Thursday, October 29, 2015

Do You Want To Feel Excited Or Full Of Negative Bullshit?

Some trainers say that training aught to be serious and if you're not strict about it, it means you're either not committed or you're being lazy. Granted I believe training shouldn't be taken lightly but be serious while having fun man. Being negative about exercise won't get you the results you want or they do and they turn you into a complete asshole. Being committed to training takes effort yes, however; it's much more pleasant when you create something out of it and not reduce to a drill sergeant kicking your ass on every fucking rep.

Fitness is not always about pushing the limits and going to extremes to get the results you desire. Real fitness is meant to make you not only stronger on the outside but the inside as well. I firmly believe in the power of Playful Movement such as in Animal Flow, MovNat and stretching to a various degree. Being playful stops the negativity of a strict structure and makes it an adventure where you learn to tackle the way you move that works for you, even in weightlifting sure technique needs to be a factor but how you imagine that lift and making it a reality makes it all worth doing instead of do this, do that and never having any fun.

I'd say fuck what most people think and learn for yourself, find creative ways to exercise. Create your own road map and live within your imagination because your results will come in even if it's a small fraction. Learn from people you believe to be awesome, screw the hype of all these retarted guys who think training should be a spectacle chalk full of broken promises and bullshit training advice. You are the real trainer, you get to decide what your workouts should be, not what some jackass tells you to do. I believe in people I've been trained by and worked with but I dont worship them like fitness gods because every person I've come into contact with has their own style so i'm entitled to have mine.

Excitement is a blessing and shouldn't be taken for granted, whether it's a hardcore workout or light and easy, work and play within your own element. Get that blood pumping full of adventure and have the enthusiasm for what could happen next because no matter how you go about, you're going to feel different one way or another, I live for this shit my friend and I want to live it on your own terms. I believe in you and you are a bad ass. Take that negative bullshit and dump in the trash can of that huge mind of yours and jump in with both feet on your next workout and feel the excitement of training.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

The Wild One

Fitness can be complicated these days. Not because of how you get results, it's the endless varieties of workouts, programs, challenges and the eagerness to be as fit as possible while setting a certain goal. The problem is over 95% of the ideal fitness trends out there are complete bullshit and full of Marketing schemes that promises results inside of a few weeks, hell some say even days; how stupid do you think we are? Truth is the general population is so gullible that even the coolest picture can bring them false hopes.

For over 18 years, I have gone through many changes in my fitness life/career; I've been through the ringer of a bodybuilding workout, I have scaled the heights of circuit training, I made 20 lb. Sledgehammers feel like Wiffleball Bats, even lost over 20 pounds at one point on a diet I decided to try out but the one thing that has stayed consistent with me all these years is the ability to experiment and practice what I'm interested in. I can honestly say in the near 2 decades of Fitness Training one particular method that I thoroughly enjoy is Animal Movements. It's because unlike most methods, moving like a wild animal doesn't have a strict structure that is built on something. It's based on creating your own style of training and becoming enthralled in your imagination as a wild beast from within.

Like any of those assholes that tell you in the fitness world I can say that Animal Training will get you trimmed and toned inside of six weeks or have the body of a god in 30 days, hell I'll even tell you that you'll run faster and become stronger than a Super Sayain (for you Dragon Ball Z Fans) within less than 14 days but I know you're not that dumb because you have read my articles and you have seen my enthusiasm for real results. The truth is when you move like a wild animal you may not get ripped or have muscles in places you didn't think were possible but I can tell you that you'll change not just physically but mentally as well. How long do results come in? Do you really want to know, are you so eager to find out that distinct answer that will have you say "Shut up and take my money"? Well my friend here it is....The results will come when they are meant to. You don't need to put in a ton of time to do them because they use more muscles and tendons than practically any other method but they need to be done for a good measure of time in order to get the results you desire whether they take a month, 8 weeks or half the year; be consistent and do them as often as you like and I promise you, you will see results and it will be insane.

Sometimes even if you're having a blast with animal movements it's good to spice things up and look at animal style moves in another light. That's why I love Animal Flow 2.0; it is a course that has you moving from one exercise to the next in a series of what are called Flows & Forms that not only get you strong but develop cardio and coordination at the same time. Learn various forms and develop your own workout with your own rules and customized program. You don't have to follow someone else's workout anymore and why would you; you can't move at the same speed as them and not all exercises are created equal plus would you rather do something that's fun and exciting than to feel punished or bored? Like I said before how you get results is up to you and how much time and effort you're willing to put in. For me less than 20 min a day to a few times a week is it because I do get winded doing these quickly which is what I like because I'm generating loads of natural growth hormone and my endurance goes through the roof, not to mention feeling like an 18 year old roids at 31 isn't too bad either. Are you a Wild One?

Go Wild my friends and kick ass. BE AWESOME!!!!

Ben

Friday, October 23, 2015

Animal Flow 2.0 Review

When something upgrades you have to learn some things over again in order to be efficient at that next level; fitness is no exception. There are different levels and styles changing daily and it's sometimes hard to keep up but not with Animal Flow. Unlike other systems where they make it a bit more complicated, this sucker provides simple strategies with stretches, flows, combos and transitions that can be used in any workout as oppose to just splitting them up.

I got in my first workout on it yesterday and oh man it felt incredible. Tried out some of the new transitions that incorporated some stretches and movements to create a combo that stretched every single muscle of my body and utilizing a greater form of the Crab & Beast was just unbelievable. It's not just an upgrade, it's a whole new experience amplifying an old set of tricks and training ideals that will surely get you in awesome shape and have killer cardio at the same time.

Mike Fitch of Global Bodyweight Training has taken a formula from the original Animal Flow and with plenty of experimentation, practice and physical observation he has created a new element of the system and channeled it's very core to seek not only new life but even better a greater outlook and simplistic way to have fun, learn the animal moves from another perspective and just pulverize your body using muscles you didn't think were possible to use. Just in that first workout took a lot out of me moving from one exercise to the next holding my entire bodyweight up in order to transition properly. My hips were unlocking, my abs were sore and my arms were on fire just doing three moves.

You will never be bored doing this kind of training and it won't take very long either. With practice and self progression you can get crazy fit and do things you didn't think were possible. When you watch and absorb the instructional videos it will amp you up to the point where you just want to get out and have fun with them. These are for people who want to have a unique training experience and have an adventure; if you're already using Animal Exercises, think of the level you will climb to just integrating some of the moves from Animal Flow 2.0. Don't forget to practice but also don't forget to have fun either.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Your Conditioning Is Your Greatest Asset

It's always good to be in great shape, even better when you can not only look amazing but have the strength & endurance to back it up. However; most people today refer one or the other when it comes to fitness. They only want to look good and use it to pick up women and women only want to look good for the most part because they think that'll land them a guy. I'm not being stereotypical but let's face it, only those who seek the outside seem to be the most shallow. I use to be like that (not so much shallow) but I wanted to look like my favorite bodybuilders; I read the magazines and tried various workouts but nothing seem to let me achieve my goal so I took it as a sign that maybe looking good only is too much of a pain in the ass plus my mind came to that while I was laying up with 2 broken legs.

Sure there's a lot of good looking folks out there with rippling abs, biceps that look like softballs and legs that just make some guys crumble when they see a hot chick. The problem I have with this type of thinking is that no matter how good you look if you can't back it up with real strength & stamina what the hell was all that training for. I believe in being fit to the point where you can handle certain things and still have energy left in the tank or have as much as you started with at the end of a workout. One of the all-time favorite quotes of mine came from a man named Karl Gotch who once said "Conditioning is your best hold." Although he was talking about wrestling it brings up a profound sense of worth no matter what sport you're in and you have an opportunity to learn and make use of your body for whatever obstacle or general areas where stamina may be needed whether in the workplace, traveling, holding seminars and other facets of life.

Train not only to look amazing but also do so at the expense of making yourself an unstoppable machine. This is where Darebee Workouts & Superhero Sprint Training fall into play. Each method has their own style of developing the body with simplistic strategies and giving you tips on how to use them for your goals. These methods can take up to no more than an hour but at minimum 10-15 minutes is really all you need. I did a Darebee Workout today called the Pirate's Workout (would've been fun having a costume on hand) where I did 10 sets of that workout in under an hour that had me pouring with sweat and feeling incredibly high afterwards. There were 9 Exercises that total up to......200 Fly Steps, 200 Cross Chops, 200 Climbers, 200 High Knees, 200 But Kicks, 400 Half Jacks, 200 Lunges, 400 Punches & 400 Side Leg Raises. That my friend is pure no bullshit conditioning that will have you in shape in no time and there are plenty of other circuits you can do. The Superhero Sprints are just as simple and slightly more hardcore where not only you do a circuit but you also do either Sprints (outside or run in place) or Burpees. Some circuits range from 3-4 exercises and they'll either be timed or do repetitions.

So whether you want to be in shape for sports, want to be in shape both inside and out or just feel like tackling something you've never done before, conditioning will be your biggest factor because if you can outlast more than your normal abilities; things will begin to change. You'll have a greater metabolism, you'll burn off unwanted fat, generate human growth hormone naturally and your recovery will be greater. Think and feel what it would be like to have crazy energy and how amazed your friends will be when you can do things that take more than a couple people to do. I got compliments from my own dad about my stamina and strength even though i'm bigger than he is (weight not height) when I use to help him carry firewood. Be able to hike up mountain trails with ease, keep up in your sport when others have dropped, swim longer at the beach without tiring, play with your kids, reach a new level of brain activity that can help you or your kid in school, take off belly fat like it was nothing and still be able to eat your favorite foods. It's all yours for the taking if you condition yourself. You'll be shocked at what you'll be able to do. Hell you may even outlast others half your age it is possible.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Superhero Conditioning For A Superhero Body

People love that rippling shape of muscles; the heavy thick Chest, Biceps like cannonballs, Columns of muscle of the spine, Legs that Tom Platz would be in awe of and abs with bump after bump of muscle with 3-4 each side. The problem is, most muscle building men and women don't realize that functionality is about as important as the muscles themselves. There is a thing as too much muscle which decreases functional movement and when muscles overpower the tendons and ligaments you're just a step on the curb away from an injury. We have these fantasies even in the last 10 years or so about being muscular like our favorite superheroes like Batman, Wolverine, Blade, Thor and others. 

It's not a bad thing to want to build your body like a superhero; matter of fact I highly admire it, as long as it doesn't compromise health and you have the ability to stay agile and flexible while being crazy strong and muscular. We have been o consumed over building so much muscle that too many people believe that's the only option; it isn't. We have resources around the net that are free full of ideas and strategies and there are courses out there that are relatively inexpensive worth more than you want to believe. I believe in the art of pure conditioning and training with high intensity to build real muscle. To build a superhero type body, you need to train the body with strategic type training in order to burn fat, gain quick muscle and increase metabolism. One of the fastest ways to do this is through Sprint Training. Powering up on Sprints burst the lungs and the rest of the body as it works in unison. 

Superhero Sprints give you these exact strategies using High Intensity sprint training mixed with circuits to not only burn fat faster but literally have it scream in agony like The Wicked Witch Of The West. Within an hour a week you can train your body in this matter and you may not be ripped in 6 weeks but you will change and it'll be super insane. Plus it's fun as hell; think of it as running like the flash, doing push-ups like Batman from Batman Begins and others. Training like a superhero and thinking like a superhero will get you the body you desire that is full of functional muscle and more. Trust me when I say this, very few methods bring you this kind of awesomeness. 

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Building A Realistic Natural Superhero Physique

Do you love Superhero movies? So do I. The action, the team-ups, the coolest characters come to life right out of the comics and in living color. Superheroes are our fantasies of being super strong and saving the day, taking on the baddies and winning battles that us normal people can't. Sad thing is like with every superhero, there's always a price to pay for doing what they do. Since the movies have brought these characters to life you have to wonder how much they had to go through to look like that hero. The workouts, the diet, the constant state of character they need to be in on set and being able to do it for years at a time. I don't care if you paid me half the film's budget, risking my health for fame isn't in my forte.

I admire what these guys do to make us fans come see them on the big screen and having us in awe of their charisma, heroism and fun filled ways for us to enjoy the movie but on the other side of the coin I feel bad for them to push themselves so hard to do their roles it's astounding. The thing that really pisses me off is that certain people like from the muscle magazines try to get other people to do what these guys do for film roles and it's plain old despicable and very pathetic on their end. It's the old adage of "you do this, you can get huge like your favorite comic book character." The trouble with that is, they're bringing a very unrealistic approach to fitness that can literally kill a beginner even attempting those kind of workouts even once.

A realistic approach would be to do workouts based on your level and progressing to higher levels but not so quickly it can possibly put you in the hospital. Getting fit is not a 3 month or 6 month gig like actors do, it's a life-long journey that will have results come in not always in the time you want them to. It takes patience, imagination, proper rest and food in order to even build a foundation. The training itself should be based on a custom made style that not only has incredible potential but keeps the trainee interested. I like imagination part, thinking into your mind what it feels like and the possibilities of building a superhero physique that is reasonable without the steroids and eating 5 steaks a day. I like the feeling of training like Cap or Thor hell even Spiderman but let's be realistic here, getting huge or slim doesn't take just working out and eating properly, it's all in the mind first and believing in what you're doing but not so much as costing your health to make it happen.

People like shortcuts which to me is why our society has turned to shit. It's all about getting this or that done as quickly as possible and screw the consequences. Feeding you info on how to look like a Mr. Olympia in 6 weeks or you can have the body of Superman in just 30 days; that is a pure marketing ploy and 99.9% of the time is complete bullshit. I use to be a heavy fat kid, at 13 I was 5'4 20 bucks shy of 200 pounds with no muscle to show for and I ate crap pretty hefty of the time, by the time I was 20 I wasn't anywhere near where I wanted to be and I did all the weight lifting, the running, throwing shot put, sprints, push-ups, squats you name it; I even at one time was taking Met-RX supplements to help build muscle and still didn't look like my favorite bodybuilders and superheroes like Batman and Blade. After my accident I made a choice to stop trying to build a physique from the outside and build myself from the inside first, developing mental strength to have the courage to walk again and push myself to my tendons stronger.

After 10 years of everyday training I still don't look like my favorite bodybuilders and heroes from when I was younger but I'am however in the greatest shape of my life at 31, 255+ pounds of near solid muscle, conditioned my tendons to bend steel and rip phonebooks, have the endurance to withstand some of the most grueling workouts and have the strength to move a near 60 pound sledgehammer hitting a tire for over 1000 reps. I didn't build this body over a 6 month period, it takes years of self discipline and the awareness of knowing how you work physiologically, emotionally and knowing when to back off every now and then. Friends of mine have done things in a similar way and never thought that only doing 6 months was enough for them hell even 30 days, it was years. So stop reading into that bullshit about getting ripped so fast you'll blink and it's there or having a hulk like body in under 3 months of a powerlifter's routine.

A physique is more than the look, if you fuck with it it will bite you in the ass if you do bad things to it. To build a realistic superhero physique is to nurture the body, challenge it in order to progress but at a pace that fits your level of fitness and getting better even by the smallest fucking fraction. I don't use the "no pain no gain" method to make my body the way it is, I train according to what I know about it and make the effort to be as fit as possible in the most natural ways possible. Want to have a superhero body; earn it with sweat, good food, basic exercises, rest and using your imagination to make yourself better for you and not someone else. Train with real effort and believe in yourself.

Monday, October 12, 2015

A Taste Of Old School Pro Wrestling Conditioning

Back in the day before WWE was the major king of wrestling promotions, you had territories spanned across the country in practically every state plus some around the world like in Mexico, Japan, Europe, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and parts of Africa & Asia all had rosters filled with wrestlers. You had promoters, bookers, ring generals and of course a champion of that promotion even though the NWA of the time was considered the company where you had one world champion. Behind every wrestler that comes in, there is someone who trained them before promotions came calling.

When it comes down to it, forget the aesthetics, the high flying stuff and the brawling; if you don't have the strength & stamina to stay with the other guys you're working with you have no business being in the ring. Some champions took on hour long Broadways that kept people on the edge of their seats and today it's somewhat of a lost art. Can you imagine the conditioning it takes to go hard night after night let alone any good match for 10-20-30 minutes or more. When it comes down to guys who can go hard for nearly any time in the ring and still have reserves are guys like Lou Thesz, Brisco Brothers, Ric Flair, Ted Dibease, Ricky Steamboat, Harley Race, Bruno Sammartino, Karl Gotch, Billy Robinson and a few others including Kurt Angle & Bret Hart. Some trainers rely on getting his students in the best shape possible just to be able to handle himself in the ring whether it's taking bumps, high spots, chain wrestling or whatever the case may be so they put them through workouts that would make most men even at a world class level cringe.

The point I want to make here is if you want to be in awesome shape, it's going to take more than a few rinky-dink exercises that will have you look like a greek god and trust me if you can't back up your training by only looking good you have no business telling people how to train. It's going to take you going beyond certain limits and really take on a mentality most would call "insanely dangerous."Conditioning ideals when it comes to pro wrestling is bonified circuit training that has you repping totals in the triple digits of an exercise. Most people would be considered crazy doing this but as Karl Gotch use to say "Conditioning is your best hold" imagine the type of energy you can use in the sport you're playing or having insane endurance and strength in your workouts. When it comes to circuits I call on Darebee.

Some of these circuits based on their theme and set of levels you can achieve it makes me think of what Pro Wrestlers would go through in order to achieve that green light for the promoter or trainer to say "yeah he's ready." Like some of the Superhero type circuits such as Batcave, Justice Served, Ivy, Loki and even Black Widow will have you doing up to 10 sets of 1 circuit which for example would be something like from the Strength Of Asgard Thor Workout: 200 Squats, 200 Lunges, 400 Side To Side Chops, 200 Climber Taps, 100 Push-ups, 200 Shoulder Taps, 200 Sit-ups, 200 Seated Twists & 200 Get-Ups; that's nearly as close to a Pro Wrestler's Conditioning Workout you will get. Talk about being crazy fit, you will look awesome too but your conditioning can be right up there with some World-Class people. Even if you have no ambitions to be a wrestler or athlete you can still progress up some serious fitness and outlast your friends or even your gym buddies. It's up to you but think about it and progress at your own pace. No one will be able to do these at first and Level 1 might be very difficult to achieve at first, take your time.

Friday, October 9, 2015

Time Crunching Circuits

Wasn't a fan of Circuit Training until I got into the Darebee Workouts. I'm not saying they're the end-all-be-all method but they have a place in fitness even when you don't have a lot of time. There's always that notion about needing a half hour of cardio and an hour of weights three times a week when clearly for most people who work and have families it's impossible at times; the fitness magazines tell them there aren't a lot of options which in fact there are.

The purpose of training a circuit is going through one exercise after another until you have completed one round. Some of them have as many as 4-10 exercises and you do as many rounds as possible or a certain amount depending on the goal. Crossfit thrives on circuit training but many exercises are too difficult for the average person and could end up in the hospital. If you're a decent level of fitness and have a firm grasp of the mechanics of an exercise circuits are great. However, circuits do rely on speed and not resting until an entire circuit is done. Circuits can do used in many ways and the biggest factor is conditioning.

What Darebee provides is circuits that have basic movements preferably in the Bodyweight department and give you a certain set of levels that determines your fitness level and how much rest you can use. Personally I like to rest as long as needed but every now and then to amplify my energy is to just keep going until I reach a certain level. For a beginner Level 1 is quite a feet as most circuits carry from 6-9 exercises at a time; Level 2 would be someone who's fairly fit and can go pretty hard; Level 3 is a conditioning maniac and someone who should be a world-class athlete. I'm not one to judge everyone has their own levels and at times I go beyond Level 3 just for the fun of it.

Here are a few circuits you can do that take no more than 20-30 minutes which you can do anytime anywhere.....Don't worry ladies you're included too.





As you can see, the workouts depending on the levels can be easy or as brutal as you like. Talk about time crunchers. Some of these workouts can be done through H.I.T using only 4 exercises and do them tabata style or one minute each until the circuit is completed doing as many as 15 rounds. I use circuits like these for my Superhero Sprint training three times a week doing sprints or burpees for 30 sec. or more than do a circuit until I have completed the amount of circuits and sprints resting as long as I need to after each circuit or set of sprints/burpees. Be creative and listen to your body. These can be a lot of fun and picture being your favorite hero/villain training hard for your goal. You a martial arts fan, they got tons of those; movie characters too plus superheroes how cool is that. Get away from the boring training like you're in hell routine and make an adventure out of it. Practice good form and breathe naturally as you move throughout a circuit.

Here's a total of the Batman Workout when you can do all ten sets...

200 Squats

400 Punches

100 Jumping Lunges

100 Push-ups

200 Shoulder Taps

200 Slow Climbers

100 Sit-up Punches

100 Leg Raises

100 Seated Twists

If that doesn't get you in top condition you can just shoot me now, that's 1500 total reps in a workout that's insane. You can be extremely fit from these workouts and never need to pay for the gym again. The only profit you get on free training is the body you have built for yourself and challenged the fitness naysayers that bodyweight training is only good for endurance. Guys in sports will go nuts over these like UFC Fighters, Pro Wrestlers, Football Players, Olympic Athletes, just about anyone who is willing to challenge themselves. Get your training in the best way you can and if you want to save money, here you go. 

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Training At The Happiest Place On Earth


On those rare occasions when you find someone not training in a gym or the woods, in a barn or hell next to the damn beach but in an amusement park? How and why would anyone want to work out there. Truth of the matter is why not? The fact of the matter is it is one of the most oddball things to do other than rides, getting little toys and taking pictures with favorite characters. How would you even begin to exercise at such a place better yet at the mecca of amusement parks Disneyland? Well my friend here are a few tips to where you can burn calories and get in decent shape at Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom.

First off it is one of those really weird things to do and what can you do without anyone suspecting you or making weird gestures? Here's what i've done in my own experiences that have inspired workouts outside the park I use to this very day...I've held Handstands at both parks (California Adventure included) and have done power walks all over the place and even had a hell of a time stair climbing at Tarzan's Treehouse. Who needs a stairmaster in Orange County when you can go up and down the Ape man's pad. How about wall sits while waiting in line to build leg strength and endurance while maintaining good joint health for your knees and ankles. The very best method in my opinion is Isometrics. They are the perfect system because while you're in line waiting for that bad ass ride whether it's Pirates Of The Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones, Star Tours or whatever you choose to go on; lean up against the wall and press into it with your hands, forearms, legs whatever and all the while no one even realizes what the hell you're doing. Think what would be awesome for being in line say a good 15-20 minutes and you can get an entire workout in within that?

The fact of the matter is, you literally have no excuses and say you have no time to exercise. I've been to Disneyland multiple times in my life and only on a few trips I discovered how to get my workout in for the day other than walking all day. You can do dips at various benches all over the park, Do squat sits in various lines, grip different props within the confines of the ride, do isometric pushes and pulls on the handles of Splash Mountain, Press your feet onto a box in line of Roger Rabbit's Car Ride, do chest presses in new Orleans square I've even done arm exercises while riding Peter Pan, Isometrically pressed against the legs riding its a small world. There are endless possibilities, the only limit is your imagination. I'am telling you without thinking twice about it there are possible ways to exercise in the Happiest Place On Earth and nobody will ever notice and if they did who cares, you're not hurting anyone however I wouldn't be too hasty to do Push-ups smacked in the middle of the Jungle Cruise or do sissy squats around Mr. Toad's Wild Ride but yet creativity is in your grasp.

Here's something to think about; the next time you book your trip, make it a mission to do some form of exercise that doesn't have to be in the hotel room or a gym but in the park itself. After say a good hour of walking around, go in line to a ride that's roughly in the 30 minute range and do nothing but Isometrics ever so often every 5 minutes doing at least 3-4 exercises ranging from a chest press to wall sits and see how you feel once you get on the ride. Adapt your exercising on every line you're in. Play a game like say whenever you see a certain character more than once do 5 push-ups somewhere that won't make a scene, taking a picture with a character and doing 10 squats in a near by area afterwards. Whenever you see Jack Sparrow on Pirates flex your biceps ten times while sitting in the boat. Very awesome things to do while having a good time and if you're in line it passes the time faster than you originally thought. Be creative and have that no excuse attitude on your next adventure to one of the most amazing parks in the world.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Are Warm Ups And Cool Downs Really That Important?

In P.E we are taught to stretch before we exercise as a warm-up to the muscles and let them get heated before hitting it hard at whatever it was you were going to do that day. The gym applies the same principles and when it comes to cool downs; same thing you stretch at the end. Believe it or not, stretching or basic western style stretching can do more harm than good and it's not always a good idea to get injured before you train. I believe in loosening up the joints more than the muscles because if the joints are better prepared, the muscles will have a better chance at making your workout that much more efficient.

I'm not an expert at anything but after nearly 20 years of experience in fitness I have the right to a opinion on what makes workouts more efficient or not. I want the workout to go as quickly as possible without losing form and staying at a consistent pace. Breathing is a major factor and how you breathe can make you or break you in your training. Yes I believe some good solid stretching is good but don't take so damn long you don't want to go full bore in your workout. I rarely if ever "warm up" anymore because I listen to my body as I train, I don't separate a little routine just so I can be prepared. Everyone works differently and some need to stretch before training if they're inflexible, in the beginning stages or need to build a foundation before doing anything remotely hardcore. A lot of exercises I perform have stretching automatically like Bridging, Animal Exercises, VRT and other methods of training. Now if you're a maniac and lift heavy fucking weight often and need to stay mobile yes you should stretch before and after training usually for recovery purposes not for the sake of being able to touch your toes.

Cool downs are usually a form of stretching or "extra" training to recover from the hardcore workout you just put yourself through and I have mixed feelings towards that. One way I look at it is that if you stretch too much after training and not understand the concept of deep breathing and naturally stretch you can pull muscles that can affect your next session and you won't be able to go the way you'd like to. On the other hand; if you can make a habit of breathing deeply and letting the body relax as you move or stretch after a workout this can be a great asset to your overall training because you're giving your body the recovery it needs and give it that little edge to make your next session even more bad ass than the next.

So are warming up and cooling down really that important? Yes and no depending on the type of training you do and the essential recovery you need to proceed to the next workout. Better yet, make your warm ups and cool downs part of the workout itself as you loosen up then hit it hard than relax and be loose, almost like moving meditation. I train every single day whether for 5 minutes or an hour and I have not had any major injuries or issues that are worth going to the hospital for and my flexibility has actually gotten better as I got older since I do hardcore type workouts and recovery workouts where I practice deep breathing and qi gong to stimulate blood flow and give my muscles and joints some relaxation type exercises which helps me stay in awesome shape no matter what I do. This works for me so whatever you wish to do make it work to your advantage and stay as injured-free as possible no matter what method you do; if you do things that are a set-up for injury it's best to avoid that method as much as possible. I believe in long-term training and being able to do things that save me from torn shoulders, ripped tendons, shattered bones (had enough of that in my lifetime) and doing what I love to do. Training is a lesson that you learn every single time you do something for a period of time; something to think about.


Friday, October 2, 2015

Superhero Muscle

In the comics we have some of the most powerfully sculpted and muscular physiques in the realm of fiction. The power of Thor, the athleticism of Captain America, the gymnastic body of Batman and even the v-shaped muscle powered Superman. Muscles have been the defying moments of man and how stature has been the key. However; muscles these days have become controversial because of steroid use and the big thing of Bigorexia (the need to build more and more muscle despite the cost of health). There is still hope on building real and functional muscle in a variety of ways. Weightlifting, hard hitting calisthenics, lifting odd objects and possibly the most intense of them all Sprint Training.

I've always been fascinated with muscle building since I was 13 but up until learning about sprinting, I feel it is one of the very best when it comes burning fat, increased metabolism and age defying qualities that develop the very best in the human body. When you combine the elements of Superheroes and Fitness that is a very powerful and creative idea to instill motivation and bring to life one of exercise's most intense form of training. What would it feel like to have the body of the Flash or Gambit, Spider-Man and other heroes?

Shaping the body is not meant for Isolation but utilizing the whole body as if it was one piece. Hill Sprints are by far the greatest method for incredibly fast fat burning but not everyone has a hill nor can they train in very hot or cold weather so there has to be a solution. That's where the Superhero Sprints System comes in handy where it teaches not just how to sprint out in the fresh air but also inside as well. Want to lose weight, build muscle and increase your metabolism and only train up to 60 minutes a week? Superhero Sprints is there. Build real muscle that not only looks awesome as hell but also be just as strong and athletic to boot.

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