Numbers For Step Ups

 The number 500 seems to be the "gold standard" for certain exercises, mainly bodyweight like Squats and such so why have such an arbitrary number? Karl Gotch believed 500 Squats was to get into the door even though some guys were doing far more than that at one point like up to 1000 or more. He himself could do that in his sleep, I never truly understood it but it has been the go to number in many wrestling schools like Verne Gagne's camp back in the day when guys like Flair & Steamboat trained under him. 

For someone like Bob Backlund who was doing bodyweight stuff and weight training throughout his career, forgot more about conditioning than most people will ever know but his true calling when it came to Fitness was the Step Ups & Ab Wheel. He would do hundreds of either one with ease almost daily and is still considered to this day one of the most conditioned athletes of any era and he's in his 70's. I like the Ab Wheel and have done hundreds of reps myself but the Step Ups are a godsend of an exercise. In my opinion, it's not how many reps you can do, it's really how long can you go. Backlund could go for an hour or more if he felt like it, for me, 30 minutes to an hour is more than enough lol.

Once I set a goal for myself to do high reps, I just went for time from then on. Sometimes I'll see how many reps I can do in a certain amount of time or just pick a number and go. I don't go for more than 1000 in a workout and the fastest time for me was about 41 minutes. In most workouts whether in a row or over the course of a workout, 500 Step Ups or more seems to be the norm and I get more out of that than doing 500 Squats. In reality, 500 Step Ups is really just a number that just happen to be a certain standard that I made for myself, I never found in my research someone doing 500 reps in a workout as a number someone has to achieve to make anything worthwhile, it was just a choice. 

In my Dopa Workouts (10% OFF using Discount Code POWERANDMIGHT), I would superset the band with bodyweight Step Ups or do an exercise for a few minutes and then do sets of 25-50 per leg of Step Ups. In 3 workouts for example, the numbers came out to 500-800 Reps total. Some days, I just do Step Ups for one workout and do other the things at different times in the day. When I do circuits that are inspired by Darebee, I would substitute the squats with Step Ups and end with 300 or more total reps at the end. When I do Step Ups for time, some days I'll do 10-30 minutes and just go with it. My fastest 500 in a row was around 23 minutes and that was doing a countdown. When I do 1000, I'll use my deck of cards for that workout. 

I don't have any desire to go for hours like Mr. Backlund because for one, ADD and two, I don't want to so damn high that I can't even think straight the rest of the time. I want to do other stuff too and enjoy being in the moment and not stare at the ceiling. Is there really a "Gold Standard", not really because everybody is different and it's important to have a variety to do. If you want to do 100 one day, 300 the next or 500 or more, that's up to you, do what you can for that day and know you got something in. This is probably the only exercise now that I like to do 100's of and feel happy about it, others whether for upper body or lower body is really roughly 100 or more and don't go beyond a couple hundred if that. 

Step Ups can be done with bodyweight, with weights, a weight vest, a backpack; they can be done slow or fast. They strengthen the legs, less impact on the knee joints, great for conditioning for any sport. They are truly underrated and have enormous benefits for your health. Get in some Step Ups today and have fun with them, not ready for high reps yet? That's ok, start with small numbers and work your way up, don't rush it and be mindful. They will test your conditioning that's for sure. Be amazingly awesome.

Step Ups And Their Use Over Squats

Conditioning can be done in many ways but the difference between a "gold standard" and something that you prefer over can be in a heated debate but it all boils down to what gives YOU the best benefit. For years off and on, I would do the Hindu Squat, sometimes in high numbers depending on what I was doing like doing them in the hundreds in a row or doing them in a circuit inspired by Darebee type training. It got to a point where being interested in them and benefiting from them were dwindling to just another exercise.

Doing hundreds of Squats was beneficial but as time went on, it didn't have that great of a crossover with me anymore, I still do them but no where near the amount of reps I use to do and I don't have a dogmatic approach or this NEED to do them. That doesn't mean they can't be beneficial to others and if they love doing them and it keeps them in awesome shape, that's fantastic. I love it. They're an essential exercise, that's never going to change but they're not the end all-be all to leg training. 

When I started doing Step Ups a few years ago, I just wanted to see what I can do with them, yes they're "easier" than Squats, but they became something more for me. I was falling in love with them, they kept me motivated, strong, conditioned and didn't have a soreness or weird feeling in my knees or my ankles. Doing hundreds of them was actually fun to do and I love the feeling of going up as if ascending a ladder or to a higher form of physicality. They felt far more natural than the Squats did. 500 Squats felt like a chore after a while and even felt like if I didn't do them whether high reps or not that I was disowning some physical culture god or it was an insult to wrestlers of Japan & The Middle East. I had to get out of that mindset, with the Step Ups, 500 or more reps felt amazing, euphoric, natural and it kept me going throughout the day. They filled a greater sense of purpose than the Squats ever did.

When it comes to Squatting, I would rather hold a Horse Stance or a Deep Squat for mobility than knocking out reps because for the most part that's really all they are and if I don't have the motivation to do them and they're a chore, that could spell disaster. I would also prefer Duck Walks or the Bigfoot Walk over Squats because I get more benefit out of them and they're a hell of a lot more fun to do. Squats do still serve a purpose for me to an extent because I like to do them in addition to the Step Ups like my Deck Of Cards leg workouts you've read about. That gives my legs greater sense of fitness than doing just one or the other.

In a nutshell, I do believe Step Ups are better than Squats because of certain factors but that's really an opinion, some might take offense to that but that's their issue and they can come up with all the reasons why Squats are better and the "If you ain't squatting, you ain't training" bullshit but it's not going to change what Step Ups have done for me in terms of keeping me fit and has a greater crossover in my life. Squats have their place and there's various forms of them that are great but in my opinion, the Step Ups have better carryover to certain aspects of life than Squats do. Sorry not sorry but it's true. 

Here are my reasons why Step Ups are better than Squats.....

1. Greater factor for balancing out weaknesses in the legs

2. Doing high reps and not feeling sore for a week

3. They strengthen the legs that are great for hiking, going up flights of stairs and more

4. Still get a solid amount of muscle building while developing muscular and cardiovascular endurance

5. Bob Backlund 

6. They're a unilateral strength builder 

7. They can be used for any sports conditioning program including Wrestling and MMA

8. Takes the pressure off the low back

9. Better carryover to the real world like labor work

10. Far more underrated and less appreciated. Squats have a reputation both good and bad and has greater research than the Step Ups.

Step Ups from my point of view are a backbone exercise that in comparison to the Squat, seems invisible and not seen as great while the Squat sits on a throne acting like it's hot shit. Step Ups truly are a part of Fitness Royalty and has more of a Black Sheep vibe or something living in the shadows while the Squats has the glory. When it comes down to it, these two titans should be a TAG TEAM that work together in unison, not a stigma to what's better than the other. It's like Triple H & Shawn Michaels, they're bad ass as individuals and do very well on their own level but together, they made magic and were defining factors during one of the greatest eras in pro wrestling. That's what the Step Ups & Squats should really be about, creating magic that defies the norm and whether together or on their own, they have awesome benefits. 

Yes I do love Step Ups more than Squats, I've annoyingly showed that LOL but they're both essential and have great benefits for many people and it's time we ended the bullshit about one or the other on the big picture spectrum. Do both or one or the other, it doesn't matter, what matters is what benefits YOU the most, not the societal norms claim or the dogmatic approaches with a hint of debate wars. 

Be amazingly awesome and train for you. 

Dopa Band Conditioning Workout

 Yesterday, I did one of the most intense workouts I've ever experienced and if you know how intense I can be, that's saying something. It was one of those workouts that has that inspiration from Wrestling and testing my mental toughness to the point where I just needed to see what I can continue to do to keep going.

This particular workout was divided into two parts (all together did my best to rest as little as possible where I only really marked off the set) with doing work with the Dopa Band and Step Ups just using my bodyweight. The Step Ups provided a cardio element while the Band was done with explosive movements and fast paced work. It was so intense that by the end, I thought my heart was going to rip out of my chest. Did a total of three exercises with the band and 2 supersets of exercises were added in to really tackle my conditioning and mental toughness.

Here's how it went down....

-Dopa Training & BW Step Ups

Alt Waves x 15/15 For 10 Rounds

4x50 Step Ups (25 per leg) = 200

Superset 1

Alt Rows x 50 (25 Per Arm) 

Step Ups x 50 (25 Per Leg) 

4 sets totaling 200 of each exercise 

Superset 2

Run/Sprint & Slam 20 lb Slamball (video below) x 10 

Step Ups x 50 (25 Per Leg) 

4 sets totaling 40 + 200

Total of 600 Step Ups during the workout.

So as you see the first part was just doing a timed exercise for several minutes and than going into Step Ups, the next segment was the Supersets. The second superset just about killed me as I was literally doing a sprint to the slamball and then picking it up and slamming it repeatedly until I hit a number of times and then doing step ups immediately afterwards while my lungs were still on fire. Only by marking off the set and getting back into position was my only rest and pacing myself with both exercises tested me in a way that I haven't experienced before.

This was the type of training that isn't meant for beginners and it takes on another level that was just unbelievable. I have no clue how I'm not sore AF today. It was hard and even for me, I wouldn't do it again any time soon because this wasn't something I had planned, I did it because I wanted to see if I could do it. This was more of a challenge than anything. This was probably the closest to a workout outside of wrestling that was so damn crazy, you'd have to have a sadistic mind to even try it. It was explosive, exhausting and it nearly put me on my ass. No question wrestlers have done workouts far worse than this but I'm proud that I was able to do it. 

I don't recommend you do this if you're not in shape or new to training. I would also say, be sure you're flexible and loosened up your joints because your whole body will come into play and you don't want to tear something especially in your knees or ankles. It's hard, it's rough and it doesn't care who you are, if you're still standing there's something to write home about. 

To get an idea of the Run/Sprint & Slam, here's a 30 second video of doing only 5 reps of the exercise which is more than enough for most in and of itself, adding onto it is just part of the nastiness. You will sweat, you will think about quitting and you will discover something you didn't know was there. If you're a wrestler or a world class athlete, you may find this workout tickling your feathers a bit. 

6 Min Isometric Workout

 Experimenting is part of the fun when it comes to fitness and exercise. You learn what works and you find out where you are when it comes to being in shape. Isometrics are a hell of a way to get in shape and will test your strength and durability if you do them right. Isometrics can also be a test of your cardio cause if you hold for a certain amount of time like 30 seconds to a minute or longer, you may find yourself breathing hard quick.

Most workouts shouldn't take too long, you do what you need to do and move on. You can also do micro workouts or shorter workouts throughout the day like doing a few push-ups and squats in between commercials, do holds, punches, kicks, burpees or do a sequence for a few minutes like a Flow using Animal Exercises and so on. Sometimes I like to do a 5-10 min workout of supersetting a mid push-up hold on my fists and a horse stance back to back doing a 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off going back and forth until those 5-10 min are done, it's a hell of a workout.

This morning after some meditation, I wanted to try something different for an isometric workout. I wanted to see how I would do with supersetting 1 min. Iso Push-ups On Fists (5 sec plank, 5 sec mid hold repeated for 1 min) and a 1 min Horse Stance for a few rounds. Managed 3 and it was pretty tough, struggled a bit on the Iso Push-ups on the last round but made it through. Short Workouts can be intense as hell even though you're not doing a whole lot but a whole lot is going on. With this workout, you're hitting major muscle groups and as a superset, you're working on your conditioning as well. Try even 1 round and see how it feels, many aren't able to do it. 

6 minutes doesn't seem very long and it really isn't but when it comes to Isometrics, it'll feel like hell on earth and you're having issues holding positions that really tackle the tendons and ligaments while strengthening the muscles throughout the body. They toughen you up and give you some awesome speed and power that you don't get with other exercises. Overall, in the words of Elmo from Vision Quest "It's not just 6 minutes, it's what happens in those 6 minutes." 

Be amazingly awesome and test yourself out on different workouts to learn what YOU are capable of.   

Flex Friday

 Every now and then, I'll post up my progress and show off a bit of my results. It's never a bad thing to show what you've accomplished as long as you're being humble about it and not act like a dick thinking you're hot shit. It's never easy building muscle and your body reacts differently to various types of training. I'm proud of what I've obtained and doing my best to keep at it. That's all you can do right?

Results are what you've put into it and the outcome is what it is. I've never wanted to really look like a bodybuilder and quite frankly I don't have the discipline to look like some monster out of a comic book, I'd rather look like the old timers or at least a rugged guy that can go if needed. I didn't really start putting on any real muscle till I was in my 20's because as a teenager, I was strong in some things and did shot put and discus but I looked pretty normal and didn't have much muscle to write home about. 

As great as my results have been for me at least, I don't believe I've even peaked yet. For the most part, I just do my best to stay in shape so I can do things with my wife, friends and family like going on hikes without tiring, swim and play with my nephews in Tahoe, chop wood, play basketball, play the animal dice game with one of my nieces, climb stairs without getting blown up, go on walks, being flexible and mobile and other things. I train to enjoy life as much as possible cause this is the only one we have. 

To tell you the truth, it's not easy for me having a picture taken. As long as I can remember, there was a picture taken at every damn get together with my family on my dad's side. From family photos to random moments in time, someone took a picture of it. Most of the time I didn't smile cause it just didn't seem to work in a lot of cases, being self conscious is a bit of an understatement. I didn't start really being comfortable with my pic being taken until about 10 years ago or maybe later when I started showing my results or taking a pic with friends. My smile didn't even really come out until we took engagement photos and our engagement party. Actually now that I think about, my wife was truly the one who brought out my smile. 

When it comes to my results, I do my best to find a good angle and go with it and if I smile, great if I don't, I don't fret about it. I don't have a pretty physique, shit I'd rather look like a prime Arn Anderson or a 50's Dick The Bruiser (names you normally don't see on here). With the weight loss however, I think I've got better definition and my shoulders pop a bit more but I'll take what I can get and keep improving. 

I do love having muscle on me though, I've never been shy of that and it has protected me for a long time, kind of hard to pick on a guy up close who's got some beef on him. I bounced once for a band I knew and nobody tried me, I can handle a mosh pit as much as the next guy and going to downtown Santa Cruz at night when the crazies, hookers, pimps, gang bangers, homeless and junkies were as common as a corona, never once got jumped or robbed and the majority of the time I was walking around with no back up. Around here, it's a lot more subtle and peaceful. Don't have to worry at all cause unless you're in Spokane, WA it's not as nuts as it was when I lived in California. I don't recommend testing any theories though but it's nice to feel safe when you don't look like a bean pole or a guy that seems skittish in a weird neighborhood. 

I believe in training to not always look like a Greek God (if you wish to do that, awesome but no one around this type of blog is looking for modeling jobs) but to train so you can handle yourself if needed and have enough muscle that is tough and not brittle. Strong tendons and ligaments should always be a priority but it's not so bad to have some old school muscle on you either. 

From Isometrics to Dopa Training, Hammer Work and Animal Exercises, there's something you can do to keep yourself in top condition so you can live the best life. Keep being amazingly awesome and train accordingly. Don't forget to punch in POWERANDMIGHT for your 10% Discount at Dopamineo and get some of the best resistance bands on the market today.    

Taking The Duck Walk To Another Level

Experimenting and trying various exercises is always fun for me because I get to learn and discover things that could potentially be useful later on. Having being inspired by the wrestlers and other athletes doing crazy things with the Dopa Band along with the various workouts and exercises Eero Westerburg does with Animal Moves and his recent course with Clubs, Bags and the Mace, I wanted to take a leg exercise to another level. 

During my workout back on Saturday, I wanted to see if what I could do with the Dopa Band attached to me & taking my 50 lb Sandbell and do the classic Duck Walk with them. I've seen wrestlers do Duck Walks with the band far better than I can ever do and seen Eero do it with a Sandbag that's over 100 lbs and do it. Just the thought of one or the other would've been nutty but seeing that I can be quite mad myself (have you you not read about the 1500 Rep Leg Challenge?) I just wanted to see what both felt like. It's quite the interesting feel and with the crazier thing to add in Squats to the mix was just nasty.

Adding squats to a movement like that really jacks up the strength and power in the legs. Consistently done, you can build some awesome muscle that is not only functional but very much conditioned as well. My idea was to duck walk out as far out as the band can go or at least to the far end of the room and than proceed to do a few squats, repeat that a few times to equal one set. When the band is fighting against you while practically bear hugging a sandbag, it brings a different type of strength training very few people do unless you're in wrestling or a mad scientist like Nick Nilsson. 

First starting out with the exercise, I did a total of 7 sets (3, 2, 2) so that's walking out and doing 5 squats, walk back and repeat that set multiple times. It got me breathing hard quick and it's a full body blast with a heavy emphasis on the legs. I loved how it felt and might see how many I can do in one set. Do you have to do 5 squats for the set? No, you can 1-10 or more if you wish but if you're doing multiple sets of up to double digits with the squats, it's going to really test you. This is more of an advanced exercise so if you're not use to the duck walk itself, just do the bodyweight version as best as you can and even that alone has bad ass benefits for leg strength, health and conditioning. 

The duck walk is a classic exercise used by athletes for eons, even Olympic Speedskater Eric Heiden did them as part of his training that helped him win 5 Gold Medals in the 1980 Games (The 1st athlete to do so). Wrestlers use this exercise to strengthen their legs for other drills, Japanese athletes use this to build strength in their knees. It's simply getting into a full squat and walking in that position. Many today have trouble just getting into a squat let alone walk in one so it's important to learn the mechanics first and foremost. I learned a bit of it during high school but after I got Combat Conditioning, I became more familiar with it. I didn't think much of it at first but once Ed Baran brought out his Animal Kingdom Conditioning course back in '08, it became a favorite because of the way he presented it. It was a great exercise to do with my Animal Dice Game Workouts that I've been fond of for years. 

Although just another exercise that can be used in training, it doesn't take away how badass the bodyweight version of the Duck Walk is. Just walking a few yards would burn out most people but to go for a couple minutes or more is just nuts because of how much the legs are being pushed especially in the thighs and calves. You can squat hundreds of pounds and still be taken down after a few yards of the duck walk. It builds awesome hypertrophy and it has even been used to help with injuries (modified versions of course) such as strengthening the knee joints, back pain and shin bones. When I first learned this after doing Squats and Push-ups for month as part of my self-rehab, it hurt but it gave me an opportunity to get better at it and once I got use to it, it just became another exercise to do off and on until I really put effort into it with the animal workouts. 

Keep discovering things and make your training interesting, fun and something that works for you. Naturally let it be a part of your life and don't take it for granted. It is ok to be a little mad sometimes in the head but don't go so far as to getting yourself injured or doing such crazy things you end up in the hospital on an often basis. Keep being amazingly awesome. Don't forget the 10% Discount at Dopamineo when you punch in POWERANDMIGHT for the checkout code. 

A Dopamineo Band Analysis

 

With the recent articles on these bad ass bands, let's take a look as to why they're top quality and the differences between these and other resistance bands on the market with my own spin on things and the research through trial and error.....

Right now there's about 5 different types of Bands on the market at the moment and all have their unique qualities and styles that are useful. Because of the variety, the choice to pick one isn't always easy and it can be confusing as to what to choose from. Most of my career in fitness when it comes to bands has been from Lifeline and I will always cherish those especially with what they've done to keep me in shape in all these years. That doesn't mean I'm now exclusive to them. Because of the Dopa Band recently, it has given me a new perspective on resistance band training and the type of training that keeps me fresh and interested.

I want to give you a hand in how to find not only the type of band for you but to give you tips and compare notes to these bands and the others. Some bands are traditional tubing, loop and power type bands (such as the lifeline format, X3 and others). These mostly target the muscle groups with workouts normally associated with gym type training where you can mimic almost any exercise in the gym just about about anywhere you want. With that said, in comparison to Dopa Training, although different, there's some lack in versatility with other bands. This band targets everything and can create any workout you want without needing different bands to choose from. You can of course but variety is more packed into the Dopa Bands than other bands that I've even used.

The material in the Dopa Band is a bit different than other bands, these are laced with silicone and pack a wild punch with their durability and lasting effects as you train with them. I've had the lifeline bands snap on me a time or two and it doesn't feel good trust me unless you got some S&M thing going on. With the Dopa Band, you can stretch it pretty damn long and its flexibility and time tested strength is just unbelievable. There's a podcast on Dopamineo's Youtube channel where wrestlers and other athletes test guests on the Blue Short Band (which is mainly used for stretching purposes) to see if they can snap this freaking thing. These men and women are freakishly strong and as far as I know, no one has been able to snap the band. Even shorter ones that are more likely to snap are still almost impossible to break. That's how crazy strong these bands are. Hell, I've even tested this and I can't do it and I've done some nutty strength feats. 

Now when it comes to cost effectiveness, I've always looked to saving a buck or two which isn't a bad thing but when bands snap on you and you have to replace them after a while, it can get steep depending on the type of bands you get but with the Dopa Band, the chances of it snapping especially if you use certain things to keep it flexible and strong are so freakishly slim it's jaw dropping. Some of the best wrestlers in the world use these frequently in their training and do all sorts of exercises and hook ups that should make it snap within months if not weeks like with other bands yet they don't. It's just awesome how bad ass these bands can take a beating. In the long run, the Dopa Band is more cost effective than even the lifeline bands I use. I can relax a bit and not worry about this band breaking on me as opposed to being cautious about using something like the TNT Cables or the Chest Expander, they're great in and of themselves no question and have used them for years but I always had to be extra careful to stretch them to the limits that is only just enough otherwise, I get a stinger in the arm, chest or leg. 

When it comes to providing videos, you would have to find videos for specific bands which isn't all that hard to find or figure out or buy specific videos either digitally or on DVD for that particular band like say videos for the X3 or the Chest Expanders. With the Dopa Band, you're given just about 300 Workout Videos and Exercises that provide every muscle group imaginable with just the one band. In comparison even coming from me, there's no contest in that. You can find lower body, upper body, core, flexibility, strength, endurance, conditioning and sports specific training all in one shot with this band. I can do quite a bit with the TNT Cables and Chest Expander but you can't utilize wrestling drills, jumping jacks, sprints, crawling, sprawling, kick throughs, jumping exercises or battle rope type exercises with them. That's just the tip of the iceberg with the Dopa Band. With that in mind, the Dopa band is that versatile and can give you a complete workout just about anywhere, if you used additional bands like the ones I just mentioned, you've got an arsenal that can give you a crazy strong and powerful physique, the type of conditioning that makes others' jaws drop and have a wealth of knowledge of exercises very few can possess. 

If you go with cheaper bands, that's awesome but either by itself or as an addition, the Dopa Band will take you to places in your training you didn't think existed and put not only a new stamp on the realistic functional training but have the opportunity to train (even moderately) what some of the greatest athletes in the world use to keep themselves healthy, in peak condition and developing a physique that can just as go as it does look good. I still use my other bands which I love and adding the Dopa Band is the cherry on top of the most bad ass cake you can imagine. If you think that was enough, I've got a cool Discount for you when you make an order, get 10% OFF  when you punch in POWERANDMIGHT at the checkout (which can also deduct price with discount bundles as well). These are the highest quality I've ever come across and I don't regret one bit getting this, it has been a game changer and it has helped me get in better shape than in the last few months with the already good shape I'm in. 

Be amazingly awesome and train with the best guys. It doesn't disappoint.    

Step Ups In The Most Unexpected Place

 Yesterday I ordered a series of videos from a pro wrestling website called RF Video where you can buy digital videos of classic matches, interviews, training sessions and events with more wrestlers than you can name. The series I got was from ECW Legend Taz showing various things from his Wrestling School. In this series, he doesn't show how to take bumps and running through the ropes and all that, believe it or not, he shows how to do takedowns like in the old school style that's also used in Amateur Wrestling, Judo, Greco-Roman and the Japanese Style; the next video is on Submissions which I found really interesting and shows both real and show holds ranging from Ankle Locks, Figure Fours, Arm Bars and a lot more. The last video is on Stretching, Mobility & Conditioning which was mostly very basic stuff.

Now for those who've lived under a rock, Taz in his prime was a backbone of ECW's heyday where Hardcore matches were in practically every match and was the underbelly of the Attitude Era that Paul Heyman ran for a number of years. Taz was one of the few wrestlers in that organization that actually had legit wrestling and judo under his belt and was the king of suplexes and various submissions. The closest to him in that time with technical knowledge was probably Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero and maybe Dean Malenko. If you ever watch highlights, you'll see that his character was a tough son of a bitch that could throw you as well as make you work using wrestling. 

I've seen training videos of various pro wrestling schools and almost all of them show some of the same stuff from working a match to some segments of conditioning; this however was closer to MMA and pure wrestling that can be used in real life, yes there are show holds in Taz's highlights throughout the series but his style is about as real as it gets down to what is right and wrong with a move especially on the takedowns. Taz was also one of those guys that wasn't a big dude in comparison to guys like the Dudley Boys, Stone Cold, The Rock or Undertaker; he was roughly 5'8 and no more than 235-240. What he lacked in size, he made up for intensity and using wrestling as a means to make matches look just badass. 

In the Conditioning series, he takes you and his students through various stretches and mobility drills. Some are a little fast for most to keep up with and is really vague on most of them but it still holds true regardless. The "drills" he puts them through most these days can figure out especially if you're an MMA fighter or an upcoming pro wrestler but the one exercise I didn't expect to see him put his students through was the Step Ups. Granted these are done on a high bench but it's interesting how he uses Step Ups to condition his guys. He talks about putting them through up to 45 min of Step Ups which at a decent clip in a row (depending on the height you use) is roughly around 1000 reps but he takes things a step further so do speak as the guys work the exercise, he'll blow a whistle while one guy goes in the ring and does other hard drills for a minute or more while the rest do Step Ups. Whistle blows for the next guy to come in and so on and so forth to really make them blow up. If a student starts to get lazy or is acting like a chump, Taz will have them hold a folded chair on their arms while their arms are straight out and have them do step ups with that chair until the exercise is done or have to go in the ring. 

That is some nasty training and if you're doing drills, squats, bumps, falls and running the ropes on top of that; it makes you think twice about training at that school. I don't think the school is around anymore and Taz had a podcast for a while and did commentary for AEW for a period. I didn't know much about him when he came to WWE at the Royal Rumble in 2001, I saw some matches he did for ECW but I wasn't into that stuff as much back then. Once I studied him and his matches, it changed my perspective and he was legitimately one of the toughest guys in the business in his time. Trained by Hall Of Famer Johnny Rodz in New York, he made an impact on the business from more of an underground stand point because he wasn't flashy and had some weird gimmick that made him millions, he was primitive, old school, tough, look like he can snap your bones in half and had some crazy strength for a guy his size. 

My respect for him amped up a bit more when I saw that he used Step Ups because if you pay attention to some of the stuff they do with Pro Wrestlers, Step Ups isn't one of those exercises that they use; you're talking more of the Japanese Style Karl Gotch perfected with the Hindu Squats, Push-ups, Bridges, Lunges, Ring Sprints and others. This was unique to see. So if someone like Taz uses that exercise to make students bust their ass, you know for sure this isn't some "Lazy's Man Leg Training" that some "Bodyweight Exercise Guru" likes to push on.  

Thought I'd share this little review and keep being amazingly awesome. 

Women And Dopa Training

 Sometimes just getting fit is more than enough for most women and staying fit can be even harder. With consistency, it is possible to not only be in awesome shape but to kick ass in other endeavors as well. My wife for example has lost 50 pounds doing gym work, eating better and doing amazing things in her own life. I'm beyond proud of what she has accomplished and continues to push herself to getting a little bit better, she may need some tips along the way but she's fierce and can do things that continue to surprise me.

For many women, it can be daunting to be in shape and worry about what things are missing so she has a good physique. Some train just to feel better, others for attention (booty shorts anyone?) and plenty to better themselves physically. Change is hard and no matter what you do, the results will come in unexpected ways at times. If I had to pick the top women right now to look for when it comes to fitness; it's Melody Schoenfeld (Ms. Ant Strong), Kirsten Tullock (The Scottish Superwoman), Tara Scott and a few others but these three are incredible at what they do when it comes to training people. 

Now with that said, when it comes to the Dopa Bands; women have another great option in getting in killer shape using a band that can be used in a variety of ways especially gym oriented workouts that can be done practically anywhere you can hook it up. From little girls to the over 40+ Cougars can use this thing to train their body that will blow most people's minds. Some of the best and brightest women in World & Olympic Wrestling use the bands as post practice tools to enhance their explosiveness, chain wrestling, throws, takedowns and utilize some serious strength. One 16 year old BJJ champ uses it to keep her conditioning at its peak and to increase her power for the guard and blocking submissions. 

Do you have to be a wrestler or an MMA Fighter to use the bands? Hell no, they can be done with exercises you do in the gym and then some with intensity and take up less time. You can do sprints, jump squats, running in place, rows, chest presses and other "isolated movements", I put the two words in quotes because although you're focused on specific muscle groups, those aren't the only ones without realizing it. I'm not going to lie, the band makes you work hard but it's also like a coach as it will tell you what you're doing right and wrong just by how the exercise feels and your positioning. 

What would you do if you not only got in bad ass shape physically but have the stamina, strength, flexibility and durability to go along with it? Women deserve to be in condition too and to be able to do bad ass things that you didn't think were possible. I want to see women of all ages thrive in their lives whether it's being a business woman, a mom, a trainer, a teacher, clerk or a god damn truck driver; you all deserve to be noticed for being you and not what some of society wants you to be. Although we are more open today than decades before, there are some people (mostly men but plenty of women too) who can't let go of those outdated conservative roles they expect women to just accept and not have a mind of their own. Shit one guy can't almost go without writing or going on youtube talking about his now ex wife, another who hates tattoos on women and says it makes them look ugly doesn't realize how dumb that is when two of his three daughters have tattoos (which are awesome btw), so by his logic without saying it out loud he's calling his own offspring ugly. 

From my own point of view on women, growing up seeing different personalities and behaviors, some take things to extremes, others are just as bad as us guys and some are freaking bad asses with a beautiful soul and a nurturing or take no shit demeanor. Women aren't as strong physically as us guys that is true in nature but that doesn't mean women don't have the right to become as strong as they possibly can (within reason and without the drugs) and be successful, many men today are intimidated by what women can do and that's the insecure little boy in them that was conditioned into their brains as kids. If you push certain buttons, there are women you don't want to mess with and not just when it comes to physically harming or protecting, they're far more intelligent than given credit for. Some men today (even some old school blue collar types) can't stand fit women who can lift and/or do amazing things athletically, their type is women who only need to walk to stay fit (pretty sexist and insecure if you ask me). 

Sometimes, I just want to acknowledge how amazing women are whether they're athletes or otherwise but the point I'm making is that women should be as fit as they need to be for whatever they do in life and have impacts that make them successful and strong. To excel takes work whether man or woman but training can have a positive notion that transfers into other areas. That's why the Dopa Band can be a huge asset to women who don't always have to go to the gym. Train anywhere, be a bad ass even if you're just starting out because you have opportunities to make something of yourself that will lead down a road of possibilities. 

Whatever your goals are, feel that fire within and have the strength of a Tigress or whatever your animal spirit is to push through your obstacles. Ladies, you got this and you've got great things headed your way, just look for them and they may show up unexpectedly. Get a Dopa Band and get in some of the most awesome workouts anywhere and shape yourself into the best fucking woman you can be. You can even get a workout in at the Las Vegas Welcome Sign. I see you and you can make it happen. Be amazingly awesome and don't forget that 10% Discount you can use when you enter the code POWERANDMIGHT. 

Amount Of Time On The Dopa Band For A Workout

 I was curious about this myself when I first got the Dopamineo Band. I was looking at the workouts on their membership site and seeing how long these guys go. For the most part, the wrestlers and MMA men and women train on it either before or after practices to get that extra oomph in their arsenal. It works apparently cause come on, these people are champions both in world and Olympic competition. 

The workouts from what I've seen don't go for more than 20 minutes which is pretty standard in some of today's training styles without the need for a gym. Some are are 5-7 minutes of pure wrestling technique and explosiveness, others are around 15 minutes focusing more on muscle building and speed. Some workouts focus on sports oriented movements beyond MMA such as Football and maybe Soccer so there are other options but how much time do you really need to spend on this thing? The truth is, it's an individual thing. 

The longest workout I've done with it was just under 45 minutes mixing the band with step ups and managed 500 total reps of upper body movement and 800 step ups. The shortest was roughly 5 minutes doing the Bear Crawl Sprint Workout of 10 on/20 off for 10 rounds. Just yesterday I did a workout at the park that lasted 15:30 (nearly 25 min if you count a "warm up") doing 4 exercises at 30 on/30 off for 4 rounds each. That's a hell of a workout especially since it was on a nice warm day and got a little sweat going. 

Depending on your goals and what you're striving for, you can work with this long as you as you like and the only limit really is your imagination. There are so many exercises you can do that doing the same workout twice is few and far between. My main purpose is to build my conditioning and mobility, the way it's changing my body is just part of the process and I love what it's doing to my physique. The results speak for themselves and it's a lot of fun to do. Although this type of Band training is not new, it's not necessarily the type for just fitness training either and that is partially a new concept because for god knows how long bands have been used for Combat Sports, you don't always find it as a regular normal workout tool either. It's based on training from world class athletes that are the toughest and most conditioned in the world and some may feel intimidated by that. You don't expect a typical gym rat on these things.

Training with the Band is actually very useful because it's meant to simulate grappling and learning how to handle yourself. The Band itself is a coach and it tells if you're not doing something right because if your positioning is off or you're not locked in and stable, you're not going to get much done that is efficient so it takes practice to work your stabilizers, your footing, your arm movement, the speed and power that comes into play and the strength to manage certain aspects of resistance that will fight you. It's not meant to make you use so much strength that you can't move it, it's more about exploding and moving around in as many positions as possible to control your body as you go against the resistance. The more you control going against the resistance, the more you learn to handle the body without it. If you look at how wrestlers simulate takedowns, suplexes, drills and sprawls you'll see that they fight the band utilizing the mechanics so when they practice on the mat, they're fast and strong at the same time, they have far greater control over their body. In the gym oriented exercises which is what many are more use to seeing, you'll find that when the band is fighting back, you have to use more muscles just to stabilize you in order to keep from technique being nasty and ineffective. This could be like Squats, Presses, Overhead Work, Lunges, Shoulder Raises, Ab Training and more. 

Don't just time a workout, make use to learn technique and make the timing effective both in how long the workout is and the work that goes into it. It's not as easy as it looks and some exercises are pretty damn complex so take the time to practice, don't practice just going through the motions. Stay amazingly awesome and you got a cool discount that gets more bang for your buck than just wholesale (There are other discounts on top of mine that you can find as well). Use the code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% off the order.  

750 Reps Of Blissful Leg Training Heaven

Yeah and monkeys might fly out of my ass. Anybody who's ever trained Leg Day hard knows that it's anything but blissful, let alone like heaven. I guess it depends on what you do but when it's done right, it puts you into another state of mind and have a euphoric feeling before feeling like you had your legs chopped off the next day and you're crawling in agony. 

For me, I just do enough to know that I won't be as sore (if at all) the next day and have gas left in the tank. That was on the menu for me today. Started out with some Joint Loosening, had a drink to get some energy going, watched a documentary episode about Serial Killers and did some Leg Work that had me sweating like a waterfall in the amazon. Got in my Deck Of Cards Leg Workout doing a total of 500 Step Ups & 250 Hindu Squats in roughly over 30 min. 

It has been a while since I've done this workout and I didn't go as fast as I normally would, so I focused on technique and let the speed come naturally. Went by really well and feel great. Getting the best of both worlds in old school squats and the Harvard Step Test is something that just hits differently. Some will do one or the other but I'm thinking "why not both"? You get the benefits of both cardio and strength training, working the legs unilaterally and with both legs, you're channeling a different perspective of Growth Hormone & Testosterone Boosting and you're benefiting heart health. 

It's a hell of a conditioner as well and can be beneficial to your training in Wrestling, MMA, Football or just overall fitness. You can do it everyday or every other day (depending on your condition), it can be part of your workout as a "warm up" or "cool down" to get that extra calorie burning or it can be a workout all by itself. Working with a deck of cards has been a big part of some athletes' regimen such as Ric Flair, Karl Gotch, Ray Lewis, Antonio Inoki and others. This specific workout tackles the legs with a vengeance without having so much lactic acid built up; the reason why is because the step ups provide a barrier between making the legs feel heavy and having a "breather" to help you keep going. The squats make the legs burn like crazy and jack up the heart rate so when you get to the step ups, you can keep going because it helps the legs "calm down" while still building that strength and cardio working one leg at a time. This is why I say you get the best of both worlds.

I have said before that squats weren't a big thing to me as much as they use to and the reason is because doing hundreds of reps consecutively with squats became tedious to me and I lost interest doing 500 over and over the same way. Now that doesn't mean you can't do 500 or more differently and come out the same number of reps. If I were to do 500 again, it would be with a deck of cards or a countdown workout cause that way, I don't have to do the same routine twice and still come out to the same destination. Hell, the last time I did 500 Squats in a workout was when I did my double decker deck of cards workout when I did 1000 Step Ups & 500 Squats in just over an hour. Shit, I rather do that than do 500 by counting 1, 2, 3 and so on and not do anything else, it works for me. 

When it comes to Step Ups, for me, they're the best for leg training because you can go for a long period of time and not get as winded as you would with Squats. That in no way shape or form does this mean Step Ups are superior to Squats, quite frankly I don't give a rat's ass what's superior, I just know my preference. Besides, why the fuck would you debate what's superior like some Marvel or Star Wars Fanboy, it becomes petty and downright stupid. Some people put certain things up on a pedestal and act like nothing else works better or this exercise is like the Mount Rushmore of fitness and everything else is beneath you. Anyway, use what's useful to you and keeps you coming back training over and over with excitement, interest and something that challenges you with a smile on your face. You may not always look forward to it and some days can be tough as hell, but you know what leads to all of that.

 For me, there's no Mount Rushmore or some Mount Olympus type of training format that are the gods of all exercises, I just want to train and help others find success in what can work for them because if I try to act like this or that is superior and nothing will work unless I says it works, what does that make me? It makes me an asshole with an fragile ego that is so insecure that I would need some serious therapy to tackle the issue. Train to what gives you an advantage whether in life, sports or whatever and be successful to where you can do it within reason and it brings you a good challenge while being comfortable to expand on it. Stay amazingly awesome. 

Well....Here Goes Nothing

Since I've been training to get back into shape, I've leaned out a bit and because of the no appetite during that little fiasco I had, I lost weight. I was down to 238 but with the appetite back, I went back up about 3 lbs. or so and right now sitting at 241. It has been crazy and I love to keep sharing what the Dopa Band has done for me in terms of reviving my conditioning and explosiveness. 

I said it was a game changer and the results speak for themselves. Before the little bitch that was making my leg and back hurt with pure torture, I was making headway and was around 250-255 most of the time and stayed in shape as you've seen my workouts but with the rehab, weight/fat loss and progressing to get my strength and other attributes back, my body is shaping and slimming down. Yes, I still have some work to do (don't we always) but this is the leanest I've been in a very long time. I feel great and I'm going hard on the workouts while being smart about listening to my body. 

Being inspired by the Wrestlers who brought this Band to the world, they've just been awesome putting out demos and are very encouraging. They're athletes are top notch and some of those wrestlers are going to the Olympics. Their hard work is just mind blowing and the exercises they show with the bands are nothing short of just unbelievable explosiveness, technique, power and speed. These men and women are some of the most conditioned on the planet and I get to work with the same equipment they do. It's like carrying on a tradition like a kid growing up to play baseball and plays the same positions that legends made their mark on and hit the ball with the same passion today as did men like Honus Wagner, The Babe, Ernie Banks, Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt and Pete Rose did 35-100 years ago. 

I don't have a shredded physique or have six pack abs and god knows I don't have it in me to build 24 inch pythons but I do what's possible to be in shape when certain things arise and be in enough condition to do many things. I'm very proud of the body that is shaping and I know the Dopamineo Band will take me to places both in mind and body that I haven't gone to before. I will always have my isometrics, doing fun animal moves, step ups to honor Bob Backlund and be a sledgehammer smashing machine but I've got to tell you, this Band has opened new doors for my training and even just a few minutes with this thing, it has been a hell of a ride. 

The world needs to see more of what these Bands can do for your training and overall fitness. You can modify it however you like; you can go slow, you can go fast, you can learn old school techniques, flexibility work, learn what the best conditioned athletes do to prepare for matches and how to use the Band safely. Safety, solid technique and consistent effort is just a piece of the overall spectrum of what this Silicone piece of equipment is capable of and what it can make out of you. Karl Gotch said "Conditioning is your greatest hold" and I'm sure if he was alive to see these things and add on the submissions that has made many men be feared to even get on the mat with, he would approve. Whatever gets you into bad ass shape (that keeps things long term of course) is a thumbs up in my book. 

Don't forget the 10% Discount you can use when you order one or multiple of these when you punch in POWERANDMIGHT when you go to checkout. Keep killing it, train with intent and intensity while being amazingly awesome. 

A So Not Walk In The Park Sub 45 Min Workout

It was intense, insane and one of the longest workouts I've done in a while. I keep raising the bar on myself and just making things more interesting and finding out what I'm willing to push to see what my body can handle. Some might call my workouts crazy but even for me, that should've put me in the nuthouse (maybe). 

The other day, I wanted to see what I can do with Supersetting the Dopa Band and Step Ups. Haven't tried it before so I figured what could possibly go wrong? Not only did it go right but it made me sweat so much, I thought I was going to need a gallon of water to get all of it back (slight exaggeration). In all seriousness, this was a workout I needed and elevating my conditioning. The only real rest was marking off sets and getting right back into it. The weird thing was, by the end, I was moving faster and had that "runner's high" feeling where I went into a state that felt great and my focus was at its peak. 

The idea was to do upper body movements with the Band and just do bodyweight with the Step Ups. Here's the workout...

100 Lateral Raises (4x25)

200 Step Ups (4x50)

100 Curls (4x25)

200 Step Ups (4x50)

100 Chest Presses (4x25)

200 Step Ups (4x50)

200 Alternating Rows (4x50 - 25 per arm)

200 Step Ups (4x50)

Total: 500 Reps Of Upper Body & 800 Step Ups 

Time- 44:09

Each superset was 25-50 reps of a Dopa Exercise and 25 Step Ups per leg. I take great pride in being able to do this but it's also important to be humble in that to not fill my ego because this isn't meant to be done all the time unless you're one of those insane Dagestani Wrestlers that are just machines with levels of conditioning that rank right up there at the top of the food chain. 

Yesterday, I did another workout that hit my legs a little differently which is why I most likely will end up just "taking it easy" today and do low level work with the band and doing isometrics. This workout was to work as many reps as possible while taking in 20 breaths and doing drills and techniques of going out as far as the thing can stretch 10-20 times going Forward, Sideways & Backwards. The reps taking in breaths were waves, tricep pulls, alternating rows and ski jumps and the legs were a walk out or a slower version of a shooting wrestling drill for 40 total reps (20, 10, 10), 20 walking at the side (10, 10) and drilling backwards for 40 (20,10,10). This hit a lot of the muscles in the legs especially in the hips since it's been a while doing side to side movements. 

Practically everyday there's been some kind of workout with the Dopa Band and just love experimenting and finding ways to work with this thing. There's so much you can do with it and it will humble you. This band has been the closest to wrestling since I was on the mat years ago, I know it doesn't have the same flare of actually wrestling but the drills, the conditioning, the fight against the resistance, the intensity and the ability to strengthen the body in ways that are new to you are all part of the process. 

I even weighed myself today and I'm sitting at 241 lbs. Only gained back about 3 since I've had my appetite back and doing what's possible for me workout wise. I was feeling it yesterday after some frustration with something in the backyard and felt it in my hip but other than that, I feel much stronger, more explosive, energetic and my stamina has skyrocketed. I'm telling you without thinking twice about it, the Dopa Band is a fucking game changer and it makes training a bit more fun and interesting. You don't have to be a wrestler or a fighter to get the benefits out of it, just a good old fashioned workout is more than enough for most and there are so many ways to use it it's practically endless. 

Use my Discount to get 10% off your order by using the code POWERANDMIGHT. You can even do custom bundles or have pre-set bundles that give you even more discounts. Get some for your family, group classes, gym, Fight School, Wrestling Room or just to get a great workout in at home, there's tons of options. Keep killing it guys and stay amazingly awesome.  

A Workout Blaster Of Pure Heavenly Brutality

 Quite the title don't you think? In reality, the workout I put myself through yesterday was hard as fuck but it didn't feel like a chore and I loved it. It's probably the hardest workout I came up with since getting over the sciatica injury. It was another test to see what I'm capable of and the work I've put in. 

For some, it is annoying that I've mentioned the injury several times now and quite frankly, it is especially if it's on your brain everyday like mine. The thing is, it really has opened up my eyes to look at training from another perspective and to see a workout beyond the movements and the mysticism of it. Although they're simple, they're not meant to be easy and when you go hard, you learn what you made of. I may not be the fastest, the strongest or the most coordinated, but I do make up for it by finding ways to push myself to a different level than I was before. It's really a testament to having invested in the Dopamineo Band. 

I never reach failure in any of my workouts and for good reason, there's really no need to because you can still go hard without feeling like you can't get up and walk with some gas left in the tank. I do however, learn what my body can do and make it stronger and a bit more resilient as I pay attention to how it operates during workouts. I've always believed training is about discovery and coming to grips with what it can do and what it helps reach as time goes on. This workout hit a little differently and it made me learn where my conditioning was and how I can move forward.

Here's the Workout......

I started a "warm up" of going through my Animal Deck Of Cards Workout in full to get things going and get my energy up because I knew I wanted to do something more. Usually it takes me 15-16 min to complete.

After a short break going through the deck, I had the Dopa Band prepped and ready for another exercise that lasted a total of 6 1/2 minutes which was 10 seconds on, 10 seconds off for 20 Rounds doing the Alternating Wave exercise. I'm still learning the kinks of keeping the wave smooth but all in all, it was awesome and got some killer lungs firing as well as keeping my core tight and working my arms and shoulders. 

Not done yet....

Next was another brutal exercise of doing 10 seconds on, 20 seconds for 10 Rounds of the Bear Crawl Sprints with the band on my waist. The energy was there and my conditioning was on it. I was breathing hard but I didn't feel tired. I went through it and it was amazeballs.

But wait there's more. The final stretch....

I finished off with two exercises with the Band for 100 Reps each (in sets of 50) doing Curls and Chest Presses. Two simple exercises to target specific muscles (Pulling & Pushing). After doing 50, would take a small break to write down the numbers and return for another set. 

So here's what the full workout was in full.....

Animal Deck Workout 

10/10 For 20 Rounds Alternating Waves

10/20 For 10 Rounds Bear Crawl Sprints

100 Curls (50, 50)

100 Chest Presses (50, 50)

This took all together including resting was about 30 minutes or so I'm guessing. It was like a light that came on and my level of energy was just crazy. I did all that yesterday and still had gas in the tank. It didn't make me want to take a nap but I was hungry as hell so after putting things away and taking a shower, I cooked myself 5 Fried Eggs, 5-6 pieces of bacon and four slices of buttered toast to make a couple sandwiches out of them. Washed it down with some great juice and just felt euphoric on top of  the high I was already feeling from the workout. 

I won't be doing that kind of workout all the time but it's one of those that just clicked and I felt at my very best at that moment. That was for the record, a full on conditioning workout and it was tough. Tougher than some of my other ones but I made it through and it was another day of feeling like myself again. Make it count, but always feel like you can walk out after with your head held high, gas left in the tank and feeling like a kid again. Some people never get that chance, some don't have the drive and others haven't discovered it yet but those that do, understand that it's important to have those entities and never take them for granted. Keep being amazingly awesome and get cracking.

Be sure to snatch up some bands and use the bad ass discount code I got for you. Take 10% OFF your order when you enter POWERANDMIGHT at checkout. Awesome deals going on right now especially if you grab a hold of a bundle you can use for athletes, the wife and kids or for building a team of great fighters/wrestlers. Even right now, you can get a 1 For 3 Deal where you can order a band and get 2 extra bands that can be used for stretching with a string bag so you can take them anywhere. 

Sprint Training With The Dopamineo Band

 The workouts are getting better and better and today was no exception. I've done sets of sprints with the band in recent workouts but haven't done a full on sprint session until a while ago. I would do Bear Crawl Sprints (which to me is tougher than normal sprints) but today, I wanted to see how many Hard (Bipedal) Sprints I can do in a workout. Granted you're not going very far and the band can only be stretched out so much but nonetheless, I would do a set, rest and repeat until I feel I've had enough. 

I haven't done a full exclusive sprint workout since probably April when I first got hurt but I've been training hard getting back into shape and workouts with the Dopamineo Band are paying off. Today, I did a total of 60 Sprints (10 of them on film) just going hard until I hit a peak, walk back and repeat. Did them in sets of 20, 10, 10, 10, 10. My legs felt great, no pain or even discomfort. Rested as long as I needed since these are brutal and you're doing shorter distances than say on a field or a hill. 

This was one of my goals and I achieved it. I have done sets of 10 until I reached 30 but that was part of a workout that included various exercises but this was full on, in your face, being explosive as possible sprint training. I cannot stress enough how awesome an investment this thing has been. Very grateful and being inspired by the Degastani Wrestlers and American Athletes that use this thing is just incredible to be a part of. 

Sprint Training has been a favorite for years doing Hills and doing them animal style and this is now a part of my arsenal and could be a powerful tool to use in the winter to stay in solid shape. This band goes beyond most other ones and mainly just turns athletes into machines. Wrestlers use these either on active rest days or to train with after a wrestling workout when they've already brutalized themselves, that's just insane. I started studying and researching on wrestlers from Dagestan and the style is similar to what is done in Freestyle, Greco-Roman, Judo and BJJ but these guys up the ante and have a higher level of relentlessness. These are some of the toughest athletes in the world. 

This type of sprint session may be only once or twice a week cause there are other exercises to do that give you that full body work that just hits like a freight train. Other days are doing punches, animal crawls, squats, waves, rows, jumping and other things. Keep the variety open. I like to do combos like a Squat & Push Press or Upper Cuts mixed with pulls, whatever comes to mind. Training with this a few times a week would be enough for most and it can be used as a warm-up, full session or a cooldown to keep the calories burning after a hard workout. Find what works for you and get your hands on a band that's suited to your size or weight class. 

Train with a vengeance and strike down your goals with intense prejudice as you become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. Keep being amazingly awesome.   

Animal Conditioning With The Dopa Band

 Finding different ways to train with the Dopamineo Band is turning into a habit and the more I've used it, the stronger and better healed up I've gotten. I can't get enough of it and it's one of my top equipment to promote right now. It is a game changer and I'm testing myself doing hard workouts, methodical and a bit slower, intense, rugged and just plain having the time of my life with it. 

You can do so many exercises with this thing that even with all the instructional videos, there's something to discover. Today was one of those discoveries as I did another test to see where I was at; I did my Animal Dice Game Workout while I had the Band around my waist and went a few rounds. The objective in this workout was to go as far out as possible and repeat as many times for a specific animal so one rep was going as far as you can stretch it. Bear Crawls, Crab Walks, Tiger Crawls, Primate and Frog Jumps; did a total of 60 reps and that was more than enough. Rested when I needed to but my lungs were firing and was feeling it in my legs and my shoulders. Full Body workout that every exercise hit multiple muscle groups.

I would say that was a hell of a conditioning workout that really took that particular Animal Workout to another level. Normally I can go for 20 min or more without much of a rest other than rolling the dice but this was just nasty and because of the resistance, you're fighting a hell of a lot more and it just tortures the muscles more. Although shorter than usual with that workout, I made it count and went as far as my body allowed me. That's the point of training is to work with what's possible and intuitively know when you've had enough.

Wrestlers & Football players have done similar workouts but I don't know about this specific using a dice to come up with a random animal and go hard. They've done Animal style movements forever and there's a good reason why they're incredible for conditioning. Grab a band for yourself and try a few animals and see how you feel. Hell, I'll even throw in a discount for you by throwing in 10% off your order when you use the code POWERANDMIGHT at checkout. Check out the instructionals, find the type of band suited for your size (just like weight classes in wrestling) and have at it. If you want multiple bands, you can get discounted for those as well by customizing your own bundle and use my code for even more of a discount, how bad ass is that? 

Train well, get fit and keep being amazingly awesome. 

Here's another video of doing Duck Walks, these particularly are torturous when you do them for several times going out in a row. 

Being Smart About Training

 Training for the most part is about discovery and learning the ins and outs of what gives you the best benefit and what doesn't. We get excited and full of enthusiasm but sometimes that could blind us because if we don't find that focus on the mind and the muscles synergistically, it could bite us in the ass. When my sciatica was over the first time around, I literally jumped for joy like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins almost doing Step In Time and it felt great. I was excited and so eager to get back to being my best self again. For a period, it was awesome and was doing the things I was able to do before, but it didn't last as long as I hoped and it came back at me with a vengeance, I was blinded by the excitement and it bit me in the ass.

Dealing with the pain, the boring stretches and trying to move around, I had to rethink things and make decisions for myself I never thought I had to. Once the pain slowly subsided over the next few weeks and I was moving better without feeling like dying, I had to think more intelligently about how I did things and what I needed to do to become stronger. Being more methodical, deliberate and with stronger intentions, I focused on the technique, where I was feeling it and making the most of my capabilities instead of going gung ho like a dumbass. My flexibility and strength was coming back and the pain was going away. I was being smarter about what I was doing.

This thing is basically done, just some tenderness in my hip but it's manageable and I'm getting more explosiveness in my movements. I didn't do Step In Time this time around and I channeled my excitement into my training with better focus using my brains as well as my body. Because of the recent demos I've done with the Dopa Band and doing actual workouts where the big focus is on the legs, it has made a huge difference in my recovery and rehab. I'm not going as hard as I could be but that's ok because I'm being smart about letting things come naturally and it shows. Weeks ago, I couldn't do jack shit what I could do right now and I'm proud to have pulled it off. 

I discovered new things about myself and I've wised up and saw things in a different light. I love to train hard and making it count but it's important to utilize intelligence in order to train for the long haul. Being smart about when to go hard and when to back off is a bit of a process but that's part of the journey. With the Dopa Band, it makes you want to go gung ho but there's a way to modify it to train your body without having to go all Rocky 4 on it. It is as of right now one of the most bad ass equipment I've ever invested in and I believe many can benefit from it. Sure it's mainly used by wrestlers and MMA fighters but come on, I'm no wrestler by any stretch (at least no where near the level of what these people demonstrate) but I do believe in being prepared and having enough conditioning to fall back on that's inspired by wrestlers and MMA Fighters. Doing drills, punches, squats, step ups, bear crawls, duck walks, modified sprints and even suplexes. 

Right now, I'm just training to just feel good really and let my attributes naturally come on their own. I have no desire to be competitive except only to myself and who knows if I ever get on the mat again. My workouts are meant to just to stay healthy and being ready if certain situations occur, other than that, I don't want to fear having to look over my shoulder or have this macho need to fight unless I have to. Train to be ready but you don't have to act as if you're walking down a dark alley 24/7 anxious about someone jumping you, that's no way to live. Live peacefully with as awesome vibes as possible. Keep being amazingly awesome.    

Don't forget to check out the Dopamineo Bands and get 10% OFF your order when you use my discount code POWERANDMIGHT at checkout. My gift to all of you. 

Does Batman Train With Resistance Bands?

If the Dark Knight trains in Martial Arts, Combat, Bodyweight, Weights here and there, I would imagine he would hit a band or two. There's a quote out there somewhere that says Batman never skips leg day which I always found funny because it's true. He might as well be the first Superhero to "practice" Parkour cause of all the jumping and running in between buildings chasing and catching baddies. 

Resistance Bands have been around a long time and there's always innovative stuff coming around like the X3 Bands for example and of course the Lifeline Bands such as the TNT cables but when it comes to longevity and having a hard time breaking or snapping, it seems that the latest style of cables called Dopamineo have stood head and shoulders above the rest. Maybe they're just regular bands for wrestlers to some but for guys like me who's always researching and learning, these bands are legit. Ever since I got them, I've trained solid on them and it has only been a few workouts.

From day 1, I tried many exercises, some I learned on the website and youtube  and others I tried on my own like Crab Walks, Gorilla Jumps, Hindu Jumpers and others. This band is just so much fun to work with and getting the most out of a workout in a short amount of time. The last workout was the other day doing Sprints, Hindu Push-ups, Frog Jumps, Hindu Jumpers, Crab Walks, Gorilla Jumps and a couple more. I would go until I hit a certain number of reps or until I got out of breath, rest and repeat a set or two. The workouts aren't long and I feel high as a kite afterwards along with getting stronger again. 

I had filmed doing about three exercises or so wearing my Batman shirt and using Batman Music to have a little fun with it and noticed something; even a couple months ago, that shirt was ok to wear but my stomach would pop out every now and then and felt a little tight, since I lost the weight, it felt comfortable and not as tight. I guess losing weight because of no appetite does have its perks LOL. In all fairness, I don't wish that on anyone because when you've been in that much pain and it consumes you at times, it's not an ideal way to lose weight. I' am healing and I don't feel pain in that area anymore, just annoyance and keeping up with maintenance. Hell I did a full Isometric Workout yesterday for the first time in over a month and I'm glad I did. I couldn't do Isometrics the way I wanted to when this whole thing with me was going on and I needed to test myself. 

The Dopa Bands have been a godsend in getting my body back into shape even in the first few workouts. Each workout, the pain levels kept going down and my stress was going down as well because of the endorphin high and lessening the Heat and Ice afterwards. I'm probably about 85-90% healed now and just need to pay attention to the discomfort levels and slowly build up my speed and strength. Like I said no pain but I also don't want to be pushing so hard something might flare up again so I'm gradually getting stronger and training my legs and back building those nerves and retraining those muscles. If you've read this blog long enough, you know that I'm very stubborn and rehabbing myself has worked for me. 

It's not much longer before I'm at full capacity and devouring my workouts hard again. I may look like I'm going hard but I'm not and it's not my best but that's just part of the process and being smarter about workouts and listening to my body more. This is my life and I want to continue making the best of it when it comes to fitness and avoid injuries for as long as I can. This has been the worst injury I've had in years and in a span of 5 months, I got seriously hurt twice. I've had minor aches and pains that easily were manageable and healed quickly and hurt my back back in 2017 which has since healed, but never this bad in that short span of time in the last 18+ years that I've been training everyday. It is a wake up call I'm not going to lie.

Train to the best of your abilities but within reason and be mindful of what you can do. We're not going to be training the way we did in our 20's and think we are so damn invincible that injuries never happen, they do and we can't 100% avoid them, we can however keep them at bay for as far in between as we can. I hate it that people are in pain all the time or just accept it, living with pain especially if it's excruciating for years on end is no way to live. In some cases, certain aspects of pain is inevitable but it's manageable and you can be comfortable. The idea is to live pain-free as much as possible and getting great quality out of life instead of quantifying the days until you're ready to die. Be mindful and do what's possible along with being amazingly awesome. 

Don't forget that you can get these bands at a discounted price when you use my code POWERANDMIGHT at checkout. Get a bundle pack of bands and find even more discounted stuff. Get them for group classes, your MMA Gym or wrestling room for your High School or College Athletes. Wrestlers in the world championships right now that are winning matches uses some of these very same bands. Go kill it. 

First Workout With The Heavyweight DopamineO Band

Yesterday, my new DopamineO cables came in and the excitement I had was probably indescribable. Heard a lot of good things about these things and just got the urge to tear the bag a part to get to them. The hook up was a little tricky because I'm not use to tying knots with cables. Once I figured it out (or the best way I tried), I just went at it but not so explosive I might hurt myself. I modified a few things and it turned into a hell of a workout that had me sweating and breathing hard like a maniac. These things are the real deal and the fact that wrestlers make these look easy goes to show they're the best and most conditioned athletes in the world.

Bear Crawls, Downward Thrusts, Punches, Sprints, Curls, Tricep Extensions, Lunges, Backwards Sprints and a few others just to see what's possible. I didn't feel pain and everything felt great. Had a huge endorphin high and the energy was there. This is now the hardest workout I put myself though since this fucking thing started and the first time not feeling pain while going nearly full out the best that I could. I'll take it as a sign things are getting better and my body is reacting well to the training again. 

I stumbled upon these a month or two ago and just thought they looked cool because these wrestlers from Russia were just killing it. The more I looked into it, the more it made me want to snatch one up. I got what they recommended for people at over 205 lbs (or a heavyweight athlete) and learn something new for me. Day 1 and I'm in love with this band. Once you get the hang of it, you learn to be explosive and challenge your body in ways that typical bands can't hit. You literally feel like you can take on challenges you didn't know existed. I wrote this before that I know I'll never even remotely come close to what these elite guys can do with this thing but damn sure I'll make the best of what's possible and use it to not only condition my body but amplify what I've already done. Training with this band was brutal but it was fun and it gave me a hell of an opportunity to get better and find new abilities to develop. 

Take your workouts to another level and don't be afraid of the intensity. If it starts to feel heavy whether in the beginning, middle or towards the end of a workout, lighten the load by going in closer and keep going. This is the type of training where it gives you short enough workouts that are so intense, you won't get tired doing other things or at least have a stronger sense of stamina and endurance. 

To make this special for you guys, I now have an opportunity to give you all a bad ass discount that you can use. Whether you just want to get in shape, want some bands for your martial arts school, High School, Collegiate or do group workouts with clients this can save you some solid dough. Enter POWERANDMIGHT at checkout for a 10% Discount on any of the products on the site and save even more when you can snatch up bundles. 

Keep being amazingly awesome and find new ways to train.  

Healing Up And Taking On Different Style Of Resistance Cable Training

 Very grateful this thing is almost over and making up some lost time on training and other things. I'm walking way more now without pain; putting my headphones on listening to bad ass metal and going for 15-20 minute walks to ease back into it. Working on various flows of animal movement at a steady pace (using exercises from Movement 20XX) especially for my legs like last night which felt great and slept a little better but it still needs improvement. Things are definitely looking up. 

While researching some new ways to train, I came across these bands from this company called Dopamineo which is based on the west coast I think that these two phenomenal wrestlers started. They took the concept of bands that have been used by Russian wrestlers for decades and developed bands that lasted longer, have a greater stretch and takes the format to another level. Although the bands are more used for wrestling (Folkstyle, Freestyle, Greco-Roman), these can be used for many other sports and MMA style training. The size of the bands (or how they're stretched) utilizes a weight-class formula to determine which set is best. I ordered the heavyweight cable which is for athletes or people over 205 lbs. 

I know I can never even remotely do what these bad ass athletes can do with these things but I took a chance on them and want to see what I can do for maintenance training and eventually get back to strength and conditioning. They should arrive tomorrow or at max another couple days so I'm excited to test this fucker out. The videos I've seen these men and women do are insane and take training to a different level, hell one demo clip showed three wrestlers on their rest day and even the exercises they were using were explosive, powerful, fast and incredible to watch. If that's a rest day than I wouldn't want to mess with these guys even at their most vulnerable, the conditioning is just out there.

I've always admired wrestlers and their style of training from Frank Gotch to guys like Jordan Burroughs and Cain Velasquez. I went out for wrestling in high school but it didn't pan out for me and to this day I wished something was better to make me keep doing it. BTW, in that same room training, a future MMA Fighter was cut above the rest and was one of the go to guys on that team and that was Luke Rockhold. Even back then, he was awesome, I wish I got to know him more. Over the years, I learned about many wrestlers and watching guys like Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle were favorites but researching guys like Lou Thesz, Frank Gotch, George Hackenshmidt, Alexander Karelin, Ad Santel, Farmer Burns, Dan Gable, Karl Gotch and many more made me understand the true aspect of history and what it took for those guys to still be mentioned either long after they were gone or retired from the mat. 

Cables has been a part of my training for more than 15 years using mainly lifeline cables such as the Chest Expander, TNT Cables, Portable Power Jumper and a few others. They've helped immensely in keeping me in shape. I've rarely ever used cables outside of Lifeline's because that's all I really knew when it came to that kind of training. I've seen cables other athletes used and seeing skits of Lesnar training for his Summer Slam match with the Rock way 20+ years ago but never ventured out on other styles of cable training until now so this should be interesting. Always looking to evolve and gain knowledge so this specific cable is going to be fun to use. 

Because of this recent weight loss, it's going to be different in the way I train. I'm not going to be as explosive yet and hell I have some strength and conditioning to make up for so working with this cable methodically and at a pace that gives me a foundation isn't going to be easy but sure as shit is going to make things physical and test me in a different light. Am I nervous about this thing? A little but if I'm going to get strong again, adding this will be awesome. Hell, I wish I found this years ago when I was in BJJ or just doing my conditioning training but hey, it's time to slowly get back to being me again and maybe, just maybe be even fitter and better conditioned than before. I did say that when I turn 40 that I want to be in the best shape of my life and this is another tool to get me there. 

Time to crank up the volume and get my ass kicked by an object that weighs less than a couple pounds used by some of the very best athletes on the planet. Keep at it everyone and never stop being amazingly awesome.