Pushing, Pulling, Squatting, Sandbags, Bands And More

 Keeping things basic is the way to go but don't always look to them as a generic boring thing. Make the basics interesting, make games out of them and have fun while kicking your ass. Daily training and being smart about what you do will make all the difference. If you're more keen on doing things 3-4 times a week, that's great too, just don't fall for bullshit that'll get you hurt or worse. 

Building muscle at 40 these days isn't surprising or as shocking as it was back in the day but it's still incredible that people can still accomplish it and continue their journey. For me, it's becoming more and more of a realization that the more you can make it happen and without TRT, HGH, HRT and other things that many even as young as their 20's are doing, is something to celebrate and be proud of. 

Old school methods are what keeps the world going around when it comes to Fitness in the long run. Been doing it for ages but there's always been fluctuations in terms of what my physique has gone through over the years and I blame no one but myself on what some of those fluctuations entailed. The best thing to do is to keep improving, making better decisions on the type of training you do and getting the most out of it. Some may say Daily Hard Workouts will get you better results but some of those same guys look like Bean Poles and have less muscle than Karen Carpenter (bad joke I know). I say, do what you can and go hard when needed, go hard for too long, too frequently, it can bite you in the ass.

There was a reason I fell in love with training and it went beyond my accident and all that, you already know the story by now so you don't need me to repeat it like a broken fucking record. It's the love of doing things that mean something, that are valued and making adjustments. Doing 500 Push-ups and Squats are great for some but there are plenty of things that don't require hundreds or thousands of reps in one shot. Play it over time and spread them out. If anything I do 500 these days is Step Ups or a total of 500 doing 5 exercises for 10 reps each for 10 rounds doing Circuits with my Dopamineo Band. The rest of the time, I'll do lifts with the sandbags, work on isometrics, consistent deep breathing training with the O2 Trainer and play with the hammers, chest expander and other kick ass equipment I got laying around. 

Working on bodyweight training is always fun to do especially when you learn from people like Matt Schifferle of the Red Delta Project. Guy's knowledge and applications of movements are so freaking awesome, it's shameful he's not ranked up there with being one of the very best in Physical Culture today. His method of Grind Style Calisthenics and Isometrics brings that old school mentality with a humble notion of encouragement in the modern age is refreshing. 

Keeping the grind going and putting up content of Push-ups, Pull-Ups (Suspension), Sandbag Work, Bands just keep getting better and better man. My physique is changing for the better as well and losing weight has been a great blessing. When I turned 40 back in late July, I was already down 17-18 lbs within the last several months since my recovery from that fucked up Sciatica injury which I will aways take responsibility for. This time around, I'm down to roughly 230 lbs and the muscle just keeps packing on little by little. Often these days I take a longer time to eat during the day, only eating when I'm hungry and consistently eating Meats, Eggs, Rice, using the Air Fryer and other things. Still have my vices like pizza, fries, burgers (not always fast food), Burritos, Pasta and sandwiches from Subway or this little place here called Local Deli where even half a sandwich looks huge yet still losing weight and dropping bodyfat. Haven't had Burger King in months and been more than a year that I can remember having McDonalds.

 

When you put in the work but keeping the stress to a minimum, things will pop up for you and being consistent with your eating habits and training smart and not like a maniac frequently. It's good to go crazy a couple to a few times a week but don't push to where you're so sore, your muscles are screaming at you "You are a fucking asshole for doing this to me." Have gas in the tank, make little progressions and keep your mind sharp when you train, even on those days when things around you suck. Don't go overboard with the junk stuff but don't have to 100% cut them out of your life either unless it's dire and need to clean things up. 

Training at this age and beyond is crucial and valuable but don't make it so that you're going to act like a dick and tell people how much of a loser they are if they don't train. Be more encouraging, share your progress and utilize what gives you the greatest benefit in your journey. Calling people derogatory names because they don't do pull-ups or some shit like that makes you more of the loser than anything else. Do many these days need a tune up in their health, absolutely, but preying on their insecurities and mocking them with such vengeance is such a copout and just downright mean bro. Being a goody too shoes isn't ideal either so it's important to find a balance of being encouraging and giving people a reason to train and giving tough love when needed. It's hard enough when the biggest critics is ourselves. 

Stick to the basics as much as possible. There will be days where things aren't always there and the chaos of life just throws you curve ball after curve ball, don't give up and do a little something even a few push-ups or holding a few postures during commercials while watching your favorite show and if you got a streaming service, pause the movie for a little bit and do a quick mini workout that can be as short as a few minutes like this Core Workout, it's not easy but it'll do some good in a span of 4 minutes. You got this and keep your journey alive. Be amazingly awesome.

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.    

Over 100 Done So Far

 The journey continues as I keep grinding with my Hill Sprint Training. Thought I'd share my results so far. There isn't a huge difference but I'll take what I can get and keep getting better and better. I've now reached over 100 Sprints since I started a little over a month ago. Had to reduce the amount of sprints after the first three workouts since I was doing too much just to begin with. I was doing 10 sprints a session and reduced it to 5 each for the next three weeks, I'm now in my second week of 6 sprints a session for 12-15 seconds each. 

Results don't come easy for me and I've actually changed my eating habits around since I started this up again. I've cut back on a number of things and focused more on Steak, Rice, Eggs, Homemade Shakes with Milk & Raw Eggs, Chicken Salads from time to time and some other good stuff. On my days off from sprints, I'll do mainly Isometrics but I also go on walks, play basketball, work with hammers, do circuits and even one workout where I managed 105 slams in 5 minutes with my 20 lb slam ball. I thought I was going to die from that one and that felt more intense than the sprints LOL. 

Isometrics help a lot with the recovery and some days I'll do the intense 7-12 second contractions but other days I'll do 30 seconds or longer doing various positions. Overall like I said there isn't a massive difference in my physique and I still have quite a road ahead of me but I'm loving it and I feel different. I feel lighter even at around 255, my legs feel springy, the definition in the legs is awesome too and haven't felt I lost any strength. Stamina keeps getting better little by little and the endorphin highs are just flat out incredible. 

Not planning to look like Zach Efron from Baywatch but the idea is to slim down more, eat better, drink more water, harden the muscles up a bit and just be in better shape. This is my last year in my 30's and I want to be in the best shape I can be in when 40 hits. Getting a head start isn't a bad thing now is it? I don't want to feel like an old man and still want the ability to keep up. Too many people I know let themselves go after they approach 40 and many younger than me are already starting to wear down from injuries and even dying because of certain lifestyle choices. Although looking like you're in shape and actually feeling and doing things that keep you in shape are different things, I just want to get better little by little and feel like I'm not wearing out and can't keep up. Conditioning and Flexibility becomes more crucial as we age and staying strong is part of that puzzle. 

Sprints are more than just running hard for a few seconds, it's about fighting yourself and discovering where your true strength and will lies. Keep at it and keep being amazingly awesome everyone. 

Mar 20th

Today Apr 24th

 

Results Of My Blood Tests

I didn't want to say anything until I got my results back but I had some blood tests done because I wanted to check where I'm at for Testosterone Levels in my age range and what I need to do to either maintain, improve or cut back on in order to be in the normal ranges. Quite frankly, I was surprised with the results.

They only told me one thing that was concerning and that was my triglycerides were a bit high which I kind of knew would be and just need to continue losing weight which is manageable and I already have set goals for where I want to be at. It was basically taking a look at my BMI which for the most part is pure bullshit because it doesn't take into account of muscle mass, just pure height and weight "charts". 

For my testosterone levels? I'm literally at the bare minimum for my age range which is 352-478, I'm at 353 which I'm actually really happy about. I could jack it up a bit and I have ideas on how to do it without that TRT and Steroids crap. For now, I'm just happy I'm in a good range for a 35-39 year old. All thanks to my training and utilizing the best methods to keep my body healthy and strong. From the research I've looked into, the numbers for a normal human being overall is 300-1000 and I'm at 353 so for a human being, that's pretty damn good. Hammers, Isometrics, Cables, Kettlebells, Slamballs, Step-Ups, Squats, Animal Moves and others have made this possible. I'm already losing weight since I've been at 270-275 and now I'm at around 257 and counting. 

I needed to find out where my levels were for the main reason because if it was too low, something needed to be done and I knew what I had to do. Since I'm actually in the normal, the best thing I can do is maintain it and keep losing weight which isn't the easiest for me but it is manageable and just need to make small changes to my eating that I'm happy to do. If I want to bring my testosterone up, I can with the right tools and eating habits along with training like I said. Training with intensity is a key and understanding how to utilize it with quality rest and recovery. HIIT is incredible for developing solid levels of Testosterone and HGH and no more than 3x a week is enough so go do Hill Sprints, Burpees and other explosive movements like slamming a medicine ball or a Sandbell, 10 on 20 off of Bear Crawling and workouts from Darebee would work as well. 

Loaded carries with Kettlebells, Dumbbells, Sandbells and Weight Vests build incredible bone strength and conditioning along with keeping great levels of testosterone. Being an active man does get the job done but it's not always that simple; quality rest, eating good are a priority but also your stress, your training and other things are all connected together to form a healthy lifestyle. 

For the rest of my results, not one fucking thing was concerning that came up, I have great cholesterol, my blood runs smoothly and efficiently, I have no problems with my cells, no suggestion of parasites and I don't have anything cancerous. Healthy as a fucking horse man. For those out there who may be reluctant to take a test like I did for so many years, get it done and see where you're at. Take care of yourself and do what you need to do to maintain, reduce or bring up. Your health matters and keep being amazingly awesome. 

If you're seeking some good suuplements to aid in building testosterone, check out Lost Empire Herbs & Funk Roberts' Sipplement Shop. These are high quality and believe me, I've used some stuff at LEH and they work. FR is one of the best trainers out there today and has some awesome stuff especially for those over 40 and beyond. 

Sprint 8 Without The Machinery And Summer Results So Far

Changing things up can be a good thing so you can stay interested and take on a different style of the training you're working on. Since about late May, I was working on Hill Sprints and up until now did around 60 Sprints in that time ranging from 4-5 per workout at 10-15 seconds each. I would take about a 20 minute walk to the hill, do my sprints and walk back 20 minutes. It was good for a while but was feeling burnt out and needed to change things up. Doing research and seeing what could work for me, I found the Sprint 8 Program.

Doing a couple workouts with Sprint 8 so far and it's tough but I have greater energy and the timing is better for me since I can practically do it anywhere and not always exhaust myself. If you ever read the course by Phil Campbell it's simply a workout where you do an exercise for 30 seconds fast and "rest" for 90 seconds for 8 rounds. The workout itself takes less than 15 minutes all together and only 4 minutes of intense training.  

The program itself is not really that new and the concept itself as I recall was originally "founded" by Dr. Lawrence Moorhouse who had athletes do this with Burpees or Step Ups (can't remember which one exactly) but it's a good program. Campbell updated this protocol in the modern age by using it for cardio machines that's actually pre-set to the protocol. There's a warm up period, the workout and a cool down which all together takes 20 minutes. This is to be done 3x a week which the trial run is 8 weeks. 

I don't use machines so I just do Burpees for this particular workout because as a bodyweight exercise, Burpees are the closest to the most intense, fat burning and weight loss exercise you can do next to sprint training. The rest period is just walking it off. I would start with a few minutes of Joint Loosening and than get right to it. When I'm done, I hop in the shower and do recovery work the rest of the day. The workout itself is less than 15 but if you include the joint loosening its about 18-19 minutes) and that is perfect for me. 

You don't need machines to do this workout (which I just showed), you can do this with slam balls, bodyweight exercises, sprints in place, Burpees, Step Ups, weights just about whatever your imagination can come up with, just do something fast for 30 seconds and actively rest for 90 for 8 rounds, that's it. With the Hill Sprints and this workout so far, I've lost 7-9 pounds and put on some muscle but it's still a work in progress and got a ways to go so I just need to trust the process. I didn't even diet that much if at all and the pounds were still slowly but surely coming off. 

Who knows where I might go with this but at the moment, I like it and it could lead to my best physique ever but I'm not looking for the beach body, just be in better shape and be in better health little by little. As of July 4th, I've gone from 267 lbs. to 258 lbs. (Pictures at 258), would like to be a little under 250 by the time I turn 38. Is it possible? We shall see.

Taking It One Day At A Time

            For most in life it’s easy to jump in and make big changes but yet it can bite you in the ass if you’re not careful. In the world of fitness, many want results fast and they want them NOW!!! Sure it seems like a great thing to do at the time but yet it’s about control and bringing little things together that actually take up the big picture.

            What most don’t have is patience and don’t put in the little efforts that create something huge later on. A jet cannot fly without an engine, a deal in a business meeting can’t go down without those little tweeks to get the job done and in fitness/strength training you have to have a relationship between your goals, what you would like to have done and bring it all together in harmony. Granted some like myself aren’t always into routines but I do however believe that if you want the best quality training, you got to align yourself with the right mindset.

            It’s about harmony and building up certain challenges and taking them down a notch. It’s like a beautiful relationship with your significant other, there will be times where it’s all loving and ditsy but yet there will come a time where you face some fights and need to make for them; balance it. Put together what you want to accomplish and be prepared to be thrown a curve every now and then. Be bold and daring but at the same time, let things work for you otherwise some things will just walk all over you.

            A very important thing to remember; everything happens for a reason. There’s just that spark that hits you like Zeus’s’ thunderbolt but there are things that may not always be in your favor, be aware of that, things will work the way they’re supposed to. Be aware of how you do things and find your way to accomplishing your goals and making things happen for you. Training is all about practice, finding who you are and learning what you’re capable of. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that when things go right, it feels like magic but if it doesn’t then you either modify it or switch to something else. Either way you will find something that hits and it’ll be noticeable once you see it.

When Is It Time To Change Things Up?

          People in fitness like to hang onto a routine, having a routine in the first place feels comfortable. Having one is used mainly as a goal, if you’re a beginner or more advanced and it’s in your comfort zone and you’re use to it. The trap however is if you keep doing the same things over and over again eventually your progress begins to die out, results aren't coming in, you’re frustrated but also those who have a routine and stuck with it for a long period of time also eventually begin to only know that routine and don’t know how to change it.

            I know what it’s like being burnt out, your body begins to take a toll on you and it’s time to make a change because your mind needs to be fresh, your body needs to re-energize and your exercise routine needs to bring out a bigger and exciting challenge. I was on a routine for about over a month doing mostly push-ups,squats and bridging using a deck of cards. What I've noticed lately is due to the excess work over 3-4 times a week is that I've gotten stronger and have more endurance but my shoulders and knees are breaking down on me and need to stop. Most likely I’ll change it to 1-2 times a week because with the cards you’re looking at a minimum of 388 squats and 238 push-ups (I make it 400/250 to make certain goals) and the bridging is hard enough as it is.

            When your body begins to hurt more than it should from a routine, change your pace, use less volume or learn to exercise the joints, tendons and ligaments so you don’t get an injury. Find something fresh and fun to do because if you overload the body without using multi-directional exercises you can get hurt and you will be in pain. Also being burnt out means your mind isn't there anymore and if you keep it up, your mind just goes dead and you’re going through exercises like a zombie, it’s not fun and you’re getting the results you want and it’s bad for your health.

            There are people (I happen to be one of them) who has a bit of ADD which means they can’t always pay attention to what they’re doing and they change things up frequently. This has been a bit of a habit for me because quite frankly I hate routines; aside from doing the deck of cards and some of the bridging for the last month and a half I’m constantly doing different exercises. This could also mean people like to go by feel, what they’re in the mood for. Some days they’ll do odd object lifting, other days gymnastics and even every once in a blue moon they’ll just hammer out whatever energy they have and try to go as far as they can go. Be careful how you do things but at the same time have fun and learn to use your imagination.

            Here’s another reason to change things up; boredom. I've been there and seen plenty of guys in the gym do this and that’s being bored as hell with what you’re doing. If you’re not having fun and your routine is dull and what I like to use from the movie Your Highness is what Prince Thaddeus refers to as “It sounds tedious and boring” then you need some serious changes my friend (watch the movie and try to say it like he does, you’ll perk right up). You should never be bored with what you do. Want to know what boring is, look in the magazines and the routines they have, most of that shit is boring to do and who the hell can finish them in the amount of time it needs? Find a way to train that gives you freedom and challenging. Find what gives you a reason to train, make it interesting and use the power of being happy with what you do. An exercise program is supposed to make you feel good, not terrible and hurt; it gives you energy and happiness not dark and un-eventful. 

            The ultimate reason to change things up is to create a new challenge. If you can do a deck of cards doing push-ups and squats in full within a period of time after a while, it gets easy, how do you make it harder? Double the push-ups and/or squats and see how far you get. That’s an example, how about doing animal movements? Eventually you’ll get the exercise down and you need a change of pace, to make it more challenging, move slower to the point where you hold a position isometrically and then take a slow step.

            Everything needs a challenge so we can learn to grow mindfully and get stronger physically because when you challenge yourself, you learn new things, how to make the exercise a bit more difficult or the tempo and timing of the workout. Maybe you’ll do a challenge once a week/month/year whatever but do it and find new ways to make it interesting and learn how to handle yourself in certain situations. Growth is a natural part of life so what makes exercise any differently? Get to it and change things up, you may find certain things more fun to do than others.