?

-Costal Breathing

A method where you breathe through the chest and lengthen the rib cage to open up more of the lungs and supposedly helps maintain a classic physique where you have youthful muscle tone in the core area and you hold the stomach in as much as possible to maintain posture.

This is a great method no doubt but like every form of exercise it has it's flaws. Unlike Belly Breathing where you relax the stomach and push outward and pull inward, Costal creates tension because its very difficult to relax when you're constantly trying to pull up the rib cage. This method is mainly used to maintain that "Greek god" like body where you develop a small waistline while having a more muscular structure. The problem I have with this is not the method itself, but the content and the mere snotty intent of what it's "meant" for. I do believe in having an aspiring body but certain things don't always work out in their favor. Me and certainly others have tried for a period of time doing this method almost exclusively and I have come to one conclusion, it hurts like hell and I don't want to feel tensed up trying to maintain my posture. It works for some but it's not meant for everyone.

There is good tension and there's bad tension. Good tension is when you train using form and flexing the muscles in a particular exercise like in Gymnastics, various forms of movement, weightlifting and even swimming. Bad tension is when you use too much muscular flexion and it can cause inflammation and you could hurt yourself in certain situations where unwanted tension can cause injury or worse. I do believe in the type of tension and relaxation that comes from muscle control and flexing the body in various exercises to help maintain form that's acceptable but yet I don't like where i'm forced to tense my body where it becomes painful and can cause possibly a hernia or a tear in the joints and it's not fun where you try to maintain posture but causing too much tension in the back muscles to cramp up and your stomach has a feeling of getting hit with a crowbar (trust me I've been there and it's a pain in the ass).

I have actually maintained a decent posture because of the bridging exercises I practice and it gives me enough tension to maintain form but also give me that natural spring in my torso and hips that give off that powerful posture look. Deep Breathing all together is an essential element to the way we stay alive. The power in your breath can be a breaker or a maker in your health and fitness success. Do what works for you and although there are pros and cons to every method if you read about certain methods that give off a negative vibe or try to tell you that one way is completely wrong and the one you're learning is the best and it's the only one where you live longer and can have this physique and whatnot, i'd think twice about it. Research and observe the content and practice with your own intent and not what someone tells you to do or sets you up with a huge sales pitch. Anything that can be useful in how you build a foundation for health and it gives you purpose without an agenda or a preaching sales pitch then do it. Be your own teacher.

Friday, June 12, 2015

A Muscular Core For Real Strength


Mainstream fitness see's the core muscles as these different sets of muscles that aught to be isolated....do this for the lower abs, this for the upper abs, hypertension for the lower back and a machine for the sides and other things in between. They want you to believe that in order to get a good set of looking Abs, you need to break them down into a million pieces like a jigsaw puzzle. Hate to break it to you but unless you have the patience of a monk or into bodybuilding, you'll hate working so much for very little results. The truth is, the Core Muscles are meant to work as a unit and utilized as a whole and not a bunch of little things meshed together. Train your abs using full body movements and isometric holds. The more you learn and physically do that, you'll come to realize how much bullshit mainstream fitness has fed you.

When it comes down to it, Isometrics are one of the most powerful entities in the entire realm of exercise and health. In order to even move our bodies, our Core needs to stabilize and be tightened in order to do our best forms of movement whether it be weights, bodyweight, gymnastics, bridging or anything else. Isometrics teach us a form of Muscle Control that helps us fight off injury and protects the lower back from harm. Although you are flexing the muscles themselves, the key to staying strong and durable is how you breathe. To get the most out of your Core Training specifically is to flex every muscle in the body but not to the point of bursting a vein but enough to where you feel it and being in those moments of controlling the body. Isometrics unlock plateaus that you didn't think were possible and the strongest muscles are our legs and Core.

It isn't the greatest thing in the world to have six-pack abs, but yet it sure as hell isn't a bad thing either. There are however two different types of muscles when it comes to being truly strong and just looking like it; its Counterfeit Muscles & Conditioned Muscles. Counterfeit is when you have nothing but show and you can actually get hurt fairly easily and you're left with bundles of muscles that are crap without function; conditioned is when you are functional, strong and mobile from as many angles as possible, move forward/backward, side to side, diagonal and anywhere else possible and you're less prone to injury and can withstand some hard hitting damage. If you want real six-pack abs, condition them with laser-like intentions and not showing off just because they look like they're carved out of granite.

The biggest aspect of having strong and powerful Core Muscles is that they protect you instead of working against you. They keep harm away for the organs and bone structure. Having protective muscles helps build power in the tendons and ligaments in the rest of the body. Want to have a healthy life full of vigor and vitality; strengthen the body to help protect you. You have only this life in the world, don't waste it on useless training methods, drugs and crappy food. Do the best to your abilities and become as strong as possible having the strongest Core you can possibly imagine.


Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Just Play


When did we begin to stop playing? Oh yeah that's right we were told by the time we reached adulthood, we had to be serious and responsible because play is for children. I'm sorry but as a society; we take things way too literal, kids losing out on having the chance of recess so they can have a longer class, we eat crap just so the corporations can keep going to the bank and the media feeds on misery and feeding us useless info that has nothing to do with us personally or figuratively. I'm not saying we shouldn't be responsible as we get older but at least let us have a little fun in the process.  One of the biggest things happening right now is the teaching of movement and bringing back the ability to move like a real human being. 

Get up and move. Do some kick ass combos you can learn from Animal Flow, do various styles of basic gymnastics like building the abs or learn hand balancing. Learn the valuable skills of natural movement like crawling, jumping, balancing, swimming, carrying, lifting and tossing. Move like your favorite animals in the wild, do Isometrics throughout various times of the team to keep up your energy and fat burning. Go do sprints that will melt fat off of you like a furnace or hell build your own little gym in your house using quality equipment to build realistic strength and muscle. Do something you enjoy and have a blast doing it otherwise you will just be like the majority of people that have told you that play is for kids and that being an adult is serious business; so is play, it can save lives and take you out of the foxhole most people call a life. 

You can be inspired by the workouts or exercises you see in the gym, on a dvd or at a seminar but we can't work the same way as the next person. We may be stronger or weaker, more or less mobile and we don't always have the same amount of stamina or drive. We do however one thing in common and that's we have the potential to develop our own style of training that is creative and work for us (or in this case plays to us). Learn what you want to do but become your own master, not be a sheep and/or try to copy someone else's workout plan. There are a lot of ideas and we can admire and blueprint those ideas but eventually the only way to be truly successful is to make your play your own. As kids we mimic the other kids we play with but no matter what we do, we end finding our own way to climb and jump and swing on the Ape Bars. There are people bigger or smaller than us, they can be weaker and others are stronger so we customize what gives us the greatest benefit. 

I personally believe in doing what comes to mind and putting it into action. Using my instincts and intuitiveness, I train according to what my mind says and my body follows. I really don't like routines because doing something over and over too many times just bore me and I want to do something new and exciting, something my body is not use to, not to confuse it but make it adaptable and constantly learning. Sure it's important to practice but certain things come up you won't expect and it's important to expect the unexpected so you train your body and mind from as many angles as possible. Think outside the box, don't always be traditional, be different and daring to do something someone else wouldn't dare to try. It is not one upping anyone, it's learning to discover what you can be best at and making that journey as you play and experiment. Move the way you were meant to and learn what playing really means and how it can bring you to a world full of wonders and imagination people would envy. Stay playful my friends.   

Monday, June 8, 2015

Bridging & Testosterone



We all can't be young forever (or can we?) and we reach a certain age when we start "winding down" and begin that process of aging and losing hair, gaining bodyfat and worse of all especially for us studs, we begin to lose our testosterone. The power of natural testosterone is a bold one and vitally important to our existence as men of Virility and Vitality. When we start to lose it, it gets us depressed and having us think of our youth. I just started that age (I'll be 31 next month) where the meter starts to go down. I don't believe in taking drugs to increase hormones unless it is a far off last resort and you're on your last leg. Personally I can't stand drugs, the only thing I truly take is a melatonin to help me sleep. We don't have to let our manhood wind down, there are ways to keep it going and do so without artificial help.

One of my favorite all-time exercises is the Bridge or what some call the wrestler's bridge or back bridge. It's more than just working the neck, it hits you everywhere from the head to the toes. It's an exercise that builds incredible internal energy and because of the positioning, it hits greatly in the hips and groin area (where our testosterone is spotted) and gives off that energizing effect you can't seem to grasp unless you've experienced it. I'm no expert but after practicing Bridging off and on for 10 years I can tell you without a doubt it is one of the most powerful exercises for your body both internally and externally. It builds radiant energy, puts you in a euphoric state that keeps you calm and aware; it's a feeding ground for super-charged strength in your legs, torches bodyfat, a strong neck and it builds great lung power from the practiced deep breathing.

I'm not saying I have an extremely high level of testosterone but I do however have powerful energy radiating through me throughout the day and my body festers in the essence of Physical Spirituality and part of the reason is from bridging; it puts blood flow into my brain, puts me in a trance-like state of relaxation and also has me feeling more fueled up than an 18 year old at his peak. One of the main keys of this is by how I breathe; I use to be a shallow breather and still have my moments but the moment I get to bridge whether it's for the front, back, wall walking or the gymnastic bridge I learn to breathe as deeply as possible and when this happens, I get stretched more, I unlock that internal energy all the way from my toes going up and feel like i'm on steroids; full of energy and fat burning metabolism running through my veins and having that "wild" feeling in certain areas where guys just can't get enough of. Breathe deeply in the bridge and you'll feel things you wished you had long ago.

Don't practice just one variation of the bridge, learn the very best of them and when you get into doing a sequence o what's called Bridging Gymnastics, it becomes a whole new realm of super-powered strength, flexibility, agility and high levels of fat torching nothing else can touch. I dare you once you're able to; attempt that style of training. You fall back into a bridge, kick over and kick back and repeat. The most I've ever done in that sequence is about 30 reps total and I came out looking like I just ran a marathon. This can be in either the back bridge or the gymnastic bridge whatever you feel would work for you. 15 minutes of this type of training will have you spanked and down for the count but don't fret, the benefits are all worth while. I highly recommend you keep water on site and I encourage you to take cold showers because you will sweat and you will be heating up a bit. Cold water therapy enhances the fat burning process and juices you up naturally & helps with recovery big time. This type of training is not to be done everyday, do what you can up to 3 times a week, 4 at best and get plenty of rest. You think you won't gain new levels of testosterone after this type of training, find out for yourself. Even basic bridging exercises hit your body like crazy and if that's all you want to do cool, you're still making progress on beating the aging process.

Friday, June 5, 2015

One Pathway To Stronger Arms

There is no one all-be all of doing things but certain things work out in more ways than others do. For us guys at least most of them want to have those mighty python arms of cannonball biceps and triceps looking like horseshoes and shoulders that scream strength. For Women, it's having more toned arms that have an athletic appeal since they don't want that fat hanging over their arms. So what are the possibilities of building stronger arms; lifting heavier weight, hand balancing, pushing and pulling heavy objects, pull-ups, push-ups all kinds of ways but one of the toughest and most rewarding I believe is by Walking On Your Hands. There's Handstand walking but that could take a ton of time to learn although I still say make an effort, the wheel barrel exercise where a person holds your legs as you walk on the hands or you can strap yourself into the Lifeline Power Wheel and learn to stabilize your core while walking on your hands.

Our legs are the strongest in our bodies period. Imagine for a moment, you can possibly have the equivalent of legs to arms ratio in terms of potential strength. You know how powerful you would be? Especially in your favorite sport? The possibilities are endless. Now I realize that could never happen because our legs can take much more mass and have greater structure compared to our arms; however, if we were to strengthen our arms by walking on them and for a brief few moments feel as if they were our legs, our strength can skyrocket from this type of movement alone. Super powerful tendons and muscular strength/endurance very few will ever achieve.

The power in walking on your hands is unlike any other. Sure enough you don't want to overdo it and want to work the back as well. The stabilizing muscles make you work harder than you can imagine. Just walking 20 yards alone can create some serious strength yet there are those who can walk 100 yards or more on their hands; that's crazy strength and endurance going on there. In order to get into position with the Power Wheel, you need to strap your feet in get into a plank and start taking one step at a time, the balancing at first is awkward as hell but as you learn to control the legs and Core Muscles, you can go for a longer walk but your arms will tire out eventually and it might be only a few feet in the beginning. When you go from feet to yards or meters it takes some serious core strength to do this and six pack abs won't always help you, the look isn't nowhere near the amount of real strength needed to pull that off. Some of the strongest men on the planet have trouble walking a few feet.

Some people like to specialize in certain muscles to get shape, well walking on your hands will very much shape them up because if your arms are weak you won't get very far. The Power Wheel teaches you how to control your core and legs in the confines of the straps and will tell you how weak or strong you are. At first you may wobble trying to keep the wheel from going to the side and learning to contract the legs and core isn't easy to do but it is possible with the right practice. Start just holding a plank, then begin doing push-ups, when you first walk; take a step with one hand and isometrically press into the ground then do the same with the next hand build that strength, eventually you'll be walking with relative ease. Want to make it harder after that, do walking push-ups or power push ups by plyometrically jumping forward. Walking on your hands is serious training and it's fun to play with if you got some good space to move around. Go for it and see what happens.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

The Benefits Of Qi Gong


Qi Gong is the practice of building your body from the inside out. It's the elements on which you practice more than just building muscle, you're developing strength and power in your tendons, ligaments and joints. It is not something you want to rush in like a cardio workout; you'll get enough just by practicing the deep breathing and various movements. Qi Gong isn't a race, it's an enduring journey on finding your inner self and making it stronger and more powerful.

In each of us there is a spirit that is connected with our body; some call it god, others say it's universal and some even believe the yin and yang of our spirituality, there are 2 sides to everything sometimes 3. I believe there is such a thing as Physical Spirituality where we learn to connect ourselves internally through physical application. I'm not referring to weights or bodyweight exercises in general but movements based on the flow of energy and using the guiding power within our bones and not always our muscles. We become so obsessed with the outer appearance that we forget that our internal body is neglected. Both must be treated equally and learned through our mind and body as if it were one thing.

The benefits of Qi Gong go way beyond training the body to relax and have a soft but effective power behind it. You could heal injuries, develop your tendons with such fierceness people would be in awe by it. Imagine living pain-free, have a spring in your step, flush out toxins, have a powerful body for sports, move with greater agility yet become so strong it would be tough for someone to move you. Your energy filled to the brim that generates flexibility and strength at the same time. Open up your esteem with smiles and looking younger and brighter. Expand your brain cells and develop greater memory that could whip Alzheimer's' ass and have a more calming demeanor.

For the most part, most of the population these days care about muscles; how big they are, are they worth the strength based on the look alone and most of the time they aren't unless you're in strongman, mma or working hard manual labor. Qi Gong goes beyond the muscles, it develops them in a way that is ancient and full of various possibilities that are better health wise than the size of your biceps or your chest and it certainly doesn't give a rat's ass how sculpted your abs are. Qi Gong is about strength that has more value than the look, it channels real power in your bones and the importance of your internal organs. Anyone can build muscle in some form but if your organs aren't doing so well, no supplement or highly trained doctors might be able to save you. I've been practicing Qi Gong off and on for a few years and I've learned that it's not always the technique that gets you energized, it's the flow and the ability to relax and be loose. My energy has skyrocket since going back to it doing different styles for my neck, legs and wrists that connect with the entire muscular structure. If you're not flowing right, you become tense, disoriented and could amplify blood pressure and low lung capacity; if you're flowing with the right training you are more relaxed, agile, practically pain-free in both the brain and the body itself. You have greater speed, flexibility and mobile with a sense of buzzing energy in your veins.

To learn more about Qi Gong & its extreme benefits I highly recommend you look into Matt Furey's Furey Faithful Program and learn the ancient secrets to longevity, flexibility, health and fitness that goes beyond bodyweight exercise and/or using implements. I trust his judgement and because of his teachings I've added other things that are feeling easier to do and I have greater sense of awareness and intuitive power that is intense and yet relaxed at the same time.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Hiking For A Greater Connection


When you're out in nature, it feels different; even if you're not use to it there's something special and full of fondness if you allow yourself to it. After going on a hike today with my special girl, I felt a sense of connection with the earth. I wouldn't recommend being in humid weather if you haven't done it in a long time unless you're in decent shape. It brings out a sensation in your body not just physical but internal as well. It's important to breathe as deeply as possible. If you are a shallow breather, you won't last very long and you'll need to rest more than usual. Play your way into it.

Movement can be used in many ways but it's biggest value is how you are connected with your movement in your body not just physically but by your breath, the way you sense the energy, the feeling of the environment surrounding you and the wholesome love of what you are moving to. Hiking is a style of movement to where it becomes more than just walking; it's a form of balancing, keeping your body on a narrow path and having to move your feet throughout various terrain, it's not always a straight line and you have to keep yourself stabilized throughout most of the trek. Depending on the type of trail you follow, it won't always feel the same, can be bumpier or smoother during certain periods and the weather can be different. If it's humid out you're gonna need a good load of water to carry because you will sweat. You may have to crawl sometimes, you never know what kind of trail you can get yourself into and your legs will get a hell of a workout plus your lungs.

Deep Breathing is essential in all areas of life yet the majority of us take it for granted. If you're a solid hiker, you can build some serious lung power. I've hiked up mountains at elevations as high as nearly 9000ft and it can be brutal because of the thin air and the way gravity can hit you. Learn to connect with your breath and understand it's true nature, the greater your breathing, the greater your stamina. Don't think deep breathing builds muscle? Think again. Powering up your chest and keeping the stomach tucked, you can build some serious muscle in your body, it becomes more than a leg builder, it becomes a chest builder, creating strong abdominals and you're working your arms. Connect with your breath and you will get stronger.

Build up to a level of hiking where you are comfortable and progressing each time you go. Say you only go a mile all together to start, take some time to recover or when you feel like going again, then go a little further say half a mile longer. Build up until you can do a full trail and see how your endurance has skyrocketed. I miss hiking and would like to do it more often and i'm in pretty good shape to do quite the trail, just a matter of timing and keeping up my deep breathing training. Helps if the joints are loose and you have that spring in your step. Got a place to hike? Go for it, be with nature and feel another sense of connection with the earth you can't get from a laptop or something full of wires and electronics, nature is the connection of the soul.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Play & A Challenge

I hate to see people suffer and not have the ability to move around and just be apart of the world by playing. Not talking about teasing or being an ass more like playing with different forms of movement and learning new skills or progressing your skill level. No need to analyze everything, learn what you would you like to do and make it interesting for you. It doesn't have to be like some guru who tries to program you with this or that. Have fun with your movements and play around with what can work for you; even if you're in a wheelchair, throw punches, learn to crawl on your hands (wear gloves if you're a germiphob), push yourself up the stairs whatever you set your mind to, there are possibilities.

Make the right choices of play; what I mean by that is getting into the mindset of not just blindly running around like a crazed lunatic (although there might be some entertainment in that) but learn your skills and be enthusiastic about it, don't try to rush things or feel like you are punishing yourself, live it up and practice with intent. Movement is beautiful but it takes time to learn, you can't be a master on the rings in one day or become an expert of Animal Flow in one week, it takes time and patience plus it's great to have an imagination and to block out those who say you can't do it or you're too old and need to be cautious. Make it work for you.

Speaking of play, I thought I'd play with the idea of challenging my favorite Avenger Captain America (Chris Evans) to do a unassisted handstand push-up. Calling out the man himself to do something I don't think he would do in everyday life since he's an actor and training while shooting a film as the good ole Cap. With this challenge i'am encouraging him to go that extra mile and add a small piece of element in his training. You can read about my challenge here. I believe he can do it and if he accepts my challenge I will donate $50 to a charity of his choosing. As a fan and a fitness nerd, I wanted to have a little fun and go do something a little off the wall and something I have never done. It would be a cool thing to do and since he busts his ass keeping the Cap character fit as a fiddle, let's up the ante and see if he can do one of the most difficult push-ups around. Hand Balancing is a powerful and fun way to be athletic and get super strong in the upper body, plus it doesn't hurt to get the legs worked too.

With that in mind, I encourage all of you to share this and help me spread this out to him and get his attention. I'm calling him out and holding him accountable by taking his physicality to an additional spectrum. He is a wonderful actor and there aren't too many movies left for him to play Steve Rogers possibly so let's make this happen while he still has a few films left in him. Let's give it a whirl and ask him the million dollar question....Chris, do you have the balls to take this challenge and do you accept or walk away?

Sign Up

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *