Showing posts with label Mobility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mobility. Show all posts

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Dopa Yellow Stretch Band For Better Posture

Dopamineo goes beyond just their big bands for intense workouts, they even have 2 types of bands that are incredible for stretching and helping with posture. The first one is their Blue Bolt Band which is a very short implement that you can use for various stretches but also to help with keeping you away from that hump you may create while sitting doing desk work or just working on your laptop. It doesn't stretch out very far, just enough to feel it. On a podcast made by wrestlers, they have this contest to see if anyone can break the Bolt, many tried and all failed. It's one of the most durable bands out there just like the workout bands.

The yellow stretch Band is similar to using a chest expander but it's much lighter to use and for obvious reasons. There are all sorts of exercises you can do with this thing. Do Pull Aparts overhand and underhand, dislocates like you would with a stick or a towel, side bends, deadlifts, punches, shadow wrestling drills and others. Great for aligning the upper back and making the chest pop like the rip expansions of the old timers like Maxick & Arco. Some bodybuilders today use it to keep the shoulders and back from stiffening up. 

It's mainly used for wrestlers and MMA Fighters as a warm up to their regular training doing various stretches and pulls to get the muscles going for the upcoming practice and then use the longer bands as a post practice conditioning workout. It's very versatile and can fit inside a duffle bag or even the pouch in a sweater. Take it out with you to a park or the beach, in your hotel room or on a break at work to get some mobility and flexibility training in. 

I'll use at times to loosen myself up. You can even tie it to your thighs to do side to side walks for the hip flexors which can go a long way to staying mobile for the hips. That particular workout with this band should really only be a few minutes, you can use it for strength if you wish doing chest presses, curls, shoulder presses and all that by having one hand under the knot you make and the other in the middle of the band so it feels slightly heavy but still stretchable. There's even a way to do Isometric Pulls by folding it a bit and pull as hard as you can for 10-30 seconds, it's not going to stretch much, maybe a couple inches and that's it but to keep it there is tough as hell. 

You can do your regular stretches with it by placing the middle on the soles of your feet and do stretches for the hamstrings, hip flexors and low back. Stretching doesn't have to be boring and using a band can help creating a longer stretch by progressively moving the hands up or down on the band. The great thing is, it's nearly impossible to break so the chances of it snapping on you are very slim. The only caution is to be careful how you place for certain stretches cause it can slide so I would recommend wearing shoes that have a good holding spot where the band won't slide as much. That's really it on the cons in my opinion. 

Grab a band or set of bands NOW and get a bad ass deal of getting the yellow stretch band, the blue bolt band and a carry bag for your bands with your order (Buy 1 Get 3). Strengthening those areas go a long way for a good quality life and having solid mobility in your later years. Stretch peacefully but also with intent. Get 10% OFF your order by using the discount code POWERANDMIGHT. Be amazingly awesome. I'll put up a video soon to show some stretches and dynamic pulls you can do. 

Monday, November 20, 2023

Resting And Recovering: A Realistic Look At Training

Often times during our training, we will push our bodies to limits we never have gone to and it gives us that feeling of accomplishment. But what about the next day? Do we just chill out and slack off as we recover and rest like we have the flu? That's not what you do or should do. The truth is, it is important to do something everyday or as often as possible. That doesn't mean you go hardcore or beat the shit out of your body everyday, that's not practical or realistic. 

There are going to be days where everything isn't always there and your body needs time to heal, what can you do in that time as you heal? Instead of sleeping all day and not do a damn thing (unless you're so beat up and/or in the hospital), you can do a few minutes of stretching or doing less intense exercise. If all you can do is go for a walk or do less intense Isometrics than do so. You never stop training, you just adapt to what your body is capable of for that time to recover. Some say recovery is just a gym term, that's complete bullshit, yeah your body can adapt to many things but if you don't take the time to heal the body, in some form or another, you can end up being very useless in the things you do in your life. 

Some days I'll do my deck of cards workouts or some other form of intense training either in one shot or throughout the day, other days I'll do small things like basic animal moves at a slower pace or stretch my body out and focus on something that doesn't require being a maniac or a sadistic fitness enthusiast. Some days (on a rare occasion) I'll be sore as hell either from training, shoveling snow or whatever and do things to keep myself moving but not to the point where I'm ready to die. It's awesome to challenge yourself but it's not worth your long term existence if you beat it to a  bloody pulp just to prove how tough you are.

I believe in recovery training to keep things flowing, keep up with maintenance and be able to "rest" until my body can go hard again which at times takes a day or two, other times it takes a week but I always feel the need to do something. Doing joint loosening sessions is great, Isometrics are great, flexibility work is great, all these things are useful when you apply the realistic approach to training the body. For joint loosening, it's to keep the body healthy so you don't become so brittle and full of aches and pains. For Isometrics, it's for maintaining strength without moving and being able to do some intense training without the need to compensate. Flexibility training is like joint loosening or mobility work by maintaining the body's ability to flow and keep going without putting so much stress on the nervous system and putting the muscles and tendons/ligaments at risk. 

Too many people like to throw in how hard they can go and doing everything possible to prove that they can harder than anyone else. It's the trend of social media influencers that think they know more than the old timers and/or understand that you can only push the body so far. Most of the time, they don't give a flying fuck about your recovery or rest, all they care about is going until you possibly end up in the ER because you did this many kettlebell swings or lifted this much weight you weren't meant to do or hell do 500 Push-ups, Run 10 miles, Sprint 600 Yards, 1000 Squats and Deadlift 300 lbs 100 times in the span of an hour or less and doing that 5 times a week. You train according to what you can do on particular days, that doesn't mean you stop training, it just means to some things to recharge and other things when you're at your peak level. 

I haven't taken a day off since I was 21 years old and I've pushed my body hard on a lot of days but I've also gave my body some time to recharge by doing things that still had me moving but not to break down so much that I can't move at all. I've done rough sessions in BJJ, I've gone through killer strongman workouts, dozens upon dozens of decks of cards, sprint training, gymnastics, nasty cardio and conditioning and yet still managed to work on mobility, flexibility and less intense training when it weas needed. You DO what you CAN every single day, you don't have to sacrifice your body in the name of fitness. 

Don't try to prove how hardcore you are, prove to yourself that you can come up with things regardless and what is possible. Listen to your body and not the bullshit influence that has wrecked many people. Be amazingly awesome. Be smart about your training.

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Keeping The Body Loose

 As we get older, the numbers game when it comes to high rep isn't so much a priority as to what keeps the body flowing and being able to move with ease. Not everyone at 70 or 80 is going to be doing 500 push-ups or jacking up weights like they did in their 20's and 30's but they can learn to do things that lessens the injuries and gains certain aspects of energy. It's called mobility work.

We all at one point want to prove ourselves that we can keep up with others and fill our egos with such pride that we forget to do what keeps our bodies going even after all those "glory days." You do what you can but at some point, there's nothing left to prove unless it's to yourself and understanding that the numbers game was just part of the process and not so much the resolution or the true answer to what happens once we can't always do those things anymore.

Mobility Training and/or Joint Loosening Workouts have a much greater impact than we give them credit for, hell I've taken them for granted at times and learned some hard lessons that the less you do them, the harder things might get but if you consistently do them with intention, the more you find out that keeping the joints healthy bares greater merit than seeing how many push-ups and squats you can do. If you're consistent with certain numbers and sticking to the basics, that could be a totally different story but don't mistake what keeps the body loose yet powerful as some side piece for training. 

My style of Mobility Work consists of utilizing Joint Loosening, Flexibility and Flowing exercises that give my body the juice it needs to stay healthy. The Joint Loosening is more doing movements to relax the ankles, knees, shoulders, elbows, neck and hips, the Flexibility can be something like static or isometric stretches, DDP Yoga, Stretches from the book Stretching and other things, the flowing movements are more animal combinations and mix and matching things that go together to create a workout that can be intense but feels great at the same time. Sort of like Movement 20XX.

You don't have to turn yourself into a contortionist to have a flexible and mobile body but it is important to make sure the body is healthy for the long haul. Injuries come and go, some have been more severe than others and it is apparent that we keep our joints strong more than how big our muscles get or have some type of physique that looks like a million bucks but buckles quick after a bum knee. Our body is a tool that should last as long as possible and not go through such extremes to make it look or act like it only has a short time and the rest is just waiting for death. 

When it comes to Strength Training, you can lift weights, do bodyweight or whatever that keeps the body strong and durable but when it comes down to it, the most versatile form of Strength Training IMO is Isometrics. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Isometrics are the Game Genie Of Fitness meaning they're the cheat code to youthful strength that keeps on going and makes the joints so damn powerful that it may seem like you have an adamantium skeletal structure. If you ever heard of Wolverine from the X-Men you'll know what I'm getting at. I've had my own share of injuries but if it wasn't for Isometrics, I'd have tons more and may even be completely crippled but I do my best to not think or dwell on that kind of thing. There are many ways to do Isometrics but my favorite style is Overcoming & Hybrid. Some days, my workouts are exclusively Isometrics, others are in combination to what else I do. 

Another way to keep the body strong and loose is doing Dopa Band Workouts. You may not be as explosive, fast or even technically sound as a wrestler or MMA fighter but you can adjust things that strengthen the muscles in a variety of ways that reduces injuries and have an automatic coach that shows you what you may be doing wrong and helping you correct mistakes so you can be better at your other endeavors. I've done enough workouts now with this thing that I know what it can do in terms of keeping the body strong and healthy without needing to go full bore all the time. It stretches you, it makes you learn new ways to move effectively and you can adjust the resistance by just a few steps. 

Keep up with maintenance even when you're young, it goes a long way because the less you do mobility type training, the more it might bite you in the ass later in life and end up like a lot of injured people that do things like hardcore Crossfit, Powerlifting and other things. Be amazingly awesome.   

Get your 10% OFF Discount at Dopamineo by entering POWERANDMIGHT at checkout.  

Thursday, October 12, 2023

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. 

Thursday, September 14, 2023

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.     

Monday, February 6, 2023

Putting The "Free" In Freedom Of Exercise

 From a training perspective, spending time on it should be the only thing that costs you but alas the reality is, in order to train successfully, it does cost some dough if you want to learn from the best. However, investing in a course that gives you the real freedom to move and do some cool stuff is as great as you can get. That doesn't mean the quality of a course is equal to the investment you put in. 

When you research and find top quality information, it's important to be vigilant in how you proceed with that investment. If you're looking for top quality courses on a budget, check out my Fitness Courses For Under $10 article for some bad ass info that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. Now, if you got enough saved up to where you're looking for long term training that keeps going without having to invest more than you need to, this is where it can get interesting. I've invested in many courses over the years and at this point, very few utilize the best quality of not just exercises and routines but how to apply them outside of their given program. 

I firmly believe whatever you choose to invest in, make the most of it if possible otherwise you spent your hard earned money on something that looks promising but is pure shit. Think about this for a second, there are books out there that costs on average of 35-250 dollars for a KINDLE on only training specific body parts or specific exercises at a time like one for squats, one for push-ups, one on pull-ups, one on just calisthenics alone and one on jump roping. Don't get me started on the paperbacks or hardcovers, it's ridiculous. The cost effectiveness isn't really there for somebody even if they're willing to put in the work, you might as well take out a mortgage to pay for all that. The guy selling them is also kind of what you call skinny fat, he "can" do these things but has a look that is relatively unappealing and some of the time looks like a hobo with fancy shades on. 

When it comes to cost effective and long term programming, I have found that very few can match the likes of Vahva Fitness. It's one of the best quality of training information around today. Once you buy a program, it's there for life and doesn't require much if at all to pay for more when they do addons with that specific program. Movement 20XX for example shows you how to progressively get better at various movements using nothing more than your own bodyweight. It has calisthenics, it has animal style movements, it has isometric type training and teaches you how to tie them all in together inside of one program. You get flow routines, animal movements you can do exclusively, push-up training to build up to levels of crawling, flexibility training, monthly workout routines and a hell of a lot more. This is all you can have with the cost of a one year membership to a typical gym. This alone would set you pretty much for life when it comes to bodyweight training.

Warrior 20XX is a course that creates more specific routines based on the type of goals you're looking for (Strength, Fat Burning, Muscle Density and others). You get to pick and choose whether to train 2x a week or more if you wish and learn exercises for specific body parts to train. It isn't the same as bodybuilding or purely "isolated" movements, everything comes into play but you target certain muscles more than others which can strengthen your weak points to create a complete physique. You can choose to do bodyweight, use a dumbbell or a kettlebell to do the exercises and routines, you can even create your own workouts once you mastered the basics and progressions. Along with all that, there are Bonus Routines with exercises and minimal equipment not shown in the main program which doesn't cost you a thing to learn. 

Athlete 20XX is just about as bad ass as you can get when it comes to specific training for conditioning and sports specific type training for beginners, intermediate and advanced routines. It goes into phases to give you the best progressions possible without the wear and tear on your joints and utilize the quality of speed, strength, mobility, performance and more. It focus on keeping the core tight to be most efficient with the exercises you are performing. 

Just one of these individually can do wonders for your health, fitness and physique. The guy who does all of these programs is not only fit like a Greek god but can go and has stupid conditioning and long term strength. One of the bonus routines he does is taken from a wrestling workout from Finland that has conditioned the very best athletes of that country. If you want to save more in the long run, getting all three programs is the best option. It may seem expensive but if you look at it from a perspective, that cost is a lifetime guarantee. They truly give you the freedom of training as you can create your own programs using one or all three throughout the week, one for one week, one for another or mesh-up anyway you see fit. Make it your own and build your own style. Learn new exercises as they come up and never have to worry about monthly fees or annual fees that can hinder your finances. 

Remember about the cost of the kindle books I mentioned earlier? The same guy that sells them, also has a "forum" or "membership program that costs around 1200 bucks annually, for a 5 year term, that's around 6000 out of your pocket. If you get all 3 Vahva Fitness courses, that's it, you don't need to pay more than what you're getting and be set for life, once again, no annual fees. Check it out for yourself, believe me when I tell you, these are a hell of a better investment than most and as a practitioner of Movement 20XX, you can learn some of the best movements on the planet and find your creative side that builds you flexibility in your spine, easy or hard beastly moves that take your strength to another level and create flows that tackle your conditioning to its very core without counting reps or sets. 

Be free to make your own style and invest in YOU without any financial burdens later on. Be amazingly awesome and move with grace, power and athletically strong. 

Share, Comment & Sign Up For Emails. 

Lost Empire Herb Of The Day: Rhodiola 

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Being Flexible Is Not Just About Stretching

Being limber and mobile is a couple key aspects to have in our lives otherwise, we would be walking around like Frankenstein (which in many cases today we are). Let alone look like the Walking Dead, being stiff isn't really all that fun. As we get older, we start to lose a few things here and there slowly and at times faster than others but there are ways to fix this. You don't have to be a contortionist or some incredibly flexible Gymnast or Cirque De Soleil performer but having solid flexibility throughout life keeps us as young as we can. 

Although I'm more in tuned with stretching routines or workouts that involve more dynamic movements like Joint Loosening, Animal Moves, some Bodyweight Exercises and from the Mace/Clubs I do like the old school stretching exercises that is supplementary to all those things. In the wintertime, when it starts to really come down, shoveling snow can be a hell of a workout especially if it's heavy slush, so it's important to have the muscles, joints and ligaments prepared for the task at hand. Being out in the cold a while can really tighten up the muscles so take some time before and after to relax them and keep them loose but not too loose, we don't want to be walking around like someone's higher than the International Space Station.

Stretching may seem silly to some people because they want to get to the training right off the bat and dig into that workout hard. The problem is, that can bite us in the ass if we're not careful. That's why we must keep up with the maintenance in order to perform at our best. It's why I start off nearly everyday with some form of flexibility, mobility and/or joint loosening work, at night I do my best to get in my bridges (wrestler's, front and occasionally gymnastic) hold the front and back bridges for 3 minutes each and the gymnastic bridge as long as needed. I love being able to move the way I need to and have had stints of being so damn stiff I couldn't get out of bed in my late teens.

Being flexible is more than just stretching, it's about giving your body the tools it needs to be in better health and well-being. I've known many who've been through the ringer and are so tight and knotted that they can barely tie their shoes let alone try to get out of bed without feeling some sort of pain. Remember that old adage no pain, no gain? Complete bullshit. Yes pain is telling you you're not dead but at the same time, pain is something nobody wants to really live with. If you're a laborer, a soldier, a cop, a fireman or a sadistic crossfitter maybe you're use to pain and it's a part of who you are and sacrificing your body for so long will make you so damn miserable it's unbearable.  

Stretching and Flexibility work doesn't have to be boring either, you can learn some cool dynamic moves, animal exercises that stretch many areas of the body, qi gong, mobility type training and bodyweight exercises like Bridging & Hindu Pushups. They all have a place in developing your elasticity and keeping it strong as long as you're consistent. Find some form of way to keep yourself in shape beyond just moving weight around or doing hundreds of pushups and/or squats. Use exercises that can heal and help you recover so you can have that energy, that drive and be able to perform great tasks while as a job or recreationally. One of the things to help slowing the aging process, limberness and strength to stay relaxed. The better your flexibility, the less chances of injuries.

Be flexible and keep being amazingly awesome. 

Monday, November 28, 2022

Heading Back To My Animal Roots

I go through many phases of training to keep my mind wanting to try new things or experiment with combinations of methods but what draws me back more than anything else is the Animal Movements and the Free Flowing Combos. Hell, I did a 4 1/2 minute workout straight through to this song by Beasto Blanco on the spot and just let the exercises come on their own. It felt great and also felt like a splash of cold water water on my face waking my ass up. It was natural and instinctive. Included Crawling, Stretching, Mobility, Switches, Backward Rolling & Shin To Feet Jumps.

Training this way takes out all the stuff about set & rep schemes and just move. The practice of getting into a flow, breathing into it and let your instincts takeover isn't easy to do but once you get it, there's nothing like it. Sort of like Rickson Gracie going into a meditative state as he moves throughout a workout and let's his intuitiveness handle it instead of just thinking about it and analyzing everything. That's one of the things I'm drawn to, a few sets and reps of something is cool but to go into a place in your mind as the animal within takes over is a whole other ball game that many don't quite understand.

We rarely ever use our instincts and we are told by some that our instincts aren't valued and we need to pay more attention to detail in the sense of thinking too much and analyzing the way we go through life. The analyzing can be good to a degree but at some point we need to learn how to just let go. If you've practiced the mechanics of any exercise method long enough, it becomes a muscle memory and instincts can shoot up depending on the situation. You've done it so many times that it becomes automatic. That's one of the key aspects of Animal Movements and Flow Combos, you practice them until they become a part of you, to the degree where you become something else for a few brief moments and your mind goes blank but your body is flooded with all this Physical Memory (if that's the right term to use).

With the Animal Deck Of Cards, sure there's reps to do. I've gone through enough times to wear the reps or steps are just part of it but I get in tuned to it more than any other type of workout using a deck of cards. It's not just a conditioning type workout, it's not just to get a sweat going and it sure as hell isn't a workout for the sake of working out, it's to embody being animalistic and letting go of all the crap around you. Without the cards, I free flow and see where it leads me. I play and develop that meditative state of just letting certain things take over. That's the true art of physical exercise. 

When I went through that workout while the song played, something just clicked that I haven't experienced in a while. Everything felt right, didn't think about anything else and just had this drive to let the music in and help me in that state of mind. It wasn't like an out of body experience or anything like that but I was in the moment, in the now and get in touch with my inner animal. I was conscious but the thought process wasn't really there and just let the body take over. It was surreal.

When you can train like that, there's no other feeling like it. The world you live in for a mere moment doesn't exist and all that is is the connection to your body and mind, no more, no less. Animal Movements can give you that in ways other exercises can't (at least in my experience). Give them a chance and see where they take you. You don't need to do exercises so damn advanced that they seem impossible, work the basics and form a way to flow through certain things. Let it be fun, challenging and not so much a chore or something that bores you to death. 

Be instinctive, build that mind/muscle connection with the aspects of nature and keep being amazingly awesome. 

Here's a little Push-Up & Scorpion Combo Flow you can try out to get some mobility, coordination, strength and agility. Do this as many times as you like and it can be a warm up or cool down in your regular workout.



Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Grip Strength And What It Says About Health

 Having a solid grip while shaking hands with someone is known to be a form of confidence at a higher level. Strength in our hands and fingers can also be a process of longevity. Grip Strength according to researchers has great potential to predict our overall health and well-being. As we get older, the stronger we are in the grip aspects, the greater chances of blasting through diseases like cancer.

While maintaining muscle mass, it also indicates a strong importance of mobility and strength. If we lose muscle, we also lose mass. I'm only less than a couple years shy of 40 and need to keep up with what I do for as long as I can because after hitting the big 4-0, muscle mass will start going little by little each year from then on. Some say it happens after 25, some will say 35 but 40 seems to be the majority among those that research. A powerful grip is a large indicator of longevity so it's apparent we do our best to keep that intact. 

A study done in 2015 which 142,000 grip measurements were taken, along with obtaining info that tested ongoing diseases showed some pretty interesting results. It was suggested that for every 11 lb decrease in grip strength was a 16% chance you could die at a higher percentage from any cause. There are ways to measure our grip but there are great ways to build it as well using various tools while keeping a solid level of overall strength training as we age. Smashing a tire with sledgehammers builds incredible grip strength and also builds insane conditioning. Working with a Thick Bar or implements such as Fat Gripz you can attach to pull-up bars, barbells, dumbbells or even handles like with the TNT Cable System. One idea is about as simple as you can get is what John Brookfield has demonstrated where you take a towel and put in a bucket full of water, elongate it and start twisting the water out of the towel until it dries. This will fire up your forearms like crazy.

Building muscle and maintaining it can go a long way more than just looking good, it could be life saving and keeping things in order has great potential to keep you from getting injured easily and keeping your organs strong for a long time. Grip Strength is a piece of a big puzzle that continually comes together in order to live a quality life. Stay away from the steroids and find resources that will help you stay strong for many years to come. 

Stay strong, build some mighty mitts and be amazingly awesome. 








Friday, September 9, 2022

The Benefits Of Animal Movement Strength Training


Fitness methods come and go and we never know what the next trend will come next. For some, a method is not a trend or something just discovered, it's a lifestyle or better yet, a style they take beyond the norm because it's part of their life and they want to master it. That's what Animal Style Training is like for me, I always go back to it no matter what I try and the path takes me back to a place where I can be my true self from a fitness stand point. There's always something to try and take on with the challenge and the ideals but moving like a beast in the wild just feels different than anything else.
Practicing it for so long, it always fascinates me on its origins and why it has stood the test of time. If you do enough research, you'll find that Animal Movement Training has its roots in Martial Arts & Wrestling. On the eastern side of the world, the mighty Shaolin Monks use animals as a testament to their success in Kung Fu and other arts by mimicking animals in their unique form. In the west, animal moves are a traditional conditioning method in Wrestling. Anybody who's been on the mat can still feel in their memory the pain and lactic acid build up from crawling like a bear or going backwards like a crab, walking like a duck or moving like a seal. 

In recent decades, Animal Moves are used more as a warmup in MMA schools and football teams use this method for conditioning. The Bear Crawl is the most common animal used because it's so damn simple yet can turn a weak kid into a rugged machine within less than a few months if not weeks. As good as that sounds, the benefits alone are far beyond just warmups and conditioning style exercises. The warmup version is just a beginning to what really comes into play. 

Believe it or not, moving like an animal in the wild takes on shapes and forms beyond what we could normally understand or what we've been taught. It's more of an untapped resource more than we realize and when you start to get into it, there's a boost of strength, agility and challenging aspects you may have never experienced before. Here are some benefits to help you understand this:

1. The Expansion Of Your Performance & Function

Our bodies are far more capable of doing amazing things than other traditional or conventional methods call upon. When we focus on something one dimensionally, the body will reflect on this and we wouldn't be using our full potential in the aspects of sports or in life in general. Nothing wrong with using other forms of exercises, matter of fact, some are pretty damn essential to do but yet, the demand for more versatile movements needs to be utilized. Practicing Animal Style Movements can do phenomenal things for our functionality and perform at a greater level. We are challenging the norm by moving in ways that are more in the 3D variety more than just focusing from a single point in training.

2. Quality Of The Movements & Mobility Training

As we practice moving like a wild beast, we form patterns that are in 3D which has a high potential of developing great mobility and joint lubrication. The muscles can be shortened or elongated but also with many cases, the activity in these positions build an incredible reservoir in the range of motion of the joints. Learning the aspects of the Lizard Crawl for example shows how the Core is in constant motion of twisting and rotating throughout the movement. This in turn will train the spine very well. The hips are getting mobilized and the shoulders are getting worked as well because of the support they provide while also rotating as you take each step. This exercise alone is a full body movement that develops incredible strength and movement quality in the body.

3. Restoration & Rejuvenation Of The Body

Our bodies and our brains were developed with similar movements to the animals. Think about it, as a baby, we learned to crawl, progressed to walking and than to sprint like there's no tomorrow. As we age, it becomes more and more important to maintain our quality of life by moving and keeping our strength, mobility and efficiency for as long as we can. For a lot of us, Animal style training can be seen as a fountain of youth that will revitalize the body. Animal moves also has great potential to target injury prevention and possibly getting rid of aches and pains. This method makes you feel like a kid again. 

These are just a small portion of the benefits you'll find when you practice Animal Movements. Be strong, get wild and be amazingly awesome.    

Monday, September 5, 2022

Turning Imagination Into Reality


Throughout history, creativity has been a cornerstone for what has become civilization and the people that have made things happen, from the pyramids to Mickey Mouse, creativity and vision became a reality. As humans we have built monolithic structures, ruled and conquered civilizations, made sportsmen warriors, became heroes in battle and we used our minds and our imagination to create theme parks that started with a cartoon character. 

Throughout all of this, we have also tackled areas of physical fitness that have stood the test of time. From weightlifting to yoga, bodyweight conditioning, sports training and bodybuilding. All of these have turned men and women into athletic specimens. Now granted some areas of fitness have been lost or have changed gears due to decades of practice, trial and error and the formation of scientific inquiries and studies, we still use creativity to utilize what has been done and make it greater or more interesting.

Primal Training isn't a new concept, it's been around a while but in recent years, we have taken movements based on Animals & Gymnastics to create formulas of incredible athleticism and conditioning programming. From MMA Fighters to everyday Joe's, doing Primal Movements is a powerful idea that shows amazing creativity. The Flow, the Sequences, the coordination and the strength & agility is just phenomenal to watch. Once you understand the movements and practice the transitions, you can come up with some crazy athletic moves that are just phenomenal. Sticking to the basics is key, but never underestimate the power of imagination and creating your own style to create your reality.

Some movements are not for everyone especially those who have severe injuries but the majority can do some awesome stuff with the right tools to cater to their individual needs. It's that evolutionary need to move the way we were meant to and conquer our own selves in order to become the best version of our selves. Move like you were a young kid, become Athletic using building blocks that help reduce injuries and develop that Warrior from within to become the best YOU. Training can be fun and exciting the way it should be and learn things about yourself through physical movement that showcases what the human body is capable of. 

Turn your imagination into reality and get creative in your fitness endeavors. Don't ever let yourself get bored and do kick ass workouts that keeps you strong and healthy well into your golden years. Feel the fire in your veins whether you're 25 or 75 and bring something to life that makes you feel like you can do anything. Be strong, move with vim and vigor and be amazingly awesome.

Monday, January 28, 2013

You Have Great Choices


Confused on what to get?

I knew a guy that hated going to Baskin Robbins for ice cream. If you're not familiar with the place the idea was they had 31 different flavors. This guy hated it because he didn't know what to choose. He'd rather go to a smaller ice cream place that only had ten flavors.

Well with these workshop videos you might be feeling the same. There is something for everyone, but there just may be too many choices.


To help you narrow it down this is what's most popular:

#1 The whole set (this makes it easy, no need to pick, just get it all)

I have to say the crowd has made some pretty good choices on this one. 


Ben Bergman

Friday, January 25, 2013

Get the Complete Super Human Workshop Videos


There’s about 15 hours worth of training information available here!

Go Here To Find Out Why

This includes from the massive and massively strong Dru Patrick:

8 Day a Week Program for Massive Strength and Muscle
Bench Press Secrets from the Raw World Bench Press Champion
Pulling a Monster Deadlift

For you bodyweight guys Logan Christopher taught his most complete info ever on:

Front and Back Lever Training
The Ultimate Guide to Handstand Pushups

The amazing Bud Jeffries covered what he does best…stuff no one else is talking about

Extreme Power with Isometrics Volume 2
Myofascial Mobility: The Next Evolution of Mobility Training to Unlock Your Body
The Mind Force Training Behind Big Bending (which largely futures his son Noah Jeffries)

And then Eric Guttmann showing you how to stay young and healthy by going outside the box

Agility and Explosiveness Workout
Moving Freely for Life: Full Body Mobility

There is something for everybody and that’s the great thing.

Learn It All Here

With workshops in the past they’ve only released the whole set. Either buy it or not. Those where your only choices.

Now Logan has told me they’re trying something different.

You can pick up any one course (complete by itself) you want. You can get two, three or five if you want too.

You can also get the whole shebang for a substantial discount.

Not only that but for those of you who like DVD’s they’re available. For those that want to pay less and be able to download the videos to your computer there’s that option too.

There’s a lot more details over here so check out this page.

Check It Right Here

Ben Bergman

P.S. Also rest assured as everything is backed by a 3 month money back guarantee. This is a limited time deal so you’ll want to act now.

Go Here Now

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Is this the next evolution of mobility training?



Mobility training has been popular now for many years. There are lots of teachers.

I personally like to use it for loosening up the joints and ligaments to keep my body flexible and supple.

But the truth is, besides maybe a few adaptations and maybe some new exercises, there hasn’t really been anything new in the field for years...

Until now!

I’m certainly intrigued by this idea. Go watch this video to find out all about it.

Ben Bergman

P.S. Is it a way to get better in tune with your body and better correct or prevent injuries?

You be the judge.




Sign Up

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *