Mimic Real Animals In The Wild

Animal Exercise has become more of a trend lately than what they're really meant for. As humans, movement is a necessity but the right kind of movement gives you abilities that you can develop like when you were a kid. There are many variations of Animal Movements but very few courses ever really teach the closest mirror image of the movements themselves. Obviously we can't be as strong, agile or conditioned like an animal in the wild no matter how hard you try, however; we can be stronger in the long run if we used our bodies more nature like.

Let's look at the bear crawl shall we; the simplest animal move in the entire movement army that kids, Football Players, Martial Artists, Wrestlers and other sports have used this movement in their repertoire and had incredible results. You're on all fours, butt in the air and you run in that position, plain and simple yet one of the most humbling. These days, it has watered down to several variations that have nothing to do with its original purpose. I do like how it teaches people to coordinate their bodies and utilizing more of the brain in opposite arm/leg movement but the majority who teach it never go beyond that and putting more spins on it than a Nascar during the Indy 500. I understand everybody is different and need a way to move according to their structure and strengths but simplicity is key and overcomplicating it is not going to help in the long run.

Primate exercises are another form that is watered down. Get into a squat, place your knuckles/fists/palms to the floor and mimic a primate. Today, there's too many gymnastic style variations that it doesn't feel almost mirror like. If you can't do a full squat, do what's possible and progress. The flow can be beneficial but in order to get the most out of moving like a primate, learn to actually move in the best form possible. Sure there are areas of moving like a primate that are downright impossible for a lot of reasons but keep the simplicity and focus on areas that strengthen the tendons and ligaments, not so much on the muscles.

When you practice moving like an animal, it forces your body already to use many muscle groups all at once but once you get in the habit of moving and strengthening the tendons, things will fall into place. When I say mirror like, i'm talking the closest to a movement a human is capable of. Watering t down makes it more complicated than it has to be. Once you have the basics down, start training for certain elements, mainly your conditioning. Too many of us get out of breath fast just by standing up and walking down the street, what if we didn't have to do that and our breath is so smooth that walking a mile or more felt like nothing. For strength purposes, it's important to see it not from a weightlifting mentality but a way of seeing it as making it easier to get yourself off the ground, be able to move without your back tightening up and using the body as a tool and not a burden.

One of my favorite books that gets you into the realm of the animal is the book: Animal Workouts. It shows variations of animals in a progressive setting that comes as close to the real thing as possible for a human. It helps develop conditioning in a unique way and giving you that enduring strength that lasts. Having fun getting flexibility and agility that makes you feel like a kid again and having powerful legs that last. These can be done anywhere, any time and some exercises don't have you going more than a couple feet, mainly just being in place. I use these in my own training and feel incredible afterwards. Once you get into the cardio aspects, it doesn't take long before you're huffing and puffing, just the Bronco variations alone can have you down in less than a couple minutes. Most workouts don't need more than 15 minutes to get done but you can do them as often as you can muster and however long you want, your pick. The longest workout I did was nearly an hour and a half and that was fun but brutal.

Get in touch with your natural side and get in top shape moving like our animal brethren. No watered down variations, just a few simple movements that offer big rewards in return.

Intense Yoga Isometrics

Yoga as a system is very beneficial and has helped a lot of people especially those who have practiced DDP Yoga. From time to time, I'll partake in a DDP Yoga workout since it's the only method that interests me but as you know, I'm not the biggest fan of following along and keeping at the same pace as everybody else, not that I can't do it, it just doesn't feel right to be like everyone else. Going at my own pace in my own time frame is optimal for me and I perform better that way.

Isometrics are a crucial part of all Yoga systems as you hold certain poses or postures for a period of time before moving onto the next sequence but what if we added an element of isometrics that made the workout shorter but just as effective? Instead of just holding the pose, why not add some intensity to it by really pushing into the ground hard and breathing using the "ssss" sound. This would cut the posing parts down but still aid in developing strength in your tendons and ligaments.

Postures such as Warrior Pose, Downward Dog, Cobra & Plank can all be done with more intensity can have great impact on your overall strength. Imagine flexing the muscles for up to 7 seconds in those poses with concentrated breathing. The strength you'll have would be incredible. Try this out, during a few poses, flex hard and move onto the next pose. This also aids in speed and flexibility.

Don't do every pose in intense Isometric Fashion, just a few here and there and see how it feels. If you do intense Isometric Contraction for every pose, you will wear out fast and it can burn you out, take it easy and build up. A full workout of this magnitude shouldn't take more than 20 minutes. Make it one of those days where you want to be extra intense but have a fulfilling workout in your Yoga session like once a week and do your regular sessions the rest of the time or take a day off to recover. Whatever works for you. Who said you can't get strong in Yoga?

Workouts That Last Less Than A Few Minutes

Many people are pressed for time but still want to get some training in. It is said you need 30 minutes to an hour 3x a week in order to see results. We can spread that amount of time throughout the day but yet, there are things that get in the way especially if you have kids. Most of my workouts don't last more than 30 minutes at best. If you're determined to get fit, you'll find a way without needing to spend a ton of money. This is where bodyweight training is at it's finest and taking workouts that are intense as hell but only last less than 5-10 minutes. Some of these workouts can even be used as finishers to your regular routine but they'll get you in shape fast whether as a finisher or on their own

-10 Minute Combat Conditioning Workout

10 Hindu Push-ups

10 Hindu Squats

10 V-Ups

AMRAP w/ Little To No Rest


-5 Minute Leg Blaster

30 Seconds Lunges

30 Seconds Jumping Rope

No Rest


-6 Minutes Of Bliss

1 Minute Push-ups

1 Minute Hindu Squats

1 Minute Mountain Climbers

1 Minute Bear Crawls

1 Minute Punches

1 Minute Lunges

No Rest


Animal Dice Game

Choose your animals for your numbered dice and go for 10 minutes with your rest only to roll for the next animal, shouldn't take more than a few seconds.

If you have some equipment to use, they can add variety to your training. Here's a circuit I did last night and finished 10 rounds in just over 10 1/2 minutes with very little rest....

5 Slamball Slams

20 Sandbell Presses (10 Each Arm)

10 Hindu Squats

Simple workouts can create big results and the only things that's really required is an imagination and desire to get something done no matter what time you have. They may be intense but they aid your conditioning to a great degree and can get you fit in a short amount of time. If you're a beginner, cut the number of reps in half or thirds to start and work your way up, rest slightly longer and than cut the rest time. Do what you can and make something happen. Your results will come if you're consistent.

The Traveler's Alternative To Weights

It can be a royal pain in the ass to stay in shape while on the road, especially if you've stayed on with a solid weight training program. For all intents and purposes, the traveling you already do can't be easy so what could work to keep you in shape so you'll stay motivated? Resistance or Rubber Cables can be an excellent alternative to keep you energized, motivated and geared up for those long flights, crazy miles of driving in a car and switching out of hotels. The best cables on the planet today in my opinion are the Lifeline Cables. You can take these anywhere and don't have to put them in a checked bag, they can be an awesome carry on.

I don't recommend doing a heavy workout while on a plane and certainly don't condone while driving (There are some stupid people out there so I'm just throwing it out) but if you have a small window at an airport or want to get in something quick in your hotel room or by the pool, this can be extremely beneficial. Most of the time when I travel, I just do bodyweight exercises but if I want a better variety, I would at times bring my cable bag as one of my carry on items that's full of great ways to exercise. I've even brought with me an ab wheel that I put in my duffle bag and knocked out a set or 2 at the airport.

Sure you can get to a gym while traveling since there's more gyms these days than a herd of bulls but as you travel, it can be time consuming and if you're pressed for a meeting or want to go sightseeing with family, it makes things more difficult than they need to be. Not every hotel will have a gym on sight and there are towns where the nearest gym is 45 minutes or more. Yes there are some of those people who are as dedicated as you can get to get to a gym for about an hour or so but those are an extreme few. A great workout is using the TNT Cables where you can do what's called the 15/15 workout that has you doing 10 minutes of 15 seconds on, 15 seconds off of combining the Curl, Squat & Press; this is awesome for developing cardiovascular and muscular conditioning in a short amount of time. You can also use the door attachment to add pulling and chest pressing movements plus tons of other exercises with this set of cables.

Another awesome resistance tool is the Super Bands where it's just one big band that you can do curls, presses and squats to help you stay in shape and fits easily in a bag. Less than 15 minutes with this sucker and you're good to go. Imagine getting so much done in a short span of time and spend more quality time with the people you're traveling with or by yourself. The cost pans out greatly in the long run and these cables will last quite a while. Make the most of your training no matter where you are and being in shape anywhere you go. Have fun and safe travels my friend.

Animal Movement Vs Calisthenics

Exercise from a general standpoint can have healthy benefits and prolong your life to the degree where you can get injured less, have strength than the average person and carry out greater endurance but which area of exercise are you at? What area of exercise do most people gear towards when it comes to bodyweight? Animal Exercise or Calisthenics? In my opinion, most take on calisthenics which is the stationary style exercise system of push-ups, squats, sit-ups, pull-ups, jumps, handstands and other of the like. We learned calisthenics in P.E class or certain aspects of gym work but as oppose to yesteryear, calisthenics are a mark for business that tends to overload info on exercises that are beyond the basics for most to learn and the more advanced they are, the more divided it becomes.

Animal Exercises are simple and to the point by utilizing the mentality of mimicking wild animals. Unlike calisthenics where you're in a certain spot, you're moving about in your surroundings in a more natural setting; crawling, jumping, balancing and running. I'm not saying calisthenics aren't natural but today's calisthenics seem to be blown way out of proportion that we can't tell what's natural in that method of exercise. There are benefits to both and have a great deal of teaching the body how it handles itself through practice of pushing, pulling, squatting and using the core in ways you can't get from weight training. The majority of calisthenics training focuses on specific muscles while having the whole body engaged. Animal Movements in and of themselves focuses on every muscle in the body whether you're in a lower body or upper position.

Both have gone through transformations which can be both good and bad. The good is where we learn what we're capable of and transitioning from a certain exercise to the next and developing advanced forms of movement that separate us from a beginner to world-class athleticism and conditioning. The bad is where they overload the info and program the methods with different names, names of exercises and certain movements that the average person or world-class athlete shouldn't be doing. Here's the mindset I've seen in certain people; when you see a regular push-up, it's basic and shows that anyone whether beginner or world-class can do but it also looks boring as oppose to say a planche where the feet are off the ground and holding the body up with no more than the arms and being so flexed and balanced, it looks cool and something that doesn't seem possible at first.

Let's now transition to the bear crawl; simply get on all fours with your butt in the air and start walking around. We did this as little kids and when it came to sports, it was pushed even further by just running in that position in Football & Wrestling. As simple as it is, it can bring down the toughest athletes. Nowadays, the very same bear crawl has you having a more straight back, moving opposite arm and leg and not moving as fast. That's awesome for starting out and developing the body in a different manner plus making more use of the brain and nerve endings. I prefer the old school method and just go for a stroll or a sprint. How about the Pull-up, these days most don't learn how to even do a regular pull-up, they're either kipping or swinging their body up or trying too hard to transition from two-arm to one-arm and not considering the basic principles. Pull-ups whether you're new or have done them for years are hard as it is and just because you increase the reps doesn't make you a better practitioner, just means you're doing more reps.

The main point to this article is seeing not only the differences in each method but to show that with basic principles, both are very beneficial and to be careful of who teaches them because if someone barely teaches the basics, they're not doing their job right. I also believe in quality over quantity. Now with certain exercises, it may not look pretty but if you don't get injured and the quality you provide works for you it's still better than how many reps you can do. Most people won't do 500 reps of an exercise but if they do quality repetition that makes the reps have significance, that's really awesome. When it comes to animal movements, quality isn't a huge thing but has to do more with coordination. Repetition is useful but reps in this manner are geared towards taking steps or going a certain distance (Feet, yards, meters or whatever) and the better coordinated you are, the more you can keep going.

It doesn't look like it takes much strength to do animal exercises but it's a different kind of strength where just holding yourself up in a crawling position takes more strength than one realizes. Like the bear crawl, you're moving using your arms and your legs for a period of time. Now because you're moving at a certain clip, you're using greater strength in your arms because it's like using another pair of legs. We can run well and sprint and walk on our legs but if we were doing the same but with our arms, imagine the level of strength or in other words Conditioned Strength that you can have.

Although I prefer Animal Exercises over Calisthenics, both give tremendous benefits to our health and fitness but sticking to the basics goes a much longer way than any advanced movement. As we get older, our bodies won't always get the same effect and those advanced movements will at some point be virtually non existent. Yes, it is amazing to see a man or woman in their later years to advanced exercises but those who are in their 50's up until over 100 doing basic push-ups or squats, doing crawls with ease are far more awesome looking to me. Keep up with the basics and you'll be far better off, do advanced movements if you wish but the basics will keep you going longer. 

The Training Ideals Of The Wildman Training System

Not too long ago, I wrote an extensive review about Johnny Grube and his wildman philosophy in both training and in how he views the world from the way he writes. I got some heat from it especially from him from a comment he made and doing a counter write-up by going after me which I would expect from a guy like that. I'm not going to change how I feel about his over the top, psychotic and harsh rants but I do want to talk specifically about his training system.

Granted, not everyone who grew up in a blue-collar environment views the world the way this dude does but his philosophy on training is something I do have some admiration about. The way he trains is not fancy or fluff or full of BS but doing simple things and being as basic as you can get. I got into circuit training because of him and like how he makes workouts short and to the point.

Aside from his crudeness and lack of positivity, he brings up a lot of points to the training philosophy in today's world as oppose to yesteryear. Many people believe that in order to get fit, you have to train at this gym, do bodybuilding type of exercise and follow a magazine's way of working out but not everyone is cut out for that. Going to a gym can be a great thing for somebody but if you don't do the basics and be focused on the true aspects of exercise, you're not going to get the true results you're looking for. Bodyweight Training is a vast universe of exercise that relies only on yourself and Grube magnifies that philosophy. It takes guts to do hard style bodyweight training and doing kipping pull-ups and terrible looking burpees (if you really call those) aren't going to help you in the long run cause they will get you injured if you don't take care of yourself.

Grube is a strong dude, no question about it and does things on his own terms, I don't agree with almost anything he has to say but his training style is simple enough for everyone to understand once you get passed the bad spelling and all that jazz. He's in better condition than most guys half his age and he'll gladly tell you so in the most brutal ways. Do I think he's a little off his rocker, hell yeah cause for one, the way he talks about Blue-Collar life makes it sound horrible as opposed to someone like Bud Jeffries who grew up in a similar environment but chose a different path on he views the world and how to treat people. His way of training can look tedious and boring at times but overall, it gets the job done if you want to be in shape fast and continue to do so for years to come.

On a positive note, I believe in being in the best shape regardless of age and living with as less injuries as possible because let's face it, I want to play with my kids and grandkids when I'm older and sharing a fun game or teaching them about life through aspects of training to help them grow into people that this world needs. I'm not the biggest fan of push-ups but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to do them later in life and if it came down to it, I want to knock off as many as I can and still stay strong. I want to be in awesome shape in my 50's and beyond. I'll be 35 next month and although for older folks that's still young, it still isn't someone like in their 20's who can do a lot of things and not feel worn down. I love having great energy and part of the Wildman Training helps provide that maybe not the same intentions Grube looks for but making the most of what you have and being successful in your own life.

Johnny Grube is a brash hard ass but his style of training can turn you into a highly conditioned machine and whether we admit it or not, being in real world shape is a must regardless of your age and not to just lose weight and look like a greek god but to have something that can be useful and inspirational for others to learn for their lives.

Let The Hammer Fall

Every now and then, I'll get the urge to take out Big Bertha (59 lb. Sledgehammer) or the 30 lb. Thor Hammer and take down the tire with everything I've got. It's one of those workouts where you just need to get some aggression out and get in cardio that you just can't get from a treadmill or an exercise bike. Not that those aren't good but they don't have that factor where it's a combination of strength building, cardiovascular conditioning, tendon strength, muscle building and anaerobic effectiveness.

Sledgehammer Workouts have been around for quite a while and are a great addition for training used by fighters, wrestlers, strongmen and other athletes. They're a tribute to the manual laborers who bust their ass day after day hitting rock, stone and other things to break down and mold or taken out so something can be built. I admire guys like that and are in awe of the natural strength they possess. Slim The Hammer Man is a perfect example of this; worked 12-14 hours a day, 6-7 days a week at a rock quarry, breaking down stone and hauling it out and doing it for decades is a true testament to what real world strength looks like in the flesh.

For training purposes, you really don't need that heavy of a hammer to get in some serious training. I like heavy hammers and use them as a test of strength endurance but the lighter hammers (15-25) will give you a cardio workout that is out of this world and build muscle you can't get from conventional lifting. There are great ways to use the hammer but the most basic exercises the swing & thrust and just the thrust down movements, after one set of repetitions, switch hand grips and repeat the number of reps.

I did a progression system where I would take a deck of cards and use those for reps, once I completed the deck, I would add weight to the hammer. Now, not all hammers allow you to put in lead shot or steel shot and they're just a regular hammer. You can go out and buy a heavier hammer or you can use the same one and see how long it takes you to finish a workout with a deck of cards; my best time with the 30 lb. Thor Hammer is 32 minutes and over 90 minutes with Big Bertha. With a lighter hammer (under 25 lb.), a full deck can be done in less than 20-25 minutes.

Now on the topic of form since there are some Form Nazis out there, certain aspects of form changes the complexion of the exercise from a more strength based to a cardio based. So, if you did a lighter hammer and just do a more thrust down style, that gives off more of the cardio effect because you're just moving the hammer up and down at a fast pace; this is more my style and it makes the workout go by faster. For the Swing & Thrust movement, you can use a heavier hammer or a lighter hammer, either way, you're using more muscles in a rotational pull and thrusting it down which may lead to less reps but more of a strength exercise. With the 59 lber, I can't go anywhere near as fast with the Swing Style but that's not the point, the swing style is not really about speed but more technique based and focused on strength. You still breathe heavily just moving that heavy sucker but it takes more strength to swing a hammer of that size.

This isn't a fancy type of workout and isn't meant to be pretty, it is basic, straight forward and full of bad ass benefits. It can aid in fat loss, build muscle fast, tendons like steel cords, grip strength that of the charts and core strength that very few can match. You'll have endurance and stamina that is very unique and strength nobody would ever mess and more. For this type of workout, if I was serious about it, wouldn't be more than 3-4 days between sessions. If you do it for a living that's one thing but for training purposes, you need to recover efficiently otherwise you can really hurt yourself so do what's possible for you without risking major injury.

Get Your Own Sledgehammer Here.


Herb Of The Day: Spartan Formula

For Sledgehammer Workouts Check Out: Monster Conditioning- Sledgehammer By Bud Jeffries

Get pumped up for this kind of training by this kick ass band.....

Getting Summer Fit In A Fun Way

It's beautiful outside, time to hit the beach, soak up some sun, go for a dip and getting fit for these warm and sunny days. Getting beach ready may not be easy but it shouldn't be boring as hell either. Although it is important to be fit all year round, maybe you'd like to show off a bit, show the hard work you put into and get some heads turning. A great way to do this is by moving like a wild animal.

Animal Movements get you fit fast and with a good nutrition plan, you can make it happen. The exercises make you use your entire body as a unit and the more muscles you use in a movement, the greater chance of unwanted fat being burned and natural muscular definition comes into play. This is awesome especially for women who struggle getting weight down and want to have that tight fit body. This isn't about getting skinny, starving yourself and especially it isn't about trying to please anybody; it's about building confidence, having fun with the work you put into and having energy that is off the chain.

For us guys, it can be a struggle too but it isn't impossible. It doesn't take hours to do and certainly doesn't take isolating the muscles. Having that strong, powerful energy and magnetism is what a lot of guys want. But remember, it's not about developing tight abs, 20 inch arms or looking like a comic book character; it's about becoming athletic, strong in the places you need, conditioned to where tiring would take a long time and building muscle that is useful instead of a waste on looking pretty. I'm sorry but if you look fit and can't do jack shit on the important stuff, you're not making the real effort.

Animal Movements focus on the muscles that you normally don't use in the gym, just because you can curl good weight, doesn't mean your arms are strong enough to hold you up when needed. Bear Crawls, Crab Walks, Duck Walks, Tiger Crawls, Frog Jumps; those are what will give you the ability to use the body in the real world. Hitting the iron can do wonders no question but a 500 lb squat won't help you sprint or swim a lap without tiring. This is a different kind of strength training & conditioning and you can take it just about anywhere. What would it feel like to you to swim for extended periods of time, have less chances of getting injured and have muscle that actually means something?

For men, it develops natural muscle mass and strengthen your core, your ligaments and have a profound impact on your joints; for women, it develops a sleek and powerful body without bulking up or putting on unwanted weight, shaves fat off your tummy and lift your butt (Duck Walks, Frog Jumps, Lunges and Donkey Kicks develop a great butt), gives you real world cardio that you can't get from a treadmill and energy that just screams badass.

Crawl, Jump, Balance and sprint your way to being in the best shape of your life and the more you get into it, the more addicting it becomes. It doesn't feel like a workout, just playing. How long do you do it for? That depends on your goals and what you want out of it. Time wise, you don't need more than 30 minutes a few times a week, 4 times a week would be only 2 hours of real training, imagine how much time you'll be saving and being around the people you love, getting tasks done in the day and having fun. For beginners, 5-10 minutes is a great start and if your body can't do that yet, start with one minute and build from there.

Get your hands on the book Animal Workouts: Animal Movement Based Bodyweight Training For Everyone and get into the exercises slowly, do too much too early, it could hurt you so go at your own pace. You can also pick up, Animal Moves: How to Move Like an Animal to Get You Leaner, Fitter, Stronger and Healthier for Life for another variety of exercises that are fun, challenging and more structured.

Lost Empire Herb Of The Day: Hercules Pre-Workout Formula